Fifty Shades Darker by EL James

Reviewed by Desere



So this is book two from the world wide phenomenon an I must again first off start by saying that it is again like book one filled with lots of kinky sex and some woman will shout out " Why the hell would I let a guy do that to me?" and again with the ever surprising Mr.  Grey being full of kink and making readers go " WTF?". But for me it again came down to it being a journey of love. And the wild sex? Well let's just say each his own, it if keeps the spark in your relationship alive then enjoy!

Now that I have that out of the way let's get down the business.  For those that have read book one , you will know that book one ended rather abruptly  and it was the moment where millions of readers went" Huh? That 's it? Why, why why!!" Of course we all know why, because good books always have cliffhanger ending and of course I could not wait to get back into it, not for the crazy sex because again it works for some but for me not so much.

I was more interested to find out how the romance journey will continue and oh my gosh I was not disappointed. Because this book was so much more than book one, I bawled my eyes out ! During book one I cringed and I had plenty of " Really!?" moments but with this one, I had a box of Kleenex at all times and for the full two days I looked like I had lost my best friend, red puffy eyes and the mask of heartache plastered all over my face.

Of course I am not going to go into detail as to why all the crying because that would honestly ruin the book for anyone interested or brave enough to read it. I know of quite a number of readers that have said they want to read the series but worry about what others will think of them, that of course is their battle and not mine.

Another thing I loved about this book is that this time the author delved deeper into the psyche of the characters, I felt like I got to know the characters far better than in the first book. And of course Mr. Grey's dark secrets are brought to light this time, all I have to say about that is " Shame poor guy!". There was as I mentioned lots of tears but there was also some great " Oh man's that's so awkward !" moments and had me bursting with laughter.

To sum it up in a nice little ribbon tied bow without revealing too  much and spoiling it, I will say this  book is a great addition to the series, it's the tale of a remarkable love story filled with many truths of life that in real life most people hide. Even if you hated book one you have to give this one a try, the author delves deeper and it get's a whole lot and I do mean a whole lot more emotional than book one. But of course if you hated book one due to the kinky sex than this most likely again will not be a book you will love, and there's not much to be done about that, everyone has their own taste.

Special thanks to Penguin Random South Africa for the reviewer's copy.


4.5 star review
" Life is about to get darker than before and Mr. Grey is trapped" 

Fifty Shades of Grey ( Movie Tie In Edition Cover) by E.L. James

Reviewed by Desere

Everyone is currently talking about the movie and yes I definitely going to try and go see it, but of course as they say the book is always better, so naturally I started off with opening the pages before dashing off to the cinema.

What did I find? The so called disgusting behavior of a woman being being seduced and then trapped in world filled by outrageous sexual acts all the while being controlled by a man who clearly has issues?

Yes, some other readers will immediately say " Yes that's exactly what it was about!" But I found the opposite. Yes agreed there are some very outrageous sexual acts in the read that would shock even the most living on the edge readers out there, but at the end of the day it really comes down to , it's no secret !

People we talk with everyday, see everyday or even just every now and then, all have secrets , dirty little secrets! Sure they don't want the whole world to know what's happening under the sheets or behind closed doors and naturally as it should be that right should be respected. But the fact still remains that those secrets and kinky behaviors are out there. Just because an author took the change to put it out there for all the read and now see, does not make it dirty or shocking in any way.

And Ana being controlled by Mr Grey, well I personally do not see this as a major issue as other readers have pointed out in reviews, in my personal opinion if the woman wants to stick around for it let her, it is definitely not the kind of relationship every woman craves but think about it this way, if a man and woman find a magical balance of sexual flair and it makes their love stronger and makes then happy and want to stay together, then why should they be judged.

I of course fully respect other readers views and naturally I would wish for them to respect mine, because again everyone has a right to what they like or don't like , just like Ana and Mr. Grey.

So to end off my review , I will only add this, if you are uncomfortable with reading this type of book, simply put, don't ! And if you read it and find it offense in any way, just don't read anything like it again. It's as simple as that, but all this major huffing and puffing about destroying publishers who have participated or had anything to do with 50/S/O/G or the treats of any other kind, it's pointless because everyone has their own thing and it's called freedom of choice!

