Wicked Burn

Dec 07, 2008 Auntee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of hot erotic romance

Shelves: erotic-romance

This one was so hard to put down--I tore through it in one day! I've never read anything by Beth Kery before, and just picked this one up on a whim (I was attracted to the cover). Boy, am I glad I did. This was one fantastic read! It was one of those rare books that just grabbed me emotionally. It had some of the steamiest love scenes I think I've read all year, but it also had a story that was unique and powerful, and wonderful character development. The combination of scorching sex scenes and...more This one was so hard to put down--I tore through it in one day! I've never read anything by Beth Kery before, and just picked this one up on a whim (I was attracted to the cover). Boy, am I glad I did. This was one fantastic read! It was one of those rare books that just grabbed me emotionally. It had some of the steamiest love scenes I think I've read all year, but it also had a story that was unique and powerful, and wonderful character development. The combination of scorching sex scenes and powerful romance was a potent one-two punch! Whew! And the tear-jerker ending...well, I was a little drained when it was all over. (sniff)

Vic Savian's a sexy, famous playwright living in Chicago, although he'd much prefer the wide open spaces of his Montana ranch. Vic hates the big-city life, but has agreed to work in Chicago for the next few years directing his latest play in an historic Chicago theater. He's living in temporary housing in a Chicago highrise during the week, but on the weekend he drives downstate to the farm that he inherited from his late uncle.

One night while lying in bed trying to sleep, he hears raised voices outside his door in the hallway. Going to investigate, he hears his beautiful across-the-hall neighbor, Niall, trying to rebuff her date who's obviously putting the moves on her. He steps in to save the day, and offers her a drink. To his surprise she accepts. After some brief introductions and a few words, lust takes over and they are in each others arms, having some wildly passionate sex like neither has experienced before. Vic can't believe what came over him. Although attracted to his neighbor when he had first seen her weeks ago, he told himself that he would never again get involved with a woman like Niall--a woman so beautiful that she would make him hunger all the time--a woman like that would surely be selfish, demanding everything of him--and then if she couldn't get it, she'd go elsewhere to get it.

Niall, a curator at an art museum, is astonished at how she reacted with Vic. It's as if someone threw a switch and she was magically brought back to life. Being with Vic made her feel alive again for the first time in three years. He's an addiction she's just got to have. And apparently the feeling is mutual. After some false starts and stops, they carry on an extremely passionate affair that shows no sign of burning out. They eventually get around to revealing a little bit about each other, except for a few important things. Niall doesn't know that Vic suffered a devastating break-up with a famous Hollywood actress that did a lot of emotional damage to him and colors his perceptions about relationships. And Vic doesn't know that Niall is harboring one whopper of a secret, a tragic secret that I kept hoping she would reveal before Vic accidentally found out. But of course, Vic finds out, Niall doesn't explain herself, and it totally destroys his trust in her.

Well, to say anymore would reveal too much. The rest of the story has Niall coming to terms with the unending guilt she's felt for the past three years, and her decision to try to win Vic back. Trying to win back Vic's trust is not an easy task, especially when he won't let Niall explain her actions when she is finally ready to talk, and at times I feared Niall wouldn't be able to get past the wall Vic erected around his heart. There were some heart-breaking moments, lots of stubborness on Vic's part that would have crushed a less determined woman, and some pride that Niall had to swallow in order to make a small step towards Vic's forgiveness. And when Vic finally got over his self pity and discovered the total story surrounding what he thought was Niall's betrayal--well it was time for him to eat some humble pie.

This was just an excellent story about two people who had to learn to trust and love again, and not be afraid to let someone in and love them. It had some of the most rough, explicit love scenes that I've read in a while, but they were wildly erotic. Neither character was perfect, each had lots of emotional baggage, but they were basically good people who you could root for. I shed a few tears over this one, especially toward the end when stubborn (and sometimes pig-headed) Vic learned all of Niall's secret, and then laid his heart on the line for her.

If you're looking for a hot, hot, hot story, with characters who are flawed but oh so human, look no further. This was an amazing read for me, and I will definitely be looking for more from this author. Highly recommended 5 stars!
*Warning: not for the faint-of-heart; contains some light BDSM, including spanking and hand restraint; explicit sex including oral and anal sex; use of some sex toys, and explicit language.(less)

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Dec 16, 2008 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Shannon (Giraffe Days) by: Auntee

Shelves: 2008, romance, favourite, erotic-romance

This book is completely consuming and addictive, incredibly steamy and vivid and real. I was impressed by the quality of the writing - for the genre, it was very good - and the character development. There were moments of laughter, of sadness, of desire and love. It's a heady mix and you get sucked in there with them. There just aren't enough adjectives to describe the passion and headiness of this book.

Niall Chandler is frozen - three years after her little boy is killed, she's still dealing wi...more This book is completely consuming and addictive, incredibly steamy and vivid and real. I was impressed by the quality of the writing - for the genre, it was very good - and the character development. There were moments of laughter, of sadness, of desire and love. It's a heady mix and you get sucked in there with them. There just aren't enough adjectives to describe the passion and headiness of this book.

Niall Chandler is frozen - three years after her little boy is killed, she's still dealing with the mental breakdown of her husband Stephen, who's confined to a institution, her parent's judgement and her own guilt. An unexpected and incredibly steamy encounter with her neighbour Vic Savian thaws her to a new world of desire and heat.

