Turn It Up

Turn It Up #1

by Inez Kelley

Contemporary Romance

Dr. Bastian Talbot and self-proclaimed sex goddess Charlie Pierce heat up the air waves with their flirty banter as radio hosts Dr. Hot and the Honeypot. Off the air, they’re best friends…but Bastian wants to be so much more. He wants Charlie—in bed, and forever.

Problem is, Charlie doesn’t do commitment. Sure, she’s had X-rated fantasies of Bastian, but he was always just a friend—until he impulsively proposes and unleashes the lust they’ve been denying for years. Charlie’s willing to explore where their wild chemistry leads, but she won’t marry him. And he won’t have sex with her until she accepts his proposal, despite her seductive schemes.

What are Dr. Hot and the Honeypot to do? Ask their listeners for advice on how to tame a sex kitten and turn a perfect gentleman into a shameless lover. The Race to Wed or Bed is on…who will turn up on top?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Adult, Erotica, Chick Lit

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

INEZ KELLEY was born and bred in the mountains of West Virginia. She currently resides there with her lumberjack husband, their teenage drama queen, Spawnetta, and the Demolition Duo – Damien and his twin, the Omen.

She is a multi-published author of various romance genres. You can visit her at her website http://inezkelley.com/ Follow Inez on twitter at @Inez_Kelley or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/inez.kelley

Reviews

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this book for two reasons: (1) I liked the premise - how often do you see a romance book where the hero withholds sex to convince the heroine about his good intentions towards her? - and (2) I loved, loved, loved Sweet as Sin, my introduction to Ms. Kelley's work.

So, did it live up to my expectations? I'm glad to say it did, even though it didn't reach the 5-star rating. :)

Dr. Sebastian "Bastian" Talbot and radio host Charlie (that's her name, not a nickname) Pierce have been best friends for years, always there for each other through thick and thin. Somewhere down the road, she roped him into guest speaking on her late night radio talk show and their flirty banter was such a hit with listeners, she invited him to co-host a radio talk show with her. Now he can be found either working gruelling shifts at the ER day and night, at the mercy of whoever defines the department work schedule, or co-hosting Let’s Talk about Sex with Dr. Hot and the Honeypot with Charlie, three nights a week.

Dr. Hot and the Honeypot:


Bastian's friendship is Charlie's anchor, the one thing she values the most in her life. He feels the same about her, but can't help wanting more than just being her best friend. His feelings for her have changed over the years and now he wants to marry her and make love with her - in that order! Unfortunately for him, she doesn't believe in love, HEA is just a myth to her and, worse, she gets angry at him for threatening their friendship with his "love and marriage" talk. She thinks that it's only lust and he just wants to have sex with her, like every guy she's met since her boobs made an appearance in her early teens.

Decided to prove to her that he's serious about his marriage proposal and having sex with her, while it's definitely part of the package, isn't what's moving him, Bastian comes up with the ultimate plan: he won't have sex with her (or anyone else, for that matter) until she accepts to marry him! On her part, Charlie bets she can make him change his mind, therefore proving that sex is really what's driven him to confess his love for her. And so the battle of wills begins... Who will cave first and lose the bet? Well, I've found out, but I can't tell you. ;)

What I can tell is, I wanted Bastian. To win the battle, that is. *lusty grin* He wasn't the kind of hero I'm used to find in Romancelandia and that was refreshing. He was very open about his feelings and had no qualms about putting his heart on the line - over and over again, no matter how many times Charlie tried to step on it. That didn't mean he was a pushover, of couse. He was just determined to win her heart in return, something he was sure he was going to get as soon as she stopped running from her own feelings.

Charlie was more difficult to like. What woman in the world wouldn't want to be loved by Bastian? Okay, I'm kidding. That isn't the reason I didn't quite connect with Charlie. My main "problem" with her was, her conflicting emotions drove me a little nuts. She loved him. She didn't love him. She wanted him. She didn't want him. She truly loved him. Or maybe not. Ack! As much as I understood her awareness of getting emotionally involved with Bastian, she took a bit too long to overcome it - and when she did, it seemed rushed. I know, I'm not making much sense here, but that's how I felt. I mean, she'd had all those relationship hang-ups because of her mother's behavior since she was only a child, so I didn't believe that a "simple" conversation with her mother was all it took to get her over them. That was too close to a Big Misunderstanding for comfort.

Besides that, I still don't know what to think of Charlie's morals... I mean, she wasn't loose or slutty, but she did something in the early stage of her friendship with Bastian that is a big no-no in my book. Bastian was married at the time but his marriage was about to crash and burn, so he was an emotional wreck. In order to give him some solace, Charlie offered herself to him. Sexually, with no strings attached. Heck no, woman! The man was married. Married! Ugh, I did not like that and I'm afraid it tainted my perception of her throughout the book.

Regardless, I liked Bastian and Charlie together. Sure, I still think he deserved better, but she was the one he loved and she was nice and fun when she wasn't struggling with herself. They had great chemistry, their banter as Dr. Hot and the the Honeypot was funny and endearing at the same time, and the sexual buildup was hawt!

If you like friends-to-lovers stories, you'll most certainly enjoy this book. If it wasn't for Charlie, this would have been a 5-star read to me.


Note 1: I received this eARC from Carina Press via NetGalley. That had no influence on my review/rating.

Note 2: Pictures were taken from Inez Kelley's website, where you can find some very interesting free stuff, like Bastian's brother Caz's short story.

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast, sexy friends to lovers read. Lots of sex banter back and forth but surprisingly there wasn't page after page of sex between the two lead characters. Not my favorite book by Inez Kelley but an entertaining read nonetheless.

[D.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out this review and others at Badass Book Reviews

Turn It Up by Inez Kelley is an amazing friends to lovers story, among the best I’ve read. The blurb and the cover make it look like a steamy story but it really isn’t. Why have I never heard about it before? If I hadn’t taken a chance when I saw it at my library, I would have missed a great read.

Bastian and Charlie have been best friends for 6 years. They spend most of their free time time together and even work together in a radio show where Charlie is the sex expert and Bastian (an ER doctor) gives the medical perspective. They have a lot of chemistry on air (tons of sexy banter), to the point that their listeners think they are in a relationship. When Bastian confesses his feelings, that throws Charlie for a loop. Bastian is the most important relationship in her life and she’s crushed to think he’s like all those other men she’s dated. Although Charlie comes up as confident and sexy, she has serious doubts about her self worth and doesn’t believe that marriages can last. She’s terrified of losing Bastian but she’s also terrified of taking their relationship to the next level.

