Today is my stop during the blog tour for Wicked Wish (The Wicked Horse Vegas #2) by Sawyer Bennett! I’ll share my review for this book, an excerpt and soem teaser images :).
Title: Wicked Wish
Author: Sawyer Bennett
Series: The Wicked Horse Vegas #2
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Links:
Blurb:
Jorinda Pearce thought she did everything right โ graduated from college, married her long-time sweetheart, established a career. But what does she have to show for it now? A degree she doesnโt use, a job she hates, and an ex-husband that broke her heart.Looking for a long overdue adventure, Jorie takes a walk on the wild side and attends a masquerade event at The Wicked Horse Vegas. Itโs exactly the escape sheโs looking for, and even better, she can explore anonymously. Drawn to the man masked in black leather with the body of a god, Jorie finds the greatest pleasures of her life at the hands of a stranger.
Walsh Brooks is the most sought after man in The Wicked Horse. Sex is nothing but a game to him and heโs the type that will always leave at the end of the night without looking back. Unfortunately for Walsh, thereโs no way he can walk away from the mysterious green-eyed beauty behind the mask of sapphire feathers, because he knows exactly who she is.
Jorie is his best friendโs little sister and thereโs not another woman in the world thatโs more off limits.
My Review:
A standalone best friend’s sister forbidden romance with erotic scenes.
This is the second book in Sawyer Bennett’s Wicked Horse Vegas series, but it can be completely read as a standalone title. I loved every wicked, delicious page of this book, from the well-developed, intriguing characters to the consistently-paced plot which held my attention the entire time.
I love forbidden romance especially when they are keeping the relationship secret and there is lots of sneaking around and heated stolen moments. Walsh and Jorie reconnect by chance and end up in a very steamy encounter in The Wicked Horse. Once they realize who each other is, they try to stay away from one another but their old attraction hasn’t died and soon they are throwing caution to the wind.
Sawyer included a great note at the start of the book which I wholeheartedly agree with. This is a great character-driven story with erotic scenes but I love the fact that she takes time to carve out her characters and that there is substance to their development and the plot development. It was my perfect kind of read.
I especially loved the little anecdotes from the past and I felt the strength of their bond as well as their sizzling hot chemistry. I wanted to kick Michah into next week for being such an interfering old grump but it added some delicious tension and drama.
Sawyer is a fantastic writer and this book was superbly written. I can’t fault anything about it. I loved it, and I’m loving this series. Thank you for an exhilarating read, and I can’t wait to read more in this world.
Thanks to the author and Inkslinger PR for providing an ARC of this book which I am voluntarily reviewing.
Excerpt:
Squaring my shoulders, I march into The Royale and head straight for the concierge desk. I havenโt been in this casino before. Hell, I havenโt been in hardly any of them. Sure, Iโd only grown up about forty-five minutes away, but gambling and all-you-can-eat buffets held no interest to me.
From Micah bragging about his best friend over the years, I knew Walsh orchestrated the purchase of the land, then pulled together financing with two other partners to build this casino. Itโs one of the most popular on the strip, boasting five-star dining, old-world elegance, and superior customer service. Again, all this from Micah, but honestlyโฆ Iโm so proud of Walsh, too. We may have lost touch over the years, but Iโll never forget all the ways in which he acted as a big brother to me.
Ick.
Okayโฆ thatโs gross. Thinking of Walsh like a brother.
I scrub my mind clean of that thought and demand myself never to do that again.
Rather, Iโll never forget all the ways in which Walsh provided me friendship and support in my formative years.
Yesโฆ much better.
โCan I help you?โ a man behind the concierge desk asks with a genuine and friendly smile. Not snooty as I would expect in a fancy hotel, and I guess that goes to the superior customer service The Royale strives for.
โYesโฆ hi,โ I say as I nervously tuck my hair behind my ears on both sides. โI need to see Mr. Brooks. How do I go about getting access to his apartment?โ
Micah told me some time ago that Walsh lives here.
