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Uncommon #2
Una passione come nessun'altra
Dopo aver abbandonato la rigida comunità religiosa che l'ha cresciuta, Rachel è determinata a vivere libera e sperimentare tutto quello che le è stato finora proibito, incluso il sesso. Così partecipa a un'asta per scapoli e si aggiudica per una notte Ben Harris, affascinante ed enigmatico agente delle unità speciali antiterrorismo. Ben è abituato a vivere di pericolo e adrenalina, e quando si rende conto che Rachel è vergine si sente invadere dal senso di colpa, e si offre di educarla alla passione, senza impegni di alcun genere. Ma quanto tempo può passare, prima che l'allieva superi il maestro?
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2013
40 people are currently reading
1932 people want to read
About the author
Anne Calhoun
53 books656 followersAfter doing time at Fortune 500 companies on both coasts, I found myself living in the suburbs of a small Midwestern city. The glamour of various cube farm jobs had worn off, so I gave up making a decent living to take Joseph Campbell’s advice and follow my bliss: writing romance.
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September 8, 2013
4.5 stars.*****Review completed September 8, 2013
Holy Hotness Batman!
Rachel Hill, a virgin, (no spoiler, read the blurb) left the devout Elysian Fields Community of God to discover what life has to offer, and she savors her newly found liberties tremendously. Besides, she enjoys her work at a farm to save money so she can go to vet tech school. And she's very keen on loosing her virginity. In fact, she wants to explore all kinds of new feelings without restraints and is ready to "sin". Her plan seems to work when she sets her eyes on a specific and very sexy man who attends an auction at a fund-raiser. It's badass SWAT officer Ben Harris who is sporting a flirtatious and dangerous smile and has trouble stamped on his forehead. Rachel pays a cool to spend a nice evening with him. They fix a date, eat dinner and have sex. The morning after, however, Ben is stunned to find blood at the base of his dick and condom and he demands an explanation from Rachel.
The story takes it from there, and what was intended to be educational, no-strings-attached sex becomes something more; something intense and complicated.
And then Baba did a 180 when she read that:
"I trust you. But that's not what I want to do today.
Heart to full stop. He stared at her, not sure he'd heard her correctly. He bit back his automatic response of fuck, no. "Come again?"
Oh, Ben, close your mouth please. *sigh*
Anne, you snarky woman, you did surprise me! Lol I mean I expected another sizzling hot scene à la
"Has anyone ever set out to
(…)
"Trust me, Ben."
What followed suit was fan-fucking-tastic sex. *shiver*
According to Anne Calhoun this is Ben. I like his smile.
Minor quibbles
Throughout the entire book I so wanted to see Ben cuddle with Rachel. Darn, it didn't happen until the end. In any event, the header of the story is more like sizzling hot sex lessons on Sundays, no cuddling included anyway. That's the reason I "only" gave this book 4.5 stars. Then again I shouldn't complain at all because Anne portrayed Ben realistically. Ben's behavior reflected his character and it took him a while to change his habits which was fine by me. Ultimately, the love weaseled its way into Ben's life towards the end of the plot. Irrevocably.
We shouldn't forget either that at its core Uncommon Passion is an erotica book with plenty of panty melting and absolutely fabulous sex scenes.
I think the cover doesn't reflect the story in the least. I would have chosen something way more erotic and sensual; maybe a man and a woman, probably something in black and white. There is nothing more beautiful than a black and white cover that depicts a couple in the throes of passion. Sorry, but when it comes to black and white photography I'm clearly biased. :)
While I wasn't a fan of the first sex scene I must confess it was authentic and could have happened this way in real life too. I will, however, stick to my opinion that Uncommon Passion contains the best sex scene that Anne has ever written. What happened at 54 % left me totally breathless and stunned. A perfect symbiosis of passion, want, need, sensuality and awareness--heart and soul aligned. This scene was absolutely perfect in its white-hot intensity. It's kinda odd because I can't really describe what happened there and then. Even though they didn't love each other yet, it was so much more than sex. Geez, the whole thing ended with Ben being thoroughly shaken to his core. So, so beautiful. I can't tell you how much I loved and treasured this scene. Rachel took him apart with her fingers, mouth, tongue and her entire body.
I marvel at Anne's writing skills; what a heady flavor!
It's amazing how Anne orchestrates the sex scenes. There is so much pulsating energy that will make you feel giddy, wanton and alive. Hell, Ben can push me against a wall any day--I'm game, you sexy beast! Anne's writing is voluptuousness pure because she makes you feel all kinds of intricate emotions. Witnessing the level of sensuality, eroticism and emotion that this story provided was incredibly delicious. I just wanted to wallow in it and…just feel. That's exactly what distinguishes her erotic stories from plain ole porn. Anne has a way to heighten my awareness, to make me want to soak up every word she writes. Due to the fact that she accomplishes to put so much emotion into her words, her stories have a great forward movement; it's addictive, once I start to read one of her books, it's hard to put down again.
Ben's uniform is his shield and it gets him women. Lots of women, actually, and lots of meaningless sex. Yet the sex only feeds his resentment and anger. I was frustrated over Ben's obstinacy several times, yet I was rooting for him when he finally, finally, came around. There is nothing better than a tough man dealing with his fears and shortcomings and falling down on his knees eventually. Imagine a suitcase filled with stones. That's exactly what Ben was lugging around for the last fourteen years, and when you have such a heavy load to deal with, not everything will be sunshine and roses only because a wonderful and pure woman steps into your life. It's a process that takes time. What happened with Ben when he met Rachel is, in a sense, comparable to the five stages of grief. Denial and Isolation. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. I won't lie, Ben is very hard to love. And even though it took such a long time for him to show openly that he is an all-around great man, someone who cares so deeply, it was so worth waiting for. The longer the wait the sweeter the reward, because the final 10 % were incredibly beautiful, romantic and filled with the good kind of sweetness.
Rachel was a remarkable heroine, definitely no whiny wallflower at all and a quick study. Ben can tell you a thing or two about it. In spite of her religious background she wasn't the helpless victim, and she wasn't someone who we should pity either. If anything, she showed her true qualities when she took Ben apart. She is strong and empathic. Although she lacked experience in many areas of life, she is a rather perceptive woman, and after a while she looked right through Ben's armor. What I also loved about her was the fact that she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself, to voice her opinion and to make demands. Rachel really knew what she wanted out of life and worked hard to achieve her goals.
A nice bonus was Ben's One look at and I was so excited that I let Anne know she should Here is a little part of her response:
Oh my, please do it! Pretty please! Am I allowed to squeal?
You must listen to this song when you are reading the final 10 % of the story. So good!
Uncommon Passion is an excellent erotic romance novel. It does provide everything I need and want in my erotic stories. Scorching hot and utterly erotic and sensual sex as well as great and multilayered characters. Plus, there is even a good plot to go along with the steamy sex. What more could one want? Read it. Satisfaction guaranteed--pun intended.
The light shone again for Ben thanks to Rachel. Ben gave Rachel sex lessons and Rachel taught him how to love. A perfect symbiosis.
Uncommon Passion is a must read for every erotica fan.
Warning
Uncommon Passion contains plenty of explicit sex (incl. oral but no anal),
It's NOT a BDSM book.
Holy Hotness Batman!
Rachel Hill, a virgin, (no spoiler, read the blurb) left the devout Elysian Fields Community of God to discover what life has to offer, and she savors her newly found liberties tremendously. Besides, she enjoys her work at a farm to save money so she can go to vet tech school. And she's very keen on loosing her virginity. In fact, she wants to explore all kinds of new feelings without restraints and is ready to "sin". Her plan seems to work when she sets her eyes on a specific and very sexy man who attends an auction at a fund-raiser. It's badass SWAT officer Ben Harris who is sporting a flirtatious and dangerous smile and has trouble stamped on his forehead. Rachel pays a cool to spend a nice evening with him. They fix a date, eat dinner and have sex. The morning after, however, Ben is stunned to find blood at the base of his dick and condom and he demands an explanation from Rachel.
He lowered his voice just a little. "I want an explanation. You want to do it again. Longer. Slower. Hotter. This time we'll both get what we want."
The story takes it from there, and what was intended to be educational, no-strings-attached sex becomes something more; something intense and complicated.
Heat rose in the golden brown depths, transforming them into aged whiskey. When her soft pink lips parted, he couldn't help himself. He bent and kissed her, lightly at first, using heat and the merest pressure to tempt her to open to him, then touched the tip of his tongue to hers. She shuddered from head to toe when he did, and he edged her panties down a little farther to the tops of her thighs.
And then Baba did a 180 when she read that:
"I trust you. But that's not what I want to do today.
Heart to full stop. He stared at her, not sure he'd heard her correctly. He bit back his automatic response of fuck, no. "Come again?"
Oh, Ben, close your mouth please. *sigh*
Anne, you snarky woman, you did surprise me! Lol I mean I expected another sizzling hot scene à la
"Has anyone ever set out to
(…)
"Trust me, Ben."
What followed suit was fan-fucking-tastic sex. *shiver*
Then her mouth covered his, her hands holding his face where she wanted it, and the heat and need in the kiss immobilized him. It was complex, an intricate blend of tongue and lips brushing, nibbles and sucks to his lips, calling him out of the past, and when it ended he was in a state of sexual arousal unlike any he'd ever known. Maybe, MAYBE he'd taken this kind of time with a woman. Never had a woman taken this kind of time with him.
According to Anne Calhoun this is Ben. I like his smile.
Minor quibbles
Throughout the entire book I so wanted to see Ben cuddle with Rachel. Darn, it didn't happen until the end. In any event, the header of the story is more like sizzling hot sex lessons on Sundays, no cuddling included anyway. That's the reason I "only" gave this book 4.5 stars. Then again I shouldn't complain at all because Anne portrayed Ben realistically. Ben's behavior reflected his character and it took him a while to change his habits which was fine by me. Ultimately, the love weaseled its way into Ben's life towards the end of the plot. Irrevocably.
We shouldn't forget either that at its core Uncommon Passion is an erotica book with plenty of panty melting and absolutely fabulous sex scenes.
I think the cover doesn't reflect the story in the least. I would have chosen something way more erotic and sensual; maybe a man and a woman, probably something in black and white. There is nothing more beautiful than a black and white cover that depicts a couple in the throes of passion. Sorry, but when it comes to black and white photography I'm clearly biased. :)
While I wasn't a fan of the first sex scene I must confess it was authentic and could have happened this way in real life too. I will, however, stick to my opinion that Uncommon Passion contains the best sex scene that Anne has ever written. What happened at 54 % left me totally breathless and stunned. A perfect symbiosis of passion, want, need, sensuality and awareness--heart and soul aligned. This scene was absolutely perfect in its white-hot intensity. It's kinda odd because I can't really describe what happened there and then. Even though they didn't love each other yet, it was so much more than sex. Geez, the whole thing ended with Ben being thoroughly shaken to his core. So, so beautiful. I can't tell you how much I loved and treasured this scene. Rachel took him apart with her fingers, mouth, tongue and her entire body.
I marvel at Anne's writing skills; what a heady flavor!
It's amazing how Anne orchestrates the sex scenes. There is so much pulsating energy that will make you feel giddy, wanton and alive. Hell, Ben can push me against a wall any day--I'm game, you sexy beast! Anne's writing is voluptuousness pure because she makes you feel all kinds of intricate emotions. Witnessing the level of sensuality, eroticism and emotion that this story provided was incredibly delicious. I just wanted to wallow in it and…just feel. That's exactly what distinguishes her erotic stories from plain ole porn. Anne has a way to heighten my awareness, to make me want to soak up every word she writes. Due to the fact that she accomplishes to put so much emotion into her words, her stories have a great forward movement; it's addictive, once I start to read one of her books, it's hard to put down again.
