Ophelia Bell – Nexus (Review & Excerpt)

Nexus by Ophelia Bell
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Series: Sleeping Dragons #5
Source: Review by Request
Copy Provided bu the Author
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Born to a race of creatures that strictly polices its presence among humans, Kris possesses a gift only one dragon in each generation may possess – that of a human form that requires no magic to maintain. Only to Kris, his form is a curse because it means he has spent his life without the touch of another since he left his mother’s breast.

Graced by his mother with the mark of his race and raised by a reclusive sect of monks, Kris learns his destiny, and the means to shed his affliction, lies within the slumbering depths of a long forgotten temple in the Sumatran jungle. To fulfill his destiny, he must lead a group of archaeologists there to awaken his brethren.

Kris has been a patient observer during the ritual, watching while the dragons of the temple’s court gathered sexual energy from the humans. But finally his part of the ritual is at hand. His task is to receive that gathered power through the same means it was taken, and serve as the conduit through which that energy will awaken their Queen.

Buy this Book:
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Recommended: Buy the Omnibus:
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Travis Luedke – The Nightlife: Las Vegas (Review & Excerpt)

The Nightlife: Las Vegas by Travis Luedke
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Series: The Nightlife #2
Source: Review by Request
Copy Provided by the Author
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Vampires, Aaron Pilan and his master Michelle, live by one rule – no bloodslaves. EVER. Aaron breaks that rule when he meets Anastasia. All Anastasia wants is to be loved and cherished, but the predatory men she’s attracted to bring her only pain and abuse. Escaping one train-wreck relationship for another, she finds happiness with Aaron and Michelle as a bloodslave, a ‘pet’.

When Aaron uses his telepathy to win thousands at the gambling tables, he attracts the deadly attention of the Colombian Cartel and Aaron and Michelle are ‘disappeared’. Addicted to the bite of her vampire lovers, Ana is desperate to find them. But, Las Vegas isn’t ready for vampires mixing heroin, sex and vengeance. Ana is trapped in the spiraling chaos.

Find out what happens in the second novel of the Nightlife Series.

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Lorelai LaBelle – Nothing More Beautiful (Review, Excerpt, Interview, & Giveaway)

Nothing More Beautiful by Lorelai LaBelle
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Source: Review by Request
Copy Provided by the Author
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

There’s nothing more beautiful than love. There’s also nothing more dangerous . . .

Bakery owner Maci Goodwin is 25 and has never experienced the big O. Not once. She’s been with five guys—and five duds. Sexually reserved, Maci finds herself paralyzed when it comes to bedroom exploration, despite the unbridled encouragement from her enlightened friends.

Then, after a spell of failed online dating, Maci meets Vince Forte and everything changes. He’s a man who has it all—looks, brains, and billions in the bank. The fierce attraction between them is undeniable, which ignites feelings Maci has never felt before, and she realizes she can’t get enough. After composing a list of their secret sex fantasies, the two set out on a series of kinky adventures, where they discover a world neither of them has ever imagined. It is a world of lust and love, pleasure and patience, and unexpected deviance . . . But will the list bring them together like they hope, or will it send Maci running back to her prudish, O-less life?

Nothing More Beautiful is a sensuous journey of experimentation, romance, and passion. Featuring spurned friends, long-lost lovers, deranged ex-business partners, and not-so-natural disasters, Maci’s story takes the reader on a fun, sexy tromp through the City of Roses, craft beer, and sexual freedom.

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Ben Burgess Jr. – Monster

Monster by Ben Burgess Jr.
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Source: Review by Request
Copy Provided by the Author
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tormented while growing up for being dark-skinned, and the son of a womanizer who deserts his family regularly, Ken Ferguson longed for that feeling of being loved. Ken promised himself that he wouldn’t be a manipulating, deceitful man like his father, but after being cheated on and dumped by the girl he thought he would one day marry, he begins his transformation. Fueled by anger, and tired of being the “nice guy”, Ken drowns himself in one-night stands, threesomes, affairs with married women, and sleeping with one conquest after another. He adopts the philosophy of having no commitment and no attachments, but meets his match with Ashley, a girl that makes him want to stop his promiscuous ways. But Ashley turns out to do even more damage to his ego and his heart, wounding him deeply. With his philosophy reinforced, Ken spirals out of control and becomes a MONSTER. Sleeping with and mistreating random women he meets at bars and clubs, Ken uses sex to forget about his insecurities, his anger, and his sadness. Will Ken learn to let go of his heartbreaks, or will he be consumed by them and continue to be a MONSTER?

