Please note that this book is an Erotica book. If you are easily offended by these books, please come back another day when I post a review for something in another genre. I should have another review up Thursday.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Welcome to my stop on the Debauched Blog Tour! I loved this book! It was one of the hottest books I've ever read. If you like a steamy read, you'll love this book. Below you'll find my review along with an excerpt from the book.
Debauched(Undone #3)
By Jennifer Dawson
Contemporary Erotic Romance w/BDSM elements
Release Date: April 26, 2016
SYNOPSIS
One
night in a moment of sheer madness I confessed my secrets to him. All my life
I’ve been pretending. Pretending to be the woman I thought I should be instead
of the woman I really am. I’ve been faking it and I am good. No one has ever
guessed. Except him. He just looked at me and knew.
Chad Fellows is not the man I want, but he’s fast becoming the man I need.
One night in a moment of sheer madness I held her in my arms and let her cry. I
did the right thing, letting her walk away, no matter how much she calls to the
part of me that wants to rescue her. We are nothing alike, and she’s a mess of
complications in a life I’m trying to keep simple. But then I touched her and
made her tremble and now I can’t turn away.
Ruby Stiles is not the woman I want, but she’s fast becoming the woman I
need.
~ * ~ * ~ *~
MY REVIEW
Please note that I received a copy of this review in exchange for my honest review. It in no way affected my opinion of the book. Also, not that I have not read the first two books in this series. I didn't not feel that it affected my understanding of this book. However, I will be going back to read the first two when I find the time.
I loved this book! The only issue I had with it was that I found the female main character confusing from time to time. But really I think that was because the character was confused and didn’t know what she wanted. In the end it all worked out.
What I really liked was that we were on the journey into kinky sex with Ruby. A lot of books in this genre jump in with a character who has already been a part of this world and things are explained as you go along. Ruby was not part of the D/s world when we’re first introduced to her. She has friends who are part of that world. So we learn along with her. However, she wants no part of this world and does everything to avoid it. But then she meets Chad who is part of that world and she can’t stop thinking about him.
Chad is definitely a swoon-worthy guy! He thinks he can help Ruby. (I so want to put more here, but that gives away part of the plot-line.) He goes about helping her in a gentlemanly way without her really realizing he’s helping her.
Ruby is a little lost as far as life goals and is pretending to her friends to have her stuff together. Chad sees right through this and breaks down her walls. I like that as she relinquished control of her sex life to Chad she gained control of her personal/business desires and began to get her life together.
I tend to do a lot of my reading on my lunch break while at work. When I started reading this book, I purposely did not read it at work. However, there came a point in the book where I just had to keep reading and so I broke it out on my lunch break. I may have even continued to read it after my lunch was over just to finish the book - wink wink.
If you like this genre of books, you definitely need to give this book a shot!
~ * ~ * ~ *~
EXCERPT
Chapter 2
Chad
I keep my eye on Ruby Stiles, even though I want to forget
that night where I’d held her in my arms while she cried. I have a lot going on
right now, work’s crazy, I just got a promotion and my competition for the job
now works for, and hates, me. I’ve got building development going on—a little
side project I started with one of my friends— that’s now taken on a life of
its own. I’m putting everything I have into business right
now and Ruby is not something I want to distract me.
It’s why I didn’t press after I called her the day after
Valentine’s and she gave me the brush off, even though I wanted to. I’d hung up
the phone and sighed in relief, because when I’d called I’d been half afraid
she’d want to follow up on what had gone down between us the night before. Most
guys in my situation wouldn’t have called Ruby at all, but I’m unfailingly
responsible, especially when it comes to women. I’d done the right thing,
ensured she was okay, and asked if she needed to talk. She’d said
no.
Responsibility absolved. That should have been the end of
it.
Only, I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since
that night. That strange, perception-altering night, where nothing played out
as I’d been expecting. Before then, I’d always viewed Layla Hunter’s best
friend as a pretty rocker girl with whom I have nothing in common. She’s
beautiful and has a body that won’t quit, but she didn’t interest me that way I
need a woman to interest me.