Ben's uniform is his shield and it gets him women. Lots of women, actually, and lots of meaningless sex. Yet the sex only feeds his resentment and anger. I was frustrated over Ben's obstinacy several times, yet I was rooting for him when he finally, finally, came around. There is nothing better than a tough man dealing with his fears and shortcomings and falling down on his knees eventually. Imagine a suitcase filled with stones. That's exactly what Ben was lugging around for the last fourteen years, and when you have such a heavy load to deal with, not everything will be sunshine and roses only because a wonderful and pure woman steps into your life. It's a process that takes time. What happened with Ben when he met Rachel is, in a sense, comparable to the five stages of grief. Denial and Isolation. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. I won't lie, Ben is very hard to love. And even though it took such a long time for him to show openly that he is an all-around great man, someone who cares so deeply, it was so worth waiting for. The longer the wait the sweeter the reward, because the final 10 % were incredibly beautiful, romantic and filled with the good kind of sweetness.
Rachel was a remarkable heroine, definitely no whiny wallflower at all and a quick study. Ben can tell you a thing or two about it. In spite of her religious background she wasn't the helpless victim, and she wasn't someone who we should pity either. If anything, she showed her true qualities when she took Ben apart. She is strong and empathic. Although she lacked experience in many areas of life, she is a rather perceptive woman, and after a while she looked right through Ben's armor. What I also loved about her was the fact that she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself, to voice her opinion and to make demands. Rachel really knew what she wanted out of life and worked hard to achieve her goals.
A nice bonus was Ben's One look at and I was so excited that I let Anne know she should Here is a little part of her response:
Oh my, please do it! Pretty please! Am I allowed to squeal?
You must listen to this song when you are reading the final 10 % of the story. So good!
Uncommon Passion is an excellent erotic romance novel. It does provide everything I need and want in my erotic stories. Scorching hot and utterly erotic and sensual sex as well as great and multilayered characters. Plus, there is even a good plot to go along with the steamy sex. What more could one want? Read it. Satisfaction guaranteed--pun intended.
The light shone again for Ben thanks to Rachel. Ben gave Rachel sex lessons and Rachel taught him how to love. A perfect symbiosis.
He kissed her, and only kissed her, giving her the kiss she should have had the first night they were together. He infused it with hope and optimism, an offer of his soul and his future, everything he had and was and did was hers and hers alone. Because he could.
Uncommon Passion is a must read for every erotica fan.
Warning
Uncommon Passion contains plenty of explicit sex (incl. oral but no anal),
It's NOT a BDSM book.
September 8, 2013
OK, we have Ben as Ben …
This one was super hot. Have read a few others by Ms Calhoun and she usually never disappoints.
Rachel was at a turning point in her life, reinventing herself, after years in an enclosed religious compound. Still a virgin at 25, she wanted to experience life.
And who better to help her with all the experience – Ben, a man with plenty of experience…. Especially in the bedroom department.
But Ben was troubled, he was estranged from his parents due to circumstances that occurred years before. He felt he was not worthy of love so he usually spent his time working hard and playing harder.
Love when the love of a good woman starts to work her way into the unworthy Hero and work her way she did. I really liked Rachel, she knew what she wanted and went for it.
Won’t say much more but the sex scenes are HOT, the storyline great, the other characters in the book were good. Overall a great read.
I had a slight problem in that I felt that their story was not truly resolved but maybe that will turn up on a future book.
September 8, 2013
5 Beautifully Erotic Stars
My God, he was broken. So broken, this frightening vulnerability protected only by pieces of bulletproof vest held together with razor wire, attitude, and a smile that broke her heart every time he flashed it.
He was in too deep, she was too deep for a man like him, and he didn’t have anything left inside to give her.
Anne Calhoun has this way with writing that is captivating yet understated. It's erotic and beautifully passionate. The book draws you in from the first page, and the words will weave their way all around you, making sure you experience everything along with the characters; every smell, every feeling, every sound, every passionately erotic moment. Anne doesn't write simple erotic romances.
I have fallen in love with her writing since reading Liberating Lacey, my first book by her. And I have been singing her praises every book since. I have yet to read a book by Miss Calhoun that I haven't enjoyed, and this one was no exception. Dare I say this was her best book yet? Well it was definitely a favorite of mine.
I loved everything about this book; the story, the characters, the writing.
What I have grown to love most about Anne's writing, is the way that she is able to write a heroine that strong, but in this incredibly endearing and understated way.
Rachel has recently left the only life she has ever known inside a restrictive religious community. She may be sheltered and a virgin, but she knows what she wants and she goes after it. She wants to experience life without limitations, she wants to feel, to truly live; like a butterfly taking flight after leaving the strict cocoon that was her upbringing.
The first thing she wants to experience is passion. When she meets the sexy Swat Officer Ben Harris at a bachelor auction, she knows that he is the perfect man to give her what she wants.
Ben is a broken and jaded man, trying to bury his pain in an endless haze of adrenaline jags at work, drinking, and sex.
He's not looking for forever, he's not even looking for next week. All he cares about is the here and the now. But when he learns that Rachel is a virgin after their one night together, he sets out to make amends. He knows he can't offer her much, but what he can offer her is a no string attached sexual education and not lose her heart in the process.
Rachel never imagined that this is what she was missing; this lust, this burning hot passion that sets them both on fire.
Ben may have been detached in his life and relationships, but he was certainly not detached when it came to teaching Rachel the darker parts of passion.
The sex scenes in this book, while beautifully written, were also scorching hot.
Ben was definitely rough around the edges and loved things dirty and hot.
All Ben wanted to do was to teach Rachel about sex, and have a little fun with her while staying his jaded and detached self. But he begins to see that she is not quite what he expected
Rachel may have been sheltered, but she was not your typical virgin that you might read in a book. She had a backbone, she stood up for what she believed. But the way she went about doing it is what made her so endearing to the reader. She had a quite intensity to her. She didn't scream, she didn't cry, she didn't make stupid decisions. She remained true to herself and her desires for life throughout the whole story, and I absolutely loved that about her.
Ben begins to see that there is a whole lot more to Rachel then the naive virgin he first thought her to be.
Can Rachel get past his defenses to the beautifully broken man inside? Will Ben allow her past his walls and into his heart without breaking hers in the process?
Loved, absolutely loved this book. If you have never read a book by this author, this is the perfect one to start with. You will fall in love with the characters and the story.
For more of my reviews visit: Dirty Girl Romance Book Blog
My God, he was broken. So broken, this frightening vulnerability protected only by pieces of bulletproof vest held together with razor wire, attitude, and a smile that broke her heart every time he flashed it.
He was in too deep, she was too deep for a man like him, and he didn’t have anything left inside to give her.
Anne Calhoun has this way with writing that is captivating yet understated. It's erotic and beautifully passionate. The book draws you in from the first page, and the words will weave their way all around you, making sure you experience everything along with the characters; every smell, every feeling, every sound, every passionately erotic moment. Anne doesn't write simple erotic romances.
I have fallen in love with her writing since reading Liberating Lacey, my first book by her. And I have been singing her praises every book since. I have yet to read a book by Miss Calhoun that I haven't enjoyed, and this one was no exception. Dare I say this was her best book yet? Well it was definitely a favorite of mine.
I loved everything about this book; the story, the characters, the writing.
What I have grown to love most about Anne's writing, is the way that she is able to write a heroine that strong, but in this incredibly endearing and understated way.
Rachel has recently left the only life she has ever known inside a restrictive religious community. She may be sheltered and a virgin, but she knows what she wants and she goes after it. She wants to experience life without limitations, she wants to feel, to truly live; like a butterfly taking flight after leaving the strict cocoon that was her upbringing.
The first thing she wants to experience is passion. When she meets the sexy Swat Officer Ben Harris at a bachelor auction, she knows that he is the perfect man to give her what she wants.
Ben is a broken and jaded man, trying to bury his pain in an endless haze of adrenaline jags at work, drinking, and sex.
He's not looking for forever, he's not even looking for next week. All he cares about is the here and the now. But when he learns that Rachel is a virgin after their one night together, he sets out to make amends. He knows he can't offer her much, but what he can offer her is a no string attached sexual education and not lose her heart in the process.
Everyone was worried Rachel would get her heart broken if she didn’t get a ring and a vow and a happily ever after right out of a movie. But Rachel needed something more, something he didn’t know if he could give her. She had no shields whatsoever to protect her from anything.
Including him. The only thing he could teach her was how to harden her heart.
Rachel never imagined that this is what she was missing; this lust, this burning hot passion that sets them both on fire.
Ben may have been detached in his life and relationships, but he was certainly not detached when it came to teaching Rachel the darker parts of passion.
"I don’t use language like that.” He paused as if he were going to pull out, but then didn’t. Ensnared in need, she moaned and squirmed again. "Try ride me. Pound into me. Make me scream. Or go for the one that means all three. Try fuck me."
The sex scenes in this book, while beautifully written, were also scorching hot.
Ben was definitely rough around the edges and loved things dirty and hot.
"Should have what, Rachel? Should have fucked you on the steps while they stumbled around? Should have made you be quiet while you took my cock deep inside?" She shook her head, as much response to the tumultuous cascade of sensation his words set off as negating his interpretation.
"Should have stopped?” The whisper was dark, taunting. "Not gonna stop, Rachel." Two fingers slid inside her when he spoke, and a breathless little cry escaped her lips. "I want it right now, right the fuck now, against this wall now."
All Ben wanted to do was to teach Rachel about sex, and have a little fun with her while staying his jaded and detached self. But he begins to see that she is not quite what he expected
Rachel may have been sheltered, but she was not your typical virgin that you might read in a book. She had a backbone, she stood up for what she believed. But the way she went about doing it is what made her so endearing to the reader. She had a quite intensity to her. She didn't scream, she didn't cry, she didn't make stupid decisions. She remained true to herself and her desires for life throughout the whole story, and I absolutely loved that about her.
Ben begins to see that there is a whole lot more to Rachel then the naive virgin he first thought her to be.
Can Rachel get past his defenses to the beautifully broken man inside? Will Ben allow her past his walls and into his heart without breaking hers in the process?
Loved, absolutely loved this book. If you have never read a book by this author, this is the perfect one to start with. You will fall in love with the characters and the story.
For more of my reviews visit: Dirty Girl Romance Book Blog
September 14, 2013
She eased forward to lie against his heaving chest until the tension in his muscles eased. There was so much power to this, female power.
Okay, people! I finally get it! I understand why so many of my GR friends love Anne Calhoun as much as they do. I read Liberating Lacy many moons ago and liked it enough to give it a 4 star rating. It was good but not great as far as I was concerned and I didn’t quite get the hype. Anne Calhoun has made me see the error of my ways with Uncommon Passion and my eyes have officially been opened.
Rachel and Ben are both complex characters and that’s something I’m not used to in the world of spicyish contemporary romance. Rachel is breaking free the best way she knows how of an oppressive and controlling upbringing that never suited her. She’s determined to make it on her own terms and do things her way. Unlike other virginal, supposedly naïve contemporary romance gals, Rachel actually knows what’s up. She’s looking for the experience of a sexual relationship and she chooses her first partner based on the fact he’s going to give her some good lovin’ and move on with his life. She’s never been allowed to make her own decisions and she’s determined to fix that messed up situation Right Effing Now!
”Why did you do this?”
“Because I could,” he said with a shrug.
Her eyes narrowed slightly and her lips pursed as she considered this.
“That pisses off most girls, you know. It’s supposed to piss you off.”
“My train of thought derailed back at the idea of having sex just because you could. I’ll think about that for a while,” she said.
Ben was not prepared for Rachel in any way, shape or form. He expected to fuck her and forget her, just like he does with all of his lady friends. The fact he finds out she was a virgin too late intrigues him and when he seeks her out in an attempt to get an explanation and offer her a sort of “teacher/student” sexual relationship, he manages to underestimate her again.
She’d gotten out. People assumed virgin meant weak, naïve, insecure, even ashamed. Not Rachel. She was aware, thinking about what she did and why she did it, and strong enough to ask questions, plan, execute a course of action that left her alone in the world. She’d be easy to teach, easy to toughen up and prepare for casual sex in the modern world.
Not so fast, Ben. The very fact that Rachel stuck to her guns and remained the awesome, inquisitive, sure of herself lady she was meant to be put this book over the top for me. Ben grew. Ben changed his point of view. Ben dealt with a truckload of baggage from his past and in the process learned how to respect and care for someone else. There weren’t any signs of a meek and timid virgin finding her way with the help of a more sexually experienced manwhore, thank god! Well done, Anne Calhoun!
Okay, people! I finally get it! I understand why so many of my GR friends love Anne Calhoun as much as they do. I read Liberating Lacy many moons ago and liked it enough to give it a 4 star rating. It was good but not great as far as I was concerned and I didn’t quite get the hype. Anne Calhoun has made me see the error of my ways with Uncommon Passion and my eyes have officially been opened.
Rachel and Ben are both complex characters and that’s something I’m not used to in the world of spicyish contemporary romance. Rachel is breaking free the best way she knows how of an oppressive and controlling upbringing that never suited her. She’s determined to make it on her own terms and do things her way. Unlike other virginal, supposedly naïve contemporary romance gals, Rachel actually knows what’s up. She’s looking for the experience of a sexual relationship and she chooses her first partner based on the fact he’s going to give her some good lovin’ and move on with his life. She’s never been allowed to make her own decisions and she’s determined to fix that messed up situation Right Effing Now!
”Why did you do this?”
“Because I could,” he said with a shrug.
Her eyes narrowed slightly and her lips pursed as she considered this.
“That pisses off most girls, you know. It’s supposed to piss you off.”
“My train of thought derailed back at the idea of having sex just because you could. I’ll think about that for a while,” she said.
Ben was not prepared for Rachel in any way, shape or form. He expected to fuck her and forget her, just like he does with all of his lady friends. The fact he finds out she was a virgin too late intrigues him and when he seeks her out in an attempt to get an explanation and offer her a sort of “teacher/student” sexual relationship, he manages to underestimate her again.
She’d gotten out. People assumed virgin meant weak, naïve, insecure, even ashamed. Not Rachel. She was aware, thinking about what she did and why she did it, and strong enough to ask questions, plan, execute a course of action that left her alone in the world. She’d be easy to teach, easy to toughen up and prepare for casual sex in the modern world.
Not so fast, Ben. The very fact that Rachel stuck to her guns and remained the awesome, inquisitive, sure of herself lady she was meant to be put this book over the top for me. Ben grew. Ben changed his point of view. Ben dealt with a truckload of baggage from his past and in the process learned how to respect and care for someone else. There weren’t any signs of a meek and timid virgin finding her way with the help of a more sexually experienced manwhore, thank god! Well done, Anne Calhoun!
September 30, 2014
4 1/2 Shining Stars - there was curiosity, learning, attraction, desire, pleasure, hard edges and strong emotions - So beautifully told
This novel is so GREAT and well-written that it is worth a long, interesting and reflective review. Although it should be done, it will still not be such a nifty review from me (either now or in the past). The days run away quickly and a few minutes for some memorable thoughts about this wonderful novel has just not been found. Therefore, there is only short and concise:
OMG, this was a great one!
~~~~~~
Sure, you who know me are probably wondering "is it possible" can and will she be brief? Well, not so short perhaps...
I only say Sunday mornings ... unforgettable.
This is about Rachel Hill, a young 25 years old woman who need to divest herself of her virginity. On a bachelor auction gives she on the impulse the highest bid ($ 2000) for an attractive police officer (a SWAT and maybe therefore the silly cover that doesn't in any way represent the contents of the book). The price is for a single date one night with dinner at a restaurant. Or maybe it will be something more?
And above all, this is about Ben Harris. He is sexy as hell and good with women – but just for one single night. He has long since turned off his emotions. Sex is all about needs and desires and has nothing to do with romance.
They first "meeting" doesn't end as good Ben would have wanted when he gets answers. But Rachel needs a mentor to learn about sex and Ben can atleast put up to do that for her. Just sex and nothing more never ever...
I could have done a lots of quote clips because there are so many great and memorable scenes in this book. You feel the atmosphere and there is a melancholy about it. No big words, but thoughtful words.
Please note that this is an erotic romance. And erotic and hot it is (masterfully described by Ms. Calhoun). There is no red roses, sweet love-explanations and beautiful love-words. It's pretty rough and tough sometimes.
I got really hurt in my heart a few times and it felt pretty cold here and there. Ben is not among the most lightly flirted and sympathetic guys and Rachel was very targeted. But it is so beautifully described so that the very fine text sometimes forgives what is actually said and done. I longed so much for some more affection and cuddling. I had to wait - ...but it was worth it.
Not to forget is the strong portrayal of this fantastic heroine, Rachel. She is maybe in some ways inexperienced and innocent, but she is also a really tough and determined woman. She has a strong will and great integrity. What a nice way to portray a young woman in a erotic novel. I admire Ms C's strong women, they make the balance between the characters so much better. It becomes so much more believable. In many respects, this is Ben's story, but it is perhaps still Rachel's story I will remember.
Don't worry, in the end it will be just like that lovely glistening pink and toe-curling wonderful as I want it in a true sweet romance. A pleasure to read, highly recommended!
Hooray, another great story by AC. Three made (read) and they were all three safe bets.
I LIKE - well made and beautifully
~~~~~~~
Review written September 16, 2013
This novel is so GREAT and well-written that it is worth a long, interesting and reflective review. Although it should be done, it will still not be such a nifty review from me (either now or in the past). The days run away quickly and a few minutes for some memorable thoughts about this wonderful novel has just not been found. Therefore, there is only short and concise:
OMG, this was a great one!
~~~~~~
Sure, you who know me are probably wondering "is it possible" can and will she be brief? Well, not so short perhaps...
‘A rough chuckle tumbled into her ear.
“This won't be like watching a sunset. Be more specific,” he said. “What do you want mee to do to you?”
I only say Sunday mornings ... unforgettable.
This is about Rachel Hill, a young 25 years old woman who need to divest herself of her virginity. On a bachelor auction gives she on the impulse the highest bid ($ 2000) for an attractive police officer (a SWAT and maybe therefore the silly cover that doesn't in any way represent the contents of the book). The price is for a single date one night with dinner at a restaurant. Or maybe it will be something more?
And above all, this is about Ben Harris. He is sexy as hell and good with women – but just for one single night. He has long since turned off his emotions. Sex is all about needs and desires and has nothing to do with romance.
They first "meeting" doesn't end as good Ben would have wanted when he gets answers. But Rachel needs a mentor to learn about sex and Ben can atleast put up to do that for her. Just sex and nothing more never ever...
I could have done a lots of quote clips because there are so many great and memorable scenes in this book. You feel the atmosphere and there is a melancholy about it. No big words, but thoughtful words.
Please note that this is an erotic romance. And erotic and hot it is (masterfully described by Ms. Calhoun). There is no red roses, sweet love-explanations and beautiful love-words. It's pretty rough and tough sometimes.
'She smelled like danger, like thunderstorms and lightning and abandonment, a scent he'd leraned to way of on the Bar H.'
I got really hurt in my heart a few times and it felt pretty cold here and there. Ben is not among the most lightly flirted and sympathetic guys and Rachel was very targeted. But it is so beautifully described so that the very fine text sometimes forgives what is actually said and done. I longed so much for some more affection and cuddling. I had to wait - ...but it was worth it.
Not to forget is the strong portrayal of this fantastic heroine, Rachel. She is maybe in some ways inexperienced and innocent, but she is also a really tough and determined woman. She has a strong will and great integrity. What a nice way to portray a young woman in a erotic novel. I admire Ms C's strong women, they make the balance between the characters so much better. It becomes so much more believable. In many respects, this is Ben's story, but it is perhaps still Rachel's story I will remember.
Don't worry, in the end it will be just like that lovely glistening pink and toe-curling wonderful as I want it in a true sweet romance. A pleasure to read, highly recommended!
Hooray, another great story by AC. Three made (read) and they were all three safe bets.
I LIKE - well made and beautifully
~~~~~~~
Review written September 16, 2013
September 26, 2013
5+++ stars!!
My very first Anne Calhoun read and I'm kicking myself for not reading her books sooner. Well, better late than never, I guess. And what a ride it was. I won't go into the whole summary of the story since the blurb is pretty spot on. No, let me tell instead why you should read this book instead.
Reason One: THIS BOOK IS SIZZLING HOT.
From the get-go, this book just sizzled. Ben and Rachel's chemistry was undeniable and yes, Anne can write a mean sex scene. And what I loved about it was, it never got boring. You know sometimes, you read a book with plenty of sex in it and about halfway through, things just gets repetitive and you just go, meh. But that is totally not the case here.
REASON TWO: BEN HARRIS
Yeah. This guy is off the charts hot. I mean, imagine this; he's SWAT who sort of moonlights as a bouncer-slash-security-personnel, built, handsome and he totally knows it. Not only that, he's got the right equipment (and I'm not talking about his gun ladies) to show Rachel what she's been missing for years. And not only that he's definitely hiding something behind that playboy, devil-may-care attitude of his that's totally irresistible. I mean, who can resist a tortured hero? No one can. Certainly not Rachel.
REASON THREE: RACHEL HILL
Rachel Hill is what all romance heroines should aspire to be. She's strong, smart, beautiful and innocent enough to be irresistible to a guy like Ben and most of all, NOT ANNOYING. She clearly knows what she wants and is not afraid to fight for it. For me, she was a believable and relatable heroine and perfect adversary for Ben.
REASON FOUR: THE WRITING/STORY
It must be said that Anne Calhoun definitely knows how to tell a story. She doesn't resort to shock tactics or throw in some needless angst just for the heck of it. Everything just flowed seamlessly. From Rachel's past life in a restrictive religious community to her struggles to finally live her life in her own terms was done beautifully. Even the religious aspects, which always makes me nervous, were well written and well presented.
I loved how we get to know these characters especially Ben. We get to finally understand him, why he became closed off and broody and estranged from his father. His relationship with his twin and the losses and the tragedy he suffered were just some of my favorite aspects of the book. I especially love that scene with his father I cried like a baby during that part because of how fitting that it what they chose to do after being estranged for many years.
Not only that, I also loved the development of Ben and Rachel's relationship. It was physical at first until it became more. I was rooting for Rachel all the while keeping my fingers crossed that Ben wouldn't sabotage himself. Well, he did sabotage himself but then he's a guy so that was totally understandable. Rachel on the other hand was no pushover either. She didn't allow Ben to walk all over her even though it was clear as a day that she had fallen in love with him.
So there you have it folks! Four very good reasons why you should read this book. I'm pretty sure there's more than four good reasons but for the sake of this review, let's just stick to four. So what are you waiting for?
My very first Anne Calhoun read and I'm kicking myself for not reading her books sooner. Well, better late than never, I guess. And what a ride it was. I won't go into the whole summary of the story since the blurb is pretty spot on. No, let me tell instead why you should read this book instead.
Reason One: THIS BOOK IS SIZZLING HOT.
From the get-go, this book just sizzled. Ben and Rachel's chemistry was undeniable and yes, Anne can write a mean sex scene. And what I loved about it was, it never got boring. You know sometimes, you read a book with plenty of sex in it and about halfway through, things just gets repetitive and you just go, meh. But that is totally not the case here.
REASON TWO: BEN HARRIS
Yeah. This guy is off the charts hot. I mean, imagine this; he's SWAT who sort of moonlights as a bouncer-slash-security-personnel, built, handsome and he totally knows it. Not only that, he's got the right equipment (and I'm not talking about his gun ladies) to show Rachel what she's been missing for years. And not only that he's definitely hiding something behind that playboy, devil-may-care attitude of his that's totally irresistible. I mean, who can resist a tortured hero? No one can. Certainly not Rachel.
REASON THREE: RACHEL HILL
Rachel Hill is what all romance heroines should aspire to be. She's strong, smart, beautiful and innocent enough to be irresistible to a guy like Ben and most of all, NOT ANNOYING. She clearly knows what she wants and is not afraid to fight for it. For me, she was a believable and relatable heroine and perfect adversary for Ben.
