Just A Number by Fifi Flowers

Just A Number
by Fifi Flowers.

Synopsis
Not looking for love.
No details.
Follow rules and restrictions.
Only fun. No feelings.
Forever--not an option.
Simple Flings.

They were all just a number.

Dash Oliver and Willow Dane both shared the same philosophy.

That is, until a merger of sorts.Thrown together by fate or serendipity, was their connection... their chemistry... their compatibility enough to convince them that their rules were made to be broken and that they belonged together?

 

Teasers from Just A Number by Fifi Flowers.

Photo and teaser from Fifi Flowers' Facebook page

Teaser and photo by Fifi Flowers from her Facebook page

Dash and Willow Move Perfectly Together in Just A Number
He was one of the best partners... he was the best I'd ever had. We were in tuned with each other. We fit perfectly. Moved as one. Fluidly. No stumbling. Like in couple's yoga, our breaths were equal. An aspect I had never experienced. We had chemistry in and out of naked intimacy. It felt as if I knew him always, yet we knew nothing personally about each other.
- Willow Dane.

Iva's Review

BOOK SUMMARY:

Willow is determined to prove to her father and herself that she can be as successful as a man in the business world and doesn’t need all the trimmings of love and a family.That is why the men she uses to sate her lust are just a number and nothing more. That is, until she meets Dash.

Dash leaves Willow craving more than just one night, but the rules they put in place make it seem unlikely that they will ever cross paths again.

However,  sometimes fate has other ideas.

BOOK REVIEW:

Fifi Flowers’ novel, Just a Number, is an enjoyable read and really shows Fifi’s ability to see with an artistic eye things that the majority of us would fail to acknowledge.

Written in a dual point of view format, the romantic story is good, but it is the deeper elements that really make it work.

  Willow’s relationship with her father has driven her to become independent and successful, but her mother’s emails give her an insight on why her relationship with her parents was difficult.  Through the emails and Willow’s responses to them, the author allows her readers to see how Willow is awakened to a new perspective, and, although her ambitions and choices remain the same, she is not as rigid in her focus and suddenly sees a different side to life and people.

  Dash, in comparison, is also very business driven, and has used his yoga enhanced love muscle to his libidos content, but his past has given him a wider outlook on life as well as the patience to allow others to sort through their difficulties and to give support when it is needed.

  As characters I think they are well balanced and realistic and I found myself very impatient to see them finally unite and admit the feelings they had.

  Fifi’s writing style has an artistic edge to it. She uses words that enhance the story for the reader and is able to build the characters so they are multifaceted. I found that I was frustrated by the lack of dialogue in the earlier parts of Dash and Willow’s relationship, but believe the author was using this to demonstrate the resistance of the main characters to develop a bond with each other.  However, it did make some parts feel a little forced to me, as though they were added to have some time away from the bedroom and up the word count. It took me a bit of time to appreciate the author’s inventive idea of limiting their dialogue.

  Just A Number is a book worth reading if you want a different type of romance, but still want the naughty bits. There are some wonderfully sexy yoga scenes that will make even the most exercise resistant person want to find a yoga partner to “practice with.”

 It is easy to read and the subtle story of Willows mother and father is very well thought out and gives the story that little bit more.

Links for Just A Number by Fifi Flowers

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28589530-just-a-number
Amazon US:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CVUFGH8
Amazon UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01CVUFGH8
Amazon CA:https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01CVUFGH8
Amazon AU:http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B01CVUFGH8

About Fifi Flowers

An internationally known artist turn author who writes romance novels and paints fantasies with a Parisian flair. Author of A Window to Love, Reclining Nude in Chicago and Awakening to You Trilogy.

Contact or follow Fifi Flowers

Official Website: http://www.fififlowers.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialFifiFlowers
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7214081.Fifi_Flowers
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fififlowers/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fififlowers/
Twitter: @FifiFlowers
Google+:  https://plus.google.com/+FifiFlowers/posts

Fierce Salon: Wash (Season 1) by Aspen Drake

This is a serialized novel. Each episode is a cliffhanger. For mature readers. 

