Take the Heat

by Skye Warren

The ultimate bad boys, criminals capture our attention and awaken our darkest desires. Celebrate the illicit in this romantic suspense anthology, where handcuffs are used for more than play. These stories are shocking, sexy, and thought-provoking.

In New York Times Bestseller Skye Warren’s Magnolia Hotel, meet the heroine who pays her brother’s debt to a loan shark—who happens to be her childhood crush. Find out if the jury made the right decision in Acquitted by award-winning author Giselle Renarde. Explore a dark and sensual psychology with New York Times Bestseller Pam Godwin in Unlawful Seduction.

New York Times Bestseller Skye Warren – Magnolia Hotel
Cynthia Rayne – Captivated
New York Times Bestseller Pam Godwin – Unlawful Seduction
Sheri Savill – Slipknot
New York Times Bestseller Shoshanna Evers – This Might Hurt A Bit
Candy Quinn – The Bombshell
Tamsin Flowers – Playing with Fire
Elizabeth Coldwell – Disposing of Donnie
Audrey Lusk – Surprise Witness
Trent Evans – Last Day
Giselle Renarde – Acquitted


Ride the edge of desire and see if you can TAKE THE HEAT…

Genres: Anthologies, Romance, Erotica, Dark, BDSM, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

294 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2014

Reviews

[Ilze · Rating 5 out of 5]

➵Wow.wow.wow. I really love this anthology and hands down it is the best anthology I have ever read. All the stories were very unique, sexy and captivating. Some were more twisted and dangerous than others, but overall they all had some dark element and unexpected twist which will surprise the reader.

➵Below are my ratings for each of the stories and the reason why I haven't given 5 stars to any of them is because they weren't enough. They were so good that I want 300 page sequel to each one of them. I definitely have some fantastic authors to check out because these storylines were very unusual and exciting, plus writing was terrific. Ultimately, I really enjoyed them all.

The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren - 3☆
Unlawful Seduction by Pam Godwin - 4☆
Slipknot by Sheri Savill - 4☆
Captivated by Cynthia Rayne - 4☆
This Might Hurt a Bit by Shoshanna Evers - 4☆
The Bombshell by Candy Quinn - 4☆
Playing with Fire by Tamsin Flowers - 4,5☆ (my favorite; it was extra dangerous and enthralling)
Disposing of Donnie by Elizabeth Coldwell - 3,5☆
Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk - 3,5☆
Last Day by Trent Evans - 3☆
Acquitted by Giselle Renarde - 3☆

➵I love this anthology and I highly recommend it to people who are looking for some short, dark stories with some charming characters who will lure you in, in their darkness.

➵I am sending huge thank you to Skye Warren for putting this together.



*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 DARK STARS! ★★★★



I always love discovering anthologies to read because I don't have to get invested in a long plot and get to experience a variety of different premises in each short story. Oh and so many new authors to check out! :D

Take the Heat definitely brought out some interesting reads; all having a dark element in it. What's great about this anthology is that it ranges across multiple genres & allows me to figure out what type of genre works for me. It could be from BDSM to thriller/mystery and holy shizzles, there was also M/M (which I don't do) but it was a new kind of experience for me haha!

I definitely enjoyed a good half of the stories here as some brought unexpected twists and captivated me throughout. At times, I wished there was much more to it! There were also times that I had to go WTF and I went all O__O on it, LOL!



Here's my ratings for all the stories:

The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren - 3.5 ★
Unlawful Seduction by Pam Goodwin - 4 ★
Slipknot by Sheri Savill - 3.5 ★
Captivated by Cynthia Rayne - 4 ★
This Might Hurt a Bit by Shoshanna Evers - 3.5 ★
The Bombshell by Candy Quinn - 3.5 ★
Playing with Fire by Tamsin Flowers - 4.5 ★ (Definitely my most fav one & I wished I had more!)
Disposing of Donnie by Elizabeth Coldwell - 3 ★
Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk - 3.5 ★
Last Day by Trent Evans - 4 ★
Acquitted by Giselle Renarde - 3.5 ★

Overall, a great anthology to check out if you're looking for a mixture of some dark reads!

~ ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~

[Amber Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take the Heat is an Anthology. 11 dark, sexy stories. The last anthology I read it was kind of blah. I find myself either loving a few short stories out of the bunch and the rest are just plain either boring or not my cup of tea. I sometimes find my self wanting more out of the one I like to the point where they deserve their own full length book.

