Calling the Bluff

Down & Dirty #2

by Moira Rogers

Hazel Young is a rare commodity in a young, single female whose first mating is nearly upon her, and she’s spent the last two years fending off suitors. After all, there's nothing flattering about being wanted for the heat in her blood instead of for herself...especially when she gave her heart away to Oliver Russell years ago. But Oliver seems to feel nothing for her but fond kindness, and the time has come to choose a mate before the wolf makes the choice for her.When Oliver happens across Hazel being pressured by a local who wants to be her first, it awakens protective instincts he thought he'd set aside with the death of his wife five years ago. With Hazel in heat and no time to get her to safety, they wind up in a fishing shack on Lonely River. They have no choice but to ride out her mating fever together...even if the last thing he expects is to be truly tempted by her inexperienced attempts at seduction.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Erotica, Adult, Ebooks

70 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2009

About the author

How do you make a Moira Rogers? Take a former forensic science and nursing student obsessed with paranormal romance and add a computer programmer with a passion for gritty urban fantasy. Toss in a dash of whimsy and a lot of caffeine, and enjoy with a side of chocolate by the light of the full moon.

By day, Bree and Donna are mild-mannered ladies who reside in the Deep South. At night, when their husbands and children are asleep, they combine forces to unleash the product of their fevered imaginations upon the page.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I adore Hazel and Oliver together. To be so infatuated with someone that your wolf won't accept anyone else has to be its own special kind of hell. Poor Hazel. And poor Oliver. He's just a little bit clueless when it comes to romancing the ladies and since Hazel's no push-over, she lets him know when he says something wrong.

The upside? When he lets go of his inhibitions and gives in, he does it ALL right. And Oliver has some pent up emotions going on. As does Hazel. Being in the grip of a mating heat and with the only guy who can turn her crank makes them a rather volatile couple.

And I like that.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Starfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think I was going to enjoy this one so much (innocent female leads just aren't my thing in erotica), and that's where I figured this was going from everything we saw of Hazel in Wild Card.

BUT. I actually enjoyed it more than I enjoyed Wild Card - I suspect in major part because while this may be Hazel's first experience of mating fever, she's far from an innocent. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for what she needs.

And Ollie could have easily turned into the 'big, dumb male lead', but didn't - yes, he needs to figure out some stuff within himself, but I can buy that, given his history. And once he realises how he feels, he communicates like a grown-ass adult.

So yes, we're firmly still in PWP territory (with a classic fanfic 'fuck or die' trope, no less - although this handles the issue of consent in the trope far better than most fics I've read that take it on), and again, that's a feature rather than a bug for me. But I can still see some of the potential of future Moira Rogers/Kit Rocha stories in these early pieces.

[Lady S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Very easy to read, but there is just something missing for me to rate any higher.

[Jo (My House of Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of these three novellas, I thought Wild Card was the best. It would have been good on my part had I gone to Ms. Rogers website to get the background on this series. I assumed this was a historical paranormal (well, an erotic historical paranormal) when in fact it wasn't. [Classifying books into genres can be so confusing.] Regardless, Wild Card was the best of the bunch for me. I loved Jack's gruff exterior and Ginny's refusal to back down or take "orders". She's a woman who knows what she wants, and I absolutely adore heroines with that kind of gumption.

We're introduced to Hazel, the heroine of Calling the Bluff, in Wild Card, and her transformation from novella to novella is startling. Hazel's the cause of much trouble between werewolves and humans, you see, because she's going into her first mating heat. And the man she wants doesn't want anything to do with her! When she's in trouble, however, something inside Oliver snaps. He's surprised to find that he does indeed want Hazel.

Ante Up was the novella I thought I'd like most. Unfortunately, I never really felt a connection between Lottie and Thomas, certainly not one that had been aluded to in the two previous novellas.

[Kim Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel has had a crush on Oliver for years, but he seems uninterested. Hazel is fixing to go in heat and all the young wolves are out to get in her pants, if she doesn't chose one soon the Alpha will. Hazel finally decides she isn't waiting for Oliver any more and goes home with a new wolf in town, but Hazel's wolf didn't want anything to do with him and attacks him. Her horse gets spooked and throws her and wouldn't you know Oliver finds her. Once she explains what happened Oliver decides he has to be the one in her bed to calm her wolf, but he finds out quick he can't let her go after a few days in her bed.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Hazel first being abandoned by her mother and rejected repeatedly by the clueless Oliver, then to be rejected by a not so clueless Oliver the Idiot, when she is vulnerable. Good thing Hazel is made of sterner stuff most girls would run for the hills rather than stand strong.

