Review: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 edited by by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Title: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 1
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Format: Paperback, 248 pages
Pub. Date: March 10th 2020
Source: Rachel Kramer Bussel


Book Description:

Super sexy, sensual, and surprising bondage stories from Tiffany Reisz, Somer Marsden, Valerie Alexander, and more collected in this exciting volume by erotica maven Rachel Kramer Bussel!

A cameraman puts a TV anchor on display in a whole new way… Two NASA officials wage an interstellar battle between protocol and desire, and one is taken captive . . . A gender-bending bounty hunter keeps his bounty hostage for more than just the monetary reward . . . Two warring neighbors discover that bondage can be a powerful negotiating tool . . . “Merlin” and the “Lady of the Lake” invoke the magic of the woods to fuel their fiery passions . . .

Best Bondage Erotica of the Year is back with erotica maven and award-winning editor Rachel Kramer Bussel compiling the most scintillating bondage stories into this one amazing collection. With a wide variety of different pairings, genders, and genres, these stories are all united in their deep desire for the mind-bending thrills of this o-so-delectable act. Whether you are exploring your kinky side, are looking for inspiration in the bedroom, or are simply interested in a sexy read, this collection is poised to please and titillate readers of any experience level who are keen to explore the depths of their own passions and penchants for the perverse.



Table of Contents

Chained—Ria Restrepo

Impropriety—Winter Blair

Over Under—Kendel Davi

Protocol—Angora Shade

Beach Blanket Ballet—Richard Bacula

Kneel—Kate Allure

Pretty Tied Up—Zak Jane Keir

The Deepest Part of the Forest—Deborah Castellano

Connection—Lazuli Jones

BYOB—Elizabeth Coldwell

Contrary—Kim Kuzuri

Freefall—Valerie Alexander

Delicate Matters—Leandra Vane

Boundless—Sammy Rei Schwarz

Stronghold—Leif Often

Necessary Roughness—Rachel Kramer Bussel

Safe Sex—Violet R. Jones

Hold On Harder—Dena Hankins

The Student Seat—Sommer Marsden

The Beguiling of Merlin—Tiffany Reisz

Review:

★★★★★

Every time that Rachel Kramer Bussel and Cleis Press release a new anthology, I get excited. It seems like the newest one is always newer, sexier, and more batshit than the last. And I mean that in the best way possible. There's newer scenarios, a wide variety of short stories, a whole manner of arrangements of kink and couplings and throuplings and beyond.

Between the pages of this anthology include stories that feature gender-bending, non-binary characters, couples (straight, gay, lesbian, the works), throuples, groups, young characters, old characters, disabled characters, POC characters, realistic stories, sci-fi stories, fantasy stories, historical stories, Dommes, Doms, role play, chains, ropes, public play, and way too much to keep listing like this. As the title of the anthology implies, the one strand that weaves all of these radically different stories together is the theme of bondage.

Because it's an anthology, I certainly liked some stories more than others. Though I always review only my top three favorite stories, I always take notes on each story and give each one a rating to help me determine the final amount of stars. I can honestly say that out of all the Cleis Press anthologies I've reviewed over the years, this book has the fewest low-rated stars out of all of them. No 1-star, and only one 2-star. The picks for this ones are pretty great to get your smut on. (In fact, 6 of them get perfect 5 stars from me!)

The ones I didn't care for as much are for various reasons- kinks that I'm not into, language that isn't my thing (I think we all have our preferred sexy words and ones that are y i k e s), one story was a bit disjointed and flowery. But, what didn't float my boat might hyper-float yours.

Because these are 20 stories by 20 authors, this book is easy to read either in one go, or in little bites of a story or two here and there.

As always, I'll highlight my top three favorite stories.

The first story that I'll highlight is actually the last one in the book, ensuring that the collection goes out with one helluva bang. It's called "The Beguiling of Merlin: An Erotic Fantasia" by Tiffany Reisz. It's a story I didn't know I wanted. It involves a hetero couple, an art book, history, roleplay, and obviously, bondage. It's a lovely blend of magic and realism, somehow reading as both a wonderful sort of fairy tale and an extremely steamy erotica. It's both pretty and dirty and I'm here for it.