The Season One Box Set includes episodes 1-5. 

Synopsis:

When Nate Edwards left his drug addicted ex and his modeling career, he followed his other passion and opened up Fierce Salon. He's a player in every sense of the word but never steps over the line of professionalism when it comes to his staff. They are the only women off limits to him. 

Amy loses her job and her boyfriend on the same morning when her salon shuts down unexpectedly and she catches her boyfriend cyber cheating. When she runs into an old friend working at an upscale salon, Amy’s desperate situation begins to look up. 

It takes some convincing, but she lands her dream job and gets to spend her days looking at the most beautiful man she’s ever seen. If only he was willing to break his golden rule and see her as more than just an employee. 

Written as a short sitcom, each episode provides glimpses into the different characters at Fierce and the daily drama they face as young, attractive millennials in Menlo Park, California. Each episode creates as many new questions as it answers. Read as they are released or wait for the entire season to be published as one book.  

Reviews:

Iva's Review:

Fierce Salon: Wash by Aspen Drake is five episodes that are grouped together in one book, that is almost 300 pages long. There are several episodes to follow, so beware that it does end with a cliffhanger. 

I enjoyed reading the book, the author has some new slants on old ideas and a few new ones, but while the book was very easy to read, it was also easy to forget. The story is there and the author is able to get the words to flow, but I didn’t feel a connection with either of the two protagonists. 

Amy remained just words to me, which was emphasised by the fact it was written in first person. I never felt the emotions she was telling me she felt. I think, because her feelings to situations were explained rather than conveyed, it really put a barrier up between the character and me as the reader. 

Nate was like two different people. I could not see how someone who hooked up with women and dumped them regardless of their feelings could also be a consoling, patient and empathetic hairdresser. It felt like two extremes. Having the book broken up into episodes was damaging to the story and the characters. Several times I felt as though the protagonists’ feelings were dismissed too quickly in order to get to the next plot point and I think this is why they remained just names, rather than a person I could feel empathy for. 

Being a serial was also to the detriment of the author’s talent because the story is there, but it feels broken and each new episode presented an opportunity to stop reading rather than presenting a need to keep reading. I feel there needs to be some work done on character development for this story to become more memorable, and that a different format would help allow this to happen. 

Would I purposely continue with this series? No. I need the connection with the characters and there are too many other books wanting to be read, but I wouldn’t go out of my way not to read it either. 

I believe Aspen Drake does have the potential to be a bestselling author, however a serial is not the right format to showcase this. It's a 3.2 read for me.

Jess' Review:

In this installment of episodes we meet Amelia (Amy), Nate, Olivia, Gabi, Mason and a small cast of thousands. Amy has had a shithouse day, you cant help but feel for the girl, but as luck would have it she is not down on hers for too long. 

Amy ends up at Fierce Salon looking for work. Enter Nate – hot broody ex model and self confessed manwhore. Nate doesn't dip his wick with his employees, but pretty much everyone else if fair game. Nate finds himself attracted to Amy, and as their relationship develops, things start to change. Does this relationship run smooth – hell no.. but you will have to read to find out where the pot holes lie. 

Now where to start with my thoughts…. This story was an easy read, but I was pretty underwhelmed. Essentially, the story was built on the instalust between Amy and Nate, but I struggled to believe even the lust aspect of the relationship. This may have directly been affected by the story being written as a serial, which really didn’t allow for much character development. 

Nate was a dichotomy – he was represented as a manwhore, a bang and flick kind of guy, but then he was a compassionate and nurturing business owner. The two elements did not sit well with me so rather than them being two sides to a personality, it almost appeared that it was two separate characters. 

Amy was a woman whose world as she knew it had collapsed, she should have been at rock bottom. Now while she was resilient and this is a trait I admire, I felt no emotional connection to her experience. She was meant to be vulnerable, with Nate having to save her, but at no point did I sense a real vulnerability with her. 

