Title: After This Night
Series: Seductive Nights #2
Author: Lauren Blakely
Release Date: May 12, 2014
Their world was passion, pleasure and secrets.
Far too many secrets. But Clay Nichols can't get Julia Bell out of his mind. He's so drawn to her, and to the nights they shared, that he can't focus on work or business. Only her. And she's pissing him off with her hot and cold act. She has her reasons though–she's trying to stay one step ahead of the trouble that's been chasing her for months now, thanks to the criminal world her ex dragged her into. If only she can get out of this mess, then maybe she can invite the man who ignites her back in her life, so she can have him–heart, mind and body.
He won't take less than all of her, and the full truth too. When he runs into her again at her sister's wedding, they have a second chance but she'll have to let him all the way in. And they'll learn just how much more there is to the intense sexual chemistry they share, and whether love can carry them well past the danger of her past and into a new future, after this night...
Please note: This book is intended for 18+ due to dirty talk, light bondage, and lots of sexy scenes.
Far too many secrets. But Clay Nichols can't get Julia Bell out of his mind. He's so drawn to her, and to the nights they shared, that he can't focus on work or business. Only her. And she's pissing him off with her hot and cold act. She has her reasons though–she's trying to stay one step ahead of the trouble that's been chasing her for months now, thanks to the criminal world her ex dragged her into. If only she can get out of this mess, then maybe she can invite the man who ignites her back in her life, so she can have him–heart, mind and body.
He won't take less than all of her, and the full truth too. When he runs into her again at her sister's wedding, they have a second chance but she'll have to let him all the way in. And they'll learn just how much more there is to the intense sexual chemistry they share, and whether love can carry them well past the danger of her past and into a new future, after this night...
Please note: This book is intended for 18+ due to dirty talk, light bondage, and lots of sexy scenes.
5 “I’m already drunk on Clay” Stars!
“I want you to believe me with the same certainty that you want to fuck me.”
I started my previous reviews on this series gushing about Clay Nichols, now, I’m starting off with Julia Bell.
After keeping her problem all to herself in Night After Night, she decided to take a risk and trust Clay to listen and believe her. Not to help her pay off her debt but more on letting Clay know that she is only trying to protect him by lying that time who he was and by showing him that she wants things to go back to how they were in their relationship before he walked out on her on that alley.
Did Clay listen to her?
Did he believe her?
Did Clay trust her?
Did Julia trust Clay?
What happens to Charlie?
What happens to Dillon?
What will happen to their relationship?
All of these questions are answered in After This Night.
I like how Julia finally opened up herself to Clay, not just physically, but also emotionally and personally. She took a chance. She told the truth. She was close to being free of the debt she’s paying for for Charlie -- at last! Julia Bell is one of my top favorite female characters in a book. She is sassy, smart, sexy, independent, and she speaks her mind. Other than that Charlie situation she was in that she kept secret to everyone she loves, she’s honest and very vocal on how and what she was feeling. There’s something admirable and refreshing about reading a character like her who doesn’t carry around drama with her.
And Clay, Clay Nichols is back and it’s not just his filthy mouth that’s always a welcome read but in this conclusion to their story, I felt like we get a more feel on his gentle and sweet side. Oh, there’s still plenty of hot, dirty things coming out his talented mouth, don’t worry about that. But his loving side is more emphasized in After This Night and I didn’t think I’d love Clay even more but I did, I do. He is such a McDreamy and a McSteamy rolled into one sizzling package of a man.
Are you looking forward to find out how Clay and Julia’s relationship will continue? How their problems and issues will be solved? Lauren Blakely definitely tied up all loose ends that she presented on the First Night and Night After Night. And I mean, all. The journey of the couple finding their way to each other by opening up themselves to trust, honesty, and love, is a really sweet one that I am glad to have read.
Stars: 5 stars!
Recommended to: Lovers of charming, filthy-mouthed lawyers and fiery bartenders.
POV: Third person. Dual POV.
Series: Yes.
Cliffhanger: No.
EXTRA COMMENT: I’m already feeling a bit of a Clay withdrawal.
