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Breaking All the Rules
Librarian's note: This is an alternate edition for ASIN: B0050JAZV0.
**This book was previously published as INDULGENT PLEASURES - new cover and new title but otherwise, the story remains the same**
Stephanie Shaw is beyond desperate to write her own column at San Francisco’s City magazine. Researching the hottest sexual fantasies of the young and single in the city sounds perfect. But she has one HUGE problem: she has no one to put her extensive research to the test.
Sexy as sin former pro baseball superstar Justin “The Hawk” Hawkins values his privacy above all else. Recovering from a near fatal motorcycle accident that ended his career too soon, he’s laying low. He certainly didn’t expect to run into a gorgeous girl at a party—and end up having sex with her in a limo.
One taste and they can’t get enough. Soon they’re hooking up in all sorts of unusual places—and falling for each other. But Stephanie’s conflicted. Justin will hate her forever if he finds out she’s detailing their every sexual escapade in her anonymous column for all the city to read.
When the truth is revealed, will Justin be able to forgive Stephanie? Or will her deception ruin them forever?
**This book was previously published as INDULGENT PLEASURES - new cover and new title but otherwise, the story remains the same**
Stephanie Shaw is beyond desperate to write her own column at San Francisco’s City magazine. Researching the hottest sexual fantasies of the young and single in the city sounds perfect. But she has one HUGE problem: she has no one to put her extensive research to the test.
Sexy as sin former pro baseball superstar Justin “The Hawk” Hawkins values his privacy above all else. Recovering from a near fatal motorcycle accident that ended his career too soon, he’s laying low. He certainly didn’t expect to run into a gorgeous girl at a party—and end up having sex with her in a limo.
One taste and they can’t get enough. Soon they’re hooking up in all sorts of unusual places—and falling for each other. But Stephanie’s conflicted. Justin will hate her forever if he finds out she’s detailing their every sexual escapade in her anonymous column for all the city to read.
When the truth is revealed, will Justin be able to forgive Stephanie? Or will her deception ruin them forever?
277 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2011
54 people are currently reading
1386 people want to read
About the author
Karen Erickson
98 books1,435 followersUSA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson lives in central California with her family. Being a romance writer and bringing her characters to life is her greatest dream come true.
She also writes as NYT & USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy.
Sign up for Karen's newsletter!
https://www.karenerickson.com/newsletter
She also writes as NYT & USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy.
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https://www.karenerickson.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
August 17, 2015
Review-Jo Rushton
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I am so glad that I got the chance to read this book because I freakin' loved it! It was the perfect combination of swoony romance, exciting drama and kindle melting sex!! It had everything that I love in a book.
Stephanie Shaw was given the task of writing a sexy column for the magazine that she worked for. The only problem was that she really didn't have any exciting or erotic experiences to write about. I felt as though poor Stephanie was a little disappointed with the direction her life was heading. No hot man to curl up to at night, no close friends and her family were not interested in her either. Now, Stephanie had been given an exciting opportunity in her career and she was about to fail at that, too! I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Luckily for her, a man was about to enter her life just when she needed him the most.
Justin Hawkins was gorgeous. I spent the majority of this book drooling over him. In my opinion, he could not have put a foot wrong. Everything about him was perfect. From the moment Justin met Stephanie, he was attracted to her and the pair quickly started a very steamy relationship. Justin and Stephanie were crazy insatiable, but knowing how sexy Justin was, I couldn't blame Stephanie one bit and she did have some experimenting to do all the name of her career, of course! Lol. I'm not kidding when I say that my kindle was on fire. Have a bucket of cold water handy because you will need it! This pair were insanely hot!!
It wasn't just about the sex, though. Stephanie and Justin made a great couple. Stephanie was like a breath of fresh air to Justin. She liked him for who he was rather than how much money he earned as a professional baseball player. It wasn't long before things became serious between the couple. This was when I started to get worried for their future together. I knew that trouble was on the horizon, but what I wasn't prepared for was how epic the trouble turned out to be. With everything that was unravelling before my eyes, I was left feeling angry and heartbroken. I loved that Stephanie and Justin had finally found each other and had made such a perfect couple and I was so sad to see their relationship in tatters. Stephanie's life had yet again taken a depressing turn.
Thankfully, I knew that this author would not end the story with heartbreak, so I was eagerly awaiting a swoonwothy ending and I was not disappointed, I absolutely loved the way that this story concluded. It was an ending that left me feeling all giddy with joy. The only thing that I was disheartened by was that there was no epilogue. I am a big fan of epilogues and I would have loved to know exactly what the future held for Stephanie and Justin. If you looking for a scorching hot standalone romance I strongly recommend one-clicking this book and I hope that you love it just as much as me!
"Breaking All The Rules" gets ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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I am so glad that I got the chance to read this book because I freakin' loved it! It was the perfect combination of swoony romance, exciting drama and kindle melting sex!! It had everything that I love in a book.
Stephanie Shaw was given the task of writing a sexy column for the magazine that she worked for. The only problem was that she really didn't have any exciting or erotic experiences to write about. I felt as though poor Stephanie was a little disappointed with the direction her life was heading. No hot man to curl up to at night, no close friends and her family were not interested in her either. Now, Stephanie had been given an exciting opportunity in her career and she was about to fail at that, too! I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Luckily for her, a man was about to enter her life just when she needed him the most.
It was as if they couldn't resist each other, like they might starve without touching each other and she loved it.
Justin Hawkins was gorgeous. I spent the majority of this book drooling over him. In my opinion, he could not have put a foot wrong. Everything about him was perfect. From the moment Justin met Stephanie, he was attracted to her and the pair quickly started a very steamy relationship. Justin and Stephanie were crazy insatiable, but knowing how sexy Justin was, I couldn't blame Stephanie one bit and she did have some experimenting to do all the name of her career, of course! Lol. I'm not kidding when I say that my kindle was on fire. Have a bucket of cold water handy because you will need it! This pair were insanely hot!!
He didn't want her to leave. He wanted her to be with him. He wanted to be inside her. He didn't want to let her go. Ever.
