Sharing Hailey

Lovers and Friends #1

by Samantha Ann King

Hailey Anderson's deep, dark secret? She's been madly in lust with her overprotective brother's two best friends for years. Gorgeous woodworking artist Mark Allen and sexy doctor Tony Adamo have no idea they star in her fantasies every night.

After a nasty breakup with her abusive boyfriend, Hailey's looking for a little distance. Headed for a two-week Hawaiian vacation with her brother and his hot friends, Hailey can't wait to feast her eyes on Mark's and Tony's rock-hard, ocean-slick bodies. Even if she can't touch.

But instead of treating her like their little sister, Mark and Tony have a surprising proposition: a monogamous ménage à trois. The three of them—and no one else. Both men want Hailey and have agreed to share her. The red-hot reality is even better than the forbidden fantasy. Until Hailey's ex threatens their newfound happiness…

Genres: Menage, Romance, Erotica, Contemporary, Erotic Romance, M F M, Contemporary Romance

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Samantha Ann King was born and raised in Houston, Texas. After receiving her BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University and marrying her high school crush (notice she didn't say sweetheart), Samantha relinquished her "native Texan" status and moved to Baton Rouge. She has called Albuquerque, New Mexico home since 1985. The mother of three has volunteered in the community as an advocate for children's issues ranging from education to healthcare. In 2010, as her nest started to empty, she began writing erotic romance. Thanks to her win in Passionate Ink's Stroke of Midnight Contest, Samantha signed her first publishing contract in 2011. Her first book was nominated for RT’s 2012 Reviewers’ Choice Award.

Awards
2012 RT Reviewers' Choice Nominee, Erotic Romance
2013 OKRWA IDA - 1st Place, Erotic Novel
Passionate Ink's 2011 Stroke of Midnight Contest, Contemporary

Contact Info
Website: http://www.samanthaannking.com/
Email: samantha@samanthaannking.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaAnnKing
Twitter: @SamanthaAnnKing

Reviews

[Alicia (is beyond tired of your *ish) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read a book with a polyamorous relationship for awhile, unfortunately this sort of thing is impossible to find outside of erotica. When I saw this one listed on NetGalley I jumped on it because the synopsis was interesting and I always hope I'm going to find something I like. Unfortunately, I didn't with this book.

The rest of this has slight (maybe) spoilers and definitely NSFW words…

The biggest compliment I have for this book is that there are far less sex scenes than I thought there would be. I detest erotica that teases a flimsy pretense of a plot simply to string sex scenes together or teases an actual plot that the author drops almost completely in favor of a constant stream of sex. King didn't do that. In fact, 30% of the book goes by without sex. She even jumped over the implied scenes to continue with the plot. I loved that. This fact alone pulled this up another star.

I was hoping that 30% section of the book without smut would have stretched all the way through the end as this is probably the least erotic erotica I've read in a long time. If anyone had watched me read this they probably would have thought I was watching the scariest horror film out there. There was full body cringing, squeaking, reading through my fingers, shuddering, and head shaking. It was that painful. I hate, with a bloody passion, the word "sex" as a euphemism. That is not what it's called! That's what you do with it. Anytime I read the world used that way I cringe, gag, and am pulled right out of the story. Sadly, that was the primary word used for "vagina" in this book. There are some interesting phrases used for "clit" as well. But then King would switch and become oddly technical using mons, clitoral hood, labia, vulva, vagina, anus… don't get me wrong, I'm glad she can use those words instead of something as moronic as "down there" and it's certainly better than awful euphemisms, but the switch between the two was somewhat jarring. Then there was Hailey's "juices". Every time, all the time, with the woman's juices. I swear I will not be able to stomach juice of any type for a long time.

Ignoring word choices the erotic writing wasn't all that enticing either. And there were silly things like her G-spot being easier to find than Waldo in an empty field, or her having intense pain the first time she's penetrated anally with one finger but the second time she's able to take a penis with no pain whatsoever. I know for some people none of this will be a problem, and good for you if it isn't, but it was just plain bad for me. This is part of why I have no desire to read erotica now. I don't need a tab A into slot B manual on sex. I'd rather you skip the jargon and go for the emotions.

The book was more tolerable outside of the smut but it was still mediocre at best. I don't think I was even 10% into the book when I was struck with the thought that I was going to hate Hailey. In the end I didn't hate her as much as I have other heroines, but she did a damn good job of getting on my nerves. Unfortunately, the book was third person limited to her point of view so we're stuck with her. I'm just grateful it wasn't in the first person. I might have set my computer/iPad on fire. When you get right down to it, she was a Mary Sue. We get a paragraph out of her in the beginning talking about how average she is. Average eyes, average hair, average looks and why oh why would any hot guy ever look twice at her?! Then the rest of the book, of course, person after person waxes on about how gorgeous she is. Every man wants her and leers at her. Random strangers call her a Jennifer Aniston look-alike! Not her men though, they tell her how much prettier she is.

So cue her surprise at the beautiful Tony and Mark actually wanting to be with her. It's shocking, I tell you! Never mind that they had been pretty overt in their attention and gestures toward her for years (especially the reasoning for how the three of them somehow ended up in Albuquerque together), she was absolutely sure they thought of her as a sister. She was just a little to thick to get it. There were a lot of things she was a little to thick to understand, like not getting out of cars and running out of doors into the direct line of danger.