4.5 star review

Now Available at Random House Struik 

A Night to Remember by R.C Matthews

Review by TashNz

4 Stars

Brett and Anna haven't seen each other since College.  Brett was Anna's college crush but he was one of the most popular boys at College and she never took the step to find out if the feeling was mutual.

Rediscovering each other at the New Years Eve charity fundraiser Anna organises every year they discover their feelings are very muchly mutual and they spend the night together, A Night To Remember!  Shame Anna's due to announce her engagement...

One night isn't enough, Brett decides and before he knows it he's pursuing Anna.  All sorts of things get in the way, from politics to Anna's engagement.  From a mayoral race to a lifetime of happiness race.  Despite the life-hurdles Brett and Anna manage to get plenty of chances to make the pages burn and combust (hence my placing in our Adult Delights review site)

I loved the unique beginning, with the dancing and Brett desperately trying to find a way to be on Anna's dance card and I love the unique idea of the ladies dressing as famous women from the past.  I found the regular point of view switch contributed toward the suspense of the story.

A Night to Remember races along while managing to pack so much in at the same time. There were so many emotions covered, I laughed and I cried. Both Anna's and Brett's personal stories are moving. Jorge, Anna's fiancee, is a main side character and his moment in the spotlight is very moving too.

Both Brett and Anna were very likeable people.  Brett quite the lawyer and loves Anna with such a passion.  Anna the charity darling of her town.  She's the constant giver who definitely deserves her second dream in life (Brett being the first).  The story flitted from this place to that place and worked fantastically with the fast pace.  The cover draws you in and is a perfect depiction of the beginning of the story.

Overall I found this to be a read which was very enjoyable, and I'll mention it again, I was amazed how much was packed in.  I cant really elaborate without giving anything away.  A Night to Remember flowed nicely. The swapping of point of views added something extra and I am proud to support a new/indie author.  I was honored to receive a copy of for my personal opinion.

Check out R.C Matthews here and Purchase here <3

                                                                    **********
Reviewed by Desere

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

If you're in the mood to read something super sexy and alluring, this is the read to pick up.

It tells the story of Anna, she has agreed to help out a friend by posing as his fiancee and then later marry him, in return he will give her the greatest gift ever, before her time runs out.

That's the future that lies ahead, or so she thinks. By a wonderful twist of fate she ends up belonging to Brett, her college crush, well her body belongs to him for the night, her heart has always belonged to him, and she is not sure it will ever belong to another.

But she made a deal to help out her friend and she always sees deals through, so one night is all she will take from Brett , a night to remember that is!


But Brett has always wanted Anna and now that he has had her he won't let her go, he will fight till he has her by his side, forever But will Anna be convinced that she can let go and have more than one night to remember in the arms of her ultimate desire?

I really liked this read, both the main characters were fun to read and both had what I like to call the perfect balance of likable and " am going to dent this character's head" , because as much as I loved them both they did drive me to insanity during the read, but of course that is what books are about, they dish out a variety of emotions, torture the readers with little bits of hope and characters not doing what we want them to, and then bang it is all brought to a conclusion we never saw coming. This author did all this and more.

What truly amazed me what how the author managed to pack a story of many twists and turns into 202 pages, usually stories of the same type take up to 500 pages, yes you read it right, 500 pages which as intriguing as it sounds and believe me I don't shy away from long reads, but after around page 300 it usually starts getting on one's nerves, and all you want to do is shout "

Get to the end already do they get happy ever after or not? So I was utterly impressed with this author taking it all and giving me the full satisfaction in just 202 pages, and if you're thinking that because of this you might walk away thinking you missed a scene or a detail, fear not because we get all the gritty nitty deeds needed to form a perfect read.

I can't say more than what I have already said, for if I do I will completely destroy this read, and believe me you want to read this! I will add that the opening line of this read was a really nice attention catcher!

I am taking away a message of , if you fight hard enough you really can have it all, love is the strongest emotion in the world and if you find it, hold on and never let go.

