Sandra Bunino

Story #1 – The Satin Rose Experience by Sandra Bunino – 4.5 Stars

Contemporary

Archer Cane takes an instant liking to Mia Lavender after she accidentally stumbles into his office. Over the next few days, he makes sure to pass by her cubicle, hoping she'll get used to seeing him around. When he notices her iPad open to her Twitter account, he takes a not of her Twitter handle. The name above her handle makes the Dom in him sit up and pay attention - Missive Mia. That seems like the perfect opening for him to make his move.

This story was HOT and left me wanting more. I'm excited to see that the author will be turning The Satin Rose Experience into a series, starting with book #1 - Mia's Submission

Story #2 – Immortal Game by Danica Avet – 4.5 Stars

Mythical

Iris Argyris is a 2,900 year old virgin, and she's the goddess of rainbows and a messenger for Olympus Inc. She doesn't have any luck with relationships because she seems too pure and unattainable. To combat her loneliness, she's been playing a mortal online role-playing game for the past five years. The closest she's ever come to love is with her online husband, Thunderkiss. Then one day, he suggests they meet in person.

Briareus "BC" Colonomos, a giant, God of violent storms and hurricanes and guard of Tartarus. He's not handsome per se, but he wants to know the love of a woman, one woman – the woman who has been playing the role of his online wife for the past five years. He's thrilled aT the prospect that she's agreed to meet him in person. That is until they finally come face to face.

This was actually pretty funny – the setup, the names, the misunderstandings. But dear Gods, the sex was phenomenal.

Story #3 – Changing the Rules by Vanessa Devereaux – 3.5 Stars

Contemporary

Ian Corbett, CEO of Corbett Enterprises has been attracted to Jenny Walker for quite some time, but he can't have her. His own rule that co-workers couldn't date is the only thing preventing him from making a move. That is until he catches Jenny engaging in cyber sex on her work computer. Thinking that if he fires her, his own rule won't stand in the way, he calls her into his office.

Jenny Walker can't believe she was so careless. She can't afford to lose her job, so she makes up her mind that she'd be willing to do anything her boss wants , if it means she can get him to look the other way. It wouldn't be a hardship to use her womanly wiles on him considering she's been lusting after her boss for some time now.

The office sex was hot, but nothing I hadn't read many times before.

Story #4 – Night Games by Carolyn Rosewood – 3 Stars

Paranormal

Ursula Mackenzie is a geek and a nerd with a penchant for writing dark erotica, which she posts on the Night Games forum. She's had a crush on the site owner, Reynold Collins, for a year. Thinking the hottie could never be interested in her, she comforts herself with her dreams and fantasies about him.

Reynold has been fantasizing about Ursula for a year. He knows that she's interested in him, but he can't bring himself to reveal his true nature to her. Women tend to suffer nightmares in his presence and eventually they all flee from him once they find out what he is. However, Ursula's latest vampire dark erotica story finally draws him out, and gives him the courage to approach her. After a night of immeasurable pleasure, they continue seeing each other for two weeks.

Reminded me of a certain vampire trilogy but with grown-ups and sex.

Story #5 – The Stranger You Know – Melissa Hosack – 5 Stars

Contemporary

Hayley and Ben met in an online chat group for a book club. Chatting turned into flirting, which turned into some hot cyber sex. They decide it's time to meet in person. The club for their meeting requires patrons to wear a mask. They meet, spend a night having scorching hot sex, while retaining their anonymity. The next day Hayley discovers that the man of her dreams has been right in front of her for the past 22 years, and she had never noticed before.

I loved this friends to lovers story. Though I find it a little unbelieve that they didn't didn't pick up on mannerisms and other quirks, the characters were so loveable that I suspended my disbelief. I'm definitely checking out more of Melissa Hosack's work.

