What do you think?
Rate this book
Lovely Wicked
Mitch McAllister and Liv Winslow grew up in the same squalid trailer park, turning to each other for comfort as scared kids. When they meet there again while visiting their dysfunctional families as adults, Mitch and Liv escape the ghosts of their past in sexual excess. They ultimately include Mitch's neighbor Sam Lawson in their giddy, extravagant play. It was only supposed to be hot, dirty, spine-melting sex.
None of them wanted to fall in love. If life has taught Liv, Mitch and Sam anything, though, it's that we don't always get what we want. But if we're very lucky, sometimes we get exactly what we need.
None of them wanted to fall in love. If life has taught Liv, Mitch and Sam anything, though, it's that we don't always get what we want. But if we're very lucky, sometimes we get exactly what we need.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2010
15 people are currently reading
1263 people want to read
About the author
Kari Gregg
30 books677 followersKari Gregg lives in the mountains of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia with her Wonderful husband and three very Wild children. When Kari’s not writing, she enjoys reading, coffee, zombie flicks, coffee, naked mud-wrestling (not really), and . . . coffee!
If you would like to catch up with Kari, caffeinate yourself and head to http://www.KariGregg.com
If you would like to catch up with Kari, caffeinate yourself and head to http://www.KariGregg.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 25, 2011
I really liked how this book was from the guys POV. It was filled with so much emotion; I really hadn’t expected to find myself crying as much as I did. The story line was great, the sex was hot and kinky, but I found the ending a little disappointing, that is until I heard there might be a follow up to the book. Now I’m just anxious for book two to be written.
March 11, 2011
This is not for the feint of heart. It's not the mamby-pamby sickly sweet romance our mommas were hiding from us. No. Lovely Wicked is not that.
Lovely Wicked is gut wrenchingly real. It's raw, edgy and conveys some of the darkest emotions humans experience. Although it is a m/m/f menage, the story is primarily about Liv and Mitch. Trailer park trash. Two kids who grew up four trailers apart from each other who survived the hell of poverty and dysfunctional hate-filled families.
You don't get to grow up, get a job and leave that mess behind as all kids in that situation plan on doing, and many times you end up like Mitch and Liv, revisiting it every Friday night trying to prove something to yourself. It's a dysfunctional dance they were born in and can't seem to step out of.
Together they find an escape in sex. Some frankly depraved sex, but nothing like scat play or blood play- I can't call it edge play, but the raw bestiality behind it at times is far from loving. It's just pain numbing. It starts as an escape after their Friday Family nights. A way to forget the ugly they just visited.
It becomes more.
And then it attracts Sam.
Sweet Sam. Who deserves something so much more healthy than these two. (although he does have one hell of an ass moment towards the end)
It becomes a love story. A story of healing. A story of believing in yourself and letting the ugly weight of the past go.
I don't think anyone can read this and forget it. Lovely Wicked is far too intense. It will seek your soul and squeeze.
Lovely Wicked is gut wrenchingly real. It's raw, edgy and conveys some of the darkest emotions humans experience. Although it is a m/m/f menage, the story is primarily about Liv and Mitch. Trailer park trash. Two kids who grew up four trailers apart from each other who survived the hell of poverty and dysfunctional hate-filled families.
You don't get to grow up, get a job and leave that mess behind as all kids in that situation plan on doing, and many times you end up like Mitch and Liv, revisiting it every Friday night trying to prove something to yourself. It's a dysfunctional dance they were born in and can't seem to step out of.
Together they find an escape in sex. Some frankly depraved sex, but nothing like scat play or blood play- I can't call it edge play, but the raw bestiality behind it at times is far from loving. It's just pain numbing. It starts as an escape after their Friday Family nights. A way to forget the ugly they just visited.
It becomes more.
And then it attracts Sam.
Sweet Sam. Who deserves something so much more healthy than these two. (although he does have one hell of an ass moment towards the end)
It becomes a love story. A story of healing. A story of believing in yourself and letting the ugly weight of the past go.
I don't think anyone can read this and forget it. Lovely Wicked is far too intense. It will seek your soul and squeeze.
January 8, 2012
2 Sad Stars!
I had a hard time with this one. At some point in the book either Mitch, Liv or Sam annoyed me. I never really warmed up to any of them, although at the end of the book, I did feel some of Mitch's pain, and understood him a little better. There was a lot of sex, but no chemistry between the characters. It was also very descriptive, so much so, that I wanted to wash my hands! It was very messy and I get that, but no need to reiterate that point over and over. Open sex in public...not for me. Too crude for my liking. There was also pretty violent sex scene with Mitch and Liv that left me cringing. I didn't know what to make of it. Initially I liked Sam, I felt sorry for him, not so much by the end of the book. Speaking of which, the book did that, just ended. I kept looking to see how much I had left to read and was hoping I would be dazzled with a miraculous ending that would salvage the story...unfortunately it didn't happen.
I loved Kari Gregg's short You Melted Me, and I hope I can find that sort of love, sensuality and writing in one of her other books, I just didn't find it here.
I had a hard time with this one. At some point in the book either Mitch, Liv or Sam annoyed me. I never really warmed up to any of them, although at the end of the book, I did feel some of Mitch's pain, and understood him a little better. There was a lot of sex, but no chemistry between the characters. It was also very descriptive, so much so, that I wanted to wash my hands! It was very messy and I get that, but no need to reiterate that point over and over. Open sex in public...not for me. Too crude for my liking. There was also pretty violent sex scene with Mitch and Liv that left me cringing. I didn't know what to make of it. Initially I liked Sam, I felt sorry for him, not so much by the end of the book. Speaking of which, the book did that, just ended. I kept looking to see how much I had left to read and was hoping I would be dazzled with a miraculous ending that would salvage the story...unfortunately it didn't happen.
I loved Kari Gregg's short You Melted Me, and I hope I can find that sort of love, sensuality and writing in one of her other books, I just didn't find it here.
