Dreaming of Genie

Bottle Banished #1

by C.L. Riley

Genie thought learning how to “do” The Hustle was the worst thing about 1977, right along with strobe lights and disco balls, but she discovers something far worse the day she is bottle banished by an unsanctioned hunter obsessed with her destruction.

Thirty-seven years later, she is awakened from her spellbound slumber by a homeless alcoholic who wants whiskey not a wish. Overwhelmed with shame and keeping secrets from even himself, Reid Romans is the worst master ever.

He stinks. He’s dirty. He’s rude, but even more maddening; he’s sinfully sexy under all the filth and attitude.

When his green-eyed gaze captures Genie for the first time, she’s hooked, and being hooked on a human is not acceptable or allowed according to the genie rule book.

While Reid’s unsavory past bites hard at his heels, and he’s accused of a murder he didn’t commit, a powerful jinn is stalking Genie, intent on adding her to his harem. She has rejected him too many times to count, but he won’t stop until he claims her—body and soul.

Genie and Reid have way more than one love-sick jinn to deal with. A ruthless FBI agent; a cold-blooded cartel; and a hateful hunter, who wants genie back in her bottle, banished forever; keep them fighting for freedom and against the desire flaring between them.

Dark secrets, forbidden love, and simmering suspense take Genie and Reid on an unforgettable journey where the past and future collide and wishes run out.

Please be advised: For mature readers only/18-plus! Bottle Banished is a multiple POV (Point of View) dark fantasy with alpha males galore, graphic drug use, language, violence, and sexual situations that some may find offensive, including dubious consent/light BDSM. Several doors remain open for future installments.

Readers will uncover numerous references to current and past pop culture sprinkled throughout the story. Watch author’s website for contests connected to these references!

You can download the first three chapters right here on goodreads!

Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

301 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2015

About the author

C.L. Riley makes her home in rainy Oregon with several furry friends. She is a vivacious reader whose love for reading became a passion for writing.

She enjoys reading almost anything but has a major soft spot for broken, bad boy, alpha males, and has found a new love for MC (biker) romances. You will find her reading and writing dark romance, WhyChoose romance, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and erotic suspense. Though you can expect a wide range of future projects as she ventures into other genres.

Taking time for her readers is always a priority and she will do her very best to respond to your queries. She hopes you will visit her online.

Reviews

[C.L. Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my book; what can I say? I love it! I hope you do too!

[Carol Atta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start? This book had a ton of action, suspense, mystery, magic, and hot sex. The men were dominant, aggressive, and sexy as hell. It was written in multiple viewpoints and the author pulled the pieces together nicely. I enjoyed the unveiling that took place as relationship connections were developed and revealed during the story's progression. I love genies, by the way!

The world creation was superb, though I want to spend more time in the genie dimension. We got a few glimpses. I'm hoping that comes more in the next installment. I adored Genie's mother! I could envision her in my mind and enjoyed her spunk and attitude. In addition, this wasn't an everyday romance. Yes, there was the primary romance between Genie and her master, Reid, but there were a couple of extra, budding relationships (one of them definitely love/hate) that I'm looking forward to finding out about. There is some pretty descriptive drug use and violence, and definitely edgy sexual encounters, but it worked perfectly for this story, and it is after all dark fantasy. Despite the dark, there was just enough humor to lighten the load. Genie was a a fantastic heroine. After spending nearly 40 years in a bottle, bobbing in the ocean, she comes back to a very unfamiliar world. Watching her navigate the changes while trying to follow the "Genie Laws" was fun. She's been brought up to please others and grant wishes, but despite that she stands her ground. She's no pushover. I loved how she brought out the best in Reid. This was an excellent read. I can't wait for book two!I would recommend this book to lovers of genies, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, etc. And if you like alpha males and strong women, you'll enjoy Bottle Banished.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)


This book was out of my current genre obsession but it was great! I loved the idea of the Jinn and Genies. I love how the characters were developed and you get several different views of the story, from each main character's side. I love when I can get different views of how a story is going to go. Not a lot of authors can do it, and do it well.

This book was well written. The flow was great and it was a very easy read. You don't struggle with the story. I also didn't have any problems with following the story. Sometimes the story gets muddled in books but not with this one. This time I could follow the story and I wanted to keep reading, to know what was going to happen next.


I can't wait to read the rest of the books this series is going to bring to us. I would love more stories for the other characters. We have Genie and Reid in this one. I want more Mark and I would love more of the big powerful Jinn Kuru that is after Genie. I mean, come one, there is a red head involved. ((I am a red head and love when there are strong red heads in books.))


