Play Book Tag discussion
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Fall Into Smut Returns!
It's time to pull out those books that have some smut in them -- and escape into some fun! Share covers, best phrases, descriptions and acronyms, surprising smut in a book you expected none, reviews, finds, duds, and any studly dogs too (that's for OM, Sue and I to enjoy). Oh and cowboys for JoAnne! OM and I have a special spot in our reading for bikers, spec ops and military ... there's been mention of smutty alien and paranormal. I have found a few Dragon shapeshifter options ... though I don't generally vampires and shapeshitfters. But there are always exceptions. This is all for fun, as a balance to the more serious reading and other matters in our lives.
I've got one lined up to read after I finish my Compass book - by tomorrow!
I have two on tap, one biker and one military. Smut rules the fall!
I found a steamy sword & sorcery comic album, inspired by Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja and Vampirella. Frank Thorne is an excellent graphic artist with a wicked sense of humor. His heroine, Ghita of Alizarr may not wear clothes for most of her adventures, but she is an excellent swordswoman with a bad atitude and great lines
Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "I found a steamy sword & sorcery comic album, inspired by Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja and Vampirella. Frank Thorne is an excellent graphic artist with a wicked sense of humor. H..."
Oh, that sounds fabulous!
I need SMUT! On the hint for a good-looking cowboy
Joanne wrote: "I need SMUT! On the hint for a good-looking cowboy"Maybe The Ripped Bodice Bookshop can help you in your search:
https://www.therippedbodice.com/searc...
Theresa wrote: "Joanne wrote: "I need SMUT! On the hint for a good-looking cowboy"Maybe The Ripped Bodice Bookshop can help you in your search:
https://www.therippedbodice.com/searc..."
Mmmmm.......Bullwhipped looks quite intriguing.
Olivermagnus wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Joanne wrote: "I need SMUT! On the hint for a good-looking cowboy"Maybe The Ripped Bodice Bookshop can help you in your search:
https://www.therippedbodice.com/searc......"
My thought exactly.
OM - did you see it is available on Kindle Unlimited? 🤤BTW The Ripped Bodice has a lot of search help on its website,
It is the first one that caught my eye...
..bummer my interlibrary doe not have it, nor anything else written by her!
Ok I found one that my library has available, Cowboy Bold,The books my library owns tend to be tamer than I want, but I will start with this one and go from there. I picked this as it is the first in a series.
We have a book sale coming up the last week of September, so the donations are piling up, and I will find something more steamy (or maybe a few).
Joanne, can you get books through MelCat? My library just switched over to it. Much larger selection since it covers the whole state and it hasn't taken too long for holds to show up.I'm in for the smut. I think it's time for the next in the Ice Planet Barbarian series. You guys are also making me think about throwing a cowboy book in the mix.
We have had MelCat for years~ I cannot believe your library is just getting it now~! I always get books through them!
Well, Mistress JoAnne, if you ever get yourself a tablet and start reading ebooks, you will find a wonderland of smutty cowboys available!Of course, that could be a reason to avoid it or you'd read nothing else!
Fate intervened, and when I got to the library, there was an entire box of smut!!! Can you believe it? And the best part? It was all old-time smut, written in the 90s. I found a few cowboy books:The Last American Hero
The Last Man in Montana (😂look at that cover)
One Stubborn Cowboy
The Cowboy, the Baby and the Runaway Bride
Yipee-eye-ah!!!
You are so lucky! I see a marvelous weekend ahead!
Joanne wrote: "Fate intervened, and when I got to the library, there was an entire box of smut!!! Can you believe it? And the best part? It was all old-time smut, written in the 90s. I found a few cowboy books:..."
These all look fun!
Rachel N. wrote: "You guys are also making me think about throwing a cowboy book in the mix......"I can highly recommend Bullwhipped. There was lots of smut almost immediately and the characters were actually quite well developed and likable. There was a couple of decent plot threads. I'm going to try something else by the author, Danica Chandler, to see if it was just a fluke.
Bullwhipped - Danica Chandler - 4 Stars
All of her books are pretty short. She has a lot of 35-40 page novellas but Bullwhipped was 133 pages.
First one read and reviewed -
by Fiona Quinn. Just look at that studly dog! The guy is pretty hunky too although the dog, Digger, belongs to another guy who is being rescued. Still an excellent read at 4 stars. It's very light on the smut - almost none - but I will say that the body searches they had to give each other for paralytic tics were HOT! Far hotter than more explicit sex scenes for sure. I'll be thinking about that scene for a while.
my review
I ended my weekend reading 2 more books for Fall Into Smut .... basically meaning I spent the entire weekend wallowing in smut. Alas, only 1 of the remaining 2 was truly a good smut read!
Safe In His Arms by Alexa Rivers was really smut light and bogged down with predictable tropes. Though this cover is absolutely delicious and hot
. But it did have this amusing quote - note the hero has 3 rescue dogs, a chihuahua diva named Pixie, a bull mastiff goofball named Trevor, a Border Collie named Bella and a mix name Zee: p. 173 - "Meanwhile, Megan's ovaries sang with happiness. If he was like this with pets, how amazing would he be with actual babies? God she didn't think she could handle the sight of him with a tiny hman. Her ovaries might explode."
I only gave it 2.5 stars and doubt I'll read any more in the series, even if cute dogs.
However, the 2nd one, which I stayed up too late finishing, was an excellent thriller, even if studly dog-free, with plenty of heat and chemistry and yes, smut: Targeted by Katie Reus - book gets 4 stars - cover gets 5 -
. I will be continuing this series.
I felt the need for some historical romance this summer, so I picked up Secrets of a Summer Night. It hit the spot! So I'll be "reading" It Happened One Autumn as soon as it comes in on Libby :-).
I have more on tap ... but need to read the Feminerdy pick for upcoming book club meeting: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. Also a few other challenge books!
I have not even started on my pile of smut yet! Need to remedy that.
Doughgirl5562 wrote: "I felt the need for some historical romance this summer, so I picked up Secrets of a Summer Night. It hit the spot! So I'll be "reading" It Happened One Autumn as soon a..."I just loved that series. It had so much humor. My F2F book club read Secrets of a Summer Night for our romance genre month and at least half the ladies went on to read the others.
I too loved this but somehow have yet to read more of the series. Must remedy that!
In Bed with Mr. Wrong - Katee Robert - 3 Stars - 9/9/25
In Bed with Mr. Wrong was a typical enemies-to-lovers romance. Shy librarian, Bri, and Ryan, are set up on a blind date by his brother. He's on military leave and generally hates his hometown because of the never ending town gossip about a huge mistake he made as a teenager. Bri immediately develops instant hatred for Ryan because of a misunderstanding, of course. They still go on the date, and when they kiss at the end of the date sparks fly and they have sex on her porch swing.
They both profess dislike but Ryan's brother and his girlfriendknow better. They hatch up a plan to get Bri and Ryan to work out their problems because they think they could be great together. They strand them at a secluded cabin for three days in bad weather.
I found both main characters annoying. Ryan was a decent guy, but Bri was constantly jumping to conclusions. They were both way too old to act like they did. But the dialogue wasn't too bad and the sex scenes were good, so it wasn't all bad.
Therewais nothing terribly complex about this story and it followed the same comfortable formula as most contemporary romances.
Rancher to the RescueHere's my 2 star review
No I didn't like the book - aside from the dogs! But as I read, I entertained myself by thinking of a Cosmopolitan-style quiz based on this book (along with the many, many formula-driven romance novels out there). I gave it a try and hope you all find this fun, or at least funny!
Short quiz "Are You a Romance Addict?". Give yourself a point for each Yes answer:
☑️When I saw the hero's name is "Adam", I immediately wondered if he had a large number of brothers, with names in alphabetical order.
Yes he does! 8 brothers and 9 cousins, all lined up in alphabetical order, each waiting their turn for romance!
☑️I stopped reading every so often to admire the hero's picture on the cover.
☑️Before reading a single page I knew this story would have a fairy tale ending.
☑️I was not at all concerned when Prudence immediately trusted Adam the moment she met him.
Yes - you know True Love when you see it!
☑️I was not surprised to learn in the very first pages that Adam has sworn off all relationships forever, and Prudence is all alone in the world.
