novella

Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas by Sugar Jamison

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

18111068
Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, Secret Baby(ish), Holiday, Novella
Series: Perfect Fit, 1.5

Published: 10/1/13
Reviewed by Anne
111 pages
 
After reading Dangerous Curves Ahead, the first book in this Perfect Fit Series, I looked to see if Sugar Jamison had other books.  It turned out she’d already written this holiday novella.  I immediately requested it from NetGalley and was delighted to receive a copy of it.  When I realized it was about Dina, the toxic older sister featured in the first book, I was thrown off.  She was a total villain – someone I had no interest in seeing redeemed.  So I put off reading it.  My mistake!  It was good!
 
So, I read these two stories in order, but this novella really stands on it’s own quite well.  
 
Dina is off to find her baby daddy.  She had a fling with him and when she told him she was pregnant he disappeared.  She’s travelled across the country, on a bus, with her 10 month old son, to his home town.  To his family estate and mansion to track him down.  She’s done a lot of maturing and changing of her ways since her baby, Dash, was born.  She wants his father to provide some security for him.
 
She’s shocked to be shown in to see her ex-lover’s brother and find out that her party boy baby daddy was killed in a drunken skiing accident.  Not only is the man she was looking for dead, but she’s left with his brother, Ben, who she really didn’t get along with the one time they met.  So it’s a huge shock when Ben immediately offers to help her and Dash out.
 
“You are not taking my nephew to a cheap motel.  You will not be traveling with him on a bus.  Your destitution ends here.”
 
“You’re shitting me?”
“I shit you not.”  (Kindle Loc 199)
 
This is the start of a wonderful holiday season.  (Did I mention this all happens in December?)  Dina agrees that she and Dash will stay with Ben until after Christmas, in order to give Ben and Dash time to get to know each other, and for her and Ben to work out an agreement for raising Dash.
 
I really enjoyed the humor in this story.  The relationship felt rushed, and not just because of the novella format.  It takes place over a couple of weeks, which is not a lot of time for them to get to know each other and fall in love.  Some things were a little too perfect – like their built in housekeeper/babysitter, but I really enjoyed the story.  

Surrender by Serena Grey

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Surrender (A Dangerous Man #4)
Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-A Dangerous Man #4
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
109 pages

This is the conclusion to David and Sophie Preston’s story.

Sophie is heartbroken over her separation from David, even though she is the one who asked for the separation. His failure to tell her that he loved her was bad enough but to say it was always just sex between them was pouring salt in the wound. Sophie just wanders through her life. She works, goes home and goes to bed. She goes and gets coffee everyday before work. She’s sees the boy who lived next door to her when she was growing up. David said that this boy, Eddie, was in love with Sophie. Sophie never even considered Eddie as anything more than a friend.

Sophie caves and calls David. They have an awkward conversation and she hangs up. David later shows up at her work and takes her to dinner. They have a hot night of sex but nothing really changes. She still loves him and he most say if he loves her. She agrees to a drink with Eddie as just friends and this doesn’t end well because David is waiting outside her apartment.

This book was just okay for me. I got really sick of David being a pussy about his childhood. I get that he had a bad childhood but as a grown man, he has to be accountable for his actions. He finally admitted that he loved her but by that time I had a bad taste in my mouth because of him.

Knock Out by Michele Mannon

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Knock Out
Grade-C+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Worth The Fight #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
167 pages

This book is actually more of a three and a half star book for me.

Keane O’Shea is a MMA fighter who is also ex-military. A Marine to be précise. He a big bear of a man in size and temperament. He fights not for the joy but for the release of energy and stress. He also has sex for the release but also because he likes sex. What man doesn’t? His sex life is uncomplicated because there’s no strings attached. The rest of his life is very complicated though. He has PTSD that he refuses to get treatment for. He’s guilt ridden over the death of his best friend and he’s surly at best most of the time.

Logan Rettino is a former ballerina still trying to pay off her medical bills. Her fiancé and dance partner dropped her during a performance and she broke her ankle. This injury ruined her career and her fiancé stole money from their accounts that she alone earned. She’s been insulted by him through the media relentlessly. She’s taken a job as a an Octagon Girl, she carries the cards that announce the upcoming rounds. Because of the humiliation of her injury being made public, people recognize her. She has success at being a Octagon Girl and only needs a few more paychecks to help her open her own dance school. Her boss is a wretch of a man. A surprise kiss starts a media frenzy between her and O’Shea. She’s given an ultimatum by her boss that involves O’Shea or she’s loses her job.

This was a good, solid read. It did seem a little long at times but was good overall. I enjoyed Logan as a character and she had a good heart. Keane O’Shea is a different animal altogether. This man is in real emotional pain which makes me less than pleasant. The love story was slow building but ended well. The sex was great when it finally happened but you did have to wait for it. I haven’t researched to find out if this is a series yet but I would probably read more from this author.