October 8, 2010
Very nice. Sexy but with a lot of heart. A bit deeper than I was expecting. This is not a Cinderella story but true commitment to get out of the gutter and into a better life!
April 22, 2011
Ever wish to have your cake and eat it too? Ever fall in love with two different people and try to keep them both? Mitch, Liv and Sam come together and one would think it's Liv that falls in love with both men. That would be the wrong assumption. Ms. Gregg turned it around with Mitch as the main character, wanting to have a love relationship with both Liv and Sam. This perspective from a male with deviant sexual desires, chasing after two people was intriguing. The sex scenes were intense and hot. Flaming hot! I wanted to jump my DH after reading each scene.
What I didn't expect was all the baggage Mitch carried. Nor did I expect it to manifest in the way it did, without resolution. Mitch is too softhearted despite his rugged construction worker persona. Watching his heartbreak over his losses made my heart bleed a bit for him too. Watching his relationship with Liv and Sam fall apart just about shattered my heart. Ms. Gregg appears to have no compassion for her characters. They never get a single break. It's one bad incident after another. At one point, I wanted to just kill myself to get over the sorrow for Mitch.
This is definitely not a HEA book. It's a HFN and Ms. Gregg better write a sequel with a HEA for Mitch if she knows what is good for her.
What I didn't expect was all the baggage Mitch carried. Nor did I expect it to manifest in the way it did, without resolution. Mitch is too softhearted despite his rugged construction worker persona. Watching his heartbreak over his losses made my heart bleed a bit for him too. Watching his relationship with Liv and Sam fall apart just about shattered my heart. Ms. Gregg appears to have no compassion for her characters. They never get a single break. It's one bad incident after another. At one point, I wanted to just kill myself to get over the sorrow for Mitch.
This is definitely not a HEA book. It's a HFN and Ms. Gregg better write a sequel with a HEA for Mitch if she knows what is good for her.
June 8, 2011
I'm not really sure how this ended up on my BDSM list. There's a little spanking, the use of a belt, and some refrence to light bondage. But that's it, so I'm removing it from my BDSM shelf.
However, there is tons of hot kinky sex! There's public sex, voyeurism, amateur porn, anal, m-m-f, m-m -- this book has quite the variety. ;D
My favorite thing about the actual storyline is that it's all from a male perspective. Not that there's much of a storyline. It's basically a little about their troubled past, dealing with the present, a little romance, and finally A LOT of hot, hot, sex. I liked it though. I was tempted to give it five stars based on the sex alone but I couldn't do it (lol). I'm picky about my five stars and it could of used a tad more story. And the editing was awful in some spots. I shouldn't have to desipher and edit as I read the book I paid for. Thankfully the editing is only bad in little patches. That saved it from being knocked down to three stars.
Anyway if you like menage and lots of hot kinky sex it's a great pick! ;D
However, there is tons of hot kinky sex! There's public sex, voyeurism, amateur porn, anal, m-m-f, m-m -- this book has quite the variety. ;D
My favorite thing about the actual storyline is that it's all from a male perspective. Not that there's much of a storyline. It's basically a little about their troubled past, dealing with the present, a little romance, and finally A LOT of hot, hot, sex. I liked it though. I was tempted to give it five stars based on the sex alone but I couldn't do it (lol). I'm picky about my five stars and it could of used a tad more story. And the editing was awful in some spots. I shouldn't have to desipher and edit as I read the book I paid for. Thankfully the editing is only bad in little patches. That saved it from being knocked down to three stars.
Anyway if you like menage and lots of hot kinky sex it's a great pick! ;D
February 1, 2011
This review was originally done for The Romance Reviews and can be found here:
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/vie...
There are times when you sit down to read, and you instantly know you are experiencing something special. That's how I felt when reading LOVELY WICKED. This book is unlike any other erotic romance I have ever read. The deeply emotional plot rivaled with the extremely erotic and at times very carnal scenes and made this a highly intense read that captivated me from the beginning.
Mitch and Liv were each other's childhood saviors. Growing up in a trash-filled trailer park and suffering misery at the hands of their respective parents, they turned to each other. Now, they are each back at the trailer park for various reasons, and they see each other again. It seems instinctive to turn to each other again, but Liv wants to be sure that Mitch knows it's just sex. Mitch is ok with that and enjoys opening Liv up to sexual pleasures she never thought that she would enjoy. And when they invite Mitch's neighbor Sam into the mix, the results are explosive. As lust turns into love, Mitch's past may suck him back in enough for him to drive away the two people that hold his heart.
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK! There is no other way to say it. This book was raw, erotic, emotional, and dirty. It got to the root of such unfiltered emotion it ripped me to shreds. It wasn't a "pulling at the heart strings" kind of emotional, but more of an exposing of people at their worst moments and watching them dig out from the hole they found themselves in.
The characters were flawed, screwed up in the head, and yeah, quite a bit kinky but they were PERFECT, just how they were. The story would not have worked any other way.
And the sex, YOWZA! The intensity of the sex whether it was M/F, M/F/M, M/M/F or M/M was off the charts. The sensuality and the raw grittiness of the encounters just exploded out from the pages. This book was so hot and so carnal, I really felt like steam would rise off my kindle and short circuit it.
The writing was fantastic, the dialogue was realistic and flowed well, and the plot was just amazing. The world building, from the descriptions of the conditions of the trailer park to the illustration of the fixer-upper that Mitch finds for them all to make a home out, is phenomenal. I actually felt dirty as I read about the conditions Mitch and Liv grew up in. I thought that this book was unusual in that it's a romance, but it's told through the eyes of Mitch. That unusual voice lent itself to the amazing quality of this work. I don't think that I could say enough glowing words about this book.
I must say that this isn't a rosy, love-conquers-all type of book, but I feel like that would have lessened the impact of the story if it had been written that way. I'm glad I didn't let that deter me from reading it because I would have missed out on an incredible book. My only wish that I could have a continuation of Mitch, Liv, and Sam's story because I feel so invested in the characters.
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/vie...
