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Ruin Me
In her head, Robin wants to marry her boyfriend. Everything about her relationship with Jay makes sense—makes her happy—but she can’t bring herself to accept his proposal. Her body has unfinished business with Patrick, the man who saved her life six years ago. For a long time she assumed her potent feelings for Patrick were born of fear, wrapped up in the night she was attacked, but now she’s realizing it’s far simpler than that. She wants him. Always has, always will.More attached to Robin than the idea of her being faithful, Jay gives her the green light to go after Patrick in the hopes that it will demystify the man and get him out of Robin’s system. It begs the question—if you’ve got permission, is it still cheating? And which will ultimately sway the heart—reason or attraction?Reader Robin makes some decisions that might seem to stray into the realm of infidelity…but with a temptation like Patrick, who could blame her?
114 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2010
10 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Cara McKenna
41 books2,238 followersSince she began writing in 2008, Cara McKenna has published nearly forty romances and erotic novels with a variety of publishers, sometimes under the pen names Meg Maguire and C.M. McKenna. Her stories have been acclaimed for their smart, modern voice and defiance of convention. She was a 2015 RITA Award finalist, a 2014 RT Reviewers’ Choice Award winner, a 2012 and 2011 RT Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee, and a 2010 Golden Heart Award finalist. She lives with her husband and baby son in the Pacific Northwest, though she’ll always be a Boston girl at heart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
November 2, 2016
Super hot, but if you think of this as a romance, it fails. I thought of it as erotica, so it worked for me.
I read it straight through with no breaks. Steamy steam for people who don't mind cheaters.
Now part of Strange Love: Remastered Tales anthology.
I read it straight through with no breaks. Steamy steam for people who don't mind cheaters.
Now part of Strange Love: Remastered Tales anthology.
July 19, 2011
Truth be told, the premise for this one is more than a little fucked up. Jay wants to marry Robin, and Robin wants to want to marry Jay, but then there's "that asshole," as Jay refers to Patrick. You see, six years ago, before she and Jay got together, Patrick saved her from a knife-wielding assailant, then did a stint in prison for assault and battery for beating the snot out of the guy. Ever since then, Robin's been obsessed with Patrick, though she was always afraid to act on it. "More attached to her than [he is] to the idea of monogamy," Jay suggests she seek Patrick out and see if she can get him out of her system. They can't move forward unless she deals with this obsession.
What save this from GTFO territory and keeps it an emotionally raw erotica is a sense that all the players involved know this is a totally screwed up and weird arrangement. I got the sense that Jay suggests this as a last resort, trying to save the relationship he has with Robin. Patrick seems to reluctantly agree, voicing his reservations that he'll be anything but a homewrecker, just to indulge an obsession of his own. Robin, for her part, seems both weak and powerful in her involvement. Weak in that she totally wants Patrick but isn't brave enough to end her comfortable life with Jay, and strong in that she's totally leading two guys around by the dick and having them make this decision for her. No one's motives are set in stone when the arrangement starts, and they only get murkier as things evolve.
Consequently, this is one heck of a hot story of a relationship at a turning point. The emotions are as raw as they are realistic. This is no uncomplicated romp of a threesome. Jealousy, possessiveness, confusion, guilt and anger are as present as the boiling passion, arousal and excitement. Jay surprises Robin with how much he enjoys controlling who she messes around with and what she can do with him. Patrick discovers he can't separate his feelings from the sex like he had hoped to. And Robin finds she just plain sucks at making good decisions. It's just a hot mess, and I couldn't look away.
As for the sex writing, and this is going to sound fucking bizarre, I loved that Patrick's big dick had consequences. I'm so used to erotica and romance that exists in this fantasy world where big dicks are just these magical wands that bring endless pleasure and never go too deep. So, when Robin ever winced at Patrick getting too deep, and seeing how they adjusted their positions to make it more comfortable, I was over the moon. Details like that are what separates the gratuitous from the insightful. It showed me the uniqueness of their union while also showing me two people able to communicate easily to establish sexual compatibility. It's such a minor detail, but it's a great example of what this author does right when she writes sex.
I know Ellora's Cave's pricing sucks, and I'm super grateful the author fronted me a copy herself, but I think it'd be worth it. Like her popular book Willing Victim, it packs a lot into a shorter length book.
What save this from GTFO territory and keeps it an emotionally raw erotica is a sense that all the players involved know this is a totally screwed up and weird arrangement. I got the sense that Jay suggests this as a last resort, trying to save the relationship he has with Robin. Patrick seems to reluctantly agree, voicing his reservations that he'll be anything but a homewrecker, just to indulge an obsession of his own. Robin, for her part, seems both weak and powerful in her involvement. Weak in that she totally wants Patrick but isn't brave enough to end her comfortable life with Jay, and strong in that she's totally leading two guys around by the dick and having them make this decision for her. No one's motives are set in stone when the arrangement starts, and they only get murkier as things evolve.
Consequently, this is one heck of a hot story of a relationship at a turning point. The emotions are as raw as they are realistic. This is no uncomplicated romp of a threesome. Jealousy, possessiveness, confusion, guilt and anger are as present as the boiling passion, arousal and excitement. Jay surprises Robin with how much he enjoys controlling who she messes around with and what she can do with him. Patrick discovers he can't separate his feelings from the sex like he had hoped to. And Robin finds she just plain sucks at making good decisions. It's just a hot mess, and I couldn't look away.
