{"id":7647,"date":"2016-05-16T09:00:11","date_gmt":"2016-05-16T13:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=7647"},"modified":"2024-09-23T09:21:28","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T13:21:28","slug":"release-day-blitz-and-arc-review-smut-by-karina-halle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=7647","title":{"rendered":"ARC Review & Excerpt: Smut by Karina Halle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy: Kindle Ebook<\/a> |\u00a0iTunes<\/a> | Nook<\/a> | Kobo<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Blurb<\/strong><\/h4>\n

What happens when the kink between the pages leads to heat between the sheets?<\/em><\/p>\n

All Blake Crawford wants is to pass his creative writing course, get his university degree and take over his dad\u2019s ailing family business. What Amanda Newland wants is to graduate at the top of her class, as well as finally finish her novel and prove to her family that writing is a respectful career.<\/p>\n

What Blake and Amanda don\u2019t want is to be paired up with each other for their final project but that\u2019s exactly what they both get when they\u2019re forced to collaborate on a writing piece. Since Amanda thinks Blake is a pushy asshole (with a panty-melting smirk and British accent) and Blake thinks Amanda has a stick up her ass (though it\u2019s brilliant ass), they fight tooth and nail until they discover they write well together. They also might find each other really attractive, but that\u2019s neither here nor there.<\/p>\n

When their writing project turns out to be a success, the two of them decide to start up a secret partnership together using a pen name, infiltrating the self-publishing market in the lucrative genre of erotica. Naturally, with so much heat and passion between the pages, it\u2019s not long before their dirty words become a dirty reality. Sure, they still fight a lot but at least there\u2019s make-up sex now.<\/p>\n

But even as they start to fall hard for each other, will their burgeoning relationship survive if their scandalous secret is exposed or are happily-ever-afters just a work of fiction?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Add to Goodreads<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Review<\/strong><\/p>\n

Smart, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny, I loved it! 4.5 smutty stars. <\/b><\/p>\n

This is such a fun read! Smart and sexy with brilliant banter, fantastic sexual chemistry, a wonderful and sexy romance and laugh-out-loud humour all based around the world of writing erotic romance, it\u2019s a gem of a read. It\u2019s something a bit different from Karina Halle but once again she proves her versatility with her foray into romantic comedy and she totally nailed it!<\/p>\n

Amanda Newland has just (spectacularly) ended a stifling, long-term relationship with her high school sweetheart. Out from under the wings of her oppressive fianc\u00e9, she embraces her freedom and throws herself into her passion of writing. She longs to be an author, no matter how much her stuck-up parents disapprove, and is writing her own fantasy novel in between her writing classes at university, which she takes very seriously. Which is why she is devastated when her end-of-year assignment sees her paired off with the class playboy, Blake Crawford.<\/p>\n

Blake is just as unhappy to be forced to work with Amanda. He thinks she has a stick up her ass and wants nothing to do with the teacher\u2019s pet. They make no secret of their contempt for each other but much to their surprise, they actually work well together, and as they start to relax around each other they develop a friendship, with a healthy dose of attraction simmering away underneath, and their assignment turns out to be a huge success.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Blake is looking for ways to save his father\u2019s struggling bookstore. And when he learns that the biggest market in books is romance \u2013 in particular indie erotic ebooks, he approaches Amanda with a proposal to co-write erotic romance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just need to write the dirtiest, sexiest short story ever and I promise you if you want to quit after that we can, but I bet you won\u2019t want to.\u201d <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

OMG, I love Blake! He is all charm and arrogance, but with a huge heart. He has no qualms about letting Amanda know how much he wants her, and with the added thrill of pushing her out of her comfort zone, he takes great pleasure in flirting and riling her up every chance he gets.<\/p>\n

You should probably begin reading some of the stuff in the Top 20, at least the samples, just to get a feel for the flow and prose. If you end up jacking off over it, please let me know.
\nWith details.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And Amanda is such a fantastic heroine! She is funny, relatable \u2013 and her interactions with her roommate Ana, are fabulous! She is totally committed to her passion, and is also a bit of a nerd-girl, and I can fully appreciate that.<\/p>\n

