**Warning - Some reviews contain spoilers**
★★
I found the writing in this one to be rather simplistic and a bit stilted, making it hard to really get into the story. While Diane was an interesting character, it was rather too unrealistic that she would so easily go for an affair with a 19 year old boy so soon after her beloved husband had died. I also found it silly that she'd end up pregnant, since she surely would have been on some form of birth control, or have long since taken more permanent measures to prevent pregnancy since she states that neither she or her husband had ever wanted children. While it's sweet that she finds real love again at the end, it also seems rather convenient and contrived as a way to cover up the unexpected and unwanted pregnancy. Overall, probably the weakest story in the bunch.
"That Mom" by C.R. Garmen
★★★
A well written story, but frankly was a bit on the dull side. In the midst of an anthology of sexy stories, this one stands out with it's lack of any sexy times, or even any sexy thoughts really. Instead what we get here is a pleasant, but rather unexciting story about a mother dealing with the snobbery and adult bullying from other mothers, particularly from one in particular. The ending is fairly predictable though with a bit of an twist to make it unique.
"Tamara's Goove" by Scarlett Jade
★★★★
First off, I'd note that while I'm fairly sure that "Goove" is a typo for "Groove", that is how it appears in my copy. Beyond that, I found this to be a very hot little story that was quite well written. It's fairly limited in scope, but that works in its favor really for it keeps things focused on the fantasy that Tamara prepares for then acts out. It fit very well into an anthology of this sort.
"Desert Dreams" by Sophia Jones
★★★★
This was a wonderful little story even if it is more than a bit predictable. The characters come alive despite the short length, and the scene throughout is set so vividly that you can easily picture it all. Shay and Derek are interesting characters that I would love to read more about.
"Her Daytime Lover" by Adera Orfanelli
★★★½
A hot little story. While it does strain belief a bit, it's not to the point where it just become silly and stupid. The descriptions and the bedroom action here were very well done and definitely heated thingsup for me as I read.
"Fire Within" by Nulli Para Ora
★★★★½
A scorching hot story, no pun intended. Full of vivid descriptions that bring the world alive and make you feel everything right along with the characters. While the world building and explanations were a bit rushed perhaps due to the length limits, they still made sense and were believable. I'd love to read more about these characters and this world.
"Fantasy of a Housewife" by April Postlewaite & Tina Pollick
★★★
An interesting fantasy story, but it seemed a bit disjointed. The main sex scene is very abortive and it's rather confusing what happened. One minute he's going through scorching foreplay that leads up to him thrusting into her and then *bam* suddenly he's disappearing and it's all over?? I definitely felt cheated there. This one definitely would have been better with a full sex scene and smoother transitions between the different parts of the story.
"Delicious Heat" by Elizabeth Rose
★★★½
I found this story somewhat confusing, though definitely pretty hot in places. The kitchen scene was smoking! I liked the ending of this one as it seemed wholly appropriate to the story as a whole and the different hints that had been dropped throughout.
"Locked in Love" by Sky Tillery
★★★★
A great story about a couple with a troubled marriage finding their way back to get it back on track. The writing and descriptions were so rich that I felt like I read a story that was much longer than it actually is. While it gets a bit confusing in the bar what all exactly is happening, once past that part it all comes together quite nicely. The make up sex scene is perhaps a tad silly, but it was fun and spicy enough to make it seem more sexy than ridiculous.