Both Charlie and Bastian have had to deal with issues involving their sexuality. Bastian has somewhat succeeded in moving past those things but Charlie is still struggling with them. I was so saddened by Charlie’s belief that she was only “other woman” material and wasn’t fit to be a Doctor’s wife. I thought the dichotomy of liberated woman who still harbors a misplaced guilt for her open sexuality was very real. No matter what we tell ourselves, sometimes we cannot help but believe whatever image society has of us.

Bastian was a great, great hero. He was so steady, strong and sweet, openly acknowledging his feelings for Charlie. I loved how he defended her and how he wasn’t ashamed that everybody knew he was holding out for marriage (including his coworkers at the Hospital.) I also loved his relationship with his brother and how real it was. Not all sibling relationships are moonlight and roses and I was glad to see them fighting and helping each other out.

This book has some of the most frank and adult conversations about sex I’ve seen in romance. There were serious discussions about birth control pre-hookup, possible long term effects of the pill, what makes a man a man, and society’s attitude about women and sex. There were also tons of hilarious advice dished out to the show’s listeners. The business of the peaches was hilarious!

I’m not sure I liked how a particular issue was resolved (won’t say what because it’s a huge spoiler) but I understand why the author went there, given that it had the potential to completely wreck the relationship.

Overall, this is an amazing grown-up romance with real issues. Completely recommended!

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: “Did you just have an orgasm?”

Charlie’s pink tongue darted over her lips, whisking away the trace of white. A satisfied moan caressed the night. “Better…a s’morgasm.” She bit into the s’more and delight softened her face.



My favorite quote happens to be the very first lines of the book, and I knew we were off to a very good start.

Dr. Bastian Talbot and Charlie Pierce have been best friends for six years. Charlie was there for Bastian when he went through a divorce recently. Bastian is sterile, and that news caused too many problems and stress for his marriage to endure. And Bastian has always been there for Charlie through her numerous boyfriends. Although Bastian works at a hospital, he also finds time to cohost a late-night radio show with Charlie. Called, Let’s Talk about Sex with Dr. Hot and the Honeypot, it has become a very popular radio show. They have a very fun, sexy flirtatious banter on air. And although for Charlie that is where the flirtation stops, Bastian has fallen in love.

He is so in love, he can’t concentrate anymore when he is near her. Now that he is divorced and Charlie is single, while on a camping trip he breaks the news to her. He tells her he loves her and he wants to take their relationship past the friendship stage. Charlie doesn’t do forever. She loves sex, but not commitment. She in no way wants to compromise the extremely important friendship she has with Bastian. But now that his love for her is out in the open, it must be addressed. Charlie wants sex, but not a relationship. Bastian wants marriage, and refuses to have sex until she agrees. Let the games begin.

Earlier this year, I read Sweet as Sin by Inez Kelley and was floored by how dark and well written the book was. I was excited, but nervous to try something else by this author, worried I would compare to Sweet as Sin and it wouldn’t live up to my expectations. But this is a very different book. It is nowhere near as dark. Fun flirtatious banter rules this book, and I found myself completely engaged

This is a friends to lovers book, but by the end of chapter one, Bastian has declared his love. Which totally freaks Charlie out. Deep down, she loves him. But the bottom line is she is terrified to take this step towards romance, because what if it doesn’t work? Of course, she will never have a 100% solid answer to this, but this is what stops her. She loves him, finds him attractive, and wants to be with him. But with a mom who went from guy to guy, and pretty much every single one of her acquaintances having divorced, it makes her uncertain. When Bastian professes her love they start to have this passionate, wild moment where they release all of this sexual tension that has been built up. In Bastian’s eyes, he is receiving Charlie’s love. But in Charlie’s eyes – it is the end of their friendship, and I felt this to be such a poignant moment.

*****
His shorts button snapped and the metal zipper zinged. Solid, hard flesh filled her palm and he froze, his agonized sigh of delight hot against her lips. His head fell back when her grip tightened. She curled her fingers around his shaft, and her lips twisted with battled tears. She swallowed her grief. The hollow below his Adam’s apple called her mouth and she licked out, gliding across his skin.

So easy, it was so easy. The death of something priceless should be harder to achieve.
*******

We learn that although they have been best friends for six years, during which part of the time Bastian was married, they did share a kiss once, under the mistletoe – while Bastian was married. His wife served him divorce papers soon after (having nothing to do with the kiss, she never knew about it). At some points, I just think Charlie must have had some clue that Bastian was in love with her. She pushes and backpedals so hard to move away from this romance, back to the land of friends. But she must have known this was coming. From the way she sits on his lap and snuggles (just as friends) to sharing a tent camping (just as friends) – I don’t think Bastian moving things forward would have been this much of a shock to her system. That’s not to say, she doesn’t have to accept it.

Both of these characters are very likable. They love to tease and flirt with each other, especially on air on their radio program. As Dr. Hot and Honeypot, they can flirt to extremes, and hide behind their character masks. And Inez Kelley writes some really witty, sexy times in the radio studio.

Turn it Up is a very fun, sexy read. This has been two books in a row from Inez Kelley that I’ve really liked and it makes me very excited to get more from her in the future.

Rating: B+

[Carisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, original dialog, original plot, loved the way the relationship was developed, great hero.
HERO is a Performer, currently working as an ER doctor, who discovered recently he has fallen in love with his best friend, a woman so afraid of commitment that he knows that if she learns about his feelings he will lose her. But now that she knows, he's determined to keep her.
CONTENT/SCENES: few/hot
GENRE/TONE: contemporary/witty
LENGTH: 224 pages

[MBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turn It Up by Inez Kelley set to release on the 1st of August 2011 is a contemporary romance that teases the senses, that had me up till the wee hours of the morning on a work night, unable to wrench myself away from a story that held my undivided attention as self-professed sex expert Charlie Ann Pierce finally finds in Dr. Sabastian William Talbot, her best friend, a man worth giving the key that unlocks the iron armored suit that has guarded her heart all her life.

Having being best of friends for the past 6 years hasn’t diminished the fact that there is a tangible zing of sexual chemistry between the hosts of Let’s Talk about Sex with Dr. Hot (Sabastian) and the Honeypot (Charlie), one of the fastest growing talk shows in the tristate area. Sabastian is a man who has forever in his mind, who wants the white picket fence and the 2.5 kids that he is unable to have, the reason that his fairytale marriage had ended after almost 11 years together.

Charlie is the complete opposite, the one who uses sex as a weapon and as a shield against stronger and deeper emotions, the one who can’t even think of a future together with another person because forever is a word that has never existed in her vocabulary. Though Charlie cannot say that she hasn’t lusted after Bastian on more than one occasion, she is never going to jeopardize the one relationship in her life that she counts on – or so she thinks until Bastian reveals the secret he has been hiding for the past 14 months which turns her life completely upside down.