My idea of romance is a guy who will take me to see an Avengers film and doesn\u2019t mind dressing up like Loki afterwards.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The planning for their venture into writing erotica is absolutely sensational! The story pokes a bit of fun at the erotic romance genre, and as a mad fan of romance (and yes, erotica), I loved their tongue-in-cheek approach to it as they discussed pen-names, character names, book titles and plotlines. OMG, it was absolutely hilarious! I laughed harder than I have in ages and had tears streaming down my face! I had to take a break from my kindle just to get myself back under control. It\u2019s gold!<\/p>\n

<\/span>Spoiler<\/div>
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The hero –<\/p>\n

Dirty talking alpha male. Extremely large penis. Built like The Rock. A millionaire is good but a billionaire is better. Make sure he donates to Africa or does some charity work even though he\u2019s an asshole with a damaged past. Must possess pillowy lips and intense eyes that gaze into your soul.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The heroine –<\/p>\n

Heroine is gorgeous but she doesn\u2019t know it. Perfect body even though she complains about having such a small waist and a big boobs. Has a cunt that tastes like honey. \u2026 Must be a doormat and void of personality or any interesting characteristic so that the reader can interject their own selves. A virgin is preferred but she must be able to get off on command. Condoms aren\u2019t necessary but ropes and whips are. She must refer to her vagina as \u201cher sex\u201d and be clenching constantly.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The ideas for the book –<\/p>\n

Riding Hard: A bad boy crime boss MC menage forbidden second chance romance standalone. Outlaw Jones is one bad-ass biker dude, covered everywhere from his neck to his cock in tattoos. There\u2019s only one place on his body that\u2019s bare \u2013 his heart \u2013 and he\u2019s saving that space for Ange LaRue, his best friend and the girl next door he last saw when he was a damaged teenager. But first, he has to rescue her from Dick Pounder, the equally sexy boss of the rival gang. <\/em><\/p>\n

Spread Open \u2013 A Gynecological Love story: Nelson Dunsmuir was one of the world\u2019s best Navy Seals. But when a mission goes wrong and he loses his best mate, he quits the Seals and decides to go back to his first career \u2013 gynecology.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bahahaha!<\/div><\/div>\n

And of course writing together means spending time together, and as they heat things up between the pages, the sexual tension builds to epic heights, and the banter and flirting becomes super dirty as their attraction becomes something neither of them are able to deny.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep it in your pants.\u201d I pause, trying to keep my eyes from staying on his crotch. \u201cWait, are you saying you\u2019re hard right now?\u201d
\nHe scratches at the scruff of his chin, eyes dancing. \u201cPretty much, considering what I\u2019m writing. Just say the word cock again.\u201d
\n\u201cFuck you.\u201d
\n\u201cWell what do you know,\u201d he says lazily. \u201cThe word fuck works too.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From there it\u2019s only a matter of time before the smut moves from their book into real life, and holy hell, it\u2019s hot! The connection between Amanda and Blake is intense, and the sexy time is steaming! But it\u2019s more than just sex. And as Amanda and Blake explore everything that is happening between them (and exploring it anywhere, everywhere, anytime\u2026 *fans self*), they start to fall for each other. But can they turn their sizzling chemistry into something lasting? And what will happen if their smutty secret is ever exposed?<\/p>\n

This is a fantastic read! Smart, funny, sexy and romantic, and so, so dirty, this book had me madly flipping pages. Amanda and Blake are relatable and I instantly loved them both, and together they are a powerhouse of banter, flirting, and epic sexual tension that effortlessly becomes a gorgeous romance that is full of fun, funny moments, and of course lots and lots of sex! There is a bit of drama \u2013 both for Amanda and Blake individually, and with them together as they figure out everything that is happening between them \u2013 and it adds some nice emotion to the story, and with no real angst or stupid behaviour from either of them, you can sit back and happily lose yourself in it all. It\u2019s a hugely entertaining read that will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and falling in love all at once, leaving you with a huge grin on your face.<\/p>\n

I loved it! 4.5 stars.<\/p>\n

An Advanced Reader Copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
\nQuotes used in this review may not appear in the final version of the book<\/i><\/p>\n

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Excerpt<\/strong><\/h4>\n

She holds my gaze for a moment and something passes over her. Regret, maybe. Then she nods. \u201cSit down. Let\u2019s work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And so we do. And for the first time in a long time, it\u2019s strained. I\u2019m about to suggest maybe we need the Estonian vodka anyway when she lets out an exasperated sigh over something she\u2019s reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

It happens to be something I wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d I ask, wondering what I did wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

She gives me the are you kidding me? look. \u201cOkay, I was ignoring it earlier but I think you need to get a grip on some of this shit. This simply does not happen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExplain, please.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just think it\u2019s unrealistic for there to be so much talking, let alone the fact that the first time they do it it\u2019s in a public place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToo much talking?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d she scans over the document. \u201cYou know, give me your cock, oh you feel so good, harder, harder, you\u2019re so big, fuck me harder big boy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you even had good sex?\u201d I ask incredulously.<\/span><\/p>\n

She flinches. \u201cOf course I have. And it\u2019s none of your business.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re writing about sex. It\u2019s completely my business. I\u2019m not letting you interject your edits based on your personal experiences about sex because believe me, if the sex is good, you\u2019re moaning my name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She raises her chin. \u201cMaybe all those girls were faking it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, brilliant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me?\u201d I say, hands pressed against the table, nearly getting out of my chair. \u201cYou have no idea. I pride myself in giving a girl as many bloody orgasms as she can handle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBloody orgasms don\u2019t sound like fun,\u201d she jokes softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey can be if you\u2019re into knife play,\u201d I tell her, even though that\u2019s not exactly what I meant. Still, she scrunches up her nose. \u201cDon\u2019t knock it until you try it, but that\u2019s neither here nor there. When you were with Alan, he must have made you come at least a few times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If he didn\u2019t, I feel like finding the guy and showing him a thing or two for wasting four years of her life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d she says flatly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd in the middle of that orgasm, didn\u2019t you want to yell a few things?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd why didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She looks at her nails as if they\u2019re suddenly fascinating. \u201cIt didn\u2019t seem right. It was\u2026too intimate. I would have felt dumb. He didn\u2019t like any of that stuff.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The plot thickens. \u201cAny of what stuff?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSex that didn\u2019t involve the missionary position or the bed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

My mouth drops open. My brain and penis can\u2019t compute this. \u201cI feel so sorry for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We must remedy this.<\/span><\/p>\n

She glares at me. \u201cIt\u2019s not like I didn\u2019t want to do it. I did. And he did try it. Most of it. But it always went back to the same old.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I knew it. She\u2019s a nerd on the streets and a freak in the sheets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mean to brag,\u201d I tell her in all seriousness. \u201cBut you do realize that I could give you an orgasm in thirty seconds.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her eyes widen. I can\u2019t tell if she\u2019s horrified or intrigued. \u201cI don\u2019t believe you and I don\u2019t want you to try.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She\u2019s not getting it. I frown, trying to explain. \u201cIf you\u2019re having good sex and it\u2019s with someone you\u2019re comfortable with, you won\u2019t worry about holding back. You\u2019ll cry out all the nonsense you want, you\u2019ll make noises like a pig and scream like you\u2019re on fire because you truly can\u2019t have a good orgasm unless you\u2019re letting go on all accounts.\u201d I lean back in my chair and study her, running my fingers along my jaw. \u201cI would venture that every time you came with your ex, you were only experiencing half of what you should have been. How is it with your vibrators?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I expect her to tell me to fuck off, that I\u2019m getting too personal but to my surprise she gives me a small smile. \u201cIt\u2019s better. But I do have a roommate with exceptionally good hearing.\u201d She clears her throat. \u201cAnyway, so I guess I\u2019m wrong. The heroine can make all the noise she wants.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd have first time sex in public.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBelieve me, when you finally get a chance to fuck, you don\u2019t care where it is. That\u2019s why I always have a condom in my pocket. And the more public the sex, the sneakier you have to be, the hotter it is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut in the book you would never get caught.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t always get caught in real life too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I can see she wants to ask me where I\u2019ve done it but she loses her nerve. \u201cOkay.\u201d She looks back to the document. \u201cI accept defeat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But I don\u2019t want her to. I want to prove to her I\u2019m right and not have her take my word.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is there a non-creepy way to show her just how amazing good sex can feel? I\u2019m thinking not.<\/span><\/p>\n

Or\u2026maybe there is.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n
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About the author<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Racing the Sun, Sins & Needles and over 25 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.<\/p>\n

Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.<\/p>\n

Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FACEBOOK<\/a>\u00a0| TWITTER<\/a>\u00a0| GOODREADS<\/a>\u00a0| AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Check out our Karina Halle Author Spotlight<\/a>!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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