Then Valentine’s happened and—I don’t know—something changed
between us.
I can still feel her quivering, trembling body in my arms.
The stain of tears on her cheeks as she looked up at me with her blue, watery,
desperate gaze. Still remember thesound of her voice as she spilled her secrets.
She is nothing I need in my life right now. And even though
I don’t want anything to do with the complications she presents, I can’t
take my eyes off her.
As Ashley drones on and on about a subject I can’t even
remember, I watch Ruby and that ridiculous excuse for a man she brought with
her tonight. She might not be my type, but she looks gorgeous. Her code of
dress seems to vacillate from retro rocker topinup girl with an edge. Like a rebel Snow White.
She pulls it off very, very well.
Tonight she’s decked out in an outfit right out of the
nineteen forties, that slimfitted skirt and black-and-white top hugging every
curve to perfection. She’s curled her shiny black, shoulder-length hair into
sleek waves and even from across the room I can see the brilliance in her blue
eyes. And then there’s her mouth, full and ruby red,matching her name.
She looks different from every other woman in the room, and
when her dateslides a hand over her hip, I experience an inappropriate
surge of possession.
As soon as he settles in next to her she darts a nervous
glance in my direction. Our eyes lock, the air pulses, and she jerks her
attention away from me. Right then Iknow her date is about me. That she’s brought him as a
diversion.
“So what do you think?” Ashley says, ripping me from my
thoughts.
I stare down at the cute little blonde who, in theory, is
exactly what I need right now. She’s lush, pretty, and has a set of tits I
could spend hours torturing. Best of all she’s not mentally taxing. I’m pretty
sure she’s been discussing makeup for at least thirty minutes. She’s the kind
of girl you take to dinner and don’t have to say a word because she talks a
mile a minute.
I’ve clearly missed some sort of question. I give her my
most winning smile. “I’m sorry, what did you ask?” I raise my hand to my ear
and say in a too loud tone, “It’s kind of loud in here.”
She grins up at me, her expression brilliant and tinged
around the very edges with desperateness. I’ve heard all about her trials and
tribulations with the guy she used to hook up with. She’s on the rebound and I’m her prey.
She hasn’t seemed to cue into the fact that I’m not
interested. What Ashley wants, I have no interest in giving her, and the truth
is, I feel bad for her. She’s been screwed over enough. Only I don’t know her
well enough to give her a much-needed lecture about men who don’t treat her the way she deserves.
Her lashes flutter and bat up at me in an exaggerated way.
“I said I have tickets to the Bulls from work and I was wondering if you wanted to
go with me.”
Oh hell. Now I’m going to have to hurt her feelings and I
really don’t want to do that. But my lack of attention is not getting through
to her, so I’m forced to be direct. I put my hand on her arm and her skin is
cold. “Thank you, that’s very sweet, but I’m going to have to pass.”
Her expression falls but I trudge on. Ashley doesn’t realize
this, but I’m doing her a favor by not wasting her time, and squashing any hope
she might have for us. I want to give her the work excuse, but based off her history,
that won’t cut it.
I rub my hand over her arm and smile. “I’m not an option for
you, Ashley. I’m sorry about that, but you deserve a guy that is going to give
you the time and energy you deserve, and I’m not that guy.”
She jerks a little under my touch. Her face twists for a
moment before it surges with hope.
I repress my sigh.
She puts her hand on my waist and I immediately drop my hand
from her. She shakes her head and laughs a little. “That’s cute. But you’ve
misunderstood; I’m not looking for anything serious. I’m not looking for
commitment. I’m looking for fun. That’s all.”
All bullshit, but I’m more than happy to let her save face.
She’s looking for the loophole most guys would fall into, but I’m not that
easily manipulated. Most women confuse good guy with push over, thinking that I
am not wise to their games, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I
shrug. “I apologize if I misunderstood. But I’m not available.”
Her attention drops to my mouth, turning hungry. Annoyed, I
glance over her head and see Ruby talking to Jillian Banks and Leo Santoro, she
laughs at something they say and then her gaze catches mine.
