Published since 2009, USA Today Bestselling author Naima Simone loves writing sizzling romances with heart, a touch of humor and snark. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and described as balancing “crackling, electric love scenes with exquisitely rendered characters caught in emotional turmoil.”
She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.
Only For Your Touch is book two in the Lick series by Naima Simone. All opinions in this review are my own and have not been influenced by anyone else.
In book one of this series, Only For A Night, we met Rion, one of three men who fought their way out of the Boston mob world and opened a legitimate business as partners and best friends, a nightclub called Lick, an exclusive aphrodisiac club. I fell in love with the book and have been so excited for this next book to come out. In this one we meet Sasha Merchant.
Sasha’s family emigrated from Russia when he was little. He struggled in school to learn English and to be accepted by his school mates. That is how he met Rion and Killian, his two best friends and partners in Lick. His friends and the club are everything to him. That’s why he was concerned the night Corrine Salvaggi, aka The Mob Princess, walked in to the club. Their club doesn’t need any attention from her world. They have worked hard to rid any mob influences from their lives.
Corrine’s life has been turned upside down. The man she loved and respected most in her life, her father, has been arrested for hideous crimes. They are calling him a crime boss. How could he be this man if she only knew him as the man who tucked her in at night when she was little and who encouraged her every step of the way throughout her life to succeed? All she wants to do is forget. To let loose. So she goes with her friend to Lick. As soon as her eyes landed on the tall blonde Viking of a man that instantly reminded her of Ragner the legendary warrior, she was lost.
“For twenty-four years, she’d hidden her desires, her dreams, her needs, behind this good-girl image that reflected who her parents, with their often rigid expectations, wanted her to be.”
Corrine’s entire life has been a lie as far as she’s concerned. She is so tired of hiding who she really is. One touch from Sasha and she wants things she never imagined. Things from her darkest fantasies. But she wants these things only with Sasha. No one else.
“No, lisichka, maybe not so innocent. But definitely hungry. The question is, do you even know what you’re starving for?”
“Show me,” she said.
After seeing and feeling what Sasha could do for her, Corrine wants more. And Sasha, the man always in control, suddenly feels like he can give up that control with Corrine. For the first time in his life, he wants to submit, only to her.
“She wanted it again. Wanted more. And there was only one man she wanted it from.”
“He spoke two languages, and yet neither contained a word adequate enough to accurately describe her.”
To say this book is hot would not be an adequate description. And the activities up in the Loft in the club, Lick, will cause flames to erupt from your reading source. Naima Simone, though, has such a talent for creating these characters that just instantly steal our hearts. They are flawed, they are lost. And you can’t help but to hope for them to find a way to happiness. Will Corrine and Sasha get their chance for a HEA? Or will Corrine be the trouble Sasha was convinced she was? You definitely need to read this series to find out. Start at the first book and meet Rion. Then Sasha with this one. I hope the author doesn’t keep us waiting long for Killian’s book. I most definitely need it as soon as possible.
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Only For Your Touch by Naima Simone was a sexy, steamy, naughty, sweet and romantic read. This is the second book that I have read from this author and it definitely won't be my last. Only For Your Touch was a quick and highly intoxicating read that had me hooked right off the opening pages. With light angst and a whole lot of sizzling steamy moment, Naima Simone wrote a decadent romance that was both scorching hot and romantic with a side of raw emotions as two beautifully flawed characters are spotlighted.
Corinne Salvaggi has lived most of her adult life in a plastic bubble until her perfect and happy world came crumbling down as she discovers the true identity of her father. The Boston press and public call her the Mob Princess but Corinne Salvaggi doesn't feel like a princess at all when the truth of her father's crimes are revealed. So when Corinne secretly escapes from the press and goes to Boston's hottest new club, LICK that happens to be a sex club, she unexpectedly runs into one of the owners.
“His mouth devoured her, his tongue thrusting past her lips, tangling, licking, sucking. She tilted her head, and he took full advantage, plunging deeper. Their tongues, lips, and breath mated, mimicking what her sex clenched and begged for. ”
Sasha wants nothing more for Corinne to leave his club since he doesn't want any bad press and Corinne's family to have any relations with the club. Sasha and his two best friends want to leave their troubled past and mafia ties behind them and having Corinne at their club invites trouble. So when Sasha goes to confront Corinne, he is immediately attracted to her innocence and beauty. He is well aware that there is a sexual hunger in Corinne and so when he tempts her, he was surprised that Corinne wanted to act on it. Soon Sasha ignites a sexual desire and exploration that made Corinne addicted. What was supposed to be one night of pleasure led to several more nights as Corinne made it known to Sasha that she wants him to make her feel alive. But as they spend more time together, they soon began to fall for each other hard. Falling for the mob princess wasn’t what Sasha had intended but it happened and so will Corinne make Sasha see that she only needs him in her life? Will Sasha be able to give Corinne his heart?
