Iou Sex

Nov 17, 2011 Flame rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotica, other-romance, just-fine

So I kinda hated the ending of this book. It’s like after the whole book, I practically didn’t read anything! So this was a novella. An erotic one. Basically, after reading it, I felt super dirty. I mean, if it was a romance with erotic elements in it, I wouldn’t have hated it. But this, I can’t even classify as a romance. Major spoiler. There was no HEA. How can a romance not have a HEA? And thus, this isn’t a romance, short or long either way. It’s simply an erotic novella. Gosh, there was lik...more

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Sep 11, 2011 Laura Cavazos rated it 5 of 5 stars

When you start reading, you’ll know how it ends, but that doesn’t stop you from keep reading.
Fiona comes from an affluent family… and what a family: her parents always made her do as they pleased, until she got tired, specially from her mother and sister, Lizzie, who have always wanted to be like Fiona, that’s why Lizzie slept with Fiona’s boyfriend (or 69 with him when Fiona caught them in action).

Michael Houston is her best friend-fuck friend, a photographer, really hot man and also a player…...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, romance

First of all, way to undersell a book by saddling it with an inappopriate title. I don't mean that the implication that one person owes another sex is inappropriate, although I wouldn't be the hugest fan of such an arrangement. No, my objection is that the title simply doesn't fit the story. It's hard to review such a short story without being completely spoileriffic, but I can safely say that sex isn't really used as a bargaining chip in this story.

Now that I've said what this book wasn't, let...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Brie C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I requested this book because the synopsis had two of my favorite elements, friends to lovers and scorned lover seeking revenge. I enjoyed it a lot, because it is a novella the story is quite short and straightforward, there’s no drama and you know how it will end, but it had great characters and it was well written. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised.

Fiona Carlisle n...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I requested this book because the synopsis had two of my favorite elements, friends to lovers and scorned lover seeking revenge. I enjoyed it a lot, because it is a novella the story is quite short and straightforward, there’s no drama and you know how it will end, but it had great characters and it was well written. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised.

Fiona Carlisle needs a date for her sister’s enjoyment party. Since the fiancé used to be Fiona’s fiancé until she caught him having sex with her sister, she really wants to make an impression, not because she still has feelings but because she wants everyone to know that she is better off. The person she has in mind to be that date is Michael Houston. Michael is one of Fiona’s best friends and was her rebound guy after you broke up with the cheating boyfriend. They had a couple of weeks full of hot monkey sex but when she realized that she could love him (and this guy is the definition of love ‘em and leave ‘em) she got scared because she didn’t want her heart broken again. Michael agrees to be her date on one condition: she has to spend the weekend with him, on his bed.

Since this was marketed as an erotica novella I was expecting 20,000 words of pure sex. But that wasn’t the case. There is a clear story-arc, you get a strong sense of who the leads are and there’s even some backstory. Because it is narrated from Fiona’s POV she is the most fleshed-out character, but Michael wears his heart on his sleeve so you do get some insight from his character as well.

I liked Fiona because she wasn’t bitter and even accepted that she had dodged a bullet, she had some insecurities but in the end was able to move on and wasn’t emotionally crippled by the fact that his fiancé cheated on her with her little sister. Michael was the type of hero I love, he knew what he wanted and went for it.

I enjoyed both the stories and the sex scenes and I think they were pretty balanced so it didn’t feel like I was reading porn, in fact, I wouldn’t call this novella an erotica at all, to me it felt like a contemporary romance, it had hot sex but it wasn’t anything over the top, it wasn’t abundant and besides using some crude word when referring to Fiona’s “womanly parts” and “secret places” (and is Fiona who uses this words, not Michael) there wasn’t anything that I wouldn’t expect from a regular contemporary romance (one with hot sex in it). If you like your erotica on the really raunchy and steamy side maybe this one will disappoint you.

Overall I liked it, it was an enjoyable read, light and funny, the hero was hot and the heroine was feisty. If you are in the mood for a very quick read (remember this is a novella) then go for it. I’m giving it a 3 because a story this short really has to blow my mind to get a higher rating, this one was fun but I probably won’t read it again and I think that it falls short on the sex part for a novella sold as an erotica.

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
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Jul 31, 2011 Lydia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book Details
Title: IOU Sex
Publisher: Carina Press (August 1, 2011)
Authors: Calista Fox

You have to love short stories that captivate you in every way; and this one will keep you prisoner until the end. Fiona Carlisle has been betrayed by the two people who could hurt her the most efficiently…her fiancé and her sister. Ex fiancé, since Fiona caught him and her sister in her bed together in a very compromising sexual act when she came home early from work one fateful evening.