Vic can't get enough of her, but he's been burnt in the past and doesn't want to get too involved. When he sees signs of Niall's inner torment - the nightmares, the sadness in her eyes, the fear - he doesn't ask, and she's too guilt-ridden and afraid of being judged to open up to him. But the past works its way between them and destroys what they have, until they both wake up to the truth of their feelings and are honest with themselves, and each other.

If you're not a fan of graphic sex scenes, this isn't the book for you. If you are, though, then this should be the next book in your hands. It's a quick read mostly because you simply can't put it down. Four hours, I'd give it. Vic is incredibly sexy and has just the right balance of being demanding and tender. Both of them were very believable people, and because the prose wasn't syrupy or trying too hard at any time, it carried the story along nicely.

At first I was a bit worried about incorporating such a raw, horrible thing as a school shooting and the loss of a four-year-old into such a lust-filled story, but it worked. The trauma was very real, and made Niall a sympathetic character - instead of an annoying one, as the heroines of romance books often are. The chemistry between Vic and Niall is so thick you can taste it - again aided by the lack of cheesy prose and dialogue. It's raw, vulnerable, tense and insanely passionate: it's a real keeper.(less)

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Dec 09, 2008 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-reads, erotica

I ended up staying up WAY past my bedtime to finish "Wicked Burn" by Beth Kery. It was worth every yawn I suffered through today! I just intended to read a few chapters, but the author sucked me in with her wickedly hot love scenes and emotional story.

Niall has been existing, but not living, for the last several years. The violent death of her child changed her world in almost every way. It's taken all her strength to just get through each day...and the nightmares don't help. When she's saved by...more

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Mar 27, 2009 Eastofoz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Lora Leigh, BDSM

Shelves: contemporary, erotica

I didn’t like this story but it is worth 4 stars because if you like BDSM, a more often than not selfish hero (that you can also interpret as a dom) and some borderline raunchy sex that skirted the painful, then you’ll probably enjoy the story.

I don’t think I’ve ever read so many high-on-the-ick factor scenes about blow-jobs (!)–but I don’t read that much erotica so to someone who does maybe it’s pretty banal. I didn’t really like the hero because he was mean during sex. He had some nice moment...more I didn’t like this story but it is worth 4 stars because if you like BDSM, a more often than not selfish hero (that you can also interpret as a dom) and some borderline raunchy sex that skirted the painful, then you’ll probably enjoy the story.

I don’t think I’ve ever read so many high-on-the-ick factor scenes about blow-jobs (!)–but I don’t read that much erotica so to someone who does maybe it’s pretty banal. I didn’t really like the hero because he was mean during sex. He had some nice moments but there weren’t enough of them. Vic heads into sex like a General on a mission –no heart skips a beat here, more like a “ you take it baby” with a grunt to go with it for good measure (!). He’s not one of those freakish Neanderthals like you can sometimes find in BDSM books but he’s still way too over the top.

The heroine is well-drawn and obviously likes the role of the sub but she’s just not my kind of heroine. Too passive –but she was happy in her passivity so the author did a good job showing that. The sexual tension between the two at one point was very good --too bad there wasn't more of it.

Something I didn’t like about the writing was that the author kept saying that every time they had sex it was the best time. In the end I didn’t buy all those super-fab moments because it was said pretty much from the get go –it loses its impact after the first 5 times. The hero also had an unusual physical characteristic that the author tried to pass off as sexy –he had one front tooth that overlapped the other. I don’t know but I kept getting this dumb ass looking picture in my head (!)

It's generally well-written with a decent story (which is saying a lot for erotica because sometimes you have to wonder if there’s anything apart from the sex scenes) but the sex turned me off more than once. I was actually looking for more scenes without sex and sort of dreading the drill-sergeant romps. It’s not my kind of book, but that aside it does come together well.
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Feb 03, 2009 Isis FG rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: erotic romance fans

Recommended to Isis FG by: Mahlet

Shelves: 2009, info-full, genre-romance-erotic, reviewed, format-trade-pb, published-2008, stars-5

Wow, this book certainly packs a wallop! I looked at this one in the book store 2, maybe 3, times and opted not to get it because I didn't know a thing about the author, or the book. Then I saw Mahlet's review and went and read some of my other GR Friends' reviews. And just had to go back and get it. Boy, am I glad I did!

Wicked Burn is about woman, Niall, who works at an art museum and who has a very tragic past. A few years earlier, her 4 year old son was the victim of a crazy man's rampage. Af...more Wow, this book certainly packs a wallop! I looked at this one in the book store 2, maybe 3, times and opted not to get it because I didn't know a thing about the author, or the book. Then I saw Mahlet's review and went and read some of my other GR Friends' reviews. And just had to go back and get it. Boy, am I glad I did!

Wicked Burn is about woman, Niall, who works at an art museum and who has a very tragic past. A few years earlier, her 4 year old son was the victim of a crazy man's rampage. After his death, her husband went nuts and had to be committed. Since then, her life has been a hollow shell as she tried to deal with everything that happened. Then she meets her neighbor Vic Savian. They saw each other once or twice and both felt a connection, but it wasn't until Vic saved her from her date's over zealous attention that they finally talked...and ended up in bed. That night start's a flaming hot affair that quietly grows into more. But Niall's past still isn't settled and when it rears up again, she loses Vic and has to fight to get him back.