She frowns, and then it disappears almost as though she’s
caught herself. Which she probably has. I’ve noticed that about her. She
filters everything. Reveals a glimpse of her true emotions before covering it up with what she
believes she should feel.
“What about for fucking? Are you available for that?”
Ashley’s words rip me back to her. She’s wearing a seductive expression and her
hand has curled into the waistband of my pants. “We could go upstairs right now and I
could blow your mind.”
I resist the urge to express my exasperation with her. In
her defense, this approach would work on ninety-eight percent of guys, so it’s
her misfortune I fall into the two percent. I contemplate my options. I could
go stern, but she’d probably like that. I could continue being nice but
assertive, but that doesn’t seem to be working. I run through a couple other choices but decide on the truth.
I wrap my fingers around her wrist and forcibly pull her off
me. Then I look deep into her eyes and say with complete sincerity. “I am not
an option for you. We are
friends and that’s where you and I will stay.”
Her expression falls again and her chin quivers the tiniest
bit.
While I’m sympathetic, I don’t relent. I release her hand
and reach up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’ve been hurt, Ashley.
I’m sorry about that. But as a friend, let me tell you, this isn’t the way to
mend your broken heart. A man won’t fix what’s broken inside you. You have to do that all on your
own.”
Over her head I see Ruby climb the steps leading to the
second floor.
I smile at Ashley. “I wish you luck. You deserve to be happy
and I hope you findit. But I’m not your guy.”
Her eyes brighten. “Okay.”
I chuck Ashley under the chin. “You okay?”
She nods and points to a group of girls hovering around the
kitchen island. “I should get back to my friends.”
I smile at her. “Sounds like a good plan.”
Ashley walks away, leaving me alone. I drain the rest of my
drink and narrow my eyes on the stairs.
The last thing I should do is go upstairs.
I put my drink down on a small bar table.
But I’m
going anyway.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
GIVEAWAY
A tour wide giveaway for $25.00 Amazon gift card (Paypal for International winner) and eBook collection of the Undone series
Code: 
SYNOPSIS
One night in a moment of sheer madness I confessed my secrets to him. All my life I’ve been pretending. Pretending to be the woman I thought I should be instead of the woman I really am. I’ve been faking it and I am good. No one has ever guessed. Except him. He just looked at me and knew.
Chad Fellows is not the man I want, but he’s fast becoming the man I need.
One night in a moment of sheer madness I held her in my arms and let her cry. I did the right thing, letting her walk away, no matter how much she calls to the part of me that wants to rescue her. We are nothing alike, and she’s a mess of complications in a life I’m trying to keep simple. But then I touched her and made her tremble and now I can’t turn away.
Ruby Stiles is not the woman I want, but she’s fast becoming the woman I need.
~ * ~ * ~ *~
MY REVIEW
Please note that I received a copy of this review in exchange for my honest review. It in no way affected my opinion of the book. Also, not that I have not read the first two books in this series. I didn't not feel that it affected my understanding of this book. However, I will be going back to read the first two when I find the time.
I loved this book! The only issue I had with it was that I found the female main character confusing from time to time. But really I think that was because the character was confused and didn’t know what she wanted. In the end it all worked out.
What I really liked was that we were on the journey into kinky sex with Ruby. A lot of books in this genre jump in with a character who has already been a part of this world and things are explained as you go along. Ruby was not part of the D/s world when we’re first introduced to her. She has friends who are part of that world. So we learn along with her. However, she wants no part of this world and does everything to avoid it. But then she meets Chad who is part of that world and she can’t stop thinking about him.
Chad is definitely a swoon-worthy guy! He thinks he can help Ruby. (I so want to put more here, but that gives away part of the plot-line.) He goes about helping her in a gentlemanly way without her really realizing he’s helping her.
Ruby is a little lost as far as life goals and is pretending to her friends to have her stuff together. Chad sees right through this and breaks down her walls. I like that as she relinquished control of her sex life to Chad she gained control of her personal/business desires and began to get her life together.
