Review: Negligee Behavior

Title: Negligee Behavior
Genre: Contemporary
Author: Shelli Stevens
Pub: May 23, 2011 by Carina Press

When lingerie heiress Brandy Summer gets cold feet and runs out on her Vegas wedding, she has nowhere to turn—so she hijacks a hunky biker waiting for a red light and begs him for help. What she doesn’t know is that her instincts are right: the groom has a hidden agenda. He needs her money to pay off his gambling debts and she’s his ticket to the good life.

Marco Vargas isn’t sure what he’s getting himself into when he rescues Brandy, but figures he’ll do the chivalrous thing. He offers her a job in his bar and the chance to sort out her feelings. But it seems that keeping Brandy hidden is easier than keeping his hands off her—and what will happen when Brandy discovers that Marco has secrets of his own?

Making the Grade: B-

For My Thoughts

Brandy Summers heir to the Sugar and Spice Lingerie company owned by her parents doesn’t want to be labelled like “those other famous heiresses” so she kinda takes it to the extreme and goes in the complete Brandy Summers heir to the Sugar and Spice Lingerie company owned by her parents doesn’t want to be labelled like “those other famous heiresses” so she kinda takes it to the extreme and goes in the complete opposite direction. The private school choir teacher doesn’t like to bring any attention to herself including staying out of the limelight and downplaying her physical attributes.

I know Brandy’s got a bit of a self-esteem problem, but I sure didn’t get how she dated her reality show, dentist boyfriend Gordon for a year and yet let herself get bamboozled into agreeing to marry a man she obviously didn’t love after spending three hours in Vegas with him. Yet here she is in a cheesy Las Vegas Wedding chapel, having a quickie ceremony, in a second-hand dress with “more ruffles than a bag of chips” performed by a greasy Elvis impersonator.

Before the “I Do’s” are dun dun dun, she exits stage left and hops on the back of a hot, tattooed motorcycle Mr. Took some balls for Brandy to hang on for dear life and vanish with this stranger into the night on his crotch rocket but the ride of her life is just getting started.

Maaarco Poooolo...oops I mean Vargas is not quite sure what to make of the brazen hussy who hi-jacked him and his bike and before he even knows what’s hit him, she’s living in his house, sleeping in his bed and working as a waitress at the bar he co-owns with Sebastian the Brit (loved him!).

I enjoyed the time Brandy with Marco, Sebastian and Val in the bar setting. Loved Val and how she worked her magic to transform Brandy from an innocent little choir teacher to a va-va-va-voom barmaid. She made Brandy ditch...errr burn her puffy cat shirt and trade in her floor length skirt for a tank top and short leather mini. You could just see Brandy’s confidence grow and blossom both mentally and physically the more time she spent with her new friends...and the best part was they had no idea who she really was.

I can understand why Brandy wanted to keep her true identity a secret. It was important for people to like and respect her for who she was and not who her parents were or how much they were worth. Marco the macho man wasn’t too happy about Brandy keeping secrets about her true identity but Pot? Meet Kettle because Marco was keeping a few secrets of his own about his past. Turns out the bad-ass bar owner was a relatively new persona for Marco. I’m glad we got to see Marco interact and mend fences with his younger sister and dad.

I really did not enjoy the whole evil fiancé, skeezie Gordon *twirls his Snidely Whiplash moustache* and his dastardly plan to marry the lingerie heiress, gain control of her money (or her parents money) to get himself out of hot water with his bookies. This dude was so out of touch with reality because no way, no how was Brandy ever gonna make another trip down the isle with him.

Did I mention the smooth talkin’ Brit Sebastian? Well I really liked him and I am so glad Ms. Stevens is giving him his own story and his own HEA. Can’t wait mate!

Light and fun. Great summer time read.

Review: Flash Point

I NEED A HERO....

Making the Grade: B-

For My Thoughts


After reading the first two books in this series I was eager to see how Shelli Stevens was going to pull off a story with the sweet, innocent cupcake making queen Katie and the local town hottie, bad boy firefighter Todd Wyatt.

Kate’s had a major crush on the youngest Wyatt for a number of years and while she isn’t exactly the type to sleep around (ummm try like never), that’s all Todd does...plays musical beds like it’s an Olympic sport. Not exactly something to be proud of, yet it’s Todd’s claim to fame in Wyattville.

I’m generally not a fan of the girl whose been hiding her feelings for the boy for years stories. I like the girl to at least play a little hard to get and make him work for it. I was hoping I wasn’t going to be disappointed.