It wasn't just about the sex, though. Stephanie and Justin made a great couple. Stephanie was like a breath of fresh air to Justin. She liked him for who he was rather than how much money he earned as a professional baseball player. It wasn't long before things became serious between the couple. This was when I started to get worried for their future together. I knew that trouble was on the horizon, but what I wasn't prepared for was how epic the trouble turned out to be. With everything that was unravelling before my eyes, I was left feeling angry and heartbroken. I loved that Stephanie and Justin had finally found each other and had made such a perfect couple and I was so sad to see their relationship in tatters. Stephanie's life had yet again taken a depressing turn.
She didn't know she had that many tears to shed. And all over a man. But not just any man, a man she fell in love with.
Thankfully, I knew that this author would not end the story with heartbreak, so I was eagerly awaiting a swoonwothy ending and I was not disappointed, I absolutely loved the way that this story concluded. It was an ending that left me feeling all giddy with joy. The only thing that I was disheartened by was that there was no epilogue. I am a big fan of epilogues and I would have loved to know exactly what the future held for Stephanie and Justin. If you looking for a scorching hot standalone romance I strongly recommend one-clicking this book and I hope that you love it just as much as me!
"Breaking All The Rules" gets ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
March 1, 2019
I was really enjoying the first half of this book. The h/H meet and without knowing who they are share a hot encounter. The heroine is slightly insecure and wants a column of her own so writes about that experience. She never intended to see the hero again so that was okay. What was not okay was when something started developing between them she still continued to exploit their sexcapades for her job. It just felt like a betrayal especially since the hero didn't know and was known to be media averse. Of course the heroine had confidentiality work agreements in place but you knew it was gonna blow up and be ugly. I did like that the heroine had to face the consequence of deceiving everyone. All in all I liked the premise and the book certainly had some very hot scenes.
September 8, 2012
Honestly - this, for me was one of the hottest books I've read to date. Add to that a good amount of romance - and for me it is a huge winner.
March 21, 2012
From the large amount of free Kindle reads I’ve downloaded, I would say less than 10% are worth reading. When I find a gem among these duds, I count myself lucky. I found a true gem last week with Karen Erickson’s Indulgent Pleasures. I adore this book so much that I have given it the KB, “I want to have babies with it”, a label I don’t use lightly. I’ve read Karen’s work before. She has over twenty ebooks published and most of the ones I’ve read by her have been very short. I’d wondered, what if she wrote a full length novel. Would it be good? Well I can say Karen has exceeded all my expectations with Indulgent Pleasures. This is one hot erotic contemporary romance you must get your hands on. It’s well written, sexy and with two amazing main characters. The hero, Justin Hawkins, a retired baseball player who has a reputation as a bad boy is a woman’s dream come true. The heroine, Stephanie Shaw is a woman we can all sympathize with. Stephanie thinks she’s lacking in looks and overall sensuality because she feels she’s just average. But the moment she bumps into, or rather stumbles into Justin’s arms during a party, he thinks she’s one of the most gorgeous women he’s ever met because of her sparkling personality and overall peppy nature. And what’s even better, a hot interlude in a limo between these two, leads to even more hot sexy times, which in turns leads to love. I didn’t want this book to end because I was having such a fun time reading it.
Stephanie is a writer for San Francisco’s City Magazine who longs for her own column. She has her chance when her editor offers her an interesting assignment. Stephanie must find out a woman’s top sexual fantasies. Stephanie gives off this good girl vibe and isn’t comfortable with unleashing her inner goddess *cough*, I mean her inner vixen when it comes to attracting men. Stephanie isn’t flashy or into wearing tight dresses or even being on the prowl for a man. She leaves this party she attends at some club where she scopes out the environment, feeling dejected. She almost falls to the ground but is saved by “big strong arms”that belong to Justin. She has no clue who Justin is, to his relief, because he’s tired of women being only interested in him because of his reputation and superstar status in baseball. Justin was in a car accident and can’t play professional baseball anymore. He’s angry and hurt and wants to be left alone by the press. But when Stephanie literally falls into his arms, things begin to look up for him. The gentlemen that he is invites her into his limo and will drive her home. What happens between them in his limo is one of Stephanie’s ultimate sexual fantasies.
Justin and Stephanie have hot sex in the limo. Stephanie thinks it’s a one night stand type of thing. Off she goes, leaving Justin who doesn’t just want a one night stand between them. From this interlude, Stephanie writes about the encounter, not naming names, for her editor, Zoe. Zoe loves it and wants more of these types of articles from Stephanie where Stephanie’s identity will be kept a secret along with the men she’s with. Stephanie is not comfortable with this but wants a column desperately. And then Justin seeks her out. She tries to push him away but he’s very interested in her and they start having a supped up, sexual relationship. Stephanie doesn’t want an exclusive relationship with Justin and neither does he. But as these two grow more intimate and engage in hot steamy sex, their emotions get involved. Justin is the first to realize he wants more from Stephanie than just her body. Don’t you love it when the hero figures out he loves the heroine first? Now Justin wants more from Stephanie but has no clue that every time they have sex, she writes about it in an article. If Justin finds out, Stephanie could lose everything.
I adored Indulgent Pleasures with everything I have inside of me. This isn’t a book with just hot sex for sex sakes to keep the reader interested. There’s truly a wonderful romance and relationship between Justin and Stephanie. I couldn’t get enough of these two. They are equal cute together and just as freaky, but not too WTF freaky. An example of this is when Justin’s knee is hurting and he has to stay in bed. Stephanie decides to take care of him knowing sex might be out of the question. She puts on a sexy nurse outfit for kicks. What happens is full of smoldering, close to smutty sex, but with intense feeling. Every time these two hit the sheets, their passion is out of control, but they also have fun.
Watching Justin fall for Stephanie is one of the reasons this book worked so well for me. Stephanie’s guilt over exposing every part of their sex life, which leads to a typical reaction from both parties involved, doesn’t ruin the momentum and that HEA we all want in the romance we read.
You can purchase Indulgent Pleasures for $4.99 at Amazon (free for Prime members). At 253 pages I think this is a good price because this book is so good. I count myself lucky I got it for free, but those who are willing to pay, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
And so, I’m giving my first call to action this year. Buy this book! For a self published book, I couldn’t find any inconsistencies, poor grammar or awkward phrasing and sentences. This is one well edited, well written book with nice love scenes that are on par with most of love scenes I enjoyed reading in my romances.