The Dynamic Duo that makes up the talented Moira Rogers certainly know how to spin a good yarn. I like this series because of the way it's based on the future but reverted to the pasted. I hope there will be a lot more tales from this world that Moira has created.

This Review was originally posted here https://laurasbookbinge.wordpress.com...

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the last book I was intrigued to see how Hazel would handle coming into her mating time, but only wanting Oliver. He was such a stick in the mud I thought he might let her go to another man. And sure enough it almost happened. I thought from there he would be happy for the gift that landed in his lap, but no he managed to screw things up with Hazel. I was proud that Hazel stood up for what she wanted and followed through, it allowed her to get her prize in the end.

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another way too short story so another 3.5 stars. This one is Hazel & Oliver's story. Hazel is a young werewolf who is teetering on her first mating. Apparently she has only had eyes for Oliver. Unfortunately Oliver is not looking for a mate since his wife died a long time ago. But when he comes across her after accepting and then rejecting another wolf & is in full mating frenzy, Oliver loses himself & realize that she is just what he needs.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one dragged a bit more than the last one did, and I felt my mind wandering a bit, but the leads are both nice. Also, I loved how the mating trope is not necessarily a good thing in this universe, as it kind of messes with Hazel's head.

My favorite part of the book was Oliver, though. I love a good grumpy hero who sucks at the whole using of words thing.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Something about this story squicked me out. I think it was the whole mating heat thing. Its not a trope I enjoy. I'd rather have a heroine who has sex because she wants to, not because her body is literally forcing her to. Other than that, I liked the relationship between Hazel and Oliver. I only wish that the whole "mating heat" hadn't been what the plot revolved around.

[Traviesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the continuation of this series with the focus being on Hazel and Oliver! She's a young wolf who gave her heart away to an older wolf a long time ago! Oliver is exactly what Hazel needs and I loved how he took control of the situation and can handle Hazel because she's a little spitfire and I just love them both together! Great short and hot read!

[Eva (TXBookjunkie) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Think I should have read book 1 first. This one felt lacking relationship wise - but this might be due to my lack of knowledge of the characters previous interactions together in book 1 and the shortness of the story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A continuation of the Down and Dirty series.
There are characters you saw in the first, and ones you heard discussed.

Once again, super fast, but well written. It was over before I really even had a chance to get completely sucked in, which kind of, well, sucked :(

[gremlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another hot and tasty story in the series.

Hazel Young - and especially her wolf - only wants one man, Oliver Russell, but she can't hold out against the mating fever much longer and he keeps turning her down.

[Gerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story premise was great. The story itself was too short, moved too fast. Shifters but not much of that happening. I purchased this book and the other two in a bundle set from Amazon. So my feelings are the same for all three.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't love this one. I'm not sure I liked it much, either. It wasn't a forced mating, but it struck as too much like one. I didn't believe there was love. Hazel and Ollie seemed more like acquaintances.

[Mhollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patience is a virtue! Hazel has no intention of settling for anything less than Oliver's full surrender. This is another hot little number from Moira Rogers!

[Mrs. Badass · Rating 3 out of 5]

woah... A LOT of sex in this book... lol basically it's all sex.

I liked Hazel and Oliver though.

[Martha]

Nook.

[Michelle the Romance Witch · Rating 3 out of 5]

hott sex and a good conclusion to all the angst and sexual tension between these two from the first story i look forward to continuing the series for sure

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Post-apocalyptic werewolf ranchers. In love. Only Moira Rogers can make it so.

[Meiwilli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fast and Furious, and not in a good way.

[Shiela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok, I'm not really into short stories, I needed more.

[Veri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and hot, signature Moira Rogers style. Just enough world-building to nudge the story along and keep me curious.

(Bought from Kobo.)

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate it 3.5 if I could. The scenes were good, but the story was too fast. Still, it was ok.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivier helps Hazel with her "heat" problem.

[Heidi R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was a fast read.

[Lola · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was disappointing after the teasing of the first book. These two seemed all talk and no action, and it was never really clear why Oliver changed his mind.