A seguito di una brutta separazione, Melina recluta il suo amico d’infanzia Max per avere lezioni sull’arte della passione. Ma il destino le riserva una sorpresa quando Rhys, il fratello gemello di Max, si intromette nella sfida. Sensuale e dolce, questa storia è considerata CCC (“Calore, Cuore & Conclusione felice”) e tratta di uno scambio di letto, sexy gemelli identici, lezioni di sesso, giochi di parole sporche, manette, una timida bomba del sesso che ha paura di essere noiosa e un eroe playboy determinato a dimostrare che lei ha tutto quello che lui desidera.
A former prosecutor, Virna DePaul writes "heat, heart, & HEA" for Harlequin and Random House. She is also a bestselling Indie author, with Bedding The Wrong Brother being a top 100 contemporary romance on Amazon with over 150 5* reviews. www.virnadepaul.com
This book was frustrating. There were times I wanted to scratch my eyeballs out because I thought it would be less painful. My brain hated my eyes for reading it. So let’s start with the plot. It’s in the title “bedding the wrong brother” A little weird, maybe a little cliché. But just the concept had me intrigued. I was like: Okay, let’s see how this plays out. The beginning was fine, a little irritating but ok. The characters lacked depth. The story telling was bland. At the end of the book I didn’t know anything about the characters (except for their professions) or why they loved each other. Dialogue was fucking BAD! Rhys is like every other alpha male. Blah blah blah. But this book could have still been a three star for me (because sadly I am a hopeless romantic who loves cliché stories) if it wasn’t for Melina.
The biggest problem for me was Melina’s insecurity. In the Petty Olympics, this chick is a gold-medallist. Every woman has insecurities. Most of us obsess about our weight but for the love of God, did we have to hear about how fat and unattractive she is every second paragraph. It’s annoying. She goes on and on and on and on and on (white bikini) and on and on and on and on (I’m not a bikini wearing girl) and on and on and on about it. After reading seven pages of her obsessing over this white bikini (I kid you NOT!), which she never wore, I got to the point where I was like: “ALRIGHT, already! I get it. You’re fat and unattractive. I don’t even understand why Rhys is attracted to you!” Shit like that warps my fucking mind, because it happened so much that I started seeing her as fat and ugly, so when it moves to Rhys’s point of view and he thinks she’s sexy, I’m saying: No! She’s not. She’s fat and ugly. I couldn’t believe his attraction to her because of how badly she described herself. It was painfully engraved into my mind. Now before I offend anyone, let me just clarify something. A woman’s body is beautiful, no matter how big or small you are. You don’t have to be skinny to be sexy. If a woman is big-boned and she owns that shit, it’s sexy. Look at Queen Latifa, she’s totally hot right? Case and point! But Melina’s insecurity bothered me to whole new level of WTF. And like I said, if this happened a few times, it would have been fine (relatable even), but I had to endure shit like this the whole book:
“Part of her never wanted him to stop saying those words, so she pushed herself to do things she'd never been comfortable with. First, remembering a scene from Sex and the City, she straddled him. With her back arched and her hands raised above her head, she rode him so fast and so hard that her breasts bounced. Well, not quite. Samantha's breasts had bounced on the show. In real life, Melina's breasts just jiggled. Still, given Rhys's response, jiggling definitely worked for him.” Really, Melina? Really? I can’t tell you the images that went through my mind when I read this. Warped my fucking mind! Over and above this, in this very same scene they are playing the alphabet game: “…cursing him when he refused to let her orgasm until she finished. He laughed and pressed her hips down, controlling her movements, and she almost panicked when she got to “X.” Somehow, she came up with “xenerotica,” the act of getting turned on by strangers. Then, when she got to “Z,” he reached down and touched her where they were joined. She came apart, screaming “zelophilia” so loud she barely heard his own groans of pleasure. He collapsed next to her, struggling for breath. “Zelophilia?” he asked skeptically. “Sexual arousal from jealousy,” she breathed back.” This was just… No! Just no! Can you understand why I was in a constant state of WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK! Not even reading this at the very core of the earth would have made me think this scene was hot.