This book is labeled as a contemporary romance on the back cover, but it should really, really be called an erotic romance. It's chock full of sizzling hot, explicit sex. I mean, really, it should come with a spontaneous combustion warning it's so hot! I wasn't quite expecting it, but I certainly didn't mind! Kery definitely knows how to write hot sex scenes.

Saying that, though, it's fair to warn anyone considering this book that there is a somewhat dominance/submission aspect to the bedroom activities. Not to a severe degree. More along the lines that Vic is just a very dominant person in the bedroom and he's a bit rough around the edges sexually, and Niall doesn't mind at all. There are also some non-vanilla sexual acts that some might not like. So keep that in mind.

Those things give the book a very raw, edgy feel, though. Between that and the emotional depth, it makes this a very passionate story. Niall is a character you can really feel for. She's been through so much and Vic brings the zest back into her life. There's a great chemistry between the two that keeps you hooked into the story. And I loved reading how the relationship grew and changed.

I did find the conflict of their relationship a little predictable (what caused them to break up for a while). I knew it was going to happen from very early on. But Kery wrote it well despite.

Overall, this book was very, very engaging. Once I starting, I just did not want to put it down. There's such a sizzle and spark to the story and the characters that you're completely sucked into what's happening and all I wanted to do was keep reading.

So if you don't mind erotic romance and you like a good emotional romance, then you should definitely give this book a try! I'm definitely glad I read it!

WARNING, this book contains: explicit sex, explicit dirty talk, some dominance/submission, light bondage, spanking, anal sex, a little exhibitionism...plus, there were those pearls... ;)(less)

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May 08, 2012 Searock rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist-too-much-cake, to-gaze-at-from-afar, penguin-needs-rehab

Former review (prior to reading): Been gazing at this book for two years without buying it.
It is outrageously priced and hasn't dropped a dime in two years!
Penguin can suck it.

Review after borrowing a copy and reading: Really good read. Not perfect, but I happily kept turning the pages. Loved ideas and characterization within, but the storyline, including both major and minor elements, were too manufactured for my taste.

I like that Beth Kery is a polished writer and that she writes a smart ero...more

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Jan 29, 2009 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantica-erotica, beth-kery, contemporary-romance

He wanted all of her...

Vic Savian knows what he wants when he sees it. And what he wants is his sexy neighbor. Niall Chandler. When he finds her in the hallway of their building being harassed by an aggressive suitor, Vic steps in--and finds himself greatly rewarded...

And did she ever let him have it...

Sleeping with her gorgeous neighbor--when she didn't even know his last name--is the craziest thing Niall's ever done. Now, she can't seem to get enough of Vic--or the uninhibited passion he stirs...more He wanted all of her...

Vic Savian knows what he wants when he sees it. And what he wants is his sexy neighbor. Niall Chandler. When he finds her in the hallway of their building being harassed by an aggressive suitor, Vic steps in--and finds himself greatly rewarded...

And did she ever let him have it...

Sleeping with her gorgeous neighbor--when she didn't even know his last name--is the craziest thing Niall's ever done. Now, she can't seem to get enough of Vic--or the uninhibited passion he stirs in her. Suddenly, with his help, she's experiencing sensual pleasures like she's never known before. But when Niall's past comes back to haunt her, will she and Vic let themselves venture beyond the bedroom and explore the possibility of love that's in their hearts?

Vic is a sparse and brutally honest man. He's a famous playwright and he's taken over as Artistic Director for a Chicago theater when he moves in across the hall from the luscious Niall. He's a man who makes his living by stringing together deep, thought provoking words. Which must exhaust him because he barely strings together two sentences when he's with Niall. But that's okay. Actions speak louder than words and Niall and Vic get right down to the action. This book is definitely hot and heavy, yet it's not squicky or degrading in any way. Though it has a, ahem, BJ scene that is definitely not for the fainthearted. One of the hottest things I've ever read. Whew!! Vic has an outrageously dirty mouth during sex which just endeared him to me. I know. I'm twisted. But that's okay because I've accepted it.

Biggest compliment I can give this book is how real it was. This had an honesty to it that makes it exceedingly rare amongst a sea of erotica floating out there today. I didn't feel for one moment that this was just a fantasy penned by a naughty and imaginative authoress. These seemed like real, flesh and blood people. This is just a credit to the author and her skill at breathing life into her characters. She didn't use ridiculous reasons for Vic and Niall being the way they are today like some authors I could mention. Like, Vic didn't want to have anal sex with Niall because of some deep, dark secret (Yeah, Shayla Black, I'm looking at YOU) and Niall didn't let Vic dominate her in bed sexually because she thought she was unworthy or something equally asinine as that. They did those things because they just liked it. Who'd have thunk it?