Indulgent Pleasures gets high marks from me and will be in my top 10 for this year.
Indulgent Pleasures is erotic romance done right that shows a healthy, respectful sexual relationship we all can wish for ourselves. *pushes Fifty Shades of Grey aside*
Stephanie is a writer for San Francisco’s City Magazine who longs for her own column. She has her chance when her editor offers her an interesting assignment. Stephanie must find out a woman’s top sexual fantasies. Stephanie gives off this good girl vibe and isn’t comfortable with unleashing her inner goddess *cough*, I mean her inner vixen when it comes to attracting men. Stephanie isn’t flashy or into wearing tight dresses or even being on the prowl for a man. She leaves this party she attends at some club where she scopes out the environment, feeling dejected. She almost falls to the ground but is saved by “big strong arms”that belong to Justin. She has no clue who Justin is, to his relief, because he’s tired of women being only interested in him because of his reputation and superstar status in baseball. Justin was in a car accident and can’t play professional baseball anymore. He’s angry and hurt and wants to be left alone by the press. But when Stephanie literally falls into his arms, things begin to look up for him. The gentlemen that he is invites her into his limo and will drive her home. What happens between them in his limo is one of Stephanie’s ultimate sexual fantasies.
Justin and Stephanie have hot sex in the limo. Stephanie thinks it’s a one night stand type of thing. Off she goes, leaving Justin who doesn’t just want a one night stand between them. From this interlude, Stephanie writes about the encounter, not naming names, for her editor, Zoe. Zoe loves it and wants more of these types of articles from Stephanie where Stephanie’s identity will be kept a secret along with the men she’s with. Stephanie is not comfortable with this but wants a column desperately. And then Justin seeks her out. She tries to push him away but he’s very interested in her and they start having a supped up, sexual relationship. Stephanie doesn’t want an exclusive relationship with Justin and neither does he. But as these two grow more intimate and engage in hot steamy sex, their emotions get involved. Justin is the first to realize he wants more from Stephanie than just her body. Don’t you love it when the hero figures out he loves the heroine first? Now Justin wants more from Stephanie but has no clue that every time they have sex, she writes about it in an article. If Justin finds out, Stephanie could lose everything.
I adored Indulgent Pleasures with everything I have inside of me. This isn’t a book with just hot sex for sex sakes to keep the reader interested. There’s truly a wonderful romance and relationship between Justin and Stephanie. I couldn’t get enough of these two. They are equal cute together and just as freaky, but not too WTF freaky. An example of this is when Justin’s knee is hurting and he has to stay in bed. Stephanie decides to take care of him knowing sex might be out of the question. She puts on a sexy nurse outfit for kicks. What happens is full of smoldering, close to smutty sex, but with intense feeling. Every time these two hit the sheets, their passion is out of control, but they also have fun.
Watching Justin fall for Stephanie is one of the reasons this book worked so well for me. Stephanie’s guilt over exposing every part of their sex life, which leads to a typical reaction from both parties involved, doesn’t ruin the momentum and that HEA we all want in the romance we read.
You can purchase Indulgent Pleasures for $4.99 at Amazon (free for Prime members). At 253 pages I think this is a good price because this book is so good. I count myself lucky I got it for free, but those who are willing to pay, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
And so, I’m giving my first call to action this year. Buy this book! For a self published book, I couldn’t find any inconsistencies, poor grammar or awkward phrasing and sentences. This is one well edited, well written book with nice love scenes that are on par with most of love scenes I enjoyed reading in my romances.
Indulgent Pleasures gets high marks from me and will be in my top 10 for this year.
Indulgent Pleasures is erotic romance done right that shows a healthy, respectful sexual relationship we all can wish for ourselves. *pushes Fifty Shades of Grey aside*
kindle-freebies
April 13, 2016Kindle freebie 3/28/16
♦ Book now called Breaking all the Rules ♦
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005...
♦ Book now called Breaking all the Rules ♦
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005...
August 13, 2015
I always enjoy Karen’s books, so it’s really no surprise that I liked this one as well.
Stephanie works at a magazine and was just propositioned to write a column about her sexcapades. The first guy she comes across is mega hot, mega loaded, former baseball player Justin.
Their sexual chemistry is HOT, and you can definitely feel it through the pages. Things are going along smoothly as they hook up on a regular basis, they can’t seem to get enough of each other. Justin is not the type of guy who likes relationships and of course Stephanie doesn't think she is good enough for him. Then along come the emotional attachments…
Justin wants to take things beyond just the hot steamy sex, Stephanie is hesitant at first because she has been the little secret about what she really does for a living. She wants to tell him, but is afraid of the outcome.
So she decides she’ll write on last column, but too little, too late. She gets stabbed in the back from her employer. And everything backfires.
When Justin learns the news, tells her to get out, and then later learns the real truth, he pulls out all the stops to get Stephanie back.
I think that if Justin wasn’t a jock, I may not have liked him as much as I did. I’m a recovering jock addict, you know, as in sporty guys…So this was definitely to his advantage. I loved his dirty talk and his mild alfa attitude. I loved how he was sweet with Stephanie too.
“Bend over baby. Let me see your pretty little ass” – uhm…OK!
“Yeah baby, ride me. Make me come.” – Don’t worry Justin, I will. Oh I mean, Stephanie will!
“I want you to sit on my face” – Incoming!
Karen certainly knows how to write great sex scenes, they will definitely make you hot! Oh and all the in betweens are great too:) Give it a read it! ;)
Stephanie works at a magazine and was just propositioned to write a column about her sexcapades. The first guy she comes across is mega hot, mega loaded, former baseball player Justin.
Their sexual chemistry is HOT, and you can definitely feel it through the pages. Things are going along smoothly as they hook up on a regular basis, they can’t seem to get enough of each other. Justin is not the type of guy who likes relationships and of course Stephanie doesn't think she is good enough for him. Then along come the emotional attachments…
Justin wants to take things beyond just the hot steamy sex, Stephanie is hesitant at first because she has been the little secret about what she really does for a living. She wants to tell him, but is afraid of the outcome.