The second book I'll recommend is called "The Deepest Part of the Forest" by Deborah Castellano. You'll probably notice a theme to the sort of stories that I enjoy reading. This story involves Halloween, a primal energy, a big bad wolf, a Red, a forest and, yes, more bondage. I thought this story had a fun, playful yet primal vibe to it. I love Halloween, I love a big bad wolf, and this was just up my alley.

The third one is one that I loved but also puzzles me, because Rachel Kramer Bussel's anthologies have made me acutely aware of the fact that "lesbian historical erotica" is a thing I'm into. Not weirdly specific at all! The last story is called "Impropriety" by Winter Blair. It involves a female/female pairing, a case of malaise, a historical setting, a tinkerer's workshop, bondage (shocking I know!) and an unusual device that may just give her everything she's missing and more. It's sexy, it's playful, it held my attention, and it left me wanting a longer story. I'd read a whole book of Jessamine and Ada. More of this, please!

All in all this book has a scratch to soothe any kinky itch. There's light stories, dark stories, fun stories, a rainbow of characters and a treasure trove of kinks. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I'm happy to add it to my shelf.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Review: Pretty Deadly, Vol. 1: The Shrike by Kelly Sue DeConnick

Title: Pretty Deadly, Vol. 1: The Shrike
Series: Pretty Deadly #1-5
Author: Kelly Sue DeConnick
Illustrator: Emma Ríos
Format: Paperback, 120 pages
Pub. Date: May 13th 2014
Source: Goodreads First Reads


Book Description:

TKelly Sue DeConnick (Avengers Assemble, Captain Marvel) and Emma Rios (Dr. Strange, Osborn) present the collected opening arc of their surprise-hit series that marries the magical realism of Sandman with the western brutality of Preacher. Death's daughter rides the wind on a horse made of smoke and her face bears the skull marks of her father. Her origin story is a tale of retribution as beautifully lush as it is unflinchingly savage.

"It's a perfect match for the gorgeous, dizzying artwork in a sumptuous palette-overlaid panels add intricate choreography to fight scenes, and detailed, whirling splash pages beg for long-lingering looks. Couple that, along with a handful of Eisner nominations, with a multicultural cast of tough-as-nails women who all fight for their own honor, and this is a series to watch out for." - Booklist

"It's ambitious and challenging (two qualities that are not often valued, but that probably should be), under a façade of violence and sacrifice. Rio's art is lush and detailed, and is more than capable of keeping up with the far-reaching story." - PW

Review:

★★

What an odd series of graphic novels to review.

I didn't really care for this series. It felt all over the place and disjointed. It was hard to follow, even if conceptually it's a cool idea. There's a lot of things that are never really explained (like the narrators) that we're just meant to accept without thinking too much about.

The artwork, however, is beautiful. It's haunting and dark and eerie, and does way more than the writing does with progressing the story. Some of the panels are cool enough to be prints in their own right, in my opinion.

I don't know how many of these books there are (note: a quick look on Goodreads tells me that in fact there are ten volumes), but I have absolutely no interest in reading any more of these. While the feminist-gothic-spaghetti western type plot seems like a good idea in theory, it falls short on every level, and doesn't really get to the nitty gritty of any of these categories. It's just sort of.... Artsy and different solely for the purpose of being artsy and different. The characters aren't given much depth, so it's hard to feel attached to them, no matter how cool their artwork is.

I'm not really sure who I recommend these books to. If you like westerns with a slight gothic flourish or dark-inspired graphic novels, this might be for you.

Mini Review: Cowboy Heaven by Cheryl Brooks

Title: Cowboy Heaven
Series: Cowboy Heaven #1
Author: Cheryl Brooks
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: March 3rd 2015
Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca


Book Description via Goodreads:

Cheryl Brooks, well known for her blazing hot love scenes, presents a smoking new erotic romance series set at a Wyoming ranch and featuring sexy-as-sin cowboys.