There are times when you sit down to read, and you instantly know you are experiencing something special. That's how I felt when reading LOVELY WICKED. This book is unlike any other erotic romance I have ever read. The deeply emotional plot rivaled with the extremely erotic and at times very carnal scenes and made this a highly intense read that captivated me from the beginning.
Mitch and Liv were each other's childhood saviors. Growing up in a trash-filled trailer park and suffering misery at the hands of their respective parents, they turned to each other. Now, they are each back at the trailer park for various reasons, and they see each other again. It seems instinctive to turn to each other again, but Liv wants to be sure that Mitch knows it's just sex. Mitch is ok with that and enjoys opening Liv up to sexual pleasures she never thought that she would enjoy. And when they invite Mitch's neighbor Sam into the mix, the results are explosive. As lust turns into love, Mitch's past may suck him back in enough for him to drive away the two people that hold his heart.
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK! There is no other way to say it. This book was raw, erotic, emotional, and dirty. It got to the root of such unfiltered emotion it ripped me to shreds. It wasn't a "pulling at the heart strings" kind of emotional, but more of an exposing of people at their worst moments and watching them dig out from the hole they found themselves in.
The characters were flawed, screwed up in the head, and yeah, quite a bit kinky but they were PERFECT, just how they were. The story would not have worked any other way.
And the sex, YOWZA! The intensity of the sex whether it was M/F, M/F/M, M/M/F or M/M was off the charts. The sensuality and the raw grittiness of the encounters just exploded out from the pages. This book was so hot and so carnal, I really felt like steam would rise off my kindle and short circuit it.
The writing was fantastic, the dialogue was realistic and flowed well, and the plot was just amazing. The world building, from the descriptions of the conditions of the trailer park to the illustration of the fixer-upper that Mitch finds for them all to make a home out, is phenomenal. I actually felt dirty as I read about the conditions Mitch and Liv grew up in. I thought that this book was unusual in that it's a romance, but it's told through the eyes of Mitch. That unusual voice lent itself to the amazing quality of this work. I don't think that I could say enough glowing words about this book.
I must say that this isn't a rosy, love-conquers-all type of book, but I feel like that would have lessened the impact of the story if it had been written that way. I'm glad I didn't let that deter me from reading it because I would have missed out on an incredible book. My only wish that I could have a continuation of Mitch, Liv, and Sam's story because I feel so invested in the characters.
December 24, 2011
The sex in this book is fantastic. I read more M/M usually, and I'm very picky about MMF, because I don't want to read two-gay-guys-inexplicably-pick-up-third-wheel stories, or the opposite, MFM in disguise where the guys don't even touch each other. But in Lovely Wicked, there was intense heat between all three characters and the men were explicitly bisexual. Not only that, it's all told from the POV of a guy who's very domineering during sex, and the woman gets it just as rough and nasty. Loved the power dynamic, loved the raw language, and I did not expect this book to be so powerfully erotic but yes, yes it was!
More things I liked:
- lots of powerplay and some light BDSM
- Liv is submissive but not passive. She's the most emotionally wary and least commitment-minded.
- All characters are deeply flawed but still sympathetic.
- There's a compelling emotional journey, enough to keep me glued to 70k words for an entire reading stretch. I tried to put this book down to go to sleep. I failed!
Unfortunately, the book also had a lot of flaws, which is a shame, because I really wanted to rate it five stars for the awesome sex. The most objective flaw was the dreadful formatting. In some stretches, paragraphs were smushed together so I couldn't tell who was talking, or else chopped apart randomly. The worst example of the bad editing was the fact that one of the characters drives a Camri. Not a Camry, a Camri. WHYYYYY???? I can only imagine it was some awful spellchecking find-and-replace mistake.
My more subjective complaint is that there's an inconsistent realism level. The book starts off dark and gritty at the trailer park, veers into a giddy stage of nonstop sex, some of which is rather unrealistic (like the fucking-in-the-steakhouse scene), then drops out about two-thirds of the way into a very realistic, serious consideration of the problems facing this relationship. I loved the realism, in fact. I ended the book not even knowing if the characters could make it together, so no, it's not a typical romance, and I don't mind that at all. But there's a certain choppiness that comes from being so front-end-loaded with wild sex, and the narrative suffers as a whole because of it.
Lastly, I loved the scene where Sam is relieved of his gay/bisexual virginity... up until the part where Mitch warns him it's going to hurt a bit, "just like for a woman." No, that's not some universal law of virginity and I can personally attest to that. The scene was emotionally fantastic, but the physical element sort of ruined it for me. It really stuck in out in a story where otherwise the sex was so refreshingly free of cliches.
I'd love to read a continuation of this with further character development. Both the men are kind of dicks... Mitch seems to grow a bit in the narrative, and Sam has a lot of room to grow: he's nowhere near as sympathetic to me as Mitch. Liv is the one with the most choices to make, and it's left open at the end.
If you're looking for a dark, dark, hot MMF story, this is your book. It's a rough diamond.
More things I liked:
- lots of powerplay and some light BDSM
- Liv is submissive but not passive. She's the most emotionally wary and least commitment-minded.
- All characters are deeply flawed but still sympathetic.
- There's a compelling emotional journey, enough to keep me glued to 70k words for an entire reading stretch. I tried to put this book down to go to sleep. I failed!
Unfortunately, the book also had a lot of flaws, which is a shame, because I really wanted to rate it five stars for the awesome sex. The most objective flaw was the dreadful formatting. In some stretches, paragraphs were smushed together so I couldn't tell who was talking, or else chopped apart randomly. The worst example of the bad editing was the fact that one of the characters drives a Camri. Not a Camry, a Camri. WHYYYYY???? I can only imagine it was some awful spellchecking find-and-replace mistake.
My more subjective complaint is that there's an inconsistent realism level. The book starts off dark and gritty at the trailer park, veers into a giddy stage of nonstop sex, some of which is rather unrealistic (like the fucking-in-the-steakhouse scene), then drops out about two-thirds of the way into a very realistic, serious consideration of the problems facing this relationship. I loved the realism, in fact. I ended the book not even knowing if the characters could make it together, so no, it's not a typical romance, and I don't mind that at all. But there's a certain choppiness that comes from being so front-end-loaded with wild sex, and the narrative suffers as a whole because of it.