As for the sex writing, and this is going to sound fucking bizarre, I loved that Patrick's big dick had consequences. I'm so used to erotica and romance that exists in this fantasy world where big dicks are just these magical wands that bring endless pleasure and never go too deep. So, when Robin ever winced at Patrick getting too deep, and seeing how they adjusted their positions to make it more comfortable, I was over the moon. Details like that are what separates the gratuitous from the insightful. It showed me the uniqueness of their union while also showing me two people able to communicate easily to establish sexual compatibility. It's such a minor detail, but it's a great example of what this author does right when she writes sex.
I know Ellora's Cave's pricing sucks, and I'm super grateful the author fronted me a copy herself, but I think it'd be worth it. Like her popular book Willing Victim, it packs a lot into a shorter length book.
August 27, 2016
Sweet Jesus, is there anything Cara McKenna writes that's not hot? Holy cow!
Ruin Me is a stand alone novella that depicts Robin, a woman with a live in boyfriend, who still harbors a deep seated longing for a guy from her past. Said guy is Patrick, the man who saved Robin's life while she was held at knifepoint outside a local bar. He served 7 months prison for aggravated assault and wouldn't change a thing. Robin's weekly visits got him through.
When Robin's long term boyfriend, Jay proposes to her, she instantly realizes things aren't finished between her and Patrick. Not that they ever really started. They have a weird connection. So Jay, in all his confidence of Robin's love, gives her the green light to "demystify the man and get him out of her system." What's her answer?
So starts the story. Robin doesn't pass up the chance to get in touch with Patrick. Surely it'll be one kiss and things will resolve. She does love Jay...
Can Robin get Patrick out of her system? How far will Jay let her go with him? Why is Jay oddly aroused by the thoughts of Patrick with Robin?
What I loved most about Ruin Me was the angsty tug of war Robin felt between her attraction for Patrick but her love for Jay and not wanting to hurt him. It really sounds like the mother of love triangles but I didn't feel that way. Maybe because the whole thing was Jay's idea to begin with. All parties consented.
The book was seriously too short. It was scorching and I just lapped it up. A great quick read for a quickie smut fix,
And I thank you,
Ruin Me is a stand alone novella that depicts Robin, a woman with a live in boyfriend, who still harbors a deep seated longing for a guy from her past. Said guy is Patrick, the man who saved Robin's life while she was held at knifepoint outside a local bar. He served 7 months prison for aggravated assault and wouldn't change a thing. Robin's weekly visits got him through.
When Robin's long term boyfriend, Jay proposes to her, she instantly realizes things aren't finished between her and Patrick. Not that they ever really started. They have a weird connection. So Jay, in all his confidence of Robin's love, gives her the green light to "demystify the man and get him out of her system." What's her answer?
So starts the story. Robin doesn't pass up the chance to get in touch with Patrick. Surely it'll be one kiss and things will resolve. She does love Jay...
Can Robin get Patrick out of her system? How far will Jay let her go with him? Why is Jay oddly aroused by the thoughts of Patrick with Robin?
What I loved most about Ruin Me was the angsty tug of war Robin felt between her attraction for Patrick but her love for Jay and not wanting to hurt him. It really sounds like the mother of love triangles but I didn't feel that way. Maybe because the whole thing was Jay's idea to begin with. All parties consented.
The book was seriously too short. It was scorching and I just lapped it up. A great quick read for a quickie smut fix,
And I thank you,
October 8, 2012
I REALLY liked this book, I wasn't sure how to review it but I think I liked it so much just simply for the fuckedup-ness of it. :)
The story begins with Jay & Robin and the fact that Robin can't say yes to Jay's marriage proposal because she isin love obsessed with Patrick Whelan, who six years before saved her life when a possible mugger/rapist held her at knife point. An act that, because Patrick beat the guy to a pulp, landed Patrick in prison for 6 months. Robin visited him every week. This was all before she met Jay. Once Patrick was released they had a sort of awkward friendship/acquaintance. During that time she met and fell in love with Jay, all the while still obsessed and fantasizing about Patrick. After Jay's marriage proposal in which she can't say yes too, Jay insists she sleep with Patrick and get him out of her system. This is where it gets really fucked up! Patrick is in love with Robin and has been since long before even the attack occurred, so he reluctantly agrees to go along with this crazy ass plan - I was really upset at this point in the story because they were really screwing with Patrick's heart and that pissed me off. In the end though, Robin realized that she was obviously in love with Patrick, I think she always knew just didn't want to be the one to have to make the hard decision to loose the love and security she had in Jay, but after one particularly fucked up scene, the climax if you will (pun intended) Robin wises up, Jay leaves and Patrick and Robin are able to begin their HEA!
The story begins with Jay & Robin and the fact that Robin can't say yes to Jay's marriage proposal because she is
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2016
4-Stars!
I think any woman who says men are predictable should try fucking an ex-con lumberjack and a cuckolded technology journalist in the same day and see if they don't just have a change of heart on the matter.
This is Cara McKenna, so a few things are a given:
Smokin' erotica
and witty as heck content.
I'm trying really hard not to appear too eager. Actually, I think I'm overdoing it a bit, acting as if this whole situation pains me greatly. If there's a tightrope for people walking the line between "selfish harlot" and "dewy-eyed martyr", it's very narrow, and the chasm is so deep I couldn't tell you if there's a net or not.