Since that terrible ni...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Kristy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2011

I don’t know about you, but I love a story where a bitch gets what’s coming to her. Combine that with some hot sex and a happy ending and you’ve got the makings of a great story. And that’s just what IOU Sex is.....a great story. (Though, I wish to God it had a different title. I *almost* didn’t read this book based on the title alone. I don’t know why....it just has that “cheezy” vibe to it. Granted, I can’t think of a title that I would prefer over this one, so there ya go.)

Anyway.

Like all of...more I don’t know about you, but I love a story where a bitch gets what’s coming to her. Combine that with some hot sex and a happy ending and you’ve got the makings of a great story. And that’s just what IOU Sex is.....a great story. (Though, I wish to God it had a different title. I *almost* didn’t read this book based on the title alone. I don’t know why....it just has that “cheezy” vibe to it. Granted, I can’t think of a title that I would prefer over this one, so there ya go.)

Anyway.

Like all of the books I read that are well done,,,,,I wanted more. I loved the concept of this book so much, but it SO deserved to be a full length novel. It felt more like the final act of a really good book versus a stand alone novella. That being said....I loved it to pieces.

Fiona comes from an affluent family. The kind where you do what you're told without question. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Fiona isn't the type to just obey orders. She marches to the beat of her own drummer, much to her overbearing mother's chagrin.

Fiona has just received an invitation to her baby sister’s engagement party. No big deal, really, except that the sister, Lizzie, is marrying Fiona’s FORMER fiance! How did he become her former fiance, you ask? Well.....Fiona caught them 69-ing it in HER bed right before the wedding. Classy, right? And even classier.....Fiona gets an invitation to the engagement party - on the SAME stationary that Fiona herself had picked out when she was the intended bride. (Gah. Uppity folks can be so tacky.) To show that she’s the bigger person and that’s she’s over it.....Fiona decides to go to said engagement party. In a racy red dress - with some super hot mancandy on her arm. That man is her best friend and occasional fuck-buddy, Michael Houston. Michael is a famous photographer, a hot piece of ass, and a super nice man. And.....well.....he’s also somewhat of a player. Because of this, Fiona has kept her heart away from him. Because, really, the last thing she needs is another broken heart and another failed relationship.

So, the day before the nightmare engagement party, Fiona calls up Michael and says she needs to ask him a favor. In his oh-so-sexy voice, he asks her to come over and ask her in person. She’s not stupid.....she knows what he wants. And even though it’s been almost a year since she’s been with him - and she’s horny as hell - she promises herself that she’s not going to sleep with him. (Yea, right!!)

Of course, they end up having some amazing sex....and in the midst of all that, we realize that Michael just might not be as much of a player as he used to be. It’s obvious from their interaction that Fiona is special to Michael. In fact, he wants a real relationship with her, but Fiona doesn’t want to go there. (OK, yea, she really does....but she’s scared. A broken heart is a hard thing to forget.) Of course, Michael agrees to go to the party on her arm....IF....she agrees to spend the rest of the weekend with him. (And like a fortune cookie....you should tack on “in bed” to that previous sentence.) Reluctantly, she agrees.
The party is everything you would have hoped it to be. Fiona gets exactly the reaction she was hoping for. She looked smokin’ hot, and she was with an equally smokin’ hot man that only had eyes for her. She got to tell off her fake-ass-fiance-stealing sister and she finally realized that she really was completely over the cheating-bastard-ex-fiance. Oh yea, the uppity mother who turned a blind eye to her younger daughter stealing the other daughter’s fiance.....yea....she got told off too.

AND, Fiona finally realized that Michael is a man worth going out on a limb for and risking it all for.

*Sigh* I love stories like this. I love seeing worthy people get what they deserve and asshole people getting told where they can shove it. But like I said in the beginning....this felt so much like the third act of a really good novel. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the story. But when I think of the potential backstory that could have been.....I feel a little let down. The conflict resolution was so sweet....but I couldn’t help but feel just how much sweeter it could have been if the book started....say.....right after Fiona caught the fiance and the sister going at it. And then how she met Michael, etc. I always hate to base my rating on what ISN’T there versus what IS.....but in this case, I can’t help it. I would totally give this 5 stars, but there was so much more I wanted.

