moderate kink

Everything Bared by Kristine Cayne

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Everything Bared (Six-Alarm Sexy #2)
Grade-C+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate Kink
Series-Six-Alarm Sexy #2
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kate
268 pages

Dani Harris, a firefighter and search and rescue team member, has been part of the Caldwell family since the earthquake.  When she needs a place to stay, she ends up staying with straight-laced William Caldwell, CFO of the family business.  Dani knows she’s William’s opposite in almost every way, but she can’t help but be attracted to him.  Can she trust him with her exhibitionism secret?

Kristine Cayne exceeds at writing strong characters. Dani is a feisty spitfire and William had layers to him that were slowly exposed. I loved both characters and enjoyed watching their story unfold. Many of Dani’s initial conversations with William kept me in stitches.

There was a pony play scene in the book that left me a bit squicked out. I’m not a big suspense reader and there was a small component of suspense in this one that I didn’t enjoy. But it’s not a huge part of the story and not something so suspenseful that it kept me up at night.

The biggest downside for me was that I enjoyed the first book in this series so much that I probably went in with my expectations a bit high. And while this book is a very solid entry in the series, I still liked the first book better. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series because I’ve falllen in love with the way Kristine Cayne writes her characters.

The Accidental Call Girl by Portia Da Costa

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

The Accidental Call Girl (Accidental #1)

Grade: B
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Moderate Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Accidental #1
Reviewed by Anne
239 pages
 
When Lizzie steps out of a friend’s wedding reception and into a hotel bar, she realizes the handsome older man at the bar thinks she’s a “high class call girl.”  It’s an exciting prospect to consider and she decides to play along.  It’s even more exciting when she realizes it will give her a chance to try out some BDSM play.
 
John is so fascinated by the strangely innocent prostitute he picked up in the bar that he makes her offer – be with him every night during his business trip and he’ll pay her handsomely for her exclusive services.  Neither of them expects to fall for the other.
 
This was a solid, well written book that was also really hot!  I enjoyed it and was totally drawn in, wondering what would happen next.  Though the story is told from both points of view, we know Lizzie’s secrets from the beginning but know nothing of John’s other than that he has secrets.  The main conflict in the story is what will happen when they are open with each other?
 
I was fascinated at how this played out.  It made me think about what it means to be a prostitute.  Lizzie doesn’t think she is one, because she doesn’t intend to keep John’s money and because she’d willingly do what he wants without it.  She’s quite swept away by him, even though she’s trying not to fall in love.  Even though not every secret is spelled out in great detail, I felt like The Accidental Call Girl had a very satisfying HFN ending with confidence that an HEA would follow.  
 
I was surprised when writing up this review to realize that this book is the first in a same couple trilogy.  I generally shy away from those, but I have to say this book stands on it’s own very well.  It has that wonderful fine balance of leaving you interested to know what happens next, while leaving you full of hope for the couple.  I very much appreciate the NON-CLIFFHANGER ending!
 
I’ve read short stories by Portia Da Costa before and enjoyed them.  How delightful to find out she’s an author who can write well in short and long form!!  
 
So, I’ve read stories where the male character is a prostitute, but this is my first with the female in that role.  I think it was highly romanticized (a la Pretty Woman) but it was good.  How about you?  Have you found a romance with a prostitute as a main character that you enjoyed?  Or does that not work for you?

Freedom to Submit by Melody Snow Monroe

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

       
Grade-C-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate Kink
Series-Freedom, Colorado #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kate
164 pages

Danisa “Dani” witnesses a murder and needs some protection from the killer who has already made an attempt on her life. Enter Sheriff Brady (who went to the same high school as Dani, but the two have been out of touch for years) and his friend and housemate, Lucas. Because who better to protect you than the horny sheriff and his even hornier friend? Not to be out hornied, um…horned? Dani, on the night that she almost dies, remembers to pack her sexy underwear when she’s packing to go stay with Brady (who she just re-met earlier that day) and Lucas (who she’s never met).

Unfortunately, neither hero worked for me. Brady, a jock that has never grown up, has to be one of the worst law enforcement heroes I’ve read about. He goes on a dangerous stakeout by himself and moves things around at the crime scene before it’s been processed. Now I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I’ve seen a few CSI episodes-enough to know that both of those are big no-nos.

Lucas was another creature altogether. I found him to be cold and only concerned with satisfying his libido. His speech was almost robotic at times. But the thing that got me most was that he called his dick “him”. Now, I’m generally okay with guys having a cute nickname for their most important possession, but for some reason calling it “him” was just too much.

I struggled with the heroine, Dani. I just couldn’t connect with her character at all. Her connection to Brady and Lucas was instantaneous and unquestioned. There never seemed to be a time that she asked herself if she was moving too fast.

I really wanted to like this book. I’ve enjoyed other books that I’ve read by Melody Snow Monroe before. However, I just couldn’t get past the characters to get into the plot.

Obviously, calling it “him” didn’t work for me. What nicknames for a guy’s member is your favorite? How about your least favorite?