Suddenly, all Charlie can think about is how good and completely at home she feels in Bastian’s arms, a fact that scares her and compels her to want to explore the fire that has always been between them which rages completely out of control as Charlie lets her emotions run free for the very first time. But the one problem standing in her way of getting what she lusts after is Bastian himself who refuses to make love to the woman he adores until she agrees to put his ring on her finger, for now and forever.

So starts the race for Wed or Bed with their fans listening on, trying to see who would come out on top as both Bastian and Charlie pulls out all the stops to make the other give in. Filled with moments that made me groan with sheer frustration from the number of times that Bastian pulls back before he completely loses his control and at the same time made me wish I could show both of them just how right they were for each other, Turn It Up is a story that definitely lives up to its name.

Bastian is a hero that I flat-out adored right from the very start when he tosses the question “Did you just have an orgasm?” at Charlie which had me LOL-ing before I knew it. I loved Bastian for his unwavering love for a woman who so needs it, for being strong enough to endure and give Charlie something that she has never had the opportunity to experience up until Bastian starts his campaign to woo her into his life one mind-numbing kiss at a time.

Though I completely never warmed up to Charlie because for me her love for Bastian doesn’t even compare to the way he completely adores her, I still enjoyed her character as Honeypot and the definite sizzle and fun that she brings into the story with her snazzy nature. The vulnerable woman that resides deep inside of Charlie is someone I would have loved to see more of before the story was through.

Definitely much lighter than Sweet as Sin, Turn It Up is a must-read for fans of contemporary romances and fans of Inez Kelley. I am definitely queuing up to read Caz’s story which according to Inez would be available on her website on the day of release of this delightful read.

Memorable Quotes

No one knew him better and he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
He loved her to distraction.
He wanted her with an obsession.
He treasured her like Fort Knox.
He was in hard-on hell.

His name was a sigh as his lips sank to her throat. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, bowing up into his body. Orange and clove essence filled her nose and she burned, a fiery flame starving for fuel only he could provide. The want licked along her bones as his mouth warmed the curve of her breast. Her seduction had been turned and now she was being seduced.

Rating=4/5

Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance

[Dinjolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel the need to turn up the volume and listen to
King of my castle!

Like this song, the book had a fast beat. It was fun and a page turner.
The heroine had spunk and I kind of wanted to be her.
The hero was a cutie, and really who would not want to have a life with him?
The only thing I did have a problem with was his wife.
If he had the heroine there all this time, as a friend, from turning her down on her sex offer when 3 week married to kissing her hard when his marriage was crumbling, I kind of want to slap him for wanting her now.
Why was she never good enough to love before?
It just left me feeling a bit cheated. Or should I say-I felt like the heroine was cheated out of a good deal.
When at the end the tables got turned and it was now possible for the hero to have kids…the thing that he did…God! I know they fixed it. I know it was a happy end book, but please. Again I felt like all the things he is saying to himself in his head are just some nasty product of his imagination and that he is NOT in love with this heroine.
I kind of wanted more for her, even if he did…kind of love her.

All in all, my point would be that this book was great but it would have been a five star read if he did not have this pesky wife or at least not had her while knowing this heroine, because I never really understood his 180 degrees change of course when it came to the way he saw Charlie.

This book was granted to me by NetGalley.

[Jae · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: "Did you just have an orgasm?"

I loved this book. Being that it's an Inez Kelley book, I was expecting a wild monkey sex marathon thingy going on starting from the word 'ready'. But surprisingly it was very sweet with lots of naughtiness in it.

Best friends Sebastian and Charlie (she's a girl) were radio hosts of Let's Talk about Sex with Dr. Hot and The Honeypot. They flirted with each other on the air and their banter was absolutely hilarious. I actually wished that their radio show was real. I'd totally be a fan.

And things got pretty hot when Sebastian wanted to turn their platonic and nonsexual friendship into a non-platonic and fully-sexual relationship. LOVVIT!

[Brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Inez Kelley’s books are among some of the best books I have read this year. The first one I read was Sweet as Sin and finding that book was the reader’s equivalent of love at first sight. After that, I have read and enjoyed almost everything she has written so when I saw this book on NetGalley I was very happy; in fact, I was so excited that I bought the book about five minutes before NetGalley approved me because I couldn’t wait.

Turn It Up is a friends-to-lovers story. Bastian and Charlie have been best friends for years, they have been there for one another during good times and bad times and have the easy camaraderie and trust that only comes after years of being together. They also work together as cohost of a radio show about sex.


Bastian has loved Charlie for a long time and when he finally breaks and proposes to Charlie -who is afraid of commitment- she understandably freaks out. She tells him that she will have sex with him but won’t marry him, so during one of their shows he issues a challenge: she will marry him before he sleeps with him, if he caves she won’t have to marry him.

This book was lighter in tone than Sweet as Sin but it also deals with some serious issues like insecurity, unhappiness, betrayal, what happens when love is not enough, infertility and even addiction. The book is closer to a romantic comedy than a drama but there’s a great balance between lightness and seriousness to appeal to everybody. The book is also sexy as hell. It has a lot of banter between the leads and Inez did a fantastic job at portraying friendship and true love. You know the protagonist really love, respect and care for each other and it’s impossible not to root for them, specially Bastian who is the heart of the book.

Inez has given us a to-die-for hero, no questions about it. This guy is almost perfect on a sweet, honest and vulnerable kind of way. Here we have a guy who recovered from his wife leaving him because of his sterility, who recovered from the almost crippling discovery of not being able to be a father, who had to deal with his brother OD’ing almost immediately after losing his mother, and he just kept going with good heart and will to live with a positive outtake on life. He was the best friend you could ask for and the best lover you could get. He does some of the most romantic things for Charlie, and I don’t mean great dates or touching gestures (although there were plenty of those as well), I mean real selfless acts of love.

Charlie, on the other hand, was a bit annoying. She had so many issues and insecurities that half-way though the book I was exasperated and ready to get in there and slap her out of it. The only thing that kept her from being a complete pain in the ass was that it was so obvious that she loved Sebastian that her insecurities more than annoying were painful to watch. My problem was that she wasn’t really traumatized, I don’t think that it was truly justified why she felt so undeserving and scared, maybe her character needed more development or more background. On her good moments (when she wasn’t worrying or jumping to some stupid conclusions) she was a great female lead, because she was funny, caring and best of all, confident about her sexuality. You will need to be patient with her but in the end she does come to her senses and you will want her to get her HEA.

Bastian’s brother, Caz, is the secondary character that steals the show. I adored him, I don’t know how Inez managed to create two magnificent heroes, and I say he is a hero because he does have a bit of a love story going on that is heartbreaking. I liked him so much that after reading the free short story about him I was actually disappointed that we wouldn't get a whole book.

