Learning Curves

by Cathryn Fox

When he wins a sexy bet, billionaire Linc Blair can’t wait to get Lauren Neill naked. He’s never gone for her type in the past, and he’s pretty certain it has more to do with her buttoned-up hotness than the nagging sense that something is missing from his life. But when he gets a glimpse of the vulnerable woman beneath the conservative, yet oh-so-sexy clothes, it’s a game changer.

Lauren can’t believe she’s spending a few days with one of sexiest, and most annoying men she’s ever met. But she can’t deny the chemistry between them, and for once in her life she’s letting down her guard so she can explore a different side of herself. The side only Linc brings out in her.

Taking it slow, he unleashes her sexuality and it quickly occurs to him that what started out as a bet for him has become something more. With their weekend nearly over, and her ex showing interest in this new confident version of Lauren, Linc will have to risk it all if he wants to win the game of love.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Sports, Erotic Romance, Erotica

77 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 30, 2016

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cathryn Fox is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, aunt and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and red wine. Cathryn lives in beautiful Nova Scotia with her husband, who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. When not writing, Cathryn can be found Skyping with her son living in Seattle (could he have moved any farther away?) shopping with her daughter in the city, watching a big action flick with her husband, or hanging out and laughing with friends.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning Curves is by Cathryn Fox. It is part of the brand new Scorched line by Entangled Publishing. This book was generously provided to me by NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and by Cathryn Fox.



Lauren Neill has had one serious relationship but her ex, Matthew, dumped her. He told her she was boring in bed. That she didn’t know how to please him. So ever since then she has concentrated on her work, still hurting from Matthew’s words. Still, though, she can’t help but to notice the oh so sexy Linc Blair. He is ridiculously sexy and beautiful and she isn’t the only one that notices him. He has women fawning all over him constantly. As angry as it makes her to see it, she can’t seem to look away. Then came the bet.



Linc doesn’t know what it is about the buttoned up Lauren Neill. She’s definitely not the usual kind of woman he is attracted to. So maybe a sex filled weekend with her will finally get her out of his system. He hated watching her with Matthew when they were still together and now that she’s single, he’s determined to have her. But when he realizes that Matthew hurt Lauren and that her self-confidence has taken a serious hit, he promises her a weekend of sex. He will teach her body in every way possible that she is a sexy, responsive, beautiful woman.



I love student, teacher type scenarios. Lauren’s experience was limited and disappointing and Linc is determined to teach her what sex is really supposed to be like. But he ends up learning a few things as well. He never expected it to be the way it was between them. Can he get her out of his system in just one weekend or will it take a lifetime? Lauren and Linc were perfect together. I love it when love hits when they are least expecting it. This short book was seriously hot. Lauren’s weekend with Linc most definitely showed her what she had been missing. This is the third I have read of the four brand new line of books Entangled is releasing called their Scorched Line. I am loving this new series. If you enjoy hot and sexy with characters that are sure to tunnel into your heart, I definitely think you will enjoy this new line as well.

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Real Win-Win Stars
* * * *
He's been watching her.... and she has been watching him. What may seem like oil and water not mixing is totally not the case. What we have here is a very sexy and enjoyable little time out from the everyday life... brought to us by Cathryn Fox.

This is a tale of the seemingly playboy type interested from afar in our button downed gal. They cross paths through business and are at a hockey game when a bet is agreed upon... if his team wins... he gets her for the weekend...and if her team wins... she gets him for the weekend....

See Win-Win....

For our gal needs this sexy man to show her exactly how Real Sex is supposed to be... not the lazy, thoughtless, lay the blame on her kind she had with her ex. When circumstances happen to push them to actually do this bet...that is when all the fun begins.

Cathryn Fox put together a terrific, fast paced, smokin' hot read. All the elements were there and it was a Win-Win for me too.