And if that wasn’t enough of a mind warp, I then had to figure out if Melina was insecure or a sex goddess because she bounces between these two personalities at lightning speed:
Confident sex goddess:As she stared at him, however, a devilish urge to push him even closer to the edge took control of her. Insecure:She'd always been reluctant to talk dirty in bed... Confident sex goddess:but now the urge was driving her hard. “The first thing I'm going to do when you're tied down is take you in my mouth,” she said softly. He jerked in surprise and looked at her, then clenched his jaw as he focused on the road again. Insecure:“I-I haven't had a lot of experience with it,” she confessed, “Because I've never really liked it. But with you, I want to taste every inch of you. Confident sex goddess: Lock you in my mouth. In my throat, so you can never get away.” . Which one is it??? I just don't know *sigh* I have a serious case of whiplash right now.
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
I was pleasantly surprised by this cute romance. And by cute I don't mean all lovey dovey and full of sweetness. This book was actually quite steamy, but with a good solid love story in there to help it along. Melina has been friends with twins Rhys and Max her whole life, and a crush on Rhys for the same amount of time. Rhys also liked Melina, but an incident in there teens left there friendship Shaky. Since then Melina has been with a few men, but has felt nothing and her boyfriends have left her feeling inadequate. She asks Max for a favour, teach her how to please a man. Knowing how the pair feel about each other, Max says yes, but sends Rhys in his place. I enjoyed this quick story. It was really easy to read, with enjoyable characters, that had me rooting for their happily ever after. A sexy, sweet read, perfect for a rainy day afternoon.
To be fair, I only read the book because I'm coming to the end of the month and I hadn't gotten a book from the Lending Library.
I rarely cry during a book. Even more so, because of a HEA. I think the last time I truly cried reading was "A Walk to Remember" but who can really blame anyone. That book was ridiculous with her dying. But, this book, was a fantastic, fast read. Tears, actual tears, fell from my eyes with a mixture of a sniffle. There were times where my heart felt like it was wrenching in warmth, passion and sometimes even anger. And, please, don't even get me started about the other heightened emotions affecting other parts of my being.
I've been debating giving it 4 or 5 stars. Mostly, I'm not too crazy about stories that all get wrapped in with a big, red bow. Personally, I don't find it realistic. Yes, people find their happy endings, and I appreciated that the author made a note indicating that you can't have it all but you can compromise to have the best of everything. I didn't connect to the characters all that must, but I connected to their relationship. Reading it felt like watching one of those happy-go-lucky Lifetime or Hallmark movies, with a lot heat and sexy mixed in. And, I'm really glad the characters are more realistic in their lifestyles. No one is crazy rich or over the top gorgeous. The female character is 28 with a curvy figure, not a 23 year-old "I'm real sexy but pretend not to know." The male, although has the whole 6-pack working for him, doesn't sound like the pedestal God-like creatures some of these books create in their male protagonists.
I say, read it knowing it has a happy ever after ending, accept it for the heat, but engulf yourself in the emotions you may feel. Oh, I also like that you can read it as a stand alone. That's nice.
So last night I was looking for what to read next, and I picked this one a bit randomly on my Kindle. And oh boy did it was a pleasant surprise! I was immediately hooked in the story and ended up reading it in one setting. Oh my, so much glorious angst! I know, I must be such a masochist reader but I can't help but be drawn to stories like this...unrequited love, love someone behind close doors, well maybe I'm just projecting and seeing to much of myself in these stories.
Anyway, this is Melina story and how she decided to do something to not be awful in bed. Now, why does she thinks that? Her jerk and douchebag ex, told her she was like a stiff board beneath him, no passion *feels infuriated* So one night, talking with her friends, and with alcohol in the mix, it was settled she was in need for some lessons. She is a women of science, and she does know that practice makes perfect,aha. And well she could only ask something like that to Max, her childhood friend. She couldn't ask Rhys, Max's twin, since she have loved him her whole life.
This is the thing, since she loved Rhys, she always felt awkward and uncomfortable around him (while at the same time, glowing for being near him), because she thought no way he could love her back, and so no way he could know she loved him. So with Max, she was always at ease, laughing and teasing him. What she didn't know was that Rhys loved her too, and pained to see how she behaved differently when she was with him and when she was with Max. Are you feeling the angst now? Gosh, and it only gets worse, when some misunderstandings go between them and they drift apart.