Lastly, I loved the scene where Sam is relieved of his gay/bisexual virginity... up until the part where Mitch warns him it's going to hurt a bit, "just like for a woman." No, that's not some universal law of virginity and I can personally attest to that. The scene was emotionally fantastic, but the physical element sort of ruined it for me. It really stuck in out in a story where otherwise the sex was so refreshingly free of cliches.
I'd love to read a continuation of this with further character development. Both the men are kind of dicks... Mitch seems to grow a bit in the narrative, and Sam has a lot of room to grow: he's nowhere near as sympathetic to me as Mitch. Liv is the one with the most choices to make, and it's left open at the end.
If you're looking for a dark, dark, hot MMF story, this is your book. It's a rough diamond.
January 25, 2011
This book took me on an emotional and sexy ride. We are thrown into the lives of two people who grew up as neighbors in the same trailer park. Liv and Mitch find each other on their weekly visits to each others' childhood homes.
And after they see each other Mitch decides that they aren't going home alone. Wow these two have some seriously hot sex together. I was a little thrown by how quickly these two jump into bed together but after the back story we are given, it makes sense to me. And I appreciate it when an author gives us our needed backstory in a way that enhances the current situation rather than taking you out of the moment, and this was done wonderfully.
And holy smokes the sex! The dumpster scene....yeah....would have never thought a dumpster could be a sexy location, but that scene had my inner exhibitionist doing a jig.
Just when we are in our happy sex haze we are treated to Sam. Sam joins our duo in a sexual discovery triathalon. We are treated to M/M, M/F, M/F/M, and M/M/F. We get a little exhibitionism, BDSM, and even a few internet viral videos.
However the happy sex haze doesn't last. Our author throws in real life. And damn real life sucks. I won't go into details because I am not a plot spoiler, and I think the way Kari Gregg smacks you upside the head with her characters' reality after warming you up with the sex olympics is brilliant. Brutal but brilliant.
And while I wouldn't call this a happily ever after, I would call it a hopefully ever after. There is a sense of found strength in our characters, that is something I will definitely take with me from the tale.
There are a couple of trigger points in this that hit kind of close to home for me, and I sat on this read for awhile. This book definitely pushed me, but it is worth the read. If you are looking for a deep connection with characters that you want to beat (in both good ways and bad) I highly recommend this one. 4 stars.
And after they see each other Mitch decides that they aren't going home alone. Wow these two have some seriously hot sex together. I was a little thrown by how quickly these two jump into bed together but after the back story we are given, it makes sense to me. And I appreciate it when an author gives us our needed backstory in a way that enhances the current situation rather than taking you out of the moment, and this was done wonderfully.
And holy smokes the sex! The dumpster scene....yeah....would have never thought a dumpster could be a sexy location, but that scene had my inner exhibitionist doing a jig.
Just when we are in our happy sex haze we are treated to Sam. Sam joins our duo in a sexual discovery triathalon. We are treated to M/M, M/F, M/F/M, and M/M/F. We get a little exhibitionism, BDSM, and even a few internet viral videos.
However the happy sex haze doesn't last. Our author throws in real life. And damn real life sucks. I won't go into details because I am not a plot spoiler, and I think the way Kari Gregg smacks you upside the head with her characters' reality after warming you up with the sex olympics is brilliant. Brutal but brilliant.
And while I wouldn't call this a happily ever after, I would call it a hopefully ever after. There is a sense of found strength in our characters, that is something I will definitely take with me from the tale.
There are a couple of trigger points in this that hit kind of close to home for me, and I sat on this read for awhile. This book definitely pushed me, but it is worth the read. If you are looking for a deep connection with characters that you want to beat (in both good ways and bad) I highly recommend this one. 4 stars.
December 11, 2014
This book was about sex. Sex, more sex and then some more sex. I should probably classify it as porn or at very least smut. Descriptive, explicit, dirty.
I know that the Hero had issues but it seemed like sex was supposed to be the solution. His relationship with a female and his relationship with a male that loved him made him feel better as a person with serious issues.
I SUPER struggled with the m/m relationship. I am not in the habit of reading these and the sharing pissed me off. I don't think I am a sharer! I did not want to read about how awesome and wonderful the m/m connection was, which only made me wonder about the m/f relationship which really didn't seem all that good.
Anyhoo, the ending was rushed. After LOTS of pages of the act of sex in its numerous forms (SPOILER AHEAD) she gets pregnant, male love interest leaves, she gets married, hero's issues come to light (in brief), she miscarries. The end.
If you love reading about sex in most all its forms (that are legal... I think) this book would definitely interest you. If you like a storyline, this one is definitely lacking. I didn't really connect with any of the characters - it was like watching a porno (in words). 3 naughty stars.
I know that the Hero had issues but it seemed like sex was supposed to be the solution. His relationship with a female and his relationship with a male that loved him made him feel better as a person with serious issues.
I SUPER struggled with the m/m relationship. I am not in the habit of reading these and the sharing pissed me off. I don't think I am a sharer! I did not want to read about how awesome and wonderful the m/m connection was, which only made me wonder about the m/f relationship which really didn't seem all that good.
Anyhoo, the ending was rushed. After LOTS of pages of the act of sex in its numerous forms (SPOILER AHEAD) she gets pregnant, male love interest leaves, she gets married, hero's issues come to light (in brief), she miscarries. The end.
If you love reading about sex in most all its forms (that are legal... I think) this book would definitely interest you. If you like a storyline, this one is definitely lacking. I didn't really connect with any of the characters - it was like watching a porno (in words). 3 naughty stars.
