Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Chase
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://sidneybristol.com/
CITY:
STATE: TX
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://sidneybristol.com/about/ * https://makingbabygrand.com/2012/03/27/meet-author-sidney-bristol/#more-3936
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Female.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Works as IT Education Administrator.
AVOCATIONS:Writing, reading, hunting Pokemon, playing board games and cats.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Sidney Bristol is an American romance writer who focuses on sexually explicit fiction; a number of her novels present BDSM relationships. “I love writing about life, about how people deal with the every day and the extraordinary in the same hour—and still manage to fall in love,” Bristol noted in an online BDSM Book Reviews website interview. “My BDSM books are slice of life stories about people who are very kinky, and still volunteer with charities, have normal jobs and friends who can’t wrap their heads around kink. It takes all types to make life interesting, and the same goes for fiction.”
In a further interview on the BDSM Book Reviews website, Bristol commented on the difficulties of writing in this genre: “Writing FemDom is hard. You have to have a heroine who is a strong, take charge personality, but doesn’t come off like a raging witch. She has to have vulnerabilities, places where maybe she’s not the best at something. She has to be human. With all the faults and imperfections we all have. Somehow I got it into my head that I was writing a different race of human. Something totally foreign, when really, a Female Dominant character is just expressing herself in a different way than I do.”
Under His Skin, The Harder He Falls, and His Marriage Bargain
Bristol’s “So Inked” series features edgy romance set around the So Inked tattoo parlor. The opening book in the series, Under His Skin, focuses on tattoo artist Pandora who has a steamy fling with her former teenage crush, Brian. Both fear commitment, but a life-and-death situation brings them together. A Book Vixen website reviewer had praise for this series launch, noting: “I enjoy the setup of the series and that the series centers around the women tattoo artists at the shop where Pandora works. I look forward to the rest of the series.”
The second series installment, The Harder He Falls, finds a client at the tattoo parlor, Quinton, falling for one of the owners, Kellie. An online Book Vixen contributor noted: “The Harder He Falls was a nice read for me. I liked it better than book one and I look forward to reading more about the ladies of So Inked.” The series concludes with His Marriage Bargain, in which a pretend marriage turns unexpectedly real for tattoo artist Autumn and Sammi. “If you’re a fan of marriage of convenience/marriage in-name-only that becomes more (of course!), this may be a book for you,” commented a Book Vixen Website reviewer. ” A Jeep Diva website writer also had praise, noting: “I found that this book didn’t have any different triggers than many other romances have had for me, nothing too traumatic that would keep me from enjoying the story. I ended up being very glad I took the chance and read this book.”
Drive, Shift, and Chase
Bristol launched her “Hot Rides” series with Drive, featuring FBI agent Aiden DeHart, who goes undercover to bust a drug ring. He falls for Madison, the ex-wife of one of the dealers, and soon the two are on the run from the gang and Madison’s former husband. “The first novel in Bristol’s … series will entice readers with its edgy feel,” noted a Publishers Weekly reviewer. RT Book Reviews website contributor Bridget Keown also had praise, terming this a “quick-paced, clever and wholly original romance.”
The series continues with Shift, in which FBI operative Emery Martin falls in love with one of his team, Tori Chazov, daughter of a turned KGB spy. Now an assassin is on Tori’s trail, and Emery tries to protect her, meanwhile being drawn to her physically and emotionally. “The suspense is as captivating as the romance, with plenty of surprising twists and turns along the way to the satisfying conclusion,” noted a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Keown, writing again in RT Book Reviews website, similarly termed this a “taut and intriguing pursuit featuring two talented, uniquely memorable characters whose chemistry is absolutely combustible.”
The series concludes with Chase, focusing on FBI agent Nikki Gage who is sent to work undercover with Gabriel Ortiz, her former partner and ex-lover. They are commissioned to stop a man forming a violent militia group, and mutual attraction is soon re-ignited as the danger mounts. “Bristol’s latest has plenty of sizzling sex, intense danger, and a cast of intriguing supporting characters,” noted a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Keown, writing in the online RT Book Reviews, was also impressed with this final installment and the series in general, commenting that all the books are “so smart, saucy and intensely insightful that they are each utterly unforgettable.”
Committed and Entrusted
Bristol turns to edgier material in other novels, again blending suspense and erotica. Damien Moana is a DEA special agent who takes time off at a private retreat and is entranced by a woman who takes him to new levels of pain and pleasure. This tryst is interrupted by Damien’s search for a criminal, but later his mystery lover, Poppy Mercer, comes back into his life, a dominatrix Damien cannot forget. A contributor in Carol Kittie Reviews website noted: “I really loved this book, it kept me on my toes through the whole thing. Between Damien apologizing, and extremely hot scenes, there is the turmoil of a blossoming relationship. To the suspense of tracking the bad guy that got away. This is a book that doesn’t let you put it down.”
Another DEA special agent, Matías Govea, takes center stage in Entrusted. He comes to terms with his dominant BDSM urges with Raven Benally as he attempts to take down a Colombian drug ring. A contributor on the Straight Shootin’ Book Reviews website had a mixed assessment of this work, observing: “I will say that the BDSM elements in this one were, for me, on the more ‘hard limit’ side. Matias is a sadist and likes to see the marks he’s left on his sub. There are several physical scenes, including impact and wax play, that might not be for every reader. But Matias is also clear about consent, safety.”
Collar Me in Paris and Bound with Pearls
More BDSM is served up in Collar Me in Paris, in which married couple Clay and Bianca take their sexual games to the City of Light. Their games are somewhat complicated by the fact that they are traveling with family who do not know of their proclivities. Clay is submissive and Bianca the dominate who finds inventive ways to explore sexuality in very public places. A BDSM Book Reviews website contributor noted: “Through the catacombs, antique bookstores, Versailles, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower Bianca and Clay have their shares of arguments, discoveries about themselves and their marriage.”
Bound with Pearls features another dominant and submissive pair, Daniel and Christine. A Reading Cafe website contributor noted that this novel is “all about the formation of a dom/sub relationship and the many… emotions that are explored during this formation.” Daniel wins a night with Christine in a poker game, and this night begins a lasting relationship.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, January 11, 2016, review of Drive, p. 42; May 23, 2016, review of Shift, p. 52; October 10, 2016, review of Chase, p. 63.
ONLINE
BDSM Book Reviews, http://www.bdsmbookreviews.com/ (April 10, 2013), review of Collar Me in Paris; (March 24, 2014), review of Picture Her Bound; (June 7, 2014), review of Duty Bound; (May 23, 2017), “Special Guest Sidney Bristol and a Giveaway!.”
Book Vixen, http://www.thebookvixen.com/ (August 13, 2014), review of Under His Skin; (August 14, 2014), review of The Harder He Falls; (August 15, 2014), review of His Marriage Bargain.
Carol Kittie Reviews, https://carolkittie.com/ (January 11, 2017), review of Committed; (January 12, 2017), review of Entrusted.
Cat’s Books, http://northamericanwordcat.booklikes.com/ (December 21, 2014), review of Dream Vacation.
Heroes and Heartbreakers, http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/ (August 12, 2014), Jennifer Proffitt, review of Committed.
In the Bedroom With the e-Reader, http://inthebedroomwiththeereader.tumblr.com/ (August 28, 2014), review of Dream Vacation.
Jeep Diva, https://thejeepdiva.com/ (October 9, 2014), review of Duty Bound; (November 9, 2015), review of Under His Skin; (November 10, 2015), review of The Harder He Falls; (November 11, 2015), review of His Marriage Bargain; (November 4, 2016), review of Up in Flames.
Literary Escapism, http://www.literaryescapism.com/ (October 5, 2015), review of Blind.
Making Baby Grand, https://makingbabygrand.com/ (March 27,2012), Dina Santorelli, author interview.
Night Owl Hot Romance, https://hot.nightowlreviews.com/ (July 18, 2017), review of Bound Memories.
Reading Cafe, http://www.thereadingcafe.com/ (April 28, 2013), review of Bound with Pearls.
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (June 11, 2017), Bridget Keown, review of Chase, Shift, and Drive; Donna M. Brown, review of Collar Me in Paris.
Sidney Bristol Website, http://sidneybristol.com (May 23, 2017).
So I Read This Book Today, https://soireadthisbooktoday.com/ (September 11, 2015), review of Blind.
Straight Shootin’ Book Reviews, https://straightshootinbookreviews.com/ (January 16, 2017), review of Entrusted.*
MARCH 27, 2012 BY DINA SANTORELLI
Meet Author Sidney Bristol
Is it hot in here or is it just my interview with Sidney Bristol? :) Please help me welcome today’s featured debut author and self-described “smut writer” who enters the erotica genre at a time of great excitement and an explosion in sales led most notably by ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’
Name: Sidney Bristol
Name of book: Flirting with Rescue
Book genre: Contemporary romance of the very hot kind
Date published: January 18, 2012
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
What is your day job? IT Education Administrator
What is your book about? Two people, brought together by their passion for animals, fall madly in love.
Why did you want to write this book? I wrote this book on a dare. I kid you not. I wanted to be a swords and sorcery and horses kind of writer. The idea that I would write romance, contemporary romance at that, was hysterical. But, I put pen to paper and roughly thirty-six hours later I had the bare bones of what would be this book, and I had to write it. “They” always say to write what you know, and one of the things I know is horses, rodeo and what can happen when a person doesn’t want the best for an animal. I decided that if I was going to write a contemporary romance, I wanted to poke my finger at a dark secret. In this instance, I talk about horses, and their role in drug trafficking.
What would you say is the most challenging part of writing a book? Sex. I’d only written vague sex scenes before, and a big chunk of the story happens between the sheets. I wound up reading a lot of How To Write Erotica books to get a handle on how to approach it for the genre. I also did a lot of reading above my “comfort zone” to figure out what I would write. Writing sex and sexual tension is hard, because not everyone finds the same things alluring.
Did you do any other kind of research in order to write this book? I also spent a long time on the phone with a friend of mine who once lived in New York City. Since my exposure is limited to the grounds of the Belmont race track, I needed a local’s take.
What motivates you to write? I want to write, so I write. I know, boring motivation, huh? I don’t hear voices, but I do have a deep desire to tell a story, so I do. I’m just not telling the stories I thought I would be telling.
Did you experience writer’s block? I have yet to have true writer’s block. I don’t know if it’s because it doesn’t hit me like it does other people, or if I approach writing differently, but I always believe there’s a solution for a problem. Yes, I have days where I don’t want to write, or maybe the words aren’t flowing like I want them to, but tomorrow will be better.
How long did it take you to write this book? The first draft took roughly thirty-six hours. I then went back and spent weeks figuring out how to make it better and expanding parts so that the story gelled in a way that was acceptable to me for others to read.
Tell me about the publishing process. Was it easier or more difficult than you thought it would be? It was a lot of hurry up and wait. I’m a “do it now” kind of person, so learning how to give up control and let the process go as it needed to was a hard pill to swallow.
What would you say is the biggest misconception about writing a book? That it’s easy, or that I can take any idea and make a book from it.
What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? This is going to sound morbid to people, so I apologize. The day I got the offer for a contract for this book was the day my grandmother was taken to the hospital for what would be her last days. I wound up doing rewrites sitting in her hospital room. But, before she passed away, I got to tell her that my book was getting published. She didn’t have a lot of coherent moments, and she didn’t acknowledge a lot of what we said or did, but she did her best to show me with a thumbs up that she was happy for me.
