Drowning Cactus by Carrie Russell

October 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

CACTUS
Drowning Cactus by Carrie Russell
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (235 Pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed Cyclamen

When his botched cactus theft is mistaken for an eco-protest, Gordon Burstein is thrust into the national spotlight and expected to speak for the land he loves. He panics and runs, beginning a journey of self-discovery that takes him from spring break in Mexico, across the Sonora, all the way to Thoreau’s Walden Pond.

Press and fans scramble to track him down, but no one is more determined than Mora Sullivan, a disgraced environmentalist who has fallen hard for Gordon. She treks into the desert, determined to find inspiration and love.

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Gordon Burstein needs a job, but he really has no qualifications for much of anything. He dropped out of college, and has been fired by every landscaping company in Santa Fe where he’d come to escape from his parents and New Jersey. He manages to land a job with Rosa, an eccentric artist, but she needs cacti, preferably large, to dissect for her work. Gordon ends up stealing saguaros from Organ Pipe, and after a number of these thefts, he is caught. Rosa doesn’t want him to mention her, because her art has just become very popular, but she does give him a large check as his part of her newly earned commissions.

Carrie Russell has written an introspective novel as the two main characters, Gordon and Mora, search for meaning in their lives. Mora founded a non-profit organization SPROUTS which has just been taken over by those who want it to become highly profitable, firing her in the process. Both Gordon and Mora struggle to find their identities, and both characters are fully developed and very believable. I liked them and really felt for their dilemmas.

The story is told from alternating perspectives, Gordon in the Southwest and Mora in Massachusetts. Before long, thanks to Gordon’s notoriety as some sort of eco-protestor as well as his community service hours at a nursery, the two discover each other. Mora needs advice about setting up a cactus garden for the local students and Gordon becomes her source of information. Obviously, developing a cactus garden in Massachusetts is an enormous project, something which Gordon ends up doing mostly on his own, using the monies from his job with Rosa.

This story also has interesting minor characters who interact with Gordon and Mora, and the minor characters definitely add depth to the story and help define both Gordon and Mora better. Each of us has no doubt wondered from time to time what our purpose in life is and what we are supposed to be doing. Gordon comes up with some very simple, but extremely powerful answers and it is up to Mora to see if she can find her own peace.

This is a gentle, fun novel which gives the reader not only a good story, but a lot to think about. As Gordon wonders early in the novel, “Did he need healing, too? He didn’t have any nameable aliment but he felt some important part of his inside was hollow. Maybe it was the lack of purpose Rosa had hit on. Maybe he just wasn’t meant to amount to much and his expectations, instead of his aspirations, needed adjusting.” Well, it turns out that there is nothing wrong with Gordon’s expectations or his aspirations, and I enjoyed following his adventures as he discovers his purpose in life and just where he is meant to be, at least at this moment in time.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , ,

Hussy by Selena Kit

October 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HUSSY
Hussy by Selena Kit
Publisher: eXcessica Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (150 pg)
Other: M/F, Multiple Partners, Forced Seduction, Rape
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Gardenia

The Eskimos may have over a hundred words for snow, but that doesn’t even come close to how many words the English language has for “slut”—and Lindsey has been called them all. “Hussy” is Lindsey’s personal favorite, given to her by her own grandmother, who likes to pat her on the hand and whisper, “Don’t worry, dear—a hussy is just a woman with the morals of a man.”

But Lindsey’s not ashamed of her reputation. She knows she’s earned it—and she’s proud of it. After all, you only live once, right? In fact, she goes out of her way to make it known to every guy she comes in contact with, she’s available for the taking—the rougher, the better.

That is until Lindsey meets Lieutenant Zachary Davis, a man who refuses to treat her like the trash she believes she really is.
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But can Lindsey change her impulsive ways and learn to value herself the way the Zach does?

Warnings: This title contains graphic language and extreme sexual situations as well as a girl with a slutty attitude bigger than Texas covering a haunted past, and a sweet, hot man in uniform dead set on rescuing her from herself.

This book is raw and emotionally all absorbing to read. It is disturbingly raw because of the subject matter it deals with–there is rape in this book. It is emotionally absorbing because the author’s writing brings the reader into the story and you relate to the main character completely. Be forewarned, this book deals with extreme promiscuity, non-consensual sex, and multiple partners. The subject matter will be difficult for some readers but the writing style of the author is impeccable and full of emotion.

Lindsey is rebelling to the abuse she suffered when she was twelve. As it typically happens, the victim feels dirty, tail spinning into self-punishment. Her behavior is obvious to anyone who would care to stop for a moment and face the facts. Unfortunately, adults who would rather not “see” the truth surround Lindsey and ignore the real reason for her promiscuity.