November 24, 2012
I wanted to like this more than I did. Unfortunately, the characters had some moments that seemed unjustified or out of character. Two survivor kids all grown up who keep going back for another helping of bullshit and finding each other was slightly gritty, but believable. The interplay between them and the third they find while enjoying a little bit of exhibitionism is supernova hot, but a crucial plot point was ridiculous and I didn't buy into it for two of the three. There's room left at the end of a sequel; I'd be tempted to read it.
January 26, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. I really like books where the characters are not all perfect and have the same troubles as in every day life. I don't want to give spoilers but there were moments where I was frustrated by the events taking place. There were other times that I was in tears. I love books that cause this much emotion to come out in me. I truly hope there is a sequel. I would love to see how things come out between the three.
June 23, 2011
Mitch McAllister and Olivia Winslow have been supportive of one another since they were young kids living with horrendously abusive parents in a dirty trailer park. Now adults, they've made something of their lives, but keep getting pulled back towards their families still living in that dirty trailer park and still getting put through that emotional wringer. One night of physical comfort between friends soon leads to something much more intense when forbidden fantasies brings Sam Lawson into their intimate circle. The road to a happy threesome is a rocky one as secrets and unplanned events force unpleasant truths to be revealed from which this threesome might never recover.
This story started out strong by showing how far Mitch and Olivia have come from the abusive start they had in life. You can't help but feel happy that they climbed out of that shabby existence to become at least a bit successful. You soon realize that old scars run deep, particularly for Mitch, and the ties that bind truly never let go.
This leads to some very flawed characters. Mitch is a three-time divorcee who is very dominant due to a rather unpleasant period of time after he ran away from home. He steamrolls over both Olivia and Sam to get what he wants in a relationship, which is one where he can keep his secrets but no one else can. He constantly makes major decisions about the course of their threesome which alienates the others and causes many misunderstandings. His heavy-handedness got very irritating and made me really dislike him. I wanted to feel sympathetic towards him because of his truly horrible childhood, but his constant secretiveness and overbearing control of the threesome rubbed me the wrong way.
Olivia just seemed numb throughout the story, with very little backbone. She was a puppet for Mitch to manipulate and let herself be hurt more by acquiescing to Mitch's every desire. Sam too allowed himself to be manipulated by Mitch into doing things he knew would return to haunt them and leads to a MAJOR roadblock for their threesome and an uncertain ending to the story. I actually didn't mind these two characters, particularly Sam who was the most likable of the three and the most honest in his feelings and words. But having Mitch in their lives was definitely not beneficial to them in my eyes. They became playthings to Mitch that he used to make his life less lonely.
The sexual interludes in this story were very steamy and VERY frequent to the point where it started to feel repetitive and became a way for Mitch to distract the others from discovering his secrets. Storyline was sacrificed for sexual interludes and unnecessarily manipulative misunderstandings were used repeatedly to batter at the threesome's connection. I was often left frustrated by the events in the story and by Mitch's cavalier attitude and it was hard to keep turning the pages.
After such an emotionally draining opening I so wanted this story to continue with the theme of redemption that was at first hinted at. Because of Mitch and his creation of a threesome everything ground to a halt and any redemption that the characters were working towards suddenly came to a halt. His overbearing attitude and reluctance to open up emotionally made this story a disappointment to me. I normally like menage stories but the total lack of equality and honesty amongst the lovers led me to downgrade this story even further. I don't regret reading this story but am sad it didn't live up to the opening chapter's promise.
This story started out strong by showing how far Mitch and Olivia have come from the abusive start they had in life. You can't help but feel happy that they climbed out of that shabby existence to become at least a bit successful. You soon realize that old scars run deep, particularly for Mitch, and the ties that bind truly never let go.
This leads to some very flawed characters. Mitch is a three-time divorcee who is very dominant due to a rather unpleasant period of time after he ran away from home. He steamrolls over both Olivia and Sam to get what he wants in a relationship, which is one where he can keep his secrets but no one else can. He constantly makes major decisions about the course of their threesome which alienates the others and causes many misunderstandings. His heavy-handedness got very irritating and made me really dislike him. I wanted to feel sympathetic towards him because of his truly horrible childhood, but his constant secretiveness and overbearing control of the threesome rubbed me the wrong way.
Olivia just seemed numb throughout the story, with very little backbone. She was a puppet for Mitch to manipulate and let herself be hurt more by acquiescing to Mitch's every desire. Sam too allowed himself to be manipulated by Mitch into doing things he knew would return to haunt them and leads to a MAJOR roadblock for their threesome and an uncertain ending to the story. I actually didn't mind these two characters, particularly Sam who was the most likable of the three and the most honest in his feelings and words. But having Mitch in their lives was definitely not beneficial to them in my eyes. They became playthings to Mitch that he used to make his life less lonely.
The sexual interludes in this story were very steamy and VERY frequent to the point where it started to feel repetitive and became a way for Mitch to distract the others from discovering his secrets. Storyline was sacrificed for sexual interludes and unnecessarily manipulative misunderstandings were used repeatedly to batter at the threesome's connection. I was often left frustrated by the events in the story and by Mitch's cavalier attitude and it was hard to keep turning the pages.
After such an emotionally draining opening I so wanted this story to continue with the theme of redemption that was at first hinted at. Because of Mitch and his creation of a threesome everything ground to a halt and any redemption that the characters were working towards suddenly came to a halt. His overbearing attitude and reluctance to open up emotionally made this story a disappointment to me. I normally like menage stories but the total lack of equality and honesty amongst the lovers led me to downgrade this story even further. I don't regret reading this story but am sad it didn't live up to the opening chapter's promise.
July 31, 2012
I wanted to like this book. I DID like most of it, but the issues I had with it kept me from rating it higher.
The good: I admit that I haven't read a whole lot of M/M, but while all of the sex scenes were well done, the M/M parts were fantastic. Very detailed and believable. They almost made me wish I had a penis! ;)
For the most part, the characters were interesting and well-rounded. I wouldn't necessarily call them likable people, but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes I found it difficult to get a good read on Liv, but it sort of fit in with her character, so I won't label her as inconsistent.