“Let me prove to you that you can give me your trust. Your heart. Let me be Ragnar for you,” he whispered.”
Only For Your Touch was the perfect bite sized romance. It had heat, strong sexual chemistry, and intense connection that will satisfy any romance junkie. I loved that Naima Simone was able to blend heart, friendship and passion into a scorching love story.
This is the 2nd book in the Lick series! I loved the fist one, and this one was just as Deliciously Hot Dirty and sexy as the first... This is Sacha & Corrine's story and I am once again captivated by this authors erotic style of writing...So freakin HOT! I can't wait for the next book... ;)
Deliciously hot! I have read a few books by this author now and each one has delivered the goods in a smokin' hot way.
This book is loaded with sexy scenes and passion filled moments that our dreams are made of. While it is not a long book and it is light on character development, this scorcher of a read is what it is.... steamy hot with a hint of bdsm along the fringes and a sweet ending to boot.
WOW can this series get any hotter! This is the second in the Lick series and Naima Simone delivered a scorcher of a read. This was sexy and steamy with a sweet ending. A goodread's friend suggested that I might not want to read this in public and she was spot on.
Another book from the Lick series. Three life long friends who own a popular Boston nightspot/ sex club. This story focuses on Sasha, the Russian who along with Killian and Rion made their break from the Irish mob to start a legit business. His counterpart in this story is Corinne Salvaggi, a mob bosses daughter who until her father's recent arrest has been kept in the dark about his dirty dealings and business matters. Corinne loves sports and writes a column, under an alias in the Boston sports paper online. Her friend Tara brings her to Lick one night deciding she needs a night out. This is Corinne's first real life exposure to a club and she hasn't even seen the back rooms yet. Once the men recognize her, they have Sasha tell her she needs to leave. They don't want her recognized at the club, since the press has been hounding the family since the fathers arrest. Sasha corners her on her way to the ladies room and they have their first exchange. Corinne wants to experience whatever it is the club has, what she feels she is missing. Sasha sees this as a way of scaring her off, so he takes her upstairs to the public room, strips her and a scene takes place and saying she liked it, yes she did. And so did he. The steam factor is off the charts. They agree that the only way they can continue to see each other is to keep this totally off the radar, no one can know, they follow a set routine of disguises etc. They begin to develop a relationship, something foreign to Sasha, who is really closed off. A terribly rough childhood being disowned by his family for a simple childish prank, he wouldn't have survived if it weren't for Killian and Rion. These two talk and Sasha starts asking himself questions about this... it's all new to him.
One day her brothers come to the bar, wanting to meet the man their sister is spending time with and also to offer a deal of sorts. He and Killian blow them off. That night when Corinne arrives he ends it with her. He spews a bunch of rubbish about her being nothing but a sex toy and all those things that just make a woman self esteem rocket to the moon. Yeah right. Throat punch Sasha. He's a miserable pig in the days following until Killian corners him about it. Sasha tries to downplay things. But K drives his point home, leave before being left. Meanwhile Corinne goes to visit her father in jail for a number of reason, one being angry that she's been left out of the loop that even her mother knew about his father's business. She also told him about what her brothers did and asks him to call them off the club and stay away from Lick. Her father apologizes and says he will tell the brothers and the rest of the "family" the club is off limits. We pick up the story again when Sasha is reading the morning sports column and Corinne uses her full and real name. Something they had talked about. Today is the day of her father's hearing in court and there's a lot that happens surrounding the day. No spoilers. So, that's the gist of the story, I liked Corinne a lot. She had grit and backbone. She was smart and not afraid to say what she wanted. She spoke clearly and just had that air of confidence, despite all that was going on around her. Sasha, not too crazy about him. He didn't have the same appeal to me that Killian and Rion did. Nothing to do with being Russian, it was the way he was presented. Maybe showing a little more of his substance would have helped. We don't get much backstory and this book doesn't need it. The brief glimpse we see of her father, I liked. The open and honest conversation they had. The brothers aren't worth mentioning. I loved the three men together, they have been to hell and their friendship is raw and a great thing to see. This wasn't my favorite in the Lick series, but I still recommend it. It's definitely worth the read. Naima is a great writer and this is no exception.
