Fans of the older woman/younger man theme will find Read to Me by Nona Raines a nice addition to the field as it successfully blends sweet and sexy. Keep reading to get a taste of this delightfully decadent book along with my impressions of it and then make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $50 bookstore GC too!
EXCERPT:
A waitress appeared at their table. "What can I get you?"
"Do you have any Krupnik?" Blaise asked.
The young server's brow crinkled. "I don't…"
"It's a honey flavored drink," Guy told her.
She shook her head. "I don't think we have that." Then a smile stole across her face. "But maybe I can come up with something."
She left, and the two of them sat without speaking. The silence was a comfortable cocoon enveloping them, connecting them. There was no need for speech.
A bit later, the waitress returned with two rocks glasses half-filled with an amber liquid. "Honey flavored Kentucky bourbon," she explained as she served them.
Guy paid the woman then lifted his glass in a toast.
Blaise followed suit. "What shall we toast?"
"To happy accidents," he proposed.
"That works for me." They clinked their glasses, and Blaise took a sip. Though unusually sweet, the drink had the familiar burn of whiskey. Heat spread down her throat to her belly and below.
He touched the book. "Shall we continue?"
She nodded, and Guy opened to the page and began to read. People around them chatted and laughed, going about their business, but she and Guy were in a bubble. No one lookedtheir way. No one paid them any mind. They were in a tiny universe all their own.
Blaise sipped her drink, sliding closer to him in the circular booth. He was so big, so warm. Just being near him made her body heat rise. Perspiration bloomed, and her blouse clung to her skin. Her nipples, hard and achy, poked against her bra. A few words penetrated the haze—something about the Hummingbird's Kiss—but it wasn't the story line or the whiskey making her woozy. She was getting drunk on the low, sensual timbre of Guy's voice.
Soon the words blurred into an incomprehensible buzz in her ears. Her breath slowed as she watched his lips move. She pictured herself kissing them, licking the sweetness from them. Lowering her gaze to his hands, she imagined them touching her. He'd skim the pads of his fingers along her torso, fasten those succulent lips of his on her nipple and pull…
Her pussy responded to the fantasy with an answering pull. She shifted slightly to ease the throb between her thighs. Her movement must have distracted him. His gaze flickered from the page to light on her face and his voice trailed off.
Guy nodded to her empty glass. "Another?"
She'd finished it? When had that happened? "No." Her tongue felt thick.
"Would you like something else, then?" he asked.
Yes. She knew what exactly she wanted. The question was, did she have the guts to ask?
It's your last chance. Your last adventure before you become the boring old mother of the bride. Take it. Take it!
Gathering her courage, she took the leap. "Yes." She placed her hand on his thigh. Underneath her fingers, his muscles tensed. His eyebrows lowered and his gaze sharpened.
"Yes." She squeezed his thigh. "I want to get a room. Let's go upstairs."
"Do you have any Krupnik?" Blaise asked.
The young server's brow crinkled. "I don't…"
"It's a honey flavored drink," Guy told her.
She shook her head. "I don't think we have that." Then a smile stole across her face. "But maybe I can come up with something."
She left, and the two of them sat without speaking. The silence was a comfortable cocoon enveloping them, connecting them. There was no need for speech.
A bit later, the waitress returned with two rocks glasses half-filled with an amber liquid. "Honey flavored Kentucky bourbon," she explained as she served them.
Guy paid the woman then lifted his glass in a toast.
Blaise followed suit. "What shall we toast?"
"To happy accidents," he proposed.
"That works for me." They clinked their glasses, and Blaise took a sip. Though unusually sweet, the drink had the familiar burn of whiskey. Heat spread down her throat to her belly and below.
He touched the book. "Shall we continue?"
She nodded, and Guy opened to the page and began to read. People around them chatted and laughed, going about their business, but she and Guy were in a bubble. No one lookedtheir way. No one paid them any mind. They were in a tiny universe all their own.
Blaise sipped her drink, sliding closer to him in the circular booth. He was so big, so warm. Just being near him made her body heat rise. Perspiration bloomed, and her blouse clung to her skin. Her nipples, hard and achy, poked against her bra. A few words penetrated the haze—something about the Hummingbird's Kiss—but it wasn't the story line or the whiskey making her woozy. She was getting drunk on the low, sensual timbre of Guy's voice.
Soon the words blurred into an incomprehensible buzz in her ears. Her breath slowed as she watched his lips move. She pictured herself kissing them, licking the sweetness from them. Lowering her gaze to his hands, she imagined them touching her. He'd skim the pads of his fingers along her torso, fasten those succulent lips of his on her nipple and pull…
Her pussy responded to the fantasy with an answering pull. She shifted slightly to ease the throb between her thighs. Her movement must have distracted him. His gaze flickered from the page to light on her face and his voice trailed off.
Guy nodded to her empty glass. "Another?"
She'd finished it? When had that happened? "No." Her tongue felt thick.
"Would you like something else, then?" he asked.
Yes. She knew what exactly she wanted. The question was, did she have the guts to ask?
It's your last chance. Your last adventure before you become the boring old mother of the bride. Take it. Take it!
Gathering her courage, she took the leap. "Yes." She placed her hand on his thigh. Underneath her fingers, his muscles tensed. His eyebrows lowered and his gaze sharpened.
"Yes." She squeezed his thigh. "I want to get a room. Let's go upstairs."
BUY LINKS: AMAZON | BN | ARe | WILD ROSE PRESS | iTUNES
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
In just a few pages Nona Raines has given us older women a decadently delightful way to spend the afternoon. From its realistic heroine, to the fantasy-like feel that permeates most of the story before reality rudely enters the picture, this story sucks you in and leaves you wishing for your own afternoon delight.
Blaise is a woman in her early forties who found her life comfortable, if a bit unexciting. She likes order and routine and the small family she's surrounded herself with through this routine bring her comfort. With her daughter's upcoming nuptials though she sees a future of loneliness where she'll be firmly on the spinster shelf and seeks one last moment of craziness. Seeing a sexy younger man on the bus lights her fire and fate contrives to bring them together in a bookstore over their mutual love of erotica which leads to a night of sensual delights. This encounter is extremely empowering to her and has her fully embracing the moment. She'd love more than this one night but self-doubts have her walking away. Like any good romance though fate once again intervenes in an unexpected way.....
This story is told from Blaise's POV and her self-esteem issues are easy to relate to. She's self-deprecating and brutally honest at times but that made her even more likable. It was refreshing seeing an older woman take control and I hope to see more stories like this. My only issue with Blaise is her tendency to assume the worst when it comes to men and fidelity, but considering her background it's understandable but still a bit frustrating. We don't get to know the hero quite as much unfortunately. We learn some tidbits about Guy but it's not until late in the story that his background is fully disclosed in a surprising twist of events. He's definitely sexy and charming and just what Blaise needs at this point in her life.
This was ultimately a story of female empowerment that I enjoyed. The character was one to admire and her journey to HEA both steamy and believable. Ms. Raines crafted a story that was like chocolate in that this small package was a decadent delight that leaves me craving more from her in the future.
My rating for this is a B+
*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.
Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. Her books include The Man Series (One Good Man, Take This Man and Her Perfect Man) from The Wild Rose Press and Uncollared from Loose Id. Her transgender romanceHis Kind of Woman was a GLBT finalist in the 2014 DABWAHA competition sponsored by the Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Booksreview blogs.
WEBSITE: www.nonaraines.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/
BLOG: http://divasofdesire.
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/author/
Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. Her books include The Man Series (One Good Man, Take This Man and Her Perfect Man) from The Wild Rose Press and Uncollared from Loose Id. Her transgender romanceHis Kind of Woman was a GLBT finalist in the 2014 DABWAHA competition sponsored by the Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Booksreview blogs.
WEBSITE: www.nonaraines.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/
BLOG: http://divasofdesire.
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/author/
**********GIVEAWAY**********
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi Jody, thanks so much for taking time to read and review my story. I'm so happy you enjoyed it. :-)
ReplyDeleteSOS. Help. Pick me, pick me! Your next winner!!! Show me the money!!! It would be a dream come true & means more to me than anyone else to win. Starving artist here desperately needs the $50 Amazon gc to shop & eat again. Winner, winnner. Chicken dinner. A life changing experience. Top of my bucket list. Thanks for the awesomeness, the contest, & generosity. Dear Santa: I’ve been nice. My X-Mas wish this year is to win this contest!
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