REASON FOUR: THE WRITING/STORY
It must be said that Anne Calhoun definitely knows how to tell a story. She doesn't resort to shock tactics or throw in some needless angst just for the heck of it. Everything just flowed seamlessly. From Rachel's past life in a restrictive religious community to her struggles to finally live her life in her own terms was done beautifully. Even the religious aspects, which always makes me nervous, were well written and well presented.
I loved how we get to know these characters especially Ben. We get to finally understand him, why he became closed off and broody and estranged from his father. His relationship with his twin and the losses and the tragedy he suffered were just some of my favorite aspects of the book. I especially love that scene with his father I cried like a baby during that part because of how fitting that it what they chose to do after being estranged for many years.
Not only that, I also loved the development of Ben and Rachel's relationship. It was physical at first until it became more. I was rooting for Rachel all the while keeping my fingers crossed that Ben wouldn't sabotage himself. Well, he did sabotage himself but then he's a guy so that was totally understandable. Rachel on the other hand was no pushover either. She didn't allow Ben to walk all over her even though it was clear as a day that she had fallen in love with him.
So there you have it folks! Four very good reasons why you should read this book. I'm pretty sure there's more than four good reasons but for the sake of this review, let's just stick to four. So what are you waiting for?
June 28, 2021
So Ben is a real jackass, a detached commitment-phobe and we all know how those books can easily slip over the line into harsh and terrible. And this is erotic romance without a doubt, and the heroine who is extremely to my liking (Rachel) balances Ben's world-weary cynicism with a refreshing, believable curiosity and independence. And I'm just absolutely *into* the sex tutor premise. Ugh - love them.
In such a book, with so much time devoted to sex on page it could be extremely easy to feel detached from the couple...
But I really shed more tears than I care to admit. For them, both of them, each of them, and I really thought it was on my angst list but apparently it was another from this author, but I will be stunned if this doesn't end up my favorite of hers.
And what? He's LE! But guess what, it really folds into his character.
As I said, Ben could have easily fallen flat, but the author does this wonderful stuff with his backstory and his brother, and you find out he's actually incredibly tethered, just a defensive idiot. And it's glorious. And angsty.
I haven't been reading much and I didn't really want to read this either, it was due back and the library in 4 days and I thought I wouldn't finish. Instead, here I sit approximately 5.5 hours later, eyes stinging and truly appreciating how this author exposed the characters and their vulnerability.
I didn't even want to write a review and here I am, still gushing ....
In such a book, with so much time devoted to sex on page it could be extremely easy to feel detached from the couple...
But I really shed more tears than I care to admit. For them, both of them, each of them, and I really thought it was on my angst list but apparently it was another from this author, but I will be stunned if this doesn't end up my favorite of hers.
And what? He's LE! But guess what, it really folds into his character.
As I said, Ben could have easily fallen flat, but the author does this wonderful stuff with his backstory and his brother, and you find out he's actually incredibly tethered, just a defensive idiot. And it's glorious. And angsty.
I haven't been reading much and I didn't really want to read this either, it was due back and the library in 4 days and I thought I wouldn't finish. Instead, here I sit approximately 5.5 hours later, eyes stinging and truly appreciating how this author exposed the characters and their vulnerability.
I didn't even want to write a review and here I am, still gushing ....
September 9, 2013
Rating 3.25 stars
Though smoking when it came to sex scenes this book lacked a distinct emotional connection as well as any romance between the hero/heroine. Honestly, the hero came across as an ass, something the heroine called him on. I wish she would have moved on with someone else. The heroine is 25 and grew up in a strict religious community, escaping a few months back and getting used to the real world and doing things without restrictions. She is working at a farm and hoping to get into vet school when at an auction she bets on the cop hero, Ben.
Ben is the definition of cold and emotionless. The heroine goes home and divests with her virginity and then they continue their sexual encounters, with no emotion, no talking, just have sex and the heroine leaves. This bothered me because the heroine later said that she could fall for him but there was nothing worth falling for.
We are made aware of the hero's tragic history that made him the way he is but I didn't like his treatment of the heroine and how she too put up with it. Of course in the end he courts her but I still wasn't convinced of the HEA.
Though smoking when it came to sex scenes this book lacked a distinct emotional connection as well as any romance between the hero/heroine. Honestly, the hero came across as an ass, something the heroine called him on. I wish she would have moved on with someone else. The heroine is 25 and grew up in a strict religious community, escaping a few months back and getting used to the real world and doing things without restrictions. She is working at a farm and hoping to get into vet school when at an auction she bets on the cop hero, Ben.
Ben is the definition of cold and emotionless. The heroine goes home and divests with her virginity and then they continue their sexual encounters, with no emotion, no talking, just have sex and the heroine leaves. This bothered me because the heroine later said that she could fall for him but there was nothing worth falling for.
We are made aware of the hero's tragic history that made him the way he is but I didn't like his treatment of the heroine and how she too put up with it. Of course in the end he courts her but I still wasn't convinced of the HEA.
September 6, 2013
Favorite Quote: “What is this?” she asked. She wanted to rub up against him. She wanted to see him, touch his bare skin. She wanted…
He gave a low laugh she felt rumble in his chest as much as heard in her ears. “Chemistry,” he said, and lifted his head to look at her. “This is some kind of wicked chemistry.”
This is a book about a woman who wants to feel and a man who needs to let go of his anger and live in the present. Together they have explosive chemistry, and passion but there are also periods of sadness and grief. Anne Calhoun is truly a master at writing erotic romance.
Before I begin let me stress – this is not a romantic suspense book despite the cover. This is a deep, erotic contemporary romance. Too bad the cover does not portray this.
Rachel is a twenty-five year old virgin who had lived her entire life in a strict religious compound called Elysain Fields Community of God. A very isolated place where Rachel had to where long skirts, was expected to marry and have lots of babies, and also was not allowed to show anger or sadness. She was expected to always show joy, and she couldn’t take it any longer. So one day she withdraws money out of her joint savings account with her father, and escapes the compound. She finally ends up working for a farmer in Texas, as she has vast experience with goats and such from growing up. She has made a list of things to do and to try – new foods, new clothes, listen to music, drink alcohol. But she also wants to try sex so when her farm has a charity event and they auction off bachelors to raise money, she becomes completely spontaneous and bids on a sexy police officer.
Ben works for the SWAT team and has gone through his fair share of women. He knows from the look in Rachel’s eye, his date will end in the bedroom and that is fine by him. What he didn’t expect is to find out the next day that she is a virgin. A virgin who had never even kissed or touched a man until she had been with him. Feeling like a bum, Ben tracks Rachel down at the farm to make amends, which leads him to showing Rachel sex a little more gently. Their sessions start to become a Sunday event, as Ben decides to prepare Rachel to handle men in the real world. He opens her eyes sexually, but not to be outdone – Rachel starts to change Ben’s life. All Rachel wanted to do was to feel honest feelings – her own honest feelings. Ben, estranged from his father for throwing his gay brother out of the house at a young age, has many issues to work through, and when faced with them…he must decide what kind of life the future holds for him, and it scares him.
We’ve all read a book with a virgin heroine and a playboy hero and blah blah blah. But this is not that book. This is a book of an extraordinarily strong woman, who yearns for new experiences. She is naïve to an extent but more so – she is matter of fact. She doesn’t show her emotions, a result of her upbringing, but she just takes everything in stride. She is analytical, as she absorbs people’s reactions and actions – she sits back and thinks things through before proceeding. And then she starts to feel:
Shame should be making itself known now. She’d lain with a man outside the bounds of wedlock, without even a relationship. He was essentially a stranger. She should feel ashamed, but she drove through the darkness back to the farm with only a rising fury for company.
They’d kept this away from her. Her father, her pastor, all the male leaders of the community, the women who guided and taught her had kept this intimate, vibrant, shocking thing from her, and that made her furious.
When in the bedroom with Ben, she is able to truly be honest with herself and her feelings. And you guys – this book is so damn sexy. There is a lot of sex, and it’s hot and erotic and well done. Sometimes the sex was so intense I may not have breathed, sometimes it’s more playful:
He tugged experimentally, and to his total shock the knots held. He’d expected girl knots.
When he looked up into her face, that small smile was back.
“I tie up goats,” she said conversationally. “Goats are escape artists. I’m good at knots.”
No fucking doubt, because she’d tied his guts in knots. His heart rate careened between full stop and red zone. He didn’t say anything, felt his face going blank as the realization hit. He’d seriously underestimated Rachel Hill.
You think Rachel is the one that has a huge transformation to go through in this book, and she does to an extent. At the end of the book, Rachel is living a new life but she is still Rachel. But really, Ben is the one with more of an impact. Ben is more of a broody hero, who finds himself going back to Rachel again and again, but he has a big wall up around himself. He has such anger and guilt over past events with his family, he isn’t able to break through the past to truly let Rachel in. I love that this author really takes her time at the end of this book and convinces us Ben is a different person. His eventual old fashioned courtship made me swoon. It’s all very romantic and written very well.
Rating: A
He gave a low laugh she felt rumble in his chest as much as heard in her ears. “Chemistry,” he said, and lifted his head to look at her. “This is some kind of wicked chemistry.”
This is a book about a woman who wants to feel and a man who needs to let go of his anger and live in the present. Together they have explosive chemistry, and passion but there are also periods of sadness and grief. Anne Calhoun is truly a master at writing erotic romance.
Before I begin let me stress – this is not a romantic suspense book despite the cover. This is a deep, erotic contemporary romance. Too bad the cover does not portray this.
Rachel is a twenty-five year old virgin who had lived her entire life in a strict religious compound called Elysain Fields Community of God. A very isolated place where Rachel had to where long skirts, was expected to marry and have lots of babies, and also was not allowed to show anger or sadness. She was expected to always show joy, and she couldn’t take it any longer. So one day she withdraws money out of her joint savings account with her father, and escapes the compound. She finally ends up working for a farmer in Texas, as she has vast experience with goats and such from growing up. She has made a list of things to do and to try – new foods, new clothes, listen to music, drink alcohol. But she also wants to try sex so when her farm has a charity event and they auction off bachelors to raise money, she becomes completely spontaneous and bids on a sexy police officer.
Ben works for the SWAT team and has gone through his fair share of women. He knows from the look in Rachel’s eye, his date will end in the bedroom and that is fine by him. What he didn’t expect is to find out the next day that she is a virgin. A virgin who had never even kissed or touched a man until she had been with him. Feeling like a bum, Ben tracks Rachel down at the farm to make amends, which leads him to showing Rachel sex a little more gently. Their sessions start to become a Sunday event, as Ben decides to prepare Rachel to handle men in the real world. He opens her eyes sexually, but not to be outdone – Rachel starts to change Ben’s life. All Rachel wanted to do was to feel honest feelings – her own honest feelings. Ben, estranged from his father for throwing his gay brother out of the house at a young age, has many issues to work through, and when faced with them…he must decide what kind of life the future holds for him, and it scares him.
We’ve all read a book with a virgin heroine and a playboy hero and blah blah blah. But this is not that book. This is a book of an extraordinarily strong woman, who yearns for new experiences. She is naïve to an extent but more so – she is matter of fact. She doesn’t show her emotions, a result of her upbringing, but she just takes everything in stride. She is analytical, as she absorbs people’s reactions and actions – she sits back and thinks things through before proceeding. And then she starts to feel:
Shame should be making itself known now. She’d lain with a man outside the bounds of wedlock, without even a relationship. He was essentially a stranger. She should feel ashamed, but she drove through the darkness back to the farm with only a rising fury for company.
They’d kept this away from her. Her father, her pastor, all the male leaders of the community, the women who guided and taught her had kept this intimate, vibrant, shocking thing from her, and that made her furious.
When in the bedroom with Ben, she is able to truly be honest with herself and her feelings. And you guys – this book is so damn sexy. There is a lot of sex, and it’s hot and erotic and well done. Sometimes the sex was so intense I may not have breathed, sometimes it’s more playful:
He tugged experimentally, and to his total shock the knots held. He’d expected girl knots.
When he looked up into her face, that small smile was back.
