Casey

Secret Confessions: Down & Dusty #1

by Rachael Johns

This is the first book of eight brand-new stories from some of Australia's hottest writers in Australia's hottest genre. From the bar stools of the local pub to the wide open plains of the biggest stations in the world, these tales travel the dusty roads to the heart of Australia and the women who understand how to work hard -- and play even harder.

In the latest in the wildly successful Secret Confessions series from Escape Publishing, the women of Down & Dusty invite you into their lives -- and their bedrooms.
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Welcome to the HEART - and HEAT - of Australia …

They say that no one has secrets in a small town - these women prove them wrong.

Casey Cooper left her husband and the small town of Milpinyani Springs in her dust a year ago, vowing never to return.

But a favour to a friend finds her back in town—and back in her husband’s garage, where he offers her a proposition too sexy to refuse.

A naked Joel has always been the one thing Casey can’t resist - but can her heart handle the heat?
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Secret Confessions: Down & Dusty
Book #1: Casey by Rachael Johns
Book #2: Lucky by Cate Ellink
Book #3: Kelly by Fiona Lowe
Book #4: Brooke by Eden Summers
Book #5: Clarissa by Mel Teshco
Book #6: Skye by Rhyll Biest
Book #7: Maree by Elizabeth Dunk
Book #8: Frankie by Jackie Ashenden

Genres: Contemporary, Second Chance, Romance, Australia

60 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 2016

About the author

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachae...

Reviews

[marlin1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey is returning to Milpinyani Springs (pop 356) to help her friend Lucky with her pub for the Rodeo Weekend and maybe serve divorce papers on her husband Joel.
Agreeing to dinner at the pub with him, Joel makes Casey a proposition, a bedroom one.......can she refuse?
This was one short, hot story 5/5 flames from me and there's not much more I can say!
I'll look forward to delving in and out of the other Secret Confessions: Down and Dusty at whim.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of 8 novellas, so it’ll be a quickshot review of each of them individually, since they are going on sale that way as opposed to being sold as a collection.


I liked it. Good chemistry, and fun sex scenes, but I did have issues with h’s outside relationship while estranged from H.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Confessions - Down and Dusty is a collection of eight short and steamy stories by some of Australia's hottest writers.
This collection was received as one book through netgalley. However each story will be reviewed and released separately.

This second chance love story was hot and steamy. It was a fun read and I'm sure Rachael had a lot of fun writing it. A bit spicier than her usual Rural Romance novels.

[Sharah McConville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey is a short story by well-known Aussie author, Rachael Johns. This is a little bit spicier than her other books, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

[Fiona Marsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very short story, under forty pages. It's a reunion story so the short format works well. Joel and Casey were sweethearts from way back in a small country town. The sex was blistering hot but after a while Casey wanted more. Picket fences, children, the grown up things. Joel didn't seem to get it so she shot through. Now she's back to help out one of her girl friends and while she's here, finalise the paperwork for a divorce from Joel cos she's found herself a man who can give her what she wants. Or what she thinks she wants.

This series is about erotic romance, so you can guess that when Joel and Casey meet again, it's going to be combustible. It was. Casey is also going to learn a few things about what's been happening with Joel that will change how she sees him.

Overall this was a nice, rather steamy, little reunion story. Of course I'm disappointed that Casey was with another man while still married. It didn't even seem to be absolutely necessary to the plot considering the impact lasted about two paragraphs and there was plenty of other conflict to carry a story of this length. Other people won't be bothered by it. Rachael always pens a good tale though this is a tad warmer than her standard rural romances.

Received an ARC from Netgalley for review.

[Donna Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindly provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.......

8 Sizzling Short Stories from 8 authors. Casey and Joel, Lucky and Dare, Kelly and Grant, Brooke and Heath, Clarissa and Brandon & Adam, Skye and Bret, Maree and Brad and Frankie and Mac....second chance at true love, re-kindling, mixing it up, best friends to lovers, older women finds true lover with her younger man and finally the Step brother lover. All awesome short reads !!!!

