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Deeper Than Desire #2
Sheltered
Evie has lived her entire life under her abusive father’s thumb. He controls everything. Where she goes to college, who she sees, what she does. But when she meets Van—a punk who shows her how different life could be—she realizes how much she’s been missing.
Van offers her excitement, protection, love…and most of all, sex—even if he’s at first reluctant to give her all the things she’s been craving. She wants to explore this new world of arousal and desire, but Van is only too aware of how fragile she is, how innocent...
And how much is at stake, when their love is forbidden.
Van offers her excitement, protection, love…and most of all, sex—even if he’s at first reluctant to give her all the things she’s been craving. She wants to explore this new world of arousal and desire, but Van is only too aware of how fragile she is, how innocent...
And how much is at stake, when their love is forbidden.
162 pages, ebook
First published March 9, 2012
About the author
Charlotte Stein
121 books1,437 followersCharlotte Stein is the RT and DABWAHA nominated author of over fifty short stories, novellas and novels. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. For more on Charlotte, visit: www.charlottestein.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 506 reviews
April 21, 2020
5 Sensual Stars ⭐️
Sheltered happens to be one of my favourite coming of age romances ever. The writing never gets old and it captures the eroticism of first love and intimacy between two misfits who couldn’t be more compatible. Oh god, their moments together were tender, sweet and so romantic that I almost felt like a voyeur reading their story.
When a young and innocent Evie encounters a punk kid buying pot from her next-door neighbour, she never dreamed that he would unlock the girl she always wanted to be. With a sheltered life forced upon her, Evie didn't imagine that a boy like Van could teach her to embrace her innocence, awkwardness and sexuality that’s been desperate to bloom.
"She was a nineteen-year-old woman still living with her parents, still obeying their crazy rules and doing the crazy things they wanted her to do, like biking every day to Bible college. And now, the cool punk with his earrings and his tattoos and his dyed hair knew it."
Van is misunderstood, perceived as a delinquent based on his appearance, yet he’s delightfully perfect . He’s drawn to Evie from their very first meeting. Neither can resist spending time together, even if it has to be in secret. Evie hadn't expected to capture the eye of such a big hulk of a man like Van. And here begins a wonderous journey of exploration and loving that will implode once they are found out.
"Oh God, please. Please. Van. Please."
"She had to shove his hand away. Any second, and he’d know about the wetness all over her thighs, about the state of her soaked panties and that little swollen thing that felt about as big as a truck—
"Ohhhhh Je-sus, you’re wet. Oh fuck, you’re so wet, baby. Are you serious with this? It’s all over your legs."
I can’t put in words how magical I find Charlotte Stein’s writing. In fact, I’d read anything she writes because her voice is unique, borderline poetic. This author is not afraid to push the boundaries, has a knack for making her characters come to life and you’re always guaranteed a flustering hot read. Spare panties required...
Sheltered happens to be one of my favourite coming of age romances ever. The writing never gets old and it captures the eroticism of first love and intimacy between two misfits who couldn’t be more compatible. Oh god, their moments together were tender, sweet and so romantic that I almost felt like a voyeur reading their story.
When a young and innocent Evie encounters a punk kid buying pot from her next-door neighbour, she never dreamed that he would unlock the girl she always wanted to be. With a sheltered life forced upon her, Evie didn't imagine that a boy like Van could teach her to embrace her innocence, awkwardness and sexuality that’s been desperate to bloom.
"She was a nineteen-year-old woman still living with her parents, still obeying their crazy rules and doing the crazy things they wanted her to do, like biking every day to Bible college. And now, the cool punk with his earrings and his tattoos and his dyed hair knew it."
Van is misunderstood, perceived as a delinquent based on his appearance, yet he’s delightfully perfect . He’s drawn to Evie from their very first meeting. Neither can resist spending time together, even if it has to be in secret. Evie hadn't expected to capture the eye of such a big hulk of a man like Van. And here begins a wonderous journey of exploration and loving that will implode once they are found out.
"Oh God, please. Please. Van. Please."
"She had to shove his hand away. Any second, and he’d know about the wetness all over her thighs, about the state of her soaked panties and that little swollen thing that felt about as big as a truck—
"Ohhhhh Je-sus, you’re wet. Oh fuck, you’re so wet, baby. Are you serious with this? It’s all over your legs."
I can’t put in words how magical I find Charlotte Stein’s writing. In fact, I’d read anything she writes because her voice is unique, borderline poetic. This author is not afraid to push the boundaries, has a knack for making her characters come to life and you’re always guaranteed a flustering hot read. Spare panties required...
February 13, 2013
Sheltered is a poignant tale. Erotic, every bit as sensual as sexual, and one of the most romantic stories I've read in a very long time.
Thank you, Angela, for Kindle lending me this book. It's one of the best 'coming of age' stories I've ever read, and it'll stay with me for a very long time.Sheltered is -
Rude, lewd, filthy.
Caring, pure, innocent.
Greedy, needy, demanding.
Generous, desperate, giving.
Wrong, never wrong.
March 18, 2012
3 1/2 to 4 stars
There are many things about Sheltered that I loved. It's sensual, emotional, heartbreaking, touching, erotic, and humorous, all wrapped together in a tender and passionate love story. However, there were a few things about this book that bothered me and, unfortunately, I just wasn't able to look past them.
My main gripe with this story, frankly, is my own personal issue. I do not enjoy books that concentrate on character narrative more than character dialogue. I love stories full of emotional, witty, and engaging dialogue. Van and Evie, when allowed to converse, were fascinating and delightful together. Because of that, I was disappointed with how little dialogue this book had. In addition, there were times the heroine's internal rambling got on my nerves, and I really disliked the vulgar porn star inner voice Evie had throughout this book. Her character was sheltered, innocent, and naïve. She had very little worldly knowledge, and I had a hard time reconciling her two opposing personas.
That being said, this book is full of wonderful characterization, smoldering UST, passionate romance, erotic love scenes, and two very endearing characters. I loved the hero and heroine—Van, the rebellious, tattooed punk; and Evie, the sheltered, naïve girl-next-door—two very different individuals who were more alike than not. I simply loved watching them open up, trust, and accept each other. Together they lit up the pages, in more ways than one, and made this book worth reading.
There are many things about Sheltered that I loved. It's sensual, emotional, heartbreaking, touching, erotic, and humorous, all wrapped together in a tender and passionate love story. However, there were a few things about this book that bothered me and, unfortunately, I just wasn't able to look past them.
My main gripe with this story, frankly, is my own personal issue. I do not enjoy books that concentrate on character narrative more than character dialogue. I love stories full of emotional, witty, and engaging dialogue. Van and Evie, when allowed to converse, were fascinating and delightful together. Because of that, I was disappointed with how little dialogue this book had. In addition, there were times the heroine's internal rambling got on my nerves, and I really disliked the vulgar porn star inner voice Evie had throughout this book. Her character was sheltered, innocent, and naïve. She had very little worldly knowledge, and I had a hard time reconciling her two opposing personas.
That being said, this book is full of wonderful characterization, smoldering UST, passionate romance, erotic love scenes, and two very endearing characters. I loved the hero and heroine—Van, the rebellious, tattooed punk; and Evie, the sheltered, naïve girl-next-door—two very different individuals who were more alike than not. I simply loved watching them open up, trust, and accept each other. Together they lit up the pages, in more ways than one, and made this book worth reading.
April 22, 2012
I have a confession to make.
Wait for it…
I read a lot of smut. A lot. Good smut, bad smut, mediocre smut that I forget about the next day. Like, there are actual books on my kindle that I look at and say to myself, “What the fuck was this book about?”
With that being said, I have to say that when I saw this book on Amazon, I thought the premise looked interesting. Bad boy, good girl and all that implies. But I didn’t really expect much from it. In fact, I didn’t really even tell anyone that I was going to read it. I was not prepared for how much I immediately feel in love with Sheltered. And I did love everything about it right from the very beginning.
I loved the author’s voice. I loved Evie and her neurotic, skittish, fascinated ways. I loved that she was equally scared of and pulled to Van, the punk boy who bought and smoked pot in her neighbor’s yard. And then…then, I loved Van. In fact, love isn’t even strong enough. I think he is possibly one of my all time favorite male characters ever. Not just in erotica, but in all the books ever. I mean, we’re talking about the kind of love I have for Edward and Four and Adam. He said things like, “Evie, you don’t even know how lovely you are.” Or, “That’s it, baby. Oh you’re just spilling all over my hand.”
DEAD.
Evie never ceased to amaze me with her inability to filter herself around him. He made her feel ALL THE FEELINGS. And she was constantly bursting with the need to say and do the things she’d never been allowed to say and do. And I adore the idea of a man who can make a woman feel that way.