When widow Angela McClure decides to let loose and start a secret affair with a younger ranch hand, she inflames rancher Dusty Jackson's long simmering desire. Both men are irresistible - and forbidden - so Angela forms a plan to divert her old-fashioned father's suspicions: flirt with all of "her cowboys.' The new competition makes Circle Bar K ranch hotter than it's ever been before...

Review:

★★

So, I was originally drawn to this book because of the cover. I guess that was my first mistake- we all know you're not supposed to do that. I've been on a cowboy romance reading kick, so when I saw this cover and read the blurb, it sounded right up my alley. What's not to love about a group of sexy cowboys? Unfortunately, that fantasy just didn't happen for me.

I have no idea what genre this book is supposed to be. It came off as funny like a comedy at parts, but I don't even know if that was intended. It's kind of a western romance, but it honestly reads more like erotica. And to be honest, I didn't even enjoy the sex scenes. I love erotica when it's done well, but these didn't do anything for me at all. They happened insanely fast and made everything seem cheesy and in poor taste. It was too much.

That's, in short, my problem with this book: too much. Too many cowboys, too many genres, too much dissatisfying sex scenes.

I think this is one of those books that a lot of other people will probably like, so if you like sex and cowboys, give it a go. But for me this was a miss, and I won't be looking for the next book in the series.

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Cowboy's Valentine by Donna Alward & Happy Valentine's Day!

Title: The Cowboy's Valentine
Series: Crooked Valley Ranch #2
Author: Donna Alward
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: February 1st 2015
Source: Netgalley & Harlequin American Romance


Book Description via Goodreads:

HEART OF A COWBOY

Coming home is hard enough without ranch manager Quinn Solomon making Lacey Duggan feel like an unwanted guest. She's only here until she figures out what to do with her one-third ownership of Crooked Valley. But Quinn's irresistible daughter is giving Lacey ideas about being part of a family. And though they don't even like each other, Lacey's having crazier notions about the widowed single dad.

Does Lacey think she can waltz in and turn Quinn's life upside down…only to leave again? The pretty accountant knows nothing about running a ranch, yet she's making the Montana homestead feel like a home. Quinn isn't looking for love again. Until a woman who's all heart and a determined little girl help one lovestruck cowboy see the light.

Review:

★★★★

I have still not kicked this addiction to cowboys. I have tried, but I keep going back to the books on my kindle that have "cowboy" in the title. It seemed only fitting that I got to this one before Valentine's Day passed me by!

I really liked the plot of this book. As if I don't find broody cowboys endearing enough, making him a single dad is a sure fire way to get my emotional attention. Quinn was my favorite character- he's loyal, strong, determined, and always puts the need of his little girl first. Which leads me to his daughter, Amber, who is possibly the most adorable child that I've ever read about in my life. I really appreciated the way Alward wrote her, because it seemed genuine. It didn't seem like an adult trying to find a child's voice, which is something I notice more than one would think. And then there's Lacey. I liked her well enough, and I ached for her and her back story. An illness that prevents kids, a messy divorce, no job. It's rough. But towards the end I was really frustrated with her stubbornness to a point where I no longer found it endearing.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Quinn and Lacey progress from two people who pretty much hate each other to something more than that. There was a nice flow to the story, so it was well-timed and easy to lose yourself in the story for a few chapters at a time. There was drama and humor and sweet romance, and really what more does a girl need from her cowboy Harlequin, hm?

And if I haven't persuaded you yet: this book features a cowboy holding a puppy.

This was a sweet romance that helped to scratch my cowboy itch, and I think fans of contemporary westerns, romance, cowboys, and Harlequin books will enjoy this one. Thanks to Harlequin for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

And I hope all of you have a lovely Valentine's Day. Whether you're going somewhere fancy or chilling out at home with cats and cheese pizza, enjoy yourself!

Jillyn

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Rough Rider by Victoria Vane!

