Blurb
When
hot actor Brem Lockwood enters her life, Madelyn has a choice—stay
safe with an online fling or risk her heart for a chance at real
love.
Divorcee
Madelyn Stacilli has baggage deeper than the Grand Canyon, and her
move to New Haven to start a new life is the perfect change she
needs. When vicious gossip stunts her plans to open her own business,
she can't confide in anyone around her. But online, beneath the
blanket of anonymity, she can let loose and find comfort with the
mysterious Easton216. Their natural, open relationship is a breath of
fresh air.
When
British A-list actor Bremond Lockwood rents the house beside her to
escape an intense media spotlight and malicious past, he charges
headlong into her life. Madelyn grows torn between her steady,
emotional online connection and a fiery affair with a Hollywood star.
Brem’s intense passion ignites the embers of her sexuality from a
long slumber, making her burn hotter than the sun.
Should
she stay safe with her online love or risk her heart with the man in
front of her? The road to recovery just got a whole lot more
complicated.
Excerpt
She turned back to the stove to hide her blush.
“I take it you like it?”
“Oh, yeah. I like it.” There was a gravelly undertone to the words.
Her cheeks burned. “Could you hand me the wooden spoon on the wall peg there?”
He leaned over her and reached for the wooden spoon. He paused, the tip of his nose grazing her hair.
“Mmm. Your hair smells delicious.”
She gnawed her lower lip as her heart skipped a beat. “Thanks.” She turned to face him, and the embers of his evident desire radiated like a power plant.
“Bloody hell, Madelyn. I’m sorry. Feel free to punch me.”
She furrowed her brow. “For what?”
“This.”
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her full on the mouth. She gasped as her insides liquified. Jeez… Forget decent kisser. Forget experienced. This guy was a mouth sensei. She clutched his shirt and pulled him closer. He smiled against her mouth and opened her lips
with his tongue, touching the tip to hers. She melted. His lips soothed, scrubbing away the scars of the past. She hadn’t been kissed in almost two years.
He drew her in close and kissed her like his soul was on fire. She moaned, wrapped her ankle around his and wound her arms around his neck as her body ignited. She hadn’t planned on skipping dinner and going straight to dessert, but by God, they were headed there.
Review by Lisabet Sarai
Like all too many women, Madelynn Stacilli was emotionally abused by her husband – criticized, belittled, made to feel worthless and helpless. Fortunately, she has managed to muster the money and the courage to seek a divorce, move across the country, and start a new life in New Haven, Connecticut. Here, she hopes she can realize her long-cherished dreams of running a bookstore and becoming a published author. Her fledgling business is her primary focus; after her experiences with marriage, she’s understandably skittish about getting involved with another man.
Still, she’s lonely. She finds solace and support in an anonymous online relationship with a man she knows only by his chat handle of Easton216. They seem to understand one another remarkably well. He’s everything her ex wasn’t: funny, courteous, respectful, encouraging. And, she has to admit after they graduate from texting to talking on the phone, pretty sexy too, with a gravelly voice that makes her insides flutter. She figures it’s a good thing their pseudonyms keep her safe.
When renowned British actor Brem Lockwood turns out to be her neighbor – and shows clear interest in escalating their relationship to a more intimate level – Madelyn is intrigued and terrified. She and Brem have an undeniable connection, both emotionally and physically, but he’s anything but safe. She struggles against her attraction, feeling paradoxically unfaithful to Easton216. The wisest and most honest action would be to break off with one man or the other. But how can she choose?
Type Dirty to Me has a lot going for it. Madelynn is likable and her marital history is all too believable. Brem is luscious, but more than just a gorgeous stud. He truly cares about Madelynn and shows it in wonderfully concrete ways (for instance, by creating a hand-crafted book case for her store). The love scenes in the novel pack a lot of heat but feel like a natural extension of Madelynn’s and Brem’s growing closeness. These scenes acknowledge the fact that Madelynn is a mature woman who is not shy about her desires.
There’s a suspenseful subplot, as Madelynn receives disparaging and threatening notes from an unknown enemy. She assumes the source is a spiteful woman who runs the shop next door, though she can’t understand why Tammy should be so hostile to her. Near the end of the book, this subplot explodes into a thrilling and violent encounter with the true villain, who turns out to be much more malevolent than either Brem or Madelynn imagined. Madelynn proves to be brave and resourceful in this scene, which I liked very much.
What I didn’t like was the book’s predictability. I frequently have this problem with romance novels, but I found Type Dirty to Me more frustrating than most romance in this regard. I don’t want to create any spoilers, but I can say that I knew the characters’ secrets and the solution to the core conflict almost immediately, and wondered how Madelynn could be so blind.
Another thing that bugged me was the author’s apparent geographic naivete. I know New England well; the New Haven that she describes has very little in common with the actual city of New Haven. Indeed, Madelynn makes comments about moving from the “city” of Kalispell, Montana to the “country” in Connecticut. Although there’s a lot of country in the state, New Haven itself has more than ten times the population of Kalispell. She also portrays New Zealand as being a tropical paradise in the South Pacific, which isn’t really accurate.
If you’re more interested in a hot love affair than in an engaging plot, you’ll probably enjoy Type Dirty to Me. I found it somewhat less than satisfying.
About the Author
Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran who has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and English. She loves to read poetry, classical literature, and Stephen King. Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.
Other Books by Roxanne D. Howard
Romancing the Seas #1: The Hotter They Come
Romancing the Seas #2: The Harder They Fall
Romancing the Seas #3: The Longer They Last
Social Media Links
Website: www.roxannedhoward.com
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15019190.Roxanne_D_Howard
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FL3NNCX
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/type-dirty-to-me
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/type-dirty-to-me-roxanne-d-howard/1137501787
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/type-dirty-to-me-by-roxanne-d-howard
First for Romance: https://www.firstforromance.com/book/type-dirty-to-me
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54885528-type-dirty-to-me
Totally Bound Publishing: https://www.totallybound.com/book/type-dirty-to-me
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zZvKcr6zrk
Roxanne
D. Howard will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a
randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