Then there was her thoughts on certain subjects. I'm not one to really care about calling out slutty behavior. But let's leave it to actual slutty behavior. Reading this girl refer to herself as a slut (or questioning whether everyone was thinking she was one) over and over grated on every damn nerve I have. She wasn't throwing it at every guy that came in the picture, she was in a monogamous, loving relationship with two men. I can maybe understand it being natural to question yourself when entering into a relationship of this nature, but this was ridiculous and overkill. I went back and did a search and I'm actually shocked that there was only eleven instances of "slut" in the book. It felt like much more and I was rolling my eyes and grinding my teeth each time.

I also wasn't fond of the way she spoke of victims of domestic abuse. I can very much understand the, "This is not my life" sentiment but it's not a lack of intelligence, education, etc. that causes women to end up in abusive relationships. She had a realization that should have made that obvious to her. It should have made her understand how it happened to her, and therefore how it happens to other women, but she still thought the same way.

There was nothing really wrong with Tony and Mark. And that was sort of the problem. They were too perfect. They were perfect looking guys with perfect bodies. They were perfect friends and perfect boyfriends. Tony is an amazing pediatric surgeon. Mark was perfect at law school until he dropped out because he never wanted to go. Now he's a successful artist. They both fall for their best friend's little sister and they both have no problems entering into a relationship together. And for some odd reason they always seemed to be wearing the exact same outfit, which really highlighted the fact that they were essentially the same person. The only differences we're given is that one is conservative and the other liberal. And this really weird situation where one was completely freaking out about possibly, maybe having bisexual tendencies (which was a really cruel MMF tease, by the way). I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with wish fulfillment fantasy but it can be done with realistically flawed characters as well. They got to be a little more real toward the end, although Hailey never let us forget about the perfect orgasms they give her every. single. time.

I felt like King couldn't make up her mind on certain aspects of the story so the characters would go back and forth in a way that confused me, especially in the first chapter. They're all Texan, their Longhorn v. Aggies arguments made that abundantly clear, the "y'all" coming from them constantly was unnecessary. There were no other indicators of a Texan dialect/accent, so that being the only one felt very forced. Nor were the activity blow-by-blows needed. She walked out the door. Walked to the car. Opened the door. Got in. Put on her seatbelt. Turned on the ignition. Pulled out of the driveway. Goodness! It gets tedious.

The abuse storyline seemed to go from zero to sixty in no time. Hailey had broken up with Daniel at the first instances of the abuse becoming physical, so it going the way it did so quickly didn't make a lot of sense to me. That said, I didn't entirely mind the way the end played out, it was just convenient.

The story dealt with some of the issues in being a poly relationship but only in the most superficial way. There was a lot of concern over what would happen when people found out but Jake, Hailey's brother, was the only one who objected to the relationship. And he really only reacted like any older brother finding out his best friend was sleeping with his little sister (just times two). His acceptance came very quickly. Something prompted it, but it was, again, rather convenient. No one else, however, batted an eye. Hell, most people were relieved! Their being together presented a problem when it came to going to court, but oddly not so much when it came to being in the hospital (Tony being on staff there notwithstanding).

The relationship itself was kind of all over the place. We were told they were all in love with each other for a long time, even though it didn't come to light until the events of the book but the how or why of it was never shown. The guys come right out of the gate with marriage for some reason, probably to have the discussion of how it would work, if at all. Thankfully, that was rejected as coming too soon, but then they're thrust into a situation where they're living together for awhile. I will give some credit that they did kind of address that issue instead of going full steam ahead without thinking.

I think I would give a non-erotica King book a try, but I won't look to read anything else from her in this genre.

I was provided an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

[rameau · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me count the (spoilery) ways I hated this book.

1) Slut. I don't have a natural aversion to the word but even I have my limit. I got up to ten and then I just gave up. There might or might not have been more, but I'd rather not go back and check just how the main character thinks herself a slut for loving two men. Loving in this context references to the emotion, not the act--though, there were the acts too. Speaking of which...

2) I've read my share of bad erotica; I really didn't need to add this one to the list. Neither did I need anything added to the list of bad words that simply rip me out of the story. There's already glorious, perfect, female, feminine, male, manhood,... and now there are juices. Shudders. No. Just no. Somehow King always managed to pick the words that made me cringe and want to lash out like an abused puppy. Rather than the sex scenes themselves, the promise of them was the only thing this book had going for itself. I simply don't understand the point of unexciting erotica.

3) Must it be love--the emotion. All three have known each other since childhood but the ménage is a recent development, still they instantly start talking about love, deep emotional love. And where there's love and macho men, there's...

4) Marriage. They've barely had their first threesome with all three present before the men--Tony I think it was--start talking about marriage. Legally Hailey can only marry one of them, but these men who are willingly embracing and initiating atypical relationship are stuck on the epitome of establishment. Of course there had to be a ring involved, of course.

5) I mentioned macho men. Why? Because apart from their glued on professions, Mark and Tony are the same men. They're build the same, they look the same, they act the same, they even wear the same clothes. Also, for men in a threesome with one woman, they are quite touchy about the word gay. Or bi. It left me with the feeling that rather than creating two individual characters that could stand on their own, the author split her ideal man in two and made them star in a personal fantasy. Which leads me to...

6) Hailey Sue. As in Mary Sue with a Jennifer Aniston comlex. She doesn't think herself pretty despite everyone--and I do mean EVERYONE--around her telling her how hot or beautiful she is. Isn't there anything about herself she likes? Normal, healthy people always find something about themselves they like. It could be anything from nails to earlobes, but there is something. Not with Hailey, and I do believe this personality trait didn't start with Daniel's abuse.