Below is the ratings for each of the books and some of them have a little side note.



The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren- 4 stars
I really liked this one. This one made me want to have it as a full length novel.

Unlawful Seduction by Pam Godwin- 4 stars
I adore Pam's writing. This is a strong story that I would want to read again. Maybe even longer or better yet make another short story on what happens next. It kept me wanting to know more.

Slipknot by Sheri Savill- 2 stars in beginning then leaned towards 3 stars at the end. This one reminds me of a bad porno. The way that it took place was just not my cup of tea at all. "You're going to pay for that skirt you stole now. Just not...in cash."
UMMM Yeah. I was not feeling it and didn't make sense. But, once I finished it, it was like ohhh I get it now.

Captivated by Cynthia Rayne- 4 stars Another one that I would love for it to be longer or add another short story or have it as it's own book. It captured me very quickly and leaving me wanting more.

This Might Hurt a Bit by Shoshanna Evers- 2 1/2 stars

The Bombshell by Candy Quinn- 3 stars

Playing with Fire by Tamsin Flowers- 4 stars This is something I would love to read more of. It left it hanging for more. The main character I adored her. I wanted to get more out the book then the short story. She is the type of character that I would want to read a whole book about. I think she has a future in as a Domme.

Disposing of Donnie by Elizabeth Coldwell- 3 stars

Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk- 3 stars

Last Day by Trent Evans- 3 1/2 stars

Acquitted by Giselle Renarde- 3 stars



The darkness either lures you in slowly or captures your full attention right off the bat. I truly liked this anthology. There are so many twist and turns in each story that none of them are alike. I like some of them more than the other, but also there are some that I really loved. I would recommend this to dark lovers who want to read short stories back to back.

ARC provided by author exchange for honest review.

[Debra Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished Reading 10/20/15

Take the Heat by Skye Warren
Genres: Adult, Romance


I absolutely loved most of the stories in this book.
There were only 2 I didn't like and one that I just didn't like the way it ended.

The writing flows easy. The stories are quick with detail were you want it for the most part.
I highly recommend this book.

You will find a lot of extremely erotic romances & some great writers to add to your favorites list!

Purchased from Amazon June 22, 2015

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/26/2020)! 🎁

[MsRomanticReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing collection of short stories that will shock and titillate. There was a nice mixture of dark and light erotica, some romance, unexpected twists, and surprisingly quite a few stories had heroines in their thirties [fist pump]. Who doesn't love a sexy anthology with different couples and situations to stimulate the senses? Well, if you want that and a bit of an edge, I can't recommend this highly enough. This is one of my Top Picks for 2014.

I'm terrible at writing very short summaries, but i tried to include them as best as I could. It was difficult to refrain from giving too much away.

My favorite stories were The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren, Captivated by Cynthia Richards, and Playing with Fire by Tamsin Flowers. The hottest were Slipknot by Sheri Savill and Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk.

#1 – The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren
Elements: M/F, Heroine: 19, Hero: 23, Friends to lovers, Erotic Romance
Rating: 5/5

Grace hated the man her once crush and childhood playmate had become. She had to bail her gambling addicted brother, Benny, out of trouble. She couldn't hide her disdain for Liam's proposition, but she was willing to do whatever it took to save the only family she had left.

Skye Warren is my favorite author for all things dark erotica (romance). This was a surprisingly sensual story without the dark elements, but it still had that element of doubting a hero's motives that she writes so well. I really liked this couple together. Grace wasn't stupid, just a little in denial. For a very short story, Ms. Warren managed to build their back story that made their current situation very believable. Grace may have felt backed into a corner with no choices, but it was evident that Liam wasn't capable of harming her in any way, despite actions to the contrary. A very sensual story. The sex was confined to oral action.

“Will you hate me after this?” he asked mildly, as if he didn't care about the answer. I suspected he did care, though. I suspected a great deal of that laughing, teasing boy was still inside, the one who would never have made her cry. Until he did.

“I already hate you,” I answered softly.

“Then this won't matter.”

#2 – Unlawful Seduction by Pam Godwin
Elements: Erotica, dubious consent, M/F, M/M/F, Hero: 39, Heroine: 34
Rating: 4/5

Forensics expert Devon Burgess had dark fantasies he'd never acted upon. Until the sexy Joni Torpey sat down for an interview with him for a documentary on the motivations of sex crimes. Devon was willing to play with fire and the law, but Joni wasn't who she appeared to be.

