Couples Night Out is Book 1 in the steamy and erotic Suburban Secrets series. The series follows Ella and Jak, a young couple trying to save their marriage from disaster after their mutual indiscretions threaten to ruin them. When Ella and Jak begin to lose their way down the path of destruction, a glimmer of hope is offered to them in the most unconventional of ways. They discover a secret world far beyond the confines of suburbia where lust and desire have no boundaries. As they play out their sexual fantasies, they find that breaking the rules is sometimes the best way to keep them. The only drawback is keeping their scandalous new life a secret. Will opening up their relationship to explore every hidden desire keep them bound to each other or will it destroy every last shred of their love's existence?
Cassidy London has been in love with scandalous steamy romances, ever since she can remember. When she’s not writing or reading dirty books, Cassidy can also be found masquerading as a wine drinking, suburban mom in Montreal, Canada.
The writing in the book is very good but the characters were not developed enough for me. In fact Jak (the main male character) felt almost like a stranger.
This is a pretty short read, about an hour or so, and has a decent plot line but due to it's length there isn't a lot of depth in the story. There were some fantastic opportunities where the story could have been extended and really allowed us into the minds of both Ella and Jak. When Ella recieved Jak's email I really felt the anguish and emotion of that moment and the scene that followed, so the author clearly can write passion and emotion very well - I just needed more of that.
Most of the book focused on 'taboo' sexual encounters, these were extremely hot and this is one very erotic read. However I would have liked to have just had some more interaction between Ella and Jak - most of what we do get is written in a 'reminiscence' way and only from Ella's perspective.
In fact I'm sure that I feel there is something missing from this book because the author is a good writer who's scenes and dialogue flow well and where you can generate a clear mental picture
If you are looking for a hot, spicy and quick erotic read this is a certainly worth considering, and is much better than some of the crude offerings around.
This short little seductive novella captivated my attention and had my fingers flipping through the pages.
I completely devoured this sexy, steamy short story in a heartbeat.
What do you do when your marriage is falling apart. You and your spouse both know that the attraction is there, but for someone reason both feel like their love life has become somewhat boring. You start frolicking and end up finding attraction somewhere else without meaning to. You know it's wrong and you still love your significant other but don't know how to bring up the subject of what's going on in your marriage, so you resort to finding solace with someone else.
When Ella and Jak work through their problems and tell each other their fantasies, they decide to explore them and see if that's what they want and need. When they see that it's working for them, their love life has spiced up and their love has been rekindled. Can they continue with this kind of life? Will it strengthen their love or will it shatter them to the brink of no hope in reconciling?
I'm super excited to continue reading about Jak and Ella and their explorations. I want to see where this fantasy of theirs will take them. If it will make them or break them.
5 short seductive stars
**Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
This is one heck of a sweet sexy,fun read! This is my first time reading from Cassidy London and how I love her style! AND HOW I LOVE THIS COVER!! This story truely intrigued me! How two people love eachother so much to think out of the box on ways to put more spice in thier life. I enjoyed meeting these characters and look foward to getting to know them better. I cant wait to read more of their sexy adventures!
*I received an ARC of Couple's Night Out by Cassidy London in exchange for my honest review. *
This book is broken up into two parts. The story is short, and I consider to be more like two short stories but together into a novella. It has to do with a couple who like most married couples gets stagnate within their life and the spark fades. Then when the wife or husband gets some attention from another person they start to have feelings and almost cheat. In part two they decided to use this feeling of being appreciated by others to become swingers. It's an interesting take on how to spice up married life.
It's interesting and does strike a nerve, but then when it goes to the swinging life style it takes on a dark and dirty persona.
It isn't the greatest writing, primarily because the dynamics between the main characters is strange. Plus there are several grammatical issues that take away from the story.
Overall, not a bad story, but being broken up into two short stories leaves the reader wondering what they just read.
Cassidy London’s seminal work Couples Night Out (Suburban Secrets Book 1): A Swingers Romance Novella places itself within a lineage of revolutionary communist texts on par with the writings of Marx, Che Guevara, Trotsky, and Chairman Mao Zedong. Ella and her marriage to real estate agent Jak occupy the liminal space between metropolitan life characterized by commodified human relations, and the conservatism of a small-town existence as described by German critic and philosopher Georg Simmel in his 1903 lecture The Metropolis and Mental Life. This liminal space is fertile ground for commentary and criticism of suburban life yoked by the burdens of capitalism. The first volume of London’s story is a powerful commentary on the internal realities of bourgeois marriage through a Simmelian lens, and the Marxist concept of alienation from the species-being under capitalism.