This is an intriguing and thought-provoking story of one man’s downward spiral.

“…trust me I’d have you speaking in tongues.”
In the past I would’ve never said anything like that. I would’ve thought it was rude, but the old me wasn’t working so I needed a change.

First of all, thumbs up to the blurb for this book – it really draws you in without spoiling anything. I cannot, in good faith, categorize this as a romance. There’s a lot of angst and self-discovery in this book. It’s erotica with a bite.

21 year old Ken is a hot mess in the wake of a failed relationship…

He’s tired of feeling inferior,
Not good enough,
Not handsome enough,
Not wealthy enough,
Not strong enough…

He’s learned a hard lesson.
Nice guys finish last and he’s done losing.

KENNY

“It sounds blunt, but it’s the truth. At some point we will all use somebody, and we will all be used by somebody.”

He drowns himself in every debouched sexual encounter he would have dismissed or despised in his previous life.

He’s not Don Juan… He’s a misguided college kid with a HUGE chip on his shoulder.

The dialogue was a little awkward and stilted.
Most of the story existed within Kenny’s mind…
– things piss him off
– things turn him on
– things stroke his ego
I’m willing to excuse the lack of grace, because I feel that the choppy nature more accurate reflects the thought structure of this young man.

As good-guy Kenny deteriorates before our eyes, the sense of impending doom looms ever closer.

It doesn’t take long before he becomes the perpetrator of all wounds he had once fallen victim to… He’s acting like a kid with nothing to loose…

Meanwhile, he’s watching his parents’ toxic relationship deteriorate. Ken’s devoted mother is wilting under the mistreatment of her husband… While Ken’s father’s behavior disgusts him, he can’t seem to draw the correlation so easily presented to the reader.

Time goes by for Kenny & he’s going through women like water. By the time he’s finishing his bachelors degree, he has a job as a personal trainer.

He finds himself wrapped up in a pseudo-giggalo role – fucking his female clients while their husbands watch…

The absurdity, angst, and sheer time involved are taking their toll on Kenny. He’s beginning to wish for that one perfect woman… Getting envious seeing happy couples around him… He’s built himself a house of cards and the collapse is epic.

This book is a stand-alone novel, written from the male POV, by a male author. It is brutally honest, emotional, and will leave you feeling raw at times. We start out rooting for Kenny the underdog, but as he transforms himself into a callus womanizing monster, the reader struggles to maintain hope that Kenny will pull himself out of the hole he has created.

Monster contains many subjects and situations which some readers may find objectionable:
Infidelity – lots of infidelity,
Promiscuity,
FFM Ménage,
Voyeurism,
Exhibitionism,
Hotwifing,
& several others I won’t mention to avoid spoilers.

If you’re looking for something a little different, this might be the perfect book for you.

Ella Dominguez – Becoming Sir

Becoming Sir by Ella Dominguez

Series: The Art of D/s (Spinoff)
Source: Personal Library
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sawyer’s story from The Art of D/s trilogy. Can be read as a stand alone novel or as a companion to The Art of D/s Trilogy.

Warning: Contains detailed sexual encounters, BDSM themes, oral, anal, ménage, F/F and profanity. Not for the closed-minded, prudish, sexually inhibited, easily offended, or faint-hearted.

Reliable, trustworthy, loyal to a fault – Sawyer is the kind of man other men want to be; a real man’s man. But behind the facade of a his tough exterior and deadly silence hides a strong, tortured man with dark secrets. Always content to be in the shadows, now is the time of his sexual awakening.

When Sawyer realized that there were women who unabashedly wanted to be dominated and controlled, and there was a world that embraced such things as domination and submission – everything seemed to fall into place. Tired of pretending to be someone he wasn’t and suppressing his dominant tendencies, he takes the leap into the world of BDSM under the guidance of his friend and mentor, never to look back.

But the dark past and his heinous actions are hard to forget and even more difficult to leave behind. Will he be able to move forward and become the man he yearns to be?

This is Sawyer’s journey into becoming Dominant, Master, Sir.

Buy This Book
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Starla Cole – The Goddess of Bondage

The Goddess of Bondage by Starla Cole
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Series: The Boudoir Sessions #4
Source: Review By Request
ARC Provided by Publisher
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Syria plans to surprise her lover Tyson by learning the art of Japanese Rope Bondage. She gets help from her friend Mia, the pirate contortionist, who introduces Syria to the Madam, a BDSM and Dominatrix mentor who is willing to train Syria.