The so-so: I read it on my Kindle, so I'm hesitant to point things out that could be chalked up to formatting mistakes. That said, there were many occasions where there was more than one speaker in a single paragraph without any tags, and in those situations, I sometimes found it difficult to keep track of who was saying what. And when it happens in the middle of a super-steamy threesome, that's not where my mind wants to be!
The part that really bugged me (spoilers!):
For the most part, the book lived up to my expectations. I read it because I wanted to read about both the physical and emotional intricacies of the menage, and for that aspect, I wasn't disappointed. Unfortunately, as one of the major conflicts late in the book incited such a strong negative reaction in me, I really can't give this a higher rating.
The good: I admit that I haven't read a whole lot of M/M, but while all of the sex scenes were well done, the M/M parts were fantastic. Very detailed and believable. They almost made me wish I had a penis! ;)
For the most part, the characters were interesting and well-rounded. I wouldn't necessarily call them likable people, but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes I found it difficult to get a good read on Liv, but it sort of fit in with her character, so I won't label her as inconsistent.
The so-so: I read it on my Kindle, so I'm hesitant to point things out that could be chalked up to formatting mistakes. That said, there were many occasions where there was more than one speaker in a single paragraph without any tags, and in those situations, I sometimes found it difficult to keep track of who was saying what. And when it happens in the middle of a super-steamy threesome, that's not where my mind wants to be!
The part that really bugged me (spoilers!):
For the most part, the book lived up to my expectations. I read it because I wanted to read about both the physical and emotional intricacies of the menage, and for that aspect, I wasn't disappointed. Unfortunately, as one of the major conflicts late in the book incited such a strong negative reaction in me, I really can't give this a higher rating.
July 5, 2011
Well, that was a little depressing, which was totally unexpected. I did, however, enjoy it.
This was not your fluffy little kissy-face romance and I'm not even sure I would classify it as a romance. There were romantic elements, but the main focus of the book was really about the 2 main characters Mitch and Liv who have been damaged by their less than charming upbringing in a rundown trailer park.
I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it, but we learn about the issues they were faced with throughout their childhood. Their childhood was rough and had to deal with big issues as early as 8 and 10 years old. We learn these things bit by bit throughout the story and understand how those things have helped mold the adults they have become.
It was heavy, but it was also hot and emotional and at times dark and depressing. In the end, it's a keeper, but if you are looking for a neat little story tied up in a pretty little package, keep on movin' because this isn't the one for you. If you can deal with a HFN and a potential HEA in book 2, then read it! You will enjoy it!
______________________________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic eBook Exchange
This was not your fluffy little kissy-face romance and I'm not even sure I would classify it as a romance. There were romantic elements, but the main focus of the book was really about the 2 main characters Mitch and Liv who have been damaged by their less than charming upbringing in a rundown trailer park.
I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it, but we learn about the issues they were faced with throughout their childhood. Their childhood was rough and had to deal with big issues as early as 8 and 10 years old. We learn these things bit by bit throughout the story and understand how those things have helped mold the adults they have become.
It was heavy, but it was also hot and emotional and at times dark and depressing. In the end, it's a keeper, but if you are looking for a neat little story tied up in a pretty little package, keep on movin' because this isn't the one for you. If you can deal with a HFN and a potential HEA in book 2, then read it! You will enjoy it!
______________________________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic eBook Exchange
January 23, 2011
OK, generally I really liked this book. The ONE part that got to me was when he was smacking her thighs. She was crying HARD -- granted, not using her safe word -- but he just kept on. I mean I dunno... it just seemed like he was beating her. And he was so dominant that I didn't feel she had a snowball's chance in hell of fighting most of the stuff he wanted that she initially wasn't comfortable with. And again, granted she went through with them and ultimately felt liberated by having participated. I just felt like he came on SO strong!
But overall, this was squish-tacular. So freaking hot. I love menage and often I read mmf so it's not like this was my first introduction to m/m interaction, but there were so many parts that focused on it. I can see where it might be attractive to read completely m/m. I'm still not there. I still liked it better when they were all three together. But those m/m parts were certainly squishy!!
I loved how the book ended. My heart was breaking for them when she lost the baby and it seemed like she was pulling away from him after. My heart broke when she caught him with his step-mother and just left. And he thought she would leave him permanently. She was one tough cookie! Extremely resilient, from her upbringing to the things he pushed her into, to coming back and sort of resolving things at the end.
And I loved Artie. We didn't get much of him, but that man had a heart of gold every time we did.
Great book, through and through. (Except that one part that read like abuse to me.)
But overall, this was squish-tacular. So freaking hot. I love menage and often I read mmf so it's not like this was my first introduction to m/m interaction, but there were so many parts that focused on it. I can see where it might be attractive to read completely m/m. I'm still not there. I still liked it better when they were all three together. But those m/m parts were certainly squishy!!
I loved how the book ended. My heart was breaking for them when she lost the baby and it seemed like she was pulling away from him after. My heart broke when she caught him with his step-mother and just left. And he thought she would leave him permanently. She was one tough cookie! Extremely resilient, from her upbringing to the things he pushed her into, to coming back and sort of resolving things at the end.
And I loved Artie. We didn't get much of him, but that man had a heart of gold every time we did.
Great book, through and through. (Except that one part that read like abuse to me.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2015
I liked this book, i really did. I liked that Liv and Mitch came from nothing but rose to be better while still dealing with past shit plot that it had. I loved that you got to see all three of them fall in love with each other. And the sex was steamy and descriptive.
BUT UGH
THERE WAS NO ENDING. It just... stops. Right there. There's a falling out and then promptly a half assed resolution for Mitch and Liv and then that's it. It literally has no actual resolution for all three of them as a mfm couple. It made everything i just read feel like a waste of time. I wasn't expecting a happy ending (although it would've been nice) but they could have at least ended it. Since this isn't a series it was a definite bummer for me.
There was also the fact that this book leans more toward the dark than anything else. The dark/depressing themes happening outside the sex scenes have a tendency to really overshadow and weigh down the lighter and sexier scenes.
