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Taming Sugar
A modern day, BDSM, Taming of the Shrew. After being dropped from the best role she’d ever gotten, actress Roxy Cavanaugh is on a week’s vacation to work on her patience. Being holed up in a little cabin isn’t doing much to help her, and neither is meeting sexy property manager Hunter Finn. Unfazed by her willful determination, Finn might be the first man strong enough to take her…if they don’t kill each other first.
75 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2017
9 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Grace Allen
18 books242 followersRebecca Grace Allen writes hot, heartbreaking, happily-ever-afters. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a double concentration in Creative Writing and Literary Comparison, as well as a Master of Science in Education, both of which seemed like good ideas at the time. After stumbling through jobs in entertainment, publishing, law and teaching, she's returned to my first love: writing. A self-admitted caffeine addict and gym rat, she lives in upstate New York with her husband, two parakeets, and a cat with a very unusual foot fetish.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 7, 2017
Taming Sugar is a short novella that takes a modern day look at a classic ‘Taming of the Shrew’ story and adds in some BDSM heat!
Roxy Carmichael has been fired from her latest play for being too difficult. Diva doesn’t begin to describe her, and her friends send her to a secluded cabin in the woods with orders to learn to relax and get a handle on her volatile nature. When she meets Hunter Finn, the property manager who comes in to repair some of the innumerable things she finds wrong with the cabin, he offers her something else – a chance to let someone else have control for a change. But is Roxy willing to put her body, heart and mind in another’s hands? And faced with some unpleasant truths about herself, will she be willing to change?
What I enjoyed most about this story (besides the sexy and handsome Finn) was seeing Roxy actually learn something about herself and strive to change it. It isn’t just that she discovers a liking for kinky sex (and those scenes are pretty steamy!). Some of what Finn says to her breaks through her ‘Diva’ shell and she realizes what her behavior looks like to others, and also why she acts that way. Her upbringing and her relationship with her father have a lot to do with it, but in the end, she must take responsibility for her choices. It’s not uncommon for Finn to have sexual encounters with women who come to the area on vacation but Roxy is different. He cares about her, wants to help her, and is interested in pursuing something more serious. We get a happy for now ending for this couple that suits the story length, and I’ll be on the lookout for more from this author.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by RockStarPR for review.
This review appears at: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
Roxy Carmichael has been fired from her latest play for being too difficult. Diva doesn’t begin to describe her, and her friends send her to a secluded cabin in the woods with orders to learn to relax and get a handle on her volatile nature. When she meets Hunter Finn, the property manager who comes in to repair some of the innumerable things she finds wrong with the cabin, he offers her something else – a chance to let someone else have control for a change. But is Roxy willing to put her body, heart and mind in another’s hands? And faced with some unpleasant truths about herself, will she be willing to change?
What I enjoyed most about this story (besides the sexy and handsome Finn) was seeing Roxy actually learn something about herself and strive to change it. It isn’t just that she discovers a liking for kinky sex (and those scenes are pretty steamy!). Some of what Finn says to her breaks through her ‘Diva’ shell and she realizes what her behavior looks like to others, and also why she acts that way. Her upbringing and her relationship with her father have a lot to do with it, but in the end, she must take responsibility for her choices. It’s not uncommon for Finn to have sexual encounters with women who come to the area on vacation but Roxy is different. He cares about her, wants to help her, and is interested in pursuing something more serious. We get a happy for now ending for this couple that suits the story length, and I’ll be on the lookout for more from this author.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by RockStarPR for review.
This review appears at: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
January 21, 2017
This is the first book I have read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's not very long in length, more of a short story. Roxy tends to be a bit unlikeable in her attitude, and how head strong she is. She is a beotch but finds herself in the end, thank goodness. Now, Hunter is hot, sexy and dominant and makes a wonderful book boyfriend. This story had a couple of editing errors, but nothing major. I will give more of this author a try.
January 29, 2017
A fun spin on a classic
As soon as I saw “adaption of The Taming of the Shrew”, I requested this book to review. Taming Sugar explores a potential relationship while addressing Roxi’s need to reset after losing a role due to her lack of patience and humility. It is a short story set in modern times with a BDSM edge. I say edge because the book’s length precludes the sex scenes from getting too involved. I typically don’t read BDSM romances, but the components worked well in this story and it never felt contrived. The characters and plotline were well rounded, enough detail to add depth and sufficient time for conflict and resolution. The exchanges between Hunter and Roxi were fun and energetic. This lightness was balanced with an emotional connection and some soul-searching. The length meant the romance moved along quickly, but it is not insta-love in the least, rather the focus is the birth of a relationship. I appreciated that the author didn’t try to do too much in a short book, ensuring the timeline made sense. The writing was crisp and the pacing brisk. This story ticked all the boxes for a short story and would be a good afternoon or weekend read. The author tied in the Taming of the Shrew elements within the story and characters’ personalities smoothly. The personal touches she added to a classic Shakespearean play were relevant while playing homage to the original.