I tend to do a lot of my reading on my lunch break while at work. When I started reading this book, I purposely did not read it at work. However, there came a point in the book where I just had to keep reading and so I broke it out on my lunch break. I may have even continued to read it after my lunch was over just to finish the book - wink wink.
If you like this genre of books, you definitely need to give this book a shot!
~ * ~ * ~ *~
EXCERPT
Chapter 2
Chad
I keep my eye on Ruby Stiles, even though I want to forget
that night where I’d held her in my arms while she cried. I have a lot going on
right now, work’s crazy, I just got a promotion and my competition for the job
now works for, and hates, me. I’ve got building development going on—a little
side project I started with one of my friends— that’s now taken on a life of
its own. I’m putting everything I have into business right
now and Ruby is not something I want to distract me.
It’s why I didn’t press after I called her the day after
Valentine’s and she gave me the brush off, even though I wanted to. I’d hung up
the phone and sighed in relief, because when I’d called I’d been half afraid
she’d want to follow up on what had gone down between us the night before. Most
guys in my situation wouldn’t have called Ruby at all, but I’m unfailingly
responsible, especially when it comes to women. I’d done the right thing,
ensured she was okay, and asked if she needed to talk. She’d said
no.
Responsibility absolved. That should have been the end of
it.
Only, I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since
that night. That strange, perception-altering night, where nothing played out
as I’d been expecting. Before then, I’d always viewed Layla Hunter’s best
friend as a pretty rocker girl with whom I have nothing in common. She’s
beautiful and has a body that won’t quit, but she didn’t interest me that way I
need a woman to interest me.
Then Valentine’s happened and—I don’t know—something changed
between us.
I can still feel her quivering, trembling body in my arms.
The stain of tears on her cheeks as she looked up at me with her blue, watery,
desperate gaze. Still remember thesound of her voice as she spilled her secrets.
She is nothing I need in my life right now. And even though
I don’t want anything to do with the complications she presents, I can’t
take my eyes off her.
As Ashley drones on and on about a subject I can’t even
remember, I watch Ruby and that ridiculous excuse for a man she brought with
her tonight. She might not be my type, but she looks gorgeous. Her code of
dress seems to vacillate from retro rocker topinup girl with an edge. Like a rebel Snow White.
She pulls it off very, very well.
Tonight she’s decked out in an outfit right out of the
nineteen forties, that slimfitted skirt and black-and-white top hugging every
curve to perfection. She’s curled her shiny black, shoulder-length hair into
sleek waves and even from across the room I can see the brilliance in her blue
eyes. And then there’s her mouth, full and ruby red,matching her name.
She looks different from every other woman in the room, and
when her dateslides a hand over her hip, I experience an inappropriate
surge of possession.
As soon as he settles in next to her she darts a nervous
glance in my direction. Our eyes lock, the air pulses, and she jerks her
attention away from me. Right then Iknow her date is about me. That she’s brought him as a
diversion.
“So what do you think?” Ashley says, ripping me from my
thoughts.
I stare down at the cute little blonde who, in theory, is
exactly what I need right now. She’s lush, pretty, and has a set of tits I
could spend hours torturing. Best of all she’s not mentally taxing. I’m pretty
sure she’s been discussing makeup for at least thirty minutes. She’s the kind
of girl you take to dinner and don’t have to say a word because she talks a
mile a minute.
I’ve clearly missed some sort of question. I give her my
most winning smile. “I’m sorry, what did you ask?” I raise my hand to my ear
and say in a too loud tone, “It’s kind of loud in here.”
She grins up at me, her expression brilliant and tinged
around the very edges with desperateness. I’ve heard all about her trials and
tribulations with the guy she used to hook up with. She’s on the rebound and I’m her prey.
She hasn’t seemed to cue into the fact that I’m not
interested. What Ashley wants, I have no interest in giving her, and the truth
is, I feel bad for her. She’s been screwed over enough. Only I don’t know her
well enough to give her a much-needed lecture about men who don’t treat her the way she deserves.
Her lashes flutter and bat up at me in an exaggerated way.
“I said I have tickets to the Bulls from work and I was wondering if you wanted to
go with me.”