What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? I’ve done one extensive, 26-stop blog tour with a fellow Ellora’s Cave author, Jodie Becker. I’ve done chats at Coffee Time Romance. I Facebook badly, but I try. I blog regularly, and I, in turn, host others to come blog at my place. My biggest promotional tool right now is Twitter. I tweet. A lot. About everything. And I connect to people through that. I had a conversation with someone about monogamy in marriage, and the person went to my website, followed my links and bought my book without me telling him about it.
What advice would you give to writers regarding promotion? Nothing sells your book better than you, and your book(s). More than doing guest blogs or Facebooking or tweeting, be personable and willing to chat with people in any medium they come to you in. Write a great book. Write another, and you’ll sell. Fit other promotion, like guest blogging and tweeting and things, around your writing. Don’t let it rule your life or become a chore.
How has life changed for you since the publication of your book? I look at every minute of my day as valuable, time earning money. I enjoy writing, but now it’s also a job, and I have to be serious and guard my writing time. For me, it’s easy – I’m single, unattached and without children. My time is my own. That said, I fully anticipated flying under the radar, telling only my critique partners and my accountant about my books. Sadly, my accountant is my mom, and now the whole world knows that her daughter is a smut writer, and she’s proud of me. What can you do?
Do you find yourself obsessively checking sales stats? No. I rarely look. I’ll glance at my Amazon ranking, but it holds no real meaning for me. It’s an arbitrary number that only makes up part of the pie.
Do you plan on writing another book? Yes! I just signed a contract for another contemporary novella titled Personal Adventures. It’s a friends-to-lovers story set against the Rocky Mountains, and I talk about interracial dating and relationships.
My favorite last question: Oprah once famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I would say that opportunity is luck. Before I wrote Flirting with Rescue, I penned several thousand words. I believe I wrote 705K words the year before I got my contract. I talked with authors, I asked questions, I read, I did my homework. I was prepared without being ready. My opportunity came in the form of a pitch session on an online romance writer’s forum. I crafted my three sentence pitch and a week later I sent off my manuscript, and a month later I was looking at a contract. I was in the right place, at the right time the opportunity was presented, and I’m never looking back. If you would have told me two years, or even a year ago, that I would be a contemporary romance writer, I would have laughed. Now? Well, I wear that badge with pride.
About
small Sidney TTLG 03It can never be said that NYT & USA Today Bestselling author Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, tattoo addict and board game enthusiast. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she spends her time writing, reading, hunting Pokemon, playing board games and catering to her furry overlords, aka the cats.
Sidney is represented by Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour Agency.
It can never be said that NYT & USA Today Bestselling author Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, tattoo addict and board game enthusiast. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she spends her time writing, reading, hunting Pokemon, playing board games and catering to her furry overlords, aka the cats.
Do you want to know when Sidney Bristol has a new book coming out? Sign up to get her New Release notifications:
* New Releases and updates on future books
* News about contests and giveaways
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* Book signings and Conventions
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It's easy to sign up. Copy and paste the following link in your browser.
http://sidneybristol.com/newsletter/
If you want to make sure you see her more, you can also find Sidney at:
Website: SidneyBristol.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/Sidney.Bristol.Romance.Author
Twitter: twitter.com/SidneyBristol
Thank you so much and enjoy!
QUOTE:
I love writing about life, about how people deal with the every day and the extraordinary in the same hour—and still manage to fall in love. My BDSM books are slice of life stories about people who are very kinky, and still volunteer with charities, have normal jobs and friends who can’t wrap their heads around kink. It takes all types to make life interesting, and the same goes for fiction.
Special guest Sidney Bristol and a giveaway!!
POSTED IN GUEST BLOGGING | 8 COMMENTS
Thanks so much to the team here at BDSM Book Reviews for having me!
I’m currently celebrating my newest release and my first Taboo line book from Ellora’s Cave. Bound with Pearls is the beginning of a lose contemporary series based around a fictional BDSM poker game in Atlanta, Georgia. Yes, I said BDSM poker! I’ve already contracted the next book, Collar Me in Paris, which should be out early in 2013.
I love writing about life, about how people deal with the every day and the extraordinary in the same hour—and still manage to fall in love. My BDSM books are slice of life stories about people who are very kinky, and still volunteer with charities, have normal jobs and friends who can’t wrap their heads around kink. It takes all types to make life interesting, and the same goes for fiction.
Because I write mostly contemporaries at the moment, I try to pay special attention to making the stories real. In Bound with Pearls for example, the heroine’s family complicates the story. She has to make choices, who is she going to listen to? Her family? Or the Dom she just met? The hero has a busy work calendar, so how is he going to make this new relationship work? And will it be able to mesh with his daily life?
Kinky dating is both a lot like, and a lot different, than vanilla dating. In a lot of ways it works backwards. The characters are introduced to each other’s needs and sexual preferances first, and their favorite colors, astrological sign and occupation second. I think it creates an interesting dynamic where a lot of the pretense for impressing someone are removed. Okay, so it’s still there, but with so much banking on each partner being honest with the other about their wants, needs and expectations, there’s a layer of vulnerability that’s inherant to that storyline and lifestyle.
That might have been one of my favorite aspects of writing Bound with Pearls, that stripping away of what the hero and heroine expected and presenting themselves.
Bound with Pearls released Wednesday, and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s my fifth book this year, and I’m just gettng started as a writer. You can currently purchse the book via the Ellora’s Cave website. It will be up on all major retailers within a week so you can download to your device.
I’m going to give away a copy of the book to one, random commentor. Negotiation scenes in BDSM are often my favorites. Name your favorite negotation scene for a chance to win! You must post by midnight Dec 20th Central time to be eligible to win.
—
It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.
QUOTE:
riting FemDom is hard. You have to have a heroine who is a strong, take charge personality, but doesn’t come off like a raging witch. She has to have vulnerabilities, places where maybe she’s not the best at something.
She has to be human. With all the faults and imperfections we all have.
Somehow I got it into my head that I was writing a different race of human. Something totally foreign, when really, a Female Dominant character is just expressing herself in a different way than I do.
Today’s guest is Sidney Bristol!
POSTED IN GUEST BLOGGING | 1 COMMENT
Thanks so much to the BDSM Book Reviews team for hosting me again! When I was here last I was celebrating the release of Bound with Pearls, my first BDSM novel. This time, I’m throwing a party for the follow up book, Collar Me in Paris.
I knew I really wanted to write for the Ellora’s Cave themed call about married couples called the Ball and Chain series. The idea was to write about couples who haven’t let the fire go out, are a bit more adventurous or are turning a spark into a bonfire. Initially I wanted to write about a vanilla couple, but the book fell on its face.
Bianca and Clay were originally the best friends of the hero in Bound with Pearls. I wrote them as a quirky couple with a lot going on and a solid relationship. I really should have seen what was staring me in the face all along!
I hesitated to write about Bianca and Clay for one very good reason.
Their relationship is a Female Dominant/male submissive dynamic.
If I’m going to be honest, that’s very much outside of my wheelhouse. I can be assertive, but there’s a natural quality to the Dominant women I’ve come to know that I just don’t have.
So I read other FemDom books, fiction and non-fiction. I chatted with some people who have similar relationship dynamics.
And I really, really, really wanted to write Bianca.
So I gave it a shot. What was there to lose? I start another book that falls on its face. I was all ready looking at one that just wasn’t going to make the cut. So why not?
Writing FemDom is hard. You have to have a heroine who is a strong, take charge personality, but doesn’t come off like a raging witch. She has to have vulnerabilities, places where maybe she’s not the best at something.
She has to be human. With all the faults and imperfections we all have.
Somehow I got it into my head that I was writing a different race of human. Something totally foreign, when really, a Female Dominant character is just expressing herself in a different way than I do. It’s like preferring to wear all black as opposed to someone who gets decked out in pastels. Variety is the spice of life, right?
What I liked about writing Bianca was that much of her Dominant personality is also that of a caretaker, and in a way, being the leader in her relationship with Clay is how she shows him she loves him.
I don’t think I’m going to want to step into Bianca’s shoes anytime soon, but I’m glad I wrote her. It was heck of a fun experience.
QUOTE:
Bristol's latest has plenty of sizzling sex, intense danger, and a cast of intriguing supporting characters
Chase
Publishers Weekly. 263.41 (Oct. 10, 2016): p63.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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Chase
Sidney Bristol. Zebra, $4.99 mass market (364p) ISBN 978-1-4201-3925-9
Bristol's third Hot Rides contemporary romantic thriller (after Shift) reunites an FBI agent with her former partner, who's also her ex-lover. Agent Nikki Gage travels from D.C. to Miami to enlist the help of members of Classic Rides, an auto garage where the employees work undercover for the government. One of them is her former partner, Gabriel Ortiz, whom she hasn't been able to forget in the four years that they've been apart. Nikki needs the help of Classic Rides to stop a man who has started his own militia and plans to attack Americans. She and Gabriel try to get past their personal misunderstandings to make their professional relationship work, and soon they succumb to their incredible mutual attraction. The suspense continues unabated as the romance gets hotter. Bristol's latest has plenty of sizzling sex, intense danger, and a cast of intriguing supporting characters, all of which will keep the pages turning until the explosive conclusion. (Dec.)
QUOTE:
The suspense is as captivating as the romance, with plenty of surprising twists and turns along the way to the satisfying conclusion.
Shift
Publishers Weekly. 263.21 (May 23, 2016): p52.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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Shift
Sidney Bristol. Kensington/Zebra Shout, $4.99 mass market (359p) ISBN 978-1-42013923-5
An FBI agent falls for one of his team members, who has an assassin hot on her trail, in Bristol's smart second Hot Rides contemporary romantic thriller (after Drive). Emery Martin is leading a team of undercover operatives working as mechanics at Classic Rides, a musclecar restoration garage in Miami. After completing the primary objective of bringing in a major player in the Miami drug market, Emery believes that their mission is almost complete. Then he learns that there is a hit out on two members of his team, Tori and Roni Chazov, daughters of a KGB spy who became a U.S. informant. Roni is out of town, but Tori and Emery must frequently change locations to keep the assassins off their trail, and their mutual attraction ignites into one night of intense passion. Emery can't get Tori out of his system, and he must do all he can to protect her before the assassins find them. The suspense is as captivating as the romance, with plenty of surprising twists and turns along the way to the satisfying conclusion. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (Aug.)
QUOTE:
The first novel in Bristol's appropriately named Hot Rides series will entice readers with its edgy feel
Drive
Publishers Weekly. 263.2 (Jan. 11, 2016): p42.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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Drive
Sidney Bristol. Kensington/Zebra Shout, $4.99 mass market (384p) ISBN 978-1-42013921-1
The first novel in Bristol's appropriately named Hot Rides series will entice readers with its edgy feel. FBI operative Aiden DeHart co-owns a Miami garage where he restores classic cars. He's agreed to help the feds by going undercover to work for drug dealer Dustin Ross and retrieve a hard drive in the possession of Dustin's ex-wife, roller derby queen Madison. Aiden is startled by the attraction he feels for Madison, and more surprised to learn that she's a hardworking woman whose ex didn't leave her with much. Suspense is ever-present as Aiden and Madison go on the run from a drug gang, and from Dustin when he learns that Aiden is an FBI operative. The sexual attraction between Aiden and Madison is as intense as it is sensual, and readers will embark on a page-turning quest to see whether the two might have a future together. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (Mar.)
QUOTE:
smart, saucy and intensely insightful that they are each utterly unforgettable.