“I tie up goats,” she said conversationally. “Goats are escape artists. I’m good at knots.”
No fucking doubt, because she’d tied his guts in knots. His heart rate careened between full stop and red zone. He didn’t say anything, felt his face going blank as the realization hit. He’d seriously underestimated Rachel Hill.
You think Rachel is the one that has a huge transformation to go through in this book, and she does to an extent. At the end of the book, Rachel is living a new life but she is still Rachel. But really, Ben is the one with more of an impact. Ben is more of a broody hero, who finds himself going back to Rachel again and again, but he has a big wall up around himself. He has such anger and guilt over past events with his family, he isn’t able to break through the past to truly let Rachel in. I love that this author really takes her time at the end of this book and convinces us Ben is a different person. His eventual old fashioned courtship made me swoon. It’s all very romantic and written very well.
Rating: A
September 6, 2013
5--HOT-HOT-HOT--Stars!!!
This was my first Anne Calhoun book and I.......LOVED it.
Fantastic story!
Scorching HOT....and I mean SCORCHING!
Great characters!
Unique storyline!
No unnecessary drama!
Standalone with a HEA!
It just doesn't get much better than that!!!
So ladies (and gents ;))...in preparation of reading this book I recommend the following:
--a few Kleenex
--perhaps a bottle of wine
--a fan
--and at least 8-10 pairs of undies (trust me, you're going to need them)
This book was
Don't let the blurb scare you but our heroine, Rachel IS a 25 year old virigin. I mean rightfully so, up until a year ago she lived at Elysian Fields Community of God--an isolated religiouscult commune run by her father.
Rachel is now working at a farm near Galveston where a bachelor auction is being held to raise money. Rachel bids 2k bones for one night with bachelor Ben Harris. Virginity be gone!
So the date rolls around and the act is everything BUT hot. Rachel doesn't divulge her little secret and Ben is none-the-wiser. Until the following morning and oopsie Rachel left a little something-something behind. Ben confronts Rachel all kinds of angry demanding answers.
And now we have a new little arrangement. In exchange for answers as to (a)why Rachel is still a virgin and (b)why she didn't tell him she was a virgin, Ben is willing to "teach" Rachel everything there is to know about sex.
Where can I sign up for some of these lessons??
Ben and Rachel agree to keep emotions out of it and keep it sex only. They meet every Sunday for a sex session. Rachel's confidence grows with each meeting. She was so sheltered in thecult commune...not allowed to feel things or want things....have desires and such. Ben is providing a whole new world of emotions for her.
Now Ben himself is emotionally closed for business. After some family drama with his dad and brother, Ben lives life on the edge. Not letting anyone in, refusing to put himself out there for fear of being hurt again.
Eventually the lines get blurry.....Rachel wants more from Ben but until Ben can come to terms with what happened with his brother, he can't be what Rachel needs. The way Rachel makes him feel scares poor Ben and he eventually pushes Rachel away.
The scene at No Logic....
Ben, Ben, Ben....you broke my heart!
I really loved everything about this story. It brought out so many emotions. Rachel's life at Elysian Fields was SO heart-breaking. And she was such a kind, caring person. My heart also broke for Ben and what he had to go through with his brother. But Rachel and Ben together were so HOT....and just what each other needed.
This was my first Anne Calhoun book and I.......LOVED it.
Fantastic story!
Scorching HOT....and I mean SCORCHING!
Great characters!
Unique storyline!
No unnecessary drama!
Standalone with a HEA!
It just doesn't get much better than that!!!
So ladies (and gents ;))...in preparation of reading this book I recommend the following:
--a few Kleenex
--perhaps a bottle of wine
--a fan
--and at least 8-10 pairs of undies (trust me, you're going to need them)
This book was
Don't let the blurb scare you but our heroine, Rachel IS a 25 year old virigin. I mean rightfully so, up until a year ago she lived at Elysian Fields Community of God--an isolated religious
Rachel is now working at a farm near Galveston where a bachelor auction is being held to raise money. Rachel bids 2k bones for one night with bachelor Ben Harris. Virginity be gone!
So the date rolls around and the act is everything BUT hot. Rachel doesn't divulge her little secret and Ben is none-the-wiser. Until the following morning and oopsie Rachel left a little something-something behind. Ben confronts Rachel all kinds of angry demanding answers.
And now we have a new little arrangement. In exchange for answers as to (a)why Rachel is still a virgin and (b)why she didn't tell him she was a virgin, Ben is willing to "teach" Rachel everything there is to know about sex.
Where can I sign up for some of these lessons??
Ben and Rachel agree to keep emotions out of it and keep it sex only. They meet every Sunday for a sex session. Rachel's confidence grows with each meeting. She was so sheltered in the
Now Ben himself is emotionally closed for business. After some family drama with his dad and brother, Ben lives life on the edge. Not letting anyone in, refusing to put himself out there for fear of being hurt again.
Eventually the lines get blurry.....Rachel wants more from Ben but until Ben can come to terms with what happened with his brother, he can't be what Rachel needs. The way Rachel makes him feel scares poor Ben and he eventually pushes Rachel away.
The scene at No Logic....
Ben, Ben, Ben....you broke my heart!
I really loved everything about this story. It brought out so many emotions. Rachel's life at Elysian Fields was SO heart-breaking. And she was such a kind, caring person. My heart also broke for Ben and what he had to go through with his brother. But Rachel and Ben together were so HOT....and just what each other needed.
November 9, 2013
4.5 HOLY HOTNESS BATMAN STARS!
Virgin Rachel Hill decides to bid on holy hotness SWAT officer Ben at a bachelor auction. It was a gutsy move but he fits the bill perfectly for getting the job done......the job to take her virginity but no strings attached. He's got a reputation with one and done liaisons. Perfect. Ben is captivated by the beauty that "won" him. Filling in for his buddy at this auction won't be so bad I guess. What he didn't plan on was waking the next morning with sure signs of cherry popping. WTF? He wants answers. Had he known, he'd have made it more special for her. Maybe a re-do is in order. But he doesn't do repeats. Maybe just this once.....
Rachel is a sweet innocent girl who broke free from an ultra-conservative, almost cultish religious life. Her father has written her off but she wants more from life than to be the dutiful wife and mother. She wants to be a vet tech. But has her work cut out for her. Especially since she spent almost all of her spare funds on a date with Ben. Something about him stirs something she's never felt for a man.....passion.
Anne Calhoun can write some serious sex scenes. Her character development in this book was fantastic. She painted the perfect picture of the innocent albeit strong heroine and the tough guy with serious walls of protection from love and relationships. A good part of the book I seriously disliked Ben. He was a true "wam bam, thank you ma'am" hopping up, getting dressed and shooing her out his door. The reasons for his walls wasn't explained for most of the book so my douche factor was rising quite quickly. The "Come to Jesus" moment for him was late coming but in the end, you love him and are his biggest cheering section! Love that the heroine wasn't some weak willowy thing. Yes she was sheltered, a virgin, but was tough as nails and just what this guy needed.
Enjoyed it!
Virgin Rachel Hill decides to bid on holy hotness SWAT officer Ben at a bachelor auction. It was a gutsy move but he fits the bill perfectly for getting the job done......the job to take her virginity but no strings attached. He's got a reputation with one and done liaisons. Perfect. Ben is captivated by the beauty that "won" him. Filling in for his buddy at this auction won't be so bad I guess. What he didn't plan on was waking the next morning with sure signs of cherry popping. WTF? He wants answers. Had he known, he'd have made it more special for her. Maybe a re-do is in order. But he doesn't do repeats. Maybe just this once.....
Rachel is a sweet innocent girl who broke free from an ultra-conservative, almost cultish religious life. Her father has written her off but she wants more from life than to be the dutiful wife and mother. She wants to be a vet tech. But has her work cut out for her. Especially since she spent almost all of her spare funds on a date with Ben. Something about him stirs something she's never felt for a man.....passion.
Anne Calhoun can write some serious sex scenes. Her character development in this book was fantastic. She painted the perfect picture of the innocent albeit strong heroine and the tough guy with serious walls of protection from love and relationships. A good part of the book I seriously disliked Ben. He was a true "wam bam, thank you ma'am" hopping up, getting dressed and shooing her out his door. The reasons for his walls wasn't explained for most of the book so my douche factor was rising quite quickly. The "Come to Jesus" moment for him was late coming but in the end, you love him and are his biggest cheering section! Love that the heroine wasn't some weak willowy thing. Yes she was sheltered, a virgin, but was tough as nails and just what this guy needed.
Enjoyed it!
October 14, 2013
My favorite Anne Calhoun book to date! Loved it!
There was so much about this book that I loved. A strong female lead, a hot cop with inner demons, hot sex, and a wonderful storyline.
Rachel
Rachel is from the fundamentalist community (cult), Elysian Fields and has led a very sheltered life. She felt like she no longer fit in there and escaped to be the person she always wanted to be. She wants to experience life and all of the emotions in it since she has been so sheltered. She's also a virgin.
Ben
Ben is a cop with a lot of issues. He doesn't want to get attached to anyone. He doesn't want to care about anyone. He thinks he is happy just the way things are in his life.
Ben and Rachel meet at a bachelor auction that her employer is hosting as a fundraiser. Ben wasn't even supposed to be there but it filling in for a buddy. Rachel decides she wants to experience Ben so she buys him for an evening. Rachel wants Ben to take her virginity. She wanted someone who wouldn't care and she thought after their date, she would never have to see him again.
Ben does figure it out and he is pissed. They work out an arrangement where Ben will teach her everything he knows in the bedroom. He doesn't want a relationship so he thinks it is perfect.
She is a fast learner because the honey scene, HOT!
Of course, feelings can only stay out of the picture for so long as they get to know each other outside of the bedroom.
Rachel gets to experience all kinds of emotions that she has never had to deal with before Ben. Will one of them be love?
"...maybe you shouldn't fall in love with the first woman you make love to."
"Maybe I made love to her because I'd already fallen in love."
There was so much about this book that I loved. A strong female lead, a hot cop with inner demons, hot sex, and a wonderful storyline.
Rachel
Rachel is from the fundamentalist community (cult), Elysian Fields and has led a very sheltered life. She felt like she no longer fit in there and escaped to be the person she always wanted to be. She wants to experience life and all of the emotions in it since she has been so sheltered. She's also a virgin.
Ben
Ben is a cop with a lot of issues. He doesn't want to get attached to anyone. He doesn't want to care about anyone. He thinks he is happy just the way things are in his life.
Ben and Rachel meet at a bachelor auction that her employer is hosting as a fundraiser. Ben wasn't even supposed to be there but it filling in for a buddy. Rachel decides she wants to experience Ben so she buys him for an evening. Rachel wants Ben to take her virginity. She wanted someone who wouldn't care and she thought after their date, she would never have to see him again.
Ben does figure it out and he is pissed. They work out an arrangement where Ben will teach her everything he knows in the bedroom. He doesn't want a relationship so he thinks it is perfect.
She is a fast learner because the honey scene, HOT!
Of course, feelings can only stay out of the picture for so long as they get to know each other outside of the bedroom.
Rachel gets to experience all kinds of emotions that she has never had to deal with before Ben. Will one of them be love?
"...maybe you shouldn't fall in love with the first woman you make love to."
"Maybe I made love to her because I'd already fallen in love."
September 9, 2013
Loved it! This book is
Ben is a hot SWAT team guy who is up for sale at a bachelor auction to benefit the farm where Rachel works.
Rachel is a the cute, sweet, farm girl
She ran away from thecult Elysian Fields commune and wants to lose her virginity. What better way than to bid on Ben since he's a sure thing for a fun night in the sack... AND BOY DOES SHE LOSE IT!
"I did do that, and it was good. Oh dear Lord, it was good. I will do it again."
She is a very quick learner and sweeps Ben off his feet.
Ben has a hard time telling Rachel how he feels since he's used to putting up a front.
"With both hands he gripped her bottom and slid her forward, plastering them together from hips to lips"
I'm telling you this book is HOT! (Only thing I did not like is you should never put the word fanny in a steamy book)
It's a standalone with a HEA but I will say it leaves things possibly open
"Maybe I made love to her because I'd already fallen in love."