The plot was a bit all over the shop (without going into too much detail in case you decide to take a chance), it seems like the flow was like the energizer bunny, hoping around in all different directions and just going and going…. The secondary characters, interestingly, seemed to have more depth than the leads – but their story seemed to be weaved into an episode on a random tangent that had me asking ‘what was the point of that?’ I am sure it would become clearer as the story goes… 

Now I don’t want to be completely harsh, Fierce has some fun moments, it’s a light read, and it has potential. I can see the characters start to build and they too have potential – I am just not 100% sure that a serial format will allow their growth to ever be realised. 

I would rate Fierce Salon – Wash as a 3. Its not bad, but I was left wanting… and not in a great way!

Reading Write Now's Average Rating

Links

Amazon

Rock Star Cowboys by DL Roan

 

Let me start by saying - I Loved this story!

DL introduced us to twins Connor and Carson when they were just mischievous 6 year old boys in the Heart of Falcon Ridge (previously Second Chances which I have reviewed, click to read it here).  They were cute then, and you just knew they would have a story to tell.

Years later the twins are all grown up, rock stars in their own right with adventures and parties to ride out.  The character development of these two is perfect, they are unique yet with a likeness and connection that is palpable.

For those that haven’t read DL Roan’s McLendon Family Saga note this warning – they are about hot cowboys, they contain sexy scenes that depict a menage (or polyamorous) relationship.  DL writes this genre with pure class, built with emotion, sex and fun.  DL’s prose is seamless, the story captures the emotion of the plot and its progression flawlessly.  I am not generally an emotional (as in ugly crying face tears with snot) reader, but very early in this story my heart was breaking and my eyes were glistening.

Anyways, back to the story…  Connor and Carson are all grown up, they face many trials and tribulations of young men who are exploring their personalities, needs and wants. Breezy Youngblood is a local girl who has had her own troubles, known to the boys back in the day comes back into their life when they least expect it. Breezy is a strong character whose resilience resonates with me, her ability to succeed amongst adversity and maintain a forgiving heart endears her to the reader.  It would seem that Breezy is the perfect heroine for our Rock Star Cowboys… but nothing is smooth sailing and life continues to take turns for Con, Car and Breezy on their path to a happy ever after.

In my past reviews, I have always felt that while DL nailed the story that I needed something more, so she was constantly on a 4.5 star rating.  I can happily say that I was so satisfied with this story that DL has cracked my resolve and 5 stars it is.  Take a chance and grab the McLendon Family Saga and meet the whole family!

Jess

Blurb

The McLendon Twins are all grown up and - oh my gawd - are they ever a double handful! The perfect combination of reckless and charming, the golden boys of Grassland have become country music gods.

Carson is the life of the party. Connor loves their music, but he's had it with Carson's antics and life on the road. He's ready to call it quits when their beloved Papa falls ill and they are called home to their family ranch on Falcon Ridge; a place that holds both their hearts and the painful secret that changed their lives forever.

Occupational Therapist Breezy Youngblood once loved Connor and Carson to the moon and back. She was a mere girl when her world was shattered and she was forced to leave Grassland with only her broken heart. When she's asked to return to help the McLendon patriarch recover, she's forced to face the tragedy that destroyed her dreams of ever calling Falcon Ridge her home. Will Connor and Carson embrace the second chance they've been given, or turn their backs on the one person who can make them whole again?

Buy Links

 iBooks 

Amazon US 

Amazon UK 

Barnes & Noble

 

 The Heart of Falcon Ridge - The McLendon Family Saga Book #1

 iBooks

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

 
A McLendon Christmas - The McLendon Family Saga Book #2
 

iBooks 

Amazon US 

Amazon UK 

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Stalk DL Roan at:   Website  |   Facebook Group 

We're having a make over!

Kota's Book Kollection is undergoing a makeover!!

Jess and Iva are relaunching as 'Reading Write Now'.

