Sway

Delicious #1

by Lauren Dane

In this absolutely delicious novella from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Dane, a man takes a step outside his comfort zone and finds his arms full of passion…

Levi Warner is an established older man—wealthy, powerful, and above all, respectable. Then Levi meets Daisy, an uninhibited twenty-four-year-old dance instructor and artist, not exactly the kind of woman Levi is accustomed to.

But the young free spirit brings out something in him that he only experienced in fantasies. When their scorching affair turns into something unexpectedly deeper, Levi finds himself torn between preserving his reputation and exploring a wilder and much more satisfying kind of life…


Sway previously appeared in the anthology Cherished

Includes an excerpt of the Brown Family novel, Drawn Together.

Genres: Romance, BDSM, Erotica, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Erotic Romance

141 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 7, 2012

About the author

Lauren Dane has been writing stories since she was able to use a pencil, and before that she used to tell them to people. Of course, she still talks nonstop, and through wonderful fate and good fortune, she’s now able to share what she writes with others. It’s a wonderful life!

The basics: Lauren is a mom, a partner, a best friend and a daughter. Living in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest, she spends her late evenings writing like a fiend when she finally wrestles all of her kids to bed.

Reviews

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to give this audiobook a listen mainly because it was only about 4 hours long, which works out well for a few days of my commute to/from work. I didn't expect much depth to the story or the characters in such a short work. However, I was surprised with how much I did like the characters in such a short span of time. No, it wasn't a soul-gripping, all-consuming story that I fell in love with, but for a 4 hour long story, it was better than I had anticipated.

Daisy is a young, 24 year-old artist. She meets Levi when he inadvertently walks into the wrong dance class one day. The two instantly hit it off, but the 40 year-old attorney doesn't give any serious thought to the possibility of a relationship with a girl nearly half his age. That all changes when another chance encounter leads to a date.

As their attraction continues to grow and feelings develop, Levi must reconcile his feelings for Daisy with his perception of what type of future the two could build together. He has to overcome his fear of growing attached, still carrying emotional baggage from his failed marriage. He's not sure he can give Daisy the commitment she wants and deserves.

Daisy knows that something is missing. She loves the time she spends with Levi and the way he makes her feel cherished when they are together. She doesn't mind the age difference, but she doesn't like the nagging feeling that he is ashamed of her. She's not interested in being his dirty little secret, no matter how good he makes her feel when they're together. Eventually, the two must face their fears and decide what it is that they really mean to one another.

For such a short story, the characters were incredibly well-developed and personable. Although the story was short, it never felt rushed or forced. It flowed naturally and was easy to follow. The narration was good and the story was entertaining.

[Jade · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give negative stars.
The guy was a rude prick who wanted hot sex in private with an intelligent woman who's a talented artist, but did not want anything to do with her in his public life. He spoke about her as if she was a shameful thing. I am so grossed out at the way he spoke of her in such an objectifying manner.

"She’s a twenty-four-year-old pinup, Lindy-Hopping artist with tattoos. Oh and she’s built like a brick shit house. I can totally see her at fund-raisers with Mother at her side."

"She won’t fit in my world. She said she felt like I was hiding her and I guess I probably was. It’s shitty, but it’s true anyway."


I am sorry that you are an insecure little boy who can't handle being in a relationship with a younger woman. I am sooo sorry that as a 40 year old man you are scared to talk about her/invite her to meet your family because she is so "different". Fuck off you don't deserve such a kind, giving, and electric (fictional) person.

AND he didn't really do much to defend Daisy against his brother's wife, who saw her as:
"a young Mexican clearly whoring herself to get Levi’s money and family power."

I was so grossed out by that. This narrow minded asshole is making racist comments, by insinuating that Daisy wasn't "their kind", about the woman you are seeing and all you can say is, “You need to lower your voice and remember your manners, “This is my date...Rein it in.” and “You’re an ugly bitch sometimes, Gwen.”


And then when she asks him why he didn't say more he says:

“What does it matter? I don’t
believe it. Where are you going?”