*ARC provided by NetGalley(less)

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Jul 30, 2011 Danielle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: review

This review was originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

It's been a year since Fiona came home and caught her fiancé in bed with her younger sister. At the time a broken and distraught Fiona turned to her friend Michael for a shoulder to cry on. That shoulder quickly turned into something more. After three weeks of amazing sex, Fiona decides to end things and be just "friends" with Michael. She's afraid of being hurt again and would rather push someone away rather than face potential pain...more This review was originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

It's been a year since Fiona came home and caught her fiancé in bed with her younger sister. At the time a broken and distraught Fiona turned to her friend Michael for a shoulder to cry on. That shoulder quickly turned into something more. After three weeks of amazing sex, Fiona decides to end things and be just "friends" with Michael. She's afraid of being hurt again and would rather push someone away rather than face potential pain and humiliation of catching him cheating on her.

Even after the breakup Fiona and Michael continued to become closer in their friendship. When Fiona receives an invitation to her sister and ex-fiancé's engagement party she knows she only wants to take Michael. Taking Michael will prove to everyone that she is over her cheating ex and everything that happened a year ago. When Fiona asks Michael to come with her, he agrees but but only if Fiona agrees to a weekend of sex with him. Michael wants more from Fiona than just friendship and will do anything to make Fiona realize she wants the same things, even if he has to blackmail her into it.

I really enjoyed Michael and liked that he wasn't afraid to let Fiona how he felt towards her. He was ready and willing to take care of her in any way that was needed. He was very dependable. As for Fiona, she was a little annoying to me. Throughout the entire story she kept saying that she wanted to show everyone that she was over everything her ex and sister put her through but it didn't come across that way to me at all. I didn't get a sense that she was over anything. She just kept saying it over and over again as if she had to convince herself that she was. Another issue I had was the chemistry between Fiona and Michael. I didn't really feel any sparks between them and when it came to their smut scenes they seemed a little flat.

All in all, this wasn't a terrible story. I definitely kept turning the page wanting to know how everything was going to pan out between Michael and Fiona.

**This was an ARC copy provided by NetGalley**(less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Maldivianbookreviewer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: calista-fox, bad-boy-hero, commitment-phobic-hero, commitment-phobic-heroine, contemporary-romance, endearing-hero, endearing-heroine, erotica, explosive-passion, family-drama, friends-to-lovers, first-person-pov, good-for-nothing-ex-fiance, good-girl-heroine, haunted-by-the-past-heroine, hot-as-sin-hero, hottest-sex-scenes-ever, netgalley-reads, not-yet-released, novella, rebound-sex, sizzling-sexual-tension, bathroom-smexing

What was I expecting when I delved into the first pages of IOU Sex by Calista Fox? Certainly not a story written in the first person though amazingly the author made it work for me, delivering a novella that is worth a read if you love contemporary romances with tinge of erotic sexual content included in the package.

27 year old Fiona Leslie Carlisle hails from a prestigious family, her own mother a Judge, the whole family caring more about keeping up appearances than caring about what being a fa...more What was I expecting when I delved into the first pages of IOU Sex by Calista Fox? Certainly not a story written in the first person though amazingly the author made it work for me, delivering a novella that is worth a read if you love contemporary romances with tinge of erotic sexual content included in the package.

27 year old Fiona Leslie Carlisle hails from a prestigious family, her own mother a Judge, the whole family caring more about keeping up appearances than caring about what being a family actually means. Fiona dreads facing her family and her sister who snatched away her fiance' Seth Corbett III, and knows that the only way to save face would be to show up in the hot little red dress she ordered especially for the occasion, completing the package with the ultra gorgeous and sexy as sin Michael Houston on her arm.

A year ago, when Fiona had her heart broken and her pride in tatters after walking in on her sister going down and dirty with Seth, it had been Michael her good friend who had understood what she was going through and offered her with rebound sex of the mind numbing and body tingling variety. However, the fact that Michael means to her more than just a convenient lay now and then made Fiona run from her burgeoning feelings towards Michael then, a fact that Michael is determined to turn around with the bargain he strikes with Fiona in return for attending the engagement party with her.

IOU Sex definitely surprised me, all in a good way of course, with the character development that Calista Fox managed to deliver with such a limited number of pages and somehow managed to give a satisfying well-rounded romance and happily ever after in the end. Though the story being told in first person meant that I didn't get to learn more about Michael's thoughts and musings which I definitely would have loved to know more about, even then the author manages to bring forth the fact that when it came to Fiona and Michael being romantically involved, Michael was well on-board with the plan.