4.5 star review
" He wins her for the night, decides he wants her for life! Let the games begin" 

The V Spot by Wendy S Marcus

Reviewed by Desere

Let's start off my giving you a short description of our heroine in this read. Emma is a curvy, cute and practical nurse, so life is not exactly off the charts hot every day. Now for a little quiz.

It's Emma's 25 th birthday and she wants to spice up her night and unleash her inner naughty nymphette just for the night, does she start with :

a. Chocolate Cake
b. Champagne, and I mean lots of it
c. A blind date set up by her best but very daring friend

She makes selection C, but when he turns out to be the very popular and insanely hot wrestler Brody " The Bull" Bullock what does Emma do?

a. Run for the door
b. Admire his hotness and then run for the door
c. Imagine him naked and her begging him to take her over and over again

She again hits the C spot or rather the V Spot, for this is where they will be meeting and it ain't no regular club, this is where reality stays outside and fantasy comes to life.

Emma is in the for the night of her life, but will be able to go back to being practical Emma again in the morning or will wild and naughty Emma come out to play some more?

This was a short yet very powerful and super hot read. I have always loved this author's writing style but of course seeing a erotic glimpse in her previous books I have always wondered if I would still feel the same way about her writing if she let's loose and hits all the dirty spots.

I can with all honesty say she was unleashed and it totally worked out perfectly! The read was as hot as can be, and with that super special form of sentiment mixed in that made this one heck of a read.

I adored the hero, so sweet, so kind and so in touch with Emma's emotions it brought me to tears and I fell for this man hook, line and sinker. Emma was such an almost too sad character that she broke my heart, I really wanted to somehow tell her that it does not matter what she looks like , it's more important what's on the inside, so of course I was over the moon delighted when the author let the hero bring that message home for Emma.

But if from my above mentioned lines you're thinking this book is a too hot and heavy erotica read with too much sappy romance sentiment you could not be more wrong, this read was the perfect balance of hot and sweet and the perfect escape into a wilder and naughtier side of life.

Oh and before I sign off I 'll wet your appetite by saying, Brody " The Bull" didn't get that name by only being a wrestler,  he has a secret of his own.

4.5 star review

" Forget the G-spot the V is where's it's all happening" 

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Reviewed by Nas

THE V-SPOT by author Wendy S. Marcus is a Cosmo Red-Hot Read is October 2014 release.

Emma Masters falls in with her friend’s plan to celebrate her birthday by having a wild blind date. She is pissed when her date is late. And more pissed when he turns out to be the over-confident, full of himself professional wrestler, Brody Bullock.

Brody just wanted a chance to show Emma that he was a regular guy apart from the celebrity who visited the children in her ward. Would Emma give him this chance?

THE V-SPOT is a very sexy and sensual read. The reality of being a plus size woman looking for a date and love is shown sensitively. Author Wendy S. Marcus has become a master story-teller and readers would love this story by her.

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Reviewed by TashNz

October  2014 new release by Cosmo Hot Reads by Harlequin.

Good golly Miss Molly.  Is it getting hot in here or is that just summer hitting my part of the world! Turn that fan on because I need an ice tea to cool down after reading this little gem! Cosmo Hot Reads are not called Cosmo Hot Reads for nothing!!!

Plus size Emma, (Nurse by day, newbee-voyer by night) is out celebrating her 25th birthday but not in the usual way, no! She's at the V-Spot - about to embark on a blind date - litterally a blind date due to the masks that all visitors must wear.  The V-Spot is a Voyers Club where couples go and watch other couples.

With her knees already shaking Emma is mortified when handsome, hot and giant 6-pack wrester Brody noisily arrives. Surely he cant be her blind date!  Emma makes a mental note to never let her best friend talk her into anything ever again.  Side-tracked by a medical emergency Emma assists then hightails it out of there. No way does she want Brody knowing it's her.  They see each other during the day enough times when Brody is visiting her hospital, granting wishes for sick kids.

What Emma doesn't know is Brody is haaaawwwt for her *cue fan* and coaxes her out and back into the club.  From there they embark on the path of voyers with sizzling results!