Todd’s like a fixture at Kate’s little shop, hanging around trying to mooch free chocolate cupcakes and a refill of coffee but he’s never really noticed Kate as a sexual being. That is until he sees another man taking an interest in her and Kate shows him a different side when he crashes a bridal shower for Ellie (from book 1 Going Down and my favorite book of the series).

Kate is darn tired of her virginity hanging over her head and she’s determined to lose it to I’m not boyfriend material, if there was an Olympic Gold Metal in meaningless boning it would go to none other that Todd Wyatt.

Ohhh Katie - is this such a good idea?

Kate with Ellie’s prodding devises a plan to force Todd’s hand...errr or another manly appendage.

The New Year’s Eve costume party complete with Todd in a Tarzan costume...briefs and a loincloth had me LOLing. I mean really - just take a moment and picture it. Ripped body, little briefs and a loincloth covering the package. Only Todd would be confident enough to pull that outfit off.

Kate’s skimpy, sexy little Red Riding Hood outfit had Tarzan beating on his...chest and ahhhhhhh ahahaahhhhh (insert the real Tarzan yell here) and well you get the picture.

All is not smooth sailing between Todd and Kate - especially once he finds out about her “secret”. He’s madder than a wet hen but after thinking it over, decides to tutor Kate so she can benefit from his vast experience of pleasing the ladies.

To add to the drama, throw in someone in town threatening Kate and her livelihood and as an added bonus she gets to live out every girl’s fantasy of being rescued by a sexy firefighter.

Kiss Me Kate! I was waiting the entire story for Todd to utter those famous words to Kate. Did he or didn’t he? I’m not telling.

Overall I enjoyed Kate and Todd’s story and Flash Point was a good solid read.


From The Author's Website
Holding Out for a Hero, Book 3

One taste of her lips, and friendship is off the menu

Kate has always been everybody’s friend and the de-facto little sister to the Wyatt brothers. But her feelings for Todd Wyatt, the town’s hottest firefighter, run far beyond the sibling variety. Not that he’s ever noticed.

After years of nursing her crush, Kate decides it’s time to take action. Except she has one awkward little secret: she’s still a virgin. She hopes she can seduce Todd without him realizing just how inexperienced she is.

In Todd’s mind, Kate’s the sweet girl he teases and hits up for free cupcakes. One surprise kiss over the summer, though, and suddenly she’s jumped from the platonic side of his brain to the want-her-in-my-bed side. Even though the last thing he wants is to lose her friendship, his resistance to her determined seduction is slipping. Fast.

When malicious attacks on her bakery escalate, it soon becomes clear that for all Kate’s friends, she’s made at least one big enemy. And if they don’t figure it out soon, things could take a deadly turn.

Review: Command and Control

Making the Grade: C+

For My Thoughts

What goes together better than peanut butter and jam? It’s a classic match made in heaven and that’s exactly what Trevor Wyatt and Megan Asher are. And just in case PB and J doesn’t do it for you...there’s always “marshmallow” close by if things get out of hand (read the book - you’ll get the reference).

Command and Control by Shelli Stevens was a good second chance at love story for the oldest Wyatt brother Trevor. I love it when the hero is just a little bit bent and broken and needs to be healed by the love of a good woman. Trevor Wyatt is a man truly haunted by his nightmares of the war and he’s going to have to fight himself right along side his demons before he has any hope of getting a second shot at love with his former fiancée Megan Asher. Maybe thinking she’s got his replacement picked out and getting ready to tie the knot is just the kick in the pants he needs to get his head out of them and get his girl back...if she’ll have him.

Stevens does a good job of portraying the oldest Wyatt suffering through his survivor’s guilt and his feelings of inadequacy where Megan is concerned. He felt she deserved better than him, but couldn’t stand the thought of seeing her with another guy. It was the classic I don’t want you, but don’t want anyone else to have you either syndrome.

Megan loves Wyatt. Megan's always loved Wyatt. Megan wants another chance with Wyatt if she can break through his barriers and finally get him to open up about all the feelings he’s kept buried deep inside. So she offers up a tempting proposition to Trevor when she volunteers to give up command and control in the bedroom in exchange for his promise to finally confide in her. Let’s just say that Trevor would be a fool to turn down her plan and his Mama never raised no fool.

So in an exchange of power, things get very heated, very fast in the hallway, the bedroom, the shower and everywhere and anywhere in between. I may have been a tad disappointed in Megan that she thought the only way to get through to Trevor was by bargaining with sex, I thought she was better than that. But in the end, the plan worked and you can't argue with results.

Finally I find something very sexy about a woman who calls her military man Soldier: “You swear too much soldier“; “I’d prefer you sleep in my bed soldier“; “Hold it right there soldier”, and then his responding "Yes Ma‘am". Very hot!

Good second instalment to the series, but not as good as the first for me.

From The Author's Website

Holding Out for a Hero, Book 2

He’s afraid of losing his grip. She’s about to untie his last knot…

Megan Asher has a thriving career, looks, self-confidence to spare. It all means little without the love of her life. Trevor has returned from deployment in Afghanistan a haunted man, emotionally distant and unwilling to connect—except in bed. Then even that fragile thread snaps. Brokenhearted, she is forced to call off their wedding and, after a few months’ separation, try to move on.

With every aspect of his life spinning out of his once-legendary control, Trevor Wyatt convinces himself that Megan is better off—and safer—as far away from his demons as possible. Until he comes back to town for his brother’s wedding, and discovers Megan is dating.

Suddenly realizing what he’s thrown away, he vows to breach the fortress she’s built around her heart. They come together in a cataclysm of rekindled passion that unleashes the very demons he never wanted her to witness.

Back to square one, Megan realizes she must take the ultimate risk to slip past Trevor’s defenses. Give him control in the one place she can. The bedroom. The seductive move is one she prays will be the first step in helping heal him and their love.

Review: Going Down

Making the Grade: B

For My Thoughts

I always like the premise when someone, whether it’s the H/h is trying to hide their true identity for whatever reason. In Going Down by Shelli Stevens, Ellie/Eleanor Owens is afraid for her life, doesn’t know who she can trust and she certainly doesn’t trust the law. You know it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out and it’s always great to see how the story plays out.

Yoga instructor Ellie is a grand jury witness supposed to testify against her ex-boyfriend for his drug trafficking crimes. She's down with the plan until she gets threatened by one of Chicago’s "finest" boys in blue and then she heads for the hills - or Wyattville Oregon. Where better to hide out and lay low than in Hicksville until the trial is over. It’s a great plan til the Po-po in the form of Travis Wyatt comes a calling - even if it is just an innocent, friendly visit. First rule of thumb when hiding out...NEVER run from the Police - it instantly makes you look guilty and raises their suspicions.

Travis and Ellie spark as hot as firecrackers together right from the start. Yes Ellie is running away and Travis is in pursuit, but he does manage to stop her from going ass over tea kettle off the side of a cliff. She isn’t getting away from him that easy!

Wyattville is a small town and if there was a prince, then it would be Travis and his family is the closest thing to royalty Wyattville has. And the studly quotient is pretty high too. Besides Travis, he has two equally hot and gorgeous brothers Todd and Trevor.

The relationship between Travis and Ellie escalates very quickly and it’s only a few days before they are declaring their lust...errr love for one another. They certainly had lots of chemistry and since this is a relatively shorter story - things move at a fast pace. I guess it’s easier to forget your mistrust of the police...especially when he’s got his hand down your pants.

When the inevitable happens and Travis discovers Ellie’s true identity, he proves to Ellie that he is trustworthy and actually goes above and beyond to stand by his woman.

Vanilla to Red Velvet in under 10 seconds baby! Eating cupcakes has never been as erotic as eating the ones from Katie’s Cakes - I will never be able to look at a cupcake the same way again...Yum.

I will definitely be checking out the stories of playful fire-fighter Todd and the darker side of Trevor and their lady loves.

From Goodreads:
Holding Out for a Hero, Book 1

Eleanor Owen needs to get out of Chicago and quick. It’s not that she doesn’t want to obey the subpoena to testify against her drug-trafficking ex-boyfriend. It’s making it to the witness stand alive, should a dirty cop make good on his threats.

Tiny, remote Wyattsville, Oregon looks like the perfect place to disappear, but it’s hard to blend into the woodwork when one of the town’s infamous namesakes sends her heart racing. Worse, Mr. Tall, Hot and Packing is the town sheriff, which means she should stay as far away from him as possible.

Tyson Wyatt is positive the sexy new girl in town is hiding something. Question is, what? He vows to feel out her secrets—including what she feels like beneath him. Preferably naked. Until then, he’s not buying the story she’s selling.

Their chemistry is sheet-melting hot, and Ellie realizes much too late that the man with the badge is as dangerous to her heart as her ex is to her life…