This was a hot, short story with one or two unexpected twists. I wish I could say more, but that would give away too much of this hot story.

#3 – Slipknot by Sheri Savill
Elements: Erotica, dubious consent, M/F/M
Rating: 4.5/5

Mia got caught shoplifting in a sex shop. Her punishment was severe as the store owner and a friend used her any way they pleased.

Out of all the stories, this was the most visually provocative due to the rather pornographic scenes and coarse language. It bordered on non con, but she wasn't really fighting her fate. If you like (rough) oral sex, coarse language and threesomes, this is the story for you. There was also a twist at the end that made this one of my favorites in terms of hotness.

#4 – Captivated by Cynthia Richards
Elements: Erotica, M/F
Rating: 5/5

During a prisoner transport gone wrong, deputy marshal Ivy Blake became the special guest of Jonathan Royal, president of an outlaw biker gang. Jonathan finally had the upper hand, and he intended to make her his by any means necessary.

I loved this story too. A strong female heroine, and a bad-boy who actually has a soft side for her, a snowed-in cabin and a few hours to kill. What can they possibly do to pass the time and get to know each other? I love stories like these, especially when the characters play on opposite sides of the law and find themselves attracted to one another. Jonathan was the perfect blend of good and bad, enough to make him likable. The story ended in a way that made me yearn for more of their story.

#5 - This Might Hurt a Bit by Shoshanna Evers
Elements: M/F, Erotica, Domme, Heroine: 33, Hero: 23+
Rating: 3/5

Sex shop owner Courtney was dumped by her boyfriend before they could shoot pictures for their pornographic calendar. With over a 1000 pre-orders and no male model, she was in trouble. When Shane tried to rob her, she turned the tables and worked out a solution that was beneficial for both of them.

The story itself was quite steamy, and I liked the ball-busting heroine. However, I began to dislike Courtney as the story went on for mixing flogging with her anger. But she turned it around before she went too far. Shane came across as a bit of a wimp, and less of a submissive. No sex, but flogging and anal play.

#6 - The Bombshell by Candy Quinn
Elements: M/F, Erotica, Choking, Heroine: 30
Rating: 4/5

Sean Flaherty hit the jackpot. Not only did he meet a stunning woman via correspondence while serving time for murder, but she was going to help him escape. Blonde, ditzy, needy and willing to do anything he asked. But Vivian had a surprise of her own in store for him.

Dangerous inmates and rough sex went hand in hand in this story. Vivian was an easily underestimated heroine. Their one and only sexual encounter was hot, but the surprise ending made this story.

#7 - Playing with Fire by Tamsin Flowers
Elements: M/F, Domme, Wax play
Rating: 5/5

Cassandra Black wanted to save her drug addicted sister by paying off her debts and cleaning the slate with Ashton Moore. She naively confronted him with her offer only to find out that she would never have enough money to pay him off. Ashton made her an offer of working off the debt as would have been expected of her sister.

What I enjoyed the most about this story was that Cassandra was able to take control with a man like Ashton, and that she could actually surprise the jaded man. Their encounter was sexy and hot. the ending was satisfying, but I again, I find myself yearning for more of them.

#8 - Disposing of Donnie by Elizabeth Coldwell
Elements: M/M, Bi, Hitman
Rating: 4/5

Luanne Palmer wanted her husband dead, and Mike MacKenzie was the man who got things done. He figured the husband was like all the other rich men who had a young, vibrant wife on his arm. A job was a job, until the hitman had a change of heart.

At first, I totally saw those two hooking up. Then the husband was introduced, and I ended up liking him so much more than spoilt little Luanne. Mike and Donnie were hot together, and the story had a satisfying ending.

#9 - Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk
Elements: Erotica, M/F, M/F/M
Rating: 4/5

Diane Burke - ball-buster, ice queen, attorney. She looked forward to her weekly visit with inmate Spike and their special arrangement. She got prison gossip that kept her in the loop in exchange for nasty, rough sex. Only this time she was forced to bring along a junior-partner, much to her disgust. Having an extra body in the room didn't stop them though.

Well, this was another deliciously nasty story. The acts between Spike and Diane were quite pornographic. When they practically forced Glen to participate, things went up a notch. If you like explicit and graphic sex, you won't be disappointed.