Ben is a hot SWAT team guy who is up for sale at a bachelor auction to benefit the farm where Rachel works.
Rachel is a the cute, sweet, farm girl
She ran away from the
"I did do that, and it was good. Oh dear Lord, it was good. I will do it again."
She is a very quick learner and sweeps Ben off his feet.
Ben has a hard time telling Rachel how he feels since he's used to putting up a front.
"With both hands he gripped her bottom and slid her forward, plastering them together from hips to lips"
I'm telling you this book is HOT! (Only thing I did not like is you should never put the word fanny in a steamy book)
It's a standalone with a HEA but I will say it leaves things possibly open
"Maybe I made love to her because I'd already fallen in love."
April 18, 2018
This one was just.. really emotional? With a great heroine that so easily could've been a cliché trope of naive and stupid but absolutely was not? With a really broody hero that actually didn't piss me off for all of his closed off baggage and self sabotage? Who had a really great redemption arc that was just so perfect and fitting for these two characters? What even? Also, UNCOMMON PASSION didn't have the sexy element that bugged me for its repetitiveness from the second story after seeing it in first in UNCOMMON PLEASURE. Thumbs up for that, too.
I know I was kinda nitpicky over the first two novellas from the first bind up but I did really like the first one. Yet, that said, you could very easily read this as a standalone even though the hero is from the second novella. You don't really need the backstory but.. aw hell, it's worth reading, just do it.
Terrible review is terrible but I enjoyed this a lot. Would read more from Calhoun for sure.
I know I was kinda nitpicky over the first two novellas from the first bind up but I did really like the first one. Yet, that said, you could very easily read this as a standalone even though the hero is from the second novella. You don't really need the backstory but.. aw hell, it's worth reading, just do it.
Terrible review is terrible but I enjoyed this a lot. Would read more from Calhoun for sure.
September 11, 2013
4.5 Stars!! My Favorite Anne Calhoun thus far!
Anne Calhoun has created a tortured bad-boy hero, put him in one of the sexiest silhouettes devised and turned him loose on the unsuspecting females in his area. He’s alpha-maleness personified, self-assured and somewhat on the arrogant side. He’s good, he’s bad and with one look you know a hot night in the sheets is a guarantee!
But…Ben Harris is Broken. He’s locked his emotions away and wears his fortress well. He substitutes adrenaline highs for emotion and this addiction is kept fed with his position on the SWAT Team. As a lover – he’s pure petrol! One of the things I most enjoyed about this character is the depth of his feelings. Whether it’s lust, despair or hiding pain, it’s intense.
Rachel Hill may have spent the first twenty five years of her life isolated within the confines of a religious compound, but she’s smart and knows what she wants. She immediately recognizes that Ben Harris can play a major role in helping her accomplish one of her goals. A benefit auction assures her prize is within sight and she’s determined to FEEL it all! She’s never had sex or even kisses and with all this wicked chemistry present; Ben is the perfect man for the job. She’s betting he won’t even realize her virginal state; he just won’t care.
I loved Rachel’s character. She’s been told what to do and how to feel her entire life. Her unwavering resolve to make her own decisions and own all of her choices/feelings is admirable and understandable. With each step forward, I found myself rooting harder for this brave young woman.
Of course, one night turns into more and the road to happiness is bumpy for this couple. The author depicted Ben’s emotional lockdown as well as his healing/redemption slowly and very well. Added is one of the hottest erotica tales to be found. Watching Ben unravel and come back to the land of the living was at times deeply touching. Rachel’s curiosity and zest is refreshing and from beginning to end, this became a totally engaging read.
An intensely passionate story with scorching hot sex scenes that migrate beautifully into intimacy. This book is about FEELINGS, and Anne Calhoun did it exceptionally well!!
Thanks again to my lovely friend, Babs, for leading me to this one:)!
Anne Calhoun has created a tortured bad-boy hero, put him in one of the sexiest silhouettes devised and turned him loose on the unsuspecting females in his area. He’s alpha-maleness personified, self-assured and somewhat on the arrogant side. He’s good, he’s bad and with one look you know a hot night in the sheets is a guarantee!
But…Ben Harris is Broken. He’s locked his emotions away and wears his fortress well. He substitutes adrenaline highs for emotion and this addiction is kept fed with his position on the SWAT Team. As a lover – he’s pure petrol! One of the things I most enjoyed about this character is the depth of his feelings. Whether it’s lust, despair or hiding pain, it’s intense.
Rachel Hill may have spent the first twenty five years of her life isolated within the confines of a religious compound, but she’s smart and knows what she wants. She immediately recognizes that Ben Harris can play a major role in helping her accomplish one of her goals. A benefit auction assures her prize is within sight and she’s determined to FEEL it all! She’s never had sex or even kisses and with all this wicked chemistry present; Ben is the perfect man for the job. She’s betting he won’t even realize her virginal state; he just won’t care.
I loved Rachel’s character. She’s been told what to do and how to feel her entire life. Her unwavering resolve to make her own decisions and own all of her choices/feelings is admirable and understandable. With each step forward, I found myself rooting harder for this brave young woman.
Of course, one night turns into more and the road to happiness is bumpy for this couple. The author depicted Ben’s emotional lockdown as well as his healing/redemption slowly and very well. Added is one of the hottest erotica tales to be found. Watching Ben unravel and come back to the land of the living was at times deeply touching. Rachel’s curiosity and zest is refreshing and from beginning to end, this became a totally engaging read.
An intensely passionate story with scorching hot sex scenes that migrate beautifully into intimacy. This book is about FEELINGS, and Anne Calhoun did it exceptionally well!!
Thanks again to my lovely friend, Babs, for leading me to this one:)!
September 7, 2013
Wow! just Wow!,this is my first read by this author and if this is a sample ,then lead me to your books lady!
What a great read this turned out for me.It had everything that I enjoy in my romance reading.There was passion,sex,passion ,and did I say sex yet.
What started out as a way to get rid of Rachel's,the heroine,virginity,turned into every Sunday with hot as all hell Ben.Have I mentioned that I loved Ben,damaged asshat that he was.This couple's chemistry simply sizzled with each scene they were in.Loved when Ben finally accepted and made peace with himself.
This book packed quite the punch and would happily rec to anyone who e joys a really good romance.
Must say that the pairing of a SWAT police officer and a young woman who was born and raised in a Fundamentalist commune was a new pairing,but Anne Calhoun rocked this story.
What a great read this turned out for me.It had everything that I enjoy in my romance reading.There was passion,sex,passion ,and did I say sex yet.
What started out as a way to get rid of Rachel's,the heroine,virginity,turned into every Sunday with hot as all hell Ben.Have I mentioned that I loved Ben,damaged asshat that he was.This couple's chemistry simply sizzled with each scene they were in.Loved when Ben finally accepted and made peace with himself.
This book packed quite the punch and would happily rec to anyone who e joys a really good romance.
Must say that the pairing of a SWAT police officer and a young woman who was born and raised in a Fundamentalist commune was a new pairing,but Anne Calhoun rocked this story.
November 6, 2017
4.5 Erotic Revealing Protective Dangerous Stars
* * * *1/2
Read due to Baba's review which was referred to me by Lkay and Lucinda- Thank you all- Please read that review- Terrific
The Blurb:
After leaving a restrictive religious community, Rachel Hill is on a mission to divest herself of her virginity. Newly independent and struggling to establish herself, she’s not looking for anything complicated. She bids on sexy SWAT officer Ben Harris at a bachelor auction, confident he’ll give her the night of her life and nothing more.
But Ben is jaded and detached, living his life in an endless cycle of danger-fueled adrenaline jags, drinking, and sex. When he misses the fact that his bachelor auction hookup is a virgin, he’s shocked by his obliviousness, and by the risk she took. To make amends, Ben offers Rachel all he can: a no-strings-attached sexual education.
Ben’s lessons introduce Rachel to down and dirty passion, but she’s searching for something more profound than sex, and she’s willing to walk away to find it. Ben can’t get Rachel out of his head, but will he come to terms with his troubled past and learn to love.
This was hot, very steamy and much more than the erotic read as advertised. Both characters experienced discovery and personal growth. It was a surprisingly strong read and I recommend it.
FYI.. The cost was on the higher scale compared to most ebooks.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * *1/2
Read due to Baba's review which was referred to me by Lkay and Lucinda- Thank you all- Please read that review- Terrific
The Blurb:
After leaving a restrictive religious community, Rachel Hill is on a mission to divest herself of her virginity. Newly independent and struggling to establish herself, she’s not looking for anything complicated. She bids on sexy SWAT officer Ben Harris at a bachelor auction, confident he’ll give her the night of her life and nothing more.
But Ben is jaded and detached, living his life in an endless cycle of danger-fueled adrenaline jags, drinking, and sex. When he misses the fact that his bachelor auction hookup is a virgin, he’s shocked by his obliviousness, and by the risk she took. To make amends, Ben offers Rachel all he can: a no-strings-attached sexual education.
Ben’s lessons introduce Rachel to down and dirty passion, but she’s searching for something more profound than sex, and she’s willing to walk away to find it. Ben can’t get Rachel out of his head, but will he come to terms with his troubled past and learn to love.
This was hot, very steamy and much more than the erotic read as advertised. Both characters experienced discovery and personal growth. It was a surprisingly strong read and I recommend it.
FYI.. The cost was on the higher scale compared to most ebooks.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
September 3, 2013
I really enjoyed this one. Rachel was a great character. I really liked her quiet strength and confidence - very refreshing in a female character. I liked Ben also, especially his development as the story progressed. His family dynamic was unexpected and added some depth to the story line. Mostly though, I really loved Rachel's excitement at and appreciation for new experiences. The way Calhoun weaved that into the story was very well done and never came off as cheesy. I think the book was priced a little high at $8+, but if you wanna shell it out I think the story was worth it.
September 2, 2013
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: A
She wanted to rub up against him. She wanted to see him, touch his bare skin. She wanted…He gave a low laugh she felt rumble in his chest as much as heard in her ears. “Chemistry,” he said, and lifted his head to look at her. “This is some kind of wicked chemistry.”
His mouth was swollen, wet from hers, and the thought that she’d used her mouth to make it that way sent heat wicking through her.
“Still with me?” he asked.
Yes. Oh yes. “I want more.”
Rachel grew up in a very strict religious community, almost cult like, where she was expected to work, get married, have kids and express no emotion other than happiness and acceptance. She loves her father, but can’t live like this anymore so she runs away and finds work on a farm where she’s able to get her on her feet and get herself together enough to be able to apply to vet tech school and she wants to experience everything. All the emotions, everything that other people take for granted, she’s ready to live and that includes having sex. During a bachelor auction, she sees Ben Harris and decides that he’s the man she wants to take her virginity. She’s not looking for anything more than one passionate night and she wants Ben to give her the experience of a lifetime.
Ben’s living in darkness and dealing with a mountain of family pain and angst that’s lasted for ten years. He’s estranged from his father who made Ben’s twin brother Sam’s life hell after he came out as a teen. He and Ben were so close that when Sam ran away, a big part of Ben became lost along with Sam. They were reunited a couple years later but the time apart was hard on both of them and while they’ve found their way back together, Ben placed all his anger and blame on their father. Sam has since reconciled with their dad and while he encourages Ben to do the same, the entire experience, especially waking up as a teen and finding Sam gone changed Ben forever. He’s in a dangerous place in his life right now; he needs big adrenaline rushes and gets them either through his job on the SWAT team or through sex. So when Rachel buys a date with him and he realizes that she wants more than dinner and a movie, they have sex, and he sends Rachel on her way shortly after, but Ben has no idea that he just spent the night with a virgin until the next morning. Rachel explains her past and what she wants for her future and Ben suggests that he’s the man to give her lessons in sex. So every Sunday they meet and much more than sex develops between them even though Ben fights it every step of the way.