CHASE
Image of Chase (Hot Rides)
Author(s): Sidney Bristol
Sidney Bristol’s Hot Rides series is unlike anything else out there in terms of initial premise, and each of her series installments are so smart, saucy and intensely insightful that they are each utterly unforgettable. In this third installment, Bristol isn’t afraid to change up her wily crews’ objectives, keeping readers on their toes. She also cleverly navigates the troubled relationship of her protagonists by showing the deeply complex layers of personal and professional turmoil that tore them apart, thus making their challenges and fears that much more real and understandable. The result is a book that will carry away newcomers and fans alike.
Gabriel found his salvation working at Classic Rides — though still undercover for the Feds, he’s been able to put his years at the Bureau, and all the heartache that resulted, far behind him. That is, until his ex-partner appears in his garage, and introduces herself as his new handler. Nikki has never forgotten the passion that she and Gabriel shared, or the way her heart broke when he left. But with a homegrown terrorist recruiting on their very doorstep, they are going to have to learn to work together again, no matter how hot the sparks that fly between them are. (ZEBRA SHOUT, Dec., 320 pp., $4.99)
Reviewed by:
Bridget Keown
QUOTE:
taut and intriguing pursuit featuring two talented, uniquely memorable characters whose chemistry is absolutely combustible.
SHIFT
Image of Shift (Hot Rides)
Author(s): Sidney Bristol
Bristol keeps the thrills coming in this second installment of her clever Hot Rides series, crafting a taut and intriguing pursuit featuring two talented, uniquely memorable characters whose chemistry is absolutely combustible. Their battle to expose a conspiracy is intriguing, but it is the fierce desire, poignant honesty and mutual trust that develop between this tech wiz and mechanical marvel that make this story such a success. New readers should start from the beginning, in order to appreciate this twisty tale, but with a series this inventive and steamy, that is only an added benefit.
Tori Chazov and her twin sister have found temporary security working as FBI assets in a job that allows Tori to use her mechanical wizardry on Florida’s most beautiful muscle cars. Her work also allows her to stay close to Emery Martin, her team’s tech wizard, and the star of Tori’s every fantasy — even if a silent genius like Emery would never notice her. Emery has spent months keeping an eye on Tori from afar, but when he learns that a Russian hit squad is heading right for her, he becomes a man of action, determined to keep her safe no matter what it takes. (ZEBRA SHOUT, Aug., 320 pp., $4.99)
Reviewed by:
Bridget Keown
QUOTE:
quick-paced, clever and wholly original romance
DRIVE
Image of Drive (Hot Rides)
Author(s): Sidney Bristol
Bristol opens her Hot Rides series in style with this quick-paced, clever and wholly original romance. She neatly avoids the pitfalls of her chosen trope, making her damsel in distress a gutsy, tough and resourceful heroine, and her savior hero an honorable and honest man with his own insecurities underneath a rough exterior. Their chemistry is blistering, but their ability to share every aspect of themselves makes this relationship uniquely rewarding. Though the premise of this story is a bit complicated, readers who sit back and enjoy the ride will find this a pleasurable read!
Aiden DeHart is a man with a dark past who is trying to make good by letting the FBI use his classic car garage as a front. The only way to get his life back is to wrangle some evidence from a drug dealer’s ex-wife, a woman who pushes every one of his buttons. Since her divorce, Madison has reinvented herself by becoming a tattooed star of Miami’s roller derby scene — and swearing off bad boys for good. But Aiden’s fast cars and smoldering looks (plus his promise to keep her safe) have her reconsidering all her good intentions. (ZEBRA SHOUT, Mar., 384 pp., $4.99)
Reviewed by:
Bridget Keown
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8 / 2014
Review – Dream Vacation by Sidney Bristol
From the book blurb:
She’s ready to live a new life.
Naomi has turned her life around and to celebrate she’s taking a decadent, tropical vacation. There’s just one problem. A tropical storm has blown in and stranded her at a deserted resort. Alone.
He’s willing to travel half-way around the world for love.
Luc is about to crash his best friend’s vacation. There’s just one problem. They’ve never met before. Their online friendship is about to go physical, in every way possible. He’s not the man she first met when they began a virtual journey together, but he wants her to love the man he’s become.
Two people. One vacation. It’s time to live out all their passionate desires.
My take on the story:
My only issue with this book is the length. I feel just a bit like I started reading a full sized novel ¾ of the way through. Not that I’m saying that it’s lacking in character development or story, because it is not. I simply would have loved the opportunity to have watched Luc & Naomi’s friendship blossom. I really hope the author does a follow-up.
My rating: 5/5 stars
Dream Vacation by Sydney Bristol Review
8:37 am 21 December 2014
Dream Vacation - Sidney Bristol
She’s ready to live a new life.
Naomi has turned her life around and to celebrate she’s taking a decadent, tropical vacation. There’s just one problem. A tropical storm has blown in and stranded her at a deserted resort. Alone.
He’s willing to travel half-way around the world for love.
Luc is about to crash his best friend’s vacation. There’s just one problem. They’ve never met before. Their online friendship is about to go physical, in every way possible. He’s not the man she first met when they began a virtual journey together, but he wants her to love the man he’s become.
Two people. One vacation. It’s time to live out all their passionate desires.
Review
I always struggle a little bit with romances where the lead or leads are no longer the size they use to be. This size change is almost always down although I did read a good Sugar Jamison Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas: A Perfect Fit Holiday Novella story where the heroine was now a larger size and that made for an engaging character trait.
However, it is much more common for weight loss to be the theme. In this story, both characters have shed weight. This is a nice twist. However, the previous self esteem issues rooted in body size are still very much there and while kindly presented I think are hard to nuance in a short story. The love story becomes sexual fast which is fun and rewarding and I really like the characters but I don't love it. A fun quick read overall. Free too!
QUOTE:
Through the catacombs, antique bookstores, Versailles, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower Bianca and Clay have their shares of arguments, discoveries about themselves and their marriage, become enlighten about one brother and his wife.
Review: Collar Me in Paris by Sidney Bristol
APRIL 10, 2013 | POSTED IN *PADDLES - STORY RATING, *STING FACTOR - KINK LEVEL, 4 OUT OF 5 STING FACTOR, 5 OUT OF 5 PADDLES, REVIEWS | 1 COMMENT
Collar Me in Paris by Sidney Bristol
Link to buy Collar Me in Paris
ASIN B00BGDDW28
Story Rating: 5 out of 5 paddles
Sting Factor (kink): 4 out of 5
Blurb:
What begins as Clay’s first family vacation with his new wife quickly dives into disaster. He may be the submissive in their relationship, but he’s no shy violet. Bianca has taught him the quickest way to turn her on is a challenge, so he’s throwing down the gauntlet.
Bianca butts heads with not just her brothers, but also her husband when the family torturing begins. But the joke is on him. She’s ready to put him through the most erotic misery of all. She’ll show him who’s Dominant in their relationship until he’s screaming for more.
Their relaxing Paris vacation turns into a mad dash through the ancient streets, a competition of wills and a new exploration of what it takes to make their relationship work. From bondage, discipline and very public orgasms to navigating the Métro, family feuds and overcoming the language barrier, they’re going to redefine the word fun.
Review:
The Amazing Race meets family vacation. The only girl in a family of 4 siblings, Bianca is petite and her brothers tend to dismiss her competitive nature while being overly protective. With her husband/submissive and pain slut Clay the family race gets redefined as a time to have fun while still wanting to beat her brothers.
They may be on a family vacation, but that doesn’t stop Domme Bianca from playing with Clay when the opportunity arises. The entire family may be staying in one fancy Paris pad, but their suite allows them time to explore their kinks while trying to keep the true nature of their relationship a secret from her vanilla family. Bianca finds some very inventive ways to punish Clay for transgressions, whether it’s his volunteering them for the race she despises or his bold, against instruction, touching while she tortures him awake. No destination is immune from their lust, the Paris metro, a dressing room, a train, or a book store. They keep it as discrete as possible but part of the excitement is the possibility of being caught.
Through the catacombs, antique bookstores, Versailles, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower Bianca and Clay have their shares of arguments, discoveries about themselves and their marriage, become enlighten about one brother and his wife.
I did get a little confused in the opening few pages with all the characters introduced at once, but the confusion didn’t last long after I had them all sorted out. The story is fast paced, and pulls you along from chapter to chapter, as if you are the one racing. A fun read.
Reviewed by Mary
Review: Picture Her Bound by Sidney Bristol
MARCH 24, 2014 | POSTED IN *PADDLES - STORY RATING, *STING FACTOR - KINK LEVEL, 5 OUT OF 5 PADDLES, 5 OUT OF 5 STING FACTOR, REVIEWS | NO COMMENTS
picturePicture Her Bound by Sidney Bristol
Link to buy
ASIN B00IHPAOTM
Story Rating: 5 out of 5 paddles
Sting Factor (kink): 5 out of 5
Review:
Odalia models fetish wear as a side job, but is sure she will lose her job as a cop if anyone finds out. Jacques was photographing her when his camera is stolen. Both feel an attraction, but can’t commit until the photos are found.
Picture Her Bound is the first book in the Bayou Bound series and is a fast paced story that keeps you guessing about the thief. The main focus of the story though is the chemistry and relationship between Odalia and Jacques. Their day jobs complicated matters though as Jacques is a private investigator and bounty hunter. I loved Jacques because he was so concerned about Odalia and her reactions to things that happened.
The sex scenes between the two were steamy. Jacques is very dominant and, while Odalia is definitely submissive, she was unsure about their relationship. I loved his surprise for Odalia at the end because it should just how in tune he was to her.
Picture Her Bound is one for the bookshelves and I am looking forward to reading the second book in the Bayou Bound series.
Reviewed by Iron Mistress
Review: Duty Bound by Sidney Bristol
JUNE 7, 2014 | POSTED IN *PADDLES - STORY RATING, *STING FACTOR - KINK LEVEL, 3 OUT OF 5 PADDLES, 3 OUT OF 5 STING FACTOR, REVIEWS | NO COMMENTS
dutyboundDuty Bound by Sidney Bristol
Link to buy Duty Bound (Bayou Bound)
Story Rating: 3 out of 5 paddles
Sting Factor (kink): 3 out of 5
Review:
Turning to the man who dumped you, for help, is a humbling experience. For Lisette, it is her last hope. She doesn’t know where else to turn and going to Mathieu for a safe haven is her best chance for survival. Lisette is being stalked by her ex-boyfriend who is some kind of wet works covert agent.
The premise of this story is a scary possibility for those entering the kinky lifestyle. For Lisette, she journeys into kink and makes the mistake of dating a man without a conscience. Seth is the ex who equates BDSM with beating a woman to a pulp. His delusional grasp of the lifestyle is typical of those who vilify kink. While this is an extreme shown in the story, it is something which can happen in real life. Ms. Bristol does a good job of showing the extreme as well as a more balanced view of BDSM.
The flogging and bondage in this story is accurate and delicious. Ms. Bristol does a decent job in her flogging 101 teachings. The tone is just right to give those outside of kink factual information whilst avoiding a lecturing tone. For example, those who have never been flogged before probably didn’t know there are different types of sensation when being flogged. The two most prevalent are thuddy and stingy. Explaining how it feels as well as which kind of flogger would create these two different sensations is well done in the story. There are a few other examples, such as the rope bondage scenes where Ms. Bristol provides more factual information.
