Review: Enjoyable Read But Has Some Flaws
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 9, 2013
Decadent Publishing's 1Night Stand series of books are a short yet satisfying way to spend an hour or two.  There's no big plot or character developments with these stories, just enjoyment and a brief escape from life's stress.  They promise steaminess and a HEA and Curve My Appetite lives up to that promise as a decadent treat.Sally is a woman with curves who's always been made to feel ashamed of her size through the few relationships she's had in the past.  Those men toyed with her and emotionally hurt her which is why she's been on her own for years.  With her birthday fast approaching she decides to give herself an unexpected gift courtesy of Madame Eve when she asks for a caring and sexy man who looks like her favorite TV star.  For one night she wants her long-time fantasy fulfilled.  In true Madame Eve fashion Sally gets all that and more if only she's brave enough to take hold and make the fantasy a reality.  I felt sympathetic towards Sally at times for the cruelty she endured, but was also frustrated by her at times.  She was so insecure and naive which didn't seem realistic given her age.  Even without hands-on experience she should understand the mechanics of sex, so her shock at certain things felt odd.  She also needed to stand up for herself more.  Instead of crawling into bed for a week after her first "boyfriend" used her she should've given him a verbal beat-down.  Running seems to be her favorite way of handling things though which made her a heroine that wasn't one of my favorites.Dean on the other hand was a favorite of mine.  As he's gotten older he's come to appreciate women of substance, someone with smarts and honesty.  He's tired of the facade the model-like women he's surrounded by present along with being in the spotlight.  He wants a real life with a real woman and believes that Sally will fit the bill.  He wants to take all the pain away that the men of her past have caused her and finds it sexy to be her mentor when it comes to sex.  He's the perfect man as he accepts and adores everything about her and isn't afraid to tell her so.  He seemed way more into their relationship from the start than she did though and so it was fitting that he was the one to track her down after her escape.This story had many aspects that were by the book and seen before, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a fun read.  I enjoyed the flirtiness of Dean and how desirable he made Sally feel after so many years of her feeling like a failure.  Their scenes together were hot and the ending brought a smile to my face as it was truly romantic.  This story is meant to savor and enjoy as Ms. Kendall kept the story flowing at a nice pace.  It's pure escapism, as are the other 1Night Stand stories, and I look forward to this kind of mini-vacation again soon.3.5 STARS