Pros: Great writing, easy to follow and the characters are likeable and easy to love.


Cons: I want more back story at times. I feel like I need more on some of the characters to help with this book.


Overall Rating: I would definitely recommend this book!

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Independent Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock.

Genie was banished to a bottle and thrown out to sea in 1977. Reid ends up opening that bottle, and all he has run from comes crashing down on him. Can the forbidden love between Genie and Reid see them through??

We don't see many genie/jinn/djinn books, so this made a change for me and I really quite enjoyed it. Although HERE, these three are different beings, with different problems that being such entails!

Told from multiple POVs, with a many layered plot line that takes some time to pull together, this book has a lot going for it. It has murder, mystery, love and betrayal (that isn't quite!) a jinn hell bent on getting his hands on Genie, a mobster wanting Reid dead, lots of things going on, and it kept me interested til the very end.

While Reid and Genie do get their HEA, this tale is by no means finished. Many issues have been left open, unsaid, unexplained, and I really liked that! I see much more to come from this author, and I can find nothng else written by them, so is this a first time author?? I will be keeping an eye out, as I am looking forward to what follows, as the author finds their feet, and begins to shine.

3.5 stars

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received this book in exchange for an honest review, Lovers of Paranormal.***

I was really excited to read a genie type story and it was a great story. I loved Genie, and the other jinn were great characters. I found Reid Romans to be completely annoying throughout the WHOLE book and am patiently waiting for Cassie to redeem herself.

I was slightly disconnected to the romance, mostly because I couldn't stand Reid's character. That part was all a little confusing and then the sudden nod to BDSM, I felt kind of came out of nowhere. Those were my disconnects and why I only give it 4 stars, but it shouldn't detract from the fact that it was a REALLY interesting story, with great character potential moving forward.

I would look forward for more to come from Bottle Banished.

[SnoopyDoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t recall having read about genies/jinns/djinns before so when I got the option to review this book I jumped right on.
I really enjoyed this book and the mythology behind genies, which was a fairly new to me. I know about genies but never really read much about them in books. This is great mix of new and classic things that we know of genies from the classic TV show. But it is not only about genies but also about murder and drug cartels.

You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/bott...

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Bottle Banished: Dreaming of Genie” author C.L. Riley brings the old-school supernatural into present day, making Genies just as paranormally cool as their popular vamp/shifter counterparts. This book made me consider Genies as a part of the supernatural in a way I had never considered before, perhaps because so few authors have chosen to incorporate them in their writing. I do hope this author continues to include Genies in future work because they have been woefully overlooked for far too many years.

The history of Genies and the Genie Commandments was a unique and functional way to begin this story. The character POVs by chapter was also a nice touch. The book opens to Reid Roman wearing his Dodgers cap (which will create significant problems down the road) and panhandling for change so he can spend it all in the liquor store at night. Genie has been safely secured in that same liquor store for many years. She was bottle banished in 1977 and destined to remain that way until Mark, owner of the liquor store, goes against his grandfather’s request that he NEVER open that one particular bottle in the safe.

When Reid is robbed of his Dodger’s cap and day’s panhandling profits Mark takes pity on him. Reid had been a loyal customer and Marks curiosity got the better of him so he pulls out the bottle and offers to share it with Reid, though he isn’t exactly certain of its contents. When Reid pops the bottle Genie is set free. Well, free from the bottle, but she now has a new master. Reid, the dirty, stinky, alcoholic panhandler is that Master as hid eyes are the first she meets upon her release. While Genie is released from the bottle we meet two other major characters in the story, all of whom pose as threats to Reid and Genie.

The ancient and powerful Jinn Kuru who has been able to have any female he ever desired…except one…Genie. It had been years since he laid his eyes upon her but now that she is no longer bottle banished nothing will stop him from having his true desire.

Brad Sanchez, rogue FBI agent, doesn’t exactly do things by the book. Remember the Dodgers hat I mentioned earlier? That hat gives Sanchez exactly what he needs to establish Reid as the prime suspect for the murder and attempted murder or two drug dealer thugs.

I won’t give away the story but there are enough twists, turns, Genie Magic, sex, drugs, action, excitement and romance to appeal to a wide audience of readers. This is a relatively lengthy book that will keep you immersed in danger, paranormal and romance for hours. Kudos to C.L. Riley for bringing Genies back into the 21st century.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot more than I thought it would be and I loved it! It’s a book with so many levels, that it kept me hooked until the very last page with the storyline and characters growing and building to be more of an epic adventure than a love story. In short this book is definitely being added to my favourites and I do hope this is going to be a series since I have very much fallen in love with the characters; I will also be looking into more books by this author.

This book is a one that changes perspective so there are a lot of main characters, this list of main characters consist of Genie, Reid, Jinn Kuru (sorry I can’t get the accent above first ‘U’), Mark and Brad Sanchez. Genie is a genie, she has been locked inside her bottle for a while and when let out by Reid is more than willing to help his odd predicament and fall in love with him. Reid opens his friend Mark’s bottle and discovers Genie, a sexy woman who will wait on his every command and help him out of his alcohol soaked ways; he can’t help but fall in love with her. Jinn Kuru is by far my favourite character, I mean who wouldn’t fall for this big bad; Genie, Jinn is scorned by Genie’s rejection and has made it a mission to have her. Mark is the best friend of Reid and honestly this is the character that I had the most problems connecting to, until he falls for Genie’s sister that is. Brad Sanchez is a member of the FBI he is a problem for Genie and Reid for the majority of the book but swaps sides at the last minute. The main characters are a great mix and they all offer new things for the book and the storyline.

The secondary characters I felt most noteworthy are Cassie and Selena; the lack of female main characters means that the majority of the secondary characters are female to balance the story out and offer love interests. Cassie has links throughout the book with numerous characters; firstly she traps Jinn and blocks his powers, then it turns out she is Reid’s brother, she is absolutely crazy and hell bent on revenge but she is aa great character that I feel added a lot to the story. Selena is Genie’s sister who Mark falls for; she is a genie and a great addition to the book.

The storyline and pacing are superb as the storyline evolves the pacing is expertly done to allow time for character development and new information to come to light surrounding the storyline and the characters involved. I thought the storyline was brilliant and completely unexpected to me to be so in depth and gripping that I found it very difficult to put it down.

I really loved this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

[Toeni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read this book since I had first seen it. So when the author contacted me and offered it to me in exchange for an honest review, I was very excited! From the the first words to the very end, I was not disappointed.
Enter into a world with Jinns and Genies and soon discover that these are not the quirky, fun loving ones of Disney. The race as a whole are far more mature and dangerous. This is the story of Genie and Reid. Genie was captured by a hunter in the late seventies. She never suspected that she was to be released by a homeless, dirty drunk. Come to find out, this was really Reid's cover to hide under the blood thirsty cartel's radar. Very quickly she finds herself lusting for her master and the feeling is mutual. However, between being chased by a ruthless cartel, an obsessed Jinn, a dirty FBI agent, master hunters, and Genie's own mother and sister; it is a wonder that the two can have any alone time. When they do, though, the pages sizzle!
The author combines both a creative story-line and steaming sex scenes to create a well-balance erotic novel. I loved the fact that the Jinns require sex to replenish their magick. I think it would have made it even more interesting if the Genies had to as well. I think my favorite characters would have to be Genie's sister and mother. I felt at first, Mark (an owner of a liquor store) was rather weak until he finally was able to stand up to Genie's mother. On the downside, there were many typographic errors that probably should have been caught by proofreading. However, these were minor and were easily overlooked.
There were a few things that prevented me from giving it that final star. The major one being the threesome sex scene between the two Jinns and the human female. Now don't get me wrong, I really reading about a good MMF Menage and this certainly was a toe curler. However, I found the fact that they two Jinns were uncle and nephew a little disturbing and a little too close to incest for comfort. Unless I am misunderstanding the whole clan system. The other thing, is when the guys insist on calling the girls "baby". I realize this is just a personal issue but there was just something about it that really turned me off about it. I just ended up forcing myself to skip over that word to better enjoy the rest of it.
I would recommend this to anyone that is into paranormal romance and looking for a new subgenre to get into. The whole concept of genies was interesting and very well executed in this book. I impatiently look forward to the next book in this series. :D

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three words...

DARK. HOT. SEXY.

They are all those three words but it also has some mysteries in it that needs answers.

Reid and Genie's chemistry was off the charts. Their relationship didn't start out well but the the chemistry was there. Reid's character improved actually and Genie's character, you'd think she's weak but she's strong and I like how she shows sensuality- but that's because of Reid.

This was told in multiple views. At first I kind of dislike it but it was okay. It was interesting to know the views of both humans and jinns/genies.

I had a feeling there might be more than one couple assignment and I was right but for the other I, however, never saw that coming. I'm very interested to know about their situation on the next book.

Speaking of mysteries, there's a whole lot of twist and turns here especially regarding about Genie and the prophecy.

Although there was some focus on the supernatural aspect and the romance between H/h, there's a whole lot more of plot going on. I had a feeling it wouldn't end in one book when I was checking the percentage. The book may be a cliffhanger but not the type of cliffhanger I hate the most.