Things will be a little different, and we are still a work in progress.  Currently we have updated our facebook details, and we will continue to update this page, so please bear with us.

As we know, change is good but it may mean that we take a little bit longer to fine tune our offerings.  If any significant changes are required, we will be sure to update you all.

We hope you stick around with us, and are excited to get back to what we love - reading, reviewing and editing.

Second Christmas (A Second Chances Epilogue) by DL Roan

In the words of DL Roan:

HEAT WARNING: Contains three sexy cowboys who are still very much in love with their wife, love making love with her--together--and spare no details when doing so...every chance they get. Grey still has a dirty mouth, but thanks to Gabby's efforts, tries to keep it clean in front of the children. It doesn't always happen. Recommended for adult readers only.

Join your three favorite cowboys for a very special Christmas holiday. Meet the newest members of the McLendon family, catch up with all your favorite characters from DL's 'When Seconds Count' collection, and get a sneak peek at all the fun and excitement in store for their future.

This is not a standalone. Second Chances must be read first to fully appreciate the context of this book.

Kota's Review

Do you love your Cowboys?  Do you love them when they are all hot and sexy?  Do you love them when they are sweet and romantic?  Do you love them when the hot and sexy, sweet and romantic cowboy has brothers?  (you read that right they come in multiples)

Have you met the McLendon brothers?  Grey, Mason and Matt are three gorgeous brothers, inside and out – I mean really, could they get any more perfect?  Have you read Second Chances by DL Roan, because if you have, you would know just how perfect I am talking about.  If you haven’t – what the heck are you waiting for?  Here, let me help you with the Amazon Link… just click here... you know you want too!

Ok so, let’s assume that you have met the McLendon’s, so you know right that they love their woman…  yep woman, one woman…  she is the right amount of sass and sweet to keep these boys in line.  Welcome to DL Roan’s little patch of ménage.  This epilogue is the picture perfect end to the McLendon’s story from Second Chances.  DL Roan has given us that happily ever after as a gift, the gift that gives you a little bit more of the story and the characters than the standard epilogue offers.  A gift in the form of an Epilogue Novella perfectly timed for this festive season.

See what Grey, Mason, Matt, Gabby, the twins and the ever loving mother McLendon, Hazel and her handful of older McLendons have been up to since the end of Second Chances.  Here you will find surprises, laughter, tears and a realism that is often lost in the art of erotic storytelling.

DL creates an environment and relationships that have you laughing, crying and maybe squirming in your seat a little (I mean those cowboys are hot….ok) along with the characters. 

This is ultimately a fun and happy story, with some drama thrown in for good measure.  We are reintroduced to some of the great secondary characters from Second Chances, and you may even see a snippet of life for our favourites from Second Nature, and the seed is planted for some possible spin off characters…

Grab your copy… and have yourself a very merry Second Christmas with the McLendon’s.

This rates as a 4 ½ star read, because well…  it was just too short… which also left me asking questions, wanting more and….  Ehhhh just a bit frustrated…
if you know what I mean ;)  

About DL Roan

Contemporary Erotic Romance Author of super sexy, Alpha-licious novels.

After years of schlepping for the corporate world in an endless rotation of tasteless cube farms and cold coffee, DL Roan decided to give a little attention to the sexy voices inside her head and begin anew. Whether it's menage, action-adventure, passion-filled suspense, sexy cowboys, assassins or angels, DL's novels are sure to keep you on the edge of the page reading long into the night.

Links

Facebook   |   Web   |   Amazon   |   Goodreads  |  Tsu   |   Twitter  |  Google +

Books by DL Roan

Shattering the Darkness Series by Jessica Spoon

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Google Playbooks

Synopsis

Harper Reagan has been through everything a woman could possibly go through. Losing her parents and entering foster care, only to be abused by her foster father. Running away at fifteen, she enters the world’s oldest profession to survive. And survive she did. 

Barely...

