contemporary

Just What He Wanted by HelenKay Dimon

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Just What He Wanted (Holloway, #4)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Holloway #4
Reviewed by Kay

This story is a novella for the Holloway series. The main characters are Travis Yardley and Andrea “Andie” Patterson. Travis works with his semi adopted family in their nursery business. He goes through his life thinking he has everything he could need for now, great family and friends, a job he enjoys and female companionship when he wants it. Then he is asked a favor by a friend and when he sees Andie , he is floored by her.

Andie is self described as chubby but I thought of her as full figured not fat. She came to Holloway after her break up with a total jack ass, who tried to make her feel bad about herself. She enjoys her job and her new town, even if the town is small and in her business quite a bit. She’s here to start her life over and not with the hot young thing she just met.

I liked all of the aspects of this book: the full figured heroine, the younger man, the close knit family, the problem Andie had with the age difference and Travis’ total disregard of that difference. He was firm that she was beautiful in his eyes and did not like her putting herself down at all. He really was the perfect hero in my eyes. He know what he wanted and that was all there was to it. And when Andie realized it she was all in too. It took her a while but she came around.  This was a sweet, cute, short and funny read. It has been a long time since I’ve read a book by HelenKay Dimon and I’ve missed her writing. I will end with my favorite line of the book: He was six feet of hello-there-handsome. It still makes me giggle.

College Boys by Daisy Harris

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

College Boys (Men of Holsum College, #1)

Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, m/m
Series: Men of Holsum College #1
Reviewed by Anne
113 pages
 
Chris is a soccer playing college jock.  After his mom’s death he needs a little more personal space and ends up moving from his dorm full of jocks into a dorm with a private room.  As it turns out, he’s moved right next door to Peter, an openly gay student.  Also, did I mention, the walls are paper thin and provide provide vision privacy only?  Chris and Peter had met once before, and they end up becoming friends through the wall.  The thing is, Peter is very attracted to Chris, though he’d never act on his attaction because of Chris’ hetero-jock status.  Chris has always thought of himself as heterosexual, and his attraction to Peter takes him by surprise.  Where they take it from there is just awesome!
This is an incredible read!  I gobbled it up in one day and was enjoying it so much I didn’t stop to leave myself notes.  That’s a sign of a really good book for me!  The scenes in this book where Peter and Christ talk through the wall are so sweet.  The moments where Christ starts being honest with himself about his feelings for Peter, and the doubts he has were heart-wrenching.  The writing was just exquisite!

Yes, the ending was over the top happy with unicorns pooping rainbows and all that, but it’s ok.  They both seem a little young and the relationship a little new for the ending, but that’s an issue for me for any book with young characters.

I’ve not been a fan of college aged (would this be considered New Adult?) books, but this one really worked for me. I’ll be looking for more by Daisy Harris!

Rule of Three by Kelly Jamieson

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Rule of Three
Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Mild Kink
Genre: Contemporary, ménage
Reviewed by Kate

206 pages


Kassidy is finally reaping the rewards of always following the rules. She has a job she loves and is in a fulfilling relationship with her boyfriend Chris. In fact, after a year of dating, they’ve just moved in together and it’s looking like marriage is on the horizon. Then Chris’s best friend Dag comes to town for a visit.

Dag has secretly been in love with Chris since they first met. But it was obvious Chris would never consider a relationship so Dag never admitted his feelings. He left town years ago, trying to outrun his feelings, but is back to see if there’s any chance of being with Chris now.

Kassidy and Dag are shocked by (and Chris is oblivious to) the immediate sparks that fly between them. To their credit, neither Dag nor Kassidy act on their attraction. Instead they spend a few days becoming good friends. When it comes out that Dag and Chris have participated in threesomes together before, Kassidy decides to step out of her good girl box and give a threeway a try. But when everyone’s true feelings are uncovered, will any of them be left without a broken heart?

I had just finished a Harlequin Special Edition and may have been complaining to Anne a bit because, while I love me a good Harlequin Special Edition, it just didn’t have the heat level I was looking for. So later Anne emails me about Rule of Three. Something like, “Saw this menage story. Thought of you.” Aren’t big sisters the greatest?

Kelly Jamieson has a new fan. Because holy hotness, Batman! This one was scorching. The kind where you just have to take periodic cool-down breaks, you know? But the best part was it wasn’t sex written for sex’s sake. These characters were deep and complex and-oh crap, I’m getting a tad gushy, aren’t I?

My only complaint was that the HEA ended too soon.  I would have liked to see an epilogue with this one.  Of course, without an epilogue, I get to make my own up.  How about you?  Epilogue or no?  Which do you prefer?