**arc from Net Galley and Entangled** in exchange for an honest review
After Naima Simone opened the doors of ‘Lick’, I’ve come to appreciate the brand of erotica that she writes with elements of BDSM, voyeurism and every other type of sexual play for what it is: titillating and boldly explicit for the sake of pushing sexual boundaries. Throw in mob connections, violent histories and the shade of smut gets darker. Which isn’t to say I don’t miss her romantic suspense novels, because I do, but reading the Scorched imprint means that some expectations have to be adjusted.
Sasha Merchant intrigued me from the first book and it seems fitting that he’ll get his own temptation in the form of the head honcho’s daughter when she walks through the door of his sex club asking for something that he never thought he’d be able to give: control and his submission. But Corinne Salvaggi represents more than just willing female body; it’s her close connections and the dangerous life he’s addicted to that she brings within touching distance which Sasha finds irresistible. In this way, Simone brings another layer of understanding and conflict between them which I liked, because it moves beyond the sex games they both play.
I did hope for more though, apart from sex they’ve been having, having been given a glimpse of the type of mob conflict could have brought but this novella pretty much offers what this imprint is meant to be: a slice of momentary bliss (pun not quite intended) and a happy-for-now ending aimed at satisfying more carnal appetites than anything else.
*ARC by netgalley and the publisher (always grateful, mind)
Another scorcher from Ms. Simone, with some voyeur scenes at the Lick Aphrodisiac club to go with the steamy romance between club co-owner Sasha and mafia princess Corinne. Sasha has 'been there, done that' with mafia connections, having been involved with them in his younger days and vowing to stay away. But when Corinne walks into his club, he can't keep his hands off, even knowing it will mean trouble. She's looking for some attention, a way to shake up her family, but she gets a little more than she bargained for with Sasha. Corinne discovers her inner bad girl when she links up with reformed bad boy Sasha and the result is lots of super steamy scenes even as Sasha discovers that he really likes Corinne, and not just because they have great chemistry. Corinne has some personal dilemmas to ponder too, with her father recently put in jail and her conflicted feelings about him. In the end Sasha decides that she's worth risking a lot for, even with her mafia connections. It's a novella with a happy ending, and very enjoyable. This club series is quickly becoming a favorite!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Corinne Salvaggi just found out her Dad is the notorious ring leader of the infamous Salvaggi mob family based in Boston, Massachusetts. How she NEVER figured that out after twenty-four years and her two brothers' involvement in the family business, I'm not sure. While that part of the story was rubbish, the frequent references to Ragnar and Sasha's "wolf gaze" had me rolling my eyes a lot. There just seemed to be a little of every flavor that's normally good tossed into this short read but it still fell flat. Had this book focused solely on the erotica aspect, then this would've been a great smutty read.
There's some exhibitionism at a sex club, dual POV's, and a new adult feel, but with one dimensional characters.
Only for your touch, is the second in Naima Simone's Lick Series. This is Sasha and Corrine story one which I was looking forward to. Sasha has a past that he would love to leave in the past. Corrine has a present that she would love to hide form. When these two come together, sparks fly and her present and his past clash. Will Sasha and Corrine survive the fallout? I enjoyed Sasha and Corrine's story. There was plenty of passionate encounters between these two with more than enough drama surrounding them to make this a great read. Although you don't get to know Sasha as much as you may like, Corrine and her family and the family background more than made for it. I give this one 3.5 stars.
Only For Your Touch is short and hot with a tiny bit of suspense thrown in due to the mob association. Corrine Salvaggi has just been outed in the ruthless Bostonian press as being the Mob Princess after her father is arrested for being the head of the mob. But, she's not really a mob princess. In fact, she's a good girl who had thought she was living a clean life, following the expectations her parents had set for her. One hot night later, after meeting Sasha Merchant, one of the owners of Lick, an aphrodisiac club (aka a sex club), and she decides she's due some pleasure in her life, and Sasha is the one who is going to give her that pleasure.
I really like Corrine, she's strong and unafraid to seek out what she wants. I had a harder time connecting to Sasha, because he was so cold. But, given his background, his iciness is something I understand. Their connection burns pretty fiercely and naturally feelings developed on both their parts, even in such a short amount of time.
Only For Your Touch is steamy and well written. I wish it were a tad longer, so that their story and connection could have been fleshed out better. But, given the short structure, Naima is able to give a full story with 2 interesting leads who share a steamy connection. An epilogue would have been a nice touch, made the story more complete, but the story as stands is a good one.
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
This book was missing something for me. And it has taken me a second to figure out what, as I was expecting it to be "insta-love" and to go from zero to f%$#&^g in about 20 pages...and it had all of these elements.
