Tag Archives: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance

Hell’s Fury by Jackie Kessler

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: Hell’s Fury
Author: Jackie Kessler
Series: Hell on Earth #4.6
In: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (Sonia Florens)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011

Thoughts

Lucifer and Megara as a couple is such a brilliant idea. And I love that they are both based in different religious beliefs. But, take that position quite readily as someone who is “bad”. Yet, throughout this whole story, they are actually the better behaved of everyone. Plus, I just really love any story which features Lucifer lately. The idea of Megara and her two harpy sisters – brilliant.

As a short story, I absolutely adored this and was kind of content to let it lie as was. However, since it’s a short story that is part of a greater series, I really want to read more about Megara and Lucifer, even if it is as secondary characters. They just seem to be on the precipice of a fantastic relationship, one that will take a whole lot of work to make it work. And I want to know how / if that ends up happening!

There was so much lust and sensuality throughout this story, but not an intense storyline. I kind of loved it – it was just all heat and intensity. But, I also want more of the story behind the story. It was fun and seriously enjoyable. And more emotion and intensity is definitely on my bucket list for the next Kessler story I want to read.

<- Blind DateShelter from the Storm ->

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Shelter from the Storm by Louisa Burton

Book Review, ,
Overview
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Title: Shelter from the Storm
Author: Louisa Burton
In: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (Sonia Florens)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011

Thoughts

This short story was very cute and lustful. It was just an easy, fun and pleasant read. One that wasn’t necessarily ground shattering in its emotive nature. But definitely a fun and easy read. I love reading short stories that are simply an enjoyable diversion from the world, not something with a lot of intensity. And Shelter from the Storm fit this bill perfectly.

I love that this is a bit of a mistaken identity romance. A school teacher on the rebound, being mistaken for a prostitute. And they somehow fall in love. I mean, it’s not exactly the kind of story that I want to read again and again, but I enjoyed it. This was a tale that drew me in from the very beginning and I love that the mistaken identity is left to stand.

Yet, the misunderstandings are only a superficial way to keep this couple apart. Eventually, they get the happily ever after you want. They are adorable and cute, and it was just such a nice diversion reading Shelter from the Storm.

<- Hell’s FuryWe Were Lovers Once ->

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Blind Date by N.J. Walters

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Blind Date
Author: N.J. Walters
In: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (Sonia Florens)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011

Thoughts

I love the premise of this blind date also being a second chance. Alright, it might be a little underhanded to set yourself up on a blind date with your ex to get her back. But, it does also work kind of nicely. I also liked this in the format of a short story – it was a story that entirely took place over one evening with the reconciliation and date all happening in a short amount of time. And just the right amount of angst to keep you interested.

Honestly, this is one of the more basic second chance romances that I’ve read. Both characters put their careers before their relationship. And then, after a little bit of time and a whole heap of pride do their work, they realise they’ve made a mistake and desperately try to get back together again. It’s sweet and cute, if not a little bit ridiculously predictable. Although, sometimes, that’s just what we want.

This was honestly a very lustful and lust driven story. But, also quite cute and a little bit sweet. I do like a good second chance romance, and even if this didn’t quite hit all of my happy points for a short story, it still worked incredibly well.

<- SorceryHell’s Fury ->

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Sorcery by Cathy Clamp

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Sorcery
Author: Cathy Clamp
In: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (Sonia Florens)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Erotica, Paranormal romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011

Thoughts

This wasn’t my favourite short story – I mean, it played with some pretty big taboos from the very beginning. But then, somehow I also kind of loved it. There was just something about it that I found really fun and enjoyable, even while I was kind of cringing – for so many reasons. I may not read this again, but I don’t regret reading it in the first place.

I did love that this is a short story about taking what you want and not toeing the line for others. Particularly as a woman, this can be an incredibly hard power to harness. And it was achieved beautifully in this – plus, there was the fact that this was all about sex and using that for power. Power over oneself and others.

I honestly don’t know why I enjoyed this short story as much as I did – when in theory it’s everything I don’t tend to like in a story. It’s enough that I want more Cathy Clamp on my bookshelves – just because if I enjoyed something that I would normally nope right out of, then they’re an author worth having on my shelves.

<- Desperate ChoicesBlind Date ->

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Desperate Choices by Anna Windsor

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: Desperate Choices
Author: Anna Windsor
In: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (Sonia Florens)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Romantic suspense, Small town romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011

Thoughts

I actually really enjoyed this romantic suspense story – I wasn’t entirely sure how it was even a romance when I first started it, but I was very quickly pulled in. Enjoying it way more than expected. Particularly because it featured a child being kidnapped – something that particularly leaves a horrifyingly sick feeling in my stomach when I read about it.

I love that Leah will stop at nothing to find her nephew, including risking her own life and career. She also talks about crime in her small town like a slow moving rot – one that needs to be dug out by the roots and destroyed. It’s a reminder of how easy it is to become corrupt when those in power are corrupt, or let the evil slide – I kind of want more butt kicking in this world to find that Leah and her beau managed to start making an impact on all of the crime.

There was so much violence and mayhem throughout this story, which seems to be something I seriously enjoy lately. Plus, there was also some yummy lust to keep your toes curling and lighten some of the chaos. I love that this had a happy ending, but with the ability to have so much more chaos and violence in the future.

<- Crimean Fairy TaleSorcery ->

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Crimean Fairy Tale by Victoria Janssen

Book Review, ,
Overview
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Title: Crimean Fairy Tale
Author: Victoria Janssen
In: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (Sonia Florens)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011

Thoughts

I actually really, really enjoyed this short story. It took a little bit to get into. And I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting, but I actually found this incredibly enjoyable. Which of course is exactly what you want when you read a short story.

From the moment that Jonas found solace in Betsy, I was expecting them to get a happily ever after. It didn’t quite go the way that I anticipated, but it was still an interesting adventure. Plus, there was a whole lot of mystical stuff in there that gives them an unexpected happily ever after. I’m still not quite sure how it all worked out – but I felt happy at the completion of the story.

This short story was a really cute and easy read. I love that the woman rescues the man, not the other way around. And that they get to have a happily ever after that was both unexpected and well appreciated.

<- (Like a) Virgin of the SpringDesperate Choices ->

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(Like a) Virgin of the Spring by Susan Sizemore

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: (Like a) Virgin of the Spring
Author: Susan Sizemore
In: The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (Sonia Florens)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Time travel
Dates read: 31st March 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: She was looking at him with enough pride in her eyes to set his heart on fire.

Synopsis

She’s a time travelling researcher who is stuck out of her time. But, when this Priestess finds herself rescued, she manages to find a whole lot more.

Thoughts

I really loved all of the unexpected twists and turns throughout this short story. At the beginning, I had no idea that there was a time travel aspect to this story. And when I found out that there was and started putting things together… well, I just continued to fall more and more deeply in love with this story.

There is a whole heap of lust throughout this story as well. It’s a bit intense at times, but, honestly, in the best way possible. I love that you can feel the heat just slipping off the pages… it made it very fun and spine tingling to read. But, I’m coming to expect that from Susan Sizemore.

As with many short stories that I enjoy – I want more. I loved this idea of time travelling and felt like it was executed very, very well. Not something that I can always say about time travel stories. But, alas, I think that this might be a standalone. One that I’ll just have to read again.

<- The Mammoth Book of Hot RomanceCrimean Fairy Tale ->

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