Sweet & Sticky: American Beauty / Better Than Ice Cream

by Alicia Sparks, Ashley Ladd

Better Than Ice Cream By Alicia Sparks There's nothing quite like a pint of ice cream on a hot summer day. The way it melts on the tongue, the way it cools the throat as it slides down, the bone-shattering orgasm it leaves in its wake. Of course, this isn't just any ice cream. It's I Scream ice cream, the only dairy product in the country guaranteed to give its female clients a little something more. And Ryan LeJeune doesn't buy into the reputation for a minute. No woman in her right mind would choose ice cream over a man. But when he returns to Oak Creek, Louisiana, and meets the brains behind the company, he realizes that is exactly what Laura Reynolds has been doing. And he has a good mind to put an end to it. He knows he needs this deal with Laura in order to save his family's business. And the sugar formula tucked into his shirt pocket seems to be exactly what Laura's company needs in order to expand. But there's something unsettling about being part of a business that claims to be able to replace the need for hot, sweaty sex. He decides there's only one way he will give Laura the formula: if she lets him prove to her that men are better than ice cream. Laura can't believe the business arrangement Ryan wants to work out. Sex for sugar He's got to be out of his mind. Even worse, she knows the deal has nothing to do with her and everything to do with his manhood and his need to prove himself. The only problem is, when his skin slides against hers and she looks into his blue eyes, she sees so much more and can't help but wonder if he really is better than ice cream. American Beauty By Ashley Ladd Kirsty Engle is in shock when Bradley Miller, resplendent in a ball gown, feather boa, and tons of eye-shadow, wants to rent her spare room. She can't understand why this obviously unavailable man makes her heart sing and her blood boil more than any other. Undercover police Lt. Brad Mueller curses his captain and the car thieves that are responsible for him being in such a totally ludicrous predicament. It's bad enough he has to dress like a babe, but he's under strict orders not to touch one for the duration of his secret mission under threat of being fired from the force. This ladies' man doesn't know if he can stand his worse-than-death sentence - particularly after he falls for his sweet and very voluptuous landlady. As if all of that isn't bad enough, everything gets really crazy when Kirsty and her gay boss make a bet to see who can win his heart. A sizzling, hilarious romantic comedy.

255 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2004

Reviews

[Christina, but with tea · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off, I haven't read the "American Beauty" half of this anthology. My one-star rating is for the other story...

I know this is supposed to be a romantic comedy, but I just didn’t find anything slapstick funny about it. Most of the humorous bits felt a bit flat to me. It started to make up for that in the hotness factor, but even that got killed dead-dead-dead when fudge popsicles, grapes, and cherries were introduced to Laura’s vagina. Gross! Food in the bedroom (or wherever) can be very sexy, but it does not belong inside the cha-cha (imho)! It especially should not be inserted and left in while you’re having sex. Other than that, it was a pretty average read with the usual misunderstandings, meddling family/friends, and predictable epilogue.

I would have given this a higher rating if not for the gross-out with the grapes and cherries.

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[Ashley Ladd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another one of my own books. I'm the author of "American Beauty", 1/2 of this anthology. It's my best seller and was an Eppie Finalist in 2003.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Better Than Ice Cream" was an okay story. Really didn't care for "American Beauty".

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book with some really funny scenes.