So Max, know exactly how these two feels about each other, so he arranges a case of "mistaken identity"...do you see where this is going? :D
Now the next morning, when Melina realizes, it was not a vivid fantasy and that she had spent the night with Rhys, her first reaction is to flee but not that Rhys had finally been with her, he won't let go that easy. He have a weekend to continue his lessons and secretly wishing he can have her in his life.
The perfect blend of sweet, angst, hotness and love! I just loved this story. It had great characters, with such different jobs (he is a magician and she is an entomologist) but still quite right for each other, not without compromising of both parts. Now I do want to read Max's story! :)
It wasn't great and it wasn't terrible, it was just... meh.
There was nothing wrong with the characters, and none of them could be considered scrappy ones. In fact, I love reading love stories where childhood friends become lovers. I don't know why I felt like there was something missing in the story, and something about Rhys and Melina's relationship felt a bit off to me. The problem was that the story itself didn't make much sense. Besides, I didn’t believe more than half of what happened between them.
Not that I didn’t enjoy this book—just that I couldn’t count the number of times I rolled my eyes while reading this!
Near the end of the story where Rhys and Melina misunderstood each other, I expected to see Rhys beg and grovel just to get her back. Instead, I found that . Oh, come on! I was upset!
Although this book didn't wow me, I really enjoyed the hot steamy romance between them. So, I guess it wasn't the book, it was me. Yes, I’m a picky one!
This was a good romance: Melina, at age 14, meets the 16-y-o Dalton twins, Max and Rhys. She loves Max like a brother but is in love with Rhys. At age 27 Melina still loves Rhys. She has had several affairs which have all ended with a blow to her self-esteem. She feels she doesn't have the "sexiness" to hold onto a lover. Melina and her BFFs concoct a plan in which she will ask Max to spend a weekend tutoring her in sex and passion. Of course, Max knows Melina loves Rhys and plans on getting Rhys into the bedroom in his place. What follows is two days steeped in sex. I usually like a little sex thrown in a novel to enhance the romance. With This Magic Moment I got a little romance thrown into the sex. I'm no prude. There isn't much I haven't done, seen done, or been told about by people who did it themselves. But I have to admit that so much sex in a novel can get a little boring. I was anxious for Melina and Rhys to get out of the bedroom and live their lives in the world.
This Magic Moment is realistic, steamy and passionate story, one that I really enjoyed. I was very impressed with the passion Virna DePaul adds in her book. I really liked the realistic feel the author adds between these two, they start out as teens and in one moment things change, only to get another chance later in life. But when Rays and Melina finally gets that chance they have to learn to stay together. Just because these two finally gets hot in between the sheet one night, that doesn’t mean things are hooky dory, oh no that is far from the truth, you’ll have to read to find out why. Oh yea, I need to mention there’s some hot bondage in here, but there is a twist, Rays is the one bandaged *wicked grin*
I recommend this to any erotic romance reader, which likes a steamy romance. I hope the other brother Max will have a story for me to read.
Teaser “Because despite what you obviously think, men are complicated. Pleasure is complicated. It’s not just a matter of telling someone what I like. It’s about you figuring it out. Reading the signs. Learning to trust your instincts. And then acting even though it makes you uncomfortable. Because you know that in the end, the pleasure’s going to be worth it.”
I love unrequited love and when it's on both sides it's double the pleasure.
I love that we got the prologue of these two when they were young. I loved that Melina can tell the twins apart and that Max will never be more than a friend to her. I loved the girls night in and how Melina's BFF's get to ask Max to tutor her in the sack. HA! This book was fun.
Sure, there was a bit of suspension of belief when Melina turned into Velma without her glasses on with that first encounter and doesn't consciously realize she is in bed with Rhys but Rhys was so damn sexy I honestly didn't care.
What I really liked about this was Melina not being the typical woman of size, she had softness and curves and small breasts (THANK YOU AUTHOR! Not every bigger girl has huge ass boobs!) and that Rhys loves every fucking inch of her because of who she is AND because of her body. He loves the whole package that is his Lady Bug and shows it over and over and holy hell, over again.