Their love was pure and organic. And not a single damn thing about it ever felt forced or contrived. And that was the true beauty of this book. I was completely sucked in. My heart raced when Evie’s did. It sunk right along with hers.
And the heat…holy-motherfucking-shit!!! This book was so goddamn hot, it almost melted my iPad. Seriously. Everything was new to them. And I felt like all their first times were my first times as well. And it’s been a while since I’ve had a first time for anything.
There were heavy themes in this book. But it worked to the story’s advantage. There didn’t need to be any relationship drama because both of them had enough drama of their own. This was about two people finding that one person in a fucked up world who will love them for the exact wonderful, beautiful, broken, fucked up person they are.
This story was amazing.
I will definitely read again…and again…and again.
Do yourself a favor and read it, too. You won’t b disappointed.
Wait for it…
I read a lot of smut. A lot. Good smut, bad smut, mediocre smut that I forget about the next day. Like, there are actual books on my kindle that I look at and say to myself, “What the fuck was this book about?”
With that being said, I have to say that when I saw this book on Amazon, I thought the premise looked interesting. Bad boy, good girl and all that implies. But I didn’t really expect much from it. In fact, I didn’t really even tell anyone that I was going to read it. I was not prepared for how much I immediately feel in love with Sheltered. And I did love everything about it right from the very beginning.
I loved the author’s voice. I loved Evie and her neurotic, skittish, fascinated ways. I loved that she was equally scared of and pulled to Van, the punk boy who bought and smoked pot in her neighbor’s yard. And then…then, I loved Van. In fact, love isn’t even strong enough. I think he is possibly one of my all time favorite male characters ever. Not just in erotica, but in all the books ever. I mean, we’re talking about the kind of love I have for Edward and Four and Adam. He said things like, “Evie, you don’t even know how lovely you are.” Or, “That’s it, baby. Oh you’re just spilling all over my hand.”
DEAD.
Evie never ceased to amaze me with her inability to filter herself around him. He made her feel ALL THE FEELINGS. And she was constantly bursting with the need to say and do the things she’d never been allowed to say and do. And I adore the idea of a man who can make a woman feel that way.
Their love was pure and organic. And not a single damn thing about it ever felt forced or contrived. And that was the true beauty of this book. I was completely sucked in. My heart raced when Evie’s did. It sunk right along with hers.
And the heat…holy-motherfucking-shit!!! This book was so goddamn hot, it almost melted my iPad. Seriously. Everything was new to them. And I felt like all their first times were my first times as well. And it’s been a while since I’ve had a first time for anything.
There were heavy themes in this book. But it worked to the story’s advantage. There didn’t need to be any relationship drama because both of them had enough drama of their own. This was about two people finding that one person in a fucked up world who will love them for the exact wonderful, beautiful, broken, fucked up person they are.
This story was amazing.
I will definitely read again…and again…and again.
Do yourself a favor and read it, too. You won’t b disappointed.
March 22, 2012
Tyler “Van” Vandervoort is a dream come true. A knight in shining armor, only his armor is body art, piercings, funky hair, and his ride of choice is a motorcycle…what could be better?! Oh, maybe that he’s the sweetest boy you could ever meet, all wrapped up in a big brawny delicious package! Van is the angel who will be Evie’s salvation. Living behind the walls and beliefs of her strict parents, Van gently coaxes her out of her sheltered life offering her kindness and friendship. When she finally emerges, she comes out guns a blazin’ and full of lust and desire for this beautiful boy who befriends her. She’s missed out on life way too long, grabs ahold of Van and doesn’t let go. Hidden beneath her plain clothes and stodgy ways, Van sees the true beauty that is Evie!
He never pushes Evie to have sex, but helps her explore her sexuality, takes care of her needs without having her reciprocate. When he feels it’s too much, he walks away, and takes care of his needs on his own. He is the voice of reason when her passion consumes her. Then one day he tells her it’s “not enough” and she assumes he means they should take the final step, consummate their relationship, but all he wants is to spend more time with her, just be with her…OMG, if only he was real. The dialogue that I wanted so badly throughout the book more than made up for it as the story wound down. Then when the unthinkable happens, this gentle boy, who treats this girl, his girlfriend, like she’s made of glass, steps up to the challenge and becomes her protector…WOW!
I wish that that there was more dialogue, but I did enjoying delving into Evie’s mind. Her knowledge of sex was based on the limited exposure that she had. She used that and embellished it with her fantasies. Some of which were very humorous. This is an enjoyable, sweet, delicious romance and I wanted more!
He never pushes Evie to have sex, but helps her explore her sexuality, takes care of her needs without having her reciprocate. When he feels it’s too much, he walks away, and takes care of his needs on his own. He is the voice of reason when her passion consumes her. Then one day he tells her it’s “not enough” and she assumes he means they should take the final step, consummate their relationship, but all he wants is to spend more time with her, just be with her…OMG, if only he was real. The dialogue that I wanted so badly throughout the book more than made up for it as the story wound down. Then when the unthinkable happens, this gentle boy, who treats this girl, his girlfriend, like she’s made of glass, steps up to the challenge and becomes her protector…WOW!
I wish that that there was more dialogue, but I did enjoying delving into Evie’s mind. Her knowledge of sex was based on the limited exposure that she had. She used that and embellished it with her fantasies. Some of which were very humorous. This is an enjoyable, sweet, delicious romance and I wanted more!
April 27, 2012
I've sat on this review for four days. And in that time, I re-read this book. I'm ashamed to say that I haven't done that since I read Twilight the first time, but I absolutely loved this book. And I knew that if I could go back and re-read and actually savor the book rather than devouring it like I'm known to do, I'd enjoy it even more. I was right. I was able to pick up details of the book that I hadn't the first time. And I found that there were entire passages I didn't even remember reading the first time! (that's what happens when you inhale a book in a few hours)
I put this on my (never-ending) TBR list after seeing it on Kristen's Shelves. But. Well. See, there's this thing. The "thing" being the cover. I mean, seriously. I saw the cover, was completely horrified, and promptly shoved it in the back of my mind. WHO WANTS TO READ A SEXY BOOK ABOUT A DUDE WITH A RAT-TAIL MOHAWK??
Not I, my friends. Not I.
But then. Then, Cosmo was tweeting up a storm about this book with some *ahem* decidedly delicious quotes. So I dove in.
The premise is intriguing enough: sheltered, good girl with overbearing religious parents and an abusive father meets seemingly bad boy with tattoos who enjoys smoking pot every now and then. I figured I'd get a passable plot with some cringe-worthy virgin sex thrown in.
I was so wrong.
What I got was an intriguing story with a heroine whose voice I fell in love with. I've seen several reviews comment on the overuse of the heroine's narration rather than dialogue, and while I can see their point because I definitely prefer good, witty dialogue to pages and pages of narration, I didn't mind hearing Evie's voice. It read very stream-of-consciousness for me, which I think is super hard to do in third person, yet Stein did it, and did it well. I've also seen in several reviews that Evie's inner voice was a little vulgar considering how sheltered she was. I'll admit that I didn't really notice it the first time through, which is definitely something I would normally be all over. Upon the re-read, I noticed that Stein did it very smartly. It was a slow build, eventually working up to the more graphic language. I also noticed that though Evie seemed sheltered, Stein shows us a dozen ways that she's had her eyes opened to the world (through books and magazines she wasn't supposed to read, to radio programs she wasn't supposed to listen to, to "playground talk" as she called it, to scare tactics by religious educators on what could happen in a sexual situation), so it felt normal to me. Van even comments on it, and I think it sums her up perfectly: "How come you know so much and so little at the same time?"
I also got an over the moon, swoony boy who absolutely always said the perfect thing, even when it was decidedly not perfect. Let's talk a little bit about Van (Tyler), should we? Gah. First of all, he's six foot five, y'all. SIX FOOT FIVE. I die. He is strength and hardness and tattoos (not to mention the tongue ring he just removed. guh) and this complete badass persona. But you guise. He is a giant teddy bear. He is so sweet. So loving. So considerate of Evie...I can't.
I got pretty prose that I'm more apt to see in other genres of books. I got a book I absolutely fell in love with.
The path that we take never felt stilted or rushed. Stein set the perfect pace in Evie and Van's story. The build-up, the climax, and the resolution were all perfectly done. And the ending? God. Even though I'd hoped for just a little more Evie/Van interaction, how she ended it was perfection.
Do you see a theme? I've dropped the word "perfect" about eleventy billion times. Rather than continuing to go on and on and on, I'm going to leave you with some of the 29 passages that I highlighted in this book. TWENTY-NINE. I'm not kidding.
