(Review) Anticipation by Sarah Mayberry

Title: Anticipation
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Series: Brothers Ink, #2
Published: April 2015
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital review copy provided by author for honest review. (Thank you!)

Summary: Blue Sullivan knows a player when she sees one. And Eddie Oliveira—charm and sex personified—was born to play. She never wanted him to say goodbye, so for the last ten years she’s ignored the sizzling attraction between them and focused on being the best sidekick a guy could have. Smart girl, right?

Then Blue has a serious accident, and overnight Eddie changes. Suddenly he’s more intense and singularly devoted…to her. With all this sexy attention, it’s hard to stay within the boundaries she’s scrupulously drawn. The temptation, the anticipation builds and, finally, she has to have what he’s offering. Of course Eddie proves to be brilliant. Now, she worries he’s ruined her forever…and she might regret leaping from friends to lovers.

I love that the title of this book is Anticipation, because that is entirely accurate in regards to my feelings about it. I've been looking forward to Blue and Eddie's story since meeting them in Satisfaction last year. While it is not absolutely necessary to read that one first, I would recommend doing so. It is nice to see Blue and Eddie's dynamic from an outsider's perspective before getting a peek at what is really going on beneath the surface. Plus it's just a great book!

Anticipation does not disappoint! I have a serious weakness for I've-loved-you-forever books. From the very first paragraph, you know that is going to be the case with this one. Blue has had feelings for her best friend Eddie for years, but she is trying to move past them. Alas, she is not, much to her dismay, having very much luck.

This book does have a Big Dangerous Incident. That is common enough in romance novels, and it is usually used as the catalyst to make someone - quite often the hero - realize that he does, in fact, have feelings for the heroine, that he cannot go on living with out her, etc. etc. And I don't know about you, but I've been sick of that plot device since the first ten times I read it. BUT in Anticipation, the Incident actually happens in the first chapter. Blue is hit by a motorcycle while crossing the street, and she winds up in the hospital. While Eddie is extremely upset, obviously, the accident is not merely the hit over the head he has always needed to realize he loves her. He already knows he cares deeply about her; they have been friends for years. It is treated seriously, and it has repercussions. It also leads to her staying at his apartment so he can help her recuperate, which is a 100% awesome setup, let me tell you.

One of the reasons I loved this book is that I was so convinced of how Blue and Eddie knew each other inside out. They were friends - close friends, real friends - for years before the book even started, and that shows in all their interactions. They give each other crap. They joke. They fight. But you always know that there is that foundation of caring that will always remain.

I really enjoyed having Blue as a main character. She is an atypical heroine, definitely, and rather difficult. A talented tattoo artist who wears her hair in varying shades of blue, she has walls a mile thick. She is straightforward and blunt, and she doesn't take crap from anyone. I've seen reviews that said she interfered with their enjoyment of the book, but I personally loved her! My heart broke as she struggled against her natural instincts to run away from anything that might wind up causing her pain.

Eddie is a great guy as well, and it is clear that he cares very much about Blue. He also has a great relationship with his brother, a dynamic I very much enjoyed reading. Then there's the chemistry between the two of them (er, "them" being Eddie and Blue, obviously). Yowza! I thought my Nook was going to start shooting sparks at one point.

Overall, Anticipation is definitely a winner. It could be just a standard friends-to-lovers with lots of long-time pining, but Mayberry makes it so much more. She brings the tattoo parlor and the secondary characters to life. Blue and Eddie are flawed people, but she weaves their story together beautifully.

First:Her life would be so much easier if she could hate him.

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Favorite:Ground rules: anything I can do for myself, I do for myself. Period. End of story. You can, however, bring me food any time you like.

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Teaser:“I can be as gracious as the next person.”
“If the next person is a sleep-deprived rhino with anger management issues.”