“To catch the ferry home. I’m done with this evening.”

He caught her again. “Why? I’ve
said I don’t think the way she does."

And fuck off with that "you're not a classist asshole you're only using these excuses because it scares you to admit you love her" bull, because I do not believe that shit for one second.

Daisy should have been done with him and moved on. No one deserves to have a partner that hides them because they are ashamed of them.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy* · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://bookslifewine.com/r-sway/

3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars

So. I find myself getting a little annoyed with Lauren Dane right now.

I've read quite a few Lauren Dane PNR books in my life but I just started with her contemporary romances. I started with the Hurley Boys series which I really enjoyed. There was just one thing niggling at me: one of the Hurley brothers - Damien - had his book in a totally different series called Delicious.

And here we are.

I decided to start with this first book in the Delicious series, Sway.

Sway is cute. The heroine, Daisy, is a tattooed artist and dance instructor who met the hero, Levi, when Levi attended the wrong dance class. The two had instant chemistry and eventually started dating.

Cal interrupted. "He's got to be forty or so. He was ahead of me at UW. He and I both went to law school there. What's a forty-year-old man want with a twenty-four-year-old?"
Daisy indicated her body. "Dude. I mean, come on. Twenty-four-year-old boobs."
-pg 25

Read the rest here: http://bookslifewine.com/r-sway/

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 2 out of 5]

Our hero, despite being much older, is immature, insecure, and still trying to impress his mother. The image he projects to society is more important than his happiness.
A blond bimbo on his arm at parties is better seen and accepted than a successful, intelligent woman who does not fit the standards his family expects.
Our heroine deserves better.

...she was totally off the menu when it came to anything long lasting. It wasn’t like he could bring her home to his parents. A twenty-four-year-old artist with tattoos and all that in-your-face, lush beauty.

The last time he’d seen a twenty-four-year-old naked, he’d been twenty-six or so. The experience was not overrated.

“His wife. No, calm down, his dead wife. She died six years ago. A car accident.”

Oh, I get it, her assumption is that because I’m brown that I must be fucking you to trick you into marrying me so I can have your money?”

“I don’t like it. This bitch needs to be punched. How dare she call you names? She doesn’t even know you.” Jules glared at her

“But I don’t like that you’re feeling off balance and that maybe he’s hiding you from his family. I don’t want you feeling as if you’re not good enough. That makes me quite cross with your Levi.”

“Tattooed. Artsy.” “So you buy Gwen’s line about her not being our kind?” He clenched his jaw.

“You’re forty years old. How long are you going to flit around with dumb women who you don’t care about? Is that your lifestyle now?”

“What is it you want from me? We’ve only been together a few months. Are you expecting marriage this early on?”

I’m young? Or inked? Not blonde and perfect with big horse teeth like that dumbass your brother married?”

She stared at him. “Is it my age or my skin tone?”

“I’m glad I got to know you, Daisy. But I don’t do ultimatums. I’m a big boy and I don’t need a boss.”

==>DATING OW<== why you’re here with Dyan when you clearly don’t have a single romantic or sexual tingle for her.” “She’s a beautiful woman; why wouldn’t I be here with her?”
Dyan made her way back over, sliding her arm through his.

“I told you I loved you two weeks ago, mister. Your response was walking out my door and going out on dates with tall, thin blondes.”

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd just spent the weekend in Seattle before reading this, and as much as I really enjoyed the story, the part that made me smile most was when Daisy made up the itinerary for a Saturday in Seattle and I'd been to or by all her stops including and especially Top Pot Doughnuts which was two doors down from my hotel. It was the first and last place I visited. I spent the rest of the book craving an apple fritter. Would I have enjoyed this as much if I hadn't just been there? Absolutely. Unlike
Dane's last book, "Lush", this one had a good, consistent plot, likeable characters and a distinct lack of immaturity on anyone's part. Especially pertinent since this is a May/September romance.

P.S. When in Seattle you MUST stop at Top Pot Doughnuts.