The sex part of the story was really fun to read. The banter, the sexual tips, the teasing, everything was a blast. This book was really sexy and I even took some notes. As I said this book has a little bit of everything, drama, comedy, hot sex, it will appeal to any romance fan and is a great contemporary novel. Kelley is a wonderful author and if you haven’t read her books before I think you are missing out big time.

[MARQUETTA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bastian and Charlie have been best friends for years. Charlie was there for Bastian when his marriage was falling apart. They also co-host a radio show as Dr. Hot and they Honeypot. Over the years, Bastian's feelings for Charlie have grown into more than just love as a friend. He wants the HEA and he wants it with Charlie. Charlie doesn't believe in love and the white picket fence. Her friendship with Bastian is the most normal relationship she has ever had and she doesn't want to ruin it by throwing sex and love into the mix. Bastian is determined to win Charlie's heart and show her that forever is possible. But Charlie doesn't believe in forever and feels that by giving in to Bastian's demands, she will be losing herself and her best friend in the process.

I loved the premise of Turn It Up. It's rare in a romance where they hero is the one experiencing unrequited love. Bastian is a traditional kind of guy. He loves marriage and the idea of being connected with someone forever. His first marriage didn't work but he has not given up on the idea of happy ever after. Once Bastian lets the cat out of the bag and tells Charlie how he feels, he's not afraid to put everything out there.

I really liked the dynamic of Bastian and Charlie's relationship. Bastian is a great, supportive friend to Charlie and even when the relationship changed, he continued to have Charlie's back. Their sexual banter on their radio show emphasized the great chemistry that they had with each other.

I enjoyed reading Turn It Up but I had a problem with Charlie throughout the entire book. I could not warm up to her at all and felt that Bastian deserved better. Many of her actions were hypocritical and childish. I felt that there wasn't any growth in Charlie's character until the very end and by then I had stopped caring. Charlie displayed a lot of bravado and confidence in her sexuality but she had no self-esteem. And her lack of self-esteem was on full display towards the end of the book. Charlie's notion that she wasn't good enough for Bastian irked me. Bastian constantly proves that she was more than good enough and Charlie turns a blind eye to it. Not once did Bastian display any hesitancy in being with Charlie or that the fact that she was a sex talk show radio host bothered him. Heck, he worked with her and his co-workers at the hospital were aware of it. I didn't see any growth in Charlie as the story progressed. If anything, it felt like she regressed at times.

I felt that the emotional aspect of Bastian and Charlie's relationship was one-sided. Bastian constantly showed Charlie that he wanted more than just a physical relationship and how much he truly loved her. Charlie would be awed by Bastian's display of kindness and love and then would undermine whatever headway Bastian had made by wanting to get physical. This was a constant push and pull throughout the book. Bastian would display his heart and Charlie would step on it.

Turn It Up is a good story about what happens when you fall in love with your best friend. Bastian and Charlie definitely had great chemistry. I loved their sexual banter as Dr. Hot and Honeypot. And when Charlie was trying to convince Bastian to come over to the dark side and give in to her sexually, it was hot! Despite my issues with Charlie and her lack of emotional growth, I still recommend this read if you are a fan of Inez Kelley.

C

[KatiD · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always drawn to the best friends to lovers trope because that's what Scott & I did. In Turn It Up, Inez Kelley gives us a compelling, deeply sympathetic hero and a heroine I had a much harder time warming up to, but an overall sweet love story.

Bastian Talbot is in a quandary. In the last year or so, his feelings for his best friend, Charlie Pierce have evolved from friendship to serious lusty love. The fact that Charlie and Bastien do a radio talk show about sex only seems to exacerbate the situation. They have serious chemistry on air and off, and their on air flirting can be pretty hot and heavy. Bastian wants to confess his feelings for Charlie, but he's afraid of her reaction. She's a bit of a flibberty-jibbet and she absolutely doesn't do commitment. Bastien wants more than sex from Charlie, he wants forever.

Charlie is aghast when Bastian confesses his feelings for her. I mean, sure, she's had a fantasy or two about Bastian, but she would never, EVER risk their friendship by taking it to the next level. When Bastian tells her he doesn't just love her, but he wants to marry her, she's infuriated and terrified. She doesn't want to lose him, but she knows that this confession changes everything for them. She just wants him to sleep with her, so they can get it out of their system and then move on. Sure, she knows it will change things, but since she doesn't do commitment, she figures, at least they'll have acted on it, and then they can try to figure out how their friendship will go from there. Of course, Bastian has a different idea. He will not agree to have sex with Charlie until she agrees to marry him. This sets up a back and forth of unconsummated sexual encounters and emotional one-ups-manship.

Overall, this is an entertaining book. Ms. Kelley is a very witty writer and her humor and dialogue are engaging and funny to read. What I had a harder time with was Charlie. I got that she wasn't ready to take her friendship with Bastian to the next level. But I never understood nor related to her thinking behind, "We'll just fuck and move on." Why would she think that that idea would work? I never understood why she acted the way she did, which lead to a ton of frustration for me, and *of course* made me immediately think she was unworthy of Bastian, who worked really hard at wooing her, and really wanted a life with her. The book has a really interesting dynamic between Bastian and his brother Caz, who is a recovering addict. Their relationship shed a lot of light on Bastian's character and made him all the more compelling to me. It was Charlie that I couldn't relate to, and Charlie is why I'm giving this book a lower grade.

Inez Kelley is one of my favorite contemporary erotic authors, so I wish this one worked better for me. I've read mostly very positive reviews of this book, so I'd imagine it will work for most readers.While Turn It Up is an entertaining book that I think many readers will enjoy, full of laughter and sexual tension, it's unlikeable heroine may turn some readers off, as it did me.

Final grade: C+

[Heather in FL · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for friends to lovers and a great HEA. If you like that, you'll like this.

For some quick background, Charlie and Bastian have been best friends for years. They met after Bastian was married, but he didn't realize he loved her until several years after his divorce. They became really great friends after he stopped by work one night (still married), just chatting to her about work. She offered him sex, and he refused, saying he really just needed a friend to chat with. She realized then that he was something special, but she'd have never put the word "love" to it at that point. She did have fantasies about him, though. Hmmmm..... :-)

The story starts out with them at a campground chatting about stuff. He knows he loves her, but he's trying to keep it a secret. When she realizes he has one secret he won't tell her, she kind of guilts him into telling her. After all, they've always shared everything, even things they never shared with other people. With his admission, she believes he's like every other man in her life, just wanting her for her body and sex and then he'll be gone, and she's devastated. She can't imagine Bastian not in her life, but sex for her never leads to forever, so she sees it as the biggest betrayal. She comes on to him VERY strong, but Bastian knows her... he knows she's using sex to insulate her feelings, so he stops her (at a great detriment to himself, lol). And proposes. She doesn't take him seriously. He sets out to prove he doesn't want her for sex by saying no sex until she accepts his marriage proposal. She thinks he's joking. Charlie has a sex radio show, and she invites Bastian to join her for a medical point of view, so they do the show together three times a week. One night soon after the camping trip, Bastian surprises her and proposes again on the air. So now everybody knows. (Though many think it's a radio gimmick.)

