What do you think?
Rate this book
Everything to Me
When she jets down to the Caribbean, Dakota Merrick doesn't expect to spend the night with Trent Walker at his luxurious island hideaway. The bad blood between the music columnist and the ultra-charming jazz producer vanishes with their first kiss. Dakota's enchanted by the erotic atmosphere of the world-class resort and the passionate music she and Trent are making together.
Trent knows he shouldn't trust the ambitious reporter. But living out his most sensual fantasies with Dakota is a temptation no man can refuse. Until a breaking scandal threatens their tropical idyll. Will Dakota choose ambition over a future with him? Or can Trent find the right notes to play a love riff straight into her heart?
Trent knows he shouldn't trust the ambitious reporter. But living out his most sensual fantasies with Dakota is a temptation no man can refuse. Until a breaking scandal threatens their tropical idyll. Will Dakota choose ambition over a future with him? Or can Trent find the right notes to play a love riff straight into her heart?
218 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 22, 2012
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Simona Taylor
27 books34 followersI write light, easy romance novels that are fun to read and have a lot of heart. My characters are quirky and engaging, the kind of people you'd love to hang out with. The romance is real, the heat level medium--the tiniest sprinkling of spice to make it just right.
In a previous life, I published with mainstream imprints like BET Arabesque, Dafina, and Harlequin Kimani, but now I've gone full indie. The adventure has begun!
Also, I’m from Trinidad and Tobago, in the sunny (okay, sometimes wet) Caribbean. I think that brings a lot of saucy fun to my writing.
In a previous life, I published with mainstream imprints like BET Arabesque, Dafina, and Harlequin Kimani, but now I've gone full indie. The adventure has begun!
Also, I’m from Trinidad and Tobago, in the sunny (okay, sometimes wet) Caribbean. I think that brings a lot of saucy fun to my writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 30, 2016
Starting off there is so much to like about this book - a romance that takes place in the author's native Trinidad and Tobago. Columnist Dakota is there to cover a huge jazz festival where several of Trent's acts are performing. When her hotel reservation goes up in smoke he offers her the second bedroom of his cabin at Rapture, the erotic resort he's staying at (all the normal hotel rooms were booked, natch). They have a contentious relationship - Dakota broke a story that nearly ruined the career of one of Trent's starlets, Shanique.
This is all fine. Things start to go south in the details.
The story Dakota broke is perfectly legit - Shanique's voice started to go and instead of cancelling or postponing a few dates on her tour she lipsynced to a singer backstage a la Singin' in the Rain. That's a big deal. That's a story. No one can blame you for covering that.
That doesn't stop Trent from being sore, and the couple has some spirited discussions over dinner, while walking, at the cabin... pretty much all the time. I didn't mind it because there's a lot of emotional stuff for these two to get through if they're ever going to be a couple.
But then Dakota stopped thinking like a journalist. Upon hearing a newly revitalized Shanique at the festival:
Um. Shanique and her managers were duping people, giving them something other than what they paid for. That's a big deal. People do have a right to know.
Later it becomes clear that Dakota got the story because she was sleeping with a source, one of Trent's rivals. And now that she's with Trent she's, you know, sleeping with another source. The tiny shreds of respect I still had for Dakota died right there.
Near the end, due to spoilery things I won't go into, Dakota makes a job switch that's supposed to be a step down from columnist - editor of a new and upcoming music magazine. But that's a huge step up, making her responsible for many other people's reporting. She who has a shaky grasp of journalistic morals has become the guiding compass for an entire publication. Nope. Nopenope.
Other things irked but weren't deal breakers, like having sex in a natural hot spring. (Don't do it people, or in hot tubs either. There's nasty stuff growing in there.) I liked reading about the island of Tobago and what life is like there, and felt safe knowing that someone from there was telling the story. But I just can't get over the sleeping with sources (twice! with no remorse!) thing.
Grah.
This is all fine. Things start to go south in the details.
The story Dakota broke is perfectly legit - Shanique's voice started to go and instead of cancelling or postponing a few dates on her tour she lipsynced to a singer backstage a la Singin' in the Rain. That's a big deal. That's a story. No one can blame you for covering that.
That doesn't stop Trent from being sore, and the couple has some spirited discussions over dinner, while walking, at the cabin... pretty much all the time. I didn't mind it because there's a lot of emotional stuff for these two to get through if they're ever going to be a couple.
But then Dakota stopped thinking like a journalist. Upon hearing a newly revitalized Shanique at the festival:
...her story had brought low such a talent, almost destroyed such a star. She felt rotten. The standard journalist excuse the people's right to know, felt hollow and insubstantial. She hadn't written that story because of anyone's right to know. She'd written it because it would have been a shot in the arm for her career.
Um. Shanique and her managers were duping people, giving them something other than what they paid for. That's a big deal. People do have a right to know.
Later it becomes clear that Dakota got the story because she was sleeping with a source, one of Trent's rivals. And now that she's with Trent she's, you know, sleeping with another source. The tiny shreds of respect I still had for Dakota died right there.
Near the end, due to spoilery things I won't go into, Dakota makes a job switch that's supposed to be a step down from columnist - editor of a new and upcoming music magazine. But that's a huge step up, making her responsible for many other people's reporting. She who has a shaky grasp of journalistic morals has become the guiding compass for an entire publication. Nope. Nopenope.
Other things irked but weren't deal breakers, like having sex in a natural hot spring. (Don't do it people, or in hot tubs either. There's nasty stuff growing in there.) I liked reading about the island of Tobago and what life is like there, and felt safe knowing that someone from there was telling the story. But I just can't get over the sleeping with sources (twice! with no remorse!) thing.
Grah.
June 23, 2012
3 STARS
Everything to Me is a spicey novel set on a island Tobago of the caribbean. The plane is full of people going to the Jazz festival. One person on board is not happy to see
was Trent Walker music producer.
Dakota Merrick last year wrote and broke the story about his top preformer being on drugs and getting someone else to really sing at her concerts.
Then they were at the same party and Trent called her names about what a sleaze reporter she was. Dakota threw her glass of red wine on him. They are not friends.
Dakota after waiting a half hour for her ride from her hotel is wilting in the heat.
Trent comes up and asks her whats wrong. He lends her his phone to call the hotel and she finds out that she was not confirmed to coming and they dont have room. She tells Trent she will be fine and goes into the airport to call other hotels.
Trent rental car is taking forever to be ready for him and its dark before his car his ready. He is driving away and sees Dakota out on a bench by herself. He stops and again asks if he can help and tells her he is staying at a cabin with two rooms.
she is welcome to one.
Its called Rapture adult only resort. It is don't need swimsuit for pool. rooms have jar fulls of condom, couples massages. Its full of x-rated items.
Their is lots of sex and sex talk very little about the jazz. I guess I wanted more conversation than sex talk.
My favorite part was taking the kids to dine with them instead of just giving them a dollar.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
06/05/2012 PUB Harlequin Kimani Romance
August 5, 2012
Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Review date: 6 August 2012
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=8041
Oooopsss… you’ve caught me red handed. I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what I did with this book. I judged the book by its cover, and I picked it up for review because the cover is kinda yummylicious. Just take a look at that guy, semi naked and all that. Simply yummy.
This book does not disappoint. It is as yummy as it’s cover and I have to say that I look forward to flip every single pages. The story was set in a sultry atmosphere and the development between the hero and the heroine is not only flirtatious, but erotic as well.
I like this book. And I enjoyed reading it. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Wonderful contemporary romance, I must say. I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review about this book. I was not compensated in any ways for this.
Review date: 6 August 2012
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=8041
Oooopsss… you’ve caught me red handed. I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what I did with this book. I judged the book by its cover, and I picked it up for review because the cover is kinda yummylicious. Just take a look at that guy, semi naked and all that. Simply yummy.
This book does not disappoint. It is as yummy as it’s cover and I have to say that I look forward to flip every single pages. The story was set in a sultry atmosphere and the development between the hero and the heroine is not only flirtatious, but erotic as well.
I like this book. And I enjoyed reading it. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Wonderful contemporary romance, I must say. I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review about this book. I was not compensated in any ways for this.
September 25, 2012
This book tell the story of Dakota who met up with Trent on their way to attend a Jazz festival in Tobago. Given their history (which was elaborated after their meet up), the hostility between them was very apparent. However, when Dakota realises that she have no accommodation due to a slipped up by her new assistant, she found that she is at Trent's mercy who have offer her a place to stay. Both of them still very cautious with each other whenever they are together and things change soon after where they succumbed to the attraction that both have for each other. Overall, this book is a light read and possessed a good ending that i like in a romance book!
July 27, 2014
This book was good. I like the way the author was very detailed in everything that she wrote. From the love scenes to the details of the people. She wasn't choppy in her writing by jumping all over the place.
The story line was good. The setting being on and island and then moving to California.
I didn't like that the couple kept getting into arguments once I was under the impression that they were going to make it official but, other than that it was a pretty good book. I would definitely recommend this to the future Goodreads bookreads...
The story line was good. The setting being on and island and then moving to California.
I didn't like that the couple kept getting into arguments once I was under the impression that they were going to make it official but, other than that it was a pretty good book. I would definitely recommend this to the future Goodreads bookreads...
July 5, 2012
The music business mixed with reporters makes for a dog eat dog world. In the beautiful Caribbean surrounded by pretty blue water, white sands, and jazz, Dakota Merrick and Trent Walker battle to see who the winner will be.
December 14, 2012
I'm giving this story a "3" for the fact that every time the passion got good it cut off.;-{ it's like when the good parts start getting good they just stop.;-}
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. I just really didn't like being left hanging when things were getting good.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. I just really didn't like being left hanging when things were getting good.
July 24, 2012
A light fun read. Good characters.
Read
December 27, 2014Miniseries: Kimani Hotties
Category: African-American
Category: African-American
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews