Review: Cold Nights, Warm Honey
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2013
I picked this up as an All I Want For Christmas anthology, two stories. I believe now they are both sold separately.It's Christmas, and Kate the attorney is stuck in Chicago due to bad weather. While kicking herself for letting her life becomes dull and without excitement and while finding out that she cannot extend her room reservation, a handsome stranger (Derek happens to be the owner of the Tony hotel where she was staying) makes an indecent proposal.He's hot, she's hot, they're both single and of age, so why not? The sex scenes, which basically are almost all there is, here, are very good, but there was a little nagging part of my brain screaming, "They are virtual strangers; what about condoms, what about condoms?" There's a twist at the end that explains it, but it's too late - I have already been a bit squicked out by the unsafe sex, and can't retroactively get UNsquicked.Personally, I am coming to loathe the "close with an engagement ring" meme. I know for a lot of readers this makes whatever went before okay, because our couple is going to get married! I believe that even the hottest sexual chemistry does not necessarily translate into a happy marriage, and it does marriage a disservice to suggest so. I want to see dating, conflicts, problem-solving, not just burning up the sheets, before The Ring appears. In a sexy novella, especially one this short, there isn't time to get into all of that - and I understand that, but (IMO) it's too soon to suggest a Happily Ever After.In Real Life, moving a relationship too fast is one of the warning signs of a pyschopath; I just don't think romance authors should suggest it's a sign of True Love.  *steps down off soapbox*