Mari Carr

Guess who added the three previous books of the series on their TBR list! Yeah, it was me. I have been a fan of Mari Carr since the first book I read by her. I like how she manages to give me my fill of romance in such a tiny packet every single time. The only way this one could have been better is if Lacy had found some way to make Logan insanely jealous. The BDSM stuff is light but very hot and enjoyable. I might not understand completely why Logan had a change of heart, but it worked for show more me and I won't question it further. What I loved the most though were the flashbacks. I couldn't understand why their order was from the most recent to the oldest, but everything made sense when I read the last one. That last one flashback was enough to make me say that this is my favorite story in the bundle. show less

This was a sweeter, gentler, more romantic, more socially conscious story than the cover would lead you to believe. Don't get me wrong, there is sex, mild kink, and of course a central throuple, this is not Hallmark Channel material, but there is a lot more here than sex. Jess is a homeless young mother. Her own mother, having barely cared for her and having lost her to foster care multiple times, throws Jess out when she becomes pregnant in her senior year of high school. For five years show more Jess has kept her head above water, working as a waitress and a maid and identifying unofficial (and sometimes less than stellar) childcare solutions for her beloved son. Then one day the person they had been sharing a grotty apartment with escapes to NYC with a man leaving her to pay the full rent and soon after her son falls on the playground and breaks his arm and the medical bills (she is uninsured) leave her unable to pay for their meager existence. When Rhys and Tony discover her and her son sleeping in her car they take her in and for a good long time do nothing but support and protect Jess and Jasper. They fall for her strength and goodness and, okay, her ass, and they bring them into their close and supportive families. Jess falls in love with them, but also with the family they provide, a cushion she has never had. It is lovely, and also the sex seems more than adequate. A nice read. show less

Hot with hugs
4 stars

Wild Night is the tenth full-length book (there are a couple of novellas, too) in Mari Carr’s Wilder Irish series, which, I’m assuming, each focus on the happenings centred around a holiday. This is book 10 - October - so our main event takes place at Hallowe’en.

I haven’t read any of the other Wilder Irish books but this book does stand alone. With that said, the book was littered with cameos of (presumably) the other couples and thrupples from the previous books. show more I just kinda glossed over these people as even with the best of intentions, I was never going to remember their names and other than Colm’s twin brother Paddy - they weren’t integral to the story. I can imagine that those reading the series will be thrilled to re-meet all the previous characters.

I love a bit of enemies to lovers romance - or in this case frenemies. Kelli and Colm’s twin, Paddy, have been best friends since childhood so Kelli and Colm have reluctantly been in each other’s lives since forever - however reluctantly. Our story starts with Colm and Kelli making nice with each other - the first time, they realise, they aren’t biting and arguing with each other. And that was a little disappointing to me, if I’m honest. One of the best things about enemies to lovers is seeing the sexual tension in a couple’s bickering - and seeing it slowly change as the relationship evolves. So we maybe started further into their relationship than we would normally.

I was interested to see how our couple, or at the very least Kelli, could possibly have sex with each other without knowing who it was that was blowing her mind. I was fascinated how all the little pieces were moved into place so that it was actually pretty believable! I felt like applauding the author when it all came together and then the aftermath. Genius! And so blooming hot, anal tinkering notwithstanding. (It’s not my thing but no worries - I can ignore it!)

About the sex - the first few encounters were blistering perhaps because they were illicit or maybe because it was such a surprise to both Colm and Kelli. As our story progressed, the sex scenes got less often, and less sexy. I think that spoke of the changing relationship and the addition of emotions, which actually made it really nice. All the happy, in-love stuff that my little heart likes!

And speaking of stuff that I really like - this book has brought back the hug - a very under-utilised element in romance, in my opinion. There were lots of them in this book and they really showed the developing intimacy between Colm and Kelli. It was wonderful.

Our main characters were both likeable - although I was worried at first that Kelli was going to be a bit brash for my tastes. But no, each was enjoyable, real and it was definitely fun to watch them dance around each other. I especially liked that it was the man who fell first and had to wait for the woman to “catch-up”. Always nice to see a man who knows his mind and his heart and isn’t afraid to face up to what he desires.

I also have to put any minds at ease for anyone seeing the ‘Irish’ in this book and feeling a bit of trepidation since the book is set in the US with American characters. There’s the pub that appears to be the central focus point for this series of books. The hero is always nursing a Guinness. The grandfather is called Patrick while the grandson is Padraig - confusing me some. But apart from that, we steered clear of any cliches or moments of pure green cringe.

Excellent writing, an engaging story with likeable characters, some laughs and hot sex - I’ve really enjoyed my time reading this book and I’d happily recommend it whether you’re reading the Wilder Irish series or if this is your first time. 4 stars. show less

Do Over was a sweet, romantic, and steamy read that I truly enjoyed. It's one of those rare romances about a couple who is already married and over forty. In fact, they've been together for twenty-five years. Their kids are grown and in college, and now that they have an empty nest, it's time for them to reconnect as a couple. Fortunately, they're able to accomplish that during a fun-filled weekend taking a walk down memory lane in which they 'do over' all their significant firsts: their show more first date, first kiss, first time making love, and more.

The entire story is told from the third-person perspective of the heroine, Faith, whose amazing husband, Troy, planned the entire excursion down to the last detail. Being at a similar place in my own life and having just celebrated twenty years of marriage, I could totally relate to the characters. They still deeply love one another, but had fallen into a comfortable routine over the years that didn't allow much time or space for romance and passion. Also, Faith has been having a particularly hard time coping with her kids being gone, but lucky for her Troy is a truly wonderful husband. For a self-described “caveman,” he was a pretty romantic guy and a very tender, considerate lover. Even his somewhat dominant moments were laced with gentleness, and his deep love and respect for his wife was completely apparent in his every action. All I can say is that if my husband did for me on our twenty-fifth anniversary what Troy did for Faith, I'd be over the moon and he'd so be getting lucky.;-)

Do Over was my first read by Mari Carr, but it most definitely won't be my last. She certainly has a way with telling a great story that's both steamy and truly romantic in every sense of the word. I also greatly appreciated that the mechanics of her writing were rock solid with no real errors that I caught. It seems rather rare to find this combination in an erotic romance author, so when I do, I'm always eager to try more of their work.

Note: This story contains explicit language and sexual content, including mildly dominating behavior, light bondage, and anal play, but in my opinion everything was very tastefully done to the point that it barely even felt like an erotic romance, more like an ultra-steamy one. show less