The writing was good and the pacing was as expected. So, why the 2 you ask? I really, really didn't like Sasha. To the point where I was not able to connect. I understand he is supposed to be dominant, but he came across as a jerk. He was supposed to be ex-mafia...but the reaction he had to her presence in his club seemed off. I also wasn't sure about the appeal he had for her...I never believed that she would be interested in him, or willing to sneak around as he required.
I really wanted to enjoy this one, but I just never really connected.
Only For Your Touch by Naima Simone is a steamy naughty, and sexy romantic book. It is also a quick read , one that you will be able to read in a short period of time. There is some angst and definitely a right amount of a steamy need that hooked me from page 1, the author does a good job of getting across that delicious and decadent romance that is sweetly hot and simply naughty; there is also all these emotions the two MC characters that come out and the characters aren’t perfect which makes for a really good read, because we get to read about real people ; Corinne & Sasha made this a really good read . I bet your wondering- Will Corrine and Sasha get their chance for a HEA? To find out, you have to read this fantastic book. I hope the author writes Killian’s book next in this series.
My rating: 4.6 stars **** "I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I enjoyed this quick, sizzling, and sexy as hell read. The lick series is one I am loving way hard. I really loved Sasha and Corrine. I wanted Sasha story so bad after reading book one and I am so happy to say the author did not disappoint. Only for your Touch was such a sexy, yet very sweet and endearing read. It was packed with sizzling chemistry, really hot scenes, and heart. I recommend.
Very sexy and hot! I loved the chemistry between Sasha and Corrine. I just wanted more background and both of them so I could appreciate their characters as individual more. Still I am eagerly awaiting book 3
Still an enjoyable read with a good balance between smut and actual storyline. Definitely a very formulaic series so far. I expect the third will be the same.
Short, steamy, and fast-paced novella with scorching chemistry between Sasha and Corrine.
It is usually hard for me to believe that a couple can fall in love in such a short amount of time, especially a couple who hasn't known each other for a long time. But the author did a great job convincing me in this case. The fact that Sasha and Corrine experienced similar situations in relation to the mob life made their love story believeable. Sasha truly understood Corrine's predicament about her father because his membership in the Irish mob had had an adverse effect on his relationship with his parents. As such, this allowed him the opportunity to provide Corrine with sound advice.
What I also loved was how the scorching sexual relationship organically eased into an easy, intimate, and emotional relationship. The pacing was just right. There was also an interesting and surprising power play between the two was exceedingly well-written.
Overall, I'd say I was satisfied with the romance. But I still wish the story was longer because I wanted to explore the auxiliary relationships further (i.e. Corrine and her brothers, maybe even Sasha and his dad). In other words, there's enough content left that could easily turn this into a full-length novel. Regardless, the romance is what matters that most!
The Boston press calls her the Mob Princess. I call her trouble.
Discretion is my business, and the reporters dogging her every step are bad news. She’s looking to rebel, to tarnish her naïve “good girl” image by getting dirty with me. I gave up a career as a thief, but Corrine Salvaggi’s wide eyes and sinful mouth damn near begs me to steal her innocence. To corrupt her.
Lucky for her, I deal in sex.
Whatever your fantasy, I deliver. Voyeurism. Threesomes. A little slap and tickle.…
If it’s your kink, I can fulfill it.
So yeah, life is good. Simple.
Until she enters my club.
Still…
It’s just sex. Our little secret.
For now
••••••••••
REVIEW: 3.75 stars-- ONLY FOR YOUR TOUCH is the second installment in Naima Simone’s contemporary, adult LICK erotic, romance series focusing on three childhood friends who grew up working and living with the Irish Mob: Rion Ward, Sasha Merchant, and Killian Vincent, co-owners of the nightclub Lick, and their exclusive aphrodisiac club The Loft. This is Russian Sasha Merchant, and Mafia princess Corrine Salvaggi’s story line. ONLY FOR YOUR TOUCH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Sasha and Corrine) ONLY FOR YOUR TOUCH follows the building relationship between Mafia princess Corrine Salvaggi, and club owner Sasha Merchant. Corrine has lead a sheltered life, completely unaware of the family business; oblivious to the illegal activities that provided her life but since the arrest of her father, the truth about the family connections to underworld crime, drug trafficking and prostitution have sent our heroine looking for some action of her own. Enter Sasha Merchant, the man who will make all of Corrine’s fantasies come true.
ONLY FOR YOUR TOUCH is an erotic journey. Corrine needs to let off some steam, and ‘The Loft’ and Sasha Merchant are the perfect avenues to allow Corrine to explore a different side of her life. Sasha knows that to entertain any possibility of a relationship with Corrine invites the world of the Mafia onto his front door. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, and intense. Nothing is off limits at ‘The Loft’ between consenting adults. There are some light BDSM scenes of bondage, as well as oral and anal play.