I will definitely be picking up this series.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)

[Kamryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jinns and Genies don’t get enough exposure in today’s world of the supernatural. They are outnumbered by vampires, shifters and fae. I’m so glad C L Riley decided to pen this fantastic, fun and dark story where Jinns and Genies play a starring role. I realize fun and dark are two adjectives not normally used together but that is exactly what the author has created. Genie is so charming and the throwback references to clothing, music, tv shows from decades past will make you smile if you are of an age to remember the 70’s and 80’s. Genie’s supernatural powers provided some humorous moments, particularly when she used them to give Agent Brad Sanchez a mean case of ball rash.

I was pulling for Genie and Reid from the start but concerned that Reid’s alcoholism would be his demise. Little did I know the many other dangers that lay ahead for Reid, Genie, their friends and family. While Genie tries to save Reid from himself, a murder rap and a drug cartel she must also protect herself from Genie hunters and one powerful Jinn naked Kuru who has desired her for decades. Reid finds his salvation in a bottle in more ways than one. As Reid falls for Genie a weak and broken man transforms into one of sexy strength and determination. Very sexy, mature and supernatural read!

[Kate Bigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fantasy Genie story. C.I. Riley is good writer and is added to my list of authors to follow. It was a super fun modern take on “I love Genie” – and I mean by modern: fighting, hot sex, the mob/drug cartels, adoption and alcohol issues. The lead male starts on the street fallen thru guilt and booze but he is from a rich family. Genie was trapped in her bottle by a hunter for 40 years so she comes out all 70’s hip. Reid is the guy who releases her and he is damaged goods but there is a nice slow build to their relationship. Nice cultural adjustment issues for Genie. Plus she had a crazy family – sister and mom – loud and talkative like my family. I have to say Kuru (a male genie) is a fascinating character – definitely not a hero or maybe – I think the next book will be about him and Cassie. A blue bad boy genie…lots of interesting possibilities. Definitely read this if you like hot fun paranormal romances!

[Char ღ Denae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book offered in the Lovers of Paranormal group on Goodreads in exchange for an honest review, and thought I'd give it a go. I have to say, I haven't read many Genie/Jinn books, so the uniqueness of the subject was my main draw. I started right in and was immediately drawn into the story. Although the main subject is about Genies and Jinn, this story is so much more! There's mystery and murder, romance and obsession, steamy sexy times, lots of plot twists, and you even get a bit of Genie history! I love history! So enticing. The characters are well-developed and the plot just flows. This one pulls you right in and doesn't let you go, even after the last page. I really enjoyed this book and am really looking forward to number two in the series.

[BookWormAli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from LoP in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. I have not read a djinn/genie paranormal book before and was completely persuaded. That being said with as humorous as some of the book was there were certain parts that took my breath, either in anger or sadness. I am definitely going to be looking for more books by this author. There were good plot twists and dialog. that being said the only trouble I had was sometimes the POV changes weren't as spaced as the could be and if you are a fast reader and miss the indent it can throw you but that is more my fault.
Also I would say adult only as the scenes are smoking hot and not all of them are one partners. I will be waiting for the next installment .

[Sam Pazen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book immensely. The character of Genie kept the book exciting and magical. The description of Portland and the Shanghai tunnels underneath Portland was spot on. The character of Jinn surprised me I didn't think I would like him at first but in the end he grew on me. I can't wait for the sequel.

[Alice Malary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the story line of the Jinn/Jenie in this book. This kind of book isn't around much any more. Alot of issues are left open and unexplained,but over all I give this book 3 3/4 stars..... thanks for letting me review your book and I enjoyed it very much.......




Thank You, Alice Malary

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an pretty good book. It was more sexual then I expected, I thought that it was going to be more action then there was. It was a bit more sexual tension then I usually care for. But after reading it I can understand the reasoning for the tension and the story line. I like the book it was a good story I really appreciate the where the story comes from.

[Shannon Sayers-rana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I read the whole book in one day while traveling across the country via plane. Just couldn't put it down. The characters were so genuine... I was so rooting for the heroine. The steamy scenes were making me blush, as I was sitting next to a complete stranger on the plane while reading

[Tamera McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

review to follow in a day or two really liked it!!

[Marie Andersson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this story!:)It was hot!!! I have not read many stories about genies and jinns.I give this book five stars!

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ pg 160

I tried to be a trooper but this books is a big NO.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/7/2021)! 🎁

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal)

I'll try to keep this spoiler-free if I can help it.