Oh hell. Now I’m going to have to hurt her feelings and I
really don’t want to do that. But my lack of attention is not getting through
to her, so I’m forced to be direct. I put my hand on her arm and her skin is
cold. “Thank you, that’s very sweet, but I’m going to have to pass.”
Her expression falls but I trudge on. Ashley doesn’t realize
this, but I’m doing her a favor by not wasting her time, and squashing any hope
she might have for us. I want to give her the work excuse, but based off her history,
that won’t cut it.
I rub my hand over her arm and smile. “I’m not an option for
you, Ashley. I’m sorry about that, but you deserve a guy that is going to give
you the time and energy you deserve, and I’m not that guy.”
She jerks a little under my touch. Her face twists for a
moment before it surges with hope.
I repress my sigh.
She puts her hand on my waist and I immediately drop my hand
from her. She shakes her head and laughs a little. “That’s cute. But you’ve
misunderstood; I’m not looking for anything serious. I’m not looking for
commitment. I’m looking for fun. That’s all.”
All bullshit, but I’m more than happy to let her save face.
She’s looking for the loophole most guys would fall into, but I’m not that
easily manipulated. Most women confuse good guy with push over, thinking that I
am not wise to their games, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I
shrug. “I apologize if I misunderstood. But I’m not available.”
Her attention drops to my mouth, turning hungry. Annoyed, I
glance over her head and see Ruby talking to Jillian Banks and Leo Santoro, she
laughs at something they say and then her gaze catches mine.
She frowns, and then it disappears almost as though she’s
caught herself. Which she probably has. I’ve noticed that about her. She
filters everything. Reveals a glimpse of her true emotions before covering it up with what she
believes she should feel.
“What about for fucking? Are you available for that?”
Ashley’s words rip me back to her. She’s wearing a seductive expression and her
hand has curled into the waistband of my pants. “We could go upstairs right now and I
could blow your mind.”
I resist the urge to express my exasperation with her. In
her defense, this approach would work on ninety-eight percent of guys, so it’s
her misfortune I fall into the two percent. I contemplate my options. I could
go stern, but she’d probably like that. I could continue being nice but
assertive, but that doesn’t seem to be working. I run through a couple other choices but decide on the truth.
I wrap my fingers around her wrist and forcibly pull her off
me. Then I look deep into her eyes and say with complete sincerity. “I am not
an option for you. We are
friends and that’s where you and I will stay.”
Her expression falls again and her chin quivers the tiniest
bit.
While I’m sympathetic, I don’t relent. I release her hand
and reach up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’ve been hurt, Ashley.
I’m sorry about that. But as a friend, let me tell you, this isn’t the way to
mend your broken heart. A man won’t fix what’s broken inside you. You have to do that all on your
own.”
Over her head I see Ruby climb the steps leading to the
second floor.
I smile at Ashley. “I wish you luck. You deserve to be happy
and I hope you findit. But I’m not your guy.”
Her eyes brighten. “Okay.”
I chuck Ashley under the chin. “You okay?”
She nods and points to a group of girls hovering around the
kitchen island. “I should get back to my friends.”
I smile at her. “Sounds like a good plan.”
Ashley walks away, leaving me alone. I drain the rest of my
drink and narrow my eyes on the stairs.
The last thing I should do is go upstairs.
I put my drink down on a small bar table.
But I’m
going anyway.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
GIVEAWAY
A tour wide giveaway for $25.00 Amazon gift card (Paypal for International winner) and eBook collection of the Undone series
Thanks for hosting..your lunchtime story made me giggle.
ReplyDeleteGlad I could give you a giggle today :) I really enjoyed reading this book and am glad I gave it a shot!
DeleteI love it too, Carey! One thing I like so much about this series is how Dawson really shows the psychology behind the D/s relationship - all the elements involved. And this was a shining example. You *must* go back and read the first 2.5 books in this series. They're fantastic. But I think Ruby and Chad are my favs!! Glad they could 'help' you get through your work day. *winks*
ReplyDeleteI definitely plan to go back and read the books before this one.
Delete