~*~
His voice sounded like molten metal. As if he had something thick at the back of his throat and it was making him sound deeper and richer than he actually was.
~*~
He suggested devils, skulls, harsh masculine drawings. This thing was…heart poundingly good. She wanted to pluck it, and bury her face in it, and keep it in a vase by her bedside.
~*~
“Evie,” he said, and inexplicable goose bumps broke out all over her arms. He had been waiting for her. And he’d waited in the Ryerson’s yard too, as though he wasn’t allowed in this one.
Not yet, anyway. Not until she gave him permission to come through the wooden barrier between them.
“Hi,” she said. Mainly because her mouth had filled with cotton and her brain had disappeared somewhere around his first charcoal-soft gaze.
~*~
Whereas this…this was wet. His lips sank into a rhythm obviously familiar to him—like a kind of slow rock over her mouth—and there were times when she felt his tongue, hot and slippery. Times when he insinuated himself right against her and that same slipperiness made her go all funny inside.
~*~
Everything had been cloaked in sensuousness, to the point where details seemed fuzzy and languid.
Like the cuff of his sleeve stroking over the back of her hand, or the feel of his breath stirring against her lips. Her lips had grown seventy thousand nerve endings between yesterday and right now, and they seemed to buzz whenever he moved.
~*~
“See—this is the problem. You don’t even get where this is going. You can’t just ask me to come in, or kiss me, or tell me you want to know what smoking pot feels like. When I’m close to you I feel crazy, okay? When you say my name I feel crazy. It’s not…the right thing for you. I don’t think I can just…be your friend.”
~*~
The bath wasn’t the best thing. Lying with him spooned up against her, listening to the rain rattle against the glass and his voice like a rolling wave…that was the best thing.
~*~
There wasn’t a person on earth who’d doubt Van’s presence, while naked. He looked huge, framed by the window, and so very, very intent on whatever he was drawing. Until he saw her looking at him, of course.
His eyes met hers. She didn’t mind admitting that it made her stomach bottom out.
“Keep still,” he said, as she did the exact opposite. She couldn’t possibly obey while he sat there like that, looking like one giant delicious contrast. Black on white, rough on smooth, big and gentle all at the same time.
And he was actually drawing too. He was drawing something even as he half-eyed her, gaze as smoky and gorgeous as ever she’d seen it.
~*~
"What can I give you? I--"
"You give me everything."
~*~
"You don't even know how lovely you are, my Evie."
~*~
DO YOU SEE THE SWOONS????? And I'm not even spoiling you on the good stuff. The things he says to her ... I can't.
In case my review wasn't clear, you need to read this. Pronto.
I put this on my (never-ending) TBR list after seeing it on Kristen's Shelves. But. Well. See, there's this thing. The "thing" being the cover. I mean, seriously. I saw the cover, was completely horrified, and promptly shoved it in the back of my mind. WHO WANTS TO READ A SEXY BOOK ABOUT A DUDE WITH A RAT-TAIL MOHAWK??
Not I, my friends. Not I.
But then. Then, Cosmo was tweeting up a storm about this book with some *ahem* decidedly delicious quotes. So I dove in.
The premise is intriguing enough: sheltered, good girl with overbearing religious parents and an abusive father meets seemingly bad boy with tattoos who enjoys smoking pot every now and then. I figured I'd get a passable plot with some cringe-worthy virgin sex thrown in.
I was so wrong.
What I got was an intriguing story with a heroine whose voice I fell in love with. I've seen several reviews comment on the overuse of the heroine's narration rather than dialogue, and while I can see their point because I definitely prefer good, witty dialogue to pages and pages of narration, I didn't mind hearing Evie's voice. It read very stream-of-consciousness for me, which I think is super hard to do in third person, yet Stein did it, and did it well. I've also seen in several reviews that Evie's inner voice was a little vulgar considering how sheltered she was. I'll admit that I didn't really notice it the first time through, which is definitely something I would normally be all over. Upon the re-read, I noticed that Stein did it very smartly. It was a slow build, eventually working up to the more graphic language. I also noticed that though Evie seemed sheltered, Stein shows us a dozen ways that she's had her eyes opened to the world (through books and magazines she wasn't supposed to read, to radio programs she wasn't supposed to listen to, to "playground talk" as she called it, to scare tactics by religious educators on what could happen in a sexual situation), so it felt normal to me. Van even comments on it, and I think it sums her up perfectly: "How come you know so much and so little at the same time?"
I also got an over the moon, swoony boy who absolutely always said the perfect thing, even when it was decidedly not perfect. Let's talk a little bit about Van (Tyler), should we? Gah. First of all, he's six foot five, y'all. SIX FOOT FIVE. I die. He is strength and hardness and tattoos (not to mention the tongue ring he just removed. guh) and this complete badass persona. But you guise. He is a giant teddy bear. He is so sweet. So loving. So considerate of Evie...I can't.
I got pretty prose that I'm more apt to see in other genres of books. I got a book I absolutely fell in love with.
The path that we take never felt stilted or rushed. Stein set the perfect pace in Evie and Van's story. The build-up, the climax, and the resolution were all perfectly done. And the ending? God. Even though I'd hoped for just a little more Evie/Van interaction, how she ended it was perfection.
Do you see a theme? I've dropped the word "perfect" about eleventy billion times. Rather than continuing to go on and on and on, I'm going to leave you with some of the 29 passages that I highlighted in this book. TWENTY-NINE. I'm not kidding.
~*~
His voice sounded like molten metal. As if he had something thick at the back of his throat and it was making him sound deeper and richer than he actually was.
~*~
He suggested devils, skulls, harsh masculine drawings. This thing was…heart poundingly good. She wanted to pluck it, and bury her face in it, and keep it in a vase by her bedside.
~*~
“Evie,” he said, and inexplicable goose bumps broke out all over her arms. He had been waiting for her. And he’d waited in the Ryerson’s yard too, as though he wasn’t allowed in this one.
Not yet, anyway. Not until she gave him permission to come through the wooden barrier between them.
“Hi,” she said. Mainly because her mouth had filled with cotton and her brain had disappeared somewhere around his first charcoal-soft gaze.
~*~
Whereas this…this was wet. His lips sank into a rhythm obviously familiar to him—like a kind of slow rock over her mouth—and there were times when she felt his tongue, hot and slippery. Times when he insinuated himself right against her and that same slipperiness made her go all funny inside.
~*~
Everything had been cloaked in sensuousness, to the point where details seemed fuzzy and languid.
Like the cuff of his sleeve stroking over the back of her hand, or the feel of his breath stirring against her lips. Her lips had grown seventy thousand nerve endings between yesterday and right now, and they seemed to buzz whenever he moved.
~*~
“See—this is the problem. You don’t even get where this is going. You can’t just ask me to come in, or kiss me, or tell me you want to know what smoking pot feels like. When I’m close to you I feel crazy, okay? When you say my name I feel crazy. It’s not…the right thing for you. I don’t think I can just…be your friend.”
~*~
The bath wasn’t the best thing. Lying with him spooned up against her, listening to the rain rattle against the glass and his voice like a rolling wave…that was the best thing.
~*~
There wasn’t a person on earth who’d doubt Van’s presence, while naked. He looked huge, framed by the window, and so very, very intent on whatever he was drawing. Until he saw her looking at him, of course.
His eyes met hers. She didn’t mind admitting that it made her stomach bottom out.
“Keep still,” he said, as she did the exact opposite. She couldn’t possibly obey while he sat there like that, looking like one giant delicious contrast. Black on white, rough on smooth, big and gentle all at the same time.
And he was actually drawing too. He was drawing something even as he half-eyed her, gaze as smoky and gorgeous as ever she’d seen it.
~*~
"What can I give you? I--"
"You give me everything."
~*~
"You don't even know how lovely you are, my Evie."
~*~
DO YOU SEE THE SWOONS????? And I'm not even spoiling you on the good stuff. The things he says to her ... I can't.
In case my review wasn't clear, you need to read this. Pronto.
April 2, 2016
5+ AMAZING STARS!!!
Wow.
I am so twisted up inside, I don't know if I can even get the words out. This is seriously one of the best books I've ever read. Probably because it speaks so strongly to me on a personal level.
I, too, was sheltered. I'm not going to go into all the details because that's way too raw and personal for goodreads, (although this review already feels like it's headed in that direction), but let's just say I was sheltered to the extreme and leave it at that. ;-) So when I started reading about Evie, I couldn't believe just how close her story hit home. In case anyone has doubts about whether someone can really be raised THAT strictly, be THAT naive, let me assure you that yes, they can and yes, they are.