Overal, the dark theme of the book overshadowed everything else, the conflict between the characters was contrived and half assed, and the author couldve wrapped up the things much earlier and i wish she wouldve, cause it really dragged on at the end making the actual ending nonexistent.
BUT UGH
THERE WAS NO ENDING. It just... stops. Right there. There's a falling out and then promptly a half assed resolution for Mitch and Liv and then that's it. It literally has no actual resolution for all three of them as a mfm couple. It made everything i just read feel like a waste of time. I wasn't expecting a happy ending (although it would've been nice) but they could have at least ended it. Since this isn't a series it was a definite bummer for me.
There was also the fact that this book leans more toward the dark than anything else. The dark/depressing themes happening outside the sex scenes have a tendency to really overshadow and weigh down the lighter and sexier scenes.
Overal, the dark theme of the book overshadowed everything else, the conflict between the characters was contrived and half assed, and the author couldve wrapped up the things much earlier and i wish she wouldve, cause it really dragged on at the end making the actual ending nonexistent.
August 9, 2016
Mitch & Livvie grew up in the same nasty trailer park where they comforted each other as children. As adults their paths cross again in the trailer park. They start a sexual relationship that morphs into love & then grows to include Mitch's neighbor Sam. But secrets & lies tear Sam from their arms.
I ab-so-fucking-lutely loved the dynamic between Sam & Mitch. Felt rather meh toward Liv. Although I was glad she didn't leave Mitch in the end. Especially since Sam was quite the ass toward her during the pregnancy. And my heart was breaking for Mitch when he revealed what his step-mother had done to him as a child.
I ab-so-fucking-lutely loved the dynamic between Sam & Mitch. Felt rather meh toward Liv. Although I was glad she didn't leave Mitch in the end. Especially since Sam was quite the ass toward her during the pregnancy. And my heart was breaking for Mitch when he revealed what his step-mother had done to him as a child.
April 25, 2011
Oh what tortured souls.......what a lovely story written around Mitch and Liv - their relationship was totally awe inspiring - although they did keep secrets, and that wasn't really surprising considering their backgrounds......
And Sam came across as a lovely guy, coping with all his new feelings and needs/wants.
But by 3/4 the way through I was getting anxious that there wasn't going to be a HEA, and sure enough, I was wiping away tears at the end.
THANK GOODNESS there is a sequel !
And Sam came across as a lovely guy, coping with all his new feelings and needs/wants.
But by 3/4 the way through I was getting anxious that there wasn't going to be a HEA, and sure enough, I was wiping away tears at the end.
THANK GOODNESS there is a sequel !
July 25, 2016
overall i liked this book, it gave glimpses of real life as a threesome, over coming real life obstacles, making things work at home. but, at times i found mitch over bearing, and i thought it should've gone on a bit longer.
May 30, 2011
Really loved it. Liv got to me from time to time with her inability to open up, but I can sort of understand that. Can I have a Mitch & Sam of my very own, though, please??? Still a bit miffed with Sam for the way he acted, but can't wait to see how it unfolds.
February 23, 2014
A gritty, erotic, bare-bones story. I loved the realism of the characters with all their imperfections, self-doubt and what the hell let's do it anyway attitude. It was good to get the story from the male pov for a change. Hopefully one day we can get a sequel and find out what kept Sam away.
January 21, 2011
I really liked this. I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed the smexy scenes.
March 13, 2016
1/2014 - I've got to do a reread so I can do a review.
Just saying that I love this book, it's a dirty, naughty, a little angsty mmf and I wish the sequel would come out someday.
Just saying that I love this book, it's a dirty, naughty, a little angsty mmf and I wish the sequel would come out someday.
February 2, 2011
I loved this book and the 3 main characters were such a joy to read about even with what happened to them they came though in the end
December 3, 2017
2.5 - 3 stars. Which for me is an average rating. So not a bad book. Enjoyable.
This book wasn't bad. It was my first full MM scenes in a book and I wasn't put off by it like i thought i would be.
The main problem with this book was that it lacked depth. I think a big part of this was because we didn't know their back story until the last few pages. Therefore it appeared to be insta-love which caused some confusion and lack of depth of characters as well as in the relationship.
There were also some extremely confusing parts where the scene wasn't written well so it became confusing as to what exactly was happening.
What was good - The sex scenes were H.O.T. Surprisingly even the MM ones. The characters - even though they lacked depth - there was something extremely endearing in Mitch's broken character. Mind you, he annoyed me at times in the way he just expected everyone to fall in line with him, but it was part of his imperfect character. I would have liked more depth of how come Liv's character was so broken and standoffis. Again, we only got a little bit of insight at the end but even that wasn't enough to understand her. Sam, we really have no idea to his back ground or his motivations. Although he had endearing qualities, we have no idea of who he really is. There is no understanding to his extreme reaction near the end.
The story line was pretty good too. Yes it ended quickly and I would have liked 'More' at the end in the their reconciliation, but it was acceptable. What surprised me was that I liked the open way it ended... with their hope of a final reconciliation. There were a few reviews I read where they hated this, but I liked the open-endedness/ambiguity of the ending. Which again surprised me, because I generally like a solid HEA.
As someone who lost their first love because it turned out he was gay and my second love who cheated on me with both men and women (No idea that he had tendencies), I have issues in regards to MMF relationships. I therefore strongly favored Livy and it was hard for me to not insert my own prejudice and feelings and how I would react in that situation with a man coming into the relationship as an equal partner. But somehow the author really impressed that Livy accepted the scenario and in the end welcomed the equal three-way (though in my mind it was still more a Livy/Mitch relationship because they shared the such a deep past - again my own feelings inserting themselves). That shows good writing.
Again though, it was the lack of depth of the characters and their missing back story of how they became who they are that really dropped this story. This could have been a 3.5 star - possibly even a 4 star,, but Unfortunately it became more a porno than an novel.
This book wasn't bad. It was my first full MM scenes in a book and I wasn't put off by it like i thought i would be.
