ARC Review: A Million Guilty Pleasures (Million Dollar Duet #2) by C.L. Parker

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Title:  A Million Guilty Pleasures
Author: C.L. Parker
Publisher/Year:  Random House Publishing, 2/11/14
Length:  272 pages
Series: Million Dollar Duet #2

Overview

Two million dollars secured Noah Crawford the most enticing woman he has ever known. Initiating Delaine Talbot into a sensuous world of pleasure took them both to the brink—again and again. But when Noah discovers why the beautiful innocent sold her body to the highest bidder, he’s faced with the hardest thing he ever had to do: Set her free.

Lanie can’t believe Noah would let her go. Doesn’t he know they share a bond deeper than sex—a connection too powerful to sever? Not even a treacherous enemy out to destroy Noah or the dark secret haunting the multimillionaire can keep them apart. But first Lanie has to show him that he belongs to her, even if it means risking everything for a love that can never be bought or sold.

My Thoughts

This final installment in the series took us on quite the interesting journey.  We see that the bond between Lanie and Noah is getting stronger, but nothing is ever that easy right?  This book opens up a midst the fear and worry around Faye – Lanie’s mom – since her health is getting worse and she needs to go to be at her mom’s side.  The good thing that happens though is that Polly is there to hear where Lanie is going, tells Noah, and Noah does what he does – makes some calls etc. and comes to her side to help.

of course though this means that her secret bubble is burst since there’s no way to hide the fact that she’s not in NY at school and her parents aren’t as naive as she thinks.  This bit of the story takes an interesting path and it’s nice to see the different reactions.

What we also get in this book is more of David.  We know that he’s up to something and it’s not until this story that we get a few chapters from his POV and get to see what’s really going on.  This bit takes us on an anxiety ridden roller coaster.

So, to the Erotica part of this book.  If you read my review on the first installment, you know that i had issue with the references that Lanie was making in her mind – i thought that it was a bit immature and trying to hard to be like 50 Shades.  Thankfully, the use of those same pet names was toned down a bit, so i could take the scening more realistically.  We got to see Noah teach Lanie about her passions and how the transfer of power works for them in the bedroom.  It’s hot of course, but quite educational all at the same time, tied up in a nice romantic bow.

so…for those of you who have to wait until February to read it, i’m sorry – but at least you know that the story goes on a great journey, and we get to see how things play out in what’s typical and roller-coast’y…..

Review: A Million Dirty Secrets (Million Dollar Duet #1) by C. L. Parker

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Title:  A Million Dirty Secrets
Author: C.L. Parker
Publisher/Year:  Random House Publishing, 8/27/13
Length:  368 pages
Series: Million Dollar Duet #1

Overview

Delaine Talbot has a secret. When a matter of life and death threatens to tear apart her family, Delaine makes the ultimate sacrifice. She auctions herself off at Chicago’s most exclusive erotic club. Now she belongs to Noah Crawford, a wealthy mogul who introduces her to a seductive feast of the senses, awakening desires she only dreamed about.

Noah doesn’t know why Delaine sold her body for a cool two mil. But it’s the perfect business arrangement. The inexperienced beauty will learn to satisfy his every sensual need, yet never touch his heart. Almost immediately their relationship generates heat—in more ways than one. When they fight, they take no prisoners. When they love, they show no mercy. When they’re together, they never want to leave each other’s arms. But soon, their intense, physical bond will take an unexpected turn—evolving into something neither has bargained for: the promise of a lasting love.

My Thoughts

There was so much right about this book, yet so much wrong.  #sigh

I had gotten the ARC for book 2 in this series so i figured that i should probably read #1 first to get up to speed right?  so that’s what i did.  The cover art was great, the summary of it was great, so i was really excited to see where this story would take us.

We first meed Delaine (Lanie) when she’s had to make a really hard choice of ‘selling herself’ because her mother has a terminal illness, they have no money left for her medical care, and Lanie has taken it upon herself to find a solution.  It’s impressive that she’s done it, yet i don’t know if it’s realistic.  oh well…all a book so that’s not what actually bothered me …yet

We then meet her mysterious buyer at this auction – a man who was sitting in the dark so that Lanie couldn’t even see what he looked like, and he then pays $2MM for her.  WOW right?  when she finally meets him, she finds that she’s quite lucky – he’s gorgeous.  This is how we met Noah.  The very succession part owner of his parent’s multi-billion dollar company.  True to the genre, his parents died tragically leaving their fortune to him, and well…we know that it of course means that he’s domineering, controlling and exudes power at every step.

As the dynamic between these 2 begin, it’s based on very uneven ground.  While Lanie chose to do what she did, she still ‘hates’ Noah for buying her, and Noah kind of loves the idea that Lanie is a virgin (yup – forgot to mention that).  This story takes us on the journey with them as Lanie learns about her own sexuality and Noah lets her in even with the ghosts that haunt him from the past.

Where this story went so wrong for me though is the way that it was written.  See, i get why there was a need for some of it, maybe a bit of playing off of the ‘inner goddess’ from 50 shades, but this story just kept allowing Lanie to refer to herself and her ‘girlie bits’ in a lude way that was really off putting.  i get it was supposed to be humorous, but the way that she kind of talked ‘to herself’ throughout made me really want to either skim past scenes or put the book down all together.  I felt like it was a young person writing it, and maybe an editor who didn’t know when to say ‘stop’.

The story itself is really interesting, since it’s based on quite a bit of mystery and unknown, and we get a dynamic and relationship that’s really volatile and passionate, so i think that i’ll work to pass over that discomfort in the writing style to get to the next installment.  Noah clearly knows his way around a woman and knows how to be in control so you know that you’re going to get a lot of heat and steam and it’s going to make for a really hot read.  I think that aside from some of the inner commentary, the writing of those scenes was pretty decent.

where book 1 leaves us off was very expected, yet a really good cliffhanger none-the-less.

enjoy – i hope!  and i’m sure i’ll have thoughts on book 2 in the next day or so.