The twins being magicians was different but I liked it.
I really like Melina's BFF's and am moving on to Grace's book because I need to see Max lose his shit over a girl.
This book was described to me as "like The Prestige but with more sex". This was technically accurate, as the story is partly about how hard it is to be in a relationship with/as a magician, and also (spoilers for The Prestige follow) . But the similarities are only surface deep.
Melina Parker is an entomologist with a longstanding crush on Rhys Dalton, a childhood friend who has become a famous illusionist. When a thoughtless ex-boyfriend shatters her confidence by telling her she's terrible in bed, she proactively seeks out training. But she doesn't want assistance from a stranger, and she dare not ask it from the apparently-indifferent Rhys. So instead she chooses a man she trusts but doesn't love - Rhys' twin brother, Max. But her trust might have been misplaced.
Bedding the Wrong Brother (as only an idiot wouldn't guess from the title) is a romance novel, with likeable characters, good occupational detail and vivid sex scenes. It's surprisingly wholesome, which might turn a certain kind of romance-enthusiast off. But other readers (like me) will intend to only read the prologue and will find themselves finishing the whole thing. I might just pick up the sequel.
This book was provided Through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Melina Parker has known the famous Magicians, the Dalton twins, Max and Rhys since they were children. Melina has been close to both brothers, but always had a crush on Rhys. She embarks on improving her sex life, after being told by her previous boyfriends that she is rubbish in bed. So deciding on asking Max to teach her what to do. Max tricks Rhys to take his place and this is when the book starts to pick up.
However for me, I did not really connect with Melina and Rhys. Felt the storyline was a little predictable and would have liked things to be more spicer betweent he two characters.
With a title like Bedding the Wrong Brother, I couldn't help but to be enticed and pulled in by this one. And I was completely surprised by how much awesome Virna DePaul packed into this one! I loved it.
Both Melina and Rhys were fantastic characters - I loved the stunt Max pulled to get them together, and everything that followed. Melina is a bug scientist - which is definitely off the beaten track, and I loved that Rhys and Max were magicians, totally unique.
I cannot wait to read more from Virna DePaul, and even more so, I cannot wait to read the second book in the series, Bedding the Bad Boy, which is Max's story. A definite must read.
3.5. Stars. I've had this book on my Kindle for a while and I've just now gotten around to reading it. I enjoyed the book. It had a good plot, it wasn't really drama filled and I liked Rhys and Max. There were times that Melina annoyed me a little. I felt that she was a bit immature in some instances (I think because she was a bit wishy-washy) and that rubbed me the wrong way, but overall, she was a likeable heroine. I would've liked to have gotten to know the secondary characters a bit more since the other books in the series are about them. I don't feel that there was enough development on them (except maybe for Max) to make me want to continue with the series. There was just that little tidbit thrown in at the epilogue and it seemed like an afterthought for both Lucy and Grace since they were part of the deal with Melina at the beginning of the book. There really wasn't much mention of them after that except in minor details. They did reappear, but I just felt that they both could've played a bigger role and more details could've been given to lead into the rest of the series and their upcoming relationships to make the reader want to continue with the series. This was a stand-alone book and I liked that nothing was drug out to the next book because it wasn't necessary. Rhys and Melina have good chemistry together and I thought it was sweet how he was able to bring her out of her shell. Overall it was a good book and a fun read!
However, please don't confuse that short and to the point sentence with me not liking it. It was okay, and I did actually enjoy it. At times I felt like knocking Rhys and Melina's head together though.
Also, as pretty much of an Alpha female, I found her a little self-pitying and woe-is-me, but that is just from my own point of view.
The sex scenes were a little tame, and it would have been nice to see them spiced up a little more, as what was the point of education if it wasn't far reaching?
On my usual bug bear of typographic and grammar errors, I don't really remember seeing any, however there were a couple of blank page formatting errors that it would be nice to see fixed.
Happy to give it a 3.5 star review on here, but I'd feel guilty giving it a 3 on Amazon/Good Reads, so I will generously upgrade it to a 4.
Note to self: you would probably read other title by this author.