The romance with Zach is uplifting and healing. His love for Lindsey grows slowly in strength and healing quality. This is Lindsey’s salvation. Zach is able to show Lindsey what true love looks and feels like. He is her anchor and safe haven. This relationship is multi-racial and frowned upon by some. Zach is such an upright human being that you soon forget the multi-racial aspects of their relationship and grow to admire him for his integrity and devotion to Lindsey.

My only disappointment in this story was how the educational system and the teachers, principal, etc. were so blind to Lindsey’s problems. I realize that in a perfect world they should have been the ones to identify the issue, not exacerbate it. Perhaps the news during recent years of educators abusing children is what the author is trying to bring to our attention. I still hope that the predominance of good educators will outweigh this recent trend and the children will continue to be safe and looked after.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is raw romance novel but with a double-edged blade. I was deeply moved and absorbed in this story. Great writing!

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Seduction Hypothesis by Delphine Dryden

October 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HYPOTHESIS
The Seduction Hypothesis by Delphine Dryden
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (153 pgs)
Other: BDSM, M/F, Anal Sex, Fetish, Toys, Spanking, Voyeurism
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Thistledown

Wildlife biologist Lindsey thought attending a fan convention with her new boyfriend Ben was a great idea–until their relationship imploded. Lindsey still lusts after her ex–but if he wants her, he’s going to have to prove he can give her what she needs.

Ben will do anything to win Lindsey back, and when he sees her in her skimpy black vinyl convention getup, he realizes what she’s been craving all along. And he’s inspired to finally give in to his own dark desire to take complete sexual control…

Lindsey is surprised by her reaction to Ben’s kinky new seduction techniques, and suddenly sees the brilliant but boring code guru in a different light. After several erotic encounters in hotel rooms and stairwells, she’s falling for him all over again. And wondering if the intimate connection will last once they head home…

When Lindsey makes arrangements to go to BeastCon with a group of friends, she didn’t plan on her ex being along for the ride.
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Being cooped up in an RV from Houston to Phoenix is close quarters, especially if one is there with a group of nerdy scientist types and one very moody ex-boyfriend. Lindsey tries to keep her distance from Ben, but he is determined to fix what went wrong in their relationship. The only problem is, Lindsey has had her fill of Ben starting and stopping every project in his life, including her. She is having none of it. She came to see her favorite comic book series, Balls ‘n’ Chain brought to life and that is what she is sticking with. It shouldn’t matter that she feels every smoldering gaze Ben gives her. Nope. Not at all. This road trip is about as awkward as it gets and Lindsey tries to focus on anything but the brooding presence sitting just a few feet away.

Ben is frustrated with himself. He walked away from Lindsey just when their relationship was getting to the point of becoming serious and he hates himself for it. Lindsey was getting into the kink when he turned tail and ran and now he can’t figure out what to do with his object of misery so close and yet so far. As he watches Lindsey and hears what she and the rest of their friends are talking about, things begin to click in place, setting this trip up to be much more than a vacation to a comic convention.

This book annoyed me at first. I’ll be honest. I hated Ben’s character and felt he was a whiny jerk who didn’t deserve Lindsey at all. In fact, I felt that way through half of the book. I like my male characters to have some maturity and Ben just didn’t. The boy did learn, however and much to my surprise and happiness, the book really took off for me. Going to a comic convention where the comic is a BDSM based theme is pretty awesome. The costume contest was even better. As the characters get into their roles and Lindsey becomes “Sub Red,” Ben sees who she is trying to become and is totally turned on. Lindsey is too, but has some reservations. Ben just doesn’t have the spark of a Dom. He knows it and so does she. So, what does any good scientist do? Research and more research. This is where things get really fun.

Rounding out the story experience, the comic convention was a riot. Author Delphine Dryden uses humor, great scene development and had me dreaming of actually going to a convention. Absolutely funny, but with some down to earth scenarios that really made the story pop-what do you do when you are pretty sure that your lover isn’t going to stick with you after the weekend? With Lindsey, this is a real problem. She gave her heart to Ben once and when things turn hot and heavy with some hot sex and a visit to a local toy shop, can she count on him to stick around long enough plan a future? She wants to trust in this newly developing Dom side of Ben’s but her head won’t let her.

This book takes a comic convention and flips it on its ear with some hot sexy BDSM scenes of the light variety, some smexier closed door moments between Ben and Lindsey that include some anal play, spanking, hot stairwell sex and more lead to a future that holds promise as Ben begins to emerge as a Dom that has what it takes to make his woman happy in the shackles.