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(Review) Satisfaction by Sarah Mayberry

Title: Satisfaction
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Published: February 28, 2014 (Small Cow Productions)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital copy received from author in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Maggie Hendricks loves her life. She’s got a great job, amazing friends. Everything is perfect - except for one smallish problem. Maggie can’t quite get there, sexually speaking. It’s just never happened for her. And while she tells herself she’s fine with that, she can’t help feeling as though she’s missing out.

When her friend shares the intimate details of an encounter with an extremely talented lover, Maggie makes a desperate pact with herself. She will seduce this man - or allow him to seduce her - and if he can’t get her there...well, then she’ll hand herself over to medical science. A simple enough plan. What could possible go wrong?

Within minutes of meeting Rafel Oliveira, Maggie knows the answer to that one: plenty. But Rafel turns out to be far more than simply talented in the bedroom. As he takes her on a journey toward the ultimate pleasure, Maggie finds herself craving a lot more than his beautiful body. The question is, is Rafel’s heart available for the taking?

I've been reading Sarah Mayberry since I first became a fledgling romance convert years back, and she hasn't let me down yet. Obviously when the opportunity came, I jumped at the chance to review Satisfaction, her newest self-published novel (especially since her last self-pub was so freaking incredible. Seriously, if you like hate-to-love stories, check outHer Best Worst Mistake. You won't regret it.)

Satisfaction is such an original story! I've never read anything like it. This is the story of Maggie, a bookstore owner in Australia who has a frustrating problem: She cannot achieve orgasm. She's in her mid twenties and has never been able to, by herself or with the help of talented (or not-so-talented) partners.

So when her friend describes a one-off hands-down-best-sex-of-her-life encounter with a Brazilian tattoo artist in his parlor but has no intention of pursuing things, Maggie gets a crazy idea. She should go pretend like she's going to get a tattoo and seduce the guy. Obviously someone so legendarily talented couldn't let her down.

Only there's a slight problem.

She gets the wrong guy.

See, it turns out Mr. Potential Orgasm has a twin brother, Rafel, and Maggie propositions him instead. She flees in embarrassment when he rejects her, but a comment that she makes intrigues him. After some pondering, he tracks her down a bit later and offers to help her with her problem. She agrees.

Thus begins their sexy game.

But it becomes more than a game pretty quickly. What could have so very easily been a Magical Sex = Love plot did not fall into that trap. Between their sessions of Pursuit of the Little Death, Maggie and Rafel have real interactions. They talk about their emotions, their dreams. They joke, they laugh. He reads a book purely based on her recommendation. They spend a day together at the beach with his brother and Blue, a close friend of the brothers. And wait for it because this is the cherry on top: They actually communicate and are honest with each other! Something which is delightful to read even when it's painful, which is sometimes the case here.

I have read quite a few books lately where the heroines either work at or own a book store, and it always makes me happy! This one is especially awesome, as Maggie talks about a lot of romance authors like Meredith Duran, Nalini Singh, and Georgette Heyer (Maggie's favorite author, something which prompted me to finally pick up my first Heyer, which I'm currently reading!).

I've never read a story quite like Satisfaction, and I appreciate Mayberry's frank treatment of Maggie's orgasmically-challenged affliction. I'm not going to spoil whether or not she ever, ahem, reaches satisfaction, but I'll tell you that Rafel and Maggie's interactions are certain to have you reaching for a glass of cold water regardless. Plus, they are just so sweet! This is definitely a winner, and I would recommend it for anyone who likes her romances real, hot, and satisfying.

First:“Beautifully written. Very lyrical. And so many triple-score words I had to read with a dictionary by the bedside just to make sense of it.”

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Favorite:“What’s so funny?” he asked, head tilted to one side, quizzical smile on his mouth.
“Such a guy meal,” she said. “The sandwich equivalent of banging your chest like Tarzan.”
“You don’t like meatball subs?”
“I love them.”
“But you’re still giving me grief?”
“Seems like it.”

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Teaser:She felt a little dizzy. The man was so hot he was practically a walking erogenous zone.

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Friday Five: Contemporary Romance Edition (#03)

Book: True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson
Series: Chinooks Hockey Team, #4
Published: April 28, 2009 (Avon)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Thoughts: I had wanted to read this book for quite some time before I actually got my hands on it. Even though I know next to nothing about hockey (and still don't, even after reading this book), it was an enjoyable read. The beginning was extremely similar to It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips; I half expected the heroine's name to be Phoebe. But it was about Faith and hockey, not Phoebe and football, and the similarities pretty much ended at the premise. The book was good, but nothing about it was overwhelmingly wonderful. The heroine was attractive, and the hero was Alpha (and his name was Ty Savage, which should not be sexy but totally is). One thing that bothered me was that there were some awesome secondary storylines happening, but we really didn't get any resolution for them at the end. Overall, though, it was a cute and fast read.

"That might be inappropriate."
"The things I'm going to do to you are very inappropriate." He lowered his mouth to her ear. "You should probably be afraid."
"Are you planning anything illegal?"
"Not the first two or three times."

Book: Take on Me by Sarah Mayberry
Series: Secret Lives Of Daytime Divas, #1
Published: March 1, 2007 (Harlequin)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Thoughts: I really liked the premise of this one because I used to love soap operas (Guiding Light specifically), and I am fascinated by the idea of how the making of them actually works. I know Mayberry used to (or still does?) work on an Australian soap opera, so it was nice to know what I was reading was at least fairly authentic. I just really enjoyed the whole atmosphere of writing and producing. Dylan and Sadie had great chemistry, and I believed the development of their relationship. I wish parts of it could have been dragged out a little longer, but I know Harlequin has pretty strict word limits for their category romance titles. I definitely liked how their history was woven into the story. I thought Dylan was a very complex character, but I enjoyed getting to know him. I could understand him more after seeing his struggles and what he had gone through to overcome them. Overall, while not my favorite Mayberry, Take on Me was still an enjoyable read.

We’re like the three musketeers – if one of us has to pee hiding behind a bush in the woods, the rest of us will have to, as well. It’s an unwritten rule of our friendship code.

Book: Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Series: Chicago Stars, #2
Published: April 1, 1995 (Avon)
Rating: Stash in the Glove Box
Thoughts: There seems to be a lot of love for this book floating about, and if you feel that way, I advise you to put on your big girl pants or skip my comments. I usually really like SEP, but I didn't get the appeal of this book at all. The heroine, Gracie, was spineless and "homely" (which she handily mentions 473,892 times, just in case you somehow miss it). She was self-deprecating like whoa and not in a humorous way. And then we have the hero, Bobby Tom. The guy was a sexist pig, and his behavior was too much for me to forgive, even if there had been a strong redemption element. But there wasn't even that. But he had a good side seemed to somehow be a good enough excuse for it. Guess what? Pedophiles and serial killers have good sides, too. THAT MEANS NOTHING. The side story was enjoyable in theory, but it took up too much of the book and got boring. The book did have some redeeming qualities, such as a fairly interesting main storyline and the fact that all the 90s references were totally cracking me up. As a whole, though, I was not impressed.

With the exception of that one unfortunate incident when he’d stopped the car on a bridge, dragged her to the side, and threatened to toss her over, they’d gotten along very well.

Book: Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Series: Born In Trilogy, #3
Published: January 1, 1996 (Jove)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Thoughts: Okay, singular complaint out of the way first: I don't enjoy random large paranormal/mysticism/whatever elements in books that are billed as straightforward contemporary romance. Much less in the third of a trilogy which has had none of it before! I'm still peeved about this, because I think the characters could have had a tremendous love story without the unnecessary elements that were included in the book. I do appreciate that Roberts did not go overboard with it, though. That aside, I loved so many things about this book! I could sympathize with Shannon and eventually grew to like her. I absolutely fell head over heels with Murphey, and I loved how he called her by her full name (Shannon Bodine) all the time like it was a term of endearment to him. I liked watching the bond between the three sisters grow, and I just love the Ireland setting in general. Also, I'm still in love with the voice of the guy who reads these audiobooks. Just saying. If you love a good Irish accent, look up the audiobooks of this trilogy!

Any woman who worked out three times a week should be able to outrun a cow.

Book: Double Play by Jill Shalvis
Series: Pacific Heat, #1
Published: July 7, 2009 (Berkley)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Thoughts: My love of Jill Shalvis and her fabulous books continues! After reading Slow Heat, #2 in this series (yes, I read them backwards), I was excited for this one. It didn't let me down! I loved both the hero and the heroine. I enjoyed the way baseball was woven into the story, even though it is not my favorite sport. There were some great friendship portrayals, from Pace and Wade's close but easygoing and fun friendship to the one developing between Sam and Holly throughout the story. The dialogue was snappy and hilarious, and the chemistry between Pace and Holly was smoking. I could also totally relate to Pace and his Dr Pepper withdrawal. Poor guy! The love confession at the end was original and cute and fabulous. It also made me really happy to see the pre-set up for Wade and Sam, the h/hr from Slow Heat. All-in-all, Double Play was a great read, and you don't even have to love baseball to appreciate it.

The guy was edible. No other word need apply.

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(Review) The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry

Title: The Other Side of Us
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Published: January 2, 2013 (Harlequin)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital copy from publisher via NetGalley

Summary: The best thing between Oliver Barrett and Mackenzie Williams is a fence. Ever since Oliver's new-neighbor gestures were met with unfriendly responses, he's decided to keep his distance. After all, he's in this seaside town to get his life on track again. That doesn't include working hard to get on Mackenzie's good side—no matter how intriguing she may be. His intentions are put to the test, however, when his dog becomes infatuated with hers. The two crafty canines do their best to break down the barriers between the properties. And where the dogs go…, well, the humans must follow! It doesn't take long for a powerful attraction to build between Oliver and Mackenzie. They soon discover that the worst of first impressions can lead to the best possible outcomes….

The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry is a beautiful romance between two people who should by all accounts have broken due to different circumstances. But they weren't. That was one of the things that made this story so enjoyable. I loved Mackenzie and her tenacity, and I loved Oliver and his brilliant sense of humor. I didn't even mind the dogs too much; Strudel might be the cutest name for a dog ever.

Another aspect of this book that was nice was that both Mackenzie and Oliver were 39 when the story started, which is older than the norm in contemporary romance. It is by no means ancient or anything, obviously, but it made for a nice change of pace from the late-twenties-early-thirties heroes and heroines in stories I tend to read.

I liked the relationship between Mackenzie and Oliver; it developed quickly from the initial dislike, and sweetness and sexiness abounded in equal measure. It was almost simplistic in a way, but it just worked with them.

(Minor spoilers in this paragraph.) Pretty much my only real problem with this book was that Oliver was in the middle of a divorce when they met. Divorce is a sticky issue for me, because I feel like the divorce needs to be finalized before I can support any romantic shenanigans that may happen the story. Unfortunately, this was obviously not the case in this book, so I just tried not to think about it. I know it's a picky thing, but it still bothered me.

Besides the aforementioned issue and a kind of slow beginning, though, I really enjoyed The Other Side of Us. It was all kinds of adorable and fun and sexy and swoony. (Did I mentioned Oliver is a musician...?) It balanced all those wonderful factors with real issues, and the result was pretty great. Sarah Mayberry remains one of my favorite contemporary authors.

Next time I will make sure to bring along a laugh track so you know when I’ve been funny.

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Sometimes, the voice in his head was way too much of a smart-ass.

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But she’d worked hard for this body. She’d fought alongside the doctors to keep it alive. She’d struggled against pain and expectation to become strong again. She’d survived and thrived in this body, and she refused to be ashamed of it.

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