Even though this has a tried and true plot ploy--Boy sees girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Then the big misunderstanding and then boy refuses to talk to girl til the big reveal and then all is forgiven--this was still fresh and innovative. For one it uses current day events and makes it relevent and two, this was done well. I can enjoy anything as long as it is done well. Which this was. This was a wonderfully spicy yet emotional read. This was true romantica and I enjoyed it immensely. (less)

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May 21, 2009 Miss Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Uber Alpha Jerk and BDSM

Recommended to Miss Kim by: GR friends

Shelves: 2009, erotic, disliked-the-hero

This book came so highly recommended that I expected to love it. I didn’t, and I was a little disappointed. I wavered between a 3 and 4 star rating, because I didn’t like the characters, but I did like the story quite a bit.

The setting is downtown Chicago, and in the first scene we meet Niall, who is being mauled in her hallway by an overenthusiastic date, and she is saved by her reclusive neighbor, Vic. She proceeds to go back to Vic’s apartment and spend the night. I was disappointed that we l...more This book came so highly recommended that I expected to love it. I didn’t, and I was a little disappointed. I wavered between a 3 and 4 star rating, because I didn’t like the characters, but I did like the story quite a bit.

The setting is downtown Chicago, and in the first scene we meet Niall, who is being mauled in her hallway by an overenthusiastic date, and she is saved by her reclusive neighbor, Vic. She proceeds to go back to Vic’s apartment and spend the night. I was disappointed that we learn very little about the characters and their pasts until much later in the book.

Vic was very difficult to like, and I don’t feel he really redeemed himself at the end. He is the ultimate Uber Alpha, and tolerates nothing but his own way. The only feelings that matter are his own. In the bedroom, he is an extreme Dom, and borderline cruel in my eyes. At times I felt bad for the woman who was being forced to endure this, but she’d eventually come around and ‘like it’. Hmm. We learn later that Niall’s ex-husband was abusive to her, so I found it hard to believe that she would be attracted to Vic, especially with his sexual demands.

We learn her 4 year old son was gunned down in front of her, and her husband fell apart mentally, and he had to be put in an institution. She keeps this information away from Vic, during their relationship. She is never sure if it is a relationship or just sex and is afraid to ask him how he feels. She doesn’t want to know the answer. All she knows is that this is the best sex she’s ever had and feels alive again since her son’s death.

The story progresses and you get a sense that Vic does have feelings for Niall, but he’s been burn in the past by another woman (of course), and holds his feelings inside. Plus, he is an Uber—that’s what they do.

I like a good sexy read. However this book had so many sex scenes, and they were so long, I found my self wanting to skip them to get to the story that I was interested in. (What does that say?) Not to mention the ick-factor of an act with a pearl necklace. Near the end, Niall finally tells him she has a son and he was murdered. What is Vic’s response? “Hey baby, I knew you’d be a wonderful mom”. He unbuttons her shirt, ties her to the bed and gets out a bag of sex toys. She finds no problem in this. What the hell? He proceeded to use toys on her and convince her that she needs anal sex. By the way, she is described as very petite. In every sex scene Vic reminds us how large his unit is in comparison to hers. Once it’s even noted that the erection ‘bobs up and touches his rib cage”. What? That sounds comparable to The Cannon, from another book, and just as damn scary. This whole scene made no sense to me because she’d finally just told him about her painful past and her son and this is what he’s got to say. She finally comes to her senses after this and bolts. (But it was the best sex she ever had)

Vic does come around a bit at the end. There is no promise of marriage, but an HEA, nevertheless. The author left a detail hanging that bothered me. Near the end we are introduced to a teen boy that Vic is mentoring. He is in the hospital at the end, and they have a conversation about him saying they need to get him out of his bad home life. He is never mentioned again. Why do we even get to know this boy and kind of like him if he is just going to be dropped? Annoying.

3 1/2 stars

This book is not for the faint of heart! The sex scenes contain oral, anal, toys, crude language, and a pearl necklace.

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Jan 29, 2009 Mahlet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: romantica lovers

Recommended to Mahlet by: Nasra

Shelves: erotic-romance, own, favorite-author, favorites, bdsm

Highly, HIGHLY recommend. This goes into my top 5 favorite erotica ever. It's not quite good enough to knock out my number one, but it came damn close. The first sex scene hit by page 9 and it's about 20 pages in length! Yes, THAT is the kind of stuff this book is made of :) But that's not all. This book is incredibly emotional as well. You can't help but become so connected to the characters and their stuggles.

The heroine, Niall, a curator at a Chicago art museum, is very damaged with quite a...more

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Apr 03, 2009 Shawna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of steamy contemporary romance and BDSM

Recommended to Shawna by: Several GR friends

Shelves: erotic-romance-erotica-romantica, contemporary-romance, beth-kery-bethany-kane, bdsm-kink, 2009-reads, hero-alpha‎, hero-i-wanna-smack, heroine-abused-traumatic-past-rape, hero-bad-boy-playboy, i-read-no-longer-own-sold-swapped, hero-cold-cruelbrute-dark-dangerous, hero-expert-skilled-voracious-lover, backdoor-action-lovin-playin, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, hero-dom, 4-stars, hero-not-enough-groveling, hero-undeserving-of-heroine, hero-daddy-warbucks-wealthy, hero-asshat-award-hall-of-shame, hh-famous-celebrity, hh-author-writer-quill-mighty-sword, heroine-doormat-spineless, dirty-talk-turns-me-on, hero-pissed-me-off-and-turned-me-on, hero-uber-alpha-domineering, hero-sharp-dressed-man, romance-doesnt-end-at-40, hero-i-despised

4 stars – Contemporary Romance/Erotica/BDSM

I’m torn between giving 4 or 5 stars for Wicked Burn because although I enjoyed the writing, story, and steamy eroticism for a contemporary romance, I really disliked the characters, so I’m settling with 4 stars.