7) The abusive ex is only mentioned in the beginning a couple of times, before he's promptly forgotten until the halfway point. I suspect this didn't happen because the author suddenly remembered she needed a plot, but because she was running out of ways to make hot ménage sex sound flat and insipid.

8) There was some promise to the plot which initially kept me reading even when I was ready to throw my Kindle against the wall, but that too had a lacklustre ending. I never felt invested enough in the characters to feel the threat or the relief of the resolution.

9) Although I was told repeatedly how badly everyone reacted and would react to the news about their arrangement, I didn't see it. Hailey's brother had a slight meltdown, but it more was about the fact that his best friend was dating his sister. Turning that into a plural didn't make that much of a difference. The same goes for the confrontation with the parents.

10) Timejump? Really? That's your solution to the MC's fragile psychological condition.

I give up.

[Chloe Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me when I realised what this book was about...



This was unexpected!!! I guess I should have figure it out by the cover and title but I guess I'm just innocent...

[VampireRomanceBooks ThatsErotica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just have to start out by saying that I really enjoyed this book. Hailey Anderson is in love with her brother’s two best friends. They have all known each other for twenty-five years and she has always harbored crushes on them both; little does she know the feeling is mutual.

I fell in love with the characters from the beginning. Hailey is successful and beautiful, but a bad past relationship shows her vulnerability. Tony Adamo is a gorgeous pediatric doctor with a down- to-earth personality. Mark Allen is a woodworking artist who is also gorgeous and down-to-earth, but seems to have more of an edge than Tony. I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow from a comfortable friendship to something more. Both men love Hailey and she loves them. She couldn’t choose between the two knowing that it would strain their friendships, so the guys propose they enter a ménage.

King did a wonderful job with this story. It was really well written and it flowed well. The scenes with Hailey, Tony, and Mark were absolutely delicious and I found myself wishing I had a doctor and an artist! However, it wasn’t just the sex with these three; the author illustrated the whole relationship so well. We, as readers, got to see them build a new relationship and work out issues along the way. I liked the fact that although the relationship was unconventional, it was still healthy.

My biggest complaint about some erotica is that it is all sex and no substance. That is not the case with Sharing Hailey. I was into this book from the beginning and I read it all in one sitting. If you are a fan of erotica this is a must read. I know that I will be on the lookout for all of King’s future books.

**Reviewed by Teresa D. for ThatsErotica.com

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a couple of things that I really liked about this book. The first being that Hailey, Mark, and Tony had a great base of friendship. The boys friendship was so good that they discussed their attraction to Hailey ahead of time, realized that if one of them ended up with her they weren't sure their friendship would survive, hence the sharing of Hailey. I also really liked how upfront they were with her on what they wanted and why.

So often with menage books all you get is lots of hot sex, and while there is that in spades, I am coming to my second part that I really liked. The three of them jumped into a relationship pretty fast, mostly due to circumstances. But when things started to happen each was there for the other and it wasn't just the boys worrying about Hailey, each guy was just as worried about their friend as he was about his woman. When the danger passed they all realized they needed to pull back a little, not because they didn't love each other, but because they did, they were playing for keeps. It was great to know that they all understood that and gave each other the time and space they needed.

I really liked how all other important people in their lives dealt with the news of the three of them being in a relationship. It helped lesson issues some of them were having.

The ending was perfect. It showed that their first instincts were right on course.

[Vikki ~ *squee* lite ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. I liked the beginning. Hailey, Tony, and Mark were all likable characters, and I liked them together. There was some flirting with m/m tht never really went anywhere. I felt like it got bogged down in the second half while they dealt with Hailey's stalker ex boyfriend. We lost the relationship building while the drama was going on, and it felt like we never really got back it.

[Mireille Duval · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this was good, I liked the Hawaii setting and the side-characters interested me enough to want to read the next books. The sexy stuff was good, though I was disappointed (like Hailey!) when the dudes didn't want to kiss each other.

But what is it with ménage books and the Dangerous Ex trope? Maya Banks' Colters brothers were full of that too. Come on, I'm reading a book with three naked people on the cover, do you really think that what I want right now is ten chapters in a row of menace and aggression, come on, it's late, come on, I just want to get o- I mean, this was an adequate read.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 Stars! Started off great but the last 25% just went downhill and I have to admit I did not care at all for the ending. I am a huge fan of menage stories so when I saw this one I thought it sounded great. I was really into it at first but soon I found myself skimming it close to the end I even skipped a few pages.

The story in theory was good, I liked the idea of three friends who have had feelings for each other forever finally coming together. Hailey has had feelings for Tony and Mark for as long as she can remember but has never pursued anything for fear that it will wreck their friendship and she will be forced to choose one over the other and that is impossible. Mark and Tony have waited for Hailey to come around and finally choose one of them but of course she hasn't shown them that she has any intentions of that so they have decided to take matters into their own hands and will share her.

While on vacation in Hawaii the three finally explore their feelings for one another. But there are too many things going on that get in the way of what should be a great time for the three of them. First her brother finds out and is not happy, after-all this is his baby sister and Mark and Tony have been his best friends since they were kids. Second Hailey has just broken up with her abusive boyfriend and now he wants her back.

So here's what I liked about it:

*The way the guys took care of Hailey. They really loved her and were very quick to show her any way they could.

*The fact that both of these guys were strong Alpha types without over doing it. I loved that there weren't any BDSM scenes or elements (I am getting tired of every book having to be about that).

*All three were equals in the relationship.