So now the race is set. Who will give in first? They are both extremely strong-willed people. Charlie has her reasons (really good ones from a girl point of view) for no marriage. Bastian has his reasons (fairly good, considering how he knows Charlie thinks) for insisting on marriage. So it's really a battle of wills.

Bastian, as his brother likes to say (snidely), is a saint. How he resisted so many times? He definitely had his eye on the prize. Charlie has really good reasons to try to protect herself. And wow, she was so devious! They are so great together. Bastian's "prom night" was such a beautiful gesture!

There is really not a whole lot of sex in this book. TONS of sexual tension, and lots of great story, but little actual sex. Lots of humor, too. Doc and the Honeypot sure had some great banter! Oh, and when the guy in the ER nailed him in the nads, I was pretty sure where at least part of the story was going. Yay for crazy dudes! Lol!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Turn It Up was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Carina Press.

I absolutely loved Sweet as Sin by Inez Kelley so I was excited to read her newest Contemporary Romance, Turn It Up.

Charlie (female) and Bastian have been best friends for over 6 years and also host a talk-back radio show together - Let's Talk about Sex with Dr. Hot and The Honeypot.

Bastian is the first person who has ever remained a constant in Charlie’s life, he is everything to her and supports her with all decisions she makes from relationships to her career, but things change when they take a camping trip together and Bastian professes his love for her. Things certainly don’t go as expected with his declaration and Charlie instantaneously assumes he has ulterior motives – Sex.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Charlie, she had a tough childhood which hardened her emotionally but at times she was stubborn, hypocritical and obnoxious and I felt Bastian deserved more than what she gave. I did feel sorry for her in the sense that all she seemed to want was love, affection and to belong but nothing and no-one seemed to be able to promise her this so when Bastian offers her marriage she feels he has ruined their friendship.

I absolutely loved Bastian! The demise of his marriage and him being sterile left him feeling less of a man; he has longed for family and a child and feels a true sense of belonging with Charlie despite his own problems – he does everything for her but she is reluctant to budge.

A bet ensues between them, a race to Wed or Bed; she won't marry him and he won't have sex with her until she accepts his proposal.

I loved the banter between Charlie and Bastian when they were on air as Honeypot and Doc – it flowed naturally and you can tell Ms Kelley really did her research; the dialogue between them would have to be the best part of the book, I loved it.

What I didn’t like: There was a lot of repetition and constant self-doubt, too much for my liking that I found myself at times skimming.

Overall, a good story that kept me engaged and wanting to know what will happen next. I was silently urging Charlie to take a leap of faith with Bastian and am pleased by the ending/HEA.

I'll be looking for the next book by this wonderful author.

[Riverina Romantics · Rating 5 out of 5]

www.riverinaromantics.blogspot.com

It wouldn’t be the first time that I have picked up a book expecting one thing and received something completely different in return.

I picked this book to read expecting a steamy, sex filled novel with a storyline that would hopefully make it enjoyable enough for me to get through to the last page without being bored.....What I devoured in this book was FAR, FAR beyond my expectations and funnily enough it wasn’t concentrated on sex.

Charlie aka Honey is a feisty vixen with a saucy mouth and a body to match. I related to her personality like a twin sister and fell in love with her straight away.

Bastian was a little different from my typical fantasy man, but he sure did make the list. He was sweet, god damned determined and such a bloody good bloke that he made my heart literally palpitate on numerous occasions. He wasn’t all Heman masculine, but he loved Charlie with an undeterred passion that was so convincing and adorable that it made me want to cuddle my pillow. Damn man, how romantic can one guy be!!!

What surprises me most is that I went into this book expecting smut....ok, that is my fault entirely for not looking into the book fully, but I loved it anyway. I’m the sort of person that will claw at your face if you get in between me and panty scorching sex scenes – I even had the hubby on standby, but this book wasn’t concentrated on the characters being horizontal. The seduction and teasing between the two was panty scorching enough that it didn’t matter that the actual hokey pokey played a small role in the book...and funnily enough this little vixen was damn fine with that.

I honestly can’t praise this book enough. The characters were adorable, sassy, witty and completely loveable. The dramatic issues were realistic, emotion provoking but completely suited to the story. Not once was I bored, annoyed or flustered – I found the writing almost flawless and I enjoyed this book from start to finish!!

[Iva · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a book keeps you awake until 4 am to finish it, you know you have to give it no less than 5 stars.
I didn't expect this to be so good. Oh sure, the blurb sounded great, it had some comedy and it was erotic romance. But 5 stars for a novella required a lot to impress. It turned out to be very good. Maybe I'm giving it too much credit but when I really think about it I don't see anything big I dislike. It was sweet and it was steamy hot. It was funny but also really emotional which surprised me a little. Some people would find the hero too sweet and the romance sappy at the end but i liked it. The heroine was a confident, completely independent woman who had trouble believing in forever with someone even if he was your best friend. Sometimes she annoyed me with constantly assuming he'll leave he after he has sex with her but hey, the woman never experienced love before. The ex-wife bothered me a little and that Christmas kiss. But those were small things I'm in the mood to overlook now.
What I especially loved about this book that the radio show chapters. Those were so much fun, Bastian and Charlie as Dr. Hot and Honeypot flirted openly and played naughty games - with words. ;)
The bet about who is going to fall first - Charlie saying yes or Bastian taking a trip to orgasm-land - was a great idea but their relationship was so much more than a bet and Bastian wanted to prove it. He so did. I was melting every time he said something. The guy is as sweet as sugar. I was really sad about the problem he had but the way it resolved? I admit, I was sort of ridiculous. Agh, I don't care! I love him and he deserved the whole happy-end package! ;D

[bouquet_de lectures · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.voluptueusementvotre.fr/20...

Lorsque j’ai choisi de lire Sous Hot tension, ce n’est pas la couverture qui m’a attiré, ni le résumé, mais bien son autrice que j’ai découverte grâce à un tourment nommé Livvy. J’avais passé un très bon moment avec ce roman et j’étais prête à en faire de même avec celui-ci. Seulement, tout ne s’est pas vraiment passé comme je l’imaginais.

Tout d’abord, le fond de l’histoire est un peu basique. Des romances entre meilleurs amis ce n’est pas ce qui manque dans ce genre littéraire. La seule particularité agréable est l’impression que ce duo fait tout à l’envers. En effet, ils se connaissent si bien, se désirent tellement qu’au final ils vont se séduire assez innocemment pour révéler la véritable force de leurs sentiments. Un cheminement plutôt intéressant, dommage que leur évidente alchimie n’ait pas été si bien exploitée.

Faisant partie de la collection Illicit des éditions J’ai lu Pour Elle, je m’attendais vraiment à un récit torride, à des scènes brûlantes entre les personnages et des ébats sulfureux. Or, la relation entre Charlie et Bastian est bien sage en totale contradiction avec ce qu’ils ressentent réellement. Je ne suis pas une adepte des histoires qui se concentrent sur le sexe à outrance, toutefois, ici j’avoue que j’aurais aimé les voir lâcher du leste à certain moment. J’ai trouvé que la narration tournée en rond et je me suis même ennuyée à plusieurs reprises.

Heureusement, les derniers chapitres relèvent un peu l’ensemble et apportent les réponses aux questions que l’on se pose. Cependant, j’ai eu l’impression que les quelques rebondissements qui surviennent sont si gros qu’ils en deviennent irréalistes. Pourtant, je suis sûre que les ingrédients étaient là pour faire de leur idylle quelque chose de plaisant et d’intrigant. Malheureusement, pour moi, on est loin du compte et je suis assez déçue de ma lecture.

Sous hot tension n’est donc pas un roman qui m’a touché et que je retiendrai. Certes, les personnages sont attachants, car leur lien est authentique, solide et indéniable. La seule chose qui m’a plu ce sont leurs échanges à la radio, lorsqu’ils revêtent leurs uniformes de Miss Honey et Docteur Hot. Là, ils se livrent, s’attisent et parlent sans retenue, ce qui est très agréable.

Même si je n’ai pas été profondément émue par ce couple, il n’en reste pas moins que je l’ai été par le petit frère de Bastian : Caz. J’espère sincèrement que l’autrice lui consacrera un tome, car je pense qu’il a beaucoup à dire et beaucoup à offrir. Personnellement, il a failli me faire verser quelques larmes. Reste à savoir si Inez Kelley aura envie de le laisser s’exprimer.

[Zoe Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Bastian Talbot has been in love with his best friend Charlie Pierce for the past year. Heating up the airwaves together with their flirty yet sexual banter as Dr. Hot and the Honeypot they have as much chemistry off air as they do on air but now Bastian wants more. He wants Charlie not just in his bed, but forever.

Divorcee Bastian became friends with Charlie when he was married. She’s been with him through his divorce and his medical revelation but a year ago his feelings changed for Charlie. They have always been open and honest with one another, and now Charlie has pressured him into spilling this secret, he has Charlie shocked to the core.

Charlie doesn’t do commitments. It’s down to how many times she had moved when she was a child and so she doesn’t believe in forevers. Sure she’s had x-rated dreams about Bastian, but he was only just a friend. Now he’s admitted his love for her and he’s impulsively proposed, she’s willing to have sex with him but no way is she going to marry him.

Problem is…he won’t have sex with her until she accepts his proposal.
So what are they to do? Well they both ask their listeners for their advice on how they can try and get the other to give in. So will it be Wed or Bed? The race is well and truly on…

I loved both Bastian and Charlie. They have been best friends for so many years and there of course, is this undenying chemistry between them but to take it further? It’s a no go as they both wouldn’t want to spoil what they have together. Being Bastian’s best friend seems to be the only commitment that Charlie can perpetrate to seeing as it’s not something she does well and now that Bastian has admitted him feelings…Its turned her all upside down.

Bastian had gone through a divorce a few years ago due to his wife wanting children and him not being able to. It caused a rift between them and Charlie was the one to be there every step of the way. As a reader, you really want to see how much friends are there for one another through hardships, and this one friendship was great to be able to read about. The banter, both on air and off air had me blushing and laughing. There is so much sexual chemistry between them that it floods the pages whenever they are together. Now that Bastian has proposed and told Charlie is true feelings, everything seems to heat up 100% more and they both try to outdo each other with the sexual innuendos to see who gives in first.

Charlie wants to believe in a forever, but it just isn’t something she can. Moving around a lot, she just wanted a mail box in the garden, wanted to know her neighbours and the name of the mailman. When the last house they moved into became her home, she just didn’t believe it was forever and moved out when she was 16 years old, perhaps to create her own forever? You can see she is in love with Bastian but doesn’t want to admit it – hence being afraid he would leave her after a few years and that forever really wouldn’t exist. As much as she is a cocky and extravert character, she’s still a woman who is afraid of showing her feelings at the end of the day, until Bastian shows her everything she missed growing up, showing her is truly loves her and wants her forever. Bit by bit he seems to be breaking her down.

Although they do go through some challenges to get to their happy ever after, this had to happen before they were fully ready to commit to one another. It was a story about changes of feelings, best friends becoming lovers, breaking down emotional barriers and showing one another that forever truly can be real, when you find the right person to spend forever with.

I really loved reading this book. It was more than just sex; there was an in-depth storyline above that with both characters and supporting characters going through their own problems, before coming out at the other side. I would definitely recommend this book and of course, the banter is priceless!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted at http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?...

SO CUTE! Turn It Up by Inez Kelley was so cute, if you enjoy reading contemporary romance books, you have to check this one out. No, scratch that. If you enjoy reading hot contemporary romance books, you have to check this one out

Turn it Up is about two best friends. He, Bastian, realises that he was in love with his best friend over a year ago and is sick and tired of trying to keep it a secret from her. She, Charlie, is clueless about his feelings and sort of freaks out when she hears how he loves her. But she is willing to admit that she wants him. He tells her he won’t sleep with her until she says yes to marrying him. She claims she can get him into bed before she says yes. So the game is on – and it is so fun to witness! What adds to the fun is that these two host a sex-talk radio show together and they have made their little competition live! That is where “Bed or Wed” comes from.

I truly enjoyed Bastian. I found him to be romantic and smart and overall just a great character to read. And funny. He’s dealing with some pretty heavy personal issues, but he’s done mourning what was lost and he’s looking forward to moving on. And he really wants that to happen with Charlie. You can really tell how much Bastian loves Charlie and how much he is willing to cherish her for the rest of his life. So sweet.

Charlie was also wonderful. She is gorgeous and smart and witty, but thanks to an unstable childhood, she struggles with feelings of being unworthy of anything stable. She strongly believes that all men only ever want her for her body – and she believes that’s all she can offer them. When Bastian admits to loving her, she’s confused and quite hurt. She immediately lumps him in the same box as all the other men she’s known and starts mourning the loss of her best friend. It is really hard for her to see that Bastian is more than that, and the struggle she goes through I think is one that many go through. That feeling of “am I really worthy of real love?” and the question “does it really exist?”

I just loved the scenes where we were tagging along with Bastian (Dr. Hot) and Charlie (Honeypot) while they were recording their radio show. Their banter was so funny and smooth, you felt as though you were actually listening. And I think theirs is a show I would actually want to listen to! The dialogue in these scenes was perfect.

One of the best things about this book was that there was no strange and sudden plot twist thrown in near the end just for the hell of it. I am finding lately that more and more contemporary romance authors do that. Why? I dunno. It just frustrates me as a reader. Often, I just want to witness two people fall in love without having to deal with an unplanned pregnancy or a long lost mother coming out of the woodwork saying how the couple can never be because they are actually second cousins thrice removed. *shiver* This book was great in how there was slight conflict, but nothing too damaging. Most of the conflict came from Charlie and her inability to accept that someone may just want her for her. Was it a bit much sometimes? Yes it was. Did it totally hurt the story or the character for me? Absolutely not. Charlie’s an endearing character, even if she was a little crazy sometimes.

If you like a strong yet adorable story with dialogue that will make you laugh out loud, this is definitely a book for you. Mostly though, this book is about the characters and how they go from being just friends to being a perfect match. They are strong, lovable and impeccably written. But what else should I have expected? When it comes to wonderful contemporary romance stories with compelling and outright lovable characters, you can’t get much better than Inez. Fans will not want to miss this one.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dr. Hot and Honeypot are two talk show hosts who have a show about sex and sexual content. In real life they are Bastian and Charlie two best friends who have been in each others lives for over six years. For Charlie Bastian is the first constant in her life. As a kid she was constantly moving around and people were leaving or she was doing the leaving, Bastian is her first real best friend and the first person she's ever really let get close to her. To Bastian Charlie is everything she is his best friend and has stuck by him through his toughest times but Bastian wants more.

When Bastian tells Charlie he wants to be more she thinks he's gone and ruined everything. Assuming he just wants her for sex Charlie decides she will sleep with him and then leave so that she has the control. But Bastian doesn't want one night he wants forever and to prove that he won't sleep with Charlie until she has agreed to be with him forever. They each take their bets to the airwaves. Charlie thinks that she will win and get Bastian to sleep with her, and Bastian believes that he will win getting her to say yes to marriage.

At first I really liked the concept of this book, it sounded fun and intriguing and it was both of those things. The one thing that I didn't like was Charlie. I found her to be hypocritical and just obnoxious at times. I loved Bastian and I thought he deserved better than Charlie. She was constantly changing her mind about things and she had many double standards she could do what she wanted with her body but when Bastian made a decision about his body she felt betrayed like she should have been able to make the decision for him. Charlie was just constantly looking for reasons and causes as to why marriage wouldn't work she would look at other people and compare their failed marriage to what her and Bastian would be like even though the two couples were nothing alike. This book had a fun concept and was light hearted at times but showed depth in the characters and their evolutions to who they were in the present day in the book.

[Sayjil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bastian is a divorced doctor who is sterile and is in love with his best friend –Charlie. Charlie is a radio station host with a bad past. The two of them host the let’s talk about sex with Dr. Hot and Honeypot radio show three nights a week. Bastian confesses his love for Charlie and asks her to marry him but Charlie refuses saying that the ‘forever’ place doesn’t exist and she’s not the right person especially since Bastian wants white picket fence. Charlie was brought up with a mom that was ‘loose’ which inflicted on her childhood and so she doesn’t trust easy and uses sex as a protective mechanism. She also doesn’t want children, Bastian does but he’s sterile. Now Bastian wants to show her that he can date her and show her life outside the bedroom so he calls of sex until she says yes. Then Bastian decides to tell the world on-air that he proposed and he loves Honeypot but Charlie responds on-air that Dr. Hot won’t put out. Thus began a race called ‘Wed or Bed’ where Charlie wants to seduce Bastian before wedding bells and Bastian wants snare Charlie before sex. Things start to get heated when Doc and Honey start playing with each other which makes Charlie question if her love is enough when Bastian would do anything for her. Bastian shows Charlie that he could give up anything in the world for her even the thing he wants the most.

The book was a bit disappointing; I expected way more of it especially with the radio show. Charlie just seemed like a insecure character with no real depth and Bastian just a too overzealous for the white-picket fence. It would’ve been more interesting with more romance on Bastian’s part and Charlie to stop being so...loose. I know that Charlie’s character was supposed to be loose but like I said it should’ve had more depth if you expect a reader to get the whole gist of the character. But the book had a few good turns and twists which made it interesting enough.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on Under the Covers

Dr. Bastian Talbot and Charlie Pierce have been best friends for forever. It’s no wonder they work so well together. In their radio talk show, Let’s Talk About Sex with Dr. Hot and the Honeypot, Bastian and Charlie are free to flirt to their heart’s content until they heat up more than just the airways...

The electric chemistry between them can no longer be denied. So when Bastian and Charlie go camping one time together, after a few orgasmic smores and the spilling of secrets, Bastian reveals his love for Charlie. Big mistake.

Charlie isn’t the forever kind of girl. Men see her and they see a good time, they don’t see a good wife. But stubborn Bastian won’t take no for an answer. He wants her all to herself. Charlie is taken aback because even though she loves Bastian, she has a distorted outlook on herself. She is the Honeypot, and that’s it. She doesn’t see herself as worthy to be a doctor’s wife. She could ruin his reputation and suddenly, Charlie feels as if their friendship with Bastian will suffer because of it.

TURN IT UP is an incredibly fun and flirty read that had my laughing out loud at the banter between Bastian and Charlie. Kelley hits every single line perfectly as Bastian and Charlie do their thang on the talk show. If Let’s Talk About Sex with Dr. Hot and the Honeypot were a real radio show, I would be tuning in all the time!

But apart from the fun and the laughs, there’s also a great amount of heart in this book. Readers get to see a slightly tortured heroine who doesn’t see herself as a good enough woman for her best friend. But slowly, I think she comes to realize just how perfect she fits into Dr. Hot’s world.

[Zury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love how this author gives us (her readers) the dialog that we so much crave. There are so many authors that go pages and pages giving you snapshots of a character’s mind, but very little dialog. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy picking inside the character’s head, but there is no better way to learn about a person that by talking to them and Kelly’s characters can talk!

Loved all the references to Autism and even the time she spent giving her reader facts and statistics. Usually, these types of things are touchy and somewhat boring when put in a romance story, but here, it just blended perfectly fine with the scene. The topics of their radio show were great and the answers even better! The infertility effect on men and how Bastian dealt with it was interesting.

I loved the banter between Charlie and Bastian, I loved the side story of Cas (Boo). It was so moving and felt so real that I could almost hear him playing the saxophone in my head. I would love to see a short story on Casper and Maggie with updates on Charlie and Bastian.

Although I read a few reviews of people that “hated” Charlie, I somewhat understood her fears. Children of single or divorced (uninvolved parents) do grown up with fear of never finding their forever, of not having anyone to trust enough to give your heart to them. Charlie fit the bill perfectly. I loved her personality just as much as I loved Bastian’s.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the fact that Kelly took her time to give the reader closure at the end. To let us live through the wedding and first night rather than summarizing it in the epilogue.

I give this book 5 stars.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m very drawn to the books where the guy has loved the girl for years, but never did anything about it until “insert plot point here”, so of course I could’t resist Turn It Up‘s description.

If you’ve heard of or read Inez Kelley before, you’re probably assuming this is an erotica book. I did, too, at first. But then it became clear this was more a book of foreplay. Seriously. It’s 200 pages of word foreplay and some light petting, but somehow Inez made it supremely hot. As Honeypot, aka Charlie, says during every radio show, “Talk is foreplay.” And she’s right, at least in this book’s case.

Charlie and Bastian’s banter was funny, filled with double innuendos, and kind of hot. Inez wrote them to have one of those back and forth comeback relationship that speaks to both their high level of comfort with each other and their ability to make anything dirty. And they did. Anything and everything was fair game to them as they tried to one-up each other.

The competition part wasn’t really used except for the radio audience’s sake, which was good since Inez made this book a lot deeper than the summary suggests. The characters are well thought out and are more than Dr. Hot and Honeypot. The secondary characters played into the story well. Caz, Bastian’s brother, has his own story on Inez Kelley’s website, which is a follow-up to this one. You can check it out here, after you read Turn It Up.

Overall, this book was steamy, funny, and rather good. If you like the build-up of foreplay and are looking for something a little deeper for your next hot read, I’d recommend checking this one out.

[Jess M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review on my blog! --> Turn It Up by Inez Kelley

I loved the originality of this love story. The fact that Bastian and Charlie have been best friends for years when we meet them was quite refreshing. I really enjoyed when they would talk about stories from their past - the funny ones and the heartbreaking ones - that included each other. I adored Bastian! I wanted to marry him from page one! He had such a good, kind heart.

Another thing I really loved was the relationship between Bastian and Caz, aka Boo. Which by the way, is the best nickname ever for someone named Casper. Casper’s story was another heart-tugging one, with his musical genius abilities and drug abuse past. The secret he’s keeping is heartbreaking. (Inez actually wrote a short story for him that takes place after Turn It Up! It’s free on her site, go HERE to download it!)

“Talk is foreplay.” That’s one of Charlie’s favorite sentences. Well, this book was total foreplay! Inez Kelley sure wanted to torture us. There were times when I would just growl at Bastian, “Oh, just do it already!” Haha! But it was worth the wait. :)

There was so much I loved about Turn It Up. The characters, the sexual tension, the relationships, the banter...it all made for a heartfelt love story. There’s no doubt I’ve turned into a life long Inez Kelley fan, and I look forward to reading many more of her stories.

[Beth Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turn it Up by Inez Kelley was such a refreshing read. It was relaxed, it was fun, and the “hero” (Dr. Sebastian) was much different than any other man I have read about in a romance.

The story is about Sebastian and Charlie who have been long-time friends. Charlie invites Sebastian onto her radio show where they talk all about sex. She invited him to provide medical advice, but they ended up getting into some very steamy flirting, which their listeners adored. They began hosting the show “Dr. Hot and the Honeypot” together (Love that name!)

Even though they’re very flirty with each other, they’ve never actually become more than just friends. Charlie respects their friendship enough to not go beyond that barrier… even though she wants to. Bastian (Sebastian) starts falling for her though, and tells her he wants to marry her, and commit to her, while Charlie wants none of that. They end up making a bet—Bastian declares that he won’t have sex with her until she marries him. Charlie bets that it’s only really lust that’s making him want to be with her, and thinks she can change his mind. The result of this was very exciting. ;)

Turn it Up was a fantastic book, and I would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a quick, fun romantic read.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

" He taught me that love doesn’t depend on the body but on the heart. He showed me that innocence is just as powerful as passion. He proved to me that forever isn’t a place, it’s a feeling."

Turn It Up is your typical happily-ever-after romance with sappy lines and good characterization, though I don't like Charlie that much and I sometimes feel sorry Bastian, still I like this. The two love birds have their own problems to deal with that's why it was hard for them to make the decision straight. But in the end, they got the 'til death to us part' to themselves.

Anyway, I rated it 3.5 stars since I enjoyed it and the good thing about this book is that it's not in every chapter you get to read about sex, sec, and more sex. I appreciate how good and well-thought the story was made. ☺

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best four dollars I've ever spent, oh geez. Witty, funny, sexy, and romancey? All my favorite things in a book all in one package. I'm definitely checking out more from this author she's AMAZING! My only criticism is how the book started with the scene up to Bastian's house I got so confused on the scenery and what was going on, I guess the chapter jumped and probably should have explained things more BUT I was able to figure it all out by the next chapter so this didn't take away any stars from my rating. See for yourself, I couldn't put this book down!

[Madonna Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the reason I absolutely LOVED this book is because the female character is just like me! I also love a challenge! I seriously think the writer got in my head and wrote something that I have been looking for; a strong female character that has issues with trusting in forever, yet is sassy, appearing self confident, and quick witted. A male character that is a bit reserved, intelligent, and devoted to a forever. This is not your typical female character, she's a tough egg to crack but "Dr. Hot" is up for the challege, will "Honey Pot" be able to handle his challenge?
Awesome book!!!!!

[Bitchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say this was between a 3 and a 3.5 for me. Sorry, but Charlie frustrated the fuck out of me. It didn't really make sense to me why she was so very anti-relationship. Yeah, her mom had been married a few times, but it seemed like she tried her best to give her a good life, so where did Charlie get the idea that fucking was ok, but love wasn't?

But I loved Bastian, he was wonderful, as was his brother "Boo".

[Kristy Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this a while ago and just realized I never added it to my books. I don't really remember a whole lot about it, so maybe I'll read it again to write a review. Just from the little bit I did reread though, I remember loving a secondary story. Bastian's brother's story. I remember wishing I could have read a full story about him.