Needless to say, I devoured this book. Evie struck a chord and it almost feels uncomfortable to admit it.
Ok, enough about Evie. Now I must say a few words about VAN. Where do I even start? 6'5" at least, although that's just her guestimation, and at one point he eludes to the fact that he may be much taller than that. *Panting* He’s broad-shouldered and big…ALL over. Ahem. He’s covered in tattoos in delectable places that Evie wants to lick, like his neck (I’m with ya, girl!) He rides a motorbike. He’s got a partially shaved head. He’s bad to the bone on the OUTSIDE, and the best kind of good and sweet on the inside. The perfect combination. They never say how old he is, but I figure a few years older than her as he talks about attending college (she's 19). I usually go for the May/December, older man/younger woman kind of thing, but this just WORKED. They were so meant to be. Every word, every single moment just felt so RIGHT.
And the SEX. Holy freakin’ SH*T. She was so innocent, and yet SO ready to explore, to take the bull by the horns (or the balls?) and dive head first into the uncharted waters of passion, and he was so sweet at first, keeping his distance, but when he finally gave in and let go…O.M.G. The mouth on that boy. There were several times I thought I might seriously pass out. Expire from lack of blood to my brain because it had all headed decidedly south.
And so much emotion. Even in such a short story, I really FELT their connection. I believed in their love.
A perfect story, and one I wished had been MUCH, much longer. AMAZING!!
Wow.
I am so twisted up inside, I don't know if I can even get the words out. This is seriously one of the best books I've ever read. Probably because it speaks so strongly to me on a personal level.
I, too, was sheltered. I'm not going to go into all the details because that's way too raw and personal for goodreads, (although this review already feels like it's headed in that direction), but let's just say I was sheltered to the extreme and leave it at that. ;-) So when I started reading about Evie, I couldn't believe just how close her story hit home. In case anyone has doubts about whether someone can really be raised THAT strictly, be THAT naive, let me assure you that yes, they can and yes, they are.
Needless to say, I devoured this book. Evie struck a chord and it almost feels uncomfortable to admit it.
Ok, enough about Evie. Now I must say a few words about VAN. Where do I even start? 6'5" at least, although that's just her guestimation, and at one point he eludes to the fact that he may be much taller than that. *Panting* He’s broad-shouldered and big…ALL over. Ahem. He’s covered in tattoos in delectable places that Evie wants to lick, like his neck (I’m with ya, girl!) He rides a motorbike. He’s got a partially shaved head. He’s bad to the bone on the OUTSIDE, and the best kind of good and sweet on the inside. The perfect combination. They never say how old he is, but I figure a few years older than her as he talks about attending college (she's 19). I usually go for the May/December, older man/younger woman kind of thing, but this just WORKED. They were so meant to be. Every word, every single moment just felt so RIGHT.
And the SEX. Holy freakin’ SH*T. She was so innocent, and yet SO ready to explore, to take the bull by the horns (or the balls?) and dive head first into the uncharted waters of passion, and he was so sweet at first, keeping his distance, but when he finally gave in and let go…O.M.G. The mouth on that boy. There were several times I thought I might seriously pass out. Expire from lack of blood to my brain because it had all headed decidedly south.
And so much emotion. Even in such a short story, I really FELT their connection. I believed in their love.
A perfect story, and one I wished had been MUCH, much longer. AMAZING!!
March 18, 2012
Okay story but completely from her point of view and way too much time spent mostly in her thoughts instead of just showing scenes. The story premise was interesting but the writing seemed so vague because the girl's thoughts were so disjointed. So just okay and kind of disappointing execution.
April 9, 2012
First of all, before you go any further, pay no attention to the WTF cover. Seriously, cover your eyes, and just read this review – or just go straight to the book because it is that good.
Evie is nineteen years old and has lived a very sheltered life. Her father is very abusive, not only pulling out his belt, but oppressing her to intense degrees. She is not allowed to listen to music, she must go to Bible College and she is really quite naive about the world. She understands this but she sees no way out of this life. Lately she has noticed a very different sort of man that visits her neighbor’s house. This big man has a punkish sort of hair style. He has tattoos, piercings and just looks like an all around bad ass. Quite the opposite of Evie, but she can’t stop looking at him. She even knows he is buying drugs, but that doesn’t lessen his appeal to her. On Wednesday’s her parents go out to play bridge, so she knows she has a few hours to get around her father’s extremely strict rules.
Van notices Evie is watching him and he is immediately drawn to her. Evie is not embarrassed that he catches her watching, but more:
For the first time in her life, she was truly sensible of how humiliating her situation was. How not like normal people. This guy – this weird-ass guy- was more normal than her.
She perceives him to be everything she isn’t - cool and free. She sees in him independence and rebellion. Things she wants but hasn’t been able to dream of. Breathing wrong in front of her father can bring down his wrath. Van presents a very overwhelming desire.
Every Wednesday, Van sticks around, almost to the point where he comes for her rather than his pot. Van might be all punk, but he is first, a gentleman. He has such strong feelings for Evie, and he knows her situation and because of that he never once takes advantage of her. He doesn’t want to be “that guy” that bangs a sheltered virgin and then walks away. He wants to watch movies with her and talk about their day – something that is almost impossible with her living situation. So instead, they covet the small hours they have together every Wednesday. And while they do talk about themselves, it also becomes a sexual exploration for Evie
In her dreams, Evie likes to think she can explore things sexually, but as she states:
But even her free-flying dream-self didn’t know what a naked man looked like. Or at least, her dream-self didn’t know entirely. It just guessed some of it and filled the rest in with Calvin Klein ads she’d seen on billboards, shoulders broad and torso covered in delicious bumps, everything gray and black, black and gray.
And Evie’s nativity to men comes through quite well. She is not scared to try new things, it’s almost as if Van refuses to let her try things for fear he is rushing. Evie is ready. She has to push Van, to reassure him all will be ok:
There were times, many, many times, when she just didn’t get him. She’d heard on numerous occasions that men were bad, wicked creatures, who’d do terrible things at a moment’s notice. You wore the wrong skirt or bent over at an inopportune time and BAM. They slipped their penises into you.
But not Van. He actively back away – heck, he backed away from it even after he’d said he wanted more. And though she suspected that sex wasn’t exactly what he’d meant, even so, Even so.
It was what she’d meant. She wanted it to be in there, meaning something.
This author does an amazing job with the sex scenes. So erotic and sensual. These two have amazing chemistry together. The kind where I started reading this book late one afternoon and dinner was definitely late getting to the table. I had to know how things would turn out for these two. There is also great tension as you know they are risking the father’s wrath every time they are alone together in her house.
Two things keep me from giving this one an A. First, I wanted to see the evil side of the father just a little more. I believed him to be abusive but I wanted to be scared by him more. And second, I needed more pages at the end. More reassurance Evie would be okay. I could use an entire second book exploring their relationship.
I highly recommend this erotic book and I will definitely be checking out Charlotte Stein’s back list.
Evie is nineteen years old and has lived a very sheltered life. Her father is very abusive, not only pulling out his belt, but oppressing her to intense degrees. She is not allowed to listen to music, she must go to Bible College and she is really quite naive about the world. She understands this but she sees no way out of this life. Lately she has noticed a very different sort of man that visits her neighbor’s house. This big man has a punkish sort of hair style. He has tattoos, piercings and just looks like an all around bad ass. Quite the opposite of Evie, but she can’t stop looking at him. She even knows he is buying drugs, but that doesn’t lessen his appeal to her. On Wednesday’s her parents go out to play bridge, so she knows she has a few hours to get around her father’s extremely strict rules.
Van notices Evie is watching him and he is immediately drawn to her. Evie is not embarrassed that he catches her watching, but more:
For the first time in her life, she was truly sensible of how humiliating her situation was. How not like normal people. This guy – this weird-ass guy- was more normal than her.
She perceives him to be everything she isn’t - cool and free. She sees in him independence and rebellion. Things she wants but hasn’t been able to dream of. Breathing wrong in front of her father can bring down his wrath. Van presents a very overwhelming desire.
Every Wednesday, Van sticks around, almost to the point where he comes for her rather than his pot. Van might be all punk, but he is first, a gentleman. He has such strong feelings for Evie, and he knows her situation and because of that he never once takes advantage of her. He doesn’t want to be “that guy” that bangs a sheltered virgin and then walks away. He wants to watch movies with her and talk about their day – something that is almost impossible with her living situation. So instead, they covet the small hours they have together every Wednesday. And while they do talk about themselves, it also becomes a sexual exploration for Evie
In her dreams, Evie likes to think she can explore things sexually, but as she states:
But even her free-flying dream-self didn’t know what a naked man looked like. Or at least, her dream-self didn’t know entirely. It just guessed some of it and filled the rest in with Calvin Klein ads she’d seen on billboards, shoulders broad and torso covered in delicious bumps, everything gray and black, black and gray.