Fun, witty, well written read. Definitely worth a go for those hopeless romantic's out there......that would be me too ;0)

Well done All author's and many thanks for this opportunity x

Later peeps xx

[AusRomToday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sizzling read that, though short, really highlights Johns’ storytelling ability.

Casey & Joels love story is one of growing up and growing together, the vulnerability and passion of love and is a delightful mix of sweet romance and sizzling sensuality.

An incredible start to the series.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This particular anthology has been difficult writing a review; not because of the stories but because of the set up. I received Secret Confessions: Down & Dusty by Rachael Johns, Cate Ellink, Fiona Lowe, Eden Summers, Mel Teshco, Rhyll Biest, Elizabeth Dunk, and Jackie Ashendale as a complete anthology from NetGalley. However, in looking at how to review each story has been e-published as a separate story. Perhaps at a later time they will be combined in one print issue. Since none are very long novellas that would be seemingly the possible answer. All are interesting, giving the reader a taste of each of the author’s style. For me this was great since a couple of the writers I had never read before. It is a pleasure to get to know these women who are smart, strong and deserving of love.
This series is connected by the eight women in the stories who live in a small Australian Queensland town of Milpinyani Springs. I am one of those people who like reading a series in order, usually I do not include such list but this time it is as follows: Reading order

1. Casey—Rachael Johns
2. Lucky—Cate Ellink
3. Kelly—Fiona Lowe
4. Brooke—Eden Summers
5. Clarissa—Mel Teshco
6. Skye—Rhyll Biest
7. Maree—Elizabeth Dunk
8. Frankie—Jackie Ashenden

Casey by Rachael Johns is a hot story of second chance at love and marriage between two childhood sweethearts who are on the verge of divorce. Casey is a very likable woman while the divorced seems as if it is just a formality in her mind, I would have liked her even more if she had not had a man in the wings waiting. Joel for his part was a clueless as many men seem to be.
Good story of two people who belonged together. Rachael Johns delivers a solid realistic story of rekindling your forgotten love Wonderful start of to entice the reader to want to read all.

Copy provided by the publisher through Net Galley for an honest review.

[Christi Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Quickie Review:

This is a very short story so I'm just going to do a quick review for it. This is a very sweet, very readable story about a couple with a second chance...even if Casey doesn't realize that this is what this is. She thinks she's home to get the divorce papers signed. But Joel has other plans...he wants to win her back.

Like I said the story is very short...you can easily read it in under an hour, so there's a lot of back-story and emotion that's inferred. These are two people who were very much in love. They just hit a snag in what they found important in life. Since then, Joel has realized that Casey had a point. But that love and chemistry is still there between them. (Note: this may be a short story, but it definitely doesn't lack in the hot sexy times.)

It was a fun little diversion. As usual, Rachael Johns's writing is completely engaging and entertaining. I love her style. I just wish that more of her books were released in the US. But in the meantime, I just enjoy gems like this that is released here and take an afternoon to escape to Australia. Maybe someday I'll get to go there in real life...not just the incredibly fictional world Rachael Johns creates in the ranch lands of the Outback.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one hot steamy re-union story set in the small town of Milpinyani where everyone knows everyone, Casey is back home to help a friend and get her husband Joel to agree to a divorce because she has met someone else who is prepared to give her what she wants house and family but when they meet again after a year the sizzle is still there and they cannot wait to get each others clothes off.

I really enjoyed this one MS Johns always writes a great story that will pull you in and this one did that take note you will need a fan and maybe a ice water great story.

[Bethanie Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of a series of eight novellas by Australian authors and it sets them off at a steamy pace.
Casey heads to her hometown for two reasons - to help out a friend and finalise things with her estranged husband.
The first task is completed but the second falls apart when she is unable to constrain the sexual chemistry between herself and her estranged husband Joel.
I always enjoy Rachael's books and this was no exception. A quick easy read, with a touch more spice than usual!
I will certainly be checking out some of the other novellas from the series.

