Review: Sizzling romantic/erotic trilogy all-in-one book. Highly recommend!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 3, 2012
I have a major author crush on Christine d'Abo. I fell in love with this trilogy with ease, and I attribute that to d'Abo's ability to show, not tell what her characters are feeling, and she didn't unnecessarily drag out the drama or conflict portions of each couple. I also loved that she took the time to focus on the family dynamics of the Longs and showed us upfront who they were at their core. To me, they never felt like fictional characters. Despite the individual stories being short, the events never felt rushed. D'Abo was also wickedly creative with some of the erotic scenes. I laughed, I burned and I melted. This is one of those those books I'll be revisiting often for the emotional and sexual high and the awwws. If you're looking for a scorching hot, kinky read, with a dash of heart and humor, then this is the series for you. I am absolutely going to start collecting more of Ms d'Abo's books.Book #1 - Double ShotSadie Long has had a crush on Paul Williams for the past decade. They've been friends for just as long, but she won't do anything to risk that friendship. When Paul requests her catering services for Mavericks (the sex club where he works), things change with one question: What's your fantasy, Sadie?" Dare she tell him?What I loved the most about this story, is that it's a kinky story filled with humor and a lot of heat. Sadie was a delight; the kind of girl you'd want as a friend. She's shy in certain areas of her personality, and bold in others. She can't get Paul's question out of her head, nor her fantasy about having him and his boss, Josh Scott. As much as she wants to, giving in to her deepest desire could cost her her friendship with Paul. Paul was insanely hot in his slow seduction. Their night together was off the charts hot. Even though it didn't end on a good note, it finally made Paul and Sadie acknowledge what they'd always known but were too afraid or stubborn to say. I hope to catch a glimpse of them in the rest of the books.There was one line from Sadie's very naughty thoughts that made me spit out my drink and laugh out loud. Something about brains. - Book contains M/F and M/F/MBook #2 - A Shot in the DarkPaige Long, sister and self-appointed mother hen to her two younger siblings feels a spark for the first time in years when gorgeous firefighter Carter West strolls into her coffee shop one evening. His attempts to flirt with her don't go so well when she realizes he's a Dom. Her last relationship ended because of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her boyfriend and Master. Getting involved with the lifestyle once again and with Carter could end in the past repeating itself, or it might give her everything she's wanted but denied herself. But first she will have to face her past and summon the courage to let Carter in.My favorite story so far! Not just because it involved a sexy as sin firefighter who is also a Dom, but because I found Paige's emotional presence to be clearly defined from the first page. I cringed when she finally revealed her past. Her story is relevant and makes a good precautionary tale when it comes to the BDSM lifestyle. I admired her strength to overcome her fears and Carter was the perfect hero for her. I think my jaw dropped to the floor during their most intimate scene. - Book contains M/F, one hot as hell firefighter and frozen peas.Book #3 - Pulled LongFor nearly a year, Ian Long and Blue Eyes aka Jeff Carson (a recurring customer/character since book 1) have been flirting furiously. Then Ian found out that Jeff was in the middle of a divorce with his soon to be ex-wife. Ian can't and won't allow himself to be used as an experimental rebound. But one night Ian's resolve leaves him, and he allows himself to get lost in his fantasy. When they take things public at a company function and get caught, Ian's immense guilt from his past threatens to overshadow his future.Ian and Jeff were so good together, it's difficult to describe. I also liked getting the big picture about the Long's parents and what had happened to them. With Ian's story, Long Shots came full circle. - Book contains M/M, voyeurism, exhibitionismDisclaimer: I received an ARC from Carina Press via NetGalley. A review in exchange for the ARC was not promised. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the publisher/distributor.