Ella, our protagonist living a self-described “suburban mommy reality,” (London 7) is unfulfilled in her marriage. Her relationship with her husband embodies the blasé attitude of Simmel’s metropolitan life brought on by “the consequence of those rapidly shifting stimulations of the nerves which are thrown together in all their contrasts and from which it seems to us the intensification of metropolitan intellectuality seems to be derived” (Simmel 14). By virtue of living in a milieu run by industry and the instability of the capitalist system, their senses have become overloaded by stimuli. A driving force of the plot is Ella’s fascination with her Italian hot yoga instructor, whose class she attended weekly “mainly to try and calm [her] nerves that always seemed to be shot.” Ella’s over-stimulation comes a result of the lack of fulfillment in her work and intimate life, combined with the stresses of image-conscious suburban life (7). Smart-phone addicted Jak’s desensitization derives from the constant stimulus from his demanding career: “My attempt at being sexy turned out to be a complete failure, as he brushed me off for a supposed work call” (9). As a result of this over-stimulation, interactions between the pair are reduced to economics, as it is described in chapter 5: the pair “discussed carpool arrangements, kids’ activities and bills with perfect professionalism, but once the kids are out of earshot there was only silence” (25). Ella and Jak’s relationship is sustained only as function of their commodity value to each other, as means to an end. That is, until there is a radical act of revolution.
Having the story take place in a conservative suburban bourgeois setting adds to the self-reflexive quality of London’s commentary. It is only in the radical act of revolutionary transcension of capitalist expectations of the conventional family life are Ella and Jak able to gain deep personal and intimate fulfillment. Simmel states in his Metropolis, “The smaller the circle which forms our milieu is, and the more restricted those relations to others are which dissolve the boundaries of the individual, the more anxiously the circle guards the achievements, the conduct of life, and the outlook of the individual, and the more readily a quantitative and qualitative specialization would break up the framework of the whole little circle” (Simmel 8). In that sense, Jak and Ella are “unfree” to pursue what would ultimately fulfill them as individuals from being subject to the judgement of their “a relatively small circle firmly closed against neighboring, strange, or in some way antagonistic circles” (8). Ella is acutely aware of this, as she notes in chapter 11 about the risqué behaviour she and her companions witness in the downtown nightclub, “[it] was the kind of scene that would scare the heck out of the conservative suburbanites at the PTA and if I was being honest it wasn’t that long ago that it would have scared the shit out of me too” (London 50). Being “unfree” within the confines of suburban expectations leads our protagonist to assign particular value to “objects to be had for money” on account of “the total character which the mentality of the contemporary public everywhere imparts to these objects, the exclusively pecuniary evaluation of objects…” (Simmel 6). Ella describes her Audi as being “beloved” (London 15), and mentions that “other than to see Kiran, the best part about going to the gym was wearing the super cute, ridiculously overpriced bamboo stretch yoga pants” (8). Weighed down by the bondage of capitalist expectations, Ella has to suppress fundamental parts of herself and her development as an individual to effectively navigating her image-conscious and superficial suburban “small circles.”
Just as Marx states that “the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” (Marx & Engels 127), so too is the story of Jak and Ella’s marriage. According to Marx, history is not static, but rather it evolves through economic stages, each characterized by a different type of master-slave dialectic, leading to social upheaval and change of system. This is bound to continue until society reaches a state of classless communism, at which point the course of history will have reached a natural point of conclusion. Ella and Jak’s marriage is a microcosm of Marx’s model of economic evolution. Jak, being the owner of his own “booming” business (London 56) is a paragon of private industry, he represents the oppressive force of the bourgeois class on the economic level. Likewise, within his marriage, he owns the means of production, that is, intimacy as currency. Ella represents the struggle of the proletariat class; the escalation of conflict because of their mutual infidelities leading to Ella “[watching] as the red wine dripped down [her] custom-white cabinets, like blood over ice” in chapter 4 represents a revolution of sorts. It is a pivotal moment in their marriage: beyond the point of revolution, their marriage is no longer defined by class antagonism, but rather, they live in a state of classless polyamory in which the currency of intimacy is no longer privately owned by an oppressive ruling class.