So she decides she’ll write on last column, but too little, too late. She gets stabbed in the back from her employer. And everything backfires.
When Justin learns the news, tells her to get out, and then later learns the real truth, he pulls out all the stops to get Stephanie back.
I think that if Justin wasn’t a jock, I may not have liked him as much as I did. I’m a recovering jock addict, you know, as in sporty guys…So this was definitely to his advantage. I loved his dirty talk and his mild alfa attitude. I loved how he was sweet with Stephanie too.
“Bend over baby. Let me see your pretty little ass” – uhm…OK!
“Yeah baby, ride me. Make me come.” – Don’t worry Justin, I will. Oh I mean, Stephanie will!
“I want you to sit on my face” – Incoming!
Karen certainly knows how to write great sex scenes, they will definitely make you hot! Oh and all the in betweens are great too:) Give it a read it! ;)
September 4, 2013
Meh...I don't know, maybe I wasn't in the mood to read smut. The story line was ok. It had a lot of steamy scenes. The characters weren't bad. Really I would have rated it two stars, but I enjoyed the ending. So there it is with 3 stars.
April 3, 2016
I loved this book... LOVED! Its a new favorite!... Monica Murphy is a favorite author of mine and this book did not disappoint...
Stephanie and Justin are the type of characters I like.. Stephanie is a strong willed female who is not silly and doesn't over think to the point you want to shake her... she's an everyday girl trying to live... and Justin is your typical professional jock that screwed around a lot but found a good one and allowed himself to fall for her...
They start out as a hook up because Stephanie is trying to run through a Bucket list of sexual fantasies... one happened to be a one night stand and Justin just happened to be the night stand.. Stephanie is a writer and used their sex-scapades for the articles.. so what was supposed to be one night fling.. turned into multiple times.. and multiple articles...
These two together are too much together... they are a HOT adventurous couple... lets see.. the back of a limo... in a parking garage... expensive hotel.. you name it.. they do it EVERYWHERE... lil exhibitionist.. But its HOT... Stephanie is my spirit animal... if I could take her place I would... I seriously want to be her when I grow up...
I loved following the development of their relationship.. how connected they were but so unsure if the other one wanted more.. they just made sense and were believable..
Of course there was drama... but the Grand Jester.. you cannot go wrong with a Grand Jester... I loved it.. I teared up a lil.. it was so sweet...
In the end I recommend this book to all the romantic exhibitionist out there...
Stephanie and Justin are the type of characters I like.. Stephanie is a strong willed female who is not silly and doesn't over think to the point you want to shake her... she's an everyday girl trying to live... and Justin is your typical professional jock that screwed around a lot but found a good one and allowed himself to fall for her...
They start out as a hook up because Stephanie is trying to run through a Bucket list of sexual fantasies... one happened to be a one night stand and Justin just happened to be the night stand.. Stephanie is a writer and used their sex-scapades for the articles.. so what was supposed to be one night fling.. turned into multiple times.. and multiple articles...
These two together are too much together... they are a HOT adventurous couple... lets see.. the back of a limo... in a parking garage... expensive hotel.. you name it.. they do it EVERYWHERE... lil exhibitionist.. But its HOT... Stephanie is my spirit animal... if I could take her place I would... I seriously want to be her when I grow up...
I loved following the development of their relationship.. how connected they were but so unsure if the other one wanted more.. they just made sense and were believable..
Of course there was drama... but the Grand Jester.. you cannot go wrong with a Grand Jester... I loved it.. I teared up a lil.. it was so sweet...
In the end I recommend this book to all the romantic exhibitionist out there...
July 28, 2015
This book was super steamy(i.e SEXY) and I loved every minute of it! The sex was red hot and I really liked both main characters.
Stephanie is a writer for City magazine and is trying to get her own column at the magazine. Opportunity presents itself in the form of writing about the sexual exploits of a young, single, 20 something woman living in the city. This is out of Stephanie's comfort zone but she knows she can make it a hit if she can find the right man. And boy does she ever.
Of course, she doesn't find just any man, she finds Justin Hawkins, super private ex baseball player. Things sizzle between these two! And Stephanie's articles are a success. Even if no one knows they are hers. But I think we all know how this goes right? After all, isn't it hard to have amazing sex and not get attached? You can slowly see these two start to fall for each other and I admit I started to panic wondering what was going to happen when Justin found out about her articles.
The rest you will just have to find out for yourself. I do admit I think I would have liked a little more at the end but I really enjoyed this book and these characters!
4 stars!
***Complimentary Copy provided in exchange for an HONEST review. Thank you!***
Stephanie is a writer for City magazine and is trying to get her own column at the magazine. Opportunity presents itself in the form of writing about the sexual exploits of a young, single, 20 something woman living in the city. This is out of Stephanie's comfort zone but she knows she can make it a hit if she can find the right man. And boy does she ever.
Of course, she doesn't find just any man, she finds Justin Hawkins, super private ex baseball player. Things sizzle between these two! And Stephanie's articles are a success. Even if no one knows they are hers. But I think we all know how this goes right? After all, isn't it hard to have amazing sex and not get attached? You can slowly see these two start to fall for each other and I admit I started to panic wondering what was going to happen when Justin found out about her articles.
The rest you will just have to find out for yourself. I do admit I think I would have liked a little more at the end but I really enjoyed this book and these characters!
4 stars!
***Complimentary Copy provided in exchange for an HONEST review. Thank you!***
November 2, 2013
Bueno, bueno, cuando leí que era de Monica Murphy, me dije, ¿por qué no? Me gustaron los libros de Drew y Fable, así que aquí vamos..
No le doy al libro tres estrellas porque no me haya gustado, o haya sido malo, se lo doy porque son las que se merece, la trama era obvia, ¿sabes? Ya me sabía el libro y sin haberlo leído, me gusto bastante, de verdad, pero era tan obvio todo y tan predecible, pero Justin era amor, y Stephanie una adorabilidad, así que si, me gusto bastante.