If you call abuse, counted as property and tortured to no end surviving then that was what she did…survived. Her life was spared, but at what cost. Long ago Harper had died. Today, due to those decisions she made, she is left existing with no choice to do anything else. Staring the devil in the face daily for as long as she did, left its mark and pain behind for her to live with forever.

The pain of that survival scars her deeper than any physical wound she's ever received. 

Harper is finally living a better life and has a great business, friends, and a home finally her own. She will do anything to keep her past hidden, including jeopardizing her only chance at love and a truly good man.

Breccan Caldwell is everything Harper doesn't deserve. He's gorgeous, successful, caring and a true gentleman.

Can Breccan show Harper who she truly is? Or will he be pushed out by the darkness she allows herself to be consumed with?

 

Kota's Review

Darkness Deserved is book 1 in the Shattering the Darkness Series by Jessica Spoon.  The title of the book and the series are aptly named.   In Darkness deserved we meet Harper Reagan.  She is a fiercely independent woman who is predominantly a solitary creature with the exception of her two best friends. Harper is a business woman, who knows exactly how to survive, and how to protect her heart, and those around her.  Harper is one of the strongest female characters I have read about for a long time.  

Harper’s life has been a constant of betrayal, abuse and trauma.  After the death of her parents, her life become one that was lived parallel to her existence.  Dissociating in order to survive, being taken advantage of and led into a life of soul destroying actions, kept the essence of Harper safe. Its this essence of Harper that we see and learn about thanks to the love and support Nicco has offered her.

Nicco is like a father and primarily Harper’s saviour.  Their relationship knows no bounds in its commitment to one another.  

Circumstances are such that Harper meets Breccan Caldwell.  Breccan is stereotypically the millionaire boyfriend with Alpha tendencies that we all love to read about, but Breccan is so much more than that.  The compassion and patience that he shows, mixed with pure lust, love and desire to protect demonstrate how perfect he is for Harper.

As the title implies, Harper believes that Darkness is her cross to bear and in Darkness Deserved this is Harpers story to defend her viewpoint, and our opportunity as readers to know without a doubt that she is deserving of so much more.

Ms Spoon has written a tale that is as heart breaking as it is uplifting.  The trauma that Harper has experienced continues to be very real, and the scenes where we learn about these experiences break your heart, they may also have had me ready to kill or at least kick arse on young Harper’s behalf.  Ms Spoon has written a story that captures you, heart and mind – and I was on edge waiting to see how it would all end.  There is steam in this story to – you wont be disappointed with Harper and Breccan, but it is the emotional elements that really stick.  The message that beauty is only skin deep is never more clear when you see past Harpers physical beauty into that of her soul.

This story of survival and love resonated with me, and I truly enjoyed the journey.  It came to an end, and I was really lucky that Ascending Darkness was waiting for me when I turned the last page.

This story must be read in order, please do not do Harper’s story a disservice by cutting straight to Ascending Darkness.  The scene must be set for the story that follows.

Excerpt

Darkness Deserved

Friday night at the bar was busy. Every table was full all night and the bar was packed as well. I couldn’t have been happier. It was ten o’clock as I was making my rounds through the crowd checking tables and helping Emma, Beth and Mya, my waitresses, out. 

I had just finished setting down a round of shots at a table full of sorority girls and turned around to go back to the bar, when I felt a tingle start at the top of my head and move toward my groin. When it settled and my clit began to throb I just knew. I knew it was my Adonis.

Here at last.

Dammit.

I was hoping I could just go through life without this temptation. It’s okay Harper. You wore your big girl panties tonight so quit being such a fucktwat and grow a pair. I make my way to the bar as if I notice nothing and set the tray down for Mark and Rory, my bartenders tonight.

I head towards the end of the bar to take care of some orders I need to make, when I feel his presence beating against me from behind. It’s like he already owns my body. My skin begins to tingle, my heartbeat speeds up, and my breathing becomes shallow as I try to control it. I can feel the vein in my neck throbbing relentlessly. On the outside I know I appear composed and nonchalant, but inside- inside- I feel ready to burst. 