The suspense part of this story is written in a manner easily understandable. What woman doesn’t fear for her life when her ex-boyfriend attacks her and sends her to the hospital? The way Ms. Bristol uses social media as a tracking mechanism is actually more on point than she gives herself credit for. For those who are not aware, in the electronic age, anonymous is not so anonymous. Once an on-line personality is revealed, many social media applications can identify location of the person. In this one, it dealt with blogging and photos taken. Many applications will track and post the location of a picture taken. Sometimes, just updating a blog or twitter feed will post the location too. Seth tracking Lisette so easily is plausible as part of the story.
From a character perspective, Mathieu is the battered knight riding in to save the day. He’s an easy archetype to like because he’s a bad boy with a heart of gold. Plus he’s an alpha male with a sensual touch. What romance lover doesn’t sigh over this type of hero? Lisette is the typical damsel in distress who is a victim. Perhaps later she will be a survivor. She didn’t do much for me because she classified herself as a victim and her actions were not conducive for staying alive. She’s a bit naïve. Still, this is probably true to most women in reality so I can’t really pick on her that much.
Overall, this is a sweet erotic romance. The suspense is mild and predictable. The characters are likeable if a bit forgettable. The kinky parts are well done and enjoyable. Recommended for kinky suspense readers who enjoy lovers reuniting.
Reviewed by Book Addict
QUOTE:
all about the formation of a dom/sub relationship and the many (did I mention MANY) emotions that are explored during this formation.
Bound With Pearls by Sidney Bristol- a review
Posted on April 28, 2013 by Sandy
Bound With Pearls by Sidney Bristol-a review
Bound with Pearls
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO
DESCRIPTION-Release Date December 2012
The last thing Christine wants to do is another favor for her sister, but Lucy always gets what she wants. This time it’s Chris playing sub to a demanding Dom. Their relationship begins with a power exchange and progresses to time spent between the sheets. Now emotions are getting complicated and the Dom isn’t just a hunky guy in black.
Daniel’s expectations are turned upside down when he meets Chris. She’s more than a well-trained submissive. She’s a woman with a body he wants to memorize. He’s willing to spend as much time as it takes to learn her, because she might be his match and his muse. He’ll make her come so hard he’s imprinted on every inch, and then he’ll offer her the most precious thing he can, himself.
REVIEW
5 out of 5 for this reader folks!
What a HOT, SMEXY SMEXY, WILD read! (*Fanning Myself*)
So before I begin this review I have a secret to reveal! I LOVE me a hot smut filled book. However if you add great characters and a great story then I LOVE LOVE LOVE me a hot smut filled book. This was a LOVE LOVE LOVE! LOL
Bound with Pearls written by Sidney Bristol is all about the formation of a dom/sub relationship and the many (did I mention MANY) emotions that are explored during this formation.
This book is not for the easily offended. There are extreme sexual scenarios that are played out and extreme language used. This is a dirty, gritty and sexy book that exploits many common and not so common (pass the ginger …lol) sides of the dom/sub relationship.
Now that I have armed you a little .. let me “de-arm” you! This story for a BDSM book was FUN and much less intense than many books in the BDSM genre that I have read! While some scenes were intense, there was so much blooming within the forming relationship that it didn’t feel “heavy”! Don’t get me wrong, all emotions were felt but I never went to a dark ugly place. Not sure if that makes sense but it’s the best way I can explain it! LOL
So our submissive’s name is Christine. Christine is an unattached submissive that had adopted the lifestyle many years ago and was well trained by a previous dom. After being begged by her horrible, spoiled brat bitchy sister Lucy, to please fill in as a sub (bitchy sister’s dom lost a poker game and bet the use of his sub to another dom … DUDE REALLY???) on her behalf, Christine agrees to spend one night with the winning poker game dom named Daniel.
Seeing as neither Christine nor Daniel know each other (either by rep or by looks) this makes for a very uncomfortable situation and both are NOT looking forward to this “play session”! Well aren’t they pleasantly surprised when they are clearly not only attracted to each other but they also “fit” together. I had to chuckle when Christine suddenly wanted to take back many of her “limits” and go all the way. I also melted a little when Daniel said NO and refused to take advantage because the .. er… um …. did it just got really hot in here!? LOL
From this one night, these two decide to see each other again and again, and trust builds between them (that’s pretty great considering a dom/sun relationship REQUIRES that)! Tenderness like you can never imagine, and serious boundaries are crossed! Limits are pushed. I found while I was getting angry I was completely smitten as well.
Loved this blurb and it paints the perfect picture.
“Any man could get her off, but she needed him. Their connection, the chemistry wasn’t something easily found.”
This is a shorter book and I hate giving anything away, so I will leave this review at that! I really truly loved this book and I was fulfilled in all aspects that I have learned to expect and appreciate when reading a BDSM story. I believed in this relationship and I was cheering them on throughout their journey to each other!
I have to comment quickly on this books cover! IT’S BEAUTIFUL! You understand why the title was named what it was, and the model is exactly how I pictured Christine. This is BDSM in it’s sexiest! 🙂
As I do for many of my reviews, let me leave you with a yummy blurb of a breakfast tied up…. that made me …er… um…. yup it’s definitely hot in here .. WINK!
“You aren’t in trouble.”
She hurriedly chewed and swallowed. “I’m not?”
He chuckled. “Nope.” One side of his mouth kicked up in a lopsided smile, giving him a boyish look.
“Then, why …” Her voice trailed off as he pressed another bite of pancake to her lips.
“Why did I tie you up?” he filled in for her. “Because I like you tied down and at my mercy.”
Yes Sir Daniel .. SIGH! LOL
Copy supplied by the author
Reviewed by Rachel
COLLAR ME IN PARIS
Author(s): Sidney Bristol
Paris and the surrounding territory provide a scenic backdrop for a D/s relationship that’s fun and satisfying. A variety of personalities add flavor to the mix in this race across the countryside. There’s play with sex toys and BDSM activity.
Clay is Bianca’s sub as well as her husband. When it comes to sex, her rule is absolute, fulfilling his need for pain and pleasure. They are vacationing in Paris with her family. Her parents, three brothers and their wives want the couple to participate in the annual scavenger hunt. During the contest their roles are slightly reversed as Clay leads the way on their adventure with the aid of his trusty smartphone. They’re making a comeback when Clay loses his phone and the brothers pull ahead. Is there any chance at all that Bianca and Clay can win the race? (ELLORASCAVE.COM, dl $7.50)
Reviewed by:
Donna M. Brown
QUOTE:
I really loved this book, it kept me on my toes through the whole thing. Between Damien apologizing, and extremely hot scenes, there is the turmoil of a blossoming relationship. To the suspense of tracking the bad guy that got away. This is a book that doesn’t let you put it down.
MY REVIEW OF SIDNEY BRISTOL’S COMMITTED – DRUG OF DESIRE BOOK 1
JANUARY 11, 2017 CAROLKITTIE LEAVE A COMMENT
committed
Committed
Drug of Desire #1
By
Sidney Bristol
1cf2a-addtogoodreads
Winter Blog Blurb
In this tale of sensuality and suspense, Sidney Bristol proves that desire can be the most dangerous drug of all.
DEA Special Agent Damien Moana works hard and plays even harder. But while indulging in forbidden temptations at a private retreat, the unexpected happens: He falls under a stranger’s spell. This woman drives Damien to distraction, pushing him to the sweet boundary between pain and pleasure. When duty interrupts their heated encounter, his focus turns to catching a criminal . . . but his head is still with the seductress who ignites his deepest desires. Now Damien must choose between closing the case of his career and losing the woman of his dreams.
Poppy Mercer can’t forget the night she spent with her mystery lover. When chance brings them back together, she seizes the opportunity to again feel his masterful hands on her body. Poppy is a switch who delights in dominating a powerful man . . . and submitting to the ecstasy of his control. Outside the bedroom, however, she questions her place in Damien’s world. His obsession with hunting a ruthless drug lord puts Poppy in the line of fire. And though Damien might be able to save her from danger, salvaging what’s left of her trust is another matter.
Winter Blog BuyLinks
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Winter Blog Review
Wow this book starts off with a bang! A private play party in a luxurious castle like mansion. Our heroine Poppy, a switch, was looking for a change or even just something different. Not finding anything to entice her to play, she changes from her party clothes and retreats to the library. Seeking the solace of quiet in the room and a book.
Damien is a DEA agent, he keeps his work and personal preferences separate. He didn’t want anyone misconstruing his lifestyle for anything other than it was. When he spotted Poppy he was intrigued by her. Her long golden hair led him to think of her as Rapunzel. When she vanished before he could approach her, he went looking for her.
This is a favorite scene when he finds her in the library.
Damien cleared his throat and let his boots thud on the tile floor as he stopped in front of her.
The woman sat up suddenly, blinking as if she had been dozing and was just waking up. Her gaze landed on him and she froze. In the dim light, wearing all black, he was probably a bit difficult to see.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” No, he’d just wanted her awake. He added a smile to further put her at ease. “May I join you?”
“Depends if you make a habit of hovering about watching people.” Color rose in her cheeks, giving them a pink hue. Damn if it didn’t entice him more.
Damien grinned. “Got me there. It’s not a habit, I promise.”
“Have a seat if you like.” She swung her feet off the chaise, lifting a book from her lap. She covered her mouth while she yawned, and even that gesture was cute.
“What are you reading?” he asked as he sank into an uncomfortable leather chair.
Her lips curled into a smile and she flashed the book’s cover at him. A shirtless man graced the front. “A trashy romance novel. Want to read a page?”
“He looks like he’s constipated.” Damien held out his hand, now more curious than ever about her. “What’s it about?”
She handed the book over and her smile widened. “A wolf-shifter alpha has to take a vampire queen as his mate to save his pack, but what he doesn’t know is that the vampire coven has organized the marriage— mating— to get rid of her and the pack, because they want to suck the blood of everyone in this town on one special night so they’ll become uber-powerful.” She curled her legs under her and propped her chin on her fist. “I’m at the part where the vampire and the wolf are realizing the plot against them, but they’ve already fallen for each other.”
“I … see.” He shook his head. The stuff in books made everyday life seem normal. Damien started where she’d left off, at the top of the left-hand page, and began reading. “He dug his hand into her hair and pulled, exposing the long column of her neck. His bite, the mark of a mate, stood out on her pale flesh. Adam slapped the round curve of her bottom. She moaned. His little vamp liked pain with her pleasure. He delivered several blows to her bottom until her skin turned a rosy red and her head tossed back and forth in pleasure. ‘I’m going to tie you to this wall, bite you until not an inch is left unmarked. Then I’ll fuck you until you scream,’ he said.” Damien stopped there and studied his new companion. “If this is trashy, I’ll take a copy.”
She sputtered and laughed, none of the unease he’d glimpsed earlier evident in the comfortable way she reclined across from him.
“I’m serious. Does he really tie her up?” He slipped the bookmark back between the pages and laid the book on his lap.
“I don’t know. Someone interrupted me.” She bit her lower lip and her eyes seemed to sparkle. Rapunzel was an accurate name for her. There was an air of mischief and wonder about her. The blond hair only added to the picture.
Bristol, Sidney. Committed: A Drug of Desire Novel (Kindle Locations 94-96). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Being any kind of police has it’s difficulties, but especially with the alphabet agencies. These are the men and women who can be called away at any time, regardless of what they are doing.
The take-down for the case he was working couldn’t have come at a worse time. He needed to be doing after-care and instead had to pass it to someone else. His job wouldn’t wait.
I really loved this book, it kept me on my toes through the whole thing. Between Damien apologizing, and extremely hot scenes, there is the turmoil of a blossoming relationship. To the suspense of tracking the bad guy that got away. This is a book that doesn’t let you put it down.