A great read and I can’t wait to read more of this series!

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Life First by R.J. Crayton

October 1, 2013 By 1 Comment

LIFE
Life First by R.J. Crayton
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (246 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Strong-willed Kelsey Reed must escape tonight or tomorrow her government will take her kidney and give it to someone else.

In this future forged by survivors of pandemics that wiped out 80 percent of the world’s population, life is valued above all else. The mentally ill are sterilized, abortions are illegal and those who refuse to donate an organ when told are sentenced to death.

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Good intentions can only carry a society so far.

The ethics of forcing people to risk their own health and lives in order to save the life of someone else is what first drew me into this book. I can’t imagine anything scarier than what happens when such selfless decisions are taken out of the hands of the people who are directly affected by them. What really kept me reading, though, are the relationships Kelsey has with her boyfriend and her best friend. Luke and Susan add nuance to the plot and give Kelsey a chance to share glimpses of the woman she was before she started running.

There are questions about Kelsey’s society that were never answered, and some of the answers to other questions were incomplete. For example, the rules about how one could legally move out of the country never quite made sense to me. Hopefully the author will explain them in more detail in the sequel because it was difficult for me to understand if those rules were widely known or if those in charge kept them quiet to prevent citizens from taking advantage of them. Other rules seemed to be applied unevenly to the population, and I would have liked to know why some characters were held to so much higher standards than were others.

Kelsey’s anxiety about being discovered while wearing a disguise also puzzled me because she wasn’t described as someone who had any identifying marks or visible disabilities that would be difficult to conceal. I understand feeling nervous about being caught, but the way in which her escape was written would have made more sense had something like this been included. With that being said, what happens to her when she tries to escape is so exciting that I forgot to eat lunch on the day I read it!

I was so caught up in Kelsey’s adventure that I started and finished this book in less than two days. Ms. Crayton took care to present both sides of a controversy that is quite similar to one in modern society without demonizing either position. I sympathized with the original founders of Kelsey’s society and completely understood why they chose to create certain rules even though I was horrified by the logical outcomes of those choices. From what I understand the author is working on the sequel now, and I can’t wait to see where she takes these characters next.

Life First is an enthralling introduction to a terrifying vision of the future. I highly recommend it to fans of science fiction and fast-paced thrillers alike.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Day King by Liz Newman

October 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

KING
The Last Day King by Liz Newman
Publisher: Lycaon Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (203 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The most magical figure of royal folklore and legendary British king travels to the future to reunite with the girl he fell in love with.

The Legend Lives On.
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In modern day San Francisco, a young girl rescues a boy king from the treacherous waters. The beloved king of lore longs to reunite with his futuristic fascination. After his trusted wizard proposes a mission to save mankind only days before his prophesied death, the king travels with his mystic companions to our time in hopes of embracing his lady love once again, and to save a world which his rule helped create.

Liz Newman has written a story based on the life of King Arthur, one in which Merlin plans to return to present day San Francisco to leave the Seed of Consciousness so that the world Arthur helped create would not be destroyed. The story shifts from the present to the past and back again as the reader is moved between the world of Camelot with all of its inhabitants and modern day San Francisco.

Lilith heads out to her high school prom with her date who looks dashing but quickly reveals himself to be a total jerk. Lilith makes him stop the limousine and let her out. He’d already told her he had a back-up date if she wouldn’t agree to be totally his. The limo pulls away and Lilith finds a picnic bench to sit on as she ponders her next move. Suddenly, she sees a boy drowning in the sea, caught in the riptides. She tears off her long taffeta skirt and swims out to save him. She has to leave him on the beach to get help, but when she and a neighbor lady return, he is gone. “In the distance, the red, orange, yellow, and blue arches of a rainbow stood starkly against the evening sky. The rainbow slowly faded with the last light of the setting sun.” Lilith has met King Arthur on the first of his two time travel trips.

Newman has brought the characters of Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Merlin to life with details which were not familiar to me, but which definitely work. I really enjoyed the parts of the story taking place in San Francisco and I think that Lilith’s character is very well developed. I also like her father, Vernon, who has been expecting Arthur’s arrival and even has the sword Excalibur.

Readers of fantasy, especially those who wonder how King Arthur would manage in the modern world, are sure to enjoy this wonderful tale of chivalry and honor. The promise that King Arthur would return has been fulfilled.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Blind Allegiance by Violetta Rand

September 30, 2013 By 12 Comments

Blind Alliegiance
Blind Allegiance by Violetta Rand
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full (240 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Review by Rose

It’s a risk of a lifetime loving a man you’re supposed to hate…

Betrayed by a brother she hardly trusted before the bloodthirsty Viking, Jarl Randvior Sigurdsson, attacks her home, Noelle Sinclair is conveniently bartered as a means to save her cowardly sibling’s skin. Forced to leave her homeland and accompany the petulant Viking to the untamed wilderness of central Norway, Noelle is ever-aware of the burgeoning dangers around her—including her weakening resolve to resist Randvior.