Creo que la autora le podría haber sacado mucho jugo a esto, y claro la sinopsis es que ya nos cuenta casi toda la historia.. No hay nada nuevo en este libro, eso si, si quieres leer sexo, sexo, sexo en cada una de las páginas de un libro, aquí tienes el tuyo, parecían conejos, plse, la posición o fantasía que no cumplieran, sería porque se les olvido pero.. oh Dioses..
Un 3/5 como ya dije.
Y bueno, aunque el libro es todo sexo que puedas tener, también es bastante tierno, Justin y Stephanie son muy tiernos juntos, aunque no puedan tener las manos fuera el uno de otro jajaja
No le doy al libro tres estrellas porque no me haya gustado, o haya sido malo, se lo doy porque son las que se merece, la trama era obvia, ¿sabes? Ya me sabía el libro y sin haberlo leído, me gusto bastante, de verdad, pero era tan obvio todo y tan predecible, pero Justin era amor, y Stephanie una adorabilidad, así que si, me gusto bastante.
Creo que la autora le podría haber sacado mucho jugo a esto, y claro la sinopsis es que ya nos cuenta casi toda la historia.. No hay nada nuevo en este libro, eso si, si quieres leer sexo, sexo, sexo en cada una de las páginas de un libro, aquí tienes el tuyo, parecían conejos, plse, la posición o fantasía que no cumplieran, sería porque se les olvido pero.. oh Dioses..
Un 3/5 como ya dije.
Y bueno, aunque el libro es todo sexo que puedas tener, también es bastante tierno, Justin y Stephanie son muy tiernos juntos, aunque no puedan tener las manos fuera el uno de otro jajaja
August 1, 2013
What's a girl to do when she's got the opportunity to get her own column? Too bad it's about sex and Stephanie Shaw is going to have to have some in order to do it. Imagine her surprise when she stumbles into a situation where she gets to have a one night stand with a guy whose name
she'll never know...
Whew this book was sooo hot and I totally loved it! This is a book written by Monica Murphy under her other author name Karen Erickson. I don't think I've ever read anything written by her under that pseudonym, but boy will that be changing after this. This woman can write, and she's pretty amazing in person too. Yup I got to meet her and get her autograph too. I'm still trying to figure out how I was able to keep myself from squealing. Anyhow, if you're looking for something that will steam up your screen and will get you all hot and bothered, this book is for you!
she'll never know...
Whew this book was sooo hot and I totally loved it! This is a book written by Monica Murphy under her other author name Karen Erickson. I don't think I've ever read anything written by her under that pseudonym, but boy will that be changing after this. This woman can write, and she's pretty amazing in person too. Yup I got to meet her and get her autograph too. I'm still trying to figure out how I was able to keep myself from squealing. Anyhow, if you're looking for something that will steam up your screen and will get you all hot and bothered, this book is for you!
July 14, 2014
Me encanta como escribe Monica Murphy desde que descubri la saga de Drew y Fable, asi que estaba segura de que este libro me gustaria y asi fue, no me gusto tanto como la serie Drew... pero me parecio un libro entretenido y muy ameno a la hora de leerlo.
Es cierto que no es nada del otro mundo pero es muy interesante y me gustaron mucho los personajes, perfecto para cuando no quieres leer un libro con demasiado drama.
3.5 Estrellas!
June 27, 2013
The sex became redundant. The hero and heroine were so determined to not communicate, and yet fall in love while lying to each other. The heroine's lies were, IMO, too damaging to be so easily forgiven. I love M Murphy, and had high hopes for this. I do love how few editing errors there are with her books; it's a nice change from the recent NA books I've picked up.
April 20, 2015
Entretenido, mucho sexo, un poco predecible pero fácil de leer.
January 9, 2017
Stephanie is a writer for a local magazine who is assigned to write about women's sexual fantasies. She decides to live them out and picks up Justin Hawkins, major league baseball player and playboy, to start with sex with a stranger. The story progresses through various sexual encounters (there's a lot of sex), but I was disappointed with the lack of any other real involvement between the two. The secondary characters were all stereotypes and the plot was pretty unrealistic and contrived.
I had high hopes for this book - it's been on my reader for a while and I just found it - but all in all it was a disappointment.
I had high hopes for this book - it's been on my reader for a while and I just found it - but all in all it was a disappointment.
books-boxed-sets
April 22, 2020In boxed set - "Epic Love"
February 10, 2022
Leído en Febrero 2016
1.5 estrellas
Meh.... Más de lo mismo!! Me fastidian los libros donde el 90% es sobre ellos haciéndolo como conejos la autora sobre satura con eso....
Y dónde está el romance de verdad???? Este libro no tiene nada de eso
1.5 estrellas
Meh.... Más de lo mismo!! Me fastidian los libros donde el 90% es sobre ellos haciéndolo como conejos la autora sobre satura con eso....
Y dónde está el romance de verdad???? Este libro no tiene nada de eso
April 17, 2016
3.5 stars
This story begins with Stephanie, hooking up with a stranger for a one night stand in order to save her job and land a new column her magazine wants her to write. What starts as one night quickly becomes more and when she realizes that her hook up, Justin, is a famous baseball player, or at least he was until an injury side lined him, she knows that is they are ever to be anything real, she will have to come clean about the articles.
The more time they spend together, the more Stephanie and Justin fall for each other but Stephanie has yet to be fully honest and when Justin learns the truth, can he ever forgive her?
I was excited to read this one based on the description of the book but the more I read, the less I liked and this one just ended up being ok in the end. Stephanie and Justin are like able characters but their relationship is so instant and there is never really much development from sex to love that it made it hard for me to buy their relationship for real.
My thoughts:
POV switches between the two main characters throughout
Quick hook or slow starter? 3 (I was hooked but the story lost me throughout and I found myself skimming at times)
Character development: 3
Level of Romance between characters: 3
Passion/Heat level: 4 (there is a lot of sex in this book and it is hot)
Angst/Heartbreak: 3 (there is a big conflict in the end but you will see it coming)
Cliffhanger?: No, there is the assumption of a HEA.
Overall, this one was just ok. The relationship felt too rushed for me so it never really worked and it left me wanting so much more for this two characters.
This story begins with Stephanie, hooking up with a stranger for a one night stand in order to save her job and land a new column her magazine wants her to write. What starts as one night quickly becomes more and when she realizes that her hook up, Justin, is a famous baseball player, or at least he was until an injury side lined him, she knows that is they are ever to be anything real, she will have to come clean about the articles.