A gifted copy was provided by Entangled: Scorched via NetGalley for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



All bets are in and Cathryn Fox has laid everything on the line in her newest sexy novella, the Learning Curve. So if you are looking for a romance that is sweet and sexually charged, then place your bets on this book because making a bet lead one heroine discovering that the man she thought wouldn’t give her a second thought might have been waiting for the right time to claim her?

“His filthy , explicit words pushed her to the edge, but it was the way he looked at her, like she was the most important woman in the world, that nearly made her come again.”

One bet. One weekend. And Linc won the biggest game of his life. The opportunity to spend the weekend with Lauren after a playful bet. And this weekend was lots of sexual exploration and possibly a new romance. Linc was able to show Lauren how a real man treats a lady and of course how a real man loves. So if you are ready to sit back and learn from Linc then this book is for you. All there is left to say, Learning Curve was a quick, fun, and sexy read that has all the elements to heat up our summer!!!



Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Cathryn Fox

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need a hot little read for a spicy afternoon pick me up? Then this is the book for you.

This novella has everything that you are looking for in a Quick read. A fine looking man with loads of heat, plenty of sexual tension, and delicious steamy sex. Plus the awesome HEA that we fantasize about in a perfect romantic world.

That's what's awesome about Cathryn Fox. She took the best parts of a romantic story, packed it into a beautiful novella and we get everything we want in one quick read. This author goes in with a great storyline and delivers a fast paced, banging hot story that you will remember.

YUMMMM Definitely one to pick up!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC Provided by the Publisher and NetGalley***

http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore....

Novellas are hard to review, as they are by definition, shorter and not as developed, and I like developed stories. That said, it is possible to develop a story in a novella, it just takes a little effort, some attention to a different pacing, and an ability to know what can be skipped and what needs to remain in order for the story to work. Cathryn Fox does a wonderful job with all of this, creating a novella that works and feels like a full story.

In this case, Fox dealt with having less time to develop the characters by giving them an attraction they had been fighting for a year, an amusing reason to place a bet, a Linc who was brave enough to go for what he wanted when the opportunity presents itself. Their chemistry is clear as they try to avoid one another, to not speak to one another, and to generally pretend the other is not in the room...while being acutely aware of one another.

The characters were fun, they had great chemistry, and most importantly, I believed their attraction to one another. This matters, and can be a challenge in a novella. The sex was also hot, and this is also something that can be hit or miss in a novella, as you have to develop the attraction before the physical parts are steamy, and this was done very well.

I liked Linc and Lauren, I thought they were well developed characters and I found their reactions and behaviors to be consistent. The pacing was good and it spent the right amounts of time developing the important parts of the story while skimming past the non-essential parts.

I recommend this overall and am looking forward to the other novels through the new "Scorched" line with Entangled.

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 "Smutacular Insta-love" Stars!

If you are in the mood for a short read with lots of sex, a little bit of heart, and some serious insta-love, this is the book for you! Happy reading!

[Maria11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hummm....what to say...

It was short and very sexy. It was instant love and I want to marry you.

It was very good writing, but very unrealistic. It was too short to really get a handle on the characters. I have to get on my soap box and say that I do not like this trend with eBooks. Short reads can be fun just like this one, but they just don't hit the right spots! LOL!

It was sexy and hot. A light no brainer read. Not bad but not super great.

Received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley for a honest review.

[Steffi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled: Scorched for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book is only a novella because I really enjoyed the story, the characters and their sexual chemistry. I would have loved this to be a full-length romance.
The general story is kind of clishée and things in the relationship were kind of rushed but as this is only a short story I understand the author's intentions.

I really liked the characters and the sex scenes were absolutely HOT. There is some sizzling chemistry between the protagonists.

The writing style was enjoyable and fast-paced, I will definetely look out for more books by Cathryn Fox.

[Ginette]

In the minority on this one.......
Short & steamy part was ok, but I just didn't enjoy the characters. Again just my personal opinion

[Dísir · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve always maintained that novellas are tricky business. Short, to the point, with very little manoeuvring space in the narrative other than to get to the heart of the matter with characters that should be more than half-formed caricatures or puppets dangling from the author’s fingertips. Which is why in 68 pages, ‘Learning Curves’ is surprising enough for me to (sort of) buy into this short, short tale that is pretty much a drawn-out transition from UST to RST while charting out a somewhat smooth path to a happily ever after.

The latter I believe much less than the former, but it doesn’t detract from the hedonistic pleasures the short story actually provides. But I wonder if this is about wish-fulfilment as much as it is about satisfying a quick, easy read (and straight onto the next book) as well. There is a reason why I try to avoid millionaire/billionaire stories like they carry the plague because of their lack of realism, made all the more difficult given their sudden proliferation on the shelves. Simply putting aside the ‘super-rich’ background somehow makes a pairing more real to me when the main characters are simply reduced to man and woman and the common denominator that’s mutual want, respect and well, lust, minus the trappings of social standing and whatever the heaping pile money can offer.

Thankfully, there’s some of that and not too much of it in ‘Learning Curves’, where the focus is more on the down and dirty. Plot, backstory and characters are pulled together in the boiling, screaming cauldron of a stadium during a game where undeniable attraction and chemistry simmer along with the sweaty play on the field. A bet is made and won, or lost, depending on whose side we’re on for a weekend of sex and off we go, straight into the long, drawn-out scenes where the mambo is done horizontally, vertically and in every other position in between.

Both Linc and Lauren slot easily into roles that the chick-lit genre has defined for both genders of this century: the rich womaniser (a character that has become commonplace and disposable, ironically) and the buttoned-up and not-too-experienced woman who somehow manages to screw up his entire worldview about women and relationships. I found myself liking Lauren more than Linc; her insecurities were more relatable than the disconnect and repulsion I always feel when it comes to a rich commitment-phobe playboy with some Neanderthal tendencies, but then, maybe that is really the point here.

That Linc and Lauren went from fling to affianced however, was when it all faltered for me personally. Entertaining as it was in the beginning, I thought a better fleshed-out male protagonist - that at least defied some of these awful clichéd stereotypical traits - and obstacles in the way to this all too easy ending would have made it a more believable read.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

3.5 stars

Take two people plus a simple bet and add in incredible pleasure for a weekend and that equals Cathryn Fox's hot, sexy short story, Learning Curves.

Linc Bliar and Lauren Neill have been lusting after each other for some time although Lauren really doesn't want to lust after her best friend's cocky, playboy boss. When she loses a bet to him his reward is a weekend alone with her for him to do what he pleases. I enjoyed the set-up to this story and there was no denying the attraction between them despite Lauren's confidence issues and while I loved their sexy times I'm going to admit that I would have liked more background on both characters and had a bit more time with them before they moved from fling to fiancée.

A sexy dirty talking man and a woman learning to explore her sexuality made Learning Curves a very entertaining story.

Review copy provided for an honest review.

[Kjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Sizzling Stars! This was one seriously hot novella! Loved both Lauren and Linc....especially Linc;) Well written, both plot and love scenes. I've always said "If you can't write love scenes...don't." Fox doesn't have this problem, as she manages to convey the emotional and sensual side instead of just the act itself. The characters form a bond outside the bedroom that adds to the story. If you're looking for a hot, sultry beach (or porch, or whatever) read, this is it!

*This book was generously provided to me by Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an unbiased review.*

[Crystal Yawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Moly, after a dry spell of tame books, this one hit the spot!

Lincoln is one dirty talking, panty melting bad boy that will leave you gooey panting for more. Add in an unsure Lauren and the sheets are bound to catch fire as Lincoln shows her what she's been missing.

I can't say enough how this hot this book is.  I had to take a breather halfway through to calm down.  If you like well done dirty talk, this is a must read.

[Dilek VT · Rating 2 out of 5]

That is a very short read - 74 pages. A novella actually.
Don't expect much plot or character development. Some short steamy story only...

* I won't read any more novellas because they are never satisfactory enough for me. My grading reflects this feeling of mine...

[Never Stop Reading or Dreaming · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted there to be more but for what this is as, it was pretty good

[Lysandra Engstrand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

[Cami · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Scorching Hot Stars!!!!

This a really cute short read. It was smoking HOT……I mean, I needed a break scorching HOT! I went and took a dip in the pool trying to get a little distance which only accomplished me thinking about the boat scene.
Billionaire Lincoln Blair, better known as Linc wins a bet with Lauren Neill. She is not his normal type but he still cannot wait to get her alone and naked. Her “buttoned-up hotness”is all he has been able to think about.

Lauren can’t believe she’s spending the weekend with the annoying womanizing man who just happens to be sexier than sin. Her last relationship left her insecure and completely self conscious.

Linc seems to have the key that unleashed her inner sex goddess. With her new found confidence and her ex showing interest in her, Lincoln needs to face his own feelings and decide if he is going to let her get away.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Well, this was a hot read.

Here Lauren and Linc make a bet, and after Lauren loses, she has to spend a weekend with Linc.

Well, considering both of them were secretly lusting after the other, I’d say the weekend was bound to be a game changer for them, lol.

The story is short (it IS a novella, after all), and it does what it promises, a fun, hot and quick look into these two characters and their time together.

*Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange of my honest opinion*

[Terry Hammoutene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely give a 5 star but this book is a fast read and it is hot. I could not put it down.
Lauren is so caught up in the things her ex told her, however after a bet made with Linc Blair this will all change. One weekend with him, and the heat is on. Not only are they enjoying each other immensely, her ex is noticing her as well. Linc will have none of that and you just have to read it and find out.





** I received this book in return for an honest review**

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a short read that manages to incorporate some of my favorite tropes into a cute, sexy story that's well paced and sweet. I liked both characters and even though things moved fast, in the context of the story, it was totally plausible. A fast, but satisfying read. My full review will be up at my blog on June 18, 2016.

[BookCrazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good short story! Hot and sexy.
The protagonist is an accountant whose last boyfriend did a number on her. And when he tries to humiliate her one more time, Linc comes to the rescue.

I recommend it for a long commute.

[Beanimous · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book, but I don't really like it.

This book felt rushed, shallow and unbelievable.

I failed to have any sense of connection with any of the characters in the book, and I grew inpatient and uncaring towards the end.

[iya · Rating 4 out of 5]

before anything else, i just have to say this: the conflict was so weird!!!!! it came up so suddenly in the last chapter and so minuscule, and honestly quite humorous. lol took me the hell away from the suspension of belief i've held on to while reading the chapters prior to this.

otherwise, solid read. it was a great read for 77 pages. i was impressed with how whole the characters felt (even the minor best friend character tbh). dialogue was great too! the back and forth between the characters felt natural and they had a good rapport. and the pacing's great too! i mean this can obviously be read in one sitting because it's legitimately less than a hundred pages, but the book felt like a breeze. a bit escapist, if you're looking for a really quick read just to have something else occupy your mind for a couple of minutes or so.

ps. this is an erotica
pps. it only has 6 chapters

[Ela (Mouse333) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was fine, even though it was short.

I think I would have liked this book more if it was longer, as there wasn’t enough time to show much.

I liked Lauren and Linc, but I wanted to see more of how they interacted before that game, and after the weekend.

There were some side characters, but they weren’t shown much.

I might try other, longer, books by this author.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, entertaining, quick read. Linc and Lauren are interesting, relatable, intriguing, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. Their interactions (especially in the arena) were fun to read. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. This story is easy to read and get into.

[Rae Latte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smokin' hot book of lust at work and how to get what you really want. If you love a book with an element of hockey, romance and the desire to be devoured then you will love this book from the new Scorched imprint line!

I received an advance reader copy for a fair and honest review.

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Roneka Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word. AMAZING!!!! That's all you need yo know now go read this awesome book!

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me. Go in knowing that this is all about the spice :) Short read too.

[Lissete Jimenez · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was nice but I guess it's better to read it than listen to it. Didn't really like the narrator.