~ Review by Mara
A few months ago I had a random dream involving high heels, a half-court basketball shot and the chance to read Lauren Blakely's books before they were released. It was a great dream (dream me totally nailed that shot BTW). So you can imagine my excitement when I turned on my Kindle to see After This Night appear, with the word "new" in little letters beside it, a week before its release. I *may* have clapped my hands, squealed a little bit and bounced up and down on my chair. There it was. A book I'd been waiting for taunting me - begging me - to open it and get started immediately. I would have too, if not for the fact I was midway through another read. The dirty-talking Clay Nichols deserved my full, undivided attention though, so I did what any self-respecting bookaholic/Lauren Blakely fan girl would do...I ignored all my other responsibilities, knuckled down to finish my other book (it was great, so there was no hardship in finishing it in one sitting), then put the kettle on. I was in for long, wonderful night with Clay and Julia.
Here's about where I give you my synopsis. But I'm not going to do that this time. There's no real need. If you've read the first two instalments in this series - First Night and Night After Night - then you know we are following Clay and Julia as they met each other, learn each other, love each and *ahem* make love to each other. Hot and steamy love. Dirty, sexy love. You get the idea.... After This Night picks up where Night After Night ended, with Clay and Julia falling for one another but on the outs. Are they going to figure it all out??
There's no point in denying it - I loved this book. As evidenced by my dream and my reaction to receiving the book, I was always going to. It was more a case of how much I was going to love it than whether or not I would. So how much? Tons. It was different to First Night and Night After Night because it was no longer just steamy sex and a maybe relationship between a hot, fiery bartender and a dirty-talking, sexy-as-sin lawyer and that was exactly what I had hoped for. Don't get me wrong, the sex was still hot, hot, hot but it took on more meaning. It was about learning to trust and falling in love with someone and figuring out how to make it work. It was the perfect continuation of Clay and Julia's story and it had so many moments that I enjoyed - from little shoutouts to, and hints about, other characters in the Blakely-verse (Hi Trey! Hi Jane!) to sweet, passionate and fevered moments between our main couple to a full-blown, swoon-worthy wedding between McKenna and Chris from Trophy Husband. I particularly enjoyed that - the throwback reference to Green Eggs and Ham made me goofy smile. But my absolute favourite thing about this book were the email chains between Clay and Julia. They moved the story along in a fun, flirty manner and gave me so much of the banter and dirty-talk I've come to expect from these books. After This Night picked up the action straightway and didn't hold back. There was always something happening to capture and hold my attention. I was clicking page after page, determined to finish as quickly as possible so I could see my new favourite Blakely boy (apologies to Matthew Harrigan) save and win his lady love. I wasn't disappointed. I *may* even have squealed and bounced up and down in my seat a little...again.
This is the third book in the Seductive Nights series and is not a standalone, but (YAY!) no cliffhanger.
5 stars. I'd give more if I could.
~ Review by Beth
☆ ☆ ☆☆ 4.5 Lemon Drop Your Panties for Clay Nichols☆ ☆ ☆☆
I think I am in need of a Heist cocktail .... I want Clay Nichols on my lips...scratch that I just want him!!! After this Night reaffirms my love for Clay. I love this sweet sexy, dirty talking and panty melting attorney. Ms. Blakely did it once again in this third installment of the Seductive Nights series, she had me begging for more and did not disappoint her fans. This book had it all from steamy sizzling mouth watering sexual chemistry, suspense, love, and of course Clay Nichol’s dirty mouth.
This series is called Seductive Nights...right? Well, Lauren seduces us with Clay and Julia’s story. She answers all burning questions: What will become of Clay and Julia? Will Julia tell the truth? And how will this couple survive a long distance relationship? And as of course, Lauren Blakely has all of us ladies drunk of Clay!!!
Julia and Clay...what can I say about this couple but they should come with a warning label.. They are oozing with sexiness. In After This Night, readers will fall in love Julia. She is fun, sassy, honest and down to earth. I love how honest and open Julia is with Clay. When Julia admits her secrets to Clay, I wanted to do a little happy dance because she wants to take a chance with Clay and whatever this thing that is brewing between them. And as for Clay, he will seduce you with his charm, sweetness, protectiveness, and of course with his talented filthy mouth. That man will have you drunk!!!
After This Night was a perfect conclusion to Julia and Clay’s story. Be prepared for secrets, truths, and suspense to be unraveled. Ms. Blakely, thank you for again for bringing us Clay Nichols into our lives. So I want to raise my glass and say cheers for another HOT book!! Now, I need to find someone to make me a purple snowglobe. <3
P.S. ~
I can’t wait for Michele’s story and see what you have in store for her. Of course, I might say Michele is a great name! Only if she had an extra “l” in her name. haha =)
~ Review by Michelle
This is a 5 Purple Snow Globes read for me!!