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Blind Allegiance is a historical novel set in an era I’m not very familiar with– the time of the Vikings. The romance is between Randvior Sigurdsson, a Viking chief and worshiper of Odin, and the devoutly Christian Britain, Noelle. Bartered to him by her brother as payment for leaving the family home intact, Noelle is repulsed, while at the same time, intrigued and attracted to Randivior.

The storyline, especially after the couple is on the ship heading back to Norway, moves smoothly. The beginning of the book was a little confusing as we are set right down in the middle of the action and it took me a little while to know what was going on.

The book also read more like a more modern historical romance instead of being set as far back in time as it was. While the story was interesting and I really liked the characters, I never had the feeling that I was actually in the 11th century.

However, the characters more than made up for that–Randivior is a man of honor who, having seen Noelle in a vision sent from Father Odin, is sure she’s his fate. So, he sets about to make that happen. The interaction between him and Noelle as they move from enemies to being physically lovers and then to falling in love is interesting. Noelle is seduced into a physical relationship, but still keeps a part of herself back–and that’s the part Randivior wants to claim. Unfortunately, his mother doesn’t make it easy on them.

Overall, it was refreshing to read a historical romance outside the norm. Even better, this is the first of a series, and I’m looking forward to the next books.


Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

A Heartless Design by Elizabeth Cole

September 30, 2013 By 7 Comments

Print
A Heartless Design by Elizabeth Cole
Publisher: SkySpark Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full (396 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Snapdragon

An enigmatic woman, a determined spy, and a design that could shake the foundations of Europe…

“Heartless” Cordelia Bering refuses every marriage offer she receives. Yet men still try to win her, drawn by her sharp wit and intoxicating green eyes. But Cordelia knows a marriage could reveal her deepest secret and truly endanger her life. Besides, she hasn’t met a man worth considering, until…

Sebastien Thorne, a spy in the service of Crown. One of the elite agents in the group known as the Zodiac, he comes to London determined to solve a mystery with roots on the Continent. He won’t let anything distract him. But is Cordelia a distraction, or the key to the mystery? As he learns more about the “heartless” woman, he becomes embroiled in secrets, plots, and a design that could change the future…and Cordelia is at the center of it all.

A HEARTLESS DESIGN is the first book in the Secrets of the Zodiac, a series that blends the sensibilities of modern romantic suspense with the rich background of the Regency period.

In true classic style, A Heartless Design delivers the romance-lovers favorites: an evocative love story in an historic setting.
Characters are wonderful. Cordelia is utterly believable as a woman of her times, with a little gift (for engineering) that sets her apart. It doesn’t do to be set apart at such times; women were meant to keep to their place. Her skill and her age means she is an unlikely heroine for a romance. She has also (*gasp*) chosen not to marry, leaving her quite out of the marriage market.
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Ms. Cole ascertains that her heroine meets the gold standard of romance in the looks department – but she tells it best, let me offer a paragraph:

Cordelia headed down the stairs a moment later, her gown trailing along the steps. The deep gold fabric set off her black hair to perfection, and the cream colored wrap accented the dress without showing it up. She sighed. Once, she would have been ecstatic to think of the looks that would be cast her way tonight. But it had been years since the attentions of men had been anything but a burden…

A wonderful main character, with secrets, but everything is also and obviously delivered in a beautiful and flowing writing style.

The backdrop is London, of course. All the expected items are in place: Balls, family, and the grande style of homes with the obligatory loyal servants, but it is all so nicely presented as to seem interesting.

The gentleman in the picture, Lord Thorne, is offered as almost a prize. However, one does have to wonder how he has managed to elude marriage for so long…His friend and fellow officer, Neville is also important. In fact, the reader is inclined to develop quite a crush on the amusing Neville, aka ‘Aries.’  The author exhibits a particularly deft touch in developing the friendship of these men and only gradually do we discover what sort of ‘business’ their affiliation in the ‘Zodiac’ actually represents.

A Heartless Design has more depth than one might be given to expect in a romance.  In fact, there is a threat both men suspect… though neither they nor Cornelia know of her own place in this intrigue. How could they know? She must, given the cultural norms of the time, keep her own involvement completely secret. Her secrecy might well end up endangering her, but trust is a hard master as well. There’s chemistry between she and Thorne, of that there is no doubt! Yet, true trust is a completely different thing.

This delightful romance, with its element of mystery/espionage and potential danger, is completely enthralling. Step back into a perfectly satisfying early nineteenth century romance – and find what one could hardly expect: the unexpected.

I recommend you put A Heartless Design right at the top of your reading list!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Lance Temptation by Brenda Maxfield

September 30, 2013 By 2 Comments

LANCE
The Lance Temptation by Brenda Maxfield
Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Length: Full Length (162 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Quince

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

All through teenage years, this hormone assists in putting hair on a man’s upper body, intensifying his voice, developing muscular tissues, and cheap cialis professional augmenting the mass of his penis so that the man can have safe and lobe term erections but sometimes that does not happen to you even though it did in other males. Fortunately, you won’t rx viagra need to go through with this type of power ranger effects, overcoming erotic disturbances would be a very easy task. You are advised to practice walking, jogging and push-ups levitra cialis viagra daily. Kamagra canada cialis levitra has passed the strict compliance the Food and Drug Administration for the generic drugs to have different color than branded drug. Sophomore Emili Jones has had it with being a boring, straight-A student. Itching for excitement, she sees plenty of it in classmate Farah Menin’s life of frequent dates and edgy adventure. Hoping the popularity will rub off, Emili latches onto Farah and manipulates herself into best friend status. The connection helps her land the hot new guy, Lance Jankins, but there’s a catch. Now a pawn in Farah’s dating games, Emili is on a crash course to betrayal. Will she realize it in time to save herself?

The Lance Temptation was the most thrilling and exciting read for me this year in this genre. Most of the time I was sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails as I eagerly read to find out what would happen next. I definitely think that this book deserves more attention than my review can give.

Why did I like The Lance Temptation so much? This story is full of surprises. The characters might not be likable per se, mostly because they do stupid things and make stupid choices and as such, experience grave consequences. They might be pretending, scheming and self-centered, but that was not a negative for me because it meant that they are real, three dimensional characters. The teenagers in this book are acting like real teenagers and their parents are acting like real life parents, and that is what was the most important.

Even better than the characters is the way this story is crafted. It’s beautifully done. Brenda Maxfield knitted together a tale that is both thrilling and realistic about friendship, first love, choices, mistakes, and shattered dreams. The author wrote the ending with the same quality as the rest of the story; it’s very realistic, but satisfying. It took me awhile to get into the story, but once I was, it was so hard to let it go till the end. It flows nicely and without any inconsistencies or illogicality.

The Lance Temptation is definitely a story worth reading. I highly recommend it to all readers who love to read YA. And I am so happy that there is a second installment in the series, so I can follow the ups and downs of Emily growing up.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

September 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

WEDDING
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Bantam Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (395 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Gardenia

Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose during lunch at one of London’s fanciest restaurants. But when his big question involves a trip abroad, not a trip down the aisle, she’s completely crushed. So when Ben, an old flame, calls her out of the blue and reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. No formal dates—just a quick march to the altar and a honeymoon on Ikonos, the sun-drenched Greek island where they first met years ago.

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If you were the older sister, how responsible would you feel for your younger sibling? Having lost your parents and raised your younger sister, you would feel motherly toward her and responsible for seeing that she does not make irreparable decisions with her life. This is Fliss’s dilemma.

Lottie has a history of romance entanglements that end in frustrating break-ups. She also has a history of making rash decisions after each break-up which months later, she regrets. This last break-up is no different. Richard just wanted to continue the way they were, Lottie was already preparing to choose her wedding gown.

Enter Ben. Lottie and Ben have not seen each other in 15 years. Their love affair during their college gap year has left memories that have endured due to the unique passion and, let us face it, mythical fantasies of the mind. In only takes one meal, a few drinks, and a spontaneous proposal to push Lottie into an entertaining chase to wed and consummate her marriage.

As any responsible about to be divorced sister would do, Fliss must stop this wedding. Fliss wants Lottie to avoid making the mistakes she herself has made in life. If unable to stop the wedding, she must at least prevent consummation so an annulment will be possible. The story develops from here as a madcap chase and devious scenarios to prevent the newlyweds from consummating their “love”. Unlikely allies such as Ben’s financial adviser (Lorcan), Richard (yes, he misses Lottie and cannot live without her), and Noah (Fliss’s seven year old son) make this an unforgettable and delightful story.

These women are at times on steroids hysterical. Although I think this story would have benefited from a strong editor, if you can overlook these parts of the story, you will find laughter and enjoyment as the chase ensues and the frustrated newlyweds try to become creative in their endeavors to consummate.

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