What I hated about it:

*There was a scene in which the guys have an intimate moment, it's brief and then nothing ever comes of it again nor do they ever have another. They were too close to have never had another moment or to have experimented in some way. It would have been better if they had, especially since Hailey mentioned quite a bit how much it turned her on. It felt as if the author was leading up to it but it never happened.

*The way Hailey handled the Daniel situation. If I had to read her go on and on about how domestic violence didn't happen to women like her I was going to hurl. She is supposedly a smart, mature woman. She should know that domestic violence can and does happen to all types of women, there is not a type.

All in all I wanted more from this book. It was okay but really didn't completely do it for me.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So when I picked up Sharing Hailey I was expecting lots of kinky sex, not much style and substance, and a fair amount of embarrassment over admitting that I read this book. As it turns out my expectations, for good or bad, were completely wrong. While this book probably deserves three stars, I gave it four because I found it a highly enjoyable way to pass a day and simply could not put it down. Also I am in absolute love/ lust with Tony and Mark. They are absolutely perfect and completely unrealistic. Characters that could only exist in fiction...Mmmmm
So speaking of kinky sex...there wasn't much in this book. The first half of the book had quite a few sex scenes but nothing extraordinary and the second half had almost none, much to my surprise. In fact this book goes in an entirely different direction then I expected in the second half of the book. The first half takes place in Hawaii, introduces us to lots of different characters and sets the menage relationship in motion, but the second half completely departs from the first and we are introduced to a new setting, new characters (with most of the old ones disappearing entirely) and new plot points. It was kinda weird. I felt like I was reading a completely new book. This would have been a problem for me but I liked both halfs so I let it go.
I really enjoyed this book but there were definite issues with it. I was looking for escapism and that is exactly what I got, if you are looking for something strictly erotic or super well written then this book is not for you.

[Emmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC provided from Netgalley.

I read about 60% then skimmed the rest. Just a few reasons why I give it a low rating...

1. The lead character Hailey all of a sudden has a Texas drawl. I do not remember that from the beginning. Yes, she is from Texas but the y'all just appeared out of nowhere later in the story. Consistency is key.

2. We don't really know much about the secondary plot, the one that doesn't involve sex, until about halfway in. There should be more backstory and build-up. Not just all of a sudden oh yeah and you remember the crazy abusive ex?.

3. The declarations of love from the very beginning. I understand the three have known each other for 25 years and they do show love and affection towards each other, but really, there should be more than just gratuitous sex. I felt that this book was too full of sex at inappropriate times. It just felt incredibly unbelievable. Sure, it's fiction and erotica but I'm not buying it.

4. The sex was aplenty but rather short lived as far as description. Also hard to be original with phrasing when it's happening as much as it is.


To be fair, the writing was decent enough and the locations were exotic, attractive men, supporting family etc...

Overall this was just not for me. Nothing against the author, this is just how I feel.

[Mariann {at} Belle's Book Bag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Menage romance books are a particular favorite of mine. I love the whole concept and there are some great authors that have the ability to tell a great story along with the steamy hot sex scenes!! An ability that blends the menage into the story so that it doesn't become the whole story. Samantha Ann King definitely falls into this category. This is the first book that I have had the pleasure of reading from her and it surely will not be the last!! With Sharing Hailey she has gained me as a fan and I look forward to reading more from her.
Tony, Hailey and Mark were such wonderful lovable characters whose relationship formed from years of friendship. Their romance was written to be so believable. Each had their own struggles with making the menage work. The challenges that they faced on their journey made their relationship real to me. I was pulled into the story through their characters from the beginning and I fell in love right along with them and wanted their HEA. Sharing Hailey had suspense, conflict, love, romance, great secondary characters, HOT STEAMY sex scenes and most important a HEA--all the things that I love most!! Hailey was one lucky girl!! A great sexy read that I would definitely recommend and will be rereading. 4 out of 5 rating.

***ARC copy obtained per NetGalley.

[Iva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aargh I wanted some Mark and Tony action! The kiss was a big-ass tease! So not fair.
I liked the book - it was a sort of paradise. If you don't count the maniac ex-boyfriend. It was totally hot but also dealt with some really hard stuff like abuse, violence in a relationship so it's not an easy read. Hailey went through a lot figuring out that she was indeed a victim of violence, I imagine it's a fact hard to accept because your own boyfriend who you thought you loved did it. Love leaves us blind and all that. But Mark and Tony were a great support for her and I liked their relationship and how it finally developed after years of holding back. All in all, a smoking hot book that should not be taken lightly because there's some serious shit going on in it which I'm not a big fan of to read. So 4 stars from me.

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is just not for me. If I hear someone utter I love you one for time I will throw my kindle against the wall.

I just couldn't buy into this relationship. It just did not feel natural to me or all that believable. These guys are just too perfect and understanding and I just don't buy it.

Another issue I have is the actual sex scenes. They take place so quickly. You blink and it's done. I would have liked to see a bit more that way I could have connected with the characters.

[Laura's Book Addiction · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had all the makings to be amazing. I loved the premise and the characters are likable and I enjoyed the authors writing style but what let the book down for me was Hailey kept hinting the she wanted Mark and Tony to get together as well and it never happened and it was such a let down and spoiled my enjoyment of Sharing Hailey.

[Bryanna Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read many other books dealing with polyandry and ménage that were sooooooooo much better than this one. And Hailey, God she annoyed the hell out of me.

[Jeffe Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun and sexy menage book! Added bonus: I'm totally jonesing to go to Hawaii now!