5 Contented Purrs for Sidney!
First Look: Sidney Bristol’s Committed (August 12, 2014)
JENNIFER PROFFITT
Committed by Sidney Bristol
Committed by Sidney Bristol
Sidney Bristol
Committed
Loveswept / August 12, 2014 / $2.99 digital
DEA Special Agent Damien Moana works hard and plays even harder. But while indulging in forbidden temptations at a private BDSM retreat, the unexpected happens: He falls under a stranger’s spell. This woman drives Damien to distraction, pushing him to the sweet boundary between pain and pleasure. When duty interrupts their heated encounter, his focus turns to catching a criminal . . . but his head is still with the seductress who ignites his deepest desires. Now Damien must choose between closing the case of his career and losing the woman of his dreams.
Poppy Mercer can’t forget the night she spent with her mystery lover. When chance brings them back together, she seizes the opportunity to again feel his masterful hands on her body. Poppy is a switch who delights in dominating a powerful man . . . and submitting to the ecstasy of his control. Outside the bedroom, however, she questions her place in Damien’s world. His obsession with hunting a ruthless drug lord puts Poppy in the line of fire. And though Damien might be able to save her from danger, salvaging what’s left of her trust is another matter.
Sidney Bristol introduces the Drug of Desire series with Committed, and it might have earned its place as one of my favorite erotic romances. Ever. How did she earn such an exalted spot amongst the many erotic titles I have read? In a recent Twitter conversation, I gave this tweet pitch: “It was great to read a heroine who reveled in her sexuality and an alpha who I could introduce to my folks.”
I loved reading Poppy as a heroine. She was relatable and fun, and gave as good as she got! Also, she was, in my opinion, what is truly rare in BDSM erotica—a female switch. We see switches fairly often in Domme/sub erotica, and often see bossy bottoms, but I haven’t read many true switches. Even in sub, Poppy is a strong heroine.
The arm around her waist uncurled and he smacked her ass with the book, not hard, but enough to get her attention.
Poppy yelped, caught by surprise.
“Do you need anything?” he growled again.
Oh, the man wanted her to call him sir. He wanted the honorific from her, and that in itself made her want to withhold it, to see what he’d do. But it was too early for that, she’d test him later.
“Yes. Sir.” She smiled, willing to play his game. She’d call him whatever he wanted, so long as he recognized that she wasn’t a submissive. She was a switch, a different animal altogether, and he was going to have to respect that.
Poppy has to learn to accept both facets of her sexuality too, though. And what better way than to talk it over wine and pizza with her two pals who are also in the scene?
“But how do you feel about being submissive to him? Is that something you’d want to do more of?” Kyle asked
“I don’t know. Like, when I’m in it, it’s all I want, but I don’t want the play to change me.” Poppy chewed her lip. These were things she hadn’t thought through yet.
“He’s not changing you. He’s just bringing this hidden side out of you. It’s like the fine china. You don’t serve just anyone on that stuff.” Nikki picked up her paper plate. “But everyone can have paper plates.”
Nikki smiled at Poppy. “What I’m saying is it’s okay. You aren’t changing. You’re just getting more in touch with that side of you. You’re evolving.”
Poppy is a fun heroine to read, and funny and sexy is almost an irresistible combination—both to readers and to Damien.
Their faces were inches apart. She could hear his breath, feel his heart beat against her back—and the erection in his pants.
“You like to giggle,” he stated, not a question.
“It’s called play, isn’t it?” Poppy strained toward him as she spoke so that their lips brushed. Did he realize she was putty in his hands?
“It is.”
“Play with me, sir.”
Poppy is the star of Committed for me, but Damien is equally rare in the erotic world, especially lately—he’s a Dom and an alpha (can you have one without the other?) but he’s family-oriented, caring, and committed to work and Poppy. After their first play session was cut short, Damien owed Poppy a chance to play the dominant. He takes on the role reluctantly, but a deal is a deal:
He hadn’t bottomed in a scene since his mentor had moved away years ago. It had been part of his training, learning how to be a good dominant to his partner.
Though he identified as a dominant, it didn’t mean he never bottomed. He regularly had new toys tested on him before ever using them on a partner. Occasionally a friend with an odd skill set, fire-cupping or pressure points or something else, he’d bottom for them. But he’d never before bottomed for someone he was romantically interested in. Could he be attracted to someone and still bend his knee to her? It worked for relationships where the woman was the dominant, but that wasn’t his dynamic.
He rubbed his fingers together to ground himself in the here and now. He’d allowed himself to think of Rapunzel, the woman who screamed submissive to him, while ignoring Poppy, the woman who told him she was a switch. He wasn’t sure when he’d begun to think of those two identities separately, but he had.
Poppy and Damien have their own struggles that any normal couple would face—mostly Damien’s work as a DEA agent taking center stage in their relationship. Committed balances humor, reality, fantasy, sexiness and just enough suspense to make this a book you can’t put down. Luckily, Bristol has an extensive backlist that I can catch up on while waiting for the next book. I am totally hooked on this series, and if the author is taking requests: I hope to see books for Yamamoto, Gio (who’s a woman), and Matías!
QUOTE:
I will say that the BDSM elements in this one were, for me, on the more ‘hard limit’ side. Matias is a sadist and likes to see the marks he’s left on his sub. There are several physical scenes, including impact and wax play, that might not be for every reader. But Matias is also clear about consent, safety,
Review: Entrusted By Sidney Bristol
POSTED JANUARY 16, 2017 BY MANDY IN REVIEW
TAGS: MARIA ROSE, SIDNEY BRISTOL
Review: Entrusted by Sidney BristolEntrusted by Sidney Bristol
on 10 January 2017
Genres: BDSM, Romantic Suspense
Series: Drug of Desire #2
Published by Self Published
Source: Author
Copy for review provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
four-stars
A lifetime spent working undercover for the DEA has left Matías Govea wondering, just who the hell he is? A BDSM Dominant? A son? A brother? Who is he? He'll have to assume one, last identity before he can figure out the answers, but this might be the hardest gig of all...because of her.
Raven Benally grew up in the cockpit of a plane under the watchful eye of her father and uncles. Only now the family is fractured and it's up to her to pull off one more gig before she can branch out on her own. All she has to do is fly the smoking hot federal officer to Mexico and back.
When a simple buy-bust goes south, it's up to Matías to pull off the biggest deception ever. He must not only convince a notorious Colombian drug dealer he's not a fed, but he must also pass Raven off as a sexual submissive and his lover. In the far flung reaches of the jungle, these friends-turned-lovers have only each other to rely on.
Warning: Contains a man fond of belts, a woman who didn't know she likes to be spanked, and a complicated web of emotions.
Matias is ready to retire from the DEA after one last job. Years of working undercover under different aliases have taken their toll, including a recent brush with death. Flying out of a low key family run airport near a native American reservation is his usual M.O., with flights to central and southern American countries easy to come by. When Matias’s usual pilot takes ill, it’s the pilot’s granddaughter Raven who steps up and volunteers to take him on his flight to Mexico. She’s an experienced short hop pilot but is confident she can provide the service Matias needs. Only, once in Mexico things take a dramatic turn. One of Matias’s contacts, Victor, is keen to bring Matias on as a drug distributor under his alias name Jose. Stuck with Matias in a foreign country, Raven plays the part of his girlfriend, getting drawn into the seedy underworld. Matias’s real life sexual preferences include the BDSM lifestyle, something Victor has discovered from one of Matias’s previous undercover roles, making club visits part and parcel of enticing ‘Jose’ into the deal. Raven is new to this world but under Matias’s firm hand discovers a submissive side that changes everything. With their lives on the line, can Matias and Raven navigate the treacherous waters of the seedy undercover drug world and make it out alive?
Committed, the first story in this DEA/BDSM series was also the first I’d read by Sidney Bristol. I really enjoyed that story, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting another in the series, so was very excited to see that it’s finally here! I will say that the BDSM elements in this one were, for me, on the more ‘hard limit’ side. Matias is a sadist and likes to see the marks he’s left on his sub. There are several physical scenes, including impact and wax play, that might not be for every reader. But Matias is also clear about consent, safety, and making proper aftercare a priority. While Raven is new to the experience, she understands and fully consents to all their scenes together, and definitely enjoys this new side to her sexuality. They make a good match, and they share several sexy scenes together, not just in BDSM play. The fact that Matias can open up to Raven about his real preferences in the bedroom is an intimacy he’s not been able to share with any long term partner before and goes a long way to cementing his feelings for her. Raven for her part, has had a crush on Matias already for a few years since he first started using their air services and makes the transition to deeper feelings pretty easily.
The suspenseful side of the story is evident right from the start. Matias has spent years crafting his persona of ‘Jose’ and must tread carefully so as not to have his cover blown. Raven is inadvertently forced into playing an undercover role with him and does an admirable job considering the circumstances. Suspicion and betrayal are common themes and things get fairly violent. The plot moves swiftly with lots of twist and turns. Not knowing what will happen makes the story an exciting read with a climactic conclusion and (whew!) a happy ending for Matias and Raven. 4 stars.
OUT NOW, THE SECOND EXCITING BOOK IN THE DRUG OF DESIRE SERIES: ENTRUSTED BY SIDNEY BRISTOL
JANUARY 12, 2017 CAROLKITTIE LEAVE A COMMENT
entrusted
Entrusted
Drug of Desire #2
By
Sidney Bristol
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Winter Blog Blurb
A lifetime spent working undercover for the DEA has left Matías Govea wondering, just who the hell he is? A BDSM Dominant? A son? A brother? Who is he? He’ll have to assume one, last identity before he can figure out the answers, but this might be the hardest gig of all…because of her.
Raven Benally grew up in the cockpit of a plane under the watchful eye of her father and uncles. Only now the family is fractured and it’s up to her to pull off one more gig before she can branch out on her own. All she has to do is fly the smoking hot federal officer to Mexico and back.
When a simple buy-bust goes south, it’s up to Matías to pull off the biggest deception ever. He must not only convince a notorious Colombian drug dealer he’s not a fed, but he must also pass Raven off as a sexual submissive and his lover. In the far flung reaches of the jungle, these friends-turned-lovers have only each other to rely on.
Warning: Contains a man fond of belts, a woman who didn’t know she likes to be spanked, and a complicated web of emotions.
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Winter Blog Review
One last job, a final takedown and he would retire from this hellish undercover job with the DEA.
The last thing Matías expected when he arrived for his flight was that his pilot was Raven. The granddaughter of his usual pilot, someone who know him as himself not an alias. She has always been a bright light in the darkness for him with her sweetness.
Raven has to do this flight for her grandfather and she couldn’t let Matías know the reason why. It was simple just a quick flight in, let Matías do his thing and fly them out. She would stay in the plane no one would see her then she would be home. She would pack up her things, take her plane and find her father. Never to return to the reservation again.
Victor making him wait was nothing new to Matías so he joined Raven in the slightly cooler interior of the plane. This is part of their conversation and a favorite scene, given their circumstances.
“Why’d he leave?”
She hesitated again, stirring up his curiosity. Raven always talked to him. What was stopping her now?
“He didn’t tell me everything. I can only guess, but I think he and Grandpa got into it over something that was business and personal. As soon as he was gone they stopped the plans we’d made for the Cessna and that was it. I was back to crop dusting.”
“Damn. There’s no upward movement, so you have to go somewhere else.” He chuckled. Great choice of words, bro. “I mean, you can’t get promoted.”
“No, not when it’s just family.” She sighed.
“What about going somewhere else?” He knew that Raven’s family had stayed closer to the reservation, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t strike out and have a successful career elsewhere.
