This week at Smexy….

A review – A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare (historical)
B review – But My Boyfriend Is by K.A. Mitchell (m/m contemporary)
B review – Seawitch by Kat Richardson (UF)
B- review – Inertia by Amelia Gormley (m/m contemporary)
C+ review – Heart Secret by Robin Owens (sci-fi/fantasy)
C review – By Surprise by Alyssa Turner (m/m/f contemporary)
C- review – Blackstone’s Bride by Kate Moore (historical)
C- review – When You Wish Upon a Duke by Isabella Bradford (historical)
D review – White Hot by Nina Bruhns (romantic suspense)

Interview with Maya Banks
Guest Author Seleste deLaney

May asks, How Much Smex is Just Right?
Smexy’s Top Ten

News From Mandi: I started my week with a few novellas. I DNF’d Hard Bargain by Grace Wen, I didn’t like the writing style and just wasn’t interested in the story. I also read the 44 page story, Skybound by Aleksandr Voinov. While I’m obsessed with his other work, this World War II story didn’t interest me. I’ll be posting a review soon.

I’ve come to the decision that Elisabeth Barrett’s Star Harbor series isn’t for me. I read the second book, Blaze of Winter and again had problems with the heroine. With both books I’ve spent my time more annoyed than entertained, so I’m giving up. Continuing my not so great streak, I read Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed by Anna Campbell  and didn’t enjoy it. I wanted to because it is a beauty and the beast trope, but many things did not work for me. However, May did like it, so we are going to have a joint review closer to release date.

I had more bad luck with Kresley Cole’s new YA series, Poison Princess. The world is really confusing, weighed down with the heroine’s hallucinations and has a very unlikable hero. I’m a huge fan of her IAD series, but this one lacked the humor and fun characters.

My luck turned around with But My Boyfriend is by KA Mitchell. She is one of my favorite authors and I reviewed this one earlier in the week. I also snuck in Boyfriend From Hell by Jamie Quaid (pen name for Patricia Rice). It is a nice start to a new UF series. Fun heroine and I’m interested to learn more of the world in the next book. Tori will be reviewing this one later in September.

I read The Dirty Girls Book Club by Savanna Fox (aka Susan Lyons), an erotic contemporary about a hockey player and his marketing executive who is in charge of his new endorsement deal. I had big problems with the heroine until the last 1/4 of the book, then I really liked her. But it was a little too late. I still might read the next one….

I ended my week with a cute story – Catch a Shooting Star by Olivia Ventura. NFL player falls for the woman who cleans his house. He is a really sweet hero. Full review coming soon.

I’m devouring Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie (so freaking cute!!!) and just starting Josh by RC Ryan – a bearded mountain climber/rancher…I hope it’s good!

News From Tori: Well, we (me and my baby girl) survived the first week of 6th grade. No tears or drama so I figure that means success. I did find it funny that when I told her to ask herself, “What would mom do,” if she found herself in confusing situation, she replied, “You’d punch them in the head.” She knows me so well.

I found Mary Calmes Matter Of Time series on goodreads and devoured all five books this week, (Matter Of Time vols 1-4 and the 5th book, Bulletproof). A m/m romantic suspense series, it is similar to Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English series, only with more humor and smexy times. I truly enjoyed getting to know Sam and Jory and laughed myself silly with each new installment. The final book in the series is set to release in Oct/Nov and promises to be a riot as our couple is thinking about adoption. If you knew Jory, you’d be laughing too.

Clay and Susan Griffin’s The Kingmakers, is the final in their Vampire Empire trilogy. A dark, intense series that follows a young empress and her lover, the Greyfriar, as they fight to secure her empire and the world against the vampires. An unbelievable ending to an outstanding trilogy. Review to come.

I finished the last 2 books in Tere Michael’s Faith, Love, and Devotion series–Love & Loyalty #2 and Duty and Devotion #3. This series is a “gay for you”. I was so pleased to see more of Evan and Matt. I really like this series, not just because of the smexy m/m scenes-ZOMG-but also because Michaels addresses realistic issues that gay couples face when they decide to lie their life in the open. She also has a solid storyline that includes children that appeals to me.

Jennifer Harlow’s second installment, To Catch A Vampire, of her hilarious F.R.E.A.K.S. UF series, is just as funny and snarky as her first book. In fact, I enjoyed this one more as her characters are more developed and the storyline is deeper with more action and gore.Review to come.

Sophie Littleton’s Hanging By A Thread wasn’t quite what I expected. A PNR/YA, I expected more bang for my buck in reference to the mystery. This could easily be shelved under YA/Rom Sus. The build up was intriguing, but I think Littleton could have fleshed out and padded the villains and the plotline more. As it was, the main conflict resolved itself and I was like, “Huh.” Review to come.

Rachel Haimowitz and Cat Grant’s Power Play-Awakening, was freaking FAN.TAS.TIC. The second installment in a hard core s&m m/m romance that follows submissive Brandon McKinny who accepts a challenge from billionaire and pain dom, Jonathan Wilkes. Be Jonathan’s sub for 6 months, taking and accepting everything he gives him, and Brandon will leave with a check for 3 million dollars. Though NOT a fan of pain in any form, I found the storyline to be a heady mixture of love, devotion, and enlightenment as both our heroes learn more about each other and themselves. I liked that both Brandon’s and Jonathan’s concerns were voiced and addressed in a clear, realistic fashion. My review will be in RT Magazine.

Meljean Brook’s Riveted (3rd in her Iron Seas series) was delightful. This series continues to enchant and delight. I love how she manages to keep each storyline and couple different while keeping the main arc on track. Review to come.

Up on the reading block this weekend is Tom Pollack’s City’s Son, Teresa Dare’s A Night To Surrender, and I just got Larissa Ione’s Rogue Rider. Amy from FictionVixen has already started and is DMing me giggle worthy tidbits.

News From May: Holy smokes it has been quite the week! I’m gonna keep this real short. I read a number of books with reviews coming soon here at Smexy  – When You give a Duke a Diamond by Shana Galen (liked), Dragon’s Moon by Lucy Monroe (disliked), and Her Man Advantage by Joann Rock (ok).
I also read some stuff just for fun – Storm by Brigid Kemmerer (liked), and
Blooded by Amanda Carlson (loved!).