Cassidy London is clearly exceptionally well versed in radical communist discourse, and is without a doubt among the most important revolutionary writers of the 21st century. The entire narrative is so clearly crafted to be a perfect commentary on the plague of consumerism in suburban life, as well as a criticism of class antagonism analogized by the marriage of Ella and Jak. Very sexy.
Works cited: Marx, K., & Engels, F. (2003). Manifesto of the Communist Party. In Blaisdell (Ed.), The Communist Manifesto and Other Revolutionary Writings (pp. 125-150). New York: Dover Classics. Simmel, G. (2003). The Metropolis and Mental Life. In C. Harrison, & P. Wood, Art in Theory (pp. 132-136). Malden: Blackwell Publishing. London, C. (2017). Couples Night Out (Suburban Secrets Book 1): A Swingers Romance Novella. Montreal: Amazon.com Services LLC.
If your looking for a short, seductive novella then this is right up your street. Although I wouldn't advise reading it in your lunch break as you may be all hot and bothered at work for the afternoon.
For such a short story it certainly packs a punch. It follows a couple Zak and Ella, their marriage is falling apart but there is still a huge amount of love and passion there, they just need to kick start their romance and boost their love life.
The way they fix their marriage is probably a way we have all fantastised about at some point but are not brave enough to actually go through with.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in the explorations
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the author and Enticing Journey
This first novella in the Suburban Secrets series is a quick, steamy read and my first Cassidy London book. Ella and Jak’s lives have been taken over by jobs, children and chores and that has taken a toll on their relationship and sex life. Ella is flirting with her yoga instructor and Jak is texting and emailing another woman to fill the void. When Ella ends up getting an email from Jak that was intended for the other woman, she confronts Jak and they are forced to face their issues.
Ella’s yoga instructor suggests that they look into swinging as that is what has kept his relationship together. Ella and Jak enter the world of swinging and it is exactly what they needed to bring them closer together. While it would have been nice to have a little more development of their characters, it is one of those quick reads that is hot and sexy and is really good after reading something dark or a tearjerker. I like these kind of steamy novellas and look forward to Cassidy’s next Suburban Secret.
Absolutely loved this book. This is Book 1, book 2 to follow shortly and I can't wait.
The author did a brilliant job of making me want more and more of this hot steamy book. On more than one occasion I found myself getting all hot and flustered and having to stop reading.
We met Jak an Ellie, a married couple who are in love but bored and fed up. Home life taking its toll, affairs are considered. Ella finds her one on one hot yoga session to be the one thing that helps her get through her boring marriage. Kiran, the hot yoga instructor steers Ella on a journey that she'll never forget.
Super hot read about a married couple spicing things up! I enjoyed both the steam level and the respect the characters had for one another. Sometimes menages are a bit annoying due to the lack of connectivity and respect. Found this one to have both character and steaminess developed well :)
Couples Night Out is a short steamy story about a couple, Jak and Ella that decide to explore the world of swinging. Ella, missing the intimacy she had with her husband that seems to have disappeared from their relationship finds herself flirting with her yoga instructor. When he suggests they try swinging this opens the door to a very hot and steamy future for them. This story is hot but just too short, I wish the story was longer. I am looking forward to reading more about Jak and Ella's adventures in part 2.
*Review copy received from the author for an honest review*
5 HOT stars!!
Looking for a short, sexy, and steamy read?!? If so, this one is for you! Cassidy London is a new author to me, and WOW!! I loved this short story. This story is about Ella and Jak. They are just like most of us…in a monotonous life of work, kids, and sports. It’s life, and we all get caught up in it. BUT, when the times get tough, they have a decision to make…where are we going from here?!? Something has to change, and what is that going to be?
This sets the stage for part two of this story. And this is where the hot, steamy, and quite entertaining nights start, for this couple. The author did a fabulous job of sucking me right into this story, and setting off all my emotions. I jumped from being irritated with Ella, to being furious with Jak, and then to being VERY entertained by both of them. Hehehe
It’s a page turner, and was over way before I was ready. I look forward to more from this author, and definitely more about Ella and Jak. Happy Reading!!
I received a copy of this book for a voluntary honest review.
Wow. I think I need to change my panties.
This was the first book I have read by Cassidy London and it will not be my last. The story was equal parts hot and just what I needed. The couple in this story is suffering just like most couples... needing some steam in the bedroom. Well they find it! A great book on the swinging lifestyle and delicious in details. I must say if you need a steamy book that will spark the fire in you for your spouse then look no further.