“I’ve been thinking about it, but I don’t have enough formal training to qualify for much. My options are limited.”
“Maybe you need to get away, clear your head.” Matías couldn’t help but feel invested in whatever Raven did with her future. He understood the difficulties that came from building your life from nothing. In many ways, they had taken similar paths.
“You free this weekend?”
“What’s this weekend?”
She shrugged and smiled, a little of the sunshine coming back. “Getting away. I’ve got a plane.”
“That’s one hell of an invitation.” Put the brakes on, man.
One side of her mouth curled up and her smile became sly. “Got a destination in mind?”
Chicago. House Surrender. Leather. Cuffs. A dragon tail whip. Screaming orgasms, and not the kind you got in a shot glass.
“There’s a lot of places I’d like to actually get to see.” He shrugged and glanced away from her.
“Well, if you decide someplace sounds good, let me know. I can get almost anywhere in a couple of hours.”
Was she serious? His gut said yes. Raven was just the type of woman to pack up and fly herself someplace new. If he extended a weekend invitation to her—she’d be there. Did she know what that meant? Unlikely, but what if he left the kinky stuff behind for a couple of days? Could he do it? Maybe rent a cabin somewhere on a lake or a river, far away from anything, and just—be. Be whoever he wanted to be. Enjoy her company, let things take their natural course. But what if he wanted more? The truth would eventually come out.
Raven’s smile evaporated and her gaze narrowed. “We’ve got company.”
Sidney Bristol. Entrusted: A Drug of Desire Novel (Kindle Locations 364-386). Sidney Bristol. Kindle Edition.
Of course you knew it wasn’t going to be that easy, didn’t you?
Victor has plans for Matías whom he knows as Jose. Plans and also an agenda that has nothing to do with their initial contract.
From the moment Victor enters the plane, Matías knows this is going to be far more difficult than the initial plan. He has no choice but to claim Raven is his, and is relieved when she accepts it and plays along.
What follows is an intense, suspenseful, page turning drama. Filled with emotions, a delightful discovery of submission and a secret that could destroy everything.
Do not miss this book, but plan to read from beginning to end. There is no putting this one down.
5 Contented Purrs for Sidney!
4 Stars
Author: Sidney Bristol
Review by: VRainey
Genre: HOT Romance
Tags:
* SPICY: HOT Romance
* Contemporary
* SPICY: BDSM
Publisher: Independently Published
Bound Memories
Bayou Bound, #3
Kit Carson is back home to promote is latest win on the reality show Tattoo King. He has not been home in years and wants to reconnect with his family and the one woman who he could not forget. Renee LeBlanc has had a rough life and seems to finally have things going on the right track. She gave up her dream of being a tattoo artist and has a more stable job. She Kit comes back into her life she has to face the past.
The beginning of the story leaves you wondering how the book will turn out. By the end of the first chapter, I was pulled into the story and left excited to see how the story would turn out. The author did a good job of drawing the reader in to her world. She did a great job of making it very realistic. The pace of the story was a bit slow at some points and fast is others. The main characters and the secondary characters were fascinating and realistic. I loved that both Kit and Renee each had faults that they had to deal with making them realistic.
The point of view alternated between Renee and Kit, giving the reader a glimpse inside both characters. The changing point of view was done with care so the reader did not get lost or repeat story lines. The main conflict of the story is Kit coming back to town and facing the past, he left behind. The characters fit the story and the main conflict. The level of conflict was perfect, anymore and it would have detracted from the overall storyline. The dialogue between the characters was genuine and distinctive. The characters voice matched not only the setting but fit their overall personality. The ending was a bit predictable but the book takes the reader on a wonderful journey. I hope we get to see these characters again in the future.
Bound Memories is the third book in the Bayou Bound series by Sidney Bristol. While this book is part of a series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel with ease.
Review: Duty Bound (Bayou Bound #2) by Sidney Bristol
October 9, 2014 The Jeep Diva Review 0
Review: Duty Bound (Bayou Bound #2) by Sidney Bristol
She’s the woman he sent away.
Lisette wouldn’t be back in New Orleans if she didn’t need protection—and who better to turn to than her ex-boyfriend turned Detective? She’s got a closet full of secrets that include a stalker ex and a kinky past. She vows to not dream about Mathieu…much. If only he were a Dominant, one who would not just flog her into bliss, but love her as well. A girl can dream, can’t she?
He was her first love.
Mathieu wants nothing to do with another damsel in distress, but he can’t say no when the little blonde woman walks back into his life with proof her ex is big trouble. He’ll give her a place to sleep, but nothing more. His heart is locked up tight. Except, Lisette uncovers his past in the BDSM world and she’s never backed down from a challenge. He can handle her, can’t he?
Lisette and Mathieu embark on a relationship that is strictly about sexual gratification, but evolves into more. When the bodies align, the hearts entwine. Except their rekindled flame is in danger. Lisette’s ex has found his prey, and he’s not afraid of taking a life
Available: Amazon ♦ Barnes ♦ ARe ♦ Kobo ♦ iBooks
Title: Duty Bound
Author: Sidney Bristol
Other books by this author that we've reviewed: How Zombies Stole Christmas, Personal Adventures, Blind: Killer Instincts, Under His Skin
Published by Inked Press
Source: Author
Published: May 26, 2014
Genres: BDSM, Erotic Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 331
See the title at Goodreads
Purchase your copy: Amazon
Visit the Author's Website
Stars: five-stars
Flames: four-flames
#NotChilled
I fell for Mathieu in Picture Her Bound. Remember him? He was Odalia’s former partner and big brother type friend. Duty Bound is his book, and what a book. (Don’t worry – it can be read as a stand-alone.)
Mathieu is one HOT detective! Old college friend Lisette is a damsel in distress. Sparks fly off these two like Fourth of July fireworks. They have both grown up since they knew each other in college, and developed some – um – kinks. While they are getting to know each other again, and exploring all these new possibilities, someone is stalking Lisette.
This is a story with nail biting suspense, heart stopping action, and be still my heart sex scenes. You won’t want to miss it.
But wait there is more! We are gifted with an additional short story. Picture Her Completed features Odalia and Jacques from Picture Her Bound, and is just as exciting.
You really won’t want to miss this.. Turns out to be a two-fer in wonderful New Orleans that, in my opinion, is a must read!
Review: Under His Skin (So Inked #1) by Sidney Bristol
November 9, 2015 The Jeep Diva Review 0
Review: Under His Skin (So Inked #1) by Sidney Bristol
A woman who doesn’t believe she deserves love…
Toe-curling kisses and enough sex to fill a weekend were all Pandora wanted from a fling with her teenage crush. She’s never forgotten how he played the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. She’s ready to say thank you in several naughty ways, so long as she can walk away when it’s over with her heart intact.
A man moving on from tragedy…
Brian has no intention of allowing the feisty tattoo artist to leave him after one taste. He hasn’t had enough of her inked curves. The packaging might have changed, but Pandy is the woman he hasn’t been able to excise from his memory. He’s ready to put together a new life, one that includes her. But he’s not the only one vying for her attention. Someone else wants her, dead or alive.
Title: Under His Skin
Author: Sidney Bristol
Other books by this author that we've reviewed: Duty Bound, How Zombies Stole Christmas, Personal Adventures, Blind: Killer Instincts
Series: So Inked
Other books in this series that we've reviewed: The Harder He Falls, His Marriage Bargain
Published by Inked Press
Source: Purchased for Self
Published: September 12, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Pages: 192
See the title at Goodreads
Purchase your copy: Amazon
Visit the Author's Website
Visit the Goodreads Series Page
Stars: four-stars
Flames: four-flames
Entering the conventions contest was difficult enough for Pandora. The pressure is intense as she is the only woman artist who has entered. Her ass of an ex doing what he does best is not helping her fried nerves. The fact that the man she is supposed to tattoo happens to be her knight in shining armor crush from her teens just adds more stress to her tension. She knows she is good. If she knew the reason Brian picked her to ink something very dear to him it would ease some of the unwanted pressure from her.
In an effort to pay homage to a big part of his life that he no longer has Brain has decided to get a commiserating tattoo of that part of his life. He researched all the artists available at the convention and picked the one he knew would be best able to put his thoughts and emotions to his flesh. He is shocked to see that she is actually a person from his past. A person he has thought of over the years. Seeing a chance to get to know her this time around he grabs the opportunity.
Pandora and Brian are not your typical romance hero and heroine. They are both scarred, physically and emotionally. Pandora has escaped a life that has left her so damaged that she sees herself as unworthy of the caring devotion that Brain is desperately trying to give her. By the time readers meet Brian he has recovered emotionally from a horrific accident that left him in a place where he has started a new life. While Pandora has started her new life she doesn’t want to ever find herself in a position that would allow her to repeat the mistakes of her past.
Favorite Quote: Brian to Pandora. “You’re a perfect pain in my ass right now. Come back to my place. We can argue, have angry sex, fight some more and wrap it up with make-up sex. I’ll even get donuts in the morning.”
How can you not want this man.? He drives a Jeep and has a sweet dog named Gibson!
QUOTE:
I enjoy the setup of the series and that the series centers around the women tattoo artists at the shop where Pandora works. I look forward to the rest of the series.
Book Review: Under His Skin by Sidney Bristol
By Brianna (The Book Vixen)
Under His Skin by Sidney BristolTitle: Under His Skin
Series: So Inked, Book 1
Author: Sidney Bristol
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy provided by author
Published: July 20, 2012 by Ellora’s Cave
A woman who doesn’t believe she deserves love…
Toe-curling kisses and enough sex to fill a weekend were all Pandora wanted from a fling with her teenage crush. She’s never forgotten how he played the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. She’s ready to say thank you in several naughty ways, so long as she can walk away when it’s over with her heart intact.
A man moving on from tragedy…
Brian has no intention of allowing the feisty tattoo artist to leave him after one taste. He hasn’t had enough of her inked curves. The packaging might have changed, but Pandy is the woman he hasn’t been able to excise from his memory. He’s ready to put together a new life, one that includes her. But he’s not the only one vying for her attention. Someone else wants her, dead or alive.
Reviewed By: Babs
Why I Read This Book: I’m intrigued by the tattoo subculture.
In a Nutshell: I think this story was okay. I will read more books in the series.
The Set Up: Pandora is a tattoo artist. She meets Brian again at a tattoo convention several years after they first met.
What I Liked: I liked the progression of the relationship—it seemed natural to me. Both Pandora and Brian has emotional baggage to work through—self esteem and guilt issues. I like that all the issues weren’t resolved in the short amount of time covered in the book but enough progress was made for me to believe they were committed to each other.
I think it’s cute both were crushing on each other when they met years ago and have secretly longed for each other. Even though part of their initial meeting wasn’t under good circumstances.
I like that Brian didn’t give up on Pandora easily even when she was putting up roadblocks but he wasn’t pushy or overbearing. I think he pushed Pandora just enough to get her to see past her insecurities.
I also like the descriptions at the beginning of each chapter describing tattoo equipment and methods. Getting one (or three) tattoos is on my bucket list and I hope to get my first one very soon. So I appreciate these little tidbits of information.
I enjoy the setup of the series and that the series centers around the women tattoo artists at the shop where Pandora works. I look forward to the rest of the series.
What I Didn’t Like: I guessed the villain pretty quickly, which isn’t terrible but maybe he/she could have been less obvious.
Overall Impression: I liked the story. I’m intrigued enough to keep reading the series. A good start to a new-to-me series.