The more time they spend together, the more Stephanie and Justin fall for each other but Stephanie has yet to be fully honest and when Justin learns the truth, can he ever forgive her?
I was excited to read this one based on the description of the book but the more I read, the less I liked and this one just ended up being ok in the end. Stephanie and Justin are like able characters but their relationship is so instant and there is never really much development from sex to love that it made it hard for me to buy their relationship for real.
My thoughts:
POV switches between the two main characters throughout
Quick hook or slow starter? 3 (I was hooked but the story lost me throughout and I found myself skimming at times)
Character development: 3
Level of Romance between characters: 3
Passion/Heat level: 4 (there is a lot of sex in this book and it is hot)
Angst/Heartbreak: 3 (there is a big conflict in the end but you will see it coming)
Cliffhanger?: No, there is the assumption of a HEA.
Overall, this one was just ok. The relationship felt too rushed for me so it never really worked and it left me wanting so much more for this two characters.
April 11, 2012
4 1/2 stars
“Indulgent Pleasures” by Karen Erickson is a sensual modern romance story that tells of the blossoming relationship between a magazine writer, Stephanie Shaw, and a reluctantly retired baseball player, Justin Hawkins. Stephanie has an assignment to write about female sexual fantasies and a serendipitous encounter with the charismatic athlete encourages her to start working through the list of fantasies that she is researching. The mutual attraction propels them into a intense and carnal relationship but neither is quite sure what to do about the insecurities that make them hide critical information from one another. The gradual increase in sexual exploits make it easier for Stephanie to write her articles but enhances the depth of their attraction enough for each to contemplate a more serious relationship. The fear of betrayal that each harbors makes it difficult to reveal their innermost concerns until matters come to the inevitable critical point and each must decide whether actions speak louder than words.
The story is a bit predictable, media-shy athlete unknowingly gets involved with a member of the media who is documenting their exploits to sell magazines. A train wreck waiting to happen. Fortunately, Ms Erickson is talented at depicting sensuous passionate encounters and engaging characters which elevate the story into a refreshing romance with plenty of spice. The gradual ratcheting up of the love story in counterpoint to the frenzied intimate encounters provides provides a romantic and entertaining tale.
© Night Owl Reviews
“Indulgent Pleasures” by Karen Erickson is a sensual modern romance story that tells of the blossoming relationship between a magazine writer, Stephanie Shaw, and a reluctantly retired baseball player, Justin Hawkins. Stephanie has an assignment to write about female sexual fantasies and a serendipitous encounter with the charismatic athlete encourages her to start working through the list of fantasies that she is researching. The mutual attraction propels them into a intense and carnal relationship but neither is quite sure what to do about the insecurities that make them hide critical information from one another. The gradual increase in sexual exploits make it easier for Stephanie to write her articles but enhances the depth of their attraction enough for each to contemplate a more serious relationship. The fear of betrayal that each harbors makes it difficult to reveal their innermost concerns until matters come to the inevitable critical point and each must decide whether actions speak louder than words.
The story is a bit predictable, media-shy athlete unknowingly gets involved with a member of the media who is documenting their exploits to sell magazines. A train wreck waiting to happen. Fortunately, Ms Erickson is talented at depicting sensuous passionate encounters and engaging characters which elevate the story into a refreshing romance with plenty of spice. The gradual ratcheting up of the love story in counterpoint to the frenzied intimate encounters provides provides a romantic and entertaining tale.
© Night Owl Reviews
May 11, 2024
Lots of smexy times in this one! Not much of a surprise if you read the premise, though.
I wanted to give this 4 stars, but I was a little disappointed in how the end played out. I thought that Justin took too much of the blame of their 'break-up' on himself. It's true that he didn't give her a chance to explain and shunted her from his life completely and it's also true that he didn't come to realize this until after he'd had corroborating information from the company she worked for. So, yeah, he acted like a jerk in not believing IN her.
But.
Stephanie was really really wrong from the get go. What she did was understandable in the beginning when she thought it was a one-night stand, even after the second time. But she acted the coward the closer they got and didn't come clean with Justin about who she was and what she was doing. So of course it's going to come back and bite her in the a$$. I felt like she played the hurt party way too much and forced Justin to do something way over the top to get her to even talk to him. It was sweet and it worked, but I don't think he should have had grovel quite so much - he was the one who was lied to and somewhat betrayed. She was hurt because of his reactions to being hurt by her - she had no one to blame but herself.
But the OTT gesture worked, of course, and the two have their HEA. For what it's worth.
The smexy times - quite fun and well written. I might someday read it again just for those scenes... ;-)
I wanted to give this 4 stars, but I was a little disappointed in how the end played out. I thought that Justin took too much of the blame of their 'break-up' on himself. It's true that he didn't give her a chance to explain and shunted her from his life completely and it's also true that he didn't come to realize this until after he'd had corroborating information from the company she worked for. So, yeah, he acted like a jerk in not believing IN her.
But.
Stephanie was really really wrong from the get go. What she did was understandable in the beginning when she thought it was a one-night stand, even after the second time. But she acted the coward the closer they got and didn't come clean with Justin about who she was and what she was doing. So of course it's going to come back and bite her in the a$$. I felt like she played the hurt party way too much and forced Justin to do something way over the top to get her to even talk to him. It was sweet and it worked, but I don't think he should have had grovel quite so much - he was the one who was lied to and somewhat betrayed. She was hurt because of his reactions to being hurt by her - she had no one to blame but herself.
But the OTT gesture worked, of course, and the two have their HEA. For what it's worth.
The smexy times - quite fun and well written. I might someday read it again just for those scenes... ;-)
August 25, 2015
This is the second book I read from this author and I promise it won't be my last. I love her writing style and how well her stories play out. Everything is so well written and descriptive that it's hard to not get completely sucked into the story.
