Stuffed

Thick #2

by Alexa Riley

Ember works as a cocktail waitress because she’s desperate for the money. But when she’s offered more in the VIP lounge, there are things that she won’t do for cash…right?

A bachelor party in Vegas is the last place Rogue wants to be. But when the cute cocktail waitress gives him sass, there’s no way he can turn down the challenge. Getting her alone is only a matter of money, but how much will it take?

Warning: Can something so hot and fast really turn into a Happily Ever After? Grab Stuffed and see if he can make it fit.

Genres: Romance, Smut, Novella, Erotica, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult

128 pages, ebook

First published September 3, 2020

About the author

Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes.

They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you!

Feel free to follow us each on twitter @smut_sasshole & @SassNSmut

Reviews

[Grecia Robles · Rating 2 out of 5]

No soy fan de Alexa Riley pero cuando tengo un slump o siento que voy a caer un uno recurro a este tipo de libro absurdos.

[Abibliophobia-the fear of running out of things to read 🥺 · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars

So much potential, it could have been so much better. Supposedly, this is in a series with Thick and Thick is so much better in my opinion. I felt that this really hot title went to total waste on this one. Definitely not my favorite Alexa Riley book. I really should review one of the great ones because lately these haven’t been too good.

Both Ember and Rogue were pretty one dimensional, which is disappointing since I think that AR is really good at making well rounded characters in novellas.

All in all, okay if you want a light novella.

[Corandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Normalmente disfruto las historias de Alexa Riley, pero no pude terminar esta, creo que no logré llegar ni a la mitad. No me gustó la heroína. No sentí ninguna química entre los protagonistas.
Demasiado aburrido. :(

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 3 out of 5]

We back in Vegas and I gotta say this one was OTT alpha. Like 0-200 alpha with steam.

Ember is a waitress serving drinks, flirty with guest to get tips and she deals with Rogue when he comes in with a bachelor party. And they spark he even pays for a private room whatever price she wants even if its just talking. But her creepy manager stops its because he's a douche and a creep by sending her home. This doesn't sit well with Rouge and he calls in some favors to find his girl. 

And when he does 🔥🔥🔥 but he has alittle drama dealing with his brother (he gets a story lol csnt wait) and thats how Ember gets in more trouble when she picks up a last min shift at a strip club as a favor. Poor girl is always being attacked. Im kinda disappointed that we didn't see nothing happen with the first creepy ass boss.. :/


No ow drama and tiny om drama(creeps) , no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, no virgins or manwhore

Recommend -maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐⭐

Instalove
Slight push away from h
No condom
Hea
Epilogue

[Niki {Still a Widow but reading more} · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love short steamy little reads, but this one seemed too short. I was getting into the story and the chemistry that was sparking off of Ember and Rogue and then boop they say I love you, have like 2 paragraph sex and "the end" with 2 short epilogues. I really liked Rogue's broody Alpha personality and was looking forward to really seeing him and Ember grow together so that sucks. I feel like AR does this a lot and it makes me feel like they have trouble rounding out the story and bringing it to a satisfying close. Also they left many questions unanswered. I hope Filled will be better.

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Come on, with a title and cover like that, do you really think I wouldn't pick it up ASAP?

If no, then you really didn't know me.

Oh well. That was smutty and possessive and crazy. The guy burnt down a gym because he didn't want the heroine to go there. He loved that freaking body of hers just as it is. Tell me if that isn't OTT.

[*CJ* · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Stuffed" is the story of Ember and Rogue.

A sassy romance with a confident heroine that works at a club, and the hero who arrives there at a bachelor party. There is instant attraction, but hurdles exist in the form of her boss and OM lusting after it. But the hero will go above and beyond to keep her..

It was a good one time read. I liked that the heroine was bold and sneaky. Was hoping the hero was a bit more psycho though..

Safe
2.5/5

[vee]

what does it say when one kept dnfing less than 150pgs of smut novella?

that alexa riley got nothing on jk. not a single thing. from 7-10 of her novellas ive read/dnf i failed soundly trying to find at least one thats not bland/got me sleepy

[KKB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what happen but this story was just not good as I expect of Alexa Riley. The h was annoying and stupid and there is no resolution with all the "bad guys" in the story. Will hesitate to be a one - click buy by off their website from now on. Not a big fan of the h working in a strip club the whole time I just don't get the fascination.

[Fiona Fog · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I think of over the top insta love, with Alpha males I think of Alexa Riley. These two authors excel at it.

They manage to deliver a romance with a story though short it leaves a mark.

The steam factor is a given!

Rouge is kinda perfect, any man who buys a gym and burns it down because the woman he’s obsessed with mentioned going there to workout is gold. Why did he burn it down? Because Ember our leading lady is perfect in his eyes, she beautiful and he doesn’t want her messing with perfection.

See? Over the top. The laughs are solid. The story moves and it’s engaging.

Yes from me. ❤️❤️❤️

[Maria M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have been reading AR books for years now. I didn’t feel any chemistry. I felt like AR tried too hard to copy/try a slightly different writing style in this book, and it didn’t work. This storyline didn’t work for me either.

Nowadays, when i see a new AR book, I hesitate to get it straight away bc their latest have all been so boring, total flops. I used to devour them straight away, but the quality has for sure gone downhill. I used to read and reread alll of their past books. But some of their latest - cozy, stolen series 2 & 3 etc? Cant bring myself to read them bc of how boring/cookie cutter the others are.

Dunno what’s going on but i feel like I’ll eventually just stop reading books by them if this continues.

[Jen ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is okay. Rogue is alpha all the way, straightforward and always gets what he wants whenever he wants. He never ask he just take and dictate things. Ember on the other hand, likes to be dominated, so I guess they are the perfect fit. She likes it when he's an overbearing jerk and that really turns her on. They fell in love, got their HEA, and epilogues.


Side note: Reading six novellas in a row made me realized how all of the FMCs in each book were all v-card holder. I mean why? Why can't they have sex before meeting the MMC? This is definitely a me case, but I would really like for both MCs to be equally experienced 🤷‍♀️

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably a 3.5 rounded up for me. It was hot and I liked how jealous and possessive Rogue is but I didn’t like that I was questioning how he felt about her until near the end. I don’t mind instalove but it has to be LOVE for me. I thought it might have been just list for him. He revealed that he loved her at the end but I was left questioning him for too long for my personal liking.

[Natasha Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

Idk whats going on with alexa riley bcoz they are truly not the same anymore. Their new books truly lacks any feeling n chemistry. Iam afraid to read their books anymore coz they are sooo disappointing. Exactly the opposite of their books.

[lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot and cute with very very possessive and besotted H and naughty epilogue 👍
Love AR , next book is about the brother Angus excited about it

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile]

Spoilers ahead


Sigh, and another one


No cheating
No OW drama
Slight OM drama
Dumb h 😂
No rating

[Sammie Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man, I LOVED the first book in this series, but this one didn’t do it for me at all. Next!

[Alba M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ember es camarera en un casino, solo que parece que últimamente sus uniformes se han ido encogiendo por momentos. Pero el dinero le hace falta así que tiene que conformarse. Hasta que es solicitada en una habitación privada por uno de los asistentes a una despedida de soltero... Entonces se encontrará con que el amor a primera vista parece existir.

Nome ha gustado demasiado este libro. Me olvidé completamente de hacer la reseña porque lo terminé y fue en plan: menos mal.
Es verdad que este libro no está para nada en la línea de Alexa, la protagonista nada que ver con las modositas de los otros libros y su forma de conocerse tampoco me parece demasiado romántica que digamos... Así que en fin, para pasar el rato vale pero no es de los mejores para mí gusto.

[Ꭿຖᥲ·♡ ྀི · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5✯

°Virgin heroine
°Hero's sexual past was not mentioned
°Switching POVs
°Insta love/lust
°Both faithful after meeting
°Possessive obsessed OTT alpha hero
°Didn't like the heroine
°No OW drama
°Heroine received unwanted attention from 2 OM
°No separation
°No cheating
°No push/pull
°Intimate scenes only between hero and heroine
°Epilogue: 1 week and 5 years later married with kids

[Flo₂₂ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love all books by this author but this one unfortunately didn't work for me🤷🏼‍♀️ i didn't like how they met, i didn't feel any chemistry ..all this author books are insta love and i'm usually in for that but this time it's like something it's missing or different 🤔

[Fabiola Chenet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointed by this one!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha entretenido, está bastante hot y los personajes me gustan bastante. Quizás él es demasiado posesivo, pero aun así lo he disfrutado bastante.

[Denice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuffed (Thick, #2) by Alexa Riley

HERO - Rogue. Divorce attorney. Dark hair and deep blue eyes.

HEROINE - Ember. Cocktail waitress at a casino. Saving for cosmetology school. Curvy and thick. Dark hair and big brown eyes. Southern accent? Maybe?

OVERALL THOUGHTS - This book is set in the same world as 2019’s Thick. The main characters from that story, Teeny and Bull, do make an appearance. More on that later, though. Here are my random thoughts while reading:

1.) Sharing lip gloss is gross. You want a quick way to spread cold sores, go ahead and share your lip products. Oh, and the manager’s name changed from Noah to Neil.

2.) Rogue mentions Ember has a southern accent, but it sounds like Ember might be Vegas native, or else has been there since she was young enough to still need a babysitter. Do people from Las Vegas have southern accents?