The concierge never loses his friendly smile, but a single eyebrow arches high at my temerity.
โOh, gosh,โ I stammer. โThat came out stalkerish. Mr. Brooksโฆ I mean, Walshโฆ and I are longtime friends. He used to babysit me.โ
โYour name?โ the man asks as he pulls up something on his computer.
โJorie Pearce.โ
After a moment of scanning, he looks up at me. โYour name isnโt on the approved list.โ
โWell, heโs not exactly expecting me.โ
โIโm sorry, Miss Pearce,โ he says with true regret in his voice. โBut our policy is strict. No one gets up to the private penthouse without their name on the list.โ
I lean on the desk with one elbow and lower my voice. โJust out of curiosityโฆ are there any women on that list?โ
The eyebrow shoots up again.
โNo, wait,โ I say hastily as I hold my palms toward him in a silent plea to not process my last request either mentally or on the computer. โThatโs totally stalkerish, and I didnโt mean that.โ
โMiss Pearce,โ the concierge says, now with a hint of annoyance. โPerhaps youโd like to leave a message? I can get it up to Mr. Brooks today and he can call you.โ
โNo, I need to see him now,โ I tell him firmly. โAnd I swear itโs not to cook a rabbit in a pot on his stove. Can you please just call up to his apartment?โ
โThatโs not our policyโโ
โLook,โ I snap as I lean across the desk slightly. โIโm a lifelong friend of Walshโs. My brother is his best friend. We lost touch for a few years, but we ran into each other last night. I really need to talk to him about something that happened last night, and Iโm not leaving this hotel until you call up to his apartment.โ
The eyebrow doesnโt arch but it does draw inward to meet its match on the other side as he considers what I just said.
โI swear to you,โ and here I pause to look at his name tag, โBentley. Please just call him. He wonโt be mad.โ
With a sigh, he relents and picks up the phone receiver, punching in a five-digit number. After a pause, he says, โMr. Brooksโฆ Iโm very sorry to disturb you, sir, but thereโs a Miss Jorie Pearce here to see you. She says sheโs a longtime friend.โ
I watch as Bentley listens, but I canโt gauge whatโs being said as his face remains blank. Finally, he says, โVery good, sir.โ
I take this to mean Iโll be getting an escort to the penthouse suite, but Bentley replaces the receiver and says, โIโm sorry, Miss Pearce. But Mr. Walsh told me to tell you heโs busy and canโt receive you right now.โ
My eyes narrow at Bentley. โI donโt believe you. Call back and let me talk to him.โ
โI assure you, I just talked to him and thatโs what he said.โ
โCall him back,โ I order as I point to the phone.
โI canโt,โ he says almost with a wail. โIf I do, heโll fire me.โ
Okay, that hits home. I donโt want to get anyone in trouble, so I say, โFine. Give me just a moment.โ
I take a few steps away from the concierge desk and pull my iPhone out. I shoot off a quick text to Micah. Whatโs Walshโs phone number?
I wait a few moments, but I know Micah is awake in San Francisco at this hour. His phone is always on, and he never ignores a text from me.
He responds with the number before I can even start to tap my foot with impatience, adding on, Why?
I hate the lie, but I write back, Came to Vegas for the day. Thought Iโd see if he could meet up for lunch. Havenโt seen him in years.
Cool, he writes back. Tell him I said, โwhatโs up, douche?โ
I roll my eyes as I text back, Real mature. Love ya. Later.
After I save the number to my contacts, I open a new text to Walsh. Let me up to see you or Iโm going straight back to The Wicked Horse to satisfy some further curiosities I have.
I hit send and then walk back to the concierge desk. I merely lean one elbow on it and watch Bentley with a silent smile. The phone rings about ten seconds after that.
Bentleyโs eyes fly to mine as he listens, and then says, โYes, sir. Right away.โ
When he replaces the receiver, he says, โIโm to show you to the penthouse elevator.โ
โThank you, Bentley,โ I say brightly.
About the Author:
Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.
A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.
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