Erin – Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

High school English teacher Erin Lancaster is stuck with the unwelcome job of filling in for the injured cheerleading coach, but she wants to back out when she discovers she has to be auctioned as a date during the annual spring fundraiser. She’s horrified to find her rock star crush Riley Schultz, former frontman of Spawn, will be playing emcee for the event, but she’s even more shocked that he also happens to be the highest bidder for her affections, and sparks fly when she discovers that maybe their attraction is mutual.

Riley’s been in the music business long enough to know that true love is not in the cards for him, but the cute blonde he’s dropped a wad of cash on would be a welcome distraction during his vacation. He has no idea there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Will one week together be enough for them to quell the flames, to enjoy everything but?

Warning: Not for the faint of heart! This book contains explicit sex and naughty language. Proceed with caution…if you dare.

Everything But is the second novel in Jade C. Jamison’s Tangled Web series. It features a little fun with handcuffs, an everything but sex scene that’ll make you giggle and blush, and a lot of heat!

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My Review

“You know Mr Schultz, I was prepared to give you everything…everything but…”
“Love?”
“Yeah…but I think you even got that out of me.”
“Only fair, Ms. Lancaster, since you managed to get that out of me too.”

Erin is an English teacher – in no way is she a cheerleading coach – but that is exactly what she is for a couple of months since the Coach has busted up her leg and is now in a cast from thigh to toe. Reluctantly agreeing to sub the team, their annual spring fundraiser is coming up and Erin, as the sub coach, is dragged into be auctioned off for a date too, much to her dismay.

It’s one thing to be auctioned off but it’s another when Rockstar God Riley Schultz is presenting the auction, especially when Erin has a crush on him and as he’s the highest bid for Erin, earning himself a date with her.

Rockstar Riley has come back into town for a week or so, while his new album is being mixed. His mother – who is on the school committee – has volunteered Riley to be a part of the auction, and although he’d rather sit on his mothers couch watching DVD’s, when he spots Erin, he can’t take his eyes of her and so that’s why he’s the one to win a date with her…at $500!

I absolutely loved the sexual tension in the car on the way home from the date. Especially when Nine Inch Nails’ Closer came on the radio. Bloody love that song and oh my god, it was the perfect song for how Erin was feeling – all hot and bother, and I would have totally felt the same way too!

This story, in my opinion, is about two tormented souls who have been scorned by ex-lovers in the past. Spending the short time together, they both begin to feel something for the other, completely new and scary territory for the both of them as they don’t want it to end up like their previous relationships. They tackle some major issues during the days they spend together – Riley’s family included – and get to know one another, which makes them fall that little bit more for each other.

Since reading Tangled Web, I was so excited to read Riley’s story and this book was everything and more. Riley has been dragged through so much in his past, from drug taking, groupie sex, alcoholism and generally being a bad boy, but when he meets Erin, who is slightly conservative shall we say, and vows to be celibate after two crappy relationships, everything turns upside down for him and it was a nice change to see some feeling flair from Riley.

Although there is a part where he acts like a jackass, I could see the conflicting ways of his actions. He really liked Erin but didn’t know what she was after from him and so acting so out of character (to her) would make it easier for him to walk away. Hm big mistake there for him but whatever the outcome – from both their actions – they just can’t seem to stay away.

I now come onto the sex. Holy Jesus moley! Every sex scene had me wishing I was Erin, and I’d like to say – Riley can definitely handcuff me any day…I just need to find him first! I could feel the chemistry sizzling between them both and I loved the build-ups to each sex scene. There was so much passion I didn’t know what to do when I was reading it. I was getting flustered!

It has now totally turned out to be one of my favourite books. I was completely captivated by the storyline, especially how they were both afraid of love. Riley and Erin, albeit, seemed to go through so many rough patches during the week, finally came together at the end – pushing past everything that had happened throughout the week, to finally finding that they can’t be without each other, no matter what is put in their path to stop them.

Synopsis

Would you be tempted?

Newly single, Tilly Cole impulsively accepts a job offer in a small town as a “Girl Friday.” Fun job, country house, fresh start, why not? But soon she finds herself in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the town’s most desirable bachelor-Jack Lucas.

Rumors of Jack’s “love ’em and leave ’em” escapes abound, and Tilly decides to do the mature, sensible thing… avoid Jack at all cost. But the more time Tilly spends with Jack, the more the rumors just don’t make sense. Tilly doesn’t know what to believe… and Jack’s not telling

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My Review

After her boyfriend leaves her, newly-single Tilly goes to visit her friend Erin in Roxborough for the weekend, catching-up and partying. When it’s time to go back to the city, Tilly’s train is delayed and she stumbles upon an ad for a job – a “Girl Friday” and decides to call and see what it’s about.

Pushing her way to an interview, she leaves the station and goes to the house, where she meets Max Dineen, an interior designer, father to a teenager called Lou and he’s gay. The “Girl Friday” ad is basically Max looking for someone to help him with his business and errands and raising his daughter. During the interview, it was easy to see that Max and Tilly hit it off famously, so of course she was given the job, meaning she was moving from the city to the little town of Roxborough.

Tilly soon meets Jack Lucas after moving to the town, and everyone she meets warns her that he is a ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ guy so that she should stay away if she doesn’t want to be another notch on his bedpost (if you believe the rumours). So that’s what she does, stays away. But Jack cant stay away from her.

We find out that Jack had been engaged previously, but his fiancée had died. Although Tilly continually pushes him away, its easy to see that the attraction is there, for both of them, but no matter what he tells her, she doesn’t want to be another notch.

When Max and Lou decide on a weekend away, Tilly agrees to a date with Jack but unforeseen circumstances come about and it’s the finally straw. Tilly wants nothing to do with him.

Although all this is happening with Tilly and Jack, her best friend Erin is getting shit from the ex-wife of her new boyfriend, but when the ex-wife gets cancer, its Erin, not her friends, that is there until the end.

Jack, who doesn’t give up easily, actually really surprised me at the end of the book. I was not expecting what he did, to happen. But it proved how serious he was about Tilly – even telling his former fiancee’s parents about her, which must have been hard to do.

All the characters were so loveable in their own way. I loved all the different stories interlinked within the book with all the different characters having stuff happening in their lives. It deals with subjects such as death, rumours, homophobia, love but it all adds into the brilliance of how it was written and delivered in the book.

The friendships between the characters were magical especially Max and Jack and Max and Tilly. I loved both these friendships and they had me laughing a lot throughout their interactions. This book is light-hearted and fun to read; it’s a fluffy chick-lit read.