Both Michael and Fiona are well developed characters who sizzle the pages with the scorching intensity of their passion for one another. But IOU Sex is more than just two people getting it on in the bedroom; it is the story of how two friends find within each other a craving that only the other can satisfy and how a woman finds the confidence and courage to let go of the past to grab onto the future with the man who is made for her right by her side. Loved how everything turned out in the end, leaving me a satisfied reader all around.

With a bite of erotic content, IOU Sex is a novella that delivers well and good on both character development and emotions making this a well deserving addition to your TBR pile!

Rating = 4.25/5

Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance (less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

**This book was provided to me via NetGalley**

Fiona Carlisle thought she had everything together. She had a successful career in PR, good looks, and the perfect fiancé whom her parents adored. Imagine her surprise to come home to find her fiancé in bed with another woman; her sister Lizzie. Ouch. Feeling bruised from the ordeal, she swears off men entirely and does all she can to maintain some type of dignity within her affluent family full of lawyers and judges.

Working in PR, Fiona often hires...more **This book was provided to me via NetGalley**

Fiona Carlisle thought she had everything together. She had a successful career in PR, good looks, and the perfect fiancé whom her parents adored. Imagine her surprise to come home to find her fiancé in bed with another woman; her sister Lizzie. Ouch. Feeling bruised from the ordeal, she swears off men entirely and does all she can to maintain some type of dignity within her affluent family full of lawyers and judges.

Working in PR, Fiona often hires photographers for different products she’s promoting, and her attitude towards giving men a shot change when she meets hunky photographer Michael. There’s an instant attraction between the two of them and it doesn’t take long before the two of them are heating up the sheets. Despite how fantastic the chemistry is between the two of them, Michael has quite the reputation with women, and is especially afraid of any type of commitment with a woman. After three weeks of sensual bliss, Fiona pulls away, fearful that the fate of their relationship will end as her former one did. Even though they are no longer intimate, the pair remain great friends and spend a lot of time together.

When Fiona’s sister and former fiancé become engaged, Fiona is determined to prove to everyone that she is not affected by the humiliating ordeal. She orders a risqué dress and plans to go into the party dropping jaws along the way. The only thing that would make this plan perfect is to have a hunk of a man on her arm, and Fiona knows the perfect person for the job.

Michael agrees to be Fiona’s date to the engagement party under one condition; she must give them another shot. Contrary to Fiona’s feelings towards their former relationship, Michael developed real feelings towards Fiona and thinks of her constantly. He wants nothing more than to be in a committed relationship with her and this is a perfect opportunity to give that a shot. Fiona agrees and succumbs to a night of passion her body quickly remembers and desires like never before.

This was pretty good for a short read (right at 20,000 words). I love stories where a woman’s been burned and she comes back on top, making everyone eat their heart out. That’s exactly what happens in this when Fiona makes her appearance at Lizzie’s engagement party. I was rooting for her, shouting on the inside, “You Go Girl!!!”

The sex in this is pretty steamy, but pretty predictable for this type of story. Although short, it was certainly long enough for me to make a connection to be the heroine and the hero. Overall, enjoyable!! 3 ½ stars!!
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Sep 07, 2011 Habrewer rated it 4 of 5 stars

IOU Sex by Calista Fox
* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Fiona has always done everything expected of her until she came home early and found her finance and sister in a compromising situation. Everyone in her family overlooked the drama and accepted that Seth and Lizzie were in “love” and didn’t mean to hurt Fiona. She walked away devastated with her heart shattered. For the past year or so she has been just going through the motions of life but tha...more IOU Sex by Calista Fox
* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Fiona has always done everything expected of her until she came home early and found her finance and sister in a compromising situation. Everyone in her family overlooked the drama and accepted that Seth and Lizzie were in “love” and didn’t mean to hurt Fiona. She walked away devastated with her heart shattered. For the past year or so she has been just going through the motions of life but that is about to change.

With Michal at her side, she plans on showing up at the engagement party in a smokin’ hot number, hoping to send the message that she isn’t going to be walked on any longer. She is not going to continue to sit idly by while everyone feels sorry for her. She can’t help it if her sister wants everything she has – that’s not her problem anymore. She is going to do what she wants, wear what she wants and live for herself from now on, even if it may cause her to lose her heart.