Vic and Niall waste no time in scorching the sheets, and I liked the whole ‘how do we go from a one night stand to something deeper?’ aspect of the story. The sex scenes are smoking hot, but left me feeling cold because I never felt a connection...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Juliana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantica, romantica-contemporary, 4-to-5-stars, 2011-reads, 2011-jul-reads, 0-own-in-dead-tree-form, 0-reviewed, challenge-2011-2012-rrrc-drinks-1, challenge-2011-rrrc-the-4-elements, challenge-2011-rrrc-a-to-z-heroes, 4-half-stars, 2011-reads-my-favorites-of-the-year

Have been on a Beth Kery binge and I absolutely loved this book - best one so far, by miles. It really felt like a "romantica" book, in that there was the erotic (sizzling chemistry - put your AC on high!), but the romance / love story completely held it's own and was the integral part.

I loved Vic and Niall and thought they were really cute together; loved Vic the brooding hero who rarely speaks but is a playwright. Also, Kery for the most part maintained that - we're not just told he's a man of...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Aly (Mircea) Basarab rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, erotic-romance, buddy-read, whips-and-chains

Buddy read with Marulett

After I read the 1st chapter of this book I was sure it would be a mindless erotica with no plot, characters and only some sex thrown around from 3 to 3 pages. I was never so glad to be wrong! It was a very hot book, lots of chemistry between the characters, lots of hot, imaginative sex(you don't want to start me on that. The dude had stamina... did he have it.). The way the author built the characters and interspersed it with the hot stuff it's absolutely brilliant!

The...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Jill rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, romance-erotica

Erotic ~~~ Sexy ~~~ Sizzling ~~~ HOT!

A Goodreads friend recommended this book to me, and I was not disappointed. From the first chapter page turning erotica, “Erotica “ keeps the entertainment level high.

From the moment Vic and Niall first locked eyes on the elevator you could feel the powerful erotic intensity in them Page by page the story drew me in. The mystery of Niall’s past, the unspoken words of Vic - although feeling his powerful acts of dominant passion. As they fall for each other, I...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Vika S - ♔ of GIF according to Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hot-neighbor, romance-angst, buddy-read, h, loanable

Hm... what can I say about this book... except it's 3parts sex and 1part miscommunication/tragic story.

The Sex between Vic and Niall was really steamy, be warned have your husband, bf and/or vibrator handy lol.

I read this book with my GB friend - Jamie as a buddy read ( first time ;) )

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Aug 23, 2012 Marulett rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, buddy-read, contemp-romance, great-stand-alones, hero-heroine-pov, kick-ass-male-lead, kick-ass-heroines, romance, stand-alones-i-love

Buddy read with Aly

I thought they were gonna be at it for the whole book since they go down to business right away, but I was wrong!! I love when this happens, I was surprised that the book actually had a strong story aside from the steamy scenes.

The characters are deep and have moments of raw emotion that leave you biased.

Vic is...I actually don´t think I can describe in one word, but all I´m gonna say is that the man has stamina!

The book is a solid 4/4.5 for the sole reason that the ending was...more

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Dec 30, 2008 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: erotic romance, dominant, lora leigh

Wicked Burn by Beth Kery

Erotic Contemporary Romance Paperback - December 2, 2008

4 Stars

Beth Kery’s Wicked Burn is a story of Niall Chandler and Vic Savian, two characters that have been hurt by bad relationships, not looking to be involved in a new one, but still brought together through a chance meeting.

One evening, Niall is rescued from an over zealous date by next door neighbor Vic. This event sparks a physical connection with Vic that slowly grows into something more. While the developme...more

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May 19, 2013 Marguerite rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wicked Burn could have been a good story, but was bogged down by scene after scene of graphic sex, or the characters' fantasizing about it. The primary characters are Niall, art historian, with a troubled past, and her lover, Vic, a successful playwright. They are neighbors who, within a few minutes of meeting, are in the throes of passion. I don't recall a book blurb labeling Wicked as erotica, but in my opinion, it is. Actually, I'd call it BDSM lite because of Vic's proclivities. He's describ...more

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Nov 10, 2012 BkGurl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, favorites

This book started off with a bang (literally)...pulls the reader in right away and makes you want to know more. From the first scene, the chemistry between the hero and heroine was scorching hot but for a good portion thereafter it's all sex, sex, sex and little story. Not usually my kind of book...but just enough is revealed to know that both the H/h have a past. Soon we learn that Vic is bitter over a broken heart while Niall's more tragic and complicated back story is unveiled in dribs and dr...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Nasra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow! This book startes off with a bang! Biggest mistake....I started reading during lunch hour. Needless to say, I was anxious to get home and finish which I did in one evening. Great characters and unbelievable story. I really fell in love with both Vic and Niall. I enjoyed this book so much I ended up purchasing my own copy. I have to say this is my favorite erotic novel thus far!

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Oct 21, 2012 Ash Wednesday (Corporal Cupcake) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, cowboys, erotica, review

This book was interesting to me, because it started out pretty dragging (the heroine's issues were expectedly revealed in small doses throughout) but I ended with it with a "huh, not bad" thought. So I guess the redeeming qualities outweighed the bad stuff?

My main problem was the H/h in that they were a bit... flat. I can't even understand how they would LIKE each other. It almost sends the message to us kids that: mind-blowing sex = true love. The length was pretty short-ish and while the stea...more

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Aug 27, 2012 tonya. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, erotica, sucksauce

I read a lot, in pretty much every genre there is. While these days I mostly read YA, I have a big soft spot for romance, as that's what I grew up on. And sometimes, a girl just wants some smut. That's what I was after with WICKED BURN.

The story itself is your typical erotica / romance setup. Niall Chandler is recovering from a painful past, and meets Vic Savian, her gruff, sexy neighbor who begins to heal her with the power of his sex. There isn't much relationship developed outside of the (ma...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Erica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, owned-ebook, erotica, beth-kery, fsog-lovers, four-and-five-star-reads

This is my first book of this genre after reading the Fifty trilogy, and I really enjoyed it. First of all, the writing was MUCH better. It was more realistic (i.e., they were neighbors at an apartment and not just a chance interview that brought them together). And I really liked Vic and Niall (although it took me probably half the book to wrap my head around the fact that her name is pronounced NEAL like the man's name). The sex scenes are hot and while they are graphic, they are realistic. I...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 06, 2011 Julie Doner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wicked Burn is one of the best books I’ve ever read and here’s why . . . It’s about real characters who face real issues in their lives. They have baggage. Things aren’t perfect. There’s grief and guilt and pain swirling around them. But there’s also hope.

Niall Chandler lives in an apartment across the hall from the gorgeous, mysterious Vic Savian. After several silent, sexually-charged encounters between the two, they’re finally forced to start talking when Vic saves her from a date-gone-wrong...more Wicked Burn is one of the best books I’ve ever read and here’s why . . . It’s about real characters who face real issues in their lives. They have baggage. Things aren’t perfect. There’s grief and guilt and pain swirling around them. But there’s also hope.

Niall Chandler lives in an apartment across the hall from the gorgeous, mysterious Vic Savian. After several silent, sexually-charged encounters between the two, they’re finally forced to start talking when Vic saves her from a date-gone-wrong in the hallway. And everything changes in an instant.

The spark between them ignites into a burning flame of passion. In the warmth of his bed and his embrace, Niall is reborn. He burns her to life.

Their romance quickly blossoms into something neither expected. Vic is a slave to her captivating eyes, her slender figure, and her sophisticated pearls, and Niall is seduced by Vic’s intelligence, sexiness, and uninhibited ardor in the bedroom. Weeks of wild lovemaking turn into months. But there are secrets.

Countless nights Niall wakes up from a nightmare so raw it shakes her to the bone. Vic eventually discovers the source and he shuts her out of his life without a second thought, without knowing the full story. He hides away in his farmhouse, desperate to work her out of his system.

One of the huge selling features of Wicked Burn are the minor characters. They all have such depth and purpose in the story. Some also play a significant role in reuniting our favourite couple, and that’s always a good thing. I just want to touch on the character, Stephen, briefly as well. I won’t go into detail about the role he plays because it’s quite pivotal, but I will say that he is a character with severe mental illness, and he’s written brilliantly. He’ll terrify you, and you’ll pity him.

It takes time, but Niall slowly begins to recover from her past life and is determined to make Vic a part of her present one. With the help of his sister, Meg, Niall winds up in Vic’s backyard. It takes a horse, a heaping helping of honesty, and a prayer to bring them back together, but somehow it happens. And thank God, ‘cause I love my happy endings.

A few last things to note: you will never look at pearls the same way again, and you will immediately enroll in horseback riding school after reading Wicked Burn. The sex is sinfully good, but what makes this book outstanding are the characters and their realness. I can’t say it enough. If you do one good thing this year, buy this book!(less)

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Jan 19, 2011 Sandy M rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: erotic, contemporary

I’m so glad Beth Kery has arrived. Wicked Burn is her debut with Berkley Sensation. Kudos to Berkley for discovering what a talented author Ms. Kery is and giving her the opportunity to share that talent in the print arena.

One thing this author does well, besides just penning a good story, is the erotic side of romance. In this book you get hot and bothered pretty darned early and you stay that way throughout the read. Both Vic and Niall have issues - and I use that term loosely - in their past...more I’m so glad Beth Kery has arrived. Wicked Burn is her debut with Berkley Sensation. Kudos to Berkley for discovering what a talented author Ms. Kery is and giving her the opportunity to share that talent in the print arena.

One thing this author does well, besides just penning a good story, is the erotic side of romance. In this book you get hot and bothered pretty darned early and you stay that way throughout the read. Both Vic and Niall have issues - and I use that term loosely - in their past that have kept from them permanent and long-term relationships.

But when they first eye each other in their apartment building, they really take notice, and when the opportunity opens up for Vic to get to know Niall better, he seizes it quickly and no questions asked. I really enjoyed that particular scene, especially when you realize Niall isn’t going to utter one word to slow him down. I liked that their lust and emotions opened up this way between them, sweeping them along at a frenzied pace, therefore forcing them to do the get-to-know-one-another thing after their lust is slaked.