☑️Of course one of the main characters has amnesia! I would have been equally OK with Prudence being caught in a flash blizzard, running from the police for a crime she didn't commit, or finding herself in a position where she has no choice but to share a hotel room, remote cabin or a pull-out couch with a complete (and HOT) stranger.
I mean, come on, these things happen to everyone all the time, right?
☑️I was in complete agreement with Adam's internal dialogue about taking care of a newborn baby he had met an hour ago. He figures he'll be fine since he likes kittens and puppies. I didn't roll my eyes AT ALL.
Dear Reader, I did in fact roll my eyes. 🙄
Score:
6-7 Points: You started reading Harlequin romances in Junior High and eventually graduated to full "bodice rippers". You like a good steamy romance, the more euphemisms and tropes the better. Why fix it if it's not broken?
3-5 Points: You read an occasional romance, maybe preferring a bit more plot or characters who act like real people. A little more story, a little less formula for you.
1-2 Points: You may be a romance beginner. If so, welcome to the junk food aisle of reading! It's OK to binge, just remember to come up for air occasionally.
0 Points: I'm not sure how you've wandered into the Fall Into Smut conversation. Maybe you're here by mistake. It's OK. Stay a while, pick up a book and join in! It's also OK if you're here to laugh along at some of these often plot-deprived books. Enjoy some second-hand steam and cover pics of hot guys!
OMG, Sue! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Perfection! I am definitely a 6-7 and proud of it.
Sue, you were my entertainment for the
The Upgrade: A best friend's older brother, fake-dating spicy romance - Tawna Fenske - 3 Stars - WOWZA!When Eve catches her fiancé in a sex swing with her cousin, she's devastated. When she calls to cancel the honeymoon at an exotic island, she's given the option to "upgrade" for a stay at the Jilted Brides Honeymoon Club.
Before she leaves, her best friend encourages her to have a one time hook up with her hot older brother, Kit. They definitely hit it off and Eve doesn't realize Kit will be working at the Crystal Bliss Resort, interviewing and even working as one of the consorts (sex worker).
Told in a dual POV "The Upgrade" has plenty of scorching hot sex, including MFM, FFM, and other fantasy level heat, all set in a luxury resort made for indulgence.
This isn’t normally my kind of romance so I was surprised that there was some real character development. The chemistry between Eve and Kit is off the charts, and their banter adds just the right amount of humor to their relationship.
"The Upgrade" has a great mix of hilariously named menu items, like the Randy Ravioli Rubdown or Canneloni Cunnilingus Surprise. Or maybe you would prefer a nice tropical drink like the Honeydew Me Hard.
"The Upgrade" is quick, spicy, and totally entertaining. If you love fake dating, forbidden romance, and high-heat stories and are okay with extreme erotica, give it a look.
Here are some favorite euphemisms about penises:
"Sweet mildmannered Sara is willing to maim my ex's beef sword just for me."
"Served with a side of meat twinkies."
"Make sure you save room for all the beef missiles, bacon bazookas, custard pumps, and sausage sabers."
Well, this was a great review to wake up to 🫢😄😄
Oh, Lynda ... you made my day!And, Sue ... love your quiz! I'm probably at a 5, but aspire to top tier.
Served with a side of meat twinkiesOMG I'm dying! I'll never look at a twinkie the same way again!
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂😍I am crying with laughter Lynda! You have absolutely nailed one of the reasons for Fall Into Smut - to share 'gems' like this.
OMG, this is hysterical... where was I last fall when this chat rolled around. I'm definitely going to have to dig into my smut pile to participate!!!
Kristen wrote: "OMG, this is hysterical... where was I last fall when this chat rolled around. I'm definitely going to have to dig into my smut pile to participate!!!"Welcome on board! It's a whole lot of fun, much fanning, drooling, and laughter. In fact, I'll look for the link to last year's thread and post it here so you can 'catch up'.
For a trip down memory lane, here's a link to our 2024 inaugural Fall Into Smut! The start of it all
All the so-called smut I found, and have started 2 of them and ended up hitting the wall with them. The only thing smutty about them was the cover. Another 2 to try out, and also going to recon the donation center again.
I've started my smut journey for the season :-)!Just downloaded the audiobook Can I Tell You Something?. Light on the smut but heavy on the flirting so far.
At least one of the ones I read so far this season saved the good smut to the very end - it was worth the wait! @JoAnne - keep eye on donation center for sure. I also suggest checking out the various recommendations at The Ripped Bodice bookstore website for ones to look out for.
@JoAnne - to assist in your quest for smutty cowboy romances as you search the donations box, here are some authors/series to look for that I read and know they are smutty or have heard good things about:Maisey Yates - I've read 3 of hers set at Christmas and I think 2 were novellas - her virgin tropes in those I found tiresome so haven't read further but they are definitely smutty This is a favorite author of NicoleR who wrote the best funny reviews of these. She's a prolific current writer and should be appearing in your donation box regularly.
Emily March - wrote mostly between 2000 and 2020, some of her series and standalones are set in Texas and have modern cowboys. Definitely smutty if less so than Maisey. Her series are set in a location with each book centered on a different character so can be read as standalones. They also have some serious social issues affecting one or more of the characters which creates drama and sometimes thriller action.
Lorelei James - smut, pure smut - some have had more plot than others. Definitely in the 'panties went poof' category. The titles alone: Rode Hard, Put Up Wet, part of the Rough Riders series - I mean you are guaranteed smut with titles like that.
Vivian Arend - definitely read a copule of very hot smutty cowboy ones -- I usually am reading ones set at Christmas.
I haven't been reading cowboy romances much in recent years - - But authors I have read and liked though not sure how smutty they are by today's standards: BJ Daniels, Linda Lael Miller, RC Ryan, Emma Cane.
Here's a GR list that might provide more contemporary authors that I've not read yet:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
I finally managed to write a review for my smutty comic adventure by Frank Thorne: The Complete Ghita of Alizarr. A better story than I expected, with the 'smut' parts well integrated into the plot and a much stronger heroine than her skimpy armor would led one to expect.Check out my full review for some spicy illustrations from the album.
Thanks for the monthly challenge. It turned out to be a fun idea. I hope to add another title before the end of the month.
Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "I finally managed to write a review for my smutty comic adventure by Frank Thorne: The Complete Ghita of Alizarr. A better story than I expected, with the 'smut' parts well integrate..."I love the pictures. Appears to me that her boobs kept getting bigger with each picture! LOL
Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "I finally managed to write a review for my smutty comic adventure by Frank Thorne: The Complete Ghita of Alizarr. A better story than I expected, with the 'smut' parts well integrate..."Love it! I really do hope you get to another one!
Joanne wrote: "Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "I finally managed to write a review for my smutty comic adventure by Frank Thorne: The Complete Ghita of Alizarr. A better story than I expected, with ..."'melon-sized paps' is how Frank Thorne describes them
**snicker** - oh that is definitely going into the Fall Into Smut Highlights reel!
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Agnes and the Hitman (other topics)Faking It (other topics)
Welcome to Temptation (other topics)
Can I Tell You Something? (other topics)
American Queen (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
T.A. Williams (other topics)Lauren Blakely (other topics)
Vivian Arend (other topics)
Maisey Yates (other topics)
Emily March (other topics)
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It was honestly some of the best most amusing comments to read last year. Everything from metaphors of rainbow unicorns flying over the Milkway (BC scored that one) to JoAnne's annual hunt for the perfect cowboy, to Amy getting a bit hot and bothered as she listened to an audiobook in the car while driving 13 year old boys somewhere, one that turned rather explicit with no warning -- and let's not forget OM's bikers -- and the hunky men who came with studly dogs - we had some fun.
So let's do it again!
Basics: everyone reads for fun a trashy romance - or three.
You don't need to tie it to anything - not any challenge or monthly tag. It's just for fun and there are no points earned. You also get to define your own comfort level as to what you consider smut - it need not be tagged anything in particular either.
But, it can be fun to :
Tie it to monthly tag, fall flurries (definitely some halloweenish smut out there, for example, and November has Veteran's Day which fits any military or black-ops romance thrillers), and I'm sure you can find some to fit our annual challenges.
Also, sharing the hot sexy covers .... oh yeah.
You can find them in just about any genre too.
Take a deep dive into your TBR - or someone else's - and see what you find.
Keep your fans handy and enjoy!