Today is my stop during the blog tour for Stripped Bare by Emma Hart. I share my review of the book, an excerpt and some teasers!
Title: Stripped Bare
Author: Emma Hart
Series: standalone
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Links:
Blurb:
What do you get when you mix a bachelorette party, the queen of dating disasters, and a stripper so hot he was forged from the fires of hell? Screwed. You get screwed….Cocky. Commanding. Powerful. Relentless.
Those four words all summed up West Rykman perfectly.
So did filthy, dirty, sexy, and addictive.
He was supposed to be my one night stand…not my new marketing client.
He was definitely not supposed to be back inside my pants, not that anybody told him that.
I knew one thing: What West Rykman wanted, West Rykman got.
And he wanted me.What happens in Vegas… might just make you stay.
My Review:
Emma Hart is definitely one of my fav authors and I’ve adored the books I’ve read so far in her Burke Brothers series. There was a sample of this book included in the back of one of those books and it hooked me instantly, so when the opportunity arose to review an advance copy of this book I didn’t need any convincing.
This little beauty suckered me in from the get-go and held my attention the entire way through. There is not a single thing I could fault or complain about. This book rocks. Snarky alpha-male? Check. Fiesty female lead who’s sworn off men? Check. Scorching-hot sizzling sex? Check. Incredible, pee-your-pants, roar-out-loud witty banter? Check check check!
Character development is PHENOMENAL in this book with each character beautifully created and progressed. I loved her virginal BF and his partner-in-crime Beck. But West and Mia stole the show. I could relate to how both of them were feeling and the emotions were very real and credible. There aren’t many surprises in the plot, but that’s ok because this is a real character-driven story. Emma really has a knack for writing fantastic characters.
The writing was superb, the pacing was perfect, and the setting was intriguing. Seriously, I loved every minute of this read. I need more. Like right now. Even though you can read this as a standalone, it is left on a bit of a cliffhanger in relation to Beck. Can’t wait to read his story.
Thank you, Emma, for a fab read. And thanks to Inkslinger PR for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
EXCERPT
โYou should have come and got me when that prick made you uncomfortable.โ
I turned to face him. โAre you seriously telling me off?โ
We paused as the traffic stopped, and he cut his gaze to me. โI couldnโt see you. I told you it wasnโt safe for you to go alone.โ
I rolled my eyes. โHe was only there for two minutes. I would have stabbed him with my stiletto before he could do anything.โ
โAnd I believe you, but it doesnโt change the fact that he made you uncomfortable.โ
We turned a corner.
โI donโt want anything to happen to you just because youโre determined to do market research.โ
โNothing happened to me.โ
โMia, it doesnโt change the fact that it couldnโt. He only left because I showed up. I watched the entire fucking thing.โ
โAnd you only came in at the end? Gee, thanks, West. Knight in fucking shining armor right there, arenโt you?โ I ran my fingers through my hair and looked away. The light curls were still in place, although they were more of a lazy wave, and I stared at my reflection in the side mirror. โWe should probably not do this again.โ
โOn the contrary, I was having fun until the end. I donโt have fun much.โ
โLooking out for me was fun? Yeah, okay.โ
โI told you,โ he said, pulling up outside my apartment block, which was really more of a converted three-story house. โI donโt want anything to happen to you. Iโd feel bad.โ
โWell, thanks. Iโm gonna look over these notes in the morning and Iโll e-mail you. Okay?โ I paused with my hand on the door and glanced back at him.
He was out of the fucking car.
Why was he out of the fucking car?
โWhy are you out of the car?โ
He smirked. Damn that smirk. โIโm taking you up.โ
โLike hell you are.โ I slammed the door and walked around the sleek Audi to stand right in front of him. I looked up at him and caught his gaze. โI can make it in and out of an elevator.โ
โIโm sure you can. But Iโm still taking you up.โ
โNo. Youโre not!โ
โAll right, then.โ He grabbed my waist and lifted me.
A shriek escaped between my lips as he swung me upward and over his shoulder. I scrambled to keep hold of my purse, but he ignored me as he carried me inside and pushed the elevator button.
โWest! Put me down right now!โ
He ignored me again and tightened his grip around my thighs when I tried to wriggle down. His strength was crazy. I was stuck there.
โPut me down! Now!โ
He shook his head, this time acknowledging my words. But that was it. A fucking head shake.
โThis is hardly professional!โ I yelled, my voice echoing off walls of the metal box that was the elevator. I couldnโt believe heโd slung me over his shoulder like some kind of caveman.
Yo, Wilma, Betty? Fred and Barney escaped. I found one of them.
โWest Rykman, I swear to a god I donโt believe in that, if you donโt put me down right this goddamn second, Iโm going to tear your balls off with my bare hands and shove them up your ass!โ
The elevators doors opened, and he took the few steps toward my door before finally, slowly, lowering me back down to the ground.
โUgh!โ As soon as my feet hit the floor, I stepped back and glared at him. โHow dare you manhandle me?โ
He fixed his bright, Caribbean-blue eyes on mine and curved his lips. โI told you I was taking you upstairs. I didnโt tell you I was walking you up.โ
โYouโre an animal.โ
โYou werenโt coming up alone. I was raised a gentleman.โ
That made me stop rummaging for my keys and raise my eyebrows in disbelief. โYou take off your clothes for a living, and the first time we met, you flexed your cock against my face.โ
He grabbed my waist for a second time tonight and spun me against my door. I dropped my purse in my shock, but I couldnโt reach for it because heโd cupped my chin and forced me to look at him.
โAnd the second time we met,โ he said in a low voice, โyou flexed my cock against the back of your throat. What point are you trying to make, angel?โ
โThat youโre no more a gentleman than I am a lady,โ I shot back. โNow, let me go so I can go inside and consider how we continue this professional relationship.โ
West searched my eyes for a long moment before dropping his hand. He took half a step back, and I went to reach for my purse, but he changed his mind.
He smoothly spun back to me, and no sooner had I met the flash of his blue eyes than he had his mouth on mine. I let out a quiet moan when he swept his tongue across the seam of my lips and wrapped one arm around my waist. He pulled our bodies together, my shoulders pressing into the door, and kissed me deeply.
My head swam. I couldnโt make head or tails of this, and although it was wrong, so wrong, I couldnโt stop.
The kiss was hotโoh god, so hotโand my whole body felt like it was on fire as I wound my fingers in the collar of his shirt and held him closer to me. His fingers twitched against my back as one of his hands slid down and cupped my ass. He squeezed, pulling my hips to his. His erection was obvious, pushing into me, and I whimpered into his mouth.
God, I wanted him.
He pulled away from me as abruptly as heโd kissed me, but he didnโt move. His mouth eased its way across my jaw to my ear, and his hot breath skittered across my skin when he paused there.
โI might call you angel, but I have a feeling youโre going to be my own personal sin, Mia OโHalloran.โ
He kissed the tender spot just beneath my ear, making me shiver, and released me. I struggled to control my breathing as I watched him walk away toward the stairwell. He paused at the top, and I sank my teeth into my bottom lip.
He turned.
Dropped his gaze to my mouth.
Met my eyes.
Disappeared.
I sank back against my door. I could still feel his touch. His taste lingered on my lips, and although it wasnโt anything incredibly specific, he was there, teasing me without being near me. I brushed hair from my face, picked my purse up, and dug for my key. I found it and let myself into the dark apartment.
I locked the door behind me and walked to my bed. Iโd barely undressed and retrieved my phone with its alarm before I buried myself beneath the sheets.
Shit.
About the Author:
By day, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.
Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.
She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.
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