Bab’s Rating:
3 Frogs
QUOTE:
The Harder He Falls was a nice read for me. I liked it better than book one and I look forward to reading more about the ladies of So Inked.
Book Review: The Harder He Falls by Sidney Bristol
By Brianna (The Book Vixen)
The Harder He Falls by Sidney BristolTitle: The Harder He Falls
Series: So Inked, Book 2
Author: Sidney Bristol
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy provided by author
Published: July 18, 2013 by Ellora’s Cave
A woman who doesn’t have time for love…
A hot night full of hotel-destroying sex was all Kellie wanted from her client-turned-sex god. Between family and work, there isn’t room for love, just hot, sweaty lust. An arrangement for mutual gratification is exactly what Kellie wants, but every kiss, each mind-blowing orgasm twines her heart around a man she cannot have.
A man building a new life…
Quinton’s assumptions about the So Inked shop owner are turned on their head after one session under her tattoo machine. Kellie’s not the vandal he’s looking for, but she’s the woman he wants. In his bed, on the desk or under the stars, he’ll take her any way he can get her. But Quin has secrets and someone is out to destroy him. Someone who has their sights set on Kellie now.
Reviewed By: Babs
Why I Read This Book: I’m reading this series from the beginning in anticipation of Book 3. And tattoos/tattoo artists fascinate me.
In a Nutshell: I liked this book. Nice follow-up to book one (my review). I look forward to book three.
The Set Up: Quin is suspicious of Kellie so he stages a meeting at Kellie’s business. The meeting leads to more than he planned on.
What I Liked: This was a classic “only going to be casual” thing that turned to more (despite Kellie’s intentions).
Both Kellie and Quin have secrets that come to light before the halfway point of the book. I appreciate Kellie was trying to be strong by trying to keep Quin at a distance from her home life. And I can see why Quin didn’t reveal his real reason for coming to So Inked until forced to face Kellie with it. He didn’t want Kellie to leave him. And he makes the same mistake again later in the story.
I really liked the descriptions at the beginning of each chapter. Most explained the symbolism behind different tattoos—mostly Asian tattoos because of Kellie’s heritage.
Kellie’s family problems were intense. I understand why she didn’t want to have to explain things at home and about her family. I think her mom was a horrible person.
What I Didn’t Like: I kept waiting for Quin and Kellie to grapple and then have hot, sweaty sexy times. I’m kind of disappointed there wasn’t more. There were a couple tackles and tosses to the bed but that’s it.
I thought it was pretty obvious who the bad person was causing problems for Kellie and Quin.
There’s a lot of conflict—I think maybe too much? They’ve got issues with their families, business issues, and then just being in a new relationship. It seems like too much to deal with in such a short time and all at the same time.
Overall Impression: The Harder He Falls was a nice read for me. I liked it better than book one and I look forward to reading more about the ladies of So Inked.
Bab’s Rating:
3 Frogs
Review: The Harder He Falls (So Inked #2) by Sidney Bristol
November 10, 2015 The Jeep Diva Review 0
Review: The Harder He Falls (So Inked #2) by Sidney Bristol
A woman who doesn’t have time for love…
A hot night full of hotel-destroying sex was all Kellie wanted from her client-turned-sex god. Between family and work, there isn’t room for love, just hot, sweaty lust. An arrangement for mutual gratification is exactly what Kellie wants, but every kiss, each mind-blowing orgasm twines her heart around a man she cannot have.
A man building a new life…
Quinton’s assumptions about the So Inked shop owner are turned on their head after one session under her tattoo machine. Kellie’s not the vandal he’s looking for, but she’s the woman he wants. In his bed, on the desk or under the stars, he’ll take her any way he can get her. But Quin has secrets and someone is out to destroy him. Someone who has their sights set on Kellie now.
Title: The Harder He Falls
Author: Sidney Bristol
Other books by this author that we've reviewed: Duty Bound, How Zombies Stole Christmas, Personal Adventures, Blind: Killer Instincts
Series: So Inked
Other books in this series that we've reviewed: Under His Skin, His Marriage Bargain
Published by Inked Press
Source: Purchased for Self
Published: September 12, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Pages: 356
See the title at Goodreads
Purchase your copy: Amazon
Visit the Author's Website
Visit the Goodreads Series Page
Stars: four-stars
Flames: four-flames
Kellie Nahm is a tattoo artist with a lot on her plate. She is re-opening her tattoo parlor, her grandmother has Alzheimer’s and her neighbor is annoying her. When Quinton Berkus stops by to get a tattoo and to meet the women who tried to by his gym before he did, they are both forced to decide if they want more than a fling or if they might have something more.
I really enjoyed Kellie. I loved how strong she is. She’s tough, independent, strong-willed and doesn’t take grief from anyone. She has essentially been abandoned by her mother but she is very close to her grandmother. Now that she has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t remember who people are anymore, Kellie starts to feel alone. I loved how Quin was so accommodating to her but he also didn’t let her get away with anything either. He let her have space when she needed it but he was still there for her when she needed a shoulder. I enjoyed how their relationship developed from what was mostly friends with benefits into a relationship as they spent more time together.
The secondary plot with the vandalism was pretty easy to deduce. I had the perpetrator pegged almost from the get but I did like how Quin handled that aspect. I would have liked more information on what happened with Quin and his old boss but after they had a fight there isn’t anything more mentioned about him or any of Quin’s fighter’s. There are also a few other questions I have about character’s that are left hanging; Carly, Mouse, Jacob, Autumn, Mary, Sam. I heave a feeling some of them with be given their own book and maybe we will get more of a conclusion for the secondary characters.
This is the second book in the series but since I didn’t read the first one, I don’t think they have to be read in order. The previous book was about another couple that is in this book but Bristol gives enough of a background so that the reader isn’t lost if they read this as a stand alone. I will definitely be going back to read the first book and be on the look out for more in this series.
QUOTE:
If you’re a fan of marriage of convenience/marriage in-name-only that becomes more (of course!), this may be a book for you.
Book Review: His Marriage Bargain by Sidney Bristol
By Brianna (The Book Vixen)
His Marriage Bargain by Sidney BristolTitle: His Marriage Bargain
Series: So Inked, Book 3
Author: Sidney Bristol
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy provided by author
Published: June 27, 2014 by Ellora’s Cave
A woman who loves too much…
When Autumn’s best friend proposes a pretend marriage, the chance to make all the kisses she’s imagined real is too much for her to pass up. She seduces him with her body and enjoys pushing his boundaries and fulfilling their sexual fantasies—but her heart isn’t supposed to be part of the bargain.
A man about to take his last breath…
Sammi has just weeks left to live out his dying wish—the white picket fence, the house and the wife. If Autumn is the last woman he gets to taste he’ll die a lucky man. Her body, her heart—everything about her calls to him. But love isn’t supposed to be in the plans.
In the crucible of passion, these two lovers will find out what they’re really made from, and just how long I do lasts.
Reviewed By: Babs
In a Nutshell: I liked this book and reading more about the ladies of So Inked. It’s a nice continuation of the series.
Why I Read This Book: The prior books in the series sucked me in and I was ready for Autumn’s story.
The Set Up: Autumn is there for Sammi when he asks Autumn for a favor. They each get more than they expected from their “marriage bargain”.
What I Liked: I liked the continuation of the relationships and story-lines from the first two books in the series. I think series are my end-all, be-all. I love getting to know the characters through the run of the series and getting glimpses of past main characters and future main characters in each story.
I’m glad Autumn finally had to face the consequences for her actions in this book and actions from the previous stories. I think she started growing up a little from the perspective of taking responsibility for her actions and accepting the consequences.
I’m happy Sammi and Autumn worked things out in the end. I think most of the conflicts were resolved successfully but maybe not happily.
Like the previous two books, this one has brief descriptions/definitions at the beginning of each chapter. This book describes or defines types of piercings mostly. I thought some were too scary and/or painful sounding for me but still informative!
What I Didn’t Like: Like the other books in this series, there was a lot going on within the relationship, with the individuals, and around the relationship. To me it was almost too much conflict to resolve. When do they take a breather and just be?! If this was real life, I I think there’d be a lot more hysterics and mental breakdowns.
It was pretty obvious to me what was going on with Sammi and that there was something else or something different wrong with him. I feel the outcome of the “mystery” was predictable.
Sammi and Autumn both suggest they were attracted to the other during their friendship before this story starts. I would have liked more build-up to the sexy times instead of just the kiss during the ceremony that confirms the attraction is mutual then bam—sexy times!
Overall Impression: If you’re a fan of marriage of convenience/marriage in-name-only that becomes more (of course!), this may be a book for you. I’m looking forward to Mary’s story next!
Bab’s Rating:
3 Frogs
QUOTE:
I found that this book didn’t have any different triggers than many other romances have had for me, nothing too traumatic that would keep me from enjoying the story. I ended up being very glad I took the chance and read this book.
Review: His Marriage Bargain (So Inked #3) by Sidney Bristol
November 11, 2015 The Jeep Diva Review 0
Review: His Marriage Bargain (So Inked #3) by Sidney Bristol
A woman who loves too much…
When Autumn’s best friend proposes a pretend marriage, the chance to make all the kisses she’s imagined real is too much for her to pass up. She seduces him with her body and enjoys pushing his boundaries and fulfilling their sexual fantasies—but her heart isn’t supposed to be part of the bargain.
A man about to take his last breath…
Living on borrowed time, Sammi has just weeks left to live out his dying wish—to have the white picket fence, the house and the wife. If Autumn is the last woman he gets to taste, he’ll die a lucky man. Her body, her heart, everything about her calls to him. But love isn’t supposed to be in the plans.
In the crucible of passion, these two lovers will find out what they’re really made from, and just how long I Do lasts.
Title: His Marriage Bargain
Author: Sidney Bristol
Other books by this author that we've reviewed: Duty Bound, How Zombies Stole Christmas, Personal Adventures, Blind: Killer Instincts
Series: So Inked
Other books in this series that we've reviewed: Under His Skin, The Harder He Falls
Published by Inked Press
Source: Purchased for Self
Published: September 12, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Pages: 361
See the title at Goodreads
Purchase your copy: Amazon
Visit the Author's Website
Visit the Goodreads Series Page
Stars: five-stars
Flames: four-flames
The decision to even read this was a difficult one. I mean, how can there be a book with a hero dying, but still have a hea? Well that was the easy question to overcome. I needed to find out how that could happen and I like the author, Sidney Brostol. The next issue was, with a hero dying, would there be triggers for me? That was the much harder issue for me to deal with, but I decided to take the chance. I found that this book didn’t have any different triggers than many other romances have had for me, nothing too traumatic that would keep me from enjoying the story. I ended up being very glad I took the chance and read this book.
Now comes the really hard part. How does one write a review on a book about the hero dying without giving spoilers? I personally HATE spoilers. Therefore, I do not want to submit you, dear reader, to spoilers. Hence, my dilemma. *sigh* But, here goes.
As mentioned, there were no more triggers in this story than in any other romance I have read. In fact, only one stood out. I found myself shedding a tear when Autumn is in the bridal shop to purchase her wedding gown and finds herself all alone with no one to advise or help her choose. The author did an amazing job of having us feel that aloneness. And an even more amazing job of solving the issue. I cheered with the way Autumn pulled herself together and was very surprised at how she solved it. It was wonderful! And so was Autumn.
I have to say, I really liked Autumn. Even with her horrendous childhood, she has grown into a lovely, strong person full of love to share. She has a few issues still to work out, but really, who doesn’t? She, at least, is aware of her issues and is working on them. One of them being, she tends to jump (or run) into a situation without fully thinking it through, which isn’t really all bad. It just sometimes makes consequences a bit more complicated to deal with. But deal she does. Did I mention, I really liked Autumn?