The main problem with this book was that it lacked depth. I think a big part of this was because we didn't know their back story until the last few pages. Therefore it appeared to be insta-love which caused some confusion and lack of depth of characters as well as in the relationship.
There were also some extremely confusing parts where the scene wasn't written well so it became confusing as to what exactly was happening.
What was good - The sex scenes were H.O.T. Surprisingly even the MM ones. The characters - even though they lacked depth - there was something extremely endearing in Mitch's broken character. Mind you, he annoyed me at times in the way he just expected everyone to fall in line with him, but it was part of his imperfect character. I would have liked more depth of how come Liv's character was so broken and standoffis. Again, we only got a little bit of insight at the end but even that wasn't enough to understand her. Sam, we really have no idea to his back ground or his motivations. Although he had endearing qualities, we have no idea of who he really is. There is no understanding to his extreme reaction near the end.
The story line was pretty good too. Yes it ended quickly and I would have liked 'More' at the end in the their reconciliation, but it was acceptable. What surprised me was that I liked the open way it ended... with their hope of a final reconciliation. There were a few reviews I read where they hated this, but I liked the open-endedness/ambiguity of the ending. Which again surprised me, because I generally like a solid HEA.
As someone who lost their first love because it turned out he was gay and my second love who cheated on me with both men and women (No idea that he had tendencies), I have issues in regards to MMF relationships. I therefore strongly favored Livy and it was hard for me to not insert my own prejudice and feelings and how I would react in that situation with a man coming into the relationship as an equal partner. But somehow the author really impressed that Livy accepted the scenario and in the end welcomed the equal three-way (though in my mind it was still more a Livy/Mitch relationship because they shared the such a deep past - again my own feelings inserting themselves). That shows good writing.
Again though, it was the lack of depth of the characters and their missing back story of how they became who they are that really dropped this story. This could have been a 3.5 star - possibly even a 4 star,, but Unfortunately it became more a porno than an novel.
May 3, 2018
Jeepers Creepers!
I’m only 60% through and I’m driven to write a review. I don’t write reviews often because I’m too busy reading the next book. And also my reviews really couldn’t be any more helpful than my star rating; I can’t summarise for the life of me and have trouble remembering character names not to mention the book title or author. But, my oh my, this book warrants some time out. I need a rest. So a review is in order.
As the few reviews I read before purchasing this (just checked the title) crappily named book say: lots of sex. Yay! That’s why I’m buying it. So my review is just to emphasise that, oh my goodness, it sure is well written sex. Oh and the stuff that isn’t sex is written well too. Like I care.
I binge on romance/erotica for a period before getting back to my regular books and generally it’s when I’m so drenched in the chick-lit style writing and plotting that I can’t be bothered any more that it ends. I can get through 1-2 of these books a day during these periods (it’s all on kindle thank goodness or I suspect my bookshelves would be embarrassingly crowded with smut nowadays). My point being, my point is, oh yeah, that’s right, my point is that I’ve read a lot so I think I’m qualified to say that this 'ere book ranks well.
I’m pretty sure if this author wrote a sex scene between a toaster and blender I’d read it happily with one hand between my legs.
I’m not even going to finish the book before posting this review. Because even if it goes rapidly downhill from here I’m more than satisfied.
Well done author, I will learn your name so I can explore more of your writing on my next binge. For now I’m putting the smut down because I’m exhausted -for so the right reasons!
I’m only 60% through and I’m driven to write a review. I don’t write reviews often because I’m too busy reading the next book. And also my reviews really couldn’t be any more helpful than my star rating; I can’t summarise for the life of me and have trouble remembering character names not to mention the book title or author. But, my oh my, this book warrants some time out. I need a rest. So a review is in order.
As the few reviews I read before purchasing this (just checked the title) crappily named book say: lots of sex. Yay! That’s why I’m buying it. So my review is just to emphasise that, oh my goodness, it sure is well written sex. Oh and the stuff that isn’t sex is written well too. Like I care.
I binge on romance/erotica for a period before getting back to my regular books and generally it’s when I’m so drenched in the chick-lit style writing and plotting that I can’t be bothered any more that it ends. I can get through 1-2 of these books a day during these periods (it’s all on kindle thank goodness or I suspect my bookshelves would be embarrassingly crowded with smut nowadays). My point being, my point is, oh yeah, that’s right, my point is that I’ve read a lot so I think I’m qualified to say that this 'ere book ranks well.
I’m pretty sure if this author wrote a sex scene between a toaster and blender I’d read it happily with one hand between my legs.
I’m not even going to finish the book before posting this review. Because even if it goes rapidly downhill from here I’m more than satisfied.
Well done author, I will learn your name so I can explore more of your writing on my next binge. For now I’m putting the smut down because I’m exhausted -for so the right reasons!
Read
April 19, 2022I loved the start of the book and the ending but in between i hated it. Was thinking about not finishing. I think my problem lies with the fact that its from the perspective of 1 man. If it was from the woman or of all 3 people I would understand the emotions better. Now I really did not feel much of the emotions
Read
March 7, 2017It was good...it was hot definitely but that ending just kinda left me hanging in limbo
June 26, 2011
Kinky, dirty, naughty, sexy book. Liv, Mitch and Sam have sex, sex and more sex. There is m/f, m/m, m/f/m and m/m/f. They do it everywhere and every how. I'm not complaining...I loved it all! And for three-fourths of the book my only complaint was how bitchy Liv could be. (I loved it when she wasn't around and it was just Mitch and Sam.) THEN, the last one-fourth of the book...WTF! I did not like it at all! Certain characters were acting unlike they had ever acted before and what had seemed would be a HEA ended up being a HFN. I don't know if there is a sequel in the works, but I was so upset with some of the situations and the characters at the end of this book that I don't know if I want to read the sequel. I think I'll have to wait for some of the reviews to see if things are going to change. I must say that I am disappointed because I had really been liking this book and had considered it a 4.5 (because of bitchy Liv) read until the end. :(
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews