Temptation

Allie Styles #1

by Sydney Campbell

Allie Styles thinks she's finally met the perfect man in Matt Goldberg - smart, funny, and sexy as hell. But he's also about to move in with the guy she's currently dating. She knows she should stay away, but the chemistry between them is electric... and completely irresistible.

The first installment of the Allie Styles series. Contains a cliffhanger and erotic content. Deception, the second book in the series, is now available.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Contemporary Romance

95 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2020

About the author

There's a brand-new romance writer in town.

Sydney Campbell came onto the scene with Temptation, her debut novella which introduced readers to Allie Styles and Matt Goldberg. Allie and Matt are a couple of star-crossed lovers who are redefining the romance genre with smart dialogue, wild adventures, and smoking-hot sex.

Setting her story in contemporary times, Campbell has created relatable characters who are facing the same struggles and obstacles we face every day. But they face them with humour, wit, and passion. Lots of passion.

Campbell grew up in a semi-traditional household filled with artists. Both her parents and siblings pursued their dreams in one way or another, so she decided to follow suit. Her entire family is proud of her writing career. They just don't know about this side of it. Shhh.

Reviews

[Shannon]

I have no use for authors who think they've revolutionized a genre, after completely disparaging it- coming out and thinking they can reinvent the wheel. I mean, she can't even come up with an interesting or original title.

"I made a half-hearted attempt to read romance novels, but whatever I found was either poorly written or just too raunchy. They lacked the story and emotional connection I was searching for ― and the scorching sex I craved.

So, I did what any sane 48-year-old woman raising two teenagers while suffering from anxiety in the midst of a global pandemic would do. I decided to write my own erotica."


Could she be any more pretentious?
"There's a brand-new romance writer in town.
Sydney Campbell explodes onto the scene with Temptation, her debut novella which introduces readers to Allie Styles and Matt Goldberg. Allie and Matt are a couple of star-crossed lovers who are redefining the romance genre with smart dialogue, wild adventures, and smoking-hot sex.
Setting her story in contemporary times, Campbell has created relatable characters who are facing the same struggles and obstacles we face every day. But they face them with humour, wit, and passion. Lots of passion.
Campbell grew up in a semi-traditional household filled with artists. Both her parents and siblings pursued their dreams in one way or another, so she decided to follow suit. Her entire family is proud of her writing career. They just don't know about this side of it. Shhh."

[Flower · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sort of hoping to be blown away by this, but, dear reader, it's boring people doing boring things with poor writing and editing. Some of the poor writing will probably correct itself with time and experience, but it's all the mistakes you'd expect from a new writer. There's a lot of filter words, A LOT of descriptions of what eyes are doing (looking, gazing, more looking), and rather poor editing. The worst example of the editing was an entirely repeated paragraph in the middle of a sex scene.

The story itself doesn't carry much water. I detested selfish, un-self-aware Allie to the point I would have been happy if she fell down a well. She's rebounding from an ex, and doing to her poor current boyfriend exactly what her ex did to her, but never realizes it. Then she meets Matt, and they have lust. There's pants feelings (I guess, I'm told numerous times that they have smoking hot chemistry, but that's never on page). Then they dither about for most of the book, then there are three sex scenes that are entirely the insert tab-a into slot-b kind. Seriously got to feeling like the hokey pokey. Included is some tame bondage in the last scene that is not done safely, nor is it very exciting. Finally, there's the part that had me screaming into the void. Allie writes up her final sexcapaes with Matt into a little erotic story (I guess around 2K?) and GIVES IT TO HER EDITOR TO WHOM SHE SUBMITS FOOD REVIEWS. They people aren't BFFs. It's flat out sexual harassment. You can't had a smutty story starring YOU to your boss and expect them to be fine with that. I am so grossed out. But since this is fiction, her boss is fine with it. In fact, Allie gets a contract with some website to regularly write porn, and they're paying her enough money she can follow Matt halfway around the world. The ending is Allie thinking he's cheating on her, so she faints like this is a fanfic story written by a twelve year old. Anyway, I don't care enough about either character to find out what happens.

Allie has a serious alcohol problem (she is drinking constantly in the book) and if she's not drunk, she's high, but the weed part is written by someone that maybe smoked a joint fifteen years ago. It kept making me roll my eyes.

Matt's a non-character. He just sort of exists for Allie to lust over. We never find out anything about him, nothing is ever from his POV, and honestly, I have no idea what he sees in Allie.

All in all, this is a very mediocre book that I can't recommend. There's zero plot and the majority of the conflict is that Matt is roommates with the rebound guy.

Maybe this author should work on her craft before publishing again.

[Page]

Not in a thousand years, but I’m apparently just a gullible, practically illiterate romance reader who can’t tell a well-written book from a vapid one and who doesn’t mind raunch instead of, I dunno, pretentious literary sex scenes that use come instead of cum.

Good luck with your porn empire, JM.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering that this is her first published book, I absolutely loved this book and the story even tho it was kinda simple it was still really enjoyable (I couldn't put it down), warning this book does how ever leave you an a cliffhanger and I'm dying to know what happens next. This book does contains some poor editing witch im sure will improve it self in the future but I still believe it is a good read. I definitely enjoy it.

[Hayat · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book just wasn't for me. I didn't like the lack of romance, genuine connection between the main characters and the dithering back and forth about whether they should get together or not meant that I soon stopped caring about the pointless thing they had going on.

Also the way Allie treated the guy she was with at the beginning 'the rebound good guy' came across as selfish and cold and her attempts to make it right and justify her actions made it worse. The story felt empty and soulless, i didn't find a reason to continue reading it.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/3/2020)! 🎁

[Charlene Silvernail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allie and Matt - Star-Crossed Deception

Wow. I wasn’t prepared for that ending! Matt appeared sincere and really wanting Allie and a relationship. Traveling to surprise Matt, she got the surprise of her life when another woman answered the door and Allie was the one surprised.
In the beginning Allie and Matt had chemistry but she was with Pete. Although she was with Pete she’d just had a bad breakup with Josh. Pete didn’t stir the feelings at Matt did. His work trip to Amsterdam doesn’t look like a work trip at all.
On to the next book.

[Linda Elliott · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not a stand alone blok

I get upset when authors don't let you know that a book is not a stand alone book. That's why the low stars. If others would be up front so readers would know that they have to buy more books I wouldn't get upset and I would buy there books if they were good.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly what erotica should be - a mix between romance, real emotion and hot attraction! This writer got that chemical mix perfectly balanced! I read the book in one sitting and can't wait for the second one (and the third!).

[Sarah Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the chemistry. I was totally pissed at the end but the author piqued my interest. Now, was the ending what I assumed or was the author messing around with my emotions. I love this kind of thing.

[Elizabeth Bell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Readable. But apparently, the 21st-century version of forbidden love is breaking the bro code. Yawn. Finally, the heroine's very first erotic story is praised as genius and immediately gets her a big publishing deal. Eyeroll. Mary Sue all over.

[Jen]

Steamy!

Sydney Campbell is not only a good author... she writes a mean sex scene! Don’t think I’ve seen those two characteristics in one book particularly often! Recommended!

[Nancy Bruscino · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate books that don't have an ending or are continued.

[Beverly S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cliffhangers

I hate them. Forcing you to purchase a book just to finish the story. Two thumbs down. Hate them. Ugh!

[Mariah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty boring unfortunately and felt like the writing was off, so I most likely won’t continue the series. 😔