And Evie’s nativity to men comes through quite well. She is not scared to try new things, it’s almost as if Van refuses to let her try things for fear he is rushing. Evie is ready. She has to push Van, to reassure him all will be ok:
There were times, many, many times, when she just didn’t get him. She’d heard on numerous occasions that men were bad, wicked creatures, who’d do terrible things at a moment’s notice. You wore the wrong skirt or bent over at an inopportune time and BAM. They slipped their penises into you.
But not Van. He actively back away – heck, he backed away from it even after he’d said he wanted more. And though she suspected that sex wasn’t exactly what he’d meant, even so, Even so.
It was what she’d meant. She wanted it to be in there, meaning something.
This author does an amazing job with the sex scenes. So erotic and sensual. These two have amazing chemistry together. The kind where I started reading this book late one afternoon and dinner was definitely late getting to the table. I had to know how things would turn out for these two. There is also great tension as you know they are risking the father’s wrath every time they are alone together in her house.
Two things keep me from giving this one an A. First, I wanted to see the evil side of the father just a little more. I believed him to be abusive but I wanted to be scared by him more. And second, I needed more pages at the end. More reassurance Evie would be okay. I could use an entire second book exploring their relationship.
I highly recommend this erotic book and I will definitely be checking out Charlotte Stein’s back list.
March 13, 2012
Wow. When I heard there was going to be a sexually repressed heroine and punk hero from Charlotte Stein (thank you, Twitter), it was pretty much an auto-buy. And thank goodness EC decided to put this one up on Amazon right away instead of that annoying waiting period!
This book hit all my angst-loving erogenous zones. As soon as I started reading it I knew it would be great. It seems to happen that way more and more for me, where the first page can portend my enjoyment of the whole thing. It makes me kind of spastic. Do I read faster, because it's awesome? Or slower, to draw it out? Or should I re-read this scene I just read, in case I missed any crumbs of awesomeness?
Evie's character just nails the whole abused/sexually repressed thing. Yes, apparently it's a thing, and Charlotte Stein does it so well. How she manages to handle super serious issues with major class AND also be playful and fun is just beyond me. Evie is like the female version of Gabriel from Control, which you know I loved. And Van as a hero - sigh - is so fucking worthy. He is just so cool and nice and I want to put him in a box and keep him for my very own.
I am sad about how short this is. I know that's a common complaint when you love a book. It's kind of like in an interview and someone asks what's your biggest fault? And you say, I'm an overachiever! But I really, really wanted more of these two. Even about halfway through and three-fourths in, I kept pausing and wanting to smash the book with a hammer, to smoosh it flat and make it longer.
Also, okay and this is going to seem nitpicky, but it seems there is a shortage of commas? Every time we use one, a puppy gets kicked? I don't know, they seemed to be missing from places they should definitely be, particularly inside dialog. I found this distracting.
There is this ongoing joke between them relating to Victorian times that makes me smile whenever I think of it. Agghh, they are so cute! I cannot even stand it.
This book hit all my angst-loving erogenous zones. As soon as I started reading it I knew it would be great. It seems to happen that way more and more for me, where the first page can portend my enjoyment of the whole thing. It makes me kind of spastic. Do I read faster, because it's awesome? Or slower, to draw it out? Or should I re-read this scene I just read, in case I missed any crumbs of awesomeness?
Evie's character just nails the whole abused/sexually repressed thing. Yes, apparently it's a thing, and Charlotte Stein does it so well. How she manages to handle super serious issues with major class AND also be playful and fun is just beyond me. Evie is like the female version of Gabriel from Control, which you know I loved. And Van as a hero - sigh - is so fucking worthy. He is just so cool and nice and I want to put him in a box and keep him for my very own.
I am sad about how short this is. I know that's a common complaint when you love a book. It's kind of like in an interview and someone asks what's your biggest fault? And you say, I'm an overachiever! But I really, really wanted more of these two. Even about halfway through and three-fourths in, I kept pausing and wanting to smash the book with a hammer, to smoosh it flat and make it longer.
Also, okay and this is going to seem nitpicky, but it seems there is a shortage of commas? Every time we use one, a puppy gets kicked? I don't know, they seemed to be missing from places they should definitely be, particularly inside dialog. I found this distracting.
There is this ongoing joke between them relating to Victorian times that makes me smile whenever I think of it. Agghh, they are so cute! I cannot even stand it.
April 26, 2022
How did Charlotte Stein perfectly and capture what first love looks like, feels like, explodes in your body and soul, and put it all perfectly on page? Tender, erotic, innocent and real. This story is liquid poetry. I can’t explain it. Just under 200 pages, I craved so much more.
![Profile Image for Michelle [Helen Geek].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1448463806i/5557851._CR0,13,200,200_.jpg)
March 17, 2012
What the hell .. 5 Stars. I debated, 4.5, or 5, and you know what -- this was just that good.
A new author for me, and a really nice story. You have a psuedo bad boy, and the good girl. They each come from abusive homes and their meeting is pure chance, but they have a connection. The author draws out the story, elicits really strong emotion in the connection between these two. The story wasn't terribly detailed. One of the primary characters was the relationship and the interaction between these two. Pretty simple in the respect there were really no secondaries. Even the interaction with the abusive father was very limited.
What appealed to me? Why did I find out about this earlier this week and bump it to the very top -- TO READ NOW -- status in my pile? Well, I heard some buzz on this website from a few friends. They were really pumped about this one, read the blurb [bad, punk boy and naive sheltered girl]. I was sold. Wanted a bit of a change, something simple to grab me easily, and this book was perfect. Loved Van and Evie. You could see these two together growing old and loving each other .. to the end of their days. They are just that connected.
I very much enjoyed this story and can see myself reading it again. Not one I'll forget soon. If the authors other books are as good as this one, I'm sure I will read more by this author.
Happy Reading!
A new author for me, and a really nice story. You have a psuedo bad boy, and the good girl. They each come from abusive homes and their meeting is pure chance, but they have a connection. The author draws out the story, elicits really strong emotion in the connection between these two. The story wasn't terribly detailed. One of the primary characters was the relationship and the interaction between these two. Pretty simple in the respect there were really no secondaries. Even the interaction with the abusive father was very limited.
What appealed to me? Why did I find out about this earlier this week and bump it to the very top -- TO READ NOW -- status in my pile? Well, I heard some buzz on this website from a few friends. They were really pumped about this one, read the blurb [bad, punk boy and naive sheltered girl]. I was sold. Wanted a bit of a change, something simple to grab me easily, and this book was perfect. Loved Van and Evie. You could see these two together growing old and loving each other .. to the end of their days. They are just that connected.
I very much enjoyed this story and can see myself reading it again. Not one I'll forget soon. If the authors other books are as good as this one, I'm sure I will read more by this author.
Happy Reading!
March 13, 2012
Huge, huge five stars from me. One of the best books I've read in the past year.
What an amazing read this was! At first I thought the heroine being 19 would really bother me, but the story unfolds in such a tender and poignant way it worked extremely well. Ms. Stein has a truly unique, vivid voice, and I was hooked from the opening scene.
The sex scenes were so vividly and emotionally done I couldn't put the book down. The characters are so unique and three dimensional they all but leap off the pages. Normally I prefer having the hero's point of view in a story also, but the way Ms. Stein uses dialogue and description, I never felt like I was missing what Van was feeling/thinking throughout the story. Everything fit, everything worked. Fabulous writing! Her voice reminds me quite a bit of Cara McKenna, without the controversial subject matter.
This is the first book by Ms. Stein that I've read, but as soon as I post this review I'm heading straight to the Kindle store to buy more of her work. Such a talented story teller. Can't believe I hadn't heard of her before now!
What an amazing read this was! At first I thought the heroine being 19 would really bother me, but the story unfolds in such a tender and poignant way it worked extremely well. Ms. Stein has a truly unique, vivid voice, and I was hooked from the opening scene.
The sex scenes were so vividly and emotionally done I couldn't put the book down. The characters are so unique and three dimensional they all but leap off the pages. Normally I prefer having the hero's point of view in a story also, but the way Ms. Stein uses dialogue and description, I never felt like I was missing what Van was feeling/thinking throughout the story. Everything fit, everything worked. Fabulous writing! Her voice reminds me quite a bit of Cara McKenna, without the controversial subject matter.
This is the first book by Ms. Stein that I've read, but as soon as I post this review I'm heading straight to the Kindle store to buy more of her work. Such a talented story teller. Can't believe I hadn't heard of her before now!