[Margarida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so glad to know more about Gillian's friends! !!

I love Daisy she knows who she is what she wants...I liked that when it was needed she would be a bitch like when she met Gwen (I hate this slut) .

Levi I thought I was going o like him more but he annoyed me a bit because when (there are many examples) Daisy said I love you he just said oh it's too early, I wanted to punch him so hard in that moment or when Daisy said he was hiding her he said she was exaggerating....or when she gave him an ultimatum he just walked way! !! WTH? ! Seriously dude? !

So besides this little things about Levi I really liked the book and I'm totally excited to read Jules' s book :)

[Nicole Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I'm a huge fan of Lauren Dane so I did enjoy this for the most part.


That first sex scene....holy shit. I've read more intense scenes but idk this one for being "milder" was still really unf worthy.

Daisy sounds like a hot ass bombshell all tatted, tanned, and inked. LOVE

Levi sounds handsome as hell but he has shit for brains but clearly it runs in some of his family.

Majorly annoyed there was no real settled scene for that Gwen bitch and no meeting scene of his mom and Daisy :(

Biggest complaint though, the confusing ass POV swaps. Terrible.

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dane opens her Delicious series with 'Sway' and Dasiy (IRR). She is the fiery and saucy young lady that steal the eye of a very sexy, sophisticate much older lawyer. Levi get an eyeful of a beautiful delight when he goes for dance lessons and then again when he is en route to a meeting. He never would have guessed that this sexy little temptress would be the answers to everything he would every dream of and more.

[Deb B · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great start to this spin off story ... these girls are so out there and have the most wonderful relationship. i love reading about their closeness and support of one another and their romances make for amazing reads

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a lot that didn't work in this book and most of it boiled down to the MMC, Levi, a 40 year old attorney, a privileged white male who was also a SAD MAN with a tragic past which apparently gave him leave to act like an absolute asshole to Daisy, the 24 year old artist FMC he finds himself attracted to. It's an age gap romance with some questionable BDSM content that would have worked better if the consent had been more explicit but the real issues lie with the fact that Daisy is also Mexican and there are some really terrible racial undertones in this book that were not addressed to my satisfaction. The fact that Levi's brand new sister in-law speaks so disparagingly to Daisy and Levi's response is to tell the SIL to "watch her tone" and just remove Daisy from the situation and then defend himself by saying he doesn't believe in the things that his awful SIL was spouting, was, to my mind, not a great way to handle it. I really needed a scene in this book where his whole family told that racist bitch off. And since I'm now reading this series out of order and already read the last book in this series, I know that this will be an ongoing problem for Daisy moving forward. Ughh. I just didn't love him at all and it's unfortunate because I liked her so much and she just deserved so much better for a love interest.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I missed Sway, Delicious #1, when it was released several years ago because it was part of an anthology and rather expensive. When I'm not interested in other authors in an anthology, I wait for the story I want to be released on its own. When a girl reads a lot, she has to make cutbacks in some areas. Anthologies are where I cut back. It was a long wait, but I was finally able to read Sway.

I loved Daisy and Levi together and it was nice to revisit the Brown Siblings/Delicious/The Hurley Boys combined world. Daisy is a young, very open-minded, tattooed-and-pierced, artistic girl and Levi is an older man, who happens to be a rather conservative lawyer from a wealthy family. Though you wouldn't expect it, she and Levi were great together. They may be from two entirely different walks of life, but they just clicked. I love how Lauren Dane does that.

Now that the combined series is complete and I've finished Back to You, (The Hurley Boys #3), I'm very glad I finally got the opportunity to listen to Sway. Daisy and Levi were worth the wait and I wasn't ready to let this world go just yet.

[J.S. Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Lauren Dane and she has always been one of my favorite go-to writers when I need to lose myself in a great story. This novella fell flat for me in that too much background muddled the core of it between the two main characters. Then I remembered, this was written before her Delicious Series came about. It was a part of an anthology. Tart and Luscious are far better books and I highly recommend them. This book also serves as a precursor to Never Enough in her Brown Series, which I love. Still, I was disappointed how after all these years of returning to Bainbridge Island, WA I felt lost. Her sex scenes are beautifully written however and are worth sticking to the story for. Lauren’s writing is incredible and she rightly deserved every award she has received thus far.