I really, really liked this story.
But I couldn't completely love it. That's not the fault of Cara McKenna. Actually, it's due to her fantastic skills that this story is getting a 4-star rating and that I enjoyed it so much. CM is a pro, to be sure. If anyone could get me to love a triangle story with elements of infidelity, it would be McKenna. However, triangles and cheating aren't my thing, really.
It was well done indeed, that we get to think there's really no bad guys here. There are just people with real, deep feelings who have no intention to cause pain, only to move forward. Because we are solely in the heroine's head, we get to feel her craving for Patrick and her genuine love/friendship with Jay, and therefore her believable internal struggle. She knows this plan is too good to be true, that it's full of potential hazard, but she sees the need for it.
But still, what it boils down to is that this poor lady has two hot men in love with her.
While I can't bring myself to hate Robin entirely, I can't really like her all that much either.
I think any woman who says men are predictable should try fucking an ex-con lumberjack and a cuckolded technology journalist in the same day and see if they don't just have a change of heart on the matter.
This is Cara McKenna, so a few things are a given:
Smokin' erotica
and witty as heck content.
I'm trying really hard not to appear too eager. Actually, I think I'm overdoing it a bit, acting as if this whole situation pains me greatly. If there's a tightrope for people walking the line between "selfish harlot" and "dewy-eyed martyr", it's very narrow, and the chasm is so deep I couldn't tell you if there's a net or not.
I really, really liked this story.
But I couldn't completely love it. That's not the fault of Cara McKenna. Actually, it's due to her fantastic skills that this story is getting a 4-star rating and that I enjoyed it so much. CM is a pro, to be sure. If anyone could get me to love a triangle story with elements of infidelity, it would be McKenna. However, triangles and cheating aren't my thing, really.
It was well done indeed, that we get to think there's really no bad guys here. There are just people with real, deep feelings who have no intention to cause pain, only to move forward. Because we are solely in the heroine's head, we get to feel her craving for Patrick and her genuine love/friendship with Jay, and therefore her believable internal struggle. She knows this plan is too good to be true, that it's full of potential hazard, but she sees the need for it.
But still, what it boils down to is that this poor lady has two hot men in love with her.
While I can't bring myself to hate Robin entirely, I can't really like her all that much either.
August 1, 2012
I don’t know who I hated more, Robin or Jay. Part of my wants to say Jay, but he was under some magical vagina spell for him be like, “Ok, I’ll let you have sex with this other dude in order to keep you.” So I think I hate Robin more for agreeing to it even though she knows she wouldn’t allow the reverse to happen.
Back to Jay, why would you be with someone who you know going into the relationship, was in love with someone else? I guess anyone could make the argument that you think that person will change for you and you’ll do whatever to keep the person you love. But Jay really should’ve let Robin go the moment he realized she wasn’t completely in their relationship and lusted after another man. And if he really did love her, he wouldn’t have suggested cheating.
I felt really bad for Patrick. Finally the woman you’ve loved for almost 10 years (and who you essentially go to jail for) notices you and wants to be with you…..but only to get you out of her system so she can marry her boyfriend. And because of her magical vagina, he agrees to it. Robin admits that she has power over these two men, but then acts like she has no control over the situation she’s in. I think that was the most frustrating.
The sex scenes weren’t good for me since they were based on seedy rules of control. I couldn’t get any joy from them let alone hot and bothered.
At least Patrick got what he wanted.
My rating for this is a 2.5/3 Stars out of 5.
Back to Jay, why would you be with someone who you know going into the relationship, was in love with someone else? I guess anyone could make the argument that you think that person will change for you and you’ll do whatever to keep the person you love. But Jay really should’ve let Robin go the moment he realized she wasn’t completely in their relationship and lusted after another man. And if he really did love her, he wouldn’t have suggested cheating.
I felt really bad for Patrick. Finally the woman you’ve loved for almost 10 years (and who you essentially go to jail for) notices you and wants to be with you…..but only to get you out of her system so she can marry her boyfriend. And because of her magical vagina, he agrees to it. Robin admits that she has power over these two men, but then acts like she has no control over the situation she’s in. I think that was the most frustrating.
The sex scenes weren’t good for me since they were based on seedy rules of control. I couldn’t get any joy from them let alone hot and bothered.
At least Patrick got what he wanted.
My rating for this is a 2.5/3 Stars out of 5.
February 24, 2015
4.25 for the story, 5 for the eroticism of it.
Talk about hot!!! Wow - Cara McKenna, you are one of a kind!
Is it even possible to love what we usually hate?!!
Because for every reason I should have hated this one, I loved it.
It truly was erotically exceptional and well written.
Cara, I hope that I get to read everything you've written in the past, that you're writing now and that you write in the future - you're truly the Queen of Eroticism.
Talk about hot!!! Wow - Cara McKenna, you are one of a kind!
Is it even possible to love what we usually hate?!!
Because for every reason I should have hated this one, I loved it.
It truly was erotically exceptional and well written.
Cara, I hope that I get to read everything you've written in the past, that you're writing now and that you write in the future - you're truly the Queen of Eroticism.
January 11, 2011
Cara is a very brave author. Ruin me is not so much a romance, as it is an exploration on how the human heart works. It's not logical. You can't choose who to love and who not to love. And sometimes, love can be primal.
Robin is torn between two men: one who she wants, and one who she thinks she loves. Cara doesn't take the easy way out. She doesn't belittle Robin's emotions, but nor does she make her innocent. Robin knows what she is feeling isn't acceptable, but is so confused about how to handle herself, she doesn't know how to move forward with her life.
Words can't express how much I admire Cara for her handling of this topic. This isn't a hearts and flowers romance, but an honest look at how the human heart works.
Robin is torn between two men: one who she wants, and one who she thinks she loves. Cara doesn't take the easy way out. She doesn't belittle Robin's emotions, but nor does she make her innocent. Robin knows what she is feeling isn't acceptable, but is so confused about how to handle herself, she doesn't know how to move forward with her life.
Words can't express how much I admire Cara for her handling of this topic. This isn't a hearts and flowers romance, but an honest look at how the human heart works.
August 18, 2010
I started reading and before I knew it I was hooked. This author has an unusual style from a lot of what I read and I like it. Also, without getting too spoiler-ish, I was a little concerned the guy I liked wasn't the guy I was supposed to like because it was a guessing game as to where the characters would ultimately go. Really enjoyed and already have my next Cara McKenna title in line.
November 10, 2011
I had very mixed feelings which resulted in a love/hate conclusion to Ruin Me. My problem lies with the heroine (Robin) and the fact that she has been involved with a man for over four years that she truly never loved or viewed as her soulmate. Robin clings to the security and stability in her relationship with Jay, however her passion lies with Patrick. This results in Robin wanting to "have her cake and eat it too" and I just had serious issues with Jay knowing this, condoning this and encouraging Robin to pursue Patrick. It goes against the "normal" grain of a committed relationship and left me angry with both Jay and Robin. Had this relationship been set up as a menage, it would not have been an issue for me.
What I loved was Patrick. Ms. McKenna drew her greatest emotion from his character and we witness little snippets throughout the book of how long he has loved Robin. (I died a little with the pigeon picture and its significance.)
The ending was satisfying, it was the journey in how Robin chose to get there that graded on my feelings of the overall story.
What I can always count on with a Cara McKenna is she always delivers the emotion I crave in erotic novels as well as the heat. Ms. McKenna's voice never fails to propel me fully into her characters and invest in their outcome.
May 11, 2012
2.5 = actual rating
I don't know... I guess this book just wasn't for me. I thought I could do it, but the entire time all I kept feeling was rage toward Robin. She had this guy who loved her and she swears she loved him but she's lusting after this other guy? THEN they think they can just fuck each other silly and get it out of her system? *shaking my head* cuz we can all just imagine how that's going to play out.
And WTH is wrong with Jay to think this would be a good idea and what man that was in love with you would condone it?
The sexytimes was hot, but I just couldnt get into the story because of the plot. I actually really liked Patrick and in the end I thought he was too good for Robin...
If consensual cheating doesn't bother you I say go for it!
I don't know... I guess this book just wasn't for me. I thought I could do it, but the entire time all I kept feeling was rage toward Robin. She had this guy who loved her and she swears she loved him but she's lusting after this other guy? THEN they think they can just fuck each other silly and get it out of her system? *shaking my head* cuz we can all just imagine how that's going to play out.
And WTH is wrong with Jay to think this would be a good idea and what man that was in love with you would condone it?
The sexytimes was hot, but I just couldnt get into the story because of the plot. I actually really liked Patrick and in the end I thought he was too good for Robin...
If consensual cheating doesn't bother you I say go for it!
December 30, 2013
4.5 Stars, another hot and steamy read from Cara McKenna. I loved Patrick the sexy Lumberjack right from the get go and was rooting for him all the way through.
Love these steamy but emotional stories, perfect for an evenings read.
Love these steamy but emotional stories, perfect for an evenings read.
March 27, 2023
Full review to come!
4 ⭐️
3 🌶
4 ⭐️
3 🌶
December 1, 2025
This takes „Love Triangle“ to another level. The completely new take worked for me even though I hated Robin.
March 6, 2011
4.5 Stars.
In the most recent book by Cara McKenna I read, Ready and Willing, I gave it 2-stars because I felt it was too short and the sex seemed to overshadow what could have been a promising developing relationship.
This book is also short, the same length as R&W and there is lots of sex. But the relationships in this book are developed great. For some reason, what didn't work in that book worked excellently in this one. Not only that, I think this book was the exactly right length for the story being told. It really shouldn't have been longer than it was.
I think one reason for that is the structure of the book played a large part in the character and plot development. We are dropped in media res, as it were. It reads like we are reading the last act of a story but the reader is never disoriented because the author pulls this very deft sleight of hand that makes you feel like you already know what has come before. Through some well done exposition and well placed dialogue we quickly get the lay of the land and feel invested in the story right away.
It is told in first person by Robin. She and her boyfriend Jay live together, are happy and have a great sex life. I loved Robin's voice. She was self deprecating, funny and a little neurotic. it was a very natural narration that didn't feel as self aware as some first POVs often do. One night Jay proposes but Robin hesitates. 'Is it because of that asshole Patrick?' Jay wonders. Patrick is a guy who, five years earlier, saved Robin's life. He rescued her from a knife wielding guy and went on to kick the guy senseless. He served several months in prison for aggravated assault. Robin has unresolved issues with Patrick because she has been wildly attracted to him since then.
Jay knows this because Robin has been very honest with him. Jay believes it is just some PTSD thing and they need to confront it so he gives Robin permission to get Patrick out of her system so they can go on with their lives.
I must say this first part of the story was quite delightful. It is written with a light, almost comedic touch with the three of them coming to terms with what Jay is proposing. Robin is tempted and thrilled. Jay has ground rules for how the whole thing is to proceed (he is very logical). And Patrick just doesn't want to be a homewrecker (although he is also very attracted to Robin). There are some great scenes that had me chuckling, believe it or not as the three of them negotiate how this is all going to go down.
At this point, I figured the author had several ways she could end this story: 1) Robin exorcises Patrick out of her system through sex and can go away and live happily ever after with Jay or 2) Robin realizes that her feeling for Patrick are much deeper than just wanting to get him out her system and she ends up falling for Patrick or 3) They are all so turned on by the situation they settle down into a happy threesome. What eventually happens is what I realized I really wanted to happen as I continued to read the book. I had a marked preference for one of the guys over the other.
The tone shifts a bit. The lightness dims as the three protagonists realize that logical plans can get turned upside down by feelings.
I must say I started out liking all three and didn't feel judgy by anyone for what was happening. I actually thought Jay was a little too pragmatic about it. As it turns out he wasn't being just pragmatic, logical Jay. And this is where I think the story gets a bit depth that I had not expected. I won't say more, but I must say the author packed a lot of story, character and sexual psychology into a small package.
I will also say that I really, really enjoy this author's voice. I would love to see her do a longer, romance (well maybe romantica because she can do some awesome sex scenes).
In the most recent book by Cara McKenna I read, Ready and Willing, I gave it 2-stars because I felt it was too short and the sex seemed to overshadow what could have been a promising developing relationship.
This book is also short, the same length as R&W and there is lots of sex. But the relationships in this book are developed great. For some reason, what didn't work in that book worked excellently in this one. Not only that, I think this book was the exactly right length for the story being told. It really shouldn't have been longer than it was.
I think one reason for that is the structure of the book played a large part in the character and plot development. We are dropped in media res, as it were. It reads like we are reading the last act of a story but the reader is never disoriented because the author pulls this very deft sleight of hand that makes you feel like you already know what has come before. Through some well done exposition and well placed dialogue we quickly get the lay of the land and feel invested in the story right away.
It is told in first person by Robin. She and her boyfriend Jay live together, are happy and have a great sex life. I loved Robin's voice. She was self deprecating, funny and a little neurotic. it was a very natural narration that didn't feel as self aware as some first POVs often do. One night Jay proposes but Robin hesitates. 'Is it because of that asshole Patrick?' Jay wonders. Patrick is a guy who, five years earlier, saved Robin's life. He rescued her from a knife wielding guy and went on to kick the guy senseless. He served several months in prison for aggravated assault. Robin has unresolved issues with Patrick because she has been wildly attracted to him since then.
Jay knows this because Robin has been very honest with him. Jay believes it is just some PTSD thing and they need to confront it so he gives Robin permission to get Patrick out of her system so they can go on with their lives.
I must say this first part of the story was quite delightful. It is written with a light, almost comedic touch with the three of them coming to terms with what Jay is proposing. Robin is tempted and thrilled. Jay has ground rules for how the whole thing is to proceed (he is very logical). And Patrick just doesn't want to be a homewrecker (although he is also very attracted to Robin). There are some great scenes that had me chuckling, believe it or not as the three of them negotiate how this is all going to go down.
At this point, I figured the author had several ways she could end this story: 1) Robin exorcises Patrick out of her system through sex and can go away and live happily ever after with Jay or 2) Robin realizes that her feeling for Patrick are much deeper than just wanting to get him out her system and she ends up falling for Patrick or 3) They are all so turned on by the situation they settle down into a happy threesome. What eventually happens is what I realized I really wanted to happen as I continued to read the book. I had a marked preference for one of the guys over the other.
The tone shifts a bit. The lightness dims as the three protagonists realize that logical plans can get turned upside down by feelings.
I must say I started out liking all three and didn't feel judgy by anyone for what was happening. I actually thought Jay was a little too pragmatic about it. As it turns out he wasn't being just pragmatic, logical Jay. And this is where I think the story gets a bit depth that I had not expected. I won't say more, but I must say the author packed a lot of story, character and sexual psychology into a small package.
I will also say that I really, really enjoy this author's voice. I would love to see her do a longer, romance (well maybe romantica because she can do some awesome sex scenes).
October 5, 2010
The wake of the sex is like the days following a hurricane. Things are askew, scattered, altered, and my sense of safety and normality is battered. There’s cleanup to do and adjustments that need to be made but I’m not ready for all that. I want to rest here in our smoking rubble for a long time and appreciate the force of the storm.
This quote from Cara's book pretty much encompasses the entire story. I read it like someone had stuck me on an island and told me I couldn't read, eat, or have sex for 3yrs.
LOL
I loved Willing Victim from the same author and thought for sure that nothing she wrote could top it. This one is running neck and neck with it. Amazing characterizations, her voice is just fresh and like nothing I've read before, and her imagery is just as unique.
Honestly, I didn't think I'd like the book--cheating is never okay as far as I'm concerned, but she put it together in such a way that it felt right and worked well for the story. It was impressive as hell, and something of a wonder for me.