#10 - Last Day by Trent Evans
Elements: Erotica, BDSM, M/F, CEO, Divorced heroine, Single mother
Rating: 4/5

When CEO Will Elsworth confronted Alyson with evidence of her embezzling, she had a choice to make. A choice that would fulfill hidden fantasies and change her life. But would they have a future once her debt had been paid off?

Alyson Hart wasn't a bad person, just desperate. Seven months of submitting to Will's every whim and desire and learning obedience changed her for the better. She became more focused and centered both personally and professionally. Only with the months of intimacy, regardless of the circumstances or execution, eventually gave way to emotions. But she never knew how he felt about her. Two notes - one in the beginning, and one at the end - gave this story the romantic air that we weren't privy to. The note at the end was a bit of a surprise because we never got a glimpse into Will's head. I didn't feel the chemistry because of the one-sidedness, but I liked the happy ending for both of them.

#11 - Acquitted by Giselle Renarde
Elements: Erotica, M/F
Rating: 4/5

Lucy believed Sean had been wrongly accused of raping and murdering his ex-girlfriend. He would never hurt Lucy. After all, she loved him and was the only one who believed in his innocence.

If the Twilight Zone did erotica, this would have been one of them. The story unfolded in such a way that I kept questioning Sean's innocence. As for Lucy, I enjoyed the suspense of discovering what her fate would be. I was a little shocked by some of Lucy's thoughts right before the end. Who knew she could take a tragedy and feed off of it. As unpleasant as that was, it enhanced the darkness of this story. It wasn't clear if the death of his ex-girlfriend was an accident or intentional. Not that it really mattered, but my curiosity is still getting the best of me.

The last few pages of this anthology featured an excerpt from an upcoming collaboration between Skye Warren and Annika Martin titled The Prisoner.

Abigail Winslow was forced into a class project by her professor. What that project was wasn't mentioned, but she ended up having to visit the library in a correctional facility. Once there, she accidentally captured the attention of a nameless inmate. As he passed her, he mouthed her name he'd conveniently overheard. I have a feeling this will be quite a story.

**eARC provided by the the author/publisher for the purpose of an honest review.**

[★Winter★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

175 pages

Overall rating = 3.75 stars

This is a great collection of short stories. It has a wide variety of storylines and the following content M/F, M/M, ménage, anal play, breathe play, Domme, BDSM, and dubious consent. These were extremely steamy and several of the stories left me wanting more. Since it's hard for me to write a review for such short stories, I decided to leave a star rating, a brief description and any quick thoughts I had for each story instead.

The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren ★★★
M/F
This was the least steamy story of the anthology. This is about a loan shark and a childhood crush.

Unlawful Seduction by Pam Godwin ★★★½
M/M, M/M/F, M/F dubious consent
This is a about a cop and a journalist. This had a great twist in it.

Slipknot by Sheri Savill ★★★★
M/F/M dubious consent
This is about a thief in a kink store. Hot read.

Captivated by Cynthia Rayne ★★★★½
M/F abduction
This is about a Federal Marshal transporting a criminal. I really liked this one. It had a great story along with the sex. I was disappointed when this one ended. I would love to see a continuation of this story, I'm dying to know what happened next.

This Might Hurt a Bit by Shoshanna Evers ★★★★
M/F Domme
This is a cute steamy read about a porn store owner/model and the man who wants to rob her.

The Bombshell by Candy Quinn ★★★★
M/F dark, breathe play
This is about a murderer and the woman who craves bad boys. This is definitely one of the darker reads of the bunch with a few unexpected surprises. I would love to see this story continued.

Playing with Fire by Tamsin Flowers ★★★★
M/F wax play
This is about a strip club owner and the woman who wants to save her sister. This one surprised me a little bit, who knew she had it in her. It was a hot read that I wished was a little longer.

Disposing of Donnie by Elizabeth Codwell ★★★
M/M
This is about a hitman and a disconnected couple. This was my least favorite of all the stories.

Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk ★★★★
M/F/M anal play
This is about a lawyer and an inmate who have a unique deal. This was the dirtiest/hottest read in the book (*fans self*).

Last Day by Trent Evans ★★★★
M/F BDSM
This is about a CEO and the embezzler. I would love to see this short story expanded into a novel. I wanted more details about what happened in-between the first and last day.

Acquitted by Giselle Renarde ★★★
M/F
This is about a man who's been acquitted of murder and the woman who thinks he can do no harm. This one had more of a thriller/ suspense feel to it. It left me on the edge of my seat.

*arc provided in exchange for an honest review*

[Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well….. my first thoughts after reading this: Fear and debasement and kinda scary too.This is chock full of short stories from various authors. Wicked, deadly, seductive, awful, amazing, crazy, humiliating, sick, and blissful. How often do you get to use all those words together describing a book?

Like with any anthology it can be hard to review as the stories are all so short it is hard not to give anything away. So in keeping with that I will say: some stories made me instantly want to know more about the author and their series. Others made me do a big ‘ol “HELL NO” and some just creeped me out.

Do I recommend it? Sure. Is it for everyone? Uh, no. One thing is for sure though, after reading the teaser in the back from Skye Warrens’ Prison I am on book watch for a release date.

*Warning sexually explicit. Some stories depict Rape, Torture, BDSM, and Debasement.

4 Stars
T~
www.ktbookreviews.com

[ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read Skye Warren’s novella “The Magnolia Hotel” and have to say quite disappointed. It’s barely 19 pages so there’s nothing much to talk about.

Grace, a budding artist, goes to free her good-for-nothing big brother from the local gang and ends up finding a part of her past that she thought she had long buried. The first man she had ever loved, secretly, had to be the one to whom her brother owns a huge sum! Grace is then faced with a new (and tempting) challenge from Liam. She knows it’s not right, yet she can’t deny the pull between them no matter what. Question is, will she give in or walk away?

Honestly, this just read like an excerpt. I did think the story was pretty good (or was getting to the good part) when it ends abruptly. I’d really love to see this expanded to something longer. 3 stars.

FYI: Since I haven’t read the other stories, the rating is based on “The Magnolia Hotel”. I’ll check out the other authors gradually. Rating may change after that!

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** ARC provided by NetGalley & Aspendawn Books for an honest review***

This anthology is very sexy indeed! All the stories were pretty dark and had some not so predictable moments and they were ALL sexy, unique to the others, and easy to read! The style in which these were put together captivated me. I'm normally not a fan of 'dark' romances, but this was really good. It was edgy and captivating and introduced me to some very promising authors I will keep an eye on in the future for!

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the usual collection of cliffhangers

It makes a nice change to find a collection that's not full of cliffhangers and first in series books. These are original short tales and like always with these collections some are better than others, because these are short stories then even if there's one you don't like it doesn't last long and you're into the next.
This collection gives you a bit of everything especially hot sexy scenes.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! What an awesome collection of stories. Each one is an amazing tale. Thank you for introducing me to some authors.

[Victoria Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology was just what I needed ... something fun and filthy I could lost in. Take the Heat features some authors I love and others who are new to me. I went into it expecting get taboo, dark and sexy stories and that's exactly what I got. I devoured 1-3 stories in each sitting and while short and snappy, almost all were satisfying. This collection isn't for everyone ... it's best suited for readers who like their books to stay into those gray areas, and who like bad boy heroes who are ACTUALLY bad. My favorites of this collection were:
Unlawful Seduction by Pam Godwin
Captivated by Cynthia Rayne
Playing With Fire by Tamsin Flowers
Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk
Last Day by Trent Evans
Acquittes by Giselle Renarde

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like erotica - a lot, probably more than I should. It's a good thing this was a $0.00 download from the Big Z because I'd shoot myself if I'd paid good money for it. I have to be fair and say maybe 2 of the short stories was decently written; one of the stories must have been corrupted in the download because it was so severely, badly, sinfully in need of editing and spelling. Sentences and paragraphs were repeated so often that I had to use my brain (which was ready to slap me upside the head) to assume where the plot was headed. The rest of the 'book' was barely worth my time, so it's a good thing I took more than a month to read it, opening up the book at random times to read one of the stories. Also, calling them short stories (like in an anthology in the truest sense) is misleading, they're more like chapters you have slog through. I give it 2 stars ONLY because of the two almost-well written stories. I'll be deleting this from the ereader as soon as I finish my review. (side note: amazed at the high ratings of this book; the theme IS unique and could have been extremely entertaining except for the bad writing) Gah. Bring on the classy erotica.......

[Marina (Living In Our Own Story) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was one amazingly hot read.