What I liked about this fun, fast paced, attention grabbing hot read was how real Emma is.  She's plus size, not just "curves" but actually plus size.  Emma's size is not shyed away from in the story, it's celebrated by the author and it's worshipped by Brody.  It was written well into the book and i love that modern day authors use genuine and realistic descriptions of their heroes or heroines.  Nowdays you have scarred heroes, disabled heroes and plus size heroines and a truely talented author makes you feel comfortable reading about it and differences enjoyed.

The V Spot by Wendy Marcus is fun, exciting, hot and for me an eye opener . It's the third Cosmo Hot Read I've read and has some pretty phenomenal descriptions.  The characters of Emma and Brody are fun and even though it's of generous novella size there's enough info in there to learn about the characters and what makes them who they are.

I love that Brody was honest and to the point and I think he totally made Emma's experience unforgettable.

If you like a quick read, a read full of spark, a read with two awesome characters (and one naughty best friend) don't go past The V-Spot by Wendy S. Marcus.

P.S LOVE the cover!

Adultery by Paulo Coelho

Reviewed by Desere

Linda knows she's lucky! But not lucky enough to escape opening her eyes every morning to a so-called new day then feeling like closing them again for the rest of the day.

As far as advise from her friends go, they recommend medication, but Linda scratches the idea because she wants to feel more not less.

So what to do? Embark on an adventure as unexpected as it's daring, and which reawakens a side of her that she the very respectable wife, loving mother and ambitious journalist, thought had disappeared? Yes ! That's exactly what she does!

But there is one flaw in this master plan, not even she can predict what will happen next.

This read is a bit of a hit and miss, for some readers who like raw sexual fantasies brought to life this read will do quite nicely as it pretty much tells of Linda,  board with the rich, nice somewhat boring husband, loving mother routine , who goes off and engages in a little fun on the side with a ex boyfriend.

For other readers this might not hit the wild romantic ride spot at all, as the blurb slightly hints it to be. Linda gets her fun on the side but then falls in love with her ex, and then out of love with him again and back in love with her husband and out again and back again with him and back with the ex boyfriend again and out with him again and so on and on it goes.

The read never fully gets to any sort of real romance, but of course as the title suggests this is not really about romance, it's about getting down and dirty with someone other than the one you should be steaming up the sheets with! So of course I expected no real romance but the story of a board woman wanting to add some spice to her marriage by engaging in some extramarital fun, which by the way I do not agree with, just in case you were wanting to know, but it's always good to try every new writer and genre every now and then :)

Now, don't go and take my review to heart, for I am definitely not telling you not to read this book. If you don't mind the who, what and why being thrown back and forth and are more into the details of what happens behind the closed doors , come on now I know some woman out there love that kind of stuff, if nothing else the secrets are the most fun to unravel, then this book will work out beautifully for you and who knows you might even learn something new.

But if you're the kind of reader that craves the real facts and those facts being kept in line at least to the point where you are able to fully understand what the characters are going through then this read is sadly not one I will recommend. However don't despair the read does carry a very powerful message, one that is as plain and simple and as vital as air , when life get's you down, don't always go seeking for something in someone else's arms, you might find more disappointment than thrill, there's always another way, seek it and then use it!

So I would urge one and all to step out from the normal box of your reading comfort zone and read this book, you're bound to find something in here that works for you!

4.5 star review

" One decision leads to a new sort of life, but can she handle it? More importantly is it what she really wanted?" 

**** Now available at Random House Struik 

Surrender to Me by Shayla Black

Reviewed by Desere

Who doesn't love a hot sexy, take me now and do with me as you please Navy SEAL! They are not only super deliciously hot, they are guaranteed to let any woman feel safe and secure whilst letting her also feel completely out of control.

In this read the story tells of Hunter, injured and on some recovery time he agrees to help out a friend with letting the fantasy of the very hot Kata come to life. But once he has her in his arms he does not feel like sharing at all!

He soon sets himself the goal of ensuring he has Kata all to himself and forever his before he leaves in a week's time. The sex goes from zero to 120 mph in less than 5 seconds and they live in their own world of submission and domination, with Hunter the teacher and Kata the student. But whilst Kata is learning to adjust to her new found fantasies and the extreme emotions Hunter unleashes there is danger around the corner and it wants death!