[Sönïa Dhillion · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is erotic it started off god but it doesn't have a strong story its just sex sex and more sex boring.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hailey has finally found the courage to break up with her abusive boyfriend and getting away with her brother's family and his two best friends is just what she needs to recover. She has had a crush on her brother's friends Tony and Mark for as long as she can remember but knows it would be impossible to choose between them and she is scared of ruining the friendship that they all share. What she doesn't realise is that Mark and Tony also have feelings for her and they are finally ready to take things a step further. Rather than risk the chance of losing her completely they decide to offer her the chance to be with them both. It may sound like Hailey's wildest fantasies come to life but can they really make a relationship work?

I have to admit that I don't read many menage stories so I'm in no way an expert on this type of book but I fancied reading something different and I really enjoyed Sharing Hailey. This kind of relationship only tends to work for me if I can feel a real emotional connection between all of the characters involved and in this case I think that was really well done. Hailey has known Mark and Tony forever so they have a lot of shared history and a very close friendship. Even though the two guys aren't into each other physically they do have a strong bond and care about each other. Neither of them is prepared to lose their friendship but above all else they both love Hailey and want her to be happy. From the beginning they are convinced there is a way to make things work between them and it is actually Hailey who is the one doesn't think things can last long term.

There were times when I felt the guys were rushing into things a bit too quickly so I was pleased that Hailey forced them to take a step back occasionally. They were thrown into living together very quickly when Hailey's stalker ex arrives on the scene to cause trouble so I appreciated the turn things took towards the end of the story (that probably sounds confusing to anyone who hasn't read the book but I'm very aware that I don't want to give spoilers in this review!). Their relationship was very steamy and it was easy to see why Hailey couldn't choose between Tony and Mark - I think I'd have been very tempted to have both of them myself, after all who could resist two gorgeous, sexy men who want nothing more than to fulfil your every desire?

It was quite funny to see how Hailey's brother Jake reacted to his sister going out with not one but both of his best friends at the same time. I did feel he came around to their relationship a bit too quickly but considering everything else that was going on it was understandable. There was actually a lot more to the story than I expected, when I started reading I was thinking it would just be a very hot erotic read without much of a plot but the added element of Hailey's psychotic ex made things really interesting. I have to admit that the characters make some really stupid decisions at times potentially putting Hailey in danger which I found that incredibly annoying. A couple of times I was convinced something horrible would happen because of the way she'd decide to go off on her own despite having a stalker but then the story would skip ahead to the next day and nothing would have happened. I found that irritating but it did mean that when something finally did happen with her ex it came from an angle that completely surprised me.

One of the things I felt that the author got across really well was the fact that domestic violence can happen to anyone. Hailey repeatedly beat herself up saying that she wasn't the sort of person who ended up in an abusive relationship - she was educated and intelligent and felt that she should have known better. The escalations in Hailey's ex's behaviour was really well described and showed just how easy it is for anyone to fall into the trap of thinking what is happening is their fault. Changes in this kind of relationship are usually so subtle that by the time the victim realises how bad things are it is incredibly hard to escape, people are usually so isolated from family and friends by that point that they feel they have nowhere to turn for help.I loved the way that Samantha Ann King manages to raise awareness about such an important issue in a way that doesn't feel like you are being preached at. The story is still a fun and erotic read but has much more depth than I expected and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of her work in the future.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ORIGINAL POST: SHARING HAILEY--EROTIC MENAGE WITH HEART FANGS, WANDS AND FAIRY DUST


SHARING HAILEY
by Samantha Ann King
Carina Publishing
July 9, 2012
E-Book and Audio Available
86,000 words
Disclosure: E-Galley loaned by publisher via Net Galley. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions expressed herein, except as noted, are my own.

Hailey Anderson's deep, dark secret? She's been madly in lust with her overprotective brother's two best friends for years. Gorgeous woodworking artist Mark Allen and sexy doctor Tony Adamo have no idea they star in her fantasies every night.

After a nasty breakup with her abusive boyfriend, Hailey's looking for a little distance. Headed for a two-week Hawaiian vacation with her brother and his hot friends, Hailey can't wait to feast her eyes on Mark's and Tony's rock-hard, ocean-slick bodies. Even if she can't touch.

But instead of treating her like their little sister, Mark and Tony have a surprising proposition: a monogamous ménage à trois. The three of them—and no one else. Both men want Hailey and have agreed to share her. The red-hot reality is even better than the forbidden fantasy. Until Hailey's ex threatens their newfound happiness…
1st Place in Passionate Ink's 2011
http://samanthaannking.net/books.html

When I began this novella, I'll confess I wasn't expecting anything but a menage novel with a lot of heat. But, Sharing Hailey packs more than sex into its 86,000 words.

With the short format the action stats off fast and the people who need to come to terms with monogamous polyandry quite quickly as well. That's necessary to get a relationship story and enough heat. The book is erotic but the romance is in the relationship, characters and plot.

Actually, the intimate scenes are spare. There's not too much description and there isn't too much sex at all. Hailey seems a bit hyper-lubricated, but that saves on lube, I guess. I would actually like a little more detail.

There are a couple of points that I found very interesting. First, the story is told against the backdrop of some serious domestic violence. Living in a state where domestic violence and addiction are responsible for much of the crime, I know it is an important issue that we can't brush off. Hailey doesn't see herself as "that woman." She has a lot of guilty feelings in regards to not having picked up the signs. I think there are many people who don't see themselves as "that woman."