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book full with incredibly hot stories. I finished it for a day and each one of the stories left me panting and craving more. If you are into dark, erotic stories then this compilation is exactly for you. Most of the stories could be great for the start of a series or simply a book (they are that interesting) as in my opinion the characters are captivating and I would love to read some more but even if none of the stories gets a continuation I am still happy that I got to read them.

Definitely a recommended read for all of you craving some dark erotic fun ;)

[Dana Delamar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely put together anthology of stories about some not very nice (and often very twisted) people. All of the stories are good, and I appreciated the care that had gone into editing and writing them. A few skirted the border of being a bit too raunchy for my taste, but none of them tipped me over into squicky territory.

I'll be checking out other books by many of the authors. Recommended if you like dark erotic romance and twisted heroes and heroines.

[Kat Desi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, wow! No doubt one of the best anthologies I have ever read! A set of awesome and most twisted stories EVER. You can bet that I will check out each and every contributor to this anthology in the near future. I'm so glad that I chanced on this during a freebie period and if it weren't it would definitely be worth spending! My favorites were Pam Godwin's Unlawful Seduction and Trent Evans' Last Day.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some really good little stories in this anthology by authors we normally associate with "dark" reads. None of them are really full fledged stories, just snippets. But a couple were certainly interesting enough that I would buy a full fledged book in a heartbeat (i.e., Cynthia Rayne's "Captivated").

[DemetraP · Rating 2 out of 5]

This anthology was just ok. Each of the stories was too short to really tell a good story.

I can't see myself rereading any of them.

A few of the stories had happy endings but most of them had very ambiguous endings. Some had very abrupt endings.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

An anthology with short stories in it, with a theme of criminal romance. I will review each story as I read below, in the order they appear in the book:

The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren
pgs 1-28, 1%-10%
3.75 Stars
This short story had kind of a second chance vibe, with a heroine who had once asked the hero to be her boyfriend when they were teens and he had turned her down because she was too young at the time (only a 4 year age gap). The story takes place five years after that, and the heroine's gambling-addicted brother owes the hero a ton of money, and the heroine is trying to bail him out. Too short to be anything of substance, but it was an enjoyable quick read.

Unlawful Seduction by Pam Godwin
pgs 30-61, 11%-23%
3.5 Stars
A woman meets a man in a coffee shop to interview him about criminal behaviors, and they have an instant attraction. He later infiltrates her hotel room and there are some twists (and very brief MM interaction, for those that matters to). I was into the story and the writing but it felt a little unfinished to me, slightly more than the first.

Captivated by Cynthia Rayne
pgs 63-84, 23%-32%
2.5 Stars
I'm never a huge fan of convict hero and prison/law enforcement female (Marshal, in this case), so that was certainly part of it, but I just didn't enjoy this plot over and above their roles, as much as the others either. The writing was not bad, but nothing amazing either.

Slipknot by Sheri Savill
pgs 86-102, 32%-39%
3.75 Stars
A little predictable but overall a pretty hot MFM scene that I enjoyed. I wish I would have been more in the mood for the heat but it might be one to go back to again when I am. Definitely not a complete story, just a hot scene.

The Bombshell by Candy Quinn
pgs 103-125, 39%-48%
3.25 Stars
In this one, a woman facilitates the escape of a criminal from prison... with a little twist at the end that I saw coming, but was still good. Not my favorite (again, don't love criminal/convict hero stories usually, but this one was slightly better than the last one with that character type).

Playing With Fire by Tamsin Flowers
pgs 127-149, 48%-56%
3.25 Stars
I have been becoming increasingly less interested in stories where a heroine is trying to save a family member from a terrible situation they got themselves in (due to my own family issues, I'm sure) so that personal irk colored my enjoyment of this one, though I did like the ending.

Disposing of Donnie by Elizabeth Coldwell
pgs 152-168, 57%-63%
3.25 Stars
I liked the plot of this one a ton despite its predictability, but I wish it had more on-page steam during the one scene for it. (includes MM for those that matters to)

Surprise Witness by Audrey Lusk
pgs 169-186, 64%-71%
4.5 Stars
This one has been my favorite one so far and it's so short! I would read a whole book featuring these characters/dynamic -it was scorching hot! (Features MFM)

Last Day by Trent Evans
pgs 188-214, 71%-81%
2.75 Stars
Even though the trope of blackmailed into sexual activity by your boss after being caught stealing is a little played out now, I still enjoy it. In this one, however, most of the sexual activity is told rather than shown, and suddenly they have feelings for each other and we are told about that too. It started out promising with the discovery and blackmail and punishment scene all being shown, but the rest was told, and those were the best parts so I was bummed.