Madam is so impressed by Mia’s contortionism that she invites the girls to a bondage exhibition. As the men watch Mia’s amazing flexibility take the art to a new level, Syria is led on stage to soothe Mia’s pain, leading to a public sex act that becomes an orgy.

In the aftermath of the exhibition, Syria begins to doubt that she is worthy of finding her long-lost father or keeping Tyson as a lover. With her Santa stripper living thousands of miles away, Syria isn’t sure their love story will survive the distance and their new lifestyle.

WARNING: This story is for readers 18 and over. Contains explicit sex, girl on girl, orgy, bondage, BDSM, spreader bars, prostitution, public sex, voyeurism, fisting, masturbation, video chat sex, exhibitionism, restraints, Japanese Rope Bondage, shibari, kinbaki, restraints, dominance, submissives, and contortionism

I read this book as part of the Syria’s Seduction Boxed Set. – Syria’s emotional attachment to Tyson (the sexy santa striper) is growing. While they’ve been emailing and exchanging racy photographs, Syria is looking forward to a visit from Tyson in the next few weeks. In an effort to surprise her lover, Syria decides to try and master Japanese Rope Bondage!

BTW, can I get a few bonus points for finding a Shibari GIF that’s safe for work?

Shibari is a difficult art to master, but it is supremely beautiful. Starla Cole did a marvelous job in describing the visual display as well as the intimacy.

A lot went down in this book (have I mentioned how much I’m enjoying this series?) Female Masturbation, two females in a shower, a fisting lesson, a contortionist, the utilization of a Shibari Instructor, sex clubs, exhibitionism, spreader bars, wax play, a bit of belly-dancing…

Is it getting hot in here?

Emotions run high in the aftermath as Syria tries to come to terms with her new life, the mysteries of her family, and her relationship with Tyson…

***I received an ARC of the Syria’s Seduction Boxed Set in exchange for an honest review***

Starla Cole – Dirty Pirate Hooker

Dirty Pirate Hooker by Starla Cole
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Series: The Boudoir Sessions #3
Source: Review By Request
ARC Provided by Publisher
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Professional photographer Syria McMillan is skeptical when a couple in pirate costume arrives for photographs to advertise their bawdy buccaneer skit. The pair are friends of Syria’s last client, a Santa Claus stripper, and THAT session had ended with the Christmas ornaments in places no silver icicle should ever go.

Sure enough, less than ten minutes into the shoot, Syria learns about the couple’s “other” act, a public sex show starring Mia as a contortionist. As the pirates get dirty on camera, Syria can’t fight her attraction to the couple. When the camera stops clicking, Syria discovers that yet another boudoir session has gotten a little more naked than expected, plus there really *is* another use for an empty bottle of rum…

I like how things are moving along in this series. Syria is growing and stretching her wings. She’s becoming more emotionally attached to Tyson despite their physical distance, and she is contracted to do a sexy couple’s shoot of two pirates…

A few weeks after the “Santa Session” Tyson is back from Seattle. He surprised Syria by showing up just before her Pirate Couple… They commence to enjoy bit of bondage with silk scarves. The tables are turned when Tyson insists on a few sexy photos of Syria for his personal use…

When the Pirate Couple Mia & Sam arrive, Tyson tells Syria that he once had sex with the couple and he encourages her to do the same. Though reluctant at first, Syria surrenders to the mounting heat in the photography studio.

Yo Ho Ho & a Bottle of Rum Later…

BAM!

Sex.

Voyeurism, Toys, FFM Menage, a bit of light Bondage…
Syria wakes up the next morning with a better understanding of a few of her darker desires…

***I received an ARC of the Syria’s Seduction Boxed Set in exchange for an honest review***

Ella Ardent – Celebration

Celebration by Ella Ardent
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Series: The Plume #9
Source: Personal Library
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome to the Plume – where members are bound by desire and fantasies come true…

Debts are settled and new beginnings are launched in this culmination of the Plume Series. As the former members of the private BDSM club locate each other and undertake an initiative of their own, Athena plans a party to celebrate her new venture. Joanna and Mike will be getting married, even if Joanna’s newest idea is causing Mike some concern. Rex finds new hope in unexpected places, even before he’s presented with a gift that will both thrill and challenge him in the years ahead.

A fitting conclusion to a fabulous series… Ella Ardent made sure characters from The Plume Series went out with a BANG…

He felt about as smooth as he had in high school, when she’d interviewed him for the newspaper. Once again, Joanna was the one with the confidence he so admired, the one with the plan for the future and the ability to make it happen. In contrast, he’d become the loser with the long-shot dream again. The thing was that he’d achieved his dream, then fucked up and lost it. He’d created something wonderful, but had made one too many enemies and pushed too far. The destruction of the Plume combined with Leya’s deception—never mind that he hadn’t seen either incident coming—made Rex feel dumb.
Seeing how Joanna learned from her experience at the Plume and moved forward reinforced Rex’s sense that he was a failure.

Well, Ardent did her best to create a happy ending for the whole merry gang… The Count got an additional dose of punishment care of Rex (and I assume Charlie?) and even Eric found a new play mate… Rex filly got his shit together… And the rise of The Phoenix was a great touch.

Ella Ardent – Switch

Switch by Ella Ardent
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Series: The Plume #8
Source: Personal Library
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome to the Plume – where members are bound by desire and fantasies come true…

Rex decides to make a new beginning, before he’s tempted all over again. Athena exacts her vengeance upon the Count, then embarks on a new adventure. Joanna teaches Mike a lesson and learns more than she anticipated. Mike is determined to save his relationship with Joanna, never realizing just how much less submissive she’s become.

 

Tables are turned, lessons are learned, and a new love is found…

Zeke leaned toward her. “You liked it?”
“I loved it,” Louise affirmed.
Zeke swallowed visibly. He made to take some more noodles, then threw his chopsticks down. “You want to trade a night of captivity for the tattoo?” he asked, the words falling over themselves in his excitement.
“With who?” Louise asked, lifting her chin with the spunk Charlie remembered so well.
“Me.” Zeke was sitting straight, his eyes blazing like he was lit from within.
Louise smiled with newfound confidence. She picked up her chopsticks and took some noodles, her expression coy when she glanced at Zeke. “Shit,” she said softly. “I’d have made it two nights for that tattoo, but if one’s good enough for you, I guess that’ll be all right, too.”
Zeke caught his breath so hard that Charlie almost laughed out loud.
“Tonight,” he said.
“Okay,” Louise agreed. Her eyes sparkled. “Master.”

I’m not used to a series that gets better and better, especially considering that the previous books in this series trailed off for a while… I am pleasantly surprised.

Anyhow… I’m very pleased that Louise found someone.

I’m not sure what I think about the relationship between Rex and Michelle yet…

And where are my Tess & Tex?!?!?

I still don’t think that Mike & Joanna try very hard…

And for the love of God, can someone PLEASE bring down The Count?!?!?!

Ella Ardent – Exposure

Exposure by Ella Ardent
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Series: The Plume #6
Source: Personal Library
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome to the Plume – where members are bound by desire and fantasies come true…

After Rex and Louise’s show, everything goes awry. The Count reveals secrets of the past to Athena, then asks her to leave with him. Does she dare to return to the man she has loved for years, knowing he alone has the power to break her heart? Mike’s plan to fulfill Joanna’s fantasy of being sexually shared by two men proves to be pleasure only to Eric and Joanna. The scene shreds Mike’s heart—will it destroy their relationship, too? And as the survival of the Plume itself comes into question, thanks to an unexpected betrayal, Rex must decide whether to take a chance on trust.

This installment really brought me back into The Plume series and reminded me why I fell in love with all of these characters in the first place…

Still he resisted. He knew better than to encourage emotional connections with others. He knew better than to rely on anyone other than himself—and Athena had driven that lesson home today. Even his systems and safeguards were useless unless people accessed them and followed his rules. He should dig a moat around his life, remain isolated and strong…

The previous books were starting to feel like an unending chain of screw ups between characters which seemed rather flat. Admittedly, the story was amusing enough to keep me reading through the sixth book, so I hate to sound like I’ve been reading begrudgingly. Having said that, the characters really began to flesh out in this book, we began to understand their motives and fears in a way that make them seem more human. Yes, the heat and sex was undiminished, but this time the “desires” weren’t limited to flesh.

I still have one big gripe – The whole relationship between Mike and Joanna has become ridiculous… How many times can two people sabotage their own relationship and still claim to be in love?!?! Get it together Mike & Joanna!