As for Sammi, well, I really can’t say too much there without spoilers. Except maybe, he is your typical guy. This is mentioned by both Sammi and Autumn more than once. “You are such a guy!” “Glad you noticed.” OR “I am a guy.” “I noticed.” A little clichéd maybe, but it worked. I loved it.
Oh yes! Be prepared, this guy may be dying, but his libido certainly wasn’t. There is a lot of sex in this book. In a cabana, on the kitchen counter, in a recliner, and oh yes, even the bed. I would say your basic honeymoon couple. It was sweet actually.
This is book three in the So Inked series, but don’t worry. I haven’t read the first two either. I was not lost or felt I missed out by not having read them first. The author did a good job of telling us what we needed to know to make this an enjoyable read as a stand-alone. That being said, I will go back and read the first two books because I like this author, and I liked the secondary characters in this book and would like to read their stories too, both the two before and the potential two after.
I recommend you read this to find out how there can be a hea when the hero is dying. It is well worth the read, even with some of the more heart wrenching parts. Try it, you might find you like it too!
Review: Blind by Sidney Bristol #RomanticSuspense #SerialKiller
Blind: Killer Instincts“Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.” — Zun Zi
“As human beings we have the most extraordinary capacity for evil. We can perpetrate some of the most horrendous atrocities.” — Desmond Tutu
Plato, bless him, was wrong. No matter how intelligent he was. He said, “To prefer evil to good is not in human nature.” Possibly it was simply a blind spot. Or a “if wishes were horses” sort of thing. Because people, no matter who they are, or what they believe in, are balanced on a knife’s edge of savagery. Some more than others, of course. But for some? For some, there is no other choice but the darkness. Twisted, rotting souls, aching for the pleasure of blood and agony. Needing the death, the pain they bring to others. Then there are the soulless ones – the ones born with no conscience, no light. Those who live only for the game of death. A game. Simply a game.
Emma know about the game. Her grandparents were pawns, many years ago, when the TBK Killer took their lives. As if “took their lives” could possibly portray the horror of their deaths. Torture. Blind. Kill. Only, the truly cruel part? They left her father alive. Her father, who never recovered. Who lives in hiding, drunk and brutal and broken. So, Emma tries to understand. She gathered all of the monster’s letters to his victims she could find. Created files. Notes. Timelines. She learned everything she could about the monster who destroyed her family. She isn’t educated, she likes big trucks and dirt bikes, and she has only a single friend. But she is holding it together, working as a mechanic and sculpting in left-over metal and junk parts. She is alive. Sort of.
Jacob. Jacob is different from Emma, but in many ways the same. His father was the cop who brought down Mitchell Land, the TBK Killer. Mitchell Land, who killed himself in prison. Jacob’s father was never the same after that case. Bitter, silent, he never recovered. His father treated Emma’s horribly – hounding the child until he broke from the pressure. Until Emma’s father collapsed under the weight of not only what he saw, but the brutality of the police who were so determined to catch the killer, they destroyed the child’s soul. So. Much. Pain.
Now, years later, Jacob is a cop himself. And one day, he receives a letter. Then another. Letters which, while not exactly the same, reflect those of the TBK Killer. When his politician lieutenant refuses to listen, blowing off the letters as the work of kids or a creep with a personal grudge and knowledge of Jacob’s history, Jacob turns to Emma, hoping her collection will help him to discover if what he thinks is true. There is another serial killer out there – and his next target is Jacob.
Now, the bodies are piling up. And all of them have a connection to Emma. The two of them will have to work together to save one another. And with the FBI shutting them out, can they protect one another from a monster? Oh, but there is more to it than that. A lot more. A type of sick savagery that is both horrific – and yet totally believable. A truth that surely has Plato rolling in his grave.
This is one twisted tale, delving into the darkest depths of what is so lightly called the ‘human soul.’ Or rather, the very fact that, realistically? There are a lot of people out there who simply don’t have what we so blithely call a soul. Homo sapiens so dark, so evil, that even giving them the name isn’t truly realistic.
Homo pravissimus.*
This is a dark and bloody tale, and totally, completely compelling. Well, I can say that with a proviso of sorts. Sidney Bristol is a romance author who happens to write “romantic suspense.” So, there is a lot of sex in the book. I found it disappointing, actually. I am fine with romantic suspense. I like it in fact. But it is when an author like Bristol, who is such an exceptional suspense writer, puts so much sex into a book that it overshadows the suspense, well, I am disappointed. Of course, others will find the sex part to be exactly why they like the book, so to each their own. Be that as it may, I am glad I was offered the opportunity to read the book.
I received Blind from the publisher in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own and are based upon personal literary tastes. The cover gets a D for being boring and common. I wouldn’t have picked the book up on my own based on the cover.
prāvissimus – (Latin) Adjective – (superlative of prāvus) 1. most or very deformed; 2. most or very depraved
Blind by Sidney Bristol
5 October 2015 Sarah Reviews, Romance 0
Do you like the show Criminal Minds? Do you think eyeballs are creepy? If you answered yes to one (or both) of those questions, then go grab a copy of Blind by Sidney Bristol. If you answered no, then just try it anyways. Serial killers, eyeballs, and sexy cops, oh my! Blind is a fast-paced romantic thriller that will keep you turning pages and (possibly) covering your eyes. Blind captured the creepy and horrific without causing me to sleep with the lights on (though I may have looked over my shoulder for days on end). Full disclosure: I do NOT like horror movies or books, so while this book has a certain creepy factor, it didn’t trigger my inner toddler and incite nightmares.
SBristol-BlindHe recognizes the darkness in her. It’s in him, too.
Detective Jacob Payton knows the clock is ticking down. Someone is about to die, and his best suspect is also his only source of information. He’s known Emma Ration’s story for years—after all, a brutal serial killer left his mark on both their lives when they were still young. Meeting her is another experience altogether. She challenges his control and entices him in ways no other woman has.
But is she the killer? As the bodies pile up and their passion ignite, Jacob runs the risk of losing his control. Falling for Emma was never in his plan, but now that she’s part of his life he’s not about to give her up. Not even to the FBI on the trail of the very same killer.
Jacob must figure out if it’s Emma in danger, or himself. If he can’t uncover the identity of the copycat killer, it could be the end for both him and the woman who has fast become the center of his life.
Two people unable to fully move forward from events that touched their lives, Emma and Jacob are forced to face the ghosts of their pasts. Emma – mechanic, dirt bike racer, and all-around tough girl – is having trouble fighting her attraction to Jacob, the cop. Let’s be fair – she doesn’t really want to fight the attraction, because the sexy cop really revs her engine. She has information that he wants, and they both are up for a little late night investigation…of one another (lame joke, I know!). Add in a quest to stop a copycat serial killer, and, well, things get messy.
I like that Emma is so scrappy. She might not have had the best childhood, but she’s made a life for herself. She doesn’t take shit from anyone (including Jacob). Emma is also very comfortable with her looks and her sexuality. Any story with a female lead that embraces herself – flaws and all – is worth noting. Emma isn’t a shy virgin, but she isn’t ashamed of her sexuality either. Body positivity is becoming increasingly important to me as I try to raise my daughter to love herself as she is. Those messages should also be in the books we read and love.
Jacob is the quintessential protective cop. I like him, and he was a good fit for Emma. BUT, I felt like the secondary characters (namely the BAU folks) took the focus. Very reminiscent of Criminal Minds, the quirky characters were so interesting that they easily eclipsed Jacob. I just want to know more about their stories (ahem – Jade). I know we’ll get more in future books, but that doesn’t stop my imagination from running wild!
There was only one moment where I felt the crime scene might be a little too gruesome for my taste. However, the clinical description from the prospective of the seasoned law enforcement characters didn’t over-sensationalize the tragic scene.
A great start to a new series of romantic thrillers, Blind grabs you at the start and doesn’t let go (not unlike a clingy ex, but this is in a good way). So, if your reading diet is deficient in serial killers or you could use more sexy cops (who says no to sexy cops?), give Blind a try. I’m dying to know which characters get the next book in this series. (See what I did there? Totally another bad joke.)
Review: Up in Flames (Firehouse Three #1) by Sidney Bristol
November 4, 2016 The Jeep Diva Review 0
Review: Up in Flames (Firehouse Three #1) by Sidney Bristol
He wants her . . .
Fireman Hunter Shaw is a world-class screwup. He’s got a lifetime of experience tanking every good thing that’s come his way. But when a shy, curvy brunette wins him at a charity auction to benefit a local rescue shelter, he realizes she’s got as much a way with him as with the dogs. Can he convince her he’s on her side when she’s framed for arson?
She wants control . . .
Demolition specialist Jessie Durcell is in deep trouble when someone steals her explosives. Her brothers blame her, the cops suspect her, and the only person she can turn to is her sinfully sexy one-night stand. Can she trust the tattooed fireman? He’s wooed her pack of canine miscreants and her brothers hate him. He might just be the man she needs in her corner.
A deadly arsonist wants to send Dallas UP IN FLAMES.
Title: Up In Flames
Author: Sidney Bristol
Other books by this author that we've reviewed: Duty Bound, How Zombies Stole Christmas, Personal Adventures, Blind: Killer Instincts
Series: Firehouse Three
Other books in this series that we've reviewed: Light Up the Night
Published by Inked Press
Source: Publisher
Published: October 25, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 213
See the title at Goodreads
Purchase your copy: Amazon
Visit the Author's Website
Visit the Goodreads Series Page
Stars: three-stars
Flames: three-half-flames
I received this book for free from the Publisher or Author in exchange for an honest review, or I purchased it with my own funds. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
300 Review
Jesse Durcell spends her time between demolition jobs doing what she loves, playing with dogs. The amazing thing about Jesse is that when she’s playing with dogs she’s really training them. She trains scent dogs. Her best friend helps her get great pooches through her animal rescue. The next great scent pup find is how Jesse ends up at the charity event. It’s a win win for Jesse. She gets to make a donation to her friends shelter, get a new pup to train, all the while unknowingly getting the hottest one night stand of her life.
Being auctioned off at a charity auction isn’t a big deal for Hunter. He knows it’s for a great cause and he finds the pooch that he gets to babysit for the evening as kind of cute. He gets the added bonus of Fido drawing the attention of Jesse. Jesse just happens to be everything he never realized he wanted in a woman, especially a woman in his life. As luck would have it she’s also his winning bidder.
The C4 isn’t the only thing explosive in this sexy little book. Hunter and Jesse have some very sexy hot times before all hell breaks loose due to the theft that rocks Jesse’s world. She has a hard enough time as it is doing a man’sjob while working with her brothers that still see her as someone who needs taken care of. A new relationship with a guy who should have been a one night stand is going to be the least of her worries when the thieves take more than just explosives.
I never grasped how Hunter is a “world-class screwup.” He has this low opinion of himself that really isn’t supported. The few things that were presented seemed like minor things that he just needed to get over. The fact that ladies have seen him only as a hot tumble in the sack and never relationship material wasn’t enough to convince me that he was a screw-up. Maybe I just liked seeing him how Jesse did, as the good bad boy.
I needed a little closure where Jesse, her brothers, and Durcell Construction was concerned. Towards the end of Up In Flames there was a business meeting that had some serious, possible repercussions. The details of the meeting were left unknown thus the fallout wasn’t really specified. This allowed for the aftermath to go unsaid, unnoticed, or unresolved.