This Might Hurt A Bit by Shoshanna Evers
pgs 216-234, 81%-88%
2.5 Stars
Another one that started decently and tapered off in enjoyment but this was more of a personal taste thing than the telling/showing issue of the last one; female Domme and is never my favorite dynamic, plus their deciding to continue on felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the pacing. I liked the writing fine.

Acquitted by Giselle Renarde
pgs 236-256, 88%-96%
3.5 Stars
I dug the dark vibe of this one, though like some of the others I wish it was... more, in several ways, because I dug it so much. Features a woman and her boyfriend, who was recently acquitted of a murd3r, which the woman's mom thinks he committed and she doesn't.

The last 4% of the anthology is a sample of a Skye Warren book and author bios.

Overall, these stories were too short to be much of anything, but they do give you a taste of darkness and some steam, and an idea of what these authors' writing styles are like.

Average Rating for the Antho: 3.318

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars to both, very sort about 20 pages
Skye Warren – Magnolia Hotel
Pam Godwin – Unlawful Seduction

[Ann Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Take the Heat: A Criminal Romance Anthology"
Rated 4 and 1/2 Fangs

I received this book from the author and from 'Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock'. This is my honest review.

'Take the Heat' contains a series of erotic stories by various writers about people's interactions with the law and criminals. These stories describe graphic sex, language and violence. For mature readers, 18+.
The theme of this book can be disturbing to some. Lust, BDSM, lawyers, cops, criminals and their victims are explored with disturbing attention to motives. Others will love these short stories because Take the Heat presents individuals' hopes, their desires and actions in the darkest manner.

'Magnolia Hotel' by Skye Warren - A young woman barters herself, for her brother's gambling debt, to the man she had a crush as a teen.

'Unlawful Seduction' by Pam Godwin -Detective Devon Burgess is a cop with secret needs. Ms. Joni Torpey is a reporter that interviews Dev about his area of expertise, paraphilic behaviors. Joni wants to know about sexual behaviors that are classified as unlawful. Dev wants the beautiful and intriguing Joni. Joni finds Dev to tempting for words. Traps are laid. Who will trap whom?

'Captivated' by Cynthia Rayne - Ms. Deputy Marshall and Jonathan Royal are in for the ride of their lives.

'Slipknot' by Sheri Savil - A woman shoplifter is caught into the act by two sex shop employees. What could they possibly do to her?

'This Might Hurt a Bit' by Shoshanna Evers - Life is hard. How you handle the lows is what makes life interesting for a sex shop owner and her would-be-robber.

'The Bombshell' by Candy Quinn - When you're a murderer doing hard time remember when something is to true, that's when you realize there is such a thing as Karma.

'Playing with Fire' by Tamsin Flowers - Cassandra is trying to save her younger sister from the mistakes she's made. Will this be a chance for her to secure her sister's safety or add danger into her own life?

'Disposing of Donnie' by Elizabeth Coldwell - Be careful who you marry. Till death do you part can go either way.

'Surprise Witness' by Audrey Lusk - Some lawyers will do anything to keep a prison informant talking.

'Last Day' by Trent Evans - All Alyson wants is to be able to take care of her son. What she gets when caught by the boss is her being obligated to him till she repays her debt.

'Acquitted' by Giselle Renarde - is Lucy in love with a man charged with murder/rape. Even though he was acquitted, Lucy's mom thinks he's guilty as sin and her overly voiced opinion drives Lucy into his hands.

Though I tend to shy away from this kind of subject matter, I thought the book and its stories gave insight into the darker side of our sexual nature. It wasn't comforting insight, but it was thought provoking.

[Jillyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because this is a collection of short stories, this will be a short overview/review to match.

I was impressed by how many different styles of short stories were put together in this anthology. There's ones that are more of a thriller/suspense vibe, ones that lean towards the kinkier/BDSM side of things. I will say that each story stood out from the others and brought something unique to the table, so to speak. The unifying theme of this collection of short stories is crime and criminals, and the overall tone of this entire set is dark. I was surprised but not unpleasantly so.

This book falls in the middle of the road for me because like almost every other anthology, there were stories that I really, really enjoyed, and then stories that I didn't care for very much at all. That being said, I do think that it is worth reading overall. The good outweighs the bad, and the bright side is that the bad will only last ten pages or so. That's not to say that these stories were badly written, per se, but some felt rushed or had kinks or themes that I'm just personally not into.