When Hailey, Mark and Tony embark on their relationship they take a lot of control in the bedroom, and they were always very caring towards Hailey, chivalrous. Having broken up with an abusive man, Hailey felt she had just reclaimed control and autonomy in her life. When the situation with her ex gets out of hand the relationship and it seriousness are pushed into an accelerated development. None of what happens once they return from Hawaii is her choice — and she feels that loss of control and has to reclaim it even if it means a loss of intimacy.

One problem with a short format is often a loss of character development. But the three main characters, and some secondaries are pretty well developed. They have interesting mental processes, some idiosyncrasies and motivations. I think Hailey's a little too immature and weak to be in a menage and gather her control back, but that's just an opinion. And, her male heroes aren't all just blustery males.


In a hetero-menage there's always a question of whether the same sex members have sex with each other. Some do, and many don't. King takes an approach to this I had not seen before.


All in all, I think this is a little gem of a menage novella, poking more at the relationship aspects than the characters poke each other. I recommend this if you're looking for some steam and dig menage. I think if you enjoy Laura Kaye, you will be inclined to enjoy Samantha Ann King.

Perfect read for a short flight to a romantic get away!

[Malinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This was a very good story. I liked Hailey, Mark and Tony and their story was interesting and had some unexpected elements in it. This is the first book I've read by this author and based on this I'd be willing to try more of her work in the future.

Hailey is a grant writer in Albuquerque. Her parent where killed years ago and her and her brother, Jake, are very close because of that loss. Hailey has been in love with Jake's best friends, Mark & Tony, for years but could never choose between them so she's never made an approach at either. Hailey has tried to date other men but with crappy luck. Her most recent boyfriend, Daniel, ended up abusive so she broke things off with him before going on her annual vacation with Jake, his wife, his wife's brother and sister, Mark, Tony & Hailey.

Mark is an artist and Tony is a pediatric surgeon. They've both loved Hailey for years and they had an agreement not to approach Hailey and see if she would pick one of them. When her most recent boyfriend ended up being a jerk that treated her badly, Mark and Tony decide they're through waiting. They decide not to fight over her but to win her in to a menage relationship. And hope they can keep Jake from killing them for doing that with his baby sister...

Hailey broke up with Daniel right before leaving for her vacation to Hawaii. Daniel was livid about her going but it's a regular family vacation and Hailey wasn't going to miss it. Daniel going overboard about the vacation is what made Hailey realize she needed to break up with him. His ugly and violent reaction to her breaking up with him has Hailey kind of freaked and hoping he doesn't follow her to Hawaii to cause trouble. She tries to convince herself that he wouldn't though, since she could never seem to make him happy why should he really care? Hailey, Mark and Tony all live in Albuquerque so they travel to Hawaii together. The trio has been close since they were very young (around 25 years) and spend a lot of time together. They've always been close but when Hailey gets the indication that Mark is wanting something more, something sexual, she's unsure what to think. When she finds out it's both Mark and Tony wanting more with her, she's even more confused and the guys have to explain to her that they've been wanting her for a long time and now they want to share her. Hailey doesn't take too long to mull things over before she knows she wants to try this relationship. She does worry that if it doesn't work out it could ruin a lot of friendships.

One friendship to worry about is Hailey's brother, Jake. They decide to try to keep him in the dark about their fledgling relationship to give themselves time to settle in to things before facing Jake's wrath. As their vacation starts it soon becomes apparent that everyone is aware of the new relationship except for Jake. Hailey, Tony and Mark sneak what time they can together but eventually things explode when Jake realizes what's going on between the trio. There's major drama there but when Daniel shows up on the island looking for Hailey and not being too nice about it, Jake's concerns are the least of their worries. They manage to finish their vacation (at least most of it) without further troubles from Daniel but when they get home things aren't good. Daniel is incensed that Hailey wont take him back and starts causing issues and threatening danger. Tony and Mark try to protect Hailey because the law doesn't do much to protect women against an obsessed stalker but they can only do so much and can't be with her all of the time. Things looks bad for a while and get worse before things end but thankfully Hailey, Mark and Tony are able to get past the danger and issues and come out heading in to their HEA.

This was a very enjoyable story. I like menage stories and this one was typical in some ways but with some unexpected elements. Hailey, Mark and Tony were all good characters and I was happy to see them get their HEA at the end. I'd recommend this book. Thumbs up. :)

* note- I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator did a good job.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pages: 236
Publisher: Carina Press
Review source: Carina Press
Rating: 5
Reviewed by: Kathy Davie

The Story
Thank god for this trip to Hawaii. A chance to thaw out and a great opportunity to dump Daniel and get away! Even better? Hailey spends the night at Mark's and then all three best friends fly together to join Hailey's family.

It's an unexpected bit of paradise. Even if there is a snake in the grass.

My Take
This was good! Yes, there is some threesome action, but not nearly as intense as you might think. And it's more erotic at the beginning than the end---you'll see when you read it. King focuses equally on the relationship these three have had since they were children as she focuses on the sex. Friendship and caring has expanded into a focus on Hailey as Jake's hot little sister.

Contrary to what I had expected, King has a beautiful set of values in this which she portrays through the people around Hailey, Tony, and Mark. All three are so protective of each other. They communicate. Obviously, they share well, LOL.

King set up some nice tension right from the beginning between Daniel's jerkiness and Hailey's panic over Mark's kiss. There was a nice twist on the boys actually springing their idea on her and the blips of unexpected reactions (and their diversionary plans) from some of the family. Very smooth, very well-done. King twists the marriage bit as well.