I really enjoyed Fiona’s journey in this book. She is part of a rich family with high standards. Everyone in her family are in the legal profession (lawyers or judges) and she decided to do something different. I like that about her. I know she has been going through the motions for awhile but with Michael’s help she came to the realization that she was tired of just existing. She blossom’s like a flower as the book progresses and we start to see the real Fiona, not the one everyone wants her to be.

Michael is great for Fiona. He helps her realize her true potential, while getting her to agree to a weekend with him. He gets what he wants, to show Fiona that he truly cares for her and wants to try and make a relationship work between them. He makes her face things that she has been avoiding for awhile, like she ran away from him before he could leave her.

The scenes between Fiona and Michael were sizzling hot. He helped her see that she was sexy and that there wasn’t anything wrong with her. He asks her to think about dating him again and she is overwhelmed. At the end, she realizes exactly what she wants and is willing to chance a broken heart to go after it.

The party was a blast and I was so happy to see Lizzie and Seth get what was coming to them. I don’t know that I could’ve just pretended like everything was ok, when it wasn’t. Her mother didn’t help matters either. She was too busy trying to make a match between the two families that she didn’t care which one of her daughter’s got hurt/married in the process. The ending

Overall I really enjoyed IOU Sex and give it 4 Flaming Hearts.(less)

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Aug 31, 2011 Stella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, for-review, erotica, romance

I was in a reading slump during a read-a-thon and needed something short and sweet (or sexy) and IOU Sex was exactly that. It is no secret that it was the premise which drew me in and made me want to read this story. I was curious how Calista Fox could unravel such a complex premise and develop it in a novella (if you know me, you know how I hate novellas because usually the length restriction always harms the story), and I have to tell you I was satisfied.

I can't even imagine what poor Fiona mu...more I was in a reading slump during a read-a-thon and needed something short and sweet (or sexy) and IOU Sex was exactly that. It is no secret that it was the premise which drew me in and made me want to read this story. I was curious how Calista Fox could unravel such a complex premise and develop it in a novella (if you know me, you know how I hate novellas because usually the length restriction always harms the story), and I have to tell you I was satisfied.

I can't even imagine what poor Fiona must have gone through: to not only discover her fiancé in bed with another woman but that other woman being her own little sister! As an older sister I can't understand or even imagine such utter betrayal of the sisterly bond. It is even more sacred than the "thou shall never gaze upon an ex-boyfriend of one of your girl friends".

Fiona was a nice heroine. Of course after such a betrayal and heartbreak she is vulnerable, shy and wary of relationships and men, and is especially afraid of her own feelings towards one of his best friends Micheal.

"Michael Houston. Famous photographer. Master flirt. Hottie extraordinaire."

Michael is everyone's (wet) dream: he is gentleman-like, playful, intense, Greek-god-looking-like, master in the sack and a reliable friend. But he is also a major womanizer which makes Fiona worry that for her healing heart he is not the ideal candidate to reenter the dating scene with. However, she is fine with borrowing said Greek-god-like friend and stroll into her little sister and ex-fiancé's engagement party on his arm.

After such a humiliating and hurtful event I get why Fiona needs to show everyone that she picked herself up off the ground and is doing just fine. The knowledge that every guest at the reception is familiar with what took place and pities her must be terrifying, and yet to put this horrible experience behind her she soldiers on and bravely faces them. I was very glad to see she finally had enough of swallowing her feelings and hurt and told her mother and sister what she thought of them, it was about time!

Michael is a wonderful hero. Besides his attractiveness it is obvious he has a warm and generous heart, and he would do whatever Fiona asks him to do. The air between these two sizzles, and I loved how Micheal's confidence and endearing cockiness put Fiona on the spot and either lulled her or raised her hairs in awareness. It was like watching a snake charming: the excitement, thrill making the air hum with energy yet being wary and careful at the same time.

The chemistry and the love scenes between them were hot and exciting, I would have loved to read their story for longer :-)

What surprised me is that based on its title I expected IOU Sex to be a short erotica, centered around a whirlwind romp and some detailed bedroom antics between Fiona and Michael but it was so much more than that! It was a sweet and sexy romance with great characters and genuine plot.

Verdict: IOU Sex was a quick and light read, perfect for a short escape. It is very well written and the author makes the most of the length restrictions of the novella. I can't wait to read more from her, and especially some full-length novels!