This is a solid collection for readers who enjoy dark romance, erotica, BDSM, short stories, and their bad boys in the form of criminals. Thanks to Netgalley and Aspendawn Books for my copy in exchange for my 100% honest review. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

*received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*

Oh wow!
Overall I give it a good four stars! Not five because at some point of these little stories I was irritated by the roughness of it... although I'd counted on it, it felt a bit too much at times.. mainly the last part... oh
Regardless of that though, it's a great read for all of those who fancy bad boys and girls ...
For me it was quite a comfortable read, having been stuck with a book that's too long and boring, the shortness of the stories featured in this book, got me hooked to finish :)
The writing style was something I loved especially! Anthologies are fun for being short and it's sometimes a huge relief that I'll get to the end soon... but really... nothing is over complicated, there isn't unnecessary dragging of the plot just to fill some more pages, and yet it's enough! Everything is enough, it's nicely written, got its fine twists and some bad guys, what else we need? Haha
I guess I'll leave this at it, because of the shortness it would be hard to write much without spoiling you all.. and I'll certainly be looking out for these authors!

[Stacy Wollett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the 11 shorts stories in this anthology I loved 3 of the stories The Magnolia Hotel by Skye Warren was really good but then again it's Skye Warren. Captivated by Cynthia Rayne was a great story that was hot and dangerous. Lastly I loved Playing with Fire by Tamsin Flowers, I have never read anything from her but I picked a couple of her books up yesterday so I can read them. I would love a full story of these characters because it was a fantastic read and can't wait to read more from Tamsin. I liked 3 more of the stories but was not thrilled by or enjoyed the remaining 5 stories in this book. The six books that I at least liked are worth reading the entire book but a couple stories I found extremely lacking. I do recommend this book and would read a couple of the stories again.

[♥︎♥︎Sofia♥︎♥︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I downloaded this anthology because it had a Pam Godwin story in it, I love her writing, it was an added bonus that it was free. In general I'm not a fan of the 'short story' genre, I think it's a lot of pressure on a author to try and satisfy a reader with just one bite of an apple, and many don't deliver. Fortunately last week I spent a lot of time travelling by train and quick bites was just what was called for, so it worked; unfortunately not all the writers delivered....

Pam Godwin's Unlawful Seduction was strong (as per) and there was a great story by Skye Warren. Cynthia Rayne's Captivated pissed me off because it ended too quickly but after that.....the rest were forgettable, mediocre or just downright implausible!

To be honest Take The Heat was more of a 2.5* than a 3 but I'm feeling generous.

[Shanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I think that this compilation is more than a little DARK its very dark, but most of the stories are so short its hard to really understand or enjoy the characters, especially in light of the dark nature of the content of this book (pun intended). But there were a few stories in here that really got me, even made me tear up, and the sex though dark was usually hot. This is not for everyone but if you like a walk on the dark side give these stories a try, I think they would be perfect for a short vacation read, since there are so many individual stories in here, it would be great since you don't need to concentrate.

[Amaranthine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considered dark erotica, all of these stories skirt the edges of what is consensual. A few of the tales are darker than others—a couple worryingly so. There’s not so much flirting with the idea of consent as there is smacking it around a little.

As with all anthologies the stories incite various degrees of interest, but over all there are more that are good than bad, more that are scorchingly hot than bland.

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

For the sake of full disclosure it must be stated that I received this book, free of charge, from Netgalley.

[Jade Onyx · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE Shoshanna's short reads--how she manages to cram everything from runaway ex-boyfriend to attempted robbery in an adult store to a happy for now all in one short story is beyond me!

Read Skye Warren and Pam Godwin's works in the Make Me anthology released earlier this March. Excited to read their works in this Take the Heat anthology as well!

The best news? Sampling some new authors and finding new favorites at the can't-go-wrong price of a typical ebook! Best way to kick off a naughty school year! ;-)

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first thought is WOW. I loved this anthology. Each story was a great read and I wished the there was more to them. I think all of them would make for a great full book. I had not read all of the authors before this and have added books to my tbr list. Each story was unique and varied on the level of heat. Some will melt your ereader. I normal do not enjoy short stories but loved these. I would recommend this read to everyone. It is a great way to find multiple new to you authors.