*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*
As soon as I saw “adaption of The Taming of the Shrew”, I requested this book to review. Taming Sugar explores a potential relationship while addressing Roxi’s need to reset after losing a role due to her lack of patience and humility. It is a short story set in modern times with a BDSM edge. I say edge because the book’s length precludes the sex scenes from getting too involved. I typically don’t read BDSM romances, but the components worked well in this story and it never felt contrived. The characters and plotline were well rounded, enough detail to add depth and sufficient time for conflict and resolution. The exchanges between Hunter and Roxi were fun and energetic. This lightness was balanced with an emotional connection and some soul-searching. The length meant the romance moved along quickly, but it is not insta-love in the least, rather the focus is the birth of a relationship. I appreciated that the author didn’t try to do too much in a short book, ensuring the timeline made sense. The writing was crisp and the pacing brisk. This story ticked all the boxes for a short story and would be a good afternoon or weekend read. The author tied in the Taming of the Shrew elements within the story and characters’ personalities smoothly. The personal touches she added to a classic Shakespearean play were relevant while playing homage to the original.
*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*
November 29, 2020
Taming Sugar is the first book in Rebecca Grace Allen’s new series that gives a modern, BDSM twist on some of Shakespeare’s plays. Taming Sugar is based off of Taming the Shrew.
Roxy is a Broadway actress in NYC who knows what she wants and is not afraid to get. Fired from her current play for being “hard to work with”, Roxy’s BFFs send her up to Upstate New York to learn how to be patient and ease up. While there, she meets the house’s caregiver, Hunter Finn. Hunter is a rugged, alpha male who is what Roxy needs to learn her patience.
This is a quick book that involves some light BDSM play. Allen has written several books about BDSM, which I have read, so her take on the lifestyle is accurate. Trust me, I have read some that were so wrong, it was insulting to the BSDM community.
The next book, Hunter Pains, is due out on December 7th, 2020. This book is based around Much Ado About Nothing. It is a follow up to Taming Sugar.
Roxy is a Broadway actress in NYC who knows what she wants and is not afraid to get. Fired from her current play for being “hard to work with”, Roxy’s BFFs send her up to Upstate New York to learn how to be patient and ease up. While there, she meets the house’s caregiver, Hunter Finn. Hunter is a rugged, alpha male who is what Roxy needs to learn her patience.
This is a quick book that involves some light BDSM play. Allen has written several books about BDSM, which I have read, so her take on the lifestyle is accurate. Trust me, I have read some that were so wrong, it was insulting to the BSDM community.
The next book, Hunter Pains, is due out on December 7th, 2020. This book is based around Much Ado About Nothing. It is a follow up to Taming Sugar.
May 20, 2018
Sexy fun quick read that keeps your attention the whole book. Roxy is a bit hard to work with. Bossy, rude, and mean, she was kicked out of her role of a life time. Her best friends sent her on a vacation to a quiet place to find herself. In walks the property manager Hunter who tries to manage more than just the property. Can he handle this sassy woman? Someone needs to!
November 29, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. Fun to get lost in. It takes place at a secluded cabin in the woods where two headstrong characters meet. They have an interesting dynamic because he's dominant and so is she in her every day lifestyle but she secretly longs to give up control and it's fun watching her journey of submitting to someone she can finally trust.
February 6, 2017
Roxy led Hunter on a merry chance. Until tempted Hunter put her in her place. Rebecca Grace Allen implemented the three S's. Short, sultry and sassy. Roxy has to face her fears in order to open up her heart. Hunter is up for the challenge. Taming Sugar adds modern spice to age old vice.
May 14, 2023
This was a fine start to a book, but it felt incomplete.
Hunter and Roxy meet, then spend maybe two days with each other and that’s the end. It doesn’t really show a relationship, or what will happen with her acting.
It was too short to really show anything.
Hunter and Roxy meet, then spend maybe two days with each other and that’s the end. It doesn’t really show a relationship, or what will happen with her acting.
It was too short to really show anything.
April 27, 2018
This was an awesome book. Just wish it was longer. Loved the characters and storyline.
November 1, 2020
Not nearly as smutty as I was expecting, and I really liked Hunter's character.
September 18, 2021
Clocking in at a mere 75 pages, Taming Sugar packs quite a wallop for its size. It contains...not a little bit of everything, but certainly enough elements to keep it interesting without bogging it down.
I couldn't stand Roxy at first. She came off as quite the diva, but given that her two besties, Gio and Rog, seemed to adore her (and the fact that I knew RGA wouldn't write such an unlikable protagonist), I assured myself that there were redeeming qualities under the don't-mess-with-me exterior. Needless to say, my faith was amply rewarded as I kept reading.
