Heat Rises

Heat Rises
Alice Gaines
Published by Avon Red
Publication date: July 17, 2012
144 pages
Available for pre-order on Amazon.com
Thanks to edelweiss for the preview.
4 / 5 cupcakes


Now, here is a novella that doesn't pretend to be anything other than erotica, with a dash of romance. No hidden agenda to write about a character's personal journey into redemption or the symbolism of water and wine. Here, my friends, HERE is a book all about rockin' the headboard.

And does that headboard ever ROCK.

So Laura and Ethan knew each other back in business school, when one night, flush with the thrill of tequila-laden margaritas, Laura confesses her naughtiest desires to Ethan, including directional signals and locations. She tells him all manner of things she wants to do to him and Ethan ... rebuffs her. Not because he isn't attracted to her, but because she is drunker than Cooter Brown and he doesn't want to take advantage of her.

Cut to six years later. Ethan and Laura are both stranded in a small town during a snow storm. Ethan knows of a cottage where they can hole up until help arrives.

And we're off to the races.

"I want you naked," she said, hardly recognizing her own voice. That was the sound of a woman with demands. A woman who didn't give a fig for anything but her own needs. She didn't have to. She could enjoy this man any way she wanted and then never have to face him again. She could excite him any time she wanted and enjoy the consequences.

That, in a nutshell, is the plot. Laura and Ethan make a deal: she will do to him all the things she promised while in her margarita haze, and he will accept. Then, when the snow plow shows up, it's over.

They proceed to work out several fantasies, including the co-ed and the plumber, some oral fixations and one involving pancake syrup. Alice Gaines writes one hot scene after another, all the while offering us some insights into these two people. We like them! And what's also nice is having the man be the one who begs for the relationship, with the woman wanting only the sexy times.

This is a quick, hot read. There is even a little spanky panky going on, so suck on THAT, Christian Grey.