Quick summary: Genie is a genie that has been 'bottle banished' since the '70s and is reawakened by Reid, a homeless drunk and his local liquor store owner, Mark. Unsurprisingly, Genie and Reid fall in love (VERY quickly) and genie starts to help him turn his life around. Cue trouble ahead in the form of a male genie (jinn, Kuru) and a Cartel boss who are looking for Genie and Reid respectively. Oh and let's not forget the psychotic and thoroughly unpleasant FBI agent in the mix as well.

On the whole, I must say, it was pretty well-written. One of my huge bugbears when reading e-books is sloppy writing and awful typos from lack of proper editing. There were a couple of good typos, an example being "Reid's tassled hair" which I guess should have been 'tousled' (the imagery was amusing though) but on the whole Bottle Banished was easy to read in that respect.

However, I'm going to be truthful and say this book just wasn't for me. I notice that other readers have clearly enjoyed it so it's obviously just down to personal taste. I was quite excited to read this book as genies are uncharted territory for me but soon found myself losing interest. The alternating viewpoints left me confused. I don't mind seeing stories through the eyes of more than one character, but I didn't feel it particularly added much to this book, except to express how horny they all felt! It may, perhaps, have worked better if the alternating viewpoints were in the first person to give a bit more depth, rather than in third person. The storyline felt, at times, unbelievable (even for a fantasy book) with how quickly people were falling in love left, right and centre and the weird twists and links between how the characters know each other.

I liked Kuru - he alone appeared to be the only character who wasn't one dimensional, had a sense of humour, fire in his belly and didn't BS. Taking away the genie aspect, he could be a believable character - sex on the brain, crude, does what/who he wants, when he wants and doesn't start getting all emotional and sappy. Even over Cassie who he is clearly drawn to. High five for being a badass, Kuru.

Contrastingly, Genie seemed too sickly sweet and naïve. I completely understood the issue of her feeling confused about the decade she was in, but I actually just found her quite boring. So many times I wanted to shout at her to man up and be a bit less nice and wholesome! She's meant to be a god-knows-however-old genie and behaves like a doe-eyed teenager.

I guess Reid was supposed to be based on Christian Grey - (secretly)wealthy, penthouse, overbearing, into 'unconventional' sex, falls for a goody-goody. But again, his character seemed to lack any real sort of edge. Even the alcoholism was a bit of a waste of time. I would have liked to have seen maybe a bit more of an exploration into the issues that would inevitably have arisen from living on the streets. As it was, Reid went from being an alcoholic, smelly hobo to normal, issue-free guy extremely quickly.

Overall I found myself not really identifying with any of the characters or particularly caring about what happened to them, which is such a shame.

I'm sorry not to have written something more positive, I really am, but Bottle Banished just left me feeling underwhelmed. I notice that there are more books in the series to follow and perhaps if the author could give Genie a bit more of a backbone then she may be a bit more of an interesting and relatable character.

[Liralli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)
C. L. Riley takes us on a magical journey through the streets of Portland, OR , where we find Reid panhandling for money in order to drown his past at the bottom of a bottle. When a couple of thugs make off with his earnings he finds himself standing in his usual liquor store hoping that Mark, the store's owner will let him do a bit of work in order to get his fix. What follows is a suspenseful, magic filled romp as Reid and his new found, hot for master, Genie get sucked into a dirty FBI agent's vengeance fueled hunt for Santiago the leader of a large and dangerous drug cartel. As if this isn't Trouble enough a powerful jinn named Kuru has had his eye set on Genie for a very long time and he has every intention of making her his.
Bottle Banished is a wonderful book full of magic, intrigue, suspense, and lots of steamy, erotic sex. If these things are for you, give it a spin, I'm sure you will love it!
I personally am not all that into sex in my reading but I have learned through experimentation that quite a few novels of this type have very interesting and compelling story lines and this novel is one of them. If you aren't that into sexy time simply skip over those parts I'm sure you would still enjoy this little gem quite a bit.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from LOP in exchange for an honest review. I like that this isn’t your average paranormal vampire and were story. Genies are different but I would like to have had more background on the Djinn and how these mystical creatures have stayed so well hidden when the heroine Genie falls so easily in love with the human Reid. Reid wasn’t very believable in his alcoholic role with his beauty and charm under the rough exterior. Reid falls for Genie and can’t wait to get her in bed – where our erotica part of the story enters. They can’t wait to have each other but on this first encounter he pulls out his box of toys from under the bed and wants to tie her up. Can’t believe a guy who has been alone for so long would bring bondage into his first encounter. Anyway there are a lot of hits and misses in this story but overall an interesting read just not a page turner for me.

[Debra Johnson]

Purch Amz 3/7/2021