Oh...not fair. Comparing these two luscious men to caramel and chocolate. I mean, just 'cause Tony has dark chocolate eyes and Mark with his warm caramel brown...drool.

The relationship Hailey's brother Jake has with his wife Nikki is so sweet; I loved their interaction.

Crack me up! Hailey's comment about what a gentleman Landon is---this girl has definitely grown up around guys!

I just love how King sets the stage for the guys to tell Hailey what they have in mind. While it is unusual to be propositioned as she is by two men, Hailey's reaction to their idea feels very real. I did enjoy Tony's freak-out over the kiss! I did enjoy Hailey's response when Jake refers to Hell...snicker...

I do have an issue with King's set up for Daniel. I realize that she was setting us up for later, but it felt a bit stiff (no, no pun intended!). Maybe if King had given us a prologue with a scene between Daniel and Hailey it wouldn't have seemed as contrived.

The scenario on the domestic abuse was also well done. A nice bit of informing, well disguised.

I certainly hope King is setting us up for #2 (there's that comment from Meredith after all) and that this will be a series. I like what King does.

The Characters
Hailey Anderson is a freelance grant writer who just dumped Daniel, the now ex-boyfriend who was too selfish for words and had started slamming Hailey around.
Dr. Tony Adamo is a dedicated pediatrician while Mark Allen is a carpenter. Both were boyhood friends with Jake and they grew up with Hailey. First the little sister, then the woman they came to love.

Jake Anderson is Hailey's brother and he's married to the calm Nikki. Perky, ditzy Meredith and the hunky Landon who does cancer research are Nikki's siblings.

Beth Rhodes is Tony's neighbor in Albuquerque. She's a lawyer and also on the "board for an organization that helps women who are victims of domestic violence". Officer Lujan keeps being in the right place. Tony's friends, Dr. Chris Mills and Dr. Jen Medina, are particularly concerned with him. Sonia and Roman Adamo are Tony's accepting parents.

The Cover
Definitely a Hailey sandwich, although I am rather disappointed this wasn't a beach setting since the initiating action was triggered by their trip to Hawaii.

The title is too, too accurate since it's all about Mark and Tony and their Sharing Hailey.

[Daisy Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

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This is an intense book. I was on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. I cried, I laughed, I cheered, I stressed. Name it, I did it. All because of this book.

Hailey has been in love with her brother’s two best friends for years. But she thought they always thought of her as a little sister. The boys finally decided to stop waiting for her to pick one of them and share her. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend, who is an abusive asshole, stalks her and eventually attacks her and her boyfriends.

I loved this book from the very beginning. Hailey, Tony and Mark are a unit. They’ve been friends forever and finally move to the beyond friends part of their relationship. It’s unconventional but it works for them. What struck me as funny was that everyone around them, except Hailey’s brother, knew they all were attracted to each. They were just waiting for Hailey, Tony, and Mark to figure things out. They were all very accepting of it.

I like that Ms. King showed how things are obvious to those around us even when we don’t think they see it. It shows we often live in our little bubble! I also like how she did have everyone accept their relationship right off the bat. Not everyone comes around that easy and she showed what happens when they don’t. She also did a good job of portraying the fears about unconventional relationship can do to people and how it affects them.

Overshadowing all of this is Hailey’s psycho ex-boyfriend. As he stalks, and threatens Hailey, Tony and Mark, he forces the three of them to move faster than they had planned. Ms. King did an amazing job of showing the problems victims of domestic violence suffer through, without belaboring the point. It was beautifully written in to the story. It was a natural extension of that story.

The best part of the book though? The HOT HOT sex! It was easy to see what was happening in my head as Ms. King was describing it. I loved every minute of it and wished it was happening to me! And when Mark and Tony kissed, oh my. MMmmmmmm…….

The only thing I didn’t see happen in this story was any jealousy between Mark and Tony. I’m not sure how they were able to move into this threesome without there being any jealousy at all, especially since none of them had been in that type of relationship before. That part seemed a little off to me. However, that can easily be explained by the overshadowing danger of Hailey’s psycho, stalking ex-boyfriend. Their concern for Hailey could have easily over-ridden any jealousy.

Overall I LOVED this book.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Sharing Hailey, Samantha Ann King gives us an excellent story that begins with lust and sizzling sex, but later includes suspense, drama, and love. Mark and Tony are both highly successful and sexy hunks. Life-long buddies, they realize they are both in lust with Hailey Anderson, the younger sister of their best friend, Jake. She secretly feels the same about both of them, and has for years, but can’t pick one over the other. Besides, she believes they think of her as a little sister. These two (not gay), have agreed they can share Hailey, but they aren’t sure how she will feel about the idea. She recently broke up with Daniel, her boyfriend of eighteen months, so Mark and Tony feel the time is right for them to approach her. All three join Jake and his family for a Hawaiian vacation. Taking full advantage of the romantic backdrop, the guys rev-up their abundant charm to the max. After a lot of hot sex and honest discussion, they convince Hailey to try monogamous ménage. They know their families will have issues with their unorthodox relationship, but they’ll handle these as they come up. No one counts on having to contend with Hailey’s controlling, abusive ex, Daniel. Turns out, he was very controlling and abusive with Hailey. At the time, she could not see it for what it was, because he never hit her. The three take their monogamous ménage back home to Albuquerque, but Daniel refuses to relinquish his fantasy of getting Hailey back. His menacing behavior escalates, and he stalks all of them with malice. The measures they must take to end the situation with him isn’t pretty (no spoiler here). Over time, the trio realize their feelings for each other have changed. Where once they felt only friendship and lust, now they feel love. With professional help, and lots of support from Tony and Mark, Hailey accepts and begins to work through what was unthinkable to her before: that she really was a victim of abuse.
I found the characters very likable and sympathetic, especially Mark and Tony. Love that the guys are so hot and caring. The story includes lots of sex, but also suspense, danger, and love. Hailey’s character also becomes more independent and mature through her experiences. Thank you, Samantha King, for raising awareness of readers to the issues of domestic abuse, and for the entertaining story. If you enjoy a good love story with lots of steamy sex, check this one out. You’ll like it.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this read thinking that is was going to be a trashy weekend novel type of thing but that isn't what I got at all. In fact, I was ecstatic that it was an actual story. It had characters, they had faults, they had views, and they had beliefs. It wasn't all steam and bedroom scenes and I was actually really glad about it.