And we get to know them at the same pace as they do. Vic is a playwright and is just weeks away from opening his latest show, is still wary of relationships after a bad ending with his former fiance. Niall works for the Chicago Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art, is in the middle of divorcing her husband, their relationship not surviving the death of their son three years earlier. Each of them are surprised as they learn these tidbits and more about the other as the book goes along. They’re able to get past most of it as it all comes up. It’s only when Vic finds out about Niall’s marriage that things are thrown off course.

Niall’s “issues” are a little more complicated than Vic’s and during this early period she’s just not ready to talk to him about it, and she has good reason given Vic’s reaction when he does learn all, but that was her mistake, however. Because she takes too long, Vic sees the situation as living his past again. But I like how Niall doesn’t give up after all is said and done. She busts her way back into Vic’s life, even knowing he probably won’t be able to stand the sight of her.

It takes Vic a while, but when he finally can’t hold his feelings at bay any longer, they come together again in an explosion of emotion and sex that’s been between them since the beginning. The only small disappointment I had was that I wish all the explanations had come from Niall. I felt that a deeper emotion outside of the sex was lost when that didn’t happen.

But all in all, Ms. Kery has a hit of a debut on her hands. The characters are engaging and interesting people who you hope can get past the bad stuff to start again. I enjoyed the dichotomy of Vic’s and Niall’s family life, one embracing and the other judgemental. Needless to say, the secondary characters are just as interesting in their lives as Vic and Niall are in theirs. Congratulations, Ms. Kery!(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Britt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: erotic, own, romance

So I managed to finish this in less than 24 hours. I even got to work this morning and said to my office mate “You have to let me finish the last 14 pages of this book or I’m not going to function or work productivity from thinking about it all day”.
This book even had me turning on the light at 6am while my boyfriend was having a shower (a time where I usually get an extra 15 minutes of shut eye).

Firstly I’d like to say that this book is first and foremost Erotica, don’t pick this book up if y...more So I managed to finish this in less than 24 hours. I even got to work this morning and said to my office mate “You have to let me finish the last 14 pages of this book or I’m not going to function or work productivity from thinking about it all day”.
This book even had me turning on the light at 6am while my boyfriend was having a shower (a time where I usually get an extra 15 minutes of shut eye).

Firstly I’d like to say that this book is first and foremost Erotica, don’t pick this book up if you don’t like erotica, or if you are looking for something with a story outside of the relationship, or if you are not expecting to be confronted by a hell of a lot of hot hothot sex scenes. In fact probably half of this book (or perhaps more) is dedicated to sex and I usually don’t go for stories with that much in that (there is only so much I can handle) however I was willing to forgive Kery for that because this book had the hottest scenes I have read so far in an erotic romance. I think it was Vic’s dirty talk that did it for me, or perhaps it’s just Kery’s talent for descriptive writing. This book got me from the get go because unlike some stories (such as Fifty Shades or Bared to You) I didn’t have to wait 50-80 pages to get into the good stuff. Bam first character, first 15 pages and its right there for me. Kery proves to us in the first character that this is purely and unashamedly an erotic romance.

I call most romances (particularly erotic romance) a guilty pleasure (well minus the guilty) and I read them with little expectations; all I want from them is a bit of fluff, a bit of HEAT, and some laughs and smiles. However I found that I really enjoyed this alot more than previous ones I have read because of the magnificent character development.

Niall is an amazing character, she has been touched by an almost unbelievable tragedy and Kery doesn’t dispute this. I find in some romance novels, the heroine with the tragic pasts has a few nightmares, blabs everything to the hero who then commences to fuck or kiss (depending on which genre of romance you are reading) out of her. It was really refreshing to find Niall’s reluctance to spill her heart in Wicked Burn. In this novel not only is the heroine someone with a tragic past, but it plagues her with guilt to the point that she can’t cope with it and turns away from her love in shame. Similarly while it finishes in the end with Vic discovering her past the novel does not finish with her simply moving on, it finishes on a nice note but Kery acknowledges that Niall still has a lot to overcome, that it will take time for her to talk about Michael. I thought this is what brought the novel to 4 stars, the fact that it was real and didn’t attempt to make everything better.
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Sep 20, 2012 Noodle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: erotica, romance, contemporary

I've just decided to give this genre a go and have only read a handful so far, but already I have determined what is important to me as a reader. Number one, the eroticism should complement the story, not overshadow it. I have no problems with a great lustful, raunchy book, but I do need a good solid background story to enjoy the book as a whole, the eroticism is a side-line -(for me).

That's just how it is and some books just don't fall into the right side of that category IMO. This book was unf...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bdsm, sex-sex-sex, strong-stuborn-male, tortured-hero-abused

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As always this was a nice story from Beth Kerry
I won't be explaning the plot cuase we have enough comments with that in them... so..let's get to the point...

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What I didn't like about this book was that the h/h relationship was kind of lacking in the feeling's department.We saw a lot of scenes about them having sex that i felt kind of bored in the end.I would've like it better if we got to see the change in the feelings between the characters more often. It had so...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Catarina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Depois de ter lido Because You Are Mine e ter adorado, as expectativas para Wicked Burn eram altas, e talvez tenha sido isso que me impediu de gostar tanto deste livro como do primeiro que li da autora.

Embora tenha simpatizado com Niall e Vic, não me identifiquei com eles como com a Francesca e o Ian, talvez porque a forma como a relação deles começou não me pareceu credível, especialmente devido aos problemas de Niall e ao que aconteceu com ela imediatamente antes de ela e Vic se conhecerem fin...more Depois de ter lido Because You Are Mine e ter adorado, as expectativas para Wicked Burn eram altas, e talvez tenha sido isso que me impediu de gostar tanto deste livro como do primeiro que li da autora.

Embora tenha simpatizado com Niall e Vic, não me identifiquei com eles como com a Francesca e o Ian, talvez porque a forma como a relação deles começou não me pareceu credível, especialmente devido aos problemas de Niall e ao que aconteceu com ela imediatamente antes de ela e Vic se conhecerem finalmente.

Contudo, à medida que as coisas se desenvolveram e fiquei a saber mais sobre eles, comecei a afeiçoar-me às suas histórias e à sua interacção, e já imaginava um futuro quando, abruptamente, tudo pára! Se há algo que me irrita é porem duas personagens inteligentes a agir obtusamente. Uma falha de compreensão, que se resolveria com uma conversa, resultou num problema enorme, que se arrastou no tempo. Não consigo aceitar que duas pessoas com a cabeça e o coração nos lugares certos permitissem isto, sabendo o mal que faziam a si mesmos, e apenas por casmurrice.

Mas, depois de um problema assim, tinha que ler mais e saber o desfecho. E continuei, já não tão motivada, mas continuei. E valeu a pena. Valeu a pena ter lido tudo, não adorei mas no geral gostei, e não foi uma perda de tempo.

Há ainda que realçar que Beth Kery podia ter compensado os leitores pela opção que tomou a meio do livro, oferecendo-lhes um final bem construído. Ao invés disso, fez com Wicked Burn o mesmo que com Because You Are Mine (e se em Because You Are Mine este foi o unico ponto negativo a meu ver, em Wicked Burn infelizmente foi mais um ponto negativo), terminou o livro de forma apressada, e sem se dignar sequer a responder a um assunto que ela mesmo levantou quase no final e que, para mim, seria importante ver resolvido.

Acho que Beth Kery melhoraria as suas histórias se se dedicasse a escrever um epílogo, algo que não acrescentaria muito mais páginas nem esforço, mas que faria toda a diferença no final de uma leitura e, especialmente em Wicked Burn, podia ter sido o click que faltou, para em vez de gostar, adorar o livro.
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Sep 02, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was more of a 2.5 for me. I had read some good reviews for this book and I took a chance and picked it up.

The story was very well written and this is one of the best written erotic fiction that I've read so far. So the reason why I rated this so low was that I couldn't connect with the characters or even care if they achieved an HEA. What I really had trouble w/ was Vic. I struggled with his machismo/misogynistic mindset throughout the book. He ran so hot and cold that I really lost r...more This book was more of a 2.5 for me. I had read some good reviews for this book and I took a chance and picked it up.

The story was very well written and this is one of the best written erotic fiction that I've read so far. So the reason why I rated this so low was that I couldn't connect with the characters or even care if they achieved an HEA. What I really had trouble w/ was Vic. I struggled with his machismo/misogynistic mindset throughout the book. He ran so hot and cold that I really lost respect for Niall for putting up with it. Both of these people were very, very flawed and I think that the author played that up a bit too much. In fact, it's the comparison/parallel of Niall's and Vic's past that makes me dislike Vic soo much. We find out that Vic greatly distrusts women due to his former fiancee, to the point that he has justified his boorish and misogynistic behavior. Compare that to Niall's past and present tragedies and I just can't feel an ounce of pity for him. Niall is struggling and Vic does nothing but exacerbates that. In fact, he comes to such a huge misconception and never allows her to explain. Instead, he uses that as even more justification for treating her so badly. And Niall... she just kept going back for more and never holds him accountable for his horrible behavior. Instead, they sleep together and all is forgiven. I really liked this book in the beginning and boy, did it start hot and heavy from the get go. But as Vic started to "alpha" out and Niall became more and more "enthralled" with him and reached doormat status that I started skimming. I was desperately hoping that Vic would be redeemable and that Niall would grow a backbone, especially as her past is explained. But she ends up bending over backward to "win" him back, to the point, where she justifies and accepts him being with other women! At this point, I was pretty much done. And even when she does "leave" him, it's only for a day! And his great revelation about her past came too little too late and there was barely any apology/groveling from him.

I guess I'm very disappointed. This book had such potential and was very well written. So when I go in with good expectations and it starts out well, it hits me harder when I can't connect or care about the characters. Niall's tragic past/backstory had such great potential, but it was never fully fleshed out and she didn't really experience a lot of growth which I expected considering what happened. And Vic... he needed a swift kick in the ass and Niall should have been the one to do it. But instead, we get the stereotypical 180 degree change troupe (which occurred in less than a day)and he doesn't really change or need to because "he luuuuuvs her". I didn't buy it and if they were a couple in real life, I'd put good odds on the relationship dissolving down the road.

I'm very torn about this author. Like I said before several times, this was a very well written book and the erotic scenes were some of the best I've read. So I might give another book by her one more chance....(less)

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