[Talking Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the start of an 8 story novella series titled Secret Confessions: Down and Dusty from Escape Publishing and its authors, and what a start it is! The first installment with main character Casey and Joel - a quick read but the story lacked nothing! Passion aplenty and a reunion that screamed fireworks! One of the hottest, steamiest yet beautiful reads from author Rachael Johns this reader has read yet. A great start to the the series.
Review copy kindly received from the Publisher

[Whispers From · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey comes back to town for two reasons..to help Lucky at the bar and ask her husband for a divorce. She has been gone for a year and is ready to start over with someone else. Joel challenges her that if she doesn't climax with him, he'll sign the papers.
Very short and scorching hot. Told with only Casey's point of view.

[Bettina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not usually a huge fan of short stories, but as usual Rachael Johns had me hooked from the first page! If only the story was longer though.

Had a chuckle to myself when Casey went into the pub and ordered a Diet Coke. Haha typical Rachael style! :)

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun (and very steamy!) little story about a second chance at first love.

If I had a gripe, it would be that it wasn't quite long enough!

[A.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey left town more than a year ago. But she left her husband behind. She and Joel Cooper were each other’s first everything. But she’s come back to ask him to sign the divorce papers.
But being physically close to her ex is a very bad idea; especially when he thinks she’s still his.
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Yeah -Aussie language. Wankers, no worries, and knickers. Woot.
Wait… I should say ‘you bonza bewdy, mate’.
Cheating is usually a no in romance, and Casey has moved on already with another bloke who has bought her a car. Although I wanna say he’s toast; she doesn’t even phone him once when she’s away from him for a week. Tough break, Sam.
I’m not entirely convinced that Joel has changed, but it’s enough for Casey, so she’s sticking around.
3 stars

[Angela Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story, not a novel.

To be honest, I only read it because I have become a fan of Rachael Johns' work after reading some of her other books so figured I'd give a shot - short stories are not usually my thing.

I find it hard to review a short story because there isn't time or room in this genre to do the things I would want done to the story, which would make it a novel rather than a short story, so, I'm giving it a neutral review of 3 (I didn't dislike it - short stories just aren't for me).

For what it was, it was an enjoyable story and one that could potentially be fleshed out into a full novel.

[Vonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had I realized how short this series of books was, I would've been dusted and done years ago. Jesus...

Anyway, not enough here to even garner a hefty review. This is really things I dislike about novellas at times when the story or motivation behind what stirs the story is interesting. Too short to get to the nitty gritty and then you throw in too much sex, but then I think that was the point of this collection. To be short erotica. Plain and simple.

Just a dumb case of horrible miscommunications when sex, chemistry and physical attraction is all that drove you to couple up.

ONE conversation, with honesty, would have saved this a "lost" year in this marriage. Oh, man...

[T. Rosado · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Great author, but too short of a story to really experience her deft with romance. There were a few too many elements to the storyline that I felt needed closure and a short story doesn't allow that. Remove some of those and this would have been a 4-5 star short story.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

These novellas are very short and hot. Casey and Joel have amazing chemistry, and Joel has done some growing up - good story.

Bought from kindle

[Robby Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great steamy short story

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little different and hotter than normal! Phew

[Maree Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, steamy read to while away the afternoon!
Thank you Rachael, I now need to have a nice cold shower ;-)

[Jodie (Sunshinejode) W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this spicy book, nice quick read!

[Angela Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story, not a novel.

To be honest, I only read it because I have become a fan of Rachael Johns' work after reading some of her other books so figured I'd give a shot - short stories are not usually my thing.

I find it hard to review a short story because there isn't time or room in this genre to do the things I would want done to the story, which would make it a novel rather than a short story, so, I'm giving it a neutral review of 3 (I didn't dislike it - short stories just aren't for me).

For what it was, it was an enjoyable story and one that could potentially be fleshed out into a full novel.

[Tanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !!

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too short