This was a very delicious steamy short story by this author. Looking forward to read more from Cassidy.
This is about a happy married couple trying to keep it hot in the bedroom. They seek out couples and wanting them to explore there swingers party. They met a couple online they meet at a restaurant.
Cassidy London is an extremely talented writer. The story was fast-paced, lighthearted and SEXY! Ella and Jak set my kindle on fire and I liked it! I'm looking forward to reading more from her and hopefully more about E & J's sexcapades ;).
Wasted an hour of my time. I do love short books, but this was just sex, no story. I would've written more on the couple, and their background. Why they decided to be swingers .I just like more story then all sex.
A sensual look into the pleasures of modern swinger culture. I'd recommend this to anyone curious about the lifestyle as a sexy primer. London has a storyteller writing style that makes you feel like a close friend is telling you their intimate tale. Loved the dirty talk from Jak!
Suburban Secrets: Couples Night Out by Cassidy London for me is a five star read
A book of passion yet suspenseful and mysterious. I am in suspense waiting to read the following in this series. It definitely encapsulates your entire mind and is hard to put down.
I took a chance and I am glad I did!! It left me wanting more, I think the author did a great job keeping the readers attention. It had a few twists and turns that really kept my interest and wondering where it would go next. I liked the characters and hope that as I continue reading the series I will get a better description of them. I am usually not into books talking about dominance and submission but this has caught my interest and I'm intrigued to see what I will learn next!
I have to know more. I absolutely MUST read the next book. I love the book and I am really looking forward to reading the next in the series! Thank you for this wonderful piece of literature. I can't wait. Really. I can't wait!
This book can be enjoyed time and time again. It is amazingly intense and the author prepares you for the journey for you to take alongside the characters really well. The characters and story development were perfectly done. This book was extremley well written. I will definitely want to one click future releases from this author. This book was full of many twists and turns in the book that will keep you guessing what is going to happen till the very end.
This is a fast paced hot and steamy short read. As per the title says- it is a swingers book and there is a lot of sex. There is a story but not one that gives a lot of details and flow. From chapter to chapter it does end abruptly and moves to something new so information if left out and at times it is a little confusing as to who is talking. But it is a page turner.
Jak and Ella are a married couple with kids, a mortgage, demanding jobs and always on the go. Within the last couple of years their marriage has begun to fall apart and they have lost their way - not talking, avoiding each other, not feeling appreciated, putting on fake smiles and just in an every day routine. One day everything comes to a head when a secret of Jak's is revealed and in a fit of anger to hurt Jak, Ella reveals one of her own. For weeks they don't talk and are about to separate, when Ella confides in her Yoga instructor, he explains a way to repair their marriage and tells her it is the same way he repaired his. Ella thinks he's crazy and leaves. But after thinking about it she finally talks to Jak. Together they research it and decide to give it a try. From here the book takes you on a wild adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
This is the first book in this series and the first book I have been able to read by Cassidy. WOW!! This was an amazing book from the beginning to the end. It was something different that you dont normally read everyday. It was something if you are married and live that normal life that you might be able to relate too. I mean seriously I am not married and I see it happen. You fall in love how the perfect life then things start to fade away. So you decide to spice up your love life a little. Make some changes and bring the spark back. I absolutely loved this book. So very well written with some great detail regarding what was going on. Just amazing beginning to a great series.
Couples Night Out, #1 in the Suburban Secrets series, by Cassidy London. It's my first book by this author, and I liked it. It's a short read, but a hot read.
Ella and Jak couldn't keep their hands off each other. After a mortgage, two kids and years in marriage...they have grown apart. Until Ella has a special conversation with someone who has been in the same situation.
Can Ella and Jak save their marriage?
I thank the author for providing a copy to voluntarily review.
My first Cassidy London read, this short story starts the Surburban Secrets Series. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the series. Hot and steamy.
A married couple are ready to leave it all behind, both contemplating affairs until a hot yoga teacher provides them with advice that will save their marriage and reignite the passion.
Reviewed for Amo's Book Corner.
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I'm surprised. This was a really good read. It was written well and had good character development. It wasn't just straight erotica. It did have a plot and characters with feelings. It really didn't end on a cliffy, but I still want to read more of Jak and Ella.
Definitely not for non adult readers. Hot and steamy. Trying to find a way to fix their broken marriage Jak and Ella decided to go on dates with other couples but not just any regular dates.