Hunter, however, I liked from the get-go. He had Roxy off-balance from their very first meeting, and it was fantastic. I loved it when he called her "sugar" the first time (even if she didn't). He was exactly what Roxy needed, and I have my suspicions that Gio and Rog were playing matchmaker. (I have zero proof that either of them had ever met Hunter, but I like that angle, so I've made it my headcanon.)
The scenes where Hunter and Roxy were playing were exquisitely done, and lived up to any expectations I may have had. Smokin' hot, yes, but what I liked best was that Hunter established that Roxy trusted him and wanted to play well before any clothes came off.
All in all, a short, VERY sexy read--one that I will be rereading from time to time.
I was given a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't stand Roxy at first. She came off as quite the diva, but given that her two besties, Gio and Rog, seemed to adore her (and the fact that I knew RGA wouldn't write such an unlikable protagonist), I assured myself that there were redeeming qualities under the don't-mess-with-me exterior. Needless to say, my faith was amply rewarded as I kept reading.
Hunter, however, I liked from the get-go. He had Roxy off-balance from their very first meeting, and it was fantastic. I loved it when he called her "sugar" the first time (even if she didn't). He was exactly what Roxy needed, and I have my suspicions that Gio and Rog were playing matchmaker. (I have zero proof that either of them had ever met Hunter, but I like that angle, so I've made it my headcanon.)
The scenes where Hunter and Roxy were playing were exquisitely done, and lived up to any expectations I may have had. Smokin' hot, yes, but what I liked best was that Hunter established that Roxy trusted him and wanted to play well before any clothes came off.
All in all, a short, VERY sexy read--one that I will be rereading from time to time.
I was given a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2017
Roxy Cavanaugh is a rich, some would say spoiled and entitled, actress. She's also kind of a bitch to everyone around her. Her agent and best friend sends her on a "calm the fuck down" retreat in upstate NY. He also gives her a few tasks to complete, as part of her forced unwinding process.Read more…
Right from the start, a swarm of bees forces her to contact the cabin's property manager, and when Hunter Finn arrives to save the day. He also saves Roxy from herself.
The major scene in this novella is a play scene where Roxy is faced with her own insecurities, her own faults. Actually - everything that has made her into the raging bitch that she is. This scene is very emotional and the way she responded to everything Hunter was doing really made me sad. At the same time, I also felt for Hunter who was absolutely perfect in everything he did during and after their play.
Imagine Taming of the Shrew, sprinkle it with modern-day living, and squeeze a drop of kink. And there you have it!
The only thing I think that would have made this better is if it were a little longer so that their flirtations and subsequent play scenes would've been more elaborate (not necessarily in the kink department, you pervs). I really enjoy the mental and emotional aspect of these scenes.
Right from the start, a swarm of bees forces her to contact the cabin's property manager, and when Hunter Finn arrives to save the day. He also saves Roxy from herself.
The major scene in this novella is a play scene where Roxy is faced with her own insecurities, her own faults. Actually - everything that has made her into the raging bitch that she is. This scene is very emotional and the way she responded to everything Hunter was doing really made me sad. At the same time, I also felt for Hunter who was absolutely perfect in everything he did during and after their play.
Imagine Taming of the Shrew, sprinkle it with modern-day living, and squeeze a drop of kink. And there you have it!
The only thing I think that would have made this better is if it were a little longer so that their flirtations and subsequent play scenes would've been more elaborate (not necessarily in the kink department, you pervs). I really enjoy the mental and emotional aspect of these scenes.
January 19, 2017
This is my second Rebecca Grace Allen Book that I've read to date and let me tell you, I'm definitely a fan. She took this modern day retelling of the Taming of the Shrew and made it volcanic HOT!
First we have rich, spoiled, theater star Roxy Cavanaugh, (LOVE the name) who has been canned from her leading role on a broadway show because of her outrageous behavior. A good friend sends her off to a remote cabin to learn the meaning of patience.
Then we have the caretaker, Hunter Fin, he's a hunk of a man's man. Roxy finds out pretty quickly that he's not going to take her attitude or her smart mouth. When he finds out why she's up there, he decides to teach her the meaning of patience...his way.
And OH LORD his way was just YUMMY. On a Dom scale of 1 to 5 I'd give him a 4.9. They had a few issues to work out, but aside from the fact I could have used a whole lot more story between them, this was a great little read!
First we have rich, spoiled, theater star Roxy Cavanaugh, (LOVE the name) who has been canned from her leading role on a broadway show because of her outrageous behavior. A good friend sends her off to a remote cabin to learn the meaning of patience.