IOU Sex is a great sexy read I would recommend, so I give it 4 stars! (less)

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Aug 02, 2011 Steffi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotic-romance, net-galley, steamy, cheating-ex, rebound, novella

I didn’t expect much from this short erotic read. I wanted to be entertained, hoped for a bit of steamy fun and enjoy myself. I got so much more than I bargained for. The first big surprise was the writing style, especially the point of view. The story is told from Fiona’s POV, which I absolutely loved in this instance because it creates an intimacy that would otherwise be lost. This extra intimate feel is what makes IOU Sex so special, I think. Not only do you feel more involved in the story bu...more I didn’t expect much from this short erotic read. I wanted to be entertained, hoped for a bit of steamy fun and enjoy myself. I got so much more than I bargained for. The first big surprise was the writing style, especially the point of view. The story is told from Fiona’s POV, which I absolutely loved in this instance because it creates an intimacy that would otherwise be lost. This extra intimate feel is what makes IOU Sex so special, I think. Not only do you feel more involved in the story but the steam factor is off the charts and it makes the relationship between Fiona and Michael incredibly intense.

Fiona’s ex-fiancé cheated on her with her own sister. They are getting married and Fiona is invited to the engagement party. To save face she plans a dramatic entrance with a knock-out dress and a sexy man. She’s got the dress and now she only has to convince Michael Houston, an old fling, to go with her and be the sexy hunk that he is. Michael and Fiona are still friends after their hot affair. Fiona ended things because of Michael’s playboy reputation. She doesn’t want to be another one in a long line of women but Michael actually doesn’t see her that way. Michael is hands down one of the sexiest hunks I have ever come across in erotic-romance or any kind of romance. He just knows how to turn Fiona on and the sex scenes are very erotic and sensual.

With really well-written novellas you would give an arm and a leg to just read one extra chapter and have the book go on longer. While I would like to keep all my body parts intact, I did not want this to end. I think Fiona and Michael deserved a little more time together and I would have liked to get to know them a bit better. Exploring their relationship further would have given the novella a nicer finish and would have been more satisfying for me. On the other hand, the book is called IOU Sex after all and the focus really is on Fiona and Michael and their sexual relationship. That does not mean in any way that Calista Fox didn’t put anything behind the story. The plot is interesting and profound enough to back up all the bedroom action!

This novella is fun and funny and I was so happy for Fiona when she finally got her big moment. I had a blast reading this and will definitely check out more by Calista Fox. Happy Reading!

Orginally review at www.bookworldtravels.blogspot.com (less)

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Aug 15, 2011 Becca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011, contemporary-romance, netgalley, romance, short-story-novella

After Fiona found her fiance in bed with her sister she was crushed. Her escape was to have a fling with her friend Michael. So when she receives an invitation to her sister's engagement party she knows she's going to need back up in the form of a hot guy. I do love a women scorned book, Fiona decides that she is going to show everyone that she has moved on and demonstrate exactly what her fiance lost when he decided to cheat. Michael agrees to be her date on one condition that she will date him...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Juliana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, advance-reading-copy-or-galley, ebook-digital-copy, 0-own-as-an-ebook, 0-reviewed, contemporary-romance, novella, cr-a-little-on-the-naughty-side, cr-delicious-hero, cr-friends-to-lovers, cr-hero-famous, cr-hero-motorcycle-tattoo-bad-boy, cr-hero-player-ladies-man, cr-hero-writer-art-music-science, cr-hero-mid-to-late-20s, cr-heroine-good-girl, cr-revenge-aspect, cr-sizzling-chemistry, challenge-2011-rrrc-a-to-z-heroines, 2011-aug-reads, 2011-reads, 4-stars, 4-to-5-stars, challenge-2011-wllk-aug-spell-out

A fun and light contemporary romance novella. Fiona and Michael are both great characters, I loved the back and forth between them, and the chemistry was nicely sizzling. The buildup towards the engagement party and seeing what everyone's reaction will be to Fiona's outfit, devil may care attitude, and delicious escort is really enjoyable. I loved Michael's reaction when he goes to pick her up for the party *grin*.

One thing I could have done without was the sudden psychoanalytic revelation that...more A fun and light contemporary romance novella. Fiona and Michael are both great characters, I loved the back and forth between them, and the chemistry was nicely sizzling. The buildup towards the engagement party and seeing what everyone's reaction will be to Fiona's outfit, devil may care attitude, and delicious escort is really enjoyable. I loved Michael's reaction when he goes to pick her up for the party *grin*.