The character of Hunter was as mentioned a Navy SEAL and thus not only all kinds of total hotness but also one of those men that only needs to give you a look and you will be able to tell, that this guy lives for a challenge. I adored him from the very first page, yes I was not in full agreement that he would so easy be able get into the threesome thing, it just seemed not really the kind of thing a big tough Navy Seal would do. But once the author let Kata and Hunter only focus on each other I become very much entranced with Hunter and just how much he is dead set on protecting the woman that has stolen his heart.

Kata was as heroines go bit of a flop for me, she was fun and feisty and could stand her own but I was not overly all nuts about her being so indecisive all the time, we all know that when we want something the idea is to go after it before it goes elsewhere, so yes there were quite a number of times I wanted to give her a good old shaking up and just tell her to make up her mind and get on with it already. But then again, I suppose when faced with a life changing sexual course it cannot be easy and in the end I got a little more use to her way of thinking.

Now as for the plot of this read it not only included the super sex between Kata and Hunter and the very emotional journey they take off on, but also a very intriguing mystery, that kept my attention and had me on the edge of my seat. That wonderful "He will do anything to protect her" feeling that let's face it is always awesome in any read!

If you are not into erotica's with all the kinky wild domination submission elements this read is not for you, but I will also say this, the read is not only about that but also has a wonderful meaning and message about two people finding each other and discovering a weakness of life, and if you can look past the wild crazy sex that might let you feel uncomfortable you are going to discover a magical story of romance!

I recommend this read for anyone looking to indulge in the fantasy world of two lovers united by a bond so strong no challenge can break it.

4.5 star review
" Will she let him be her master" 

Warning: This book contains graphic language and sex
**Copy provided by Penguin Books SA for review purposes

Get a copy here 

Bodyguards Of Pleasure (Pleasure, Montana 8) by Melody Snow Monroe

Reviewed by Nancy Crocker

Bodyguards of Pleasure: Grabs your attention quickly. Brooke Armstrong a major computer geek was taking the trash out when she witnesses a gruesome murder in the alley behind her computer store. Now a killer wants to silence her.

New to Pleasure Montana, are Gavin Kirkwood and Riley Landon who run a detective agency. These two not only share a business and a home they love to share the same woman. And they think Nerdy Brooke just might be the perfect woman for them if they can keep her safe.

Parts of this book have you holding your breath. As gruesome as the murder scene was, I felt Melody did an amazing job making me feel like I was Brooke witnessing it myself. I could also feel her panic when the killer came after her.

This was a really good read from Melody, and had all the right ingredients. I wish it would have been a little bit longer in length and the characters knew each other a little more.

4.5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Diamonds and Spurs (The Callens #9) by Melody Snow Monroe

Reviewed by Nancy Crocker

Amanda Clairbourne has discovered her husband Craig’s Ponzi scheme and she wants no part of it. So she sets a plan in motion to escape him. She files for divorce and goes into hiding a few days before the hearing. When the divorce is granted she leaves Denver and heads to Wyoming. Gone are the days of spa treatments, manicures, facials and designer clothes. She has gone to the one place she hopes Craig will never find her.

Amanda now goes by the name of Mandy Duncan. Mandy has found work as a hired hand on a ranch in Wyoming. She will help lead a team of women on horseback as a wilderness guide. 

Not trusting men after her marriage to Craig, Mandy is not looking for a relationship. But when Vince Callen “cousin to her boss” and his roommate Cameron Longworth enter the picture they are both interested in Mandy. But their ex-fiancée Sharon might have a say in this budding relationship.

When Mandy is first shot, the men move into protection mode. Soon there is a fire, a bomb, and then Mandy is kidnapped. And the men are trying to get to the bottom of who is behind it. Is it their crazed ex or Mandy’s Ex?

I really enjoyed this book. I have not read the previous books in the series. I thought the author did a pretty good job making this book work as a standalone as well as part of a series. But I did feel like something was missing. Maybe it was just too many accidents etc in a short amount of time. I think I would have liked more interaction between the main characters before the sex scenes. Speaking of sex scenes … Some were scorching hot, especially the Sundae scene. And the first scene … with Cam outside. 


4.5/5 Stars

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.