I just want Adonis to grab me, throw me on the bar and fill me as I know only he can at this moment. He brings both arms around me so that his hands are resting on the bar and he has me trapped between it and himself. He leans in and I can feel his breath wash over my exposed neck. I inhale his scent: soap, Armani and Adonis. God, I want him to bend me over. A million different scenarios run through my mind of how to close down the bar so I can please this man.

And that’s when I stop and ice runs through my veins. I spent four years pleasing men. I was not going down that path again.

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Synopsis

The repercussions of Harper’s past meeting her present have left her breathless and lost. She continues to fight an internal war with herself. Can she let the love Breccan has offered into her life? Or was she right to push him away for his own good?

As Harper struggles with this internal battle, will her past find her and tear down everything she has built?

Will Harper ever find her happily ever after?

Read the conclusion of the Shattering the Darkness Series.

Kota's Review

Ascending Darkness picks up where Darkness Deserved left off.  Harper’s life has turned for the better, well at least for her pleasure.  But has her lapse in judgement affected her safety and that of those she loves the most?

In this story, Harper’s past starts to catch up with her and in order to keep her loved ones safe, she must battle with herself.  Does she expose herself and become vulnerable to her family or does she stay closed off and run the gauntlet between her past and the potential horrors that await?

Ms Spoon does not disappoint with this story, it is full of angst, action, karma.. oh and a good dose of Alpha and romance.

The rollercoaster that unfurls throughout this story keep the pages turning.  This story completes the series, but for me – it was a case of too perfectly.  I also found that this installment lacked a little of the emotional connection that I felt with Darkness Deserved.  Now that is not to say this was disappointing – not at all – I thoroughly bonded with these characters and loved the storytelling.  It was more a case of I personally felt the benchmark was set very high throughout Harper’s journey in book one that it was hard to match the connections within book 2.

The secondary characters in Ms Spoon series, are very clearly loveable or completely hateable.  There is very little room for grey when engaging with these characters. 

This story is dark, sad, hopeful, and steamy…  I really enjoyes when Harper and Breccan’s story took us.  

4 stars for this installment – I can’t wait to read more of Ms Spoon’s work!  Oh and I must get my hands on Duncan Peters….  Because he seems like a stand up kinda guy ;)

Excerpt

Ascending Darkness Prologue

It’s been years since I lived and breathed this way. Years since I had to wonder what would happen next. I’ve been lucky; living the good life and having whatever I wanted. I suppose I couldn’t really have it all; too greedy. It was never about money, though…. 

It was about being out of this life, having something more.

Living.

I don’t know if Nikko and Breccan know yet what has happened, or if they can even do anything about it. I imagine they will try and I hope they succeed, but how in the hell are they even going to find me? I don’t even know where I am or how I got here. How can two people that weren’t there do anything about it?

I look around the mostly dark room. The walls are a grayish color which looks to be from stains to the once white walls. The carpet is dark, almost a greenish color. There is a small bed in the corner with a table and a lamp that hardly sheds any light in this room. It smells musty in here, like a cemented basement. 

Maybe it is a basement.

I was unconscious when they took me and woke up in this room. 

I sigh and sit up on the bed so that I am facing the door. My hands are still tied with nylon rope and my wrists are raw, so it hurts to move them too much.

The door starts to open and I watch.

He walks in with the same grimy smile he always had. 

I hate you!

He walks closer to the bed, looks down at me and says, “Hey, babe. You’ve been busy. Looks like it’s time to pay your dues. Pants off. Now.”

Meet the Author

 

Jessica grew up in a small town in Southern Iowa. She went to nursing school and became a nurse only to realize her passion was in writing and reading. She loves to spend her time with friends and is very close with her family. It took her a long time to realize she even had a joy of reading. Once having declared there was no point when the books always became movies. At twenty four she discovered how wrong she was and became obsessed with reading and made up for lost time by doing it nonstop. She began writing when dozens of ideas kept flowing through her mind that she knew she had to get out.