Justin and Stephanie's relationship was a disaster waiting to happen. They were great together and both too blind to realize when they were more than a simple hook up to one another. From their very first time together, Stephanie was just trying to step outside of her comfort zone. I guess you never really know how things will play out in the end. Her "one night stand with a complete stranger" ended up being multiple nights with the incredibly hot Justin Hawkins.Then again, when you're anonymously writing about your sexual escapades with someone on a very popular magazine column, something always goes wrong. While reading, I kept wondering how it would all come out. If she would tell him or if he would find out some other way. Let's just say, every body has a price. You never really know who is a good guy, who is on your side or against you. You also never really know how easy it can be for someone who was once on your side to no longer be. The way that everything played out was great.
Justin and Stephanie were perfect together. They were cute and playful but also insanely hot. It was a perfect mix and I really truly enjoyed it from the moment in which they met.
More reviews over at Reads By Rose Book Blog
Justin and Stephanie's relationship was a disaster waiting to happen. They were great together and both too blind to realize when they were more than a simple hook up to one another. From their very first time together, Stephanie was just trying to step outside of her comfort zone. I guess you never really know how things will play out in the end. Her "one night stand with a complete stranger" ended up being multiple nights with the incredibly hot Justin Hawkins.Then again, when you're anonymously writing about your sexual escapades with someone on a very popular magazine column, something always goes wrong. While reading, I kept wondering how it would all come out. If she would tell him or if he would find out some other way. Let's just say, every body has a price. You never really know who is a good guy, who is on your side or against you. You also never really know how easy it can be for someone who was once on your side to no longer be. The way that everything played out was great.
Justin and Stephanie were perfect together. They were cute and playful but also insanely hot. It was a perfect mix and I really truly enjoyed it from the moment in which they met.
More reviews over at Reads By Rose Book Blog
January 22, 2017
No me gustó el libro.
Para empezar el embrollo de todo el libro es porque al principio ella no es totalmente honesta, y después porque ella no es lo suficientemente valiente, o más concretamente, es una cobarde y no le dice la verdad a él. Es increibe que si sabes cuál es el problema no hagas o busques una solución; ya que, lo más complicado suele ser identificar el problema; pero no es sólo decir "¡Ah!, ya sé cuál es el problema, y para ello estó es la mejor solución", sino que debes realmente llevarlo a cabo, pues de otra manera te quedas en lo mismo.
No me gustaron los personajes, ni los principales ni los secundarios. Todos están inconformes con algún aspecto de su vida mas no hacen nada y se quedan con su inconformidad; es desesperante.
Tiene un final, mas o menos; que si bien, arregló el problema que tenían los protagonistas, dejó inconforme con los secundarios, tal como la jefa.
Aunque no todo es malo, hay momentos en los que me gustó mucho el libro, como cuando ella comienza a salir de su zona de confort, tanto por el trabajo como por su relación con él. Lamentablemente, fueron más los momentos en los que me desesperaba con todos los personajes que en los que realmente me agradaban, pero lo peor es que no me desesperaron por grandes cosas, sino por las pequeñas grandes cosas que se van acumulando hasta que te hartan.
Ésta es mi opinión, y si bien es negativa, no quiere decir que cuando vea a alguien leerlo le tirare el libro de las manos, sólo yo no lo recomiendo.
(Es un 1.5, porque está entre "no me gustó" y "está bien").
Para empezar el embrollo de todo el libro es porque al principio ella no es totalmente honesta, y después porque ella no es lo suficientemente valiente, o más concretamente, es una cobarde y no le dice la verdad a él. Es increibe que si sabes cuál es el problema no hagas o busques una solución; ya que, lo más complicado suele ser identificar el problema; pero no es sólo decir "¡Ah!, ya sé cuál es el problema, y para ello estó es la mejor solución", sino que debes realmente llevarlo a cabo, pues de otra manera te quedas en lo mismo.
No me gustaron los personajes, ni los principales ni los secundarios. Todos están inconformes con algún aspecto de su vida mas no hacen nada y se quedan con su inconformidad; es desesperante.
Tiene un final, mas o menos; que si bien, arregló el problema que tenían los protagonistas, dejó inconforme con los secundarios, tal como la jefa.
Aunque no todo es malo, hay momentos en los que me gustó mucho el libro, como cuando ella comienza a salir de su zona de confort, tanto por el trabajo como por su relación con él. Lamentablemente, fueron más los momentos en los que me desesperaba con todos los personajes que en los que realmente me agradaban, pero lo peor es que no me desesperaron por grandes cosas, sino por las pequeñas grandes cosas que se van acumulando hasta que te hartan.
Ésta es mi opinión, y si bien es negativa, no quiere decir que cuando vea a alguien leerlo le tirare el libro de las manos, sólo yo no lo recomiendo.
(Es un 1.5, porque está entre "no me gustó" y "está bien").
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2016
I liked this book well enough. Or maybe it was more like I could understand where Stephanie was coming from as far as telling Justin about her column. Buuuuut, I really didn't like how the reveal on what she did happened. Mostly because I thought Stephanie's boss's reason for doing what she did was weak. It almost felt like there were two different characters there and one was the hard-nosed editor riling up these two column writers for hot columns and the other was this weak-willed woman being led astray by a man. And...I didn't get it. While her actions got Stephanie and Justin where they needed to be in the end, I REALLY had to suspend my disbelief on her reasoning.
That said, I did like Stephanie. I did like Justin. I didn't think Stephanie's roommate was nearly as bad as Stephanie implied, seeing as how she ended up helping out in a big way. The whole work atmosphere at Stephanie's job was creepy. That was a big, honking sexual harassment charge waiting to happen if ever I've read one.
Overall, I thought the relationship played out well, I just couldn't get behind her editor's actions. AT ALL. Oh, and semi-public sex when you're trying to fly under the radar isn't recommended. Just sayin'.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
That said, I did like Stephanie. I did like Justin. I didn't think Stephanie's roommate was nearly as bad as Stephanie implied, seeing as how she ended up helping out in a big way. The whole work atmosphere at Stephanie's job was creepy. That was a big, honking sexual harassment charge waiting to happen if ever I've read one.