I cannot recommend this highly enough! Lauren Blakely has done it again. I've been waiting for this book two for far too long. (ok, maybe not too long, just exaggerating) The story and the romance and the steam go hand in hand in After This Night , perfectly balanced in just the right amounts. This story was just erotic, sexy and it got me all hot and bothered. Lauren had me biting my nails in anticipation of what was to happen next. I love it when a book just pulls me in and have me all excited in so many different ways possible. Every time I read Lauren's books it takes me to another level, like I'm in my own erotic bubble and no one else exist. I just can't seem to have enough of her hotness and sexiness reads.
Clay and Julia has been just so sweet and sexy put together. Their story is a panty wetting type and I cannot ask for more and I wouldn't know what to do with myself. (winks, while licking my lips) It's just all kinds of sexy in so many ways possible. Deciding that they could not have enough of each other, to see each other more and to pursue the feelings they have for each other was the best decision ever made.
Clay my panty dropping knight and shining armor, I will forever love you!
Loved how he's very protective of Julia, would do anything for her and give here anything she could possibly want. And wants to try any Sexcapades with her.
I just can't contain my excitement and I've exploded a million times because of Clay's doing. He's a walking sex on a stick that I just want for myself. I'm just high on you Clay! You got me at Lemon Drop Your Panties. I felt like there I was the one having the sexiest conversation ever with Clay while he talks dirty and the sexiest ways possible. I mean, can he get any sexier? The most important element to have a good relationship is TRUST and that's one of the things that had both Clay and Julia from pushing and pulling. They both just need a glass or two of "Come What May", if you ask me.
It's sad to see Clay and Julia's story come to an end...loved the ending. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I will forever remember CLAY NICHOLS. Lauren Blakely, I can't wait and see what you have up your sleeves and I am looking forward to more reads from you and will always be coming back for more.
~ Review by Kathleen
“I wish I were there wearing your clothes right now.”
He laughed. “That’s what you want to be doing? Because I’d like to be fucking you if you were here.”
“Well, that too. But then I’d put on your shirt.”
“You like that, don’t you?”
“I know you do too,” she said.
“I do. Seeing you in my shirt and your heels is my kryptonite.”
“Oh, is that it? That’s your kryptonite?”
“Or maybe it’s just that you are,” he whispered, admitting more than he wanted to.
“I think the same could be said here.”
There was a pause, and though they were three thousand miles apart, the silence was heady. He was in a drugged-out state tonight. This woman was his pill, and closeness with her was what he craved most even as he feared she would destroy his heart. Smash it to a million tiny pieces and eat it for lunch. But he had a built-in barrier in distance, and with no trips to San Francisco on his immediate calendar he saw nothing wrong with this temporary moment of relief from the pressure inside of him from wanting her. They couldn’t be together in any meaningful way, and he couldn’t get hurt if he didn’t actually see her. Right? Right, he answered for himself.
“What are we doing, Julia?” he asked, and he was sure she could hear the longing in his tone, but he didn’t care. There was no need to hide it after they’d just broken down and pleasured themselves together.
“I wish I knew,” she said, her voice wistful and full of yearning. “I really wish I knew.”
He heaved a sigh, trying to sort out his thoughts, but his brain was a mixed-up mess and he didn’t know how to untangle all the threads. Or if he wanted to remain tangled up with her instead.
“What are you going to do when we hang up?” he asked, changing direction.
“Read a book.”
“What are you reading these days?”
“A crazy story about a guy who treks across Antarctica.”
“That does sound crazy.”
“Yeah. He’s kind of hallucinating and talking to penguins right now,” she said with a small laugh.
“Can you blame him? I have to imagine if you’re stuck in the polar ice cap that talking to penguins might be a rare source of comfort.”
“As long as he doesn’t eat the penguins I’ll keep reading it.”
“Here’s to no penguin meals in the books we read.”
“What will you do?”
“I suspect I will fall fast asleep and dream of a beautiful redhead on the other side of the country.”
“She would like that dream very much,” she said in a sweet voice, the kind that worked its way beneath all the hard edges in him, and settled deep in his heart. “Will I talk to you again soon?”
He took a fueling breath, and put his armor back on, steeling himself. “I don’t know the answer to that.”
Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.
No comments:
Post a Comment