From the minute Patrick came onto the scene I wanted him--and when she realized just how crazy the situation was, how crazed she made the two men she reacted like a real person. Not what we THINK the general public would want in a book, but Cara McKenna allowed her to be someone we could empathize with even if we didn't want to. And for me, that's what makes her such a GREAT writer.
Patrick's reaction to one particularly eye-opening and pivotal scene was what made me love him all the more. And reiterated this nagging feeling I had about Jay from the get-go. But as another reviewer said...there was a big part of the story where I wasn't sure where she was going to go with it. And throwing me off like that was like a fall gust of wind off the lake that I'm currently staying at--refreshing and invigorating.
She's definitely on my auto-buy list from now on.
Give it a try. And if you have an open mind, I don't think you'll regret it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2011
The story starts out with Jay and Robin getting (almost) engaged. Robin has been with Jay for 4 years and is deeply in love with him - but when he proposes, Robin can't make herself say yes......because of Patrick. Patrick is a man that saved her life many years before she met Jay. He even served 7 months in prison for beating up the guy that attacked her. She visited him often while he was in prison.....but when he got out, then barely saw each other or spoke. But ever since that night he saved her, Robin can't stop herself from wanting Patrick. (And she's never even so much as kissed him.)
Jay, the impossibly understanding boyfriend, knows about Patrick and the fact that Robin wants him (sexually). So he gives her permission to go to him - with one condition......they can do anything EXCEPT intercourse. Even though Robin is initially shocked by the idea, she is also hopeful that she will finally get Patrick out of her head......
And it just gets insanely hot and sexy from there until the end......goooood Lord.
I think Cara McKenna (otherwise known as Meg Maguire) might be a new favorite author. I love her writing - it's so effortless. I don't really know how to explain it. It just flows and I can't make myself stop reading. The dialogue is witty and sexy without being cliche in a way that some romance novels tend to be.
My only complain about this book is that it wasn't long enough! And I can't wait to read more of her work!
Jay, the impossibly understanding boyfriend, knows about Patrick and the fact that Robin wants him (sexually). So he gives her permission to go to him - with one condition......they can do anything EXCEPT intercourse. Even though Robin is initially shocked by the idea, she is also hopeful that she will finally get Patrick out of her head......
And it just gets insanely hot and sexy from there until the end......goooood Lord.
I think Cara McKenna (otherwise known as Meg Maguire) might be a new favorite author. I love her writing - it's so effortless. I don't really know how to explain it. It just flows and I can't make myself stop reading. The dialogue is witty and sexy without being cliche in a way that some romance novels tend to be.
My only complain about this book is that it wasn't long enough! And I can't wait to read more of her work!
March 30, 2013
Another very beautifully written, short, sexy story by Cara McKenna. It's been a few months since I read & was more than impressed by Willing Victim, and with the renewed interest in that lovely gem, I decided to seek out a few of McKenna's other titles. This one also takes you to the fringes of a somewhat taboo type of relationship but as with WV, turns it all on it's head via brilliant storytelling & unmistakably real characters.
Honestly the only thing holding me back from a 5 star rating is the length, meaning if this had been a bit more fleshed out, it would have been amazing. Similarly to WV you have an almost hesitant reluctant pull to the initial subject, but the story turns on it's head & just punches you in the gut with so much honesty & passion that the "quick, hot, naughty" read you thought you were signing up for really has you reeling.
What I'm trying to say is give it a shot. The summary does it zero justice.
Honestly the only thing holding me back from a 5 star rating is the length, meaning if this had been a bit more fleshed out, it would have been amazing. Similarly to WV you have an almost hesitant reluctant pull to the initial subject, but the story turns on it's head & just punches you in the gut with so much honesty & passion that the "quick, hot, naughty" read you thought you were signing up for really has you reeling.
What I'm trying to say is give it a shot. The summary does it zero justice.
May 16, 2014
4 Crazy Ass stars
This book was absolutely crazy!!
I won't go into all the details, but just know going in that there are a couple, "What the fuck?" moments, with a shit ton of, "Holy fuck, that was hot" moments!
I really wish this could have been a full length novel so we can get a better understanding of Patrick & Robin's connection from their past, but no worries, these two still have an unmistakable connection & fabulous sexual chemistry, with loads of sexual tension from the beginning.
This was a very original & very sexy read! Definitely enjoyed this one!
This book was absolutely crazy!!
I won't go into all the details, but just know going in that there are a couple, "What the fuck?" moments, with a shit ton of, "Holy fuck, that was hot" moments!
I really wish this could have been a full length novel so we can get a better understanding of Patrick & Robin's connection from their past, but no worries, these two still have an unmistakable connection & fabulous sexual chemistry, with loads of sexual tension from the beginning.
This was a very original & very sexy read! Definitely enjoyed this one!
March 2, 2017
So...I'm not really sure how to feel about this one. It was DAMN hot, and McKenna is such a fantastic writer. Normally I steer clear of books with even a whiff of infidelity, but since this was infidelity with permission (!!) I decided to give it a go. It's a bit of a mindfuck, but a hot one! I won't give away too much other than it's definitely worth the read and is on par with McKenna's other works. And if you're anti-cheating in your books like I am, it won't piss you off...too much. The ending could have used a little more resolution, but I also kind of like that she leaves some things up to the reader.