Then we have the caretaker, Hunter Fin, he's a hunk of a man's man. Roxy finds out pretty quickly that he's not going to take her attitude or her smart mouth. When he finds out why she's up there, he decides to teach her the meaning of patience...his way.
And OH LORD his way was just YUMMY. On a Dom scale of 1 to 5 I'd give him a 4.9. They had a few issues to work out, but aside from the fact I could have used a whole lot more story between them, this was a great little read!
January 24, 2017
Taming Sugar was such an adorable and quick read that it was over before I even realized it. I opened the pages, got completely pulled in, and then reached the end far to quickly. Roxy was the stereotypical spoiled shrew, yet she wasn't unlikable nor irredeemable. I couldn’t overly sympathize with her, yet I couldn't find it in me to not laugh at her antics or hope she got what she wanted.
“She'd never experienced anything like that before -a connection with a relative stranger, words spoken with only their eyes.”
Ok, so there's a bit of insta-love. Be truthful though, if a man as sexy as Finn turned out to be your handyman, how could you not fall for him? Then beneath all that hunky exterior was a smart, hardworking man who turned out to be so much more. **Swoon**
“You've got a smart mouth, sugar. But I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do with it.”
Sweet, sexy and just what I needed. ~ George 3.5 Stars
“She'd never experienced anything like that before -a connection with a relative stranger, words spoken with only their eyes.”
Ok, so there's a bit of insta-love. Be truthful though, if a man as sexy as Finn turned out to be your handyman, how could you not fall for him? Then beneath all that hunky exterior was a smart, hardworking man who turned out to be so much more. **Swoon**
“You've got a smart mouth, sugar. But I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do with it.”
Sweet, sexy and just what I needed. ~ George 3.5 Stars
January 27, 2017
If you are looking for something quick, sultry, and oh do naughty then look no further than Taming Sugar.
Roxy is a woman that doesn't know the word no. If she wants it, she does whatever it takes to get it. If she seems like a tough, sassy, hard headed woman, it's because that is the way she was raised. No man has been able to tame her, and no one will be able to unless he's a strong, persistent man that knows how to handle a woman. And Hunter Finn may just be that man.
Sweet Baby Jesus! Hunter has a way with words that have you begging more. He's a man that can work with his hands, lips, tongue, fingers, ans so much more. He makes Roxy see her true self and make her want to be the person she wants to be worthy of Hunter. They have passion that is off the charts and they can make you hot on a cold winter's night.
I enjoyed this fast, sexy, and erotically tempting read. A perfect seductive read to end a long, tiring day.
Roxy is a woman that doesn't know the word no. If she wants it, she does whatever it takes to get it. If she seems like a tough, sassy, hard headed woman, it's because that is the way she was raised. No man has been able to tame her, and no one will be able to unless he's a strong, persistent man that knows how to handle a woman. And Hunter Finn may just be that man.
Sweet Baby Jesus! Hunter has a way with words that have you begging more. He's a man that can work with his hands, lips, tongue, fingers, ans so much more. He makes Roxy see her true self and make her want to be the person she wants to be worthy of Hunter. They have passion that is off the charts and they can make you hot on a cold winter's night.
I enjoyed this fast, sexy, and erotically tempting read. A perfect seductive read to end a long, tiring day.
January 24, 2017
Great Read
Short, but well rounded, this was such a great adaptation of Taming of the Shrew. And I think the "taming" made for an excellent transition to the BDSM aspects.
As shrewish as Roxy is, I actually like her, which surprises the heck out of me as I usually have no affinity for such obdurate rudeness. But, I could sorta understand where she was coming from with her past, and her lack of patience with stupidity!
And then there's Hunter. A man who possibly sees past her barricades and yet also likes her in spite of - or maybe because of? - her fierceness. He respects Roxy, and that in itself is the sexiest thing ever.
Short, but well rounded, this was such a great adaptation of Taming of the Shrew. And I think the "taming" made for an excellent transition to the BDSM aspects.
As shrewish as Roxy is, I actually like her, which surprises the heck out of me as I usually have no affinity for such obdurate rudeness. But, I could sorta understand where she was coming from with her past, and her lack of patience with stupidity!
And then there's Hunter. A man who possibly sees past her barricades and yet also likes her in spite of - or maybe because of? - her fierceness. He respects Roxy, and that in itself is the sexiest thing ever.
Want to read
December 27, 2016RGA always brings hotness and authentic characters. I'm so excited that she's writing a Taming of the Shrew retelling!
June 11, 2017
Review copy via author. Reviewed at Dear Author.
http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
February 3, 2017
Short sweet and sexy
I loved this short, sweet, and sexy story by Rebecca Grace Allen. Looking forward to reading more by this new-to-me author.
I loved this short, sweet, and sexy story by Rebecca Grace Allen. Looking forward to reading more by this new-to-me author.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews