Review - Sweet Restraint

Title: Sweet Restraint
Author: Beth Kery
Publishing Date: July 2009
Genre: Contemporary/Erotic
Rating: C
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: Rented from Paperspine.

FBI Agent Shane Dominic is investigating the Chicago Police for crooked cops. He suspects that Laura Vasquez's husband is one of them. When Laura's husband turns up dead he thinks Laura knows something about the crime ring her husband was a part of. Only Laura's not talking. Shane and Laura had a relationship thirteen years ago until she abruptly broke it off and married someone else. Shane didn't understand it then and he still doesn't. But he wants answers and to get them he kidnaps Laura for a weekend to show her the fire they once had is still burning strong.

The main problem I had with this story was Laura. She is one very pig-headed, stubborn woman. She also does some very stupid things and puts herself in danger more than once. She resists Dante time and again as he tries to learn what forced Laura to marry Huey. I don't know how she could resist Dante in all his manly glory. I actually enjoyed Dante's character. He was smart and confident and had the "it" factor. But what he saw in Laura was beyond me.

There is A LOT of sex in this book. Most of the scenes helped to move Dante and Laura's relationship forward, but a few of them felt gratuitous. The problem I find with having too many of these scenes is that the author runs out of words to use and the same phrases get recycled, which happened by the end of this book. Kery was also very fond of the word "Dusky" to describe Dante's skin.

This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon.

Review - Wicked Burn

Title: Wicked Burn
Author: Beth Kery
Publishing Date: December 2008
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Burning

Niall Chandler on her way home from a charity dinner finds herself in the unwanted clutches of her date. Standing out in the hallway in front of the door to her apartment, fighting off her overzealous date, her hunky next-door neighbor Vic comes to her rescue. After not so subtly telling Niall's date to get lost, he asks Niall if she would like to go back to his place for a drink. Niall, unable to resist Vic's sex appeal accepts for not only just a drink, but for one of the most erotic sexual encounters she has ever had in her life.

Beth Kery is a new author to me. I usually am leery when trying a new author because I never know how their writing is going to appeal to me, especial authors who write erotic romance. I was pleasantly surprised by Wicked Burn and found I enjoyed it quite a lot. I would compare Beth Kery's writing to Shannon McKenna or Lisa Marie Rice in terms of the sexuality, characters and pacing.

I really enjoyed Vic's character. There were many different layers to his personality. In public, or I should say, outside the bedroom, he is a man of few words. He doesn't like crowds and prefers to sit on the sidelines and observe rather than be in the spotlight. In the bedroom he is demanding and possessive and completely in charge. I love how when he is with Niall, he gives her his complete and utter attention.

Niall wasn't quite as well depicted at Vic. I could empathise with her character but there were times when she annoyed me. The way she handles her problems and how they affected Vic really bothered me. Instead of facing Vic, she runs from him and doesn't give him any explanation. As a reader this frustrated me. But that was really my only complaint. Other than that, I thought it was a solid, sexy story.

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