Gigolos get lonely too

Darius: Lord of Pleasures (Lonely Lords) ♥♥♥

Darius is, for lack of a better term, a gigolo/male prostitute. As the impoverished second son, he cannot afford to have many morals, especially since the bills will not pay themselves. Vivian’s husband goes to Darius with a proposition: get his wife pregnant so there is an heir to carry on his life when he dies. Darius thought about turning down the offer, but the amount of money was too much to resist. Prepared not to like Vivian, he was in for a surprise. Suddenly his job as a stud got a lot more interesting.

Vivian’s marriage was one of convenience after her husband’s first wife died. He only married her as a protection for her. As her husband is old enough to be her grandfather, he is trying to look out for her the best way he knows how.

I was prepared not to like this book because the hero was a gigolo and his love interest was married. Prostitution as a story is not usually my preferred plot line. I kept an open mind, and actually, the story was not too bad. In time when heirs were required and there were no sperm banks, the women had to get impregnated the old fashioned way when their husbands were unable to perform the task.

Unlike other authors who have a formula so the reader knows what to expect, Grace Burrowes’ plots are so unpredictable that every book is like a different author’s work. In this book, she explores how the predicament affects each character. The reader has empathy for their seemingly impossible situation. I will not say how it ended, but I was satisfied with the turn of events.

I recommend reading Darius: Lord of Pleasures (Lonely Lords). It is long, so be prepared to spend the entire afternoon reading.

Dark Corner distillery

Aug29

Looking for something to do if you are in downtown Greenville South Carolina? You need to make a stop by Dark Corner Distillery (241 N Main St Greenville, SC 29615).

I recommend doing a tasting but make sure you have had something to eat first. These liquors are potent. They will have your head swimming if you try to taste with an empty stomach.

Dark Corner is making legal moonshine. Some dress it up and call it “corn whiskey”. It is all the same.

Dark Corner have a cinnamon flavored liquor called Hot Mama. Since it is super spicy ( blend of 111 proof whiskey, cinnamon and chipotle peppers), to me, it is not good to drink by itself. However, it is awesome in mixed drinks. By itself the cinnamon intensifies the high alcohol content so much that it numbed my tongue and burned my throat. At this stage of my life, I like to savor the taste of my liquor. When using the same cinnamon flavored liquor in warm apple cider, it becomes a comfort drink that warms the insides. That is my kind of drink.

My favorite is Carolina Peach Shine. It is 70 proof and tastes really good on the rocks. Sip it if you want to enjoy the sweet peachy flavor. Since Carolina Peach Shine is very sweet on its own, the ice helps to mellow out and dilute it a little bit. Take it like a shot if you want to feel a pleasurable burn. I felt warmth as the liquid travelled down my throat, but it was not as overpowering as the cinnamon one. Nor did it have the numbing effect. Mix it in juice for a kicked up beverage.

What I most like about Dark Corner is the fact that they let you sample their flavors before you buy. When I went, it was not too crowded and so my friend and I were able to sample without waiting. If there is a crowd, you might need to be patient.

Don’t forget to TIP your server! You did just get a free liquor sample. Be appreciative.

Above all else, drink responsibly. Definitely do not drive if you are feeling tipsy.

Redemption of Lord Rawlings

Aug25

The Redemption of Lord Rawlings (House of Renwick) – ♥♥♥

Philip – Lord Rawlings – is a duke in need of money. When his father died, there was a stipulation in the will that he had to marry before turning 30 in order to receive his inheritance. Abigail (Abby) is the younger sister of Emma from the book Seduction of Sebastian. You have to read that book to understand the animosity on the part of Abby towards her sister.

Emma and Sebastian are hosting Abby for her season. Abby has set her sights on Phillip, but he is trying to dissuade her of that notice. He does not think he is good enough for her.

At the same time, Emma and Sebastian are trying to help Phillip get married. They feel indebted to him because he helped them get together. Among the ton, Phillip is known as a rake and reprobate. Polite society refuses to associate with him. Since Sebastian is known as the “Angel Duke” beyond reproach, Emma hopes their association can help change his image so that he can marry.

Abby did seem to be immature in the way she tried to manipulate the situation, but she had good intentions. Phillip thought he had nothing to live for, but was trying to fight giving the ton any other reasons to vilify him. Sebastian and Emma proved to be great supporting characters and the kind friends that Philip needs to help him come around. Once he accepts the fact that he is in love, it is easier to embrace Abby’s love for him.

Overall, I gave The Redemption of Lord Rawlings (House of Renwick) – 3 hearts because for part of the book, I was annoyed with Abby’s underhanded attempts to control people. That being said, this book is an entertaining read. The story can stand on its own, but to get the full impact of story’s nuances, you need to read The Seduction of Sebastian St. James (House of Renwick) first. It is a great follow up to the The Seduction of Sebastian St. James (House of Renwick). I do not often read books in a series (I feel that takes commitment). The main characters of that book were supporting characters that further the story. It was not just that they were related, they were an integral part of the story.

There is another book in the series that tells the story of Nicholas and Sara. I have not decided if I am going to go back and read that story yet. But most likely I probably will in time.

A cute bodyguard romance

Aug19

Franco’s Fortune (Redemption Book 2) ♥♥♥

Franco is a businessman whose life is in danger. Someone wants him dead. His brother-in-law sends Jo to be his bodyguard. They are supposed to be pretend to be boyfriend-girlfriend so no one will guess that she is protecting him. Jo has had a huge crush on Franco but believes she is out of her league. As Jo begins to play (and dress) the part of his girlfriend, the player in Franco notices her more feminine attributes.

Even though Franco knows that someone is trying to kill him, he spends an inordinate amount of time trying to guard his privacy. That aspect of his personality was infuriating to Jo and me both. France put on a bravado act most of the time to hide his fear. Despite Franco’s consistent efforts to hinder the investigation of the attempts on his life, that mystery was solved in a way that was not too corny. The villains, suspense, and action were believable.

It is good to know that even though he was player, he had twinges of conscience when it came to how he treated Jo. He knew there were certain boundaries that he could not cross because he had to think about her feelings. But there were a couple of times I wish I could have hit him in the back of the head for some of his thoughtless comments. I granted him some leeway since he had been putting on a front for years without letting most people see who he really was.

Overall, I could have been annoyed with Franco, but his redeeming qualities won me over. Jo was an emotionally damaged individual because of her childhood, but she was able to overcome all of that and find family, home, and happiness.

I received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Steamy Short story

Aug15

Hot Spot ♥♥♥

Samatha (Sammy) and John reconnect with each other after 20 years at John’s family reunion. When they were teenagers, Sammy and John were attracted to each other. But she did not have any confidence of his intentions to stay around and so she married “the good son” his brother Pat.

Fast forward to the present. Sammy has been divorced from Pat (who remarried soon after the divorce). John sees his opportunity and he is determined to test their physical capability. He believes the spark is still there. He regrets not being dependable enough as a youngster to have a relationship with Sammy all those years ago.

Sammy loved John but could not trust him with her heart as a teen. She made a “playing it safe” decision then, but this time around, she has to decide if she can believe he will not run off. No longer immature teens, their decision to get together results in a short story that is one long love scene (with some dialogue interspersed throughout).

Overall, I like Hot Spot because I had no high expectations. I laughed at some parts because the whole family probably was wondering when they were going to finally hook up. They were not very subtle at times. I bet an onlooker could have felt the tension and thought, “Get a room already!”

Caveat: Hot Spot is not a PG romance. There are a lot of F-bombs. The love scenes in my opinion were tastefully done, but some might find it too explicit.

Click any of the links in this post to buy this book on Amazon.