Contemporary romance about second chances childhood friends mixed with lots of misunderstanding between Melina Parker and the twin brothers, Max and Rhys Dalton. There is lots of magic tricks and magicians in the story which is fun and makes the story different from the usual romance story. Max and Rhys Dalton are identical twins which no one seems to be able to tell the difference except their childhood buddy Melina. Melina always can tell the difference, even from a far because she has always been in love with Rhys and he is totally different and special to her. Lots of sexy foreplay in this story where Rhys 'Max' is supposed to be teaching her how to be sexy because her previous boyfriends have dubbed her a cold fish and not at all passionate. So this was a sweet mix of friendship and sexy time. Well written and edited. 170 pages and kindle freebie 2 and half stars
Okay, when I read the synopsis for this book, I was really hoping for a story like Wrong Bed, Right Guy...not quite, or rather, not at all. I felt that Rhys was a little on the dull side, as was Melina. I just never felt the passion for or between them. And I didn't understand Max at all. I'll admit that there were MANY times that I found myself skimming over page after page because I was just that disinterested in the story. Too much repetitive information about their past, and their current state, and yada, yada, yada. I wish the characters had been better developed in all those times rather than listening to something about bugs, or their newest magic contraption. Just overall not great, but not horrible either, just extremely middle of the road.
Melina was complaint by her ex-boyfriend that she didn't have skill in bed. So she decided to practice it with her childhood friend, Max. But instead of her friend, she accidentally slept with his twin brother, Rhys.
Rhys had fallen in love with Melina since he was young. But it seemed that she liked his brother much more than himself. So even he was surprised when she threw herself at him, Rhys deided to go along with it.
This storyline intrigued me. It seemed that practiced her skill in bed with her childhood friend was not bad idea (this is the novel anyway). But when I read, I found it was really hard to believe. Her personality didn't got along with that attitude.
"Bedding the Wrong Brother" by Virna DePaul is my first read by this offer, but it will not be my last. This story was a quick, HOT read and I found myself not wanting to put it down.
Melina grew up with Rhys and Max. The boys are twin brothers. Even though she got along well with them both there was something that was always there between Rhys and his ladybug. Melina is unlucky in love and asks Max to show her how to please a man. Rhys does not like this one bit.
So much to this story that I can't say because it'll give it away. You'll enjoy it from beginning to end.
This book was an interesting read because I've never read a book with magician. Mel kinda annoyed me at times. In the beginning she was annoying . Rhys is...interesting. I didn't FALL in love with him but there was a hint of a crush. It's really important for me to fall INLOVE with the characters especially the guys because if I fall INLOVE ill love the story even more. Above all this was a fun read and I really enjoyed it.
Melina’s last three serious boyfriends dumped her, telling her she wasn’t very good in bed. With her biological clock ticking, Melina’s friends dare her to find a tutor to help her in the sack. And while she’s always loved and wanted Rhys since she was a teen, she turns to his twin brother Max for help, knowing he’s a safe choice.
Rhys thinks the world of Melina, but after seeing her kiss his twin when she was 16, he thinks he’d only be a stand-in replacement for his twin. However, when Max tricks him (and Melina) into a compromising situation, Rhys jumps in with both feet in order to be with Melina, even if it’s just for a short time.
Bedding the Wrong Brother has a silly premise, making it perfect for the Bananapants! theme. And after it’s all said and done, I find the writing and story are also on the Bananapants! side. At first I enjoyed the story. The pair has an unrequited love that needs something big to push them together. Tricking the pair into sleeping together does it. I appreciate that they are willing to explore their feelings, even if it’s for a short time. But there are some underlying issues that should have been addressed and just aren’t.
First, Melina is all sorts of messed up. She has a poor body image and low self esteem which was propagated by her exes. Additionally, she’s so focused on having kids that she doesn’t think about being in a healthy relationship. She needs therapy, not to reinvent herself. I cringed several times when she’d try to mold herself into someone who would hold Rhys’s attention. I do admire that at one point after things go too far, Rhys tells her that he doesn’t want a sexy stranger, he wants and loves Melina.