Read
January 24, 2013Okay… so this is different. BUT I couldn't put it down so it's a good different. Told completely from the heroine's POV. It's one of those you think about long after you've read the last page.
March 22, 2012
What a great book this was! It had me swooning like a teenager, I just adored it!
Charlotte Stein's writing is witty and wonderful and guaranteed to leave a smile on your face. Ms Stein you've won a fan here.
Charlotte Stein's writing is witty and wonderful and guaranteed to leave a smile on your face. Ms Stein you've won a fan here.
June 11, 2012
Spoiler Free Review -QUICK REVIEW
3.5 STARS out of 5
Genre: New Adult/College
"How come you know so much and so little at the same time?" -Van in Sheltered
Ok do not let my 3 stars fool you i very much liked this book and i loved Eve and Van. However i felt as though this book could have been 100 pages longer i really need more time with these characters.
Sheltered is about a 19yr old girl Eve(Evie) who lives life under a strict religious up bringing. One day unbeknownst to Evie she catches the eye of one of her neighbors buyers Van. A friendship starts between the two Van is no longer coming around just to buy weed. Love blossoms and there is no going back for both Evie or Van.
Thoughts
This book was good my gripe lays in the fact that the author gave to much internal monologue with Evie. I also wish we got to read both pov's... Once Van opened up just a little the reader gets to see the potential but its short lived because it's at the very end of the book. I needed more Van!
My Ratings
Characters- Likable
Writing Style- Good
Plot/Storyline- Good but the Length could have been longer by 40to50 pages
Steam Factor- High, Very Steamy
Overall- I liked it!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!
For more reviews go to http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogs...
3.5 STARS out of 5
Genre: New Adult/College
"How come you know so much and so little at the same time?" -Van in Sheltered
Ok do not let my 3 stars fool you i very much liked this book and i loved Eve and Van. However i felt as though this book could have been 100 pages longer i really need more time with these characters.
Sheltered is about a 19yr old girl Eve(Evie) who lives life under a strict religious up bringing. One day unbeknownst to Evie she catches the eye of one of her neighbors buyers Van. A friendship starts between the two Van is no longer coming around just to buy weed. Love blossoms and there is no going back for both Evie or Van.
Thoughts
This book was good my gripe lays in the fact that the author gave to much internal monologue with Evie. I also wish we got to read both pov's... Once Van opened up just a little the reader gets to see the potential but its short lived because it's at the very end of the book. I needed more Van!
My Ratings
Characters- Likable
Writing Style- Good
Plot/Storyline- Good but the Length could have been longer by 40to50 pages
Steam Factor- High, Very Steamy
Overall- I liked it!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!
For more reviews go to http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogs...
May 22, 2012
Evie leads a very sheltered life. She lives under the abusive and conservative ruling hand of her father. One afternoon Evie sees Van in the next door garden buying pot. Van is a "bad boy" - a punk as she calls him, with all his tattoos and piercings, but Evie finds him fascinating and they begin a tentative relationship.
I have to say that yes I loved the premise of the story, it was raw and beautiful and I LOVED Van!! I also wanted more....
However, I did not get on with the writing style. The inner monologue dragged and lost me at times. I also found that Evie's internal dialogue did not match her supposed innocence, total contradiction!
Ultimately this is a beautiful love story and about setting Evie free!!
I have to say that yes I loved the premise of the story, it was raw and beautiful and I LOVED Van!! I also wanted more....
However, I did not get on with the writing style. The inner monologue dragged and lost me at times. I also found that Evie's internal dialogue did not match her supposed innocence, total contradiction!
Ultimately this is a beautiful love story and about setting Evie free!!
April 29, 2012
Yes, you see that right. FIVE STARS PEOPLE. I'm giving a romance/erotica five stars. That doesn't come easy (heh)for me. I am so picky about my smut writing. I hate cliches. I hate corny names and phrases related to female genitalia. I want it realistic. I hate when the characters say things to each other like "I don't know if you noticed, but we have a lot of chemistry." Don't tell me it. SHOW ME IT. This is the point of reading after all, I want to feel what the characters feel. Oh my god did I feel in this book.
I did not find a single thing to complain about in this novel. I loved everything about it. First thing I have to say, DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER. Because I really did when I saw this one, and it made me not want to read it. But with lots of pushes from Bri (read her review), I had to read it. If she was going on this much about how amazing it is, then it must be. AND IT WAS. That being said, the cover had absolutely nothing to do with the book (why do they do that??).
Evie's voice is sweet and innocent with an underlying rebellion, with hormones surging, that you'd expect from a 19 year old, even one who has lived as sheltered of a life as her. There are several parts of the book where your heart just squeezes for her because of the life she's led. The only very very small problem I had, was ultimately not a big deal, it was something that made sense when it came to Evie's character.
Van, ohmysweetbabyjeebus Van. He is the epitome of perfect. He's ALL tattoos and quiet intensity, but has a tenderness with Evie that brings on the full body swoonz. He cares about her so much, and although she doesn't really understand it at first, the reader does. He wants every thing to be good for her. He wants her to feel loved and cherished and it isn't always about sex with him. He has this quiet restraint and strong intensity that just makes me want to groan out loud (and I really might have).
I'm not exaggerating when I say everything was perfect with this book. It literally had everything I ever want in erotica. Beautiful prose, swoony guy, realistic but completely hot sex and a heroine you root for.
I'll just leave you with these:
And there was something both frustrating and maddeningly arousing about that. His restraint made something burn low and deep in her belly, and then his mouth, oh God his mouth. He tasted like cinnamon, again, and every now and then he’d pull away, just a little — just enough to make her want to drag him back. Before giving her a teasing lick with that perfect, curling tongue of his. It set all the nerve endings in her upper lip on fire.
Just that one word—sound—sent a strong answering pulse through her body. His tongue curled around syllables that weren’t there, like a promise. This is what you’ll get, if you just let me hear.
I did not find a single thing to complain about in this novel. I loved everything about it. First thing I have to say, DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER. Because I really did when I saw this one, and it made me not want to read it. But with lots of pushes from Bri (read her review), I had to read it. If she was going on this much about how amazing it is, then it must be. AND IT WAS. That being said, the cover had absolutely nothing to do with the book (why do they do that??).
Evie's voice is sweet and innocent with an underlying rebellion, with hormones surging, that you'd expect from a 19 year old, even one who has lived as sheltered of a life as her. There are several parts of the book where your heart just squeezes for her because of the life she's led. The only very very small problem I had, was ultimately not a big deal, it was something that made sense when it came to Evie's character.
Van, ohmysweetbabyjeebus Van. He is the epitome of perfect. He's ALL tattoos and quiet intensity, but has a tenderness with Evie that brings on the full body swoonz. He cares about her so much, and although she doesn't really understand it at first, the reader does. He wants every thing to be good for her. He wants her to feel loved and cherished and it isn't always about sex with him. He has this quiet restraint and strong intensity that just makes me want to groan out loud (and I really might have).
I'm not exaggerating when I say everything was perfect with this book. It literally had everything I ever want in erotica. Beautiful prose, swoony guy, realistic but completely hot sex and a heroine you root for.
I'll just leave you with these:
And there was something both frustrating and maddeningly arousing about that. His restraint made something burn low and deep in her belly, and then his mouth, oh God his mouth. He tasted like cinnamon, again, and every now and then he’d pull away, just a little — just enough to make her want to drag him back. Before giving her a teasing lick with that perfect, curling tongue of his. It set all the nerve endings in her upper lip on fire.
Just that one word—sound—sent a strong answering pulse through her body. His tongue curled around syllables that weren’t there, like a promise. This is what you’ll get, if you just let me hear.
March 10, 2012
I stayed up late to finish this last night because I couldn’t put it down. Charlotte Stein captured Evie’s innocence when it came to the opposite sex, even though she was no stranger to violence in her own household (abusive father). There was something so real and almost raw about this story that I'm finding it difficult to completely put into words why I enjoyed it so much.
Evie, the heroine, has led a sheltered life and has been forced to attend the college of her father’s choosing, wear the clothing her father says, etc. She’s nineteen but it’s explained early why she doesn’t leave (and it’s a very good reason which shows what a good heart she has). When that reason for staying is no longer an issue, however, she is very brave. I don’t want to say more than that because I don’t want to give away spoilers. She meets Van after sort of spying on him in the beginning of the story and this tentative relationship forms. There are quite a few miscommunications between Evie and Van but the awkwardness and flirting are incredibly sweet and fit both their characters. Van is a sexy artist in college with tattoos and piercings he uses as an armor and despite Evie having all these assumptions that he’s this consummate ladies’ man, he’s so totally not. And when he commits to her, he full on commits. He is such a sexy, quiet type of hero and I found that refreshing. This story took my breath away and even though it’s completely from Evie’s point of view, I never felt like I didn’t know what was going on in Van’s head. Ms. Stein has such a unique voice and this will definitely be one of my re-reads.
