SUDDEN PLEASURES

Author: Bertrice Small ISBN: 0451221311 6/2007 EROTIC Publisher: NAL

Ashley Kimbrough has everything a woman could want: a successful business, close friends, and a satisfying sex life in The Channel—a secret network that allows women to live out their wildest fantasies. She isn't interested in marriage—until she learns that she's in danger of losing her inheritance. She also isn't interested in self-made millionaire Ryan Mulcahy, a handsome man with the body of a Celtic warrior and the face of an Italian model. But then he proposes a marriage of convenience, since he is in a bind of his own. Ashley knows her life will be perfect with Ryan, with expectations for companionship only... never passion or love. Still, sudden pleasures are not quite what you expect them to be...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

The third book in Bertrice Small's Pleasure series is called SUDDEN PLEASURES. Although I haven't read the other two books, PRIVATE PLEASURES and FORBIDDEN PLEASURES, I will say that this new release stands very well alone. I will also say that having read a historical by Bertrice Small and finding it not to my liking, I was happily surprised that I really enjoyed SUDDEN PLEASURES.

I absolutely loved the two main characters of this book, Ashley Kimbrough and Ryan Mulcahy. They had spark, chemistry and some very hot sex! I loved the idea that they started out with a marriage of convenience, but in the end it turned out to be so much more. There was a real connection and a real respect between this couple, and Bertrice Small did a wonderful job conveying their fondness toward each other to her readers.

On the flip side, SUDDEN PLEASURES did not need to have "The Channel" as a component to the plot as in the other two books. This book's characters carried the storyline themselves and that aspect of fulfilling a woman's sexual fantasy was not needed. How unfortunate, because otherwise I would easily have given this book a Top Pick.

I will say that SUDDEN PLEASURES by Bertrice Small, is perfect for a quick read when you're in the mood for something romantic and sexy. The characters are very likable, the plot is interesting and there's just the right amount of action between the sheets. Maybe not a Top Pick, but it definitely deserves Four Roses.

Julie Kornhausl