Speaking of going to far… this book was published in 2013, when the frenzy for BDSM books was high due to that book with fifty shades. Melina thinks that in order to keep Rhys from getting bored, she needs to be bold and daring. She opts trying out a leather-clad Dom but is reckless in her approach. She ties up Rhys without consent. They don’t discuss a safe word and he tells her twice to untie him. That scene left me with a bad taste.
In the end, the couple finds a compromise and gets their HEA, but in my opinion, there are several steps and a whole lot of conversion missing from the equation.
Virna's story was sweet and romantic, but also so much fun! I just loved how Melina went after what she wanted, and for that matter Rhys too! Friends to lovers stories are among my favorites and this one had my full attention right from the first.
Melina Parker grew up as close friends and neighbors of the gorgeous and sexy Dalton twins, but there was a huge difference in how she felt about them. Max became her best friend and confidant, whereas Rhys, he was her secret crush. Rhys and Max are the sons of magicians and moved away to become a part of that life, but have kept in touch with Melina when possible. More so Max than Rhys, and when she hits a rough spot in her love life it's Max she turns too. But Max knows Melina's secret and believes Rhys feels the same way, so he plays matchmaker. He does a twin switcheroo on Melina and doesn't tell Rhys the true circumstances, letting him believe it was him Melina wanted "lessons" from all along. Rhys was happy to oblige, because Max was right, Rhys has always wanted Melina too.
I liked this story a lot. The characters and storyline were all well-done and kept my interest from start to finish.
There were two good scenes: the one where she "beds the wrong brother", and the one where they talk about what happened when they were young. Except for that, I did not like the dynamics between them, where he teaches her how to be more confident sexually. It felt like too many lessons for the reader about sex, anticipation, unpredictability, passion, blahblahblah.
*start of rant* I wish authors would stop starting books with a scene the lead female gets together with girlfriends, who inevitably 1) say how great a person the lead female is and 2) talk her into getting out more or just getting into bed with either a stranger or an old friend. It is unoriginal. It also gives zero information. Of course, we know the heroin is having trouble finding love - it is a romance for crying out loud!!!
My new rule: I would immediately stop reading any book that starts with such a scene. *end of rant*
I really wanted to give this book a great review because I liked the story. I just could not connect with Melina. After reading some really great stories I was actually afraid to even write this review because I could not get into the book. When the book first started I was like YAY this is going to be fun and interesting but, by the time I got to the third of fourth chapter I was screaming at Melina and Rhys and Max and my husband because I was irritated. I was bored but, I wanted the story to jump alive. It was way to predictible for my tastes and it didn't give me enough to like the characters. Now what I will not say is that story was horrible because it wasn't. I liked it but, I did not enjoy it. Maybe it was me coming down from my recent book high of four and five star books. So 2.5 stars because I am going to rate closest to 2.0.. it was okay!
Tropes: - Thought it was unrequited but wasn’t - Mistaken identity - He teaches her - Best friends twin brother
Loved🥰: - Ended up being a lot more deep than I was expecting - The emphasis on communication in relationships - Fast, steamy & entertaining
Liked☺️: - The meddling twin brother that neither of the main characters knew about til the end - The “it’s always been you moment”
Drawbacks (for me personally)🤷🏻♀️: - I think the book could have done with an extra 30 or so pages just so the make up at the end didn’t feel so rushed
I liked this book until near the end where there is, essentially, a rape scene which is not treated like a rape scene. I felt like the author downplayed what happened because it was a male tied down and saying no and the woman continuing the sexual activity.
The man did not give consent. In fact, he said something to the effect of "I'm not playing. Untie me now" and the woman didn't listen. It doesn't matter that they were in love. That is rape.
Honestly, this scene and the lack of care taken in writing it and the aftermath ruined the entire book for me.
WOW. I did not expect this book to be so good and grab me form the very beginning. The characters had such good chemistry that I had trouble putting it down. Rhys, I love the quiet brooding type that has a secret crush on his best friend. While his twin Max is the outgoing brother who has a closer relationship with Melina. One-night changes everything. Will Melina be able to tell Rhys what she has always felt for him without scaring him out of her life forever. Will Rhys be able to have the girl of his dreams and his career he loves just as much.