I loved this story. First off, Rachel. She is such a strong heroine, there is nothing about her that I didn’t like. She wanted more for her life and made a hard decision to leave the father that she loves, even though she doesn’t love what he believes in, and goes out into this new world all alone. She could have easily fallen into the “poor me” role because things aren’t easy for her. She struggles to get simple things lined up like identification or even a home school certificate because all she wants to do is be a vet tech. She tries her hardest to experience everything she can, she asks smart questions so she can learn and she’s full of heart. Ben’s not the easiest guy to get close to, but she deals with him in the best way too – in the end she gives him space because what he’s willing to give her at the time and what she wants aren’t even close to being in line. So even with a broken heart, she stands up for herself and where she wants her life to lead and I loved her for it.
Ben, even though you can see signs that he’s starting to care for Rachel more than he wants, uses their Sunday’s together as another way to layer himself against people getting close to him. Rachel does a pretty damn good job of working her way past the walls he’s put up but between her and an accident involving Sam, Ben finds himself at a crossroads and has to decide on his own if he wants to keep living on the edge and in the dark or if wants to try and fix his life, fix himself, and start to move forward. Make no mistake, Anne Calhoun writes some of the sexiest scenes and Ben and Rachel have some scorchers, but it’s really about the journey both characters need to go on at more of an individual level that will either make or break their relationship.
The passage of time works so well in Uncommon Passion. Initially, Ben and Rachel meet only on Sunday’s so weeks go by from the time when they first met. But the ending completely made this story for me. With the perfect way that time passes, we see Ben start to put himself together and then the way that he and Rachel find happiness – I don’t want to say anymore for fear of spoiling their journey, but the end is worth all the angst and heartache they go through.
Uncommon Passion is sexy, emotional, heavy and an absolutely satisfying read and one I highly recommend.
Blog rating: A
She wanted to rub up against him. She wanted to see him, touch his bare skin. She wanted…He gave a low laugh she felt rumble in his chest as much as heard in her ears. “Chemistry,” he said, and lifted his head to look at her. “This is some kind of wicked chemistry.”
His mouth was swollen, wet from hers, and the thought that she’d used her mouth to make it that way sent heat wicking through her.
“Still with me?” he asked.
Yes. Oh yes. “I want more.”
Rachel grew up in a very strict religious community, almost cult like, where she was expected to work, get married, have kids and express no emotion other than happiness and acceptance. She loves her father, but can’t live like this anymore so she runs away and finds work on a farm where she’s able to get her on her feet and get herself together enough to be able to apply to vet tech school and she wants to experience everything. All the emotions, everything that other people take for granted, she’s ready to live and that includes having sex. During a bachelor auction, she sees Ben Harris and decides that he’s the man she wants to take her virginity. She’s not looking for anything more than one passionate night and she wants Ben to give her the experience of a lifetime.
Ben’s living in darkness and dealing with a mountain of family pain and angst that’s lasted for ten years. He’s estranged from his father who made Ben’s twin brother Sam’s life hell after he came out as a teen. He and Ben were so close that when Sam ran away, a big part of Ben became lost along with Sam. They were reunited a couple years later but the time apart was hard on both of them and while they’ve found their way back together, Ben placed all his anger and blame on their father. Sam has since reconciled with their dad and while he encourages Ben to do the same, the entire experience, especially waking up as a teen and finding Sam gone changed Ben forever. He’s in a dangerous place in his life right now; he needs big adrenaline rushes and gets them either through his job on the SWAT team or through sex. So when Rachel buys a date with him and he realizes that she wants more than dinner and a movie, they have sex, and he sends Rachel on her way shortly after, but Ben has no idea that he just spent the night with a virgin until the next morning. Rachel explains her past and what she wants for her future and Ben suggests that he’s the man to give her lessons in sex. So every Sunday they meet and much more than sex develops between them even though Ben fights it every step of the way.
I loved this story. First off, Rachel. She is such a strong heroine, there is nothing about her that I didn’t like. She wanted more for her life and made a hard decision to leave the father that she loves, even though she doesn’t love what he believes in, and goes out into this new world all alone. She could have easily fallen into the “poor me” role because things aren’t easy for her. She struggles to get simple things lined up like identification or even a home school certificate because all she wants to do is be a vet tech. She tries her hardest to experience everything she can, she asks smart questions so she can learn and she’s full of heart. Ben’s not the easiest guy to get close to, but she deals with him in the best way too – in the end she gives him space because what he’s willing to give her at the time and what she wants aren’t even close to being in line. So even with a broken heart, she stands up for herself and where she wants her life to lead and I loved her for it.
Ben, even though you can see signs that he’s starting to care for Rachel more than he wants, uses their Sunday’s together as another way to layer himself against people getting close to him. Rachel does a pretty damn good job of working her way past the walls he’s put up but between her and an accident involving Sam, Ben finds himself at a crossroads and has to decide on his own if he wants to keep living on the edge and in the dark or if wants to try and fix his life, fix himself, and start to move forward. Make no mistake, Anne Calhoun writes some of the sexiest scenes and Ben and Rachel have some scorchers, but it’s really about the journey both characters need to go on at more of an individual level that will either make or break their relationship.
The passage of time works so well in Uncommon Passion. Initially, Ben and Rachel meet only on Sunday’s so weeks go by from the time when they first met. But the ending completely made this story for me. With the perfect way that time passes, we see Ben start to put himself together and then the way that he and Rachel find happiness – I don’t want to say anymore for fear of spoiling their journey, but the end is worth all the angst and heartache they go through.
Uncommon Passion is sexy, emotional, heavy and an absolutely satisfying read and one I highly recommend.
September 14, 2020
“What the fuck were you thinking, auctioning your virginity to a total stranger?”4.5 stars
“Technically speaking, I wasn’t auctioning my virginity to you. I was buying your experience.”
Such a good book. Funny, this is the second romance I've read in recent days where one of the main characters was born and raised for most all their life in a fundamental religious community (the other one was Callan by Sybil Bartel).
This religious community is way different than the one in Callan; that was a cult, this is a fundamental Christian community and there wasn't any abuse or anything like that, as the cult had. They were very restrictive of women and on a lot of issues, but her father truly did and does love her and she truly did and does love him. It broke her heart to have to leave him, but she did what she had to do, and that was super brave of her; entering an entire world and life that she had never known.
There is no doubt that her relationship with Ben starts off as purely sexual, though there is something that intrigues each of them about the other from the beginning. I loved, LOVED how Calhoun had their relationship develop in the end and seeing the transformation that Ben underwent. The whole time, he thought he knew "the way things and life should go" and was teaching Rachel, when in fact, she was teaching him how much he was making himself miss out on.
Highly, highly recommend! A really pleasant surprise; could seem like it's all about sex, but it's much sweeter and deeper than that.
She was falling in love with him, and he was so broken, so damaged, and trying so hard to hide it.
— • —
She was so goddamn beautiful, the way things that could end you were. Guns. Knives. The tawny bird of prey she resembled.
— • —
He wanted Rachel. Slow and passionate and deep as the ocean. But Rachel asked more of him than he could give. Fuck dilemmas. Fuck rocks and hard places. The razor-sharp edge of who she was hovered over his paper-thin excuse for a soul. He didn’t want that blade to fall. He couldn’t bear to push it away, either.
September 4, 2013
5 stars
I loved, loved, loved it!
Anne Calhoundid an awesome job showing us how a man and a woman, that due a lot of circumstances, don’t know or forgot how to feel things.
And I think this is the perfect verb to describe this book: TO FEEL.
Rachel is a girl whom left a super rigid religious community to experience how is to live life to its fullest. At the community she couldn’t express her feelings. To feel anger, sadness, fury is a sin and they told her she had to suppress it. But Rachel has a free spirit. She wants to go to college, she wants to know how is to have a relationship with a man and with people, she wants to leave the safe and permit herself to experience everything, the good and the bad.
Ben is a cop who – at first view - doesn’t feel much. He doesn’t seem to be attached to nothing or anyone. At his job he is fearless, he likes to feel the adrenaline, the danger. His personal life is full of drinks, women and meaningless sex. He uses his aloofness and the badass exterior to hide strong and destructive feelings. Feelings and memories of a time in his life he prefers to forget.
In 70% of the story we see Rachel shine like a diamond. She buys a date with Ben wanting to have sex with him, no strings attached. She just wants to know how is to be with a man and they do have sex. Ben doesn’t know she’s a virgin and he didn’t even realize it until the next morning. She didn’t orgasm and he’s a bit rough, but she doesn’t care, because she felt.
Once Ben realizes what he did, he proposes Rachel to teach her how good sex can be. And boy, it was a good ride! The author takes sensuality to a new level. The scenes are sensuous and erotic in the best possible way. Rachel discovers herself as a powerful and sexy woman and little by little those encounters arouse a desire for more.
We see Rachel pursue her dreams to go to college, to get a better job at the same time we see her struggle with her father’s rejection and the pressure to return home. She grows stronger as the story progresses, she very determinate and sure of what she wants to her life.
In the end the focus shifts to Ben. We see how deep are his feelings for his twin brother (and as a twin sister myself I could relate alright!), how guilt he feels for what happened to him and how he focus all that guilt and anger on his father. It’s sad. He suffered so much that know he’s numb. And he doesn’t know how to cope with his growing feeling for Rachel, pushing her away again and again.
Everything was so realistic, the characters, the feelings, nothing was rushed. In the end, when they drifted away from each other, it was so good to see how they come to terms with themselves first and then try to give their relationship another try. Beautiful.
PS: The cover doesn’t represent the book in the slightest.
I loved, loved, loved it!
Anne Calhoundid an awesome job showing us how a man and a woman, that due a lot of circumstances, don’t know or forgot how to feel things.
And I think this is the perfect verb to describe this book: TO FEEL.
Rachel is a girl whom left a super rigid religious community to experience how is to live life to its fullest. At the community she couldn’t express her feelings. To feel anger, sadness, fury is a sin and they told her she had to suppress it. But Rachel has a free spirit. She wants to go to college, she wants to know how is to have a relationship with a man and with people, she wants to leave the safe and permit herself to experience everything, the good and the bad.
Ben is a cop who – at first view - doesn’t feel much. He doesn’t seem to be attached to nothing or anyone. At his job he is fearless, he likes to feel the adrenaline, the danger. His personal life is full of drinks, women and meaningless sex. He uses his aloofness and the badass exterior to hide strong and destructive feelings. Feelings and memories of a time in his life he prefers to forget.
In 70% of the story we see Rachel shine like a diamond. She buys a date with Ben wanting to have sex with him, no strings attached. She just wants to know how is to be with a man and they do have sex. Ben doesn’t know she’s a virgin and he didn’t even realize it until the next morning. She didn’t orgasm and he’s a bit rough, but she doesn’t care, because she felt.
Once Ben realizes what he did, he proposes Rachel to teach her how good sex can be. And boy, it was a good ride! The author takes sensuality to a new level. The scenes are sensuous and erotic in the best possible way. Rachel discovers herself as a powerful and sexy woman and little by little those encounters arouse a desire for more.
We see Rachel pursue her dreams to go to college, to get a better job at the same time we see her struggle with her father’s rejection and the pressure to return home. She grows stronger as the story progresses, she very determinate and sure of what she wants to her life.
In the end the focus shifts to Ben. We see how deep are his feelings for his twin brother (and as a twin sister myself I could relate alright!), how guilt he feels for what happened to him and how he focus all that guilt and anger on his father. It’s sad. He suffered so much that know he’s numb. And he doesn’t know how to cope with his growing feeling for Rachel, pushing her away again and again.
Everything was so realistic, the characters, the feelings, nothing was rushed. In the end, when they drifted away from each other, it was so good to see how they come to terms with themselves first and then try to give their relationship another try. Beautiful.
PS: The cover doesn’t represent the book in the slightest.
October 25, 2013
I loved the heroine of this book: Rachel! She was awesome!
With her upbringing I would have expected her to be more naive, more shy, more juvenile and scared of everything, but it was just the opposite! She was grown-up, fierce in a very delicate way, intelligent, tough, convinced about her ideas and desires! She was incredible!
The idea that she overcome the conservative and misogyny religous commune teachings with great courage and intelligence was so great that I'm almost without words to describe how much I admired her!
She knew what she wanted and wasn't shy asking for it, even if somebody could think her to much forward. She deosn't want to be a virgin anymore, but not because the virginity is highly valued by the commune and she wants to do something to negate this, but because loosing her virginity is a way to feel and experience. She doens't want eternal love, but want to explore the feelings and sensations two lovers share when having sex.
She acts very boldly and "purchases" the services of the man she's attacted to at a bachelor auction. She does it as she does everything: she thinks of what she wants and finds the best way to obtain it rationally! For example, she realized that if she remained in the commune she'll end up a broken woman, bent under rules she doesn't want to follow anymore, so she plans and executes her run-away as a pro! She does everything a very sane and intelligent person whould do: she covers everything - the shelter, the new documents, money, job, place to stay! Fantastic!
Ben is a almost her opposite. He's stuck in his past and does everything he could to make the past stay stuffed away without confronting anything. He thinks he's strong, that Rachel is weak - at least in the beginning. He realize quickly that Racer is anything but weak! He gets intrigued by her, and even if he fights and fights, he cannot forget her. Lastly he gets that Rachel is much stronger than him.
It is such a nice book! I would have given it 5 starts for Rachel only!
With her upbringing I would have expected her to be more naive, more shy, more juvenile and scared of everything, but it was just the opposite! She was grown-up, fierce in a very delicate way, intelligent, tough, convinced about her ideas and desires! She was incredible!
The idea that she overcome the conservative and misogyny religous commune teachings with great courage and intelligence was so great that I'm almost without words to describe how much I admired her!
She knew what she wanted and wasn't shy asking for it, even if somebody could think her to much forward. She deosn't want to be a virgin anymore, but not because the virginity is highly valued by the commune and she wants to do something to negate this, but because loosing her virginity is a way to feel and experience. She doens't want eternal love, but want to explore the feelings and sensations two lovers share when having sex.
She acts very boldly and "purchases" the services of the man she's attacted to at a bachelor auction. She does it as she does everything: she thinks of what she wants and finds the best way to obtain it rationally! For example, she realized that if she remained in the commune she'll end up a broken woman, bent under rules she doesn't want to follow anymore, so she plans and executes her run-away as a pro! She does everything a very sane and intelligent person whould do: she covers everything - the shelter, the new documents, money, job, place to stay! Fantastic!
Ben is a almost her opposite. He's stuck in his past and does everything he could to make the past stay stuffed away without confronting anything. He thinks he's strong, that Rachel is weak - at least in the beginning. He realize quickly that Racer is anything but weak! He gets intrigued by her, and even if he fights and fights, he cannot forget her. Lastly he gets that Rachel is much stronger than him.
It is such a nice book! I would have given it 5 starts for Rachel only!
December 5, 2022
Wonderful! RTC.
September 11, 2013
When I read the blurb, I thought to myself, "buy this book now!" And I did. I was filled with so much excitement, I didn't know why this book appealed to me so much. I liked the beginning, and half of the middle then I kind of skim through the book. When this happens, I automatically lose interest. The writing is good, the story not so much.
What I liked:
-Rachel. She's a bit different from what I usually like in heroines but I liked her character. If only she wouldn't have kept coming back for sex and letting him treat her like crap...I'd loved her instead of just liking her.
-I won't lie about this because the sex scenes were freaking hot. I wonder if this book is considered erotic? I suppose it should. So be aware, if you don't like them so explicit then this book is not for you. If you love them as much as I do then you're in for a treat! Yes, they're that good.
-I liked Sam. So different from Ben, (thank God) Sam's character is someone I could sympathize with. I liked how he let go of the past instead of clinging to it.
-I liked Jonathan and Chris.
What I didn't like:
>Ben is way too COLD, we only see him soften at the end of the book. Literally. It is why I couldn't love the hero. And while his, "sure, I can" sounded cocky and sexy at the same time, I didn't feel anything other than being MAD at him for almost 2/3 of the book.
>I couldn't feel their "love" so therefore I didn't fall in love with them. Rachel and Ben? It could have also been Rachel and Rob or Rachel and some-other-dude. That's how the story made me feel about both characters. I wasn't going out of my mind to have them get together. I wasn't dying to read the next page and find if they've found a way to be together. In the end, I knew Rachel and Ben would stay together and even then it didn't come as a relief. It was more like, "that's it? Now they're together? Okayy."
In essence, it wasn't a bad book...But I did have issues with the hero. Or maybe was the fact he didn't deserve to be the hero. I don't know. I was more thrilled with Rob and it wasn't suppose to be that way. We barely see Rob! Okayyy so this is my review.
What I liked:
-Rachel. She's a bit different from what I usually like in heroines but I liked her character. If only she wouldn't have kept coming back for sex and letting him treat her like crap...I'd loved her instead of just liking her.
-I won't lie about this because the sex scenes were freaking hot. I wonder if this book is considered erotic? I suppose it should. So be aware, if you don't like them so explicit then this book is not for you. If you love them as much as I do then you're in for a treat! Yes, they're that good.
-I liked Sam. So different from Ben, (thank God) Sam's character is someone I could sympathize with. I liked how he let go of the past instead of clinging to it.
-I liked Jonathan and Chris.
What I didn't like:
>Ben is way too COLD, we only see him soften at the end of the book. Literally. It is why I couldn't love the hero. And while his, "sure, I can" sounded cocky and sexy at the same time, I didn't feel anything other than being MAD at him for almost 2/3 of the book.
>I couldn't feel their "love" so therefore I didn't fall in love with them. Rachel and Ben? It could have also been Rachel and Rob or Rachel and some-other-dude. That's how the story made me feel about both characters. I wasn't going out of my mind to have them get together. I wasn't dying to read the next page and find if they've found a way to be together. In the end, I knew Rachel and Ben would stay together and even then it didn't come as a relief. It was more like, "that's it? Now they're together? Okayy."
In essence, it wasn't a bad book...But I did have issues with the hero. Or maybe was the fact he didn't deserve to be the hero. I don't know. I was more thrilled with Rob and it wasn't suppose to be that way. We barely see Rob! Okayyy so this is my review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2024
turning off my brain a bit for certain plot elements (mostly the c0p hero, who i just went ahead and imagined as Jack Traven from speed because i could and he's SWAT), wow this was a masterpiece.
Anne Calhoun does the work. I want every one to read her, especially newer writers. Tightly paced, tightly focused on the love interests, spare with IMPACT. There are no shortcuts.
Just because Rachel was a "virgin" and a former member of an ultra-conservative and restrictive religious sect didn't make Rachel a stereo-type in the Calhoun-a-verse. Rachel's quiet fortitude, her curiosity, her beliefs, her character, carried over into everything she does. Rachel is not lost. Rachel is actualized and trying all the things, measuring them for their worth, to her. Not judging others. She wanted to try a night with a bad boy, so she does. And she ROCKS HIM.
Ben, oh Ben. The juxtaposition of how Ben distracts himself from figuring out what he really wants, who he really is, with Rachel's religious upbringing, was so fascinating. Ben has nothing he's truly living for, and it makes him dangerous (to himself, and others). He also is in utter awe of Rachel, who may be light in experience, but leaves him shook each encounter they have.
And when Ben finally decides he cares? Puts on the moves? dammmnnnnn.
Gosh this was so sexy.
Anne Calhoun does the work. I want every one to read her, especially newer writers. Tightly paced, tightly focused on the love interests, spare with IMPACT. There are no shortcuts.
Just because Rachel was a "virgin" and a former member of an ultra-conservative and restrictive religious sect didn't make Rachel a stereo-type in the Calhoun-a-verse. Rachel's quiet fortitude, her curiosity, her beliefs, her character, carried over into everything she does. Rachel is not lost. Rachel is actualized and trying all the things, measuring them for their worth, to her. Not judging others. She wanted to try a night with a bad boy, so she does. And she ROCKS HIM.
Ben, oh Ben. The juxtaposition of how Ben distracts himself from figuring out what he really wants, who he really is, with Rachel's religious upbringing, was so fascinating. Ben has nothing he's truly living for, and it makes him dangerous (to himself, and others). He also is in utter awe of Rachel, who may be light in experience, but leaves him shook each encounter they have.
And when Ben finally decides he cares? Puts on the moves? dammmnnnnn.
Gosh this was so sexy.
October 24, 2013
You need to know that this book has lots of sex in it, but it is a really wonderful, beautiful, amazepants story.
I don't intend for this comment (about the lots of sex) to be a negative statement; in fact, the sex is quite exquisitely written. However, I tell you all this up front because I don't want those of you who prefer cleaner books to be turned off by the sex. It's one of those rare books where 85% of the sex detail is important to the storyline.
What I loved: If you can get past all the sex OR if you enjoy all the sex, you will find a heart rendering and retching story that is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. At first I thought the story was about Rachel's journey. However, as I read on, I realized that Rachel's journey had already taken place. The story is really about Ben's journey.
Of note, this is the first book since Lord of the Rings (when I was 14) that has made me cry. The scene between Ben and Sam near the end give me intense feels, likely because of my own family baggage. But I digres...
What I hated: I hated this book because I'll never be able to write anything this good.
Highly, highly recommend.
I don't intend for this comment (about the lots of sex) to be a negative statement; in fact, the sex is quite exquisitely written. However, I tell you all this up front because I don't want those of you who prefer cleaner books to be turned off by the sex. It's one of those rare books where 85% of the sex detail is important to the storyline.
What I loved: If you can get past all the sex OR if you enjoy all the sex, you will find a heart rendering and retching story that is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. At first I thought the story was about Rachel's journey. However, as I read on, I realized that Rachel's journey had already taken place. The story is really about Ben's journey.
Of note, this is the first book since Lord of the Rings (when I was 14) that has made me cry. The scene between Ben and Sam near the end give me intense feels, likely because of my own family baggage. But I digres...
What I hated: I hated this book because I'll never be able to write anything this good.
Highly, highly recommend.
October 20, 2013
4 stars
After I finished this book I saw it was a 2nd book in a series oeps I haven't read the first book. Luckily this is a 'standalone' hahaha :)
Will def read the 1st book in the series.
Really enjoyed the book, Ben infuriated me I wanted to slap him 80% into the book! LOL. Rachel, loved her, she was such a strong heroine.
This book was sizzling hot, just what I needed after reading Convicted.
I will def read some more books by this author.
After I finished this book I saw it was a 2nd book in a series oeps I haven't read the first book. Luckily this is a 'standalone' hahaha :)
Will def read the 1st book in the series.
Really enjoyed the book, Ben infuriated me I wanted to slap him 80% into the book! LOL. Rachel, loved her, she was such a strong heroine.
This book was sizzling hot, just what I needed after reading Convicted.
I will def read some more books by this author.
April 1, 2018
4.5 stars
This book is my favourite from Anne Calhoun so far. Jerkish-Ben, the busy cop from the previous story got his own book and he was worthy! I adored this tale of Rachel’s awakening through Ben. The fact that Ben learnt more from Rachel sweetened the experience. There’s a lot of heat in this book but there’s so much story underpinning the heat, that it’s a fabulous reading experience.
I’m sold on Anne Calhoun’s talent and I’m really looking forward to more of her craft.
This book is my favourite from Anne Calhoun so far. Jerkish-Ben, the busy cop from the previous story got his own book and he was worthy! I adored this tale of Rachel’s awakening through Ben. The fact that Ben learnt more from Rachel sweetened the experience. There’s a lot of heat in this book but there’s so much story underpinning the heat, that it’s a fabulous reading experience.
I’m sold on Anne Calhoun’s talent and I’m really looking forward to more of her craft.
July 26, 2015
I loved this.... every page.
September 18, 2020
Un altro bel libro pescato dalle letture del passato. Non fatevi ingannare dalla copertina, i protagonisti sono ben delineati e raccontano una bella storia. Rachel in particolare, per niente rammollita, mi è proprio piaciuta
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