Hailey has just broken up with her boyfriend of 18 months. He's an abuser and she's glad to be rid of him. Now, she's on her way to meet her brother, Jake, and his wife Nikki, for their annual vacation. She, of course, is going with Tony and Mark, her brother's best friends for as long as she can remember. And for as long as she can remember, she's had a major crush on both of them, which eventually turns out to her loving them.

Now this is where conventional relationships take a hike. I'm all about equality and finding love no matter what but I realize some people aren't and will shy away from a book like this, which isn't fine (because everyone deserves to be loved for who they are) but what am I going to do about it?

Any way, it turns out both Tony and Mark have been waiting for her. They love her too. (isn't that sweet?)

So, I'm not going to get into a lot about this story other than the fact that this was a story. It was interesting, it held my attention, and it had my emotions rolling.

Plus, the characters live in Albuquerque! It's great to be able to read a book and know exactly where they are. I can picture it and it became seriously real in a I-know-that-place type of way.

In the end, this is a menage book. It has steaminess to it that some people might find offensive BUT (and this is a huge but) it is a love story with hearts and flowers and romance as well.

[Calvina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't know how to review this. I even debated whether it belonged on my list of books. I might delete it again later. This does what it says on the tin, but also not really. It's clear cut M/F/M, but in a boring no-homo V structure. That's fine, it's telegraphed pretty clearly by the gay panic when the two dudes accidentally kiss during sex. What's less fine is that the sex is incredibly rudimentary and clearly inspired by that particular brand of bland skinny-women-beefy-men porn genre where not a hair is allowed out of place - I could practically see the movie playing out. Also not fine at all is the main character's constant worry that she is a "slut". But the weirdest part is how the book takes a turn from 80% sex to 90% plot about 1/3rd through the book. That would be fine, if the plot didn't hinge entirely on Hailey's abusive stalker ex-boyfriend. Suddenly the book is a PSA for dealing with abusive exes! If the ending had then been a good, realistic resolution to how to live with or get rid of a stalker - fine, but of course the author just takes the easy way out. I liked that the book stated its length up front - 86k. Other than that I really don't know! I guess this is why I should just stick to fic.

[D.L. Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

September 3, 2017 re-read

Hate to say I didn't enjoy it as much the second time around but not to say I didn't still like it. Just wasn't as salacious as I recalled.

Oh my ....

Now that was a super sexy book!

I totally wish I could've been in Hailey's shoes when it came to the beautiful, loving friendship that took a surprising turn at "hey, you wanna be in a relationship?" And not just with one amazing guy but two? And not just a horny need it now kinda way (while that was still there) but a "Will you marry us" kinda way as well? Smoking!

Unfortunately I have found myself in Hailey's shoes when it comes to being in a relationship with a controlling/abusive man and a lot here came really close to home. And while I may not have had 2 lovers to save me, I had my 2 brothers. That feeling of helplessness, of fear and anxiety and most of all that feeling of self doubt is all too real to me.

But that didn't take away my love for this book. That couldn't take away the beautiful character interaction not just between the trio but all the friends and family we met on this journey. Plus the plot line was nothing to sneer at, I was definitely never bored. I hope the authors other books are this good.

[Camy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay.

The serious issues surrounding domestic violence added some weight to the story. But I'm not amused by m/f/m stories always featuring abuse. It's as if writers imagine readers require badly abusive ex-boyfriends as justification for a woman being in a subsequent relationship with two men. Why can't she just have two men?!

Outside of the aforementioned gravity, which gave some welcome depth to this, Hailey being gorgeous but not knowing it was sickening, the long drawn out and unexciting sex was skimmable, and the self-degradation of terming oneself a slut for loving two men was disturbing.

I also think the author chickened out and went against her characters and the plot by stepping back from having Mark and Tony be sexually involved as well. It was right there, not gratuitous but fitting.

[Elizabeth (Perusing Princesses) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me... When you think of ménage books... You pretty much know there is that hotness smut factor... But most of those types of books never have a real story to it... Just scenes between the smut... Lol. Well this book was just amazing! Had a very gripping and real story with it! Of course the hotness is there, but it was real...you could really believe the intimacy between Haley, Tony and Mark. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to read this book. It had some great drama build up and by the time you get to it you really have these characters peacefully settled in your heart and you just want to panic for them... I completely recommend this book! Luved luved luved it!!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engrossing and smoking hot sex. I have to say the end kind of wandered a bit and wasnt as satisfying as I would have liked but still was an excellent read. I have been having trouble getting 'into' books a bit recently but did not have that here.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so nice to read a decadent romance novel set in Albuquerque! I really enjoyed this book. It had a great story line and not ALL sex. Very, very well written. I will be reading this one again!