One thing I could have done without was the sudden psychoanalytic revelation that "liberates" her, the proverbial light bulb going off that explains Fiona's entire relationship with her family and the dynamics between them all. It felt overly dramatic and way too corny.

{ Summary }
Fiona and Michael have been friends for a few years. Their relationship became something more right after Fiona found her younger sister having sex with her own fiancé in their bed. Turning to Michael, who was always given her a shoulder to cry on, he ends up also acting as her rebound guy and for three weeks they spend every evening together (this part is not included in the story; has already happened).

Since then, Fiona has not been with anyone else and Michael has gone back to his philandering ways. He has continued to pursue her though, and while she always puts him off, with her sister's engagement party coming up she knows that Michael is the only guy she can ask who will be there to support her, while conveniently being a great "so there!" man candy on her arm. He is all for helping his best friend, but is not above using the opportunity for a little bargaining ... and for finally getting Fiona to face the romantic connection between them and stop being gun-shy.

{ Bottom Line }
The author is talented and it's an enjoyable quick read. I'm hoping Fox has written some full-length romances - or at least longer novellas - that I can read, because I did like her characters and writing style.

This review is of a galley provided by Carina Press through NetGalley.

(Written August 12, 2011)(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steamy-reads, sizzling-summer-reading-challenge, secrets-reviewed

Full review here: http://secretsofabooklover.blogspot.c...

What a fun novella this turned out to be. The story has been told before, but I honestly never get tired of it. Calista Fox did an excellent job, writing characters that were fun and relatable. She took a new spin on it, though, creating a history between Fiona and Michael. It made the chemistry between them much more believable.

The fact that Fiona has been emotionally scarred makes it difficult for her to trust again, but with some gentl...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Book: IOU Sex by Calista Fox
Published by: Carina Press on 8/1/11
Received from: Netgalley

Fiona has always lived her life trying to fit into the mold her family has intended for her. That all changes the day she walks in on her fiance and her sister together in her bed. After a short fling that makes her forget herself (and becomes too close for comfort) she throws herself into her work and making a name for herself. Then, she received the wedding rehearsal invite that makes everything come rushin...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Nora Ellen (The Bookery) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

Honestly, I loved this book for the thirty minutes it took me to read it! The characters were well thought out and greatly believable. Also, I loved the entire story line, the progression of the plot, and the dramatic comclusion. However, it was then over. The end struck; there's no way that I'll ever know what happened after the party.

It was such a great novella that I'm actually very disappointed there was not a suberb ending to match. Yes, there is an ending, but it's arrival is so corrupt th...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Kara Parks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: friends-to-lovers

Fiona finds her fiancee in bed with her sister and is now invited to their engagement party. She has decided to make a statement of her own and asked best friend Michael to go to the party with her. But Micheal has a condition she will need to stay in his bed for the weekend. Micheal and Fiona both come to realize that their pasts have modeled them and there future needs to be about their love for each other.

I enjoyed this book even though I wished it was longed. I wished the author would writt...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Guilty Pleasures rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: misc-ebooks

IOU Sex was a good SHORT read. Actually it felt like I was reading a few chapters out of what could be a great full length book.

I loved seeing how Fiona stood up to her family and faced her commit fears. Micheal is one sexy, smokin' hot, sweet man.

I really liked Michael and Fiona and would've loved to have seen a full length book starting with Fiona walking in on her fiance and sister, then falling into Michael's arms and Michael wooing Fiona.

IOU Sex is an erotic romance with sizzling sex tha...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Rustye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mf, contemp

A short, well-written story about a heroine betrayed by her fiance and her sister. Over the next year, the heroine finally comes to terms with the betrayal, discovers some very interesting facts about herself and the new man in her life. Best thing of all is the slap down she finally gives to her sister and ex-fiance at the end. Finally!!! I am so tired of stories where the jilted or betrayed heroine immediately begins a new relationship as if she wasn't at least a little heartbroken by what has...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Desert Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars

I got this book from NetGalley as an ARC by Carina Press

Fiona caught her fiance with her sister in her bed, she was devastated. Now, its 1 year after the incident and Fiona is invited to their engagement party.
Her mother is very pushy and always berates Fiona for not being as perfect as her sister.

Michael is Fiona's best friend and occasional lover. He is a hot photographer and a ladies man. So after having been crushed by her fiance she doesn't want to risk her heart again.

Now for the party she...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Sophia (FV) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was attracted to this book because of the title and not necessarily in a good way. It’s pretty bold and quite frankly I cringed a little when I first read it. But curiosity got the best of me and I had to give it a go. I have to wonder how many people will miss out on a good story because they are turned off by the title.

Fiona and Michael have had a friendly relationship. But after Fiona discovered her sister and her fiancé in bed together she turned to Michael for support and comfort. They te...more I was attracted to this book because of the title and not necessarily in a good way. It’s pretty bold and quite frankly I cringed a little when I first read it. But curiosity got the best of me and I had to give it a go. I have to wonder how many people will miss out on a good story because they are turned off by the title.

Fiona and Michael have had a friendly relationship. But after Fiona discovered her sister and her fiancé in bed together she turned to Michael for support and comfort. They teetered on the edge of a romantic relationship when the comfort included smokin’ hot sex but in the end Michael was just the rebound guy. There was no denying their connection but the timing was bad and Fiona didn’t need more heartbreak.

Now, Fiona will be attending the engagement party of her sister and her former fiancé. She plans to go in with her head held high, and a sex god at her side. Michael seems the obvious choice since he’s a good friend, has been supportive of her and is…well…a sex god. But he’s dangerous as well since he has the potential to capture a little more of Fiona’s heart than she is ready to give. Michael on the other hand knows what he wants and sees this as the perfect opportunity to do a little creative bargaining for Fiona’s heart.

IOU Sex is a really fun, romantic story. There is just something sexy about a man who is willing to wait for a woman he cares for. Micheal had the potential to come off as overly confident and manipulative in this situation but instead he was self assured, clever and sexy as hell. He saw the opportunity to help Fiona and convince her there was more to their relationship than friendship.

Fiona has a few issues to resolve where her sister and former fiance are concerned. I liked that she wanted to walk into the engagement party and knock’em all dead by showing everyone she was better than ok, she was doing great. Since the tone of this story had been light and fun up until the point where Fiona and Micheal get to the party, I had a hard time with how the story suddenly switched gears and took on a negative twist with the confrontations with family etc. Yes, Fiona needed resolution but I felt that the family was excessively ugly and I was disappointed in Fiona’s reaction. This part of the story a bit over the top and I feel this is where it lost the feel of authenticity.

Overall this is an enjoyable story. The chemistry and romance between Michael and Fiona were the high points for me. I loved Michael and his confidence and although I felt that Fiona’s resolution with her family issues and ex-finace was a bit overdone I’m glad she got the big prize in the end. I will be looking for more from this author.(less)

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Aug 01, 2011 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novella, 2011

I loved Michael and Fiona together. They had a history and I could really feel their attraction for one another. There was just enough back story that I felt I knew where both characters were coming from. I loved how Fiona handles herself at the engagement party. It was a hilarious scene and I was cheering her on all the way. The love scenes were steamy and very entertaining. Great story and one I definitely recommend reading!

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Dec 15, 2011 Laura YA indie princess rated it 3 of 5 stars

IOU sex was a a quick hot read that half reminded me of the film "the wedding date". I enjoyed the premise and the characters. At only 66 pages I found the book wasnt missing anything from the story's as sometimes I find that with novelas but the author did really well packing it all in.

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Aug 07, 2011 Heather in FL rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: elements-romance, elements-erotic-smut, mix-m-f, a-i-own-it, z-from-carina-press

I really enjoyed this one. I love that Fiona and Michael were sort of in the same boat in terms of past relationships. And I loved that Fiona wasn't going to let her family get to her. Michael was so sweet. And a relatively patient man! I thought it was a nice story about learning to take that risk and love again.

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Sep 23, 2012 Oksana Petsukh rated it 2 of 5 stars

At the beginning this book looked very interesting, but after reading for a while its just got boring. Also, it was too short.

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Feb 07, 2013 Julz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hot Hot quick read. fabulous storyline. what's not to love about a women getting even and throw a hot male.

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Apr 02, 2012 Dawn Martens added it

Great read. Would have been amazing if it was a full novel though.

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Nov 13, 2011 Say rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: november-2011-reads

wish this was longer....liked the story....=)

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Aug 09, 2011 Margaret rated it 1 of 5 stars

to me it wasnt long enough. the sex scene wasn't enticing enough and there really was not much to the book. i think if it was longer then seven chapters it could have been a lot better. the sex scene realy was not enough to get me interested at all. it defentally could ahve been written better.

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