3.) I don’t understand why he keeps buying out rooms just to talk to her. How about asking for her number? Or asking whether she’d like to go on a date her next night off? I don’t mind over-the-top heroes, but I usually prefer the OTT-side to come out AFTER the basic tactics don’t work.

4.) Ember points out that maybe Rogue only wants her because he can’t have her...WHAT? They just met the previous night and the only thing she’s turned down was going on a date with him on a work night. That’s not him being unable to have her, it’s just her needing to work her scheduled shift. The only other times she's refused him is because she was at work and what he wanted was against casino policy (and even then she was willing to break them, but got foiled before it could happen).

5.) Ember’s boss at the casino attempts to sexually assault her, but she chooses to not report it because “men like him never get what they deserve.” Okay, you know why else they might not get what they deserve? Because their bad behavior goes unreported! She doesn’t even mention it to Rogue when she sees him minutes later. Come on, authors, encourage women to report stuff like this.

6.) The gym he buys it and burns it down because he doesn't want her to work out. ~SIGH~ Please, can we get a hero that’s actually supportive of his woman going to the gym? If Ember had said she was happy and healthy at her current size, fine. Support her. However, she expressed wanting to go to the gym. STILL SUPPORT HER. It’s her choice!

7.) Okay, I DO like that Rogue wakes Ember up before he leaves. Unfortunately, she’s like my husband -- although he may respond when I’m talking, he’s actually still asleep and won’t remember a thing I said. LOL

8.) Wait...he became a divorce lawyer because his parents had a good relationship? Ummm...okay. Not what I was expecting, but who am I to judge. Also, why are we just now hearing about the “love at first sight” thing the dad drilled into Rogue and Angus? If it’s been nagging at Rogue since he first saw Ember, shouldn’t we have been aware of that?

9.) From a casino to a strip club. I have to admit, I'm not a fan of these job choices for a "light" romance novel. Also, she works there all of two hours before getting assaulted again. What’s with the authors and Ember getting attacked all the time? Anyway, Rogue saves her and she quits. I can't help but think of Fiona Davenport's "Vegas, Baby" series. I don't think a single heroine worked in a profession where she had to show off her body or flirt with other guys. Oh, except maybe the last one - she was supposed to be a ring girl, but the hero nipped that before she even worked her first fight.

10.) Oh, thank God! Ember finally tells Rogue what happened the previous night at the casino. Rogue says he’ll handle Neil. Oh wait, never mind. He's never mentioned again. ~EYE ROLL~

11.) Bull and Teeny alert! Turns out Rogue used Bull's security services years ago. In the last chapter, Rogue calls Bull to request personal security for Ember. Bull doesn’t really work anymore since marrying Teeny, but sets up a female personal guard for her after encouragement from Teeny in the background. In the first epilogue, we find out Ember and Teeny have become friends and they have a heart-to-heart in a restaurant with Bull watching over them from a short distance. It's not specified, but since Teeny is pregnant, I'm thinking this takes place within a year of her and Bull getting married. If it's her first pregnancy anyway.

Overall, despite my many issues listed above I have to say that this book is a step in the right direction for the writing duo. It felt closer to their older style of writing when they were still publishing on Amazon. The heat was kicked back up a notch and the characters were more earthy than wooden, if that makes sense.

That said, I still didn’t connect with them. Both Ember and Rogue were very one note. We never get the back story as to why Ember is struggling to find work. This is exacerbated by the fact that we never discover her age. If she's 18 and just out of high school, sure I could understand her struggle. If she's in her 20's, I wonder what she's been doing with her life that she's still bouncing from job to job. Was school not an option? I know she's saving for cosmetology school, but we're never told if that was a recent dream or if it's been years in the making. The other disappointing thing is that it's never followed through to the conclusion. It's yet another plot thread left hanging. What happens to her mother is also left hanging. Considering how out of character the woman acted (according to Ember), you'd think Ember would at least file a missing persons report.

Rogue wasn't any better. He was over-the-top in an eye rolling way. Buying out rooms, burning things down...just ask for her number, man! We get a few tidbits about his life thanks to his relationship with his brother, but nothing's really explored. He became a divorce attorney because he was afraid he wouldn't find what his parents have? I really needed a bit more explanation because that didn't make sense.

There's a scene where they spent six hours getting to know each other, but the reader doesn't get to know any of what they learn other than what was already told to us. That could have been a great moment to flesh them out more. The epilogues, especially the second one, are also subpar to what I'd expect from the authors.

Obviously, this book isn’t going on my favorites shelf, but I don’t feel like I wasted $3 to read it. Some of the stuff they’ve been releasing lately has felt completely unlike them and almost unreadable. This feels more like them, but like they didn't care enough to polish it.

I need them to tighten up on basic character information and descriptions and to stop dropping plot threads. I need them to channel their past selves from 2018! They had a lot of good releases that year. 2016 was a good one, too. We got Shielding Lily that year along with some other really good ones (the cowboy books!). I’m just longing for classic Alexa Riley to come back. I don't know what's going on with them lately, but I know they're capable of so much better.