Evie, the heroine, has led a sheltered life and has been forced to attend the college of her father’s choosing, wear the clothing her father says, etc. She’s nineteen but it’s explained early why she doesn’t leave (and it’s a very good reason which shows what a good heart she has). When that reason for staying is no longer an issue, however, she is very brave. I don’t want to say more than that because I don’t want to give away spoilers. She meets Van after sort of spying on him in the beginning of the story and this tentative relationship forms. There are quite a few miscommunications between Evie and Van but the awkwardness and flirting are incredibly sweet and fit both their characters. Van is a sexy artist in college with tattoos and piercings he uses as an armor and despite Evie having all these assumptions that he’s this consummate ladies’ man, he’s so totally not. And when he commits to her, he full on commits. He is such a sexy, quiet type of hero and I found that refreshing. This story took my breath away and even though it’s completely from Evie’s point of view, I never felt like I didn’t know what was going on in Van’s head. Ms. Stein has such a unique voice and this will definitely be one of my re-reads.
May 16, 2012
4.5 stars
Short, sexy, and sweet are what come to my mind when trying to describe 'Sheltered'. I really enjoyed this book about an abused, socially awkward young woman who, after her initial reluctance, goes out on a limb to explore a relationship with a tattooed, pot-smoking "bad-boy".
Although, the abuse Evie suffers at the hands of her father (and the negligence by her mother) is mostly alluded to in this story, the bits we are fed are tragic and horrifying and shed light on the self-esteem issues that Evie seems to harbor throughout much of this book. When she (officially) meets Van she is both mortified and fascinated by him and oh so slowly the two pursue a highly charged relationship. While Van initially seems like a cool and self-assured individual, he's actually a bit shy but incredibly sweet beneath his colorful exterior.
The sexual exploration between Evie and Van is hot, but the absolute sexiest thing IMO (which I can appreciate not everyone would like) was the scene with Van "sharing" pot with Evie!!! Now that was smokin'!!! My only qualm with this story was how Evie's father was dealt with - the final confrontation felt rushed and a bit stilted - and as a result this left the ending feeling too abrupt. An epilogue would have gone a long way in cementing Evie and Van's HEA.
Punk-styled artist Van:
Short, sexy, and sweet are what come to my mind when trying to describe 'Sheltered'. I really enjoyed this book about an abused, socially awkward young woman who, after her initial reluctance, goes out on a limb to explore a relationship with a tattooed, pot-smoking "bad-boy".
Although, the abuse Evie suffers at the hands of her father (and the negligence by her mother) is mostly alluded to in this story, the bits we are fed are tragic and horrifying and shed light on the self-esteem issues that Evie seems to harbor throughout much of this book. When she (officially) meets Van she is both mortified and fascinated by him and oh so slowly the two pursue a highly charged relationship. While Van initially seems like a cool and self-assured individual, he's actually a bit shy but incredibly sweet beneath his colorful exterior.
The sexual exploration between Evie and Van is hot, but the absolute sexiest thing IMO (which I can appreciate not everyone would like) was the scene with Van "sharing" pot with Evie!!! Now that was smokin'!!! My only qualm with this story was how Evie's father was dealt with - the final confrontation felt rushed and a bit stilted - and as a result this left the ending feeling too abrupt. An epilogue would have gone a long way in cementing Evie and Van's HEA.
Punk-styled artist Van:
May 26, 2012
Almost 4 stars
Big, tall, tattooed badboy, Van, meets Evie, a 19 year old virgin from an abusive, strict, religious home and the sparks fly in this pretty freaking hot, very sweet and tender read about breaking free and following your heart.
The beginning was a little slow, with a little too much inner monologue from the heroine, Eve, but about 20% of the way in, I was hooked once she and her hot, tattooed, sweet and adorable badboy started to get serious.
I loved how tender and patient Van was with Eve, never pushing her into anything she wasn’t absolutely ready for, and how he just quietly showed her that a world beyond the one she grew up in, where she could make her own decisions and be her own person was possible if she wanted it.
“…you’re just waiting for things to turn bad, honey. You’re just waiting – and that’s okay. I got time to prove that’s not going to happen.”
The book leaves you with warm, happy and satisfied feeling. Its quite short, about 150 pages and pretty quick paced.
It didn’t make me grin or cry, but it did make me smile a few times and kept me turning the pages. I’d say its a good read for in between very emotional books or if you are just looking for a light evening read.
Big, tall, tattooed badboy, Van, meets Evie, a 19 year old virgin from an abusive, strict, religious home and the sparks fly in this pretty freaking hot, very sweet and tender read about breaking free and following your heart.
The beginning was a little slow, with a little too much inner monologue from the heroine, Eve, but about 20% of the way in, I was hooked once she and her hot, tattooed, sweet and adorable badboy started to get serious.
I loved how tender and patient Van was with Eve, never pushing her into anything she wasn’t absolutely ready for, and how he just quietly showed her that a world beyond the one she grew up in, where she could make her own decisions and be her own person was possible if she wanted it.
“…you’re just waiting for things to turn bad, honey. You’re just waiting – and that’s okay. I got time to prove that’s not going to happen.”
The book leaves you with warm, happy and satisfied feeling. Its quite short, about 150 pages and pretty quick paced.
It didn’t make me grin or cry, but it did make me smile a few times and kept me turning the pages. I’d say its a good read for in between very emotional books or if you are just looking for a light evening read.
August 26, 2016
It took me more than three weeks to finish this 165-pages book. Two factors stopped me from dnfing it:
#1 I liked Intrusion, my first book by this author. Something unique about her writing captivates me.
#2 So far, all my gr friends rated Sheltered no less than 3-stars!
Evie’s long-winded inner dialogue really challenged my patience:/ The last 30% of the book won me over. Evie’s bravery and Van’s awesomeness convince me that their story isn’t a fairy-tale, but as real as it gets.
#1 I liked Intrusion, my first book by this author. Something unique about her writing captivates me.
#2 So far, all my gr friends rated Sheltered no less than 3-stars!
Evie’s long-winded inner dialogue really challenged my patience:/ The last 30% of the book won me over. Evie’s bravery and Van’s awesomeness convince me that their story isn’t a fairy-tale, but as real as it gets.
March 4, 2013
This was ok. Van was super sweet and very sexy, Evie was a little bit odd and awkward but i did like them together as a couple...it was just too short and it really could have used a good epilogue...i want to know what happens to them! :/
**and i must point out...the cover for this book is AWFUL..absolutely AWFUL! The man looks like he's been scalped, it's kind of creeeepy! There is nothing, except maybe the yummy body, that remotely resembles what Van is supposed to look like...not quite sure what the publisher or author was thinking.
**and i must point out...the cover for this book is AWFUL..absolutely AWFUL! The man looks like he's been scalped, it's kind of creeeepy! There is nothing, except maybe the yummy body, that remotely resembles what Van is supposed to look like...not quite sure what the publisher or author was thinking.
July 27, 2016
3-1/2 stars. Interesting story of a very sheltered naive girl who meets and falls in love with a bad boy. The story was told in a sort of vague through a vaseline smeared lense way. There was a definite lack of concrete detail and the story was told mostly in the heroine's head. There wasn't a lot of action but what there was was well done. I think the writing style added to the sense and believability of the heroine being so ignorant of the outside world.
March 6, 2013
I wanted it to be over. I skimmed a lot, including sex scenes.
STORY BRIEF:
Evie is 19. Her father physically abuses Evie and her mother. He forces Evie to go to bible school. She is not allowed to go anywhere else or do most normal things. Van sees Evie when he visits her neighbor. On future visits, he and Evie kiss and do a little more toward sex.
OPINION:
Odd and mysterious writing. Not enough normal action. Not enough description of what’s going on. Several times a fear or conflict is described, but it’s all in Evie’s imagination. The next page or paragraph shows that she was wrong. For example, Van leaves and Evie thinks “he finds me repulsive and he’ll never come back.” But he comes back. Or she sees someone doing something bad, believes it is Van, and feels angst. But soon she learns it was someone else, not Van. There were too many conflicts “all in her mind.” Toward the end it was better because there was some interaction with a bad guy, fighting, fleeing, and resolving it.
More than once, Van says “I have to go” but he doesn’t say why. So Evie fears the worst and thinks she’ll never see him again. But later we learn he left because he was sexually aroused. I don’t think Van’s actions fit his motivations. He liked her so he should want to calm her and have her not be anxious. If he was an insensitive jerk his actions fit, but he wasn’t. He was gentle and cared about her. That part didn’t make sense.
The sex scenes didn’t do anything for me. Evie was having her imaginary fears during sex, like “he’ll think Im repulsive.”
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 3,358 (309 KB) 162 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 5, most of them very long. Setting: current day U.S. Copyright: 2012. Genre: erotic contemporary romance.
STORY BRIEF:
Evie is 19. Her father physically abuses Evie and her mother. He forces Evie to go to bible school. She is not allowed to go anywhere else or do most normal things. Van sees Evie when he visits her neighbor. On future visits, he and Evie kiss and do a little more toward sex.
OPINION:
Odd and mysterious writing. Not enough normal action. Not enough description of what’s going on. Several times a fear or conflict is described, but it’s all in Evie’s imagination. The next page or paragraph shows that she was wrong. For example, Van leaves and Evie thinks “he finds me repulsive and he’ll never come back.” But he comes back. Or she sees someone doing something bad, believes it is Van, and feels angst. But soon she learns it was someone else, not Van. There were too many conflicts “all in her mind.” Toward the end it was better because there was some interaction with a bad guy, fighting, fleeing, and resolving it.
More than once, Van says “I have to go” but he doesn’t say why. So Evie fears the worst and thinks she’ll never see him again. But later we learn he left because he was sexually aroused. I don’t think Van’s actions fit his motivations. He liked her so he should want to calm her and have her not be anxious. If he was an insensitive jerk his actions fit, but he wasn’t. He was gentle and cared about her. That part didn’t make sense.
The sex scenes didn’t do anything for me. Evie was having her imaginary fears during sex, like “he’ll think Im repulsive.”
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 3,358 (309 KB) 162 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 5, most of them very long. Setting: current day U.S. Copyright: 2012. Genre: erotic contemporary romance.
March 22, 2012
The cover and summary of this book are misleading.
I was expecting a very different hero.
Van turned out to be a Knight in shining armor. Even though the armor was tattoos and a funky haircut and pot smoke.
Heroine Evie... I probably liked her more than any other heroine I've read lately. She was real to me for the simple fact that she was just like me. Her internal dialogue, her thought processes... and other things. It was so easy for me to relate to her.
I want more of this. So sweet. Such an awesome read.
Definitely 5 stars.
I was expecting a very different hero.
Van turned out to be a Knight in shining armor. Even though the armor was tattoos and a funky haircut and pot smoke.
Heroine Evie... I probably liked her more than any other heroine I've read lately. She was real to me for the simple fact that she was just like me. Her internal dialogue, her thought processes... and other things. It was so easy for me to relate to her.
I want more of this. So sweet. Such an awesome read.
Definitely 5 stars.
March 27, 2012
The language of this book is sex and there's a fair bit of it, but it's not a book about sex. I really think this book is much deeper than just the physical. It's about a young emotionally stunted and physically abused woman who learns to value herself when she sees adoration in her lovers eyes.
Many thanks to Michelle who lent me this book.
Many thanks to Michelle who lent me this book.
December 11, 2014
I'm such a fan of Charlotte Stein. She creates such vivid internal worlds for her remarkable characters to inhabit. Yes, there's fewer lines of dialogue, but the beauty of her images can cause goosebumps.
January 12, 2013
Posted on Under the Covers
Thank you for the many friends who suggested I try a Charlotte Stein book! I never knew what I was missing out on! And now, I definitely want to pass on their recommendations because Stein has a very compelling voice that I think fans of Cara Mckenna will enjoy!
SHELTERED is an emotional book where a young woman’s abusive father has really hindered the growth of a character. Evie has been sheltered her entire life by her controlling father and because of that, Evie is often too timid or wary of others. SHELTERED is written from Evie’s POV so the writing is somewhat fumbling and unsure, while in other areas, Evie’s curiosity shines through. I think the rambling commentary was intentional and essential in making this story as potent as it was. Otherwise, I don’t think her father’s influence would have been adequately displayed since we don’t actually see any of the abusive behaviour. We are just told of it. The writing definitely held a lot of impact.
In this book, Van, the pot-smoking, tattooed punk is Evie’s object of desire. Forbidden to act of their shared passion, this story slowly simmers until it reaches its boiling point. The love scenes definitely need a mention because I think that might be my favorite part of the book. Sensual and erotic, Stein knows just when to turn on the heat. I wouldn’t say the sex is blistering in explicit intensity, but more fluid and sensual, which is why I believe fans of Cara McKenna will also enjoy Stein’s writing.
If you’re looking for a new erotic author to check out, I highly recommend Charlotte Stein. As for me, I’ll be snooping around Stein’s backlist for more enticing titles to read!
Thank you for the many friends who suggested I try a Charlotte Stein book! I never knew what I was missing out on! And now, I definitely want to pass on their recommendations because Stein has a very compelling voice that I think fans of Cara Mckenna will enjoy!
SHELTERED is an emotional book where a young woman’s abusive father has really hindered the growth of a character. Evie has been sheltered her entire life by her controlling father and because of that, Evie is often too timid or wary of others. SHELTERED is written from Evie’s POV so the writing is somewhat fumbling and unsure, while in other areas, Evie’s curiosity shines through. I think the rambling commentary was intentional and essential in making this story as potent as it was. Otherwise, I don’t think her father’s influence would have been adequately displayed since we don’t actually see any of the abusive behaviour. We are just told of it. The writing definitely held a lot of impact.
In this book, Van, the pot-smoking, tattooed punk is Evie’s object of desire. Forbidden to act of their shared passion, this story slowly simmers until it reaches its boiling point. The love scenes definitely need a mention because I think that might be my favorite part of the book. Sensual and erotic, Stein knows just when to turn on the heat. I wouldn’t say the sex is blistering in explicit intensity, but more fluid and sensual, which is why I believe fans of Cara McKenna will also enjoy Stein’s writing.
If you’re looking for a new erotic author to check out, I highly recommend Charlotte Stein. As for me, I’ll be snooping around Stein’s backlist for more enticing titles to read!
July 4, 2012
I thank the GR readers who said that "don't look on the cover" hahaha.. I'm very grateful that I took it seriously:) so to those who want to read THIS AMAZING BOOK..DON'T LOOK ON THE FRONT COVER!
Seriously I thought by looking at it(cover), I thought its bdsm w/c I have enough of the bad guys..their jerk sometimes abusing women or vampires on how the guy lay on that girl...anyway why am I talking about the cover. Forget it.stupid cover..change it please its threatening the whole package haha...
It's the typical romance bad guy meets good girl..but actually the guy has a good heart, great personality..and what comes close to reality is their environment, I'm sure anyone could think of that the complicated family you have, abusive in all sort of anger and it hurt badly... what astonished me is the personality of Van towards Evie...I mean what more can you ask if you have a concern, gentle, caring boyfriend who at first notice seemed to be the king villain of all, but hiding on that mere facade of tattoos and piercings and the hair, comes a genuine Angel, YES!...Now readers I think that's what cover tells us, Don't judge the book by it cover, above all it worth the read, their bantering on the first few pages of how they met..to the slowly careful touches they make just make it a great book..
I DEMAND FOR AN EPILOGUE, WHY DO GREAT GREAT BOOKS LIKE THIS DOESN'T HAVE an EPILOGUE ANYWAY:)
you must also check the song :Protection by massive attack :)
Seriously I thought by looking at it(cover), I thought its bdsm w/c I have enough of the bad guys..their jerk sometimes abusing women or vampires on how the guy lay on that girl...anyway why am I talking about the cover. Forget it.stupid cover..change it please its threatening the whole package haha...
It's the typical romance bad guy meets good girl..but actually the guy has a good heart, great personality..and what comes close to reality is their environment, I'm sure anyone could think of that the complicated family you have, abusive in all sort of anger and it hurt badly... what astonished me is the personality of Van towards Evie...I mean what more can you ask if you have a concern, gentle, caring boyfriend who at first notice seemed to be the king villain of all, but hiding on that mere facade of tattoos and piercings and the hair, comes a genuine Angel, YES!...Now readers I think that's what cover tells us, Don't judge the book by it cover, above all it worth the read, their bantering on the first few pages of how they met..to the slowly careful touches they make just make it a great book..
I DEMAND FOR AN EPILOGUE, WHY DO GREAT GREAT BOOKS LIKE THIS DOESN'T HAVE an EPILOGUE ANYWAY:)
you must also check the song :Protection by massive attack :)
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