April 12, 2012
Another steamy hot read by an author I'm glad I was introduced to! I didn't know how this one would end but I will say I was not disappointed! It will not be my last read from Cara McKenna!
August 16, 2023
There is absolutely no logical reason why this was not a reverse harem. Like, please make it make sense.
August 4, 2014
"You are one fucked-up couple, Robin."...
"He wants you so much, he'd let you be with another man if that's what he needed to do to keep you"...
"I want you so much that if I was him I'd kill that other man." Patrick Whelan/ Ruin Me
Instead of a review, I added the lyrics of a song text. They are a little spoilerish and smut-for-the-smart readers will figure out their meaning regarding the story. So just read the blurb, look at my rating and you can do the math for yourselves. For all those who are rather slow thinkers: Yes, I recommend reading this! It's Cara McKenna! How could I not?
"All the people all around us
Talking to and all about us
It’s the same
It will go away
Are you trying to be helpful?
Are you sleeping in the devils company?
Possibly
Don’t wake me up
I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
We can teach ourselves the lessons
And we can change it any second of the day
We used to say
Are you trying to be helpful?
Are you sleeping in the devils company?
Possibly
Don’t wake me up I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
Love the life that we don’t have
I wouldn’t change a thing
Not much but we don’t mind
I wouldn’t change a thing
Love the life that we don’t have
I wouldn’t change at all
Not much but we don’t mind
I wouldn’t change at all
Don’t wake me up
I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
Don’t wake me up
I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
I’m not asking for any rest"
"Second Best" HUDSON TAYLOR
And to all of you who are still indecisive: Don't worry! No one will see this god-awful cover while you are reading this! Only 25 million readers on goodreads will think you are a pervert because you added this to your TBR shelf... :)
"He wants you so much, he'd let you be with another man if that's what he needed to do to keep you"...
"I want you so much that if I was him I'd kill that other man." Patrick Whelan/ Ruin Me
Instead of a review, I added the lyrics of a song text. They are a little spoilerish and smut-for-the-smart readers will figure out their meaning regarding the story. So just read the blurb, look at my rating and you can do the math for yourselves. For all those who are rather slow thinkers: Yes, I recommend reading this! It's Cara McKenna! How could I not?
"All the people all around us
Talking to and all about us
It’s the same
It will go away
Are you trying to be helpful?
Are you sleeping in the devils company?
Possibly
Don’t wake me up
I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
We can teach ourselves the lessons
And we can change it any second of the day
We used to say
Are you trying to be helpful?
Are you sleeping in the devils company?
Possibly
Don’t wake me up I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
Love the life that we don’t have
I wouldn’t change a thing
Not much but we don’t mind
I wouldn’t change a thing
Love the life that we don’t have
I wouldn’t change at all
Not much but we don’t mind
I wouldn’t change at all
Don’t wake me up
I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
Don’t wake me up
I’m not sleeping
I’m not asking for any rest
And as long as I am breathing
I won’t settle for second best
I’m not asking for any rest"
"Second Best" HUDSON TAYLOR
And to all of you who are still indecisive: Don't worry! No one will see this god-awful cover while you are reading this! Only 25 million readers on goodreads will think you are a pervert because you added this to your TBR shelf... :)
September 28, 2011
My first favorite Cara McKenna book, though Curio might have upended it.
Ruin Me was only my third reading excursion into the land of erotica, and I’m still somewhat mystified about the genre, but I was so enamored of Cara McKenna due to the glory that is Skin Game, it was only a matter of time before I started buying up her backlist. Ruin Me is told in the first person by Robin, who really loves her boyfriend, Jay, and would totally agree to marry him if it weren’t for the fact that she breaks out in whatever the arousal equivalent of hives is whenever she sees Patrick Whelan, the man who saved her life several years earlier. Jay, being an understanding, nineties kind of guy (I know, it’s 2011, but where’s the equivalent phrase now?), gives her permission to fool around with Patrick. Get him out of her system, so to speak. And then things start to get interesting. Someone over at Ellora’s Cave gave Ruin Me a meh review, which makes me indignant, because I found it so compulsively readable, and so damned interesting. Maybe it’s because I’m fascinated with the psychology of people who make terrible mistakes–or who think they are when they’re not, or who are certain they’re not when they are. Robin is one of these. She just has to figure out which. Ruin Me is a very sexy book, but it’s romantic too, and the characters are solid. I read it in about fourteen minutes (it’s a novel, but definitely a short one), and as soon as I’d finished I started thinking about it, and now I sort of want to read it again and pick it apart. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the sign of a great book.
Ruin Me was only my third reading excursion into the land of erotica, and I’m still somewhat mystified about the genre, but I was so enamored of Cara McKenna due to the glory that is Skin Game, it was only a matter of time before I started buying up her backlist. Ruin Me is told in the first person by Robin, who really loves her boyfriend, Jay, and would totally agree to marry him if it weren’t for the fact that she breaks out in whatever the arousal equivalent of hives is whenever she sees Patrick Whelan, the man who saved her life several years earlier. Jay, being an understanding, nineties kind of guy (I know, it’s 2011, but where’s the equivalent phrase now?), gives her permission to fool around with Patrick. Get him out of her system, so to speak. And then things start to get interesting. Someone over at Ellora’s Cave gave Ruin Me a meh review, which makes me indignant, because I found it so compulsively readable, and so damned interesting. Maybe it’s because I’m fascinated with the psychology of people who make terrible mistakes–or who think they are when they’re not, or who are certain they’re not when they are. Robin is one of these. She just has to figure out which. Ruin Me is a very sexy book, but it’s romantic too, and the characters are solid. I read it in about fourteen minutes (it’s a novel, but definitely a short one), and as soon as I’d finished I started thinking about it, and now I sort of want to read it again and pick it apart. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the sign of a great book.