Next up is Filled, which will feature Rogue's brother, Angus.

SAFETY

Age: Not mentioned for either. Ember must be at least 21, though, considering the jobs she takes on. Rogue...maybe late 20’s, early 30’s? Long enough to have graduated law school and establish himself.

Sexual History: Ember is a virgin.* Rogue’s history isn’t mentioned other than the fact that he’d always used a condom. No mention of when his last time was.

*She’s only been in one relationship back in high school, but wonders if she can even call it that since they only went on three dates. He was a jerk to her. To this day he still blows up her phone when he gets drunk. This is never addressed again in the story after it’s first mentioned which really bothered me. Why make it a part of her past at all?

We also don’t find out that she’s a virgin until the very last chapter when they have sex. She never mentions it, not even to the readers, and he finds out while they're having sex. I was a little afraid the authors were going to break tradition and give us one of their very rare non-virgin heroines. Why? Because she said at one point that she’d “barely done anything sexually before”. However, we’re left in the dark about what she has done sexually because it’s never mentioned again. I really don't like that the authors included that, but didn't explain themselves. I read Alexa Riley books because I know that I can trust them to deliver a certain kind of content. I was really nervous they were about to throw a curve ball at me, but thankfully they didn't. I don't know...I assume by "sexually", Ember meant that she'd kissed that ex of hers in the past? That's a weird way of putting it, though.

Condoms: Not used. He’s always used them in the past.

Heat Level: Scorcher - 4/5

Push/Pull: No

Separation: No

Cheating: No

OW(Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: OW - no; OM - yes Her direct manager at the casino, Neil, is very possessive of her. He gives her lingering looks, mostly directed at her chest, and gets jealous of Rogue when he books a private room with her. Neil grabs her by the arm at one point and insults her, then tells her to go home for the night (to keep her from going back to Rogue) and that she’d be written up before her next shift. The next shift comes and he wants to see her after, instead. When she meets him, he attempts to sexually assault her. She gets away before anything happens and decides not to report it, nor does she mention it to Rogue who she sees only minutes later. She’s fired from the casino.

Then we get the man at the strip club. She takes on a job at the strip club as a waitress, but refuses to take her top off. One of the men grabs her butt and keeps offering increasingly large amounts of money to sleep with her. She declines each time. He crowds her in a back hallway and slams her against a wall, pressing one hand against her throat and ripping her stockings with the other. Before he can go any further, Rogue shows up and pummels him. She decides to quit.

Sex scene with OW/OM: No

Abuse: Yes...see OM Drama.

Possible Pet Peeves/Triggers: Yes, see OM Drama. Also, Mention of Ember’s mother using drugs. Heroine works for two hours in a strip club, but only as a waitress and with all her clothes on. Heroine lightly flirts with customers at the casino for tips.

HEA/HFN: HEA We get two epilogues. The first is set one week later. They exchange “I love you’s” and she tells him they’re getting married. He counters with presenting her an engagement ring. The second one is set five years later. They’re married and have kids. No mention of ages, how many, girls/boys...nothing.

[Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both books in the mini series are about two brothers, who once they first see the woman of their dreams that’s them done and dusted. Obviously these books are okay if you’re looking for a bit of smut. My only issue is that is was very similar to another author whose males leads knew the minute the first saw the woman who was theirs I think that author referred to it as ‘Boom’

These two books were okay. The second book is Filled

[Sammie Bow · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

This was ok. Rogue and Ember were ok characters and worked well as a couple. I just feel like even though this was a super short read it missed something.

POV: Dual, 1st person.
SERIES or STANDALONE: 2nd in series, can be read as a standalone.
TROPES: M/F adult, age gap (unsure of ages) romance.
SIZE: loc 1245 (last page) Kindle pages.

PLOT: 📚📚📚📚/5
ROMANCE: ❤️❤️❤️❤️/5
SPICE/STEAM: 🌶🌶.5/5
DARKNESS/TRIGGERS: 😈/5 (attempted SA)

⚠️ My bookshelves can contain spoilers.

[Vicenta Ramos Giner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro muy bello y muy maravilloso ¡¡me encanta un monton!!

[Dee Trejo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I needed when I needed it. Something short and sweet and like always hot. I'm always in love with AR's over the top alpha obsessed men going for what they want.

[Tameka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice quick read but the ending was a surprise in that i didn't feel like enough was said or told to be at the end so quickly. Nevertheless, it was a cute read.

[Stephany · Rating 2 out of 5]

...

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was an error. When referring to the last couple, whose names I’ve already forgotten, it said that he walked in on the bouncer on top of … what’s her name and then he woke up in jail with bloody knuckles. That’s not what happened. Weird how an author would mess that up.