Title: Rough Rider

Series: Hot Cowboy Nights #2

Author: Victoria Vane

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Contemporary Western Romance

Release Date: February 3, 2015

ISBN: 9781492601159

About the Book:

Two wary hearts …

Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect—until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash.



Different Dreams…

Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good—roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there's a void he can't seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts…but there’s a certain cowgirl he can’t forget.



When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he's determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love?

Get It Here:

Amazon | iBooks | B&N | BAM | Indigo | IndieBound | Kobo

Trailer:

Praise:

“A “red-hot cowboy tale...their sexual chemistry crackles. Well-paced, scorching scenes and witty banter move the story along while setting the stage for Wade’s war-hero brother to find his own true love in the next installment.” – Publishers Weekly

“SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane is delightful, funny, page turning steamy sexy… I'm beginning to think Victoria could write a phone book and make it sexy.” – Unwrapping Romance

“PULL THE FIRE ALARM & STOCK UP ON FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR THIS STEAMY ROMANCE!” – Avon Romance

Review:

★★★★

What can I say? I love me a good cowboy romance.

What really made this book for me was the main cowboy himself, Dirk. He's everything I want in a cowboy- broody, dark, and fiercely protective. I couldn't get enough of him, and I wanted him to be happy, which shows Vane's strength at writing characters since I am very much aware of the fact that he is in fact fictional. I liked Janice well enough, but my attention and focus was on Dirk. This book offers both perspectives, and while both are necessary to convey a deeper picture of what was happening, I felt more connected to Dirk's than to Janice's.

That said, I cheered them on together as a couple and hoped that they would work out all their demons and baggage and be together. And together, they were. Look no further for well written, hot romance scenes than Rough Rider, because there are plenty to satiate your appetite. More than just sex though, there's a bigger and more intricate plot that I followed up until the end, including twists that I didn't (but probably should have) see coming that made me make inhuman noises of feelings in my dorm room.

I really like, just as with Slow Hand how smart these novels come across. I don't know anything about cowboys or ranching or rodeos, being from Chicago myself. But Vane's writing feels like it's "letting you in on a secret" so to speak, with the terminology and slang and inside look at how the industry works. I was never left confused about meanings or operations, that's for sure.

There were a few places where I was thrown off by the pacing and had to reread a bit, because I didn't realize that the timeline had jumped years ahead. It wasn't enough to throw me off completely, but did slow me down at parts. I would also recommend reading book one first. You can read this as a stand alone, but I read Slow Hand just a few months ago and even I was trying to figure out some names and connections.

All in all, I think this is an enjoyable cowboy romance. If Wade was too straight laced for you, than you ought to try Dirk on for size. An ex-marine rodeo star with skeletons in his closet makes for a helluva whirlwind of emotions and relationships. I'd like to see more of him in the future.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author:

Victoria Vane is a multiple award-winning romance novelist and history junkie whose collective works of fiction range from wildly comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance. Victoria also writes historical fiction as Emery Lee and is the founder of Goodreads Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers and the Romantic Historical Lovers book review blog.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

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Release Day Review, Interview, & Giveaways: Slow Hand by Victoria Vane!

Good morning, y'all. I'm happy to be taking part in the release day fun for Victoria Vane's new romance book, Slow Hand. She was sweet enough to answer a few of my questions today. This post will also have my review, and a giveaway too!

Title: Slow Hand
Series: Hot Cowboy Nights #1
Author: Victoria Vane
Format: egalley
Release date: November 3rd 2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Book Description:

In rural Montana…
Wade Knowlton is a hardworking lawyer who’s torn between his small-town Montana law practice and a struggling family ranch. He’s on the brink of exhaustion from trying to save everybody and everything, when gorgeous Nicole Powell walks into his office. She’s a damsel in distress and the breath of fresh air he needs.

Even the lawyers wear boots…
Nicole Powell is a sassy Southern girl who has officially sworn off cowboys after a spate of bad seeds—until her father’s death sends her to Montana and into the arms of a man who seems too good to be true. Her instincts tell her to high tail it out of Montana, but she can't resist a cowboy with a slow hand…



Advanced Praise:

"Historical romance author Vane takes a detour into contemporary settings with this red-hot cowboy tale… Well-paced, scorching scenes and witty banter…" - Publishers Weekly

"SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane is delightful, funny, page turning steamy sexy, and the romance between Wade and Nikki make you wish you could pull Victoria's characters straight off the page and into real life…" - Unwrapping Romance

“For erotic passion and one-liners, the first book in Vane’s new series will satisfy... Vane’s latest gets a big yee-haw.” - RT Book Reviews

"With flirty dialogue, humorous moments, vivid imagery and sexy scenes, SLOW HAND goes into my favorites folder." - Guilty Indulgence


Buy it here:

Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | BAM | Apple | !ndigo

Interview:

What inspired you to write Slow Hand?

I really had never imagined myself ever writing a contemporary story as I didn’t think I had the right writing voice for it, but after two years of prodding by a good friend and beta reader, I decided to give it a try. She and I then spent several weeks brainstorming different ideas but one of these ever went anywhere. I was looking to the most popular contemporary romances for inspiration but the billionaire playboy heroes just didn’t do it for me. I then asked myself what kind of contemporary hero I related best to, and the answer was easy—cowboys. I’ve always loved them ever since I was a little girl.

I’d grown up on Westerns - The Lone Ranger, Bonanza, Gun Smoke, The Big Valley, Lonesome Dove and many others. I even read my grandfather’s Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour novels. They say to write what you know. I also know horses. Putting these two elements together was no great difficulty for me. I then took the same approach to my contemporary story as I had taken with all of my historicals—I researched. My research and the real people I met and talked to allowed me to bring my characters to real life. From that point, I just gave their “voices” free rein. And then magic happened… My story suddenly took off.

Was the romantic interest inspired by someone in your own life?

Yes! My very first girlhood crush was a cowboy. I even named my hero in SLOW HAND after him.

Can you please describe Slow Hand in five words for us?

Sexy, flirty, smokin’ hot fun!

What was your favorite scene to write?

I loved all the dialogue between Nikki and Wade. It was laced with innuendo from the start and progresses with their relationship from a slow burn to a smoking hot inferno!

Did you have to do any research for this novel? If so, what's something fun or interesting that you learned?

Yes. I’m a total research geek. Although I have owned horses most of my life, I knew nothing about cattle so I tried to educate myself on everything related to this series – from cattle ranching to rodeo. The most fun was hanging out with the real thing. I got to be good friends with a 4th generation cowboy, rancher and former rodeo bronc rider as well as some people who raise bucking bulls (which plays directly into my second book in this series, ROUGH RIDER).

That is so cool. I'm jealous! Now... Not counting characters from your own books, who's one fictional character that makes you swoon?

Jamie Faser from Outlander is my all time favorite romance hero. He has it all in spades!

That cover is absolutely gorgeous,and not to mention sexy. Can readers expect this book to be full of heat?

Yes M’am! It’s HOT! HOT! HOT! Although this is absolutely a romance first, the bedroom door is blown wide open (and the shower too!)

Can you tell us about any other books or products that you have in the works?

I have totally taken the plunge into contemporary romance with seven hot contemporary romances I have 4 novels coming from Sourcebooks (Slow Hand, Rough Rider, Straight Shooter and Silver Tongue) and 3 novellas from Kensington in a hot Las Vegas set series called Hotel Rodeo. Both publishers have left the option open to add more to these series if they do well. ☺

That's so exciting. I know I'll definitely be reading more of this series! Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what songs made up the soundtrack to Slow Hand?

Yes! I can’t write without music and always create a Pandora station for each of my books!

My play list for Slow Hand was almost all country music (some George Strait, Big and Rich, a smattering of Carrie Underwood and lots of Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton.) Here are some of the songs:

Give it All We Got Tonight – George Strait
Rollin’ – Big and Rich
Wild West Show – Big and Rich
Got a Little Country – Blake Shelton
Cowboy Casanova – Carrie Underwood
In Love with The Girl – Luke Bryan
I Don’t Want this Night to End – Luke Bryan
Mine Would be You – Blake Shelton
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye – Luke Bryan

This playlist is fabulous. I love country music. One last question for you- what's your favorite thing about being a writer?

The freedom and independence. I have never played well with others. LOL!

Thank you so much for stopping by to talk with me today!

About the Author:

Victoria Vane is an award-winning author of smart and sexy romance. Her works range from historical to contemporary settings and include everything from wild comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance. Her books have received more than twenty reviewer awards and nominations to include the 2014 RONE Award for Treacherous Temptations and Library Journal Best E-Book romance of 2012 for The Devil DeVere series.Look for her hot new contemporary cowboy series coming from Sourcebooks in Fall of 2014.
Website | Email | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Youtube

ACCOLADES FOR VICTORIA VANE’S HISTORICAL ROMANCES::

2014 RONE Award Best historical post Medieval (Treacherous Temptations)
2014 RONE Finalist Best Historical post Medieval (The Sheik Retold)
2013 IRC Best Book Nomination (A Wild Night's Bride)
2013 LASR Best Book Nomination (The Sheik Retold)
2012 TRS Cupid and Psyche nomination (A Breach of Promise)
2012 TBR Pile Book of The Month (A Breach of Promise)
2012 LASR Book of the month (The Devil You Know)
2012 Library Journal Best E-book Romance (The Devil DeVere Series)
2012 TRR Best Book Nomination (The Devil You Know)
2012 Love Romance Café Best Book Nomination (The Devil You Know)
2012 RONE nominations (A Wild Night's Bride, The Virgin Huntress, The Devil You Know, The Devil's Match)

Review:

★★★★ ★

Four and a half stars.

Slow Hand is one of those books that draws you in from the first few pages and keeps a hold on you until you reach the end. Well, I suppose that's only part true. Technically speaking, this book first drew me in even before I cracked it open. Just look at that cover model. Absolutely gorgeous.

I really liked both main characters, which I think definitely helped fuel my connection with this book. Nicole may be a bit scattered sometimes, but I like how argumentative and stubborn she is, especially when she's paired with the (arguably) even more stubborn Wade. Oh, Wade. I thought he was excellently written. He had a nice mix of protectiveness, seduction, sweetness, and intelligence that I personally found addictive. I liked that he was kind of a blend of new and old cowboys- he is a lawyer, but he still helps out on the family ranch, even if he doesn't necessarily want to. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Their dialogue together was sassy, funny, and flirtatious, and their physical chemistry was out of this world. I appreciated that the sex scenes- and yes, there are quite a few steamy scenes- were dirty without being too crass or vulgar. It's a fine line and I think Vane toed it well.

I will say one thing about that though. I know that this book is a romance first and foremost. But these steamy scenes actually distracted me a bit from the nonromantic plot of it. It'd be a while of them together and then Nicole would say "but I need to prepare the funeral for my father" and I'd be like "OH YEAH, that is why she's in Montana! While this wasn't a huge deal for me (I'd rather have the steam to be honest), it did jerk me a bit while reading.

Another reason why I liked this book is because it's well described. Without sounding too much like a history lesson, there's quite a bit of knowledge about the "old west" and the gold rush sprinkled into this book. It's true that I've never worked on a ranch or owned a farm or even ridden a horse for more than a bit once at a Girl Scout camp, so take this with a grain of salt, but I felt like the ranching and rodeo aspects of this book felt true to life. (And if they aren't, I think there's props for Vane's writing skills, because I totally bought it.)

If you love contemporary romances starring smart and stubborn cowboys, than Slow Hand is a book that you shouldn't miss. If you're not a fan of insta-lust, then be warned that this book has some. I will definitely be continuing on with the next book in the series, Rough Rider that tells the story of Wade's veteran brother, Dirk. This is a book I'll need to buy a paperback of for my book boyfriend shelf, for sure.

Thank you to Victoria Vane & Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaways:

Giveaway #1: Two copies of Slow Hand (two winners, ends 11/7)
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Giveaway 2 – Victoria Vane’s Cowboy Seduction Kit

Giveaway #3: HISTORICAL ROMANCE Ebook of Choice from Victoria's Back List!
A list of her books can be found here.

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Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Stubborn

Title: Stubborn
Author: Jeanne Arnold
Release Date: January 6th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Blurb:
With a train ticket, a bad attitude, and an unfortunate scribbling of obscenities across her forehead, seventeen-year-old Avery Ross is tossed out of the frying pan and into the fire when she’s sent from New York to the vast oil field region of North Dakota. When a green-eyed boy with a sultry Texan accent comes to her defense, Avery has no clue that his actions will lead her into a passion-charged summer, full of temptation and loss.

Defiant and relegated to work at her aunt’s boarding house, Avery discovers a connection between her aunt and the striking boy. He and his brothers are seeking revenge for the wrongful death of their sibling, and Avery becomes entangled in their battle over oil rights, loyalty, and love. Avery falls for the brooding, younger brother, Gabriel Halden, against her aunt’s forewarnings and creates more tribulations than any of them could anticipate.

*Click here to go to the Goodreads page!*

My review:

★★★★

Three and a half stars, rounded up.

This book has a lot going for it. My personal favorite aspect was the setting. It's set in the oil fields of North Dakota. Now, I'm from the Midwest, but I'm from theurban Midwest. Things like oil, mining, and farming communities are fascinating to me because I've never been around it. My own neck of the woods is home to steel mills and railways. I really like the depth with which Jeanne Arnold wrote about the oiling lifestyle. I've got no idea how accurate it is but it makes for a really unique setting that I've never read about before, in fiction or otherwise.

I also really liked the set of three Halden brothers that Avery meets, namely the youngest romantic interest Gabe. He's dark and broody and a cowboyish Texan complete with a twang in his accent. Where may I sign up to receive one, please? He was not overtly moody without reason, and I liked the way Avery got to know him over the course of the novel. That being said, I didn't really care too much for Avery herself. I often questioned her decisions and I didn't really "click" with her so to speak. I just kind of felt like she wasn't as well written as some of the other characters.

While there is a lot of action in this book that keeps it moving along at a fast pace, things like murder and revenge and romance, I felt some things were too glossed over, namely abuse. I felt that it didn't necessary get the respect and delicacy it deserves in this book.

All in all this is a solid book with swoon worthy southern, hard-working male characters, and I would definitely consider reading the next book in this series. I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Jeanne Arnold is the author of STUBBORN and other young adult romances. At a young age she found her creative outlet in art, and for years her fictional characters came to life in drawings and paintings, until they demanded a voice. Now they grace the pages of her stories. Jeanne shares her time with her fictional teenage counterparts and her human family in Central New York.
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Be sure to follow the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

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Comanche Magic by Catherine Anderson

Title: Comanche Magic (Comanche #4)
Author: Catherine Anderson
Format: Paperback, 414 pages
Pub. Date: May 3rd 2011
Source: Purchased.

★★★★★

Five stars.

I positively adored this book.

The leading man, Chase, comes back to his home town after suffering from a work related injury. He comes back bitter & jaded, & that only intensifies when he learns that his sister is friends with Franny- a prostitute at the local saloon. However, he quickly learns that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to Franny. It becomes his personal mission to set her free, & make her realize that life has so much more to offer her other than misfortune, ridicule, & rude men. And in return, Franny might be just what it takes to bring Chase's heart back to Wolf's Landing where it belongs.

This book was the perfect balance of drama, sadness, humor, twists, & romance. I didn't want to put it down. I'm not normally one for romance novels, but having read this book, I plan on reading the first three of this series. The romance genre may have just earned a new fan.

I recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance/harlequin novels, or to any woman who just wants to daydream about a muscly, wise, alpha piece of Comanche man candy.