[Andre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tengo las ideas desordenadas en este momento, porque a pesar de haber puesto 3 estrellas al libro, me gustó bastante.
Levi de 40 años se encuentra atraído sexualmente por una mujer menor. Es Daisy: latina, artista y muy independiente. Salen y tienen sexo casual, incluyendo un poco de dominación y sumisión.
Se puede sostener una relación con tanta diferencia de edad? Con prejuicios sociales? Se puede dejar de lado los sentimientos cuando hay sexo de por medio? Con estos cuestionamientos llegué a el desenlace.
Es un relato maduro y cercano a la realidad que sin duda, se desenmarca del típico cliché millonario, posesivo. Y eso se agradece.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Loved the Browns series and find I don't mind this spin off series at all. You get into the meat of the emotions volleying back and forth. I loved when Levi got all Alpha on Daisy...~swoon ;)

Daisy was a full rounded character showing both her strength and her vulnerabilities. I loved her and felt for her when Levi dismissed everything true before him. Levi made me love him too, with his strength and determination. And anyway how can you stay mad at a man who can admit he was perhaps.....wrong. :)

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this. The first Lauren Dane I've read. At first, I didn't really like the writing style - I am used to reading books in which the male and female take turns telling their side of the story. Dane combined the two so the reader always knows what the two are thinking. It took some getting used to, but I got used to it. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. My only complaint? That it wasn't longer!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, I loved both Levi and Daisy. The sex was smoking hot, I loved that Daisy was submissive naturally but only in the bedroom. She didn't put up with not being treated as she should. I love a strong heroine that can still be submissive and sweet. Levi was masterful and dominant without being a jerk, his issues were understandable and I loved how honest he was when he overcame them. I am definitely going to be reading the rest of the Delicious series.

[↜ƈɦǟռ☂ɛℓℓɛ↝ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed it. It was hot and sexy. Only complaint, the narrator was distracting. Nothing about it sounded true to character.
Interested to see what book 2 has to offer.

[Lisa Gatlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to see characters from brown family

Levi didn't really behave as a hero should IMO. Daisy was very cute and loved her guy. Levi was a little cold but was obviously smitten with daisy. Had mixed feelings but still worth reading. Love how brown family ties into this series with last book in this series LUSH being about one of the brothers in Hurley boys series. All 3 series come with great friends and family and amazing connections with support in characters.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Daisy in this story, more than I thought I would. Levi kind of grows on you, but initially he seems very isolated and rigid or suppressed. I already read Tart in this series, which is okay to do, but I would recommend reading in order. I really enjoy the Delicious characters and it is a nice continuation of the Brown siblings.

[iliana G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still haven't found one book of Lauren's that i didn't like.



i loved the age difference and picturing a 24 year old mature enough (and not a bimbo) and of course i loved the BDSM element in the story...
always loving seeing old characters from previous series and i do believe those girls needed their own story.

Loved the Browns Series and love the Delicious one so far.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG. So good. Levi and Daisy. Both of them are the cool friends you wish you had. Their chemistry is unbelievably hot. It’s just so good. My favourite of the Delicious series, and my favourite of Ms. Dane’s books overall.

Bought from iBooks

[Victoria]

Currently listening to the audio version of this. Available to borrow through SCRIBD.

[Gagrits · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this story! Every time I read I, I have to go to youtube to listen to Rosemary Clooney sing Sway.

[Cassia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars – Contemporary/Erotic/BDSM Romance

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daisy and Levi - I loved these 2, and their friends.
I am going back to read about their friends....
LUV LUV LUV

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great 1st story in the "Delicious" series!

[ReadKnitHoard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot romance in the real world, with real people, real relationships, and real issues—and peeks into the lives of Delicious.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Levi's story.