Sasha’s business partners and friends Rion Ward and Killian Vincent play secondary and supporting characters but there is very little information to tie Rion’s story (Only For A Night #1) to the current timeline.
ONLY FOR YOUR TOUCH is a quick read; a look into the play rooms and sexual adventures of The Loft and its’ exclusive membership. The premise is energetic; the characters are dynamic; the romance is a sexually passionate escape.
After learning the true identity of her father Corinne Salvaggi's carefully contained world is knocked of it's axis and she is left battling the media that is sniffing around her for more of his secrets. They have labeled her a mob princess, but in reality she is nothing of the sort, she has always been a good girl, and followed the rules that were laid out for her early on in life. But there is also secret side of her that she keeps hidden deep inside her, a side that craves to walk on the wild side and dabble in carnal things that would make most woman blush. So, when she walks into Lick, one of the city's hottest clubs, that also helps those who so desire to live out their wildest fantasies, a feeling of contentment settles over her. For the first time in her life Corinne finally feels like she has a found a place that she belongs... but the minute the Viking-like owner spots her in his club he is ready to send her packing. She is a kind of trouble he just doesn't need, but after one little heated encounter Corinne has him reconsidering his stance...
This seductive little tale is the second installment in the Lick series, and I have to say Ms. Simone definitely did not disappoint with this one, barely a page into and I was completely hooked, and had no intentions of putting it down until I had devoured every last sinfully delicious page!! The minute Corinne walked into Sasha's club things began to heat up, and the farther I delved into their sexy little world the hotter things burned!! Their story was filled with unwavering intensity, smoldering passion, & a scorching chemistry that helped ignite some very hot encounters that had me feeling the flames and in dire need of a fan... all I can say is WOW!!!
If you like your fairy tales on the naughty side, then I HIGHLY recommend you check out this series, it is sure to steam up your tablet screen and scorch your fingertips... it is HOT! HOT! HOT!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
Only For Your Touch was a very naughty read that I loved. It was a quick read but very intense. It had just enough build with the story and between the main characters. I mean mob boss’s daughter, former mobster turned club owner, and a sex club, what more could you want. Corrine is a temptation that Sasha doesn’t need. But here is the thing about temptation, you can’t resist after just one taste. I really enjoyed reading this story and so far the series is fabulous. I would give this book 5 stars but just know that if you’re not into BDSM type books then this one isn’t for you. Though know that it’s nothing so hardcore so you may just like it.
(ARC provided by NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchanged for an honest review)
These short and steamy novellas centered around a Boston sex club owned by 3 friends (the heroes of each book) are a really fun time. While I didn’t love this book as much as the first one, it’s still a good time. Hero is Sasha, one of the co-owners of the club who is ex-mob. The heroine Corrine is a sports columnist who just found out her “perfect” family life isn’t as wholesome as she thought, her dad is in the mafia and got arrested. She meets Sasha one night at the club and they have a connection. I wasn’t as connected with these two, but they do have sexy times including a little bit of BDSM and bondage with some exploration of sexual freedom.
It is a classic case of a bad boy and a good girl who are all wrong for each other except they are perfect for each other. Sasha Merchant grew up on the streets. He has gone clean and is running, with his two buddies, an aphrodisiac club. Corrine is the sheltered daughter of a mobster kingpin looking to rebel a little bit. When these two get together it is naughty, sexy and totally hot. A fun addition to this series but can be read standalone.
This book was ok but while a lot was happening in the background, not much of it was actually shown.
All her life Corrine’s parents have demanded that she act a certain way to not tarnish their name but when her father gets arrested for committing several crimes, she feels like she’s been lied to and decides to start living her life as she wants to. Other than her going to Lick and meeting Sasha not much else is shown. It’s mentioned that she writes a sports column but there aren’t even scenes that show that she likes sports. At the beginning Sasha doesn’t want to interact with Corrine as it would bring negative attention to their club but even that part of the plot is in the background as when things happen as Sasha predicted, it’s only one short scene where not much happens and that’s it.
The main characters were fine but the book could have been much better if the side characters were actually shown instead of appearing in a few scenes to say a line or two. I wanted to see more of Corrine interacting with her family as they all knew about their father and she was the only one left in the dark. There should have been more scenes showing Sasha interacting with Killian and Rion and I wanted to see a chapter showing Corrine meeting Sasha’s friends.
I want to read the next book as I’m curious about Killian’s character but I’m really hoping that there will be more in that book as this one was a bit boring as nothing really happened.