Overall, I thought the relationship played out well, I just couldn't get behind her editor's actions. AT ALL. Oh, and semi-public sex when you're trying to fly under the radar isn't recommended. Just sayin'.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
May 16, 2013
This is one of those books where from the start you know exactly what’s going to happen and how it’s going to happen, but you can’t stop yourself from reading. I absolutely loved Stephanie. She was fun, smart, and vulnerable. I just wish she had had a little more backbone in the beginning of the book, but then things wouldn’t have worked out the way they did. Justin was also amazing. I love baseball players and books about baseball players and I really liked that in this one Justin was a stand up guy. The drama wasn’t surrounding his possible infidelity, but instead Stephanie’s secret.
There was a lot of things that were predictable about this book, but it’s a romance novel and that is usually the case for me. But that didn’t diminish how much I enjoyed this book. I especially loved that even though it was predictable there were so many things that were different about this book than others in the same genre. Plus, Stephanie and Justin were absolutely freaking hot together. I will definitely be checking out more by Karen Erickson.
There was a lot of things that were predictable about this book, but it’s a romance novel and that is usually the case for me. But that didn’t diminish how much I enjoyed this book. I especially loved that even though it was predictable there were so many things that were different about this book than others in the same genre. Plus, Stephanie and Justin were absolutely freaking hot together. I will definitely be checking out more by Karen Erickson.
August 11, 2015
I was kind of surprised to see this at not even a 4 star review. It just goes to show you that everyone thinks differently.
Personally I loved this story. It was an easy, enjoyable, quick read that was a little spicy but not over the top sexy.
The characters were fun and interesting. I liked how they met, assumed a one night stand, and out of that Stephanie found her inspiration to write. And what a set of articles I bet those were. Who would have thought that she'd need to come clean so soon?
The writing is so wonderfully done that you're not held back. You can damn near speed read the story since it flows so well. I like how things just go...there's not a bunch of non-essential filler. You get the story..you're not confused, everything is as it seems.
It's entertaining! 1 click your copy and head to the beach...it'll be a perfect day!
4 enjoyable stars
Personally I loved this story. It was an easy, enjoyable, quick read that was a little spicy but not over the top sexy.
The characters were fun and interesting. I liked how they met, assumed a one night stand, and out of that Stephanie found her inspiration to write. And what a set of articles I bet those were. Who would have thought that she'd need to come clean so soon?
The writing is so wonderfully done that you're not held back. You can damn near speed read the story since it flows so well. I like how things just go...there's not a bunch of non-essential filler. You get the story..you're not confused, everything is as it seems.
It's entertaining! 1 click your copy and head to the beach...it'll be a perfect day!
4 enjoyable stars
June 16, 2015
I liked this very much. Read it straight through in about four hours. Lots of [hot] sex, but with plot, with characterisation and with a heroine I liked and a hero I liked even more. There's nothing too taxing about the story and what drama there is actually doesn't feel too contrived. The evil character is a bit too evil and his 'sidekick' comes somewhat out of nowhere. The book drops to four stars because the ending felt a little bit separate from the rest of the book. Justin's method of declaring his love seemed completely random given his dislike of the media and Stephanie's decision not to just get back with him as soon as he apologised was just downright stupid and she's not a stupid character. So, the ending left me a little sour. But, overall, great read.
April 6, 2016
Stephanie was giving the opportunity to come out of her shell and fulfill the fantasies women only dream about. When she stumbles upon Justin and decides to indulge in an ONS things progress to being more than a back seat rump. Feelings get involved as well as jealousy and deceit. Will what they built be enough? Yeah, not quite. The haze evaporates and they are both along and some major players are without a job. One truth, just came a little too late but someone is not giving up on what true love really is.
This was a nice steamy read that demonstrates how you sre to trust no one as many people have an agenda that works only in their favor. Stephanie had phoneys in life, work, and herself. Doubt and cowardness almost cost her the true HEA and opportunity she desired.
This was a nice steamy read that demonstrates how you sre to trust no one as many people have an agenda that works only in their favor. Stephanie had phoneys in life, work, and herself. Doubt and cowardness almost cost her the true HEA and opportunity she desired.
February 23, 2016
Breaking All The Rules
Wow, really enjoyed reading Stephanie and Justin's story❤️! Beautiful love story! Started out as an adventure, job, story for Stephanie, see if she could meet someone, have a one night stand, but it turned out Justin who didn't do more than one night stands, caught himself wanting more❤️!They were attracted to each other, feelings, laughed, great conversation, couldn't wait to see each other again! But she hadn't told him she used him for her article! Lies/ untold truths can have the same effects, will they be able to make it, share their feelings, what will the fall out be, great story!!!!! Awesome read!
Wow, really enjoyed reading Stephanie and Justin's story❤️! Beautiful love story! Started out as an adventure, job, story for Stephanie, see if she could meet someone, have a one night stand, but it turned out Justin who didn't do more than one night stands, caught himself wanting more❤️!They were attracted to each other, feelings, laughed, great conversation, couldn't wait to see each other again! But she hadn't told him she used him for her article! Lies/ untold truths can have the same effects, will they be able to make it, share their feelings, what will the fall out be, great story!!!!! Awesome read!
May 23, 2013
This book was a freebie and was Hot, HOt, HOT!!! The chemistry between Stephanie and Justin was great and I loved the "meet cute" moment with her falling and him catching her. It’s an interesting story about what you really want out of life. Do you really want to be a writer, do you really need and crazy complete privacy? The book was great and it was a fun romance. Only thing I WISH it had was an epilogue. Would have been fun to see what her parents thought and how her sisters reacted after everything that went down.
August 17, 2013
Es un buen libro pero tampoco increíble, más que nada tiene mucho contenido sexual (las cuales fueron buenas, pero se volvía repetitivo) y cero romance a mi parecer, me pareció que el protagonista masculino fue sumamente tolerante con la prota, incluso después de que le mintiera o lo negase, él siempre quedaba como el malo y pedía disculpas!
El principio (3 primeros capítulos) fueron intrigantes, pero el interés va cayendo y es como un círculo vicioso, 1 capítulo de ellos con X fantasía y 1 capítulo sobre como se extrañan y ella está trabajando.
El principio (3 primeros capítulos) fueron intrigantes, pero el interés va cayendo y es como un círculo vicioso, 1 capítulo de ellos con X fantasía y 1 capítulo sobre como se extrañan y ella está trabajando.
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