Read
July 18, 2018Emotionally, psychologically, and sexually complicated. I read McKenna/Maguire for her difficult (and realistic) heroines and the way she threads issues of power and struggle and desire into the relationships and not-relationships she writes, and Ruin Me didn't disappoint on those counts. The characters got under my skin, and the attraction and conflict between them all felt very organic and inevitable. McKenna has a consistently lucid writing style, clear and descriptive, and it's kind of neat all the worldbuilding that happens just in the process of presenting her characters and telling their stories. I did finish the book feeling like I wanted more in order for the story to have felt actually complete (), but otherwise, I enjoyed this.
January 5, 2022
*** OCTOBER 28, 2012 ***
3.5 stars.
beautifully written. i get the feeling that cara mckenna pretty deeply respects each of her characters, vastly different from one another though they may be. this was a quiet poem of a story, laced with a sad yearning. mckenna managed to formulate a tricky plot set-up and resolve it in a satisfying way that was fair to the characters, believable, and nothing close to pat. somehow she manages to write her happily-ever-afters without ever veering toward saccharine. at the end of a mckenna novel i rarely feel like the story has been shoehorned into an ending. so, you know, go, kitty.
*** UPDATE: OCTOBER 4, 2013 ***
vividly recognizable characters are satisfyingly different, each fully realized with believable, compelling psychologies.
the story is imbued with a wistfulness that energizes the entire plot.
3.5 stars.
beautifully written. i get the feeling that cara mckenna pretty deeply respects each of her characters, vastly different from one another though they may be. this was a quiet poem of a story, laced with a sad yearning. mckenna managed to formulate a tricky plot set-up and resolve it in a satisfying way that was fair to the characters, believable, and nothing close to pat. somehow she manages to write her happily-ever-afters without ever veering toward saccharine. at the end of a mckenna novel i rarely feel like the story has been shoehorned into an ending. so, you know, go, kitty.
*** UPDATE: OCTOBER 4, 2013 ***
vividly recognizable characters are satisfyingly different, each fully realized with believable, compelling psychologies.
the story is imbued with a wistfulness that energizes the entire plot.
November 21, 2013
Hot hot hot hot hot hot!!
July 23, 2016
Smutty-smutty-smut-cough-threesome-cough-smut
Girl can't get over some guy she has a crush on so her boyfriend tells her to get with the crush to get "him out of her system"!
Girl can't get over some guy she has a crush on so her boyfriend tells her to get with the crush to get "him out of her system"!
July 10, 2012
I am an unabashed Cara McKenna fangirl. When it comes to thoughtful, emotionally provoking, sensationally written erotica, almost no one can match her skill (on par with Megan Hart, who is the queen of emotional erotica).
I read Willing Victim recently and it led me to buy everything of McKenna's I could get my hands on. I didn't love LOVE Ruin Me the same way I loved Willing Victim, but that's sort of like saying "I didn't love this fantastic and delicious ice cream as much as I loved that OTHER fantastic ice cream." Both are excellent.
Ruin Me is about a sort-of affair, and has one of the most honestly written love triangles I've ever encountered. I despise books where a trio of lovers has an happily ever after. I just don't think it's realistic. This one deals with the fall out of that kind of relationship wonderfully. It honestly could have been longer, because I found the end a tiny bit rushed, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment.
4.5/5
I read Willing Victim recently and it led me to buy everything of McKenna's I could get my hands on. I didn't love LOVE Ruin Me the same way I loved Willing Victim, but that's sort of like saying "I didn't love this fantastic and delicious ice cream as much as I loved that OTHER fantastic ice cream." Both are excellent.
Ruin Me is about a sort-of affair, and has one of the most honestly written love triangles I've ever encountered. I despise books where a trio of lovers has an happily ever after. I just don't think it's realistic. This one deals with the fall out of that kind of relationship wonderfully. It honestly could have been longer, because I found the end a tiny bit rushed, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment.
4.5/5
May 5, 2016
I have only started reading Ms. McKenna's work this June. Now i have read three, going on to four books. Of all the books of hers that i have read, this one really had my mind in a maze. How can a girl who is inlove with her boyfriend not say yes to a marriage proposal over a guy she does not have any romantic or sexual relationships with?
(I guess in a way Ms. McKenna justified that as the Patrick is a hero in Robin's eyes.)
This is not really my favorte of her books, but still Cara McKenna's style of writing is so great that you it makes you want to turn the next page (or in my case, click on the phone). She writes this characters powerfully at the same time realistically, that even though I was rooting for Jay, I tended to like Patrick.
But still, am puzzled by my primary question.
(I guess in a way Ms. McKenna justified that as the Patrick is a hero in Robin's eyes.)
This is not really my favorte of her books, but still Cara McKenna's style of writing is so great that you it makes you want to turn the next page (or in my case, click on the phone). She writes this characters powerfully at the same time realistically, that even though I was rooting for Jay, I tended to like Patrick.
But still, am puzzled by my primary question.
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