Story #6 – Session Interrupted – Raven McAllen – 2 Stars

Contemporary

I'm not even sure how to review this one because it made little to no sense to me. Maggie craves her weekly cyber sex sessions, with a man she seems close to. No explanations about him are given, only hints that something happened to him. For the longest time I thought perhaps he was from another world or dimension, and their sessions were being controlled, hence the "session interrupted", "session delayed", or "session unavailable", or something like that. I don't know, it was just strange. I never found out who the man was or why he needed rehabilitation.

Story #7 – Type Dirty to Me – Kassanna – 4.5 Stars

Contemporary, Interracial

Daria Reese and Ian Devenny have been chatting for months. They're looking forward to another hot cyber session when work gets in way and they each have to stay late. They eventually figure out that they're each others cyber secret. Another office hookup story, but very hot!

Story #8 – The Queen of Happy Endings – Annalynne Russo – 3 Stars

Paranormal, Menage M/F/M

Calliope Handler is a massage therapist. Tired of random male and female clients coping a feel, she decides to open her own massage parlor, where her customers have to play by her rules.
Dominic Trevino is a vampire on the run. He moved to Los Angeles to escape clingy women. Once he's tasted their blood and given them incredible orgasms, they seem to become obsessed and stalk him. He needs to feed without the women trying to get their claws into him. His search for a discreet escort service leads him to TQoHE. He becomes a weekly customer, only he does more giving than receiving. One night, Calliope's gay BFF joins them, only Beau isn't really gay. Oops.

Story #9 – Willing Her – Ashlyn Monroe – 2.5 Stars

Paranormal

Jamie Candleman is 29 years old and has no luck with men. She blames her profession for chasing men away - she's a mortician. Her BFF sends her a link to a dating website called Dating on the Dark Side.

Darrick Drago is a fire-eater. On their first dinner date, she realizes there's something strange about him, and it's not just his profession.

This was just meh. I didn't feel anything from or for either character.


Story #10 – AFK (A C.O.V.E.N. Story) – Casey Moss – 4 Stars

Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Beth works for a software company that develops computer games, and she's been playing the massive online role-playing fantasy game called C.O.V.E.N. to get over the fact that her boyfriend of two years dumped her only to run off with her BFF. When a bad storm catapults her into the game, she gets to live out her ultimate fantasy, but what will happen when reality comes calling?

Tron meets kink. I think any RPG nerd has had this fantasy at some point, and while it was a little "fantastical", I loved the conclusion.

Story #11 – Her Demon Charms – Xandra James – 2.5 Stars

Paranormal

May Frost is a Succubus. She doesn't want to be a demon any longer. She wants to become human and experience real emotions, so she makes a bet with the Devil. She has to make a mortal man fall in love with her within thirty days. She can only use an online dating website and isn't allowed to meet him until the final week, so he won't be enthralled by her charms. If she fails, the Devil will own her soul for eternity.

Alex Stone had been tasked to find May Frost. He didn't count on wanting her. Will he chose her or his job and the money?

Story #12 – Up All Night – Jorja Lovett – 4 Stars

Paranormal

After Melissa is filmed giving her boyfriend a blowjob, he posts the video online and the whole town becomes a witness to her shame. Her life is in shambles, and she's become an insomniac. She finds a sort of support group online, and starts talking to Daniel. When Daniel suggests they meet, she reluctantly decides to give life another go. But Daniel isn't just another fellow suffering from sleepless nights by choice. Will he be able to help her find her passion again?

Emotional and hot.

Story #13 – Lara's Liason – Eve Meridian – 4.5 Stars

Contemporary, Menage M/F/M

Lara Logan is a 32 year old attorney known in the office as the "Ice Queen", but one person doesn't seem affected by her seemingly frosty exterior. Bryce Campbell hasn't felt attracted to any woman since his nasty divorce. At least not until meeting Lara. He doesn't believe she's as cold as people make her out to be. When his best friend, Will talks him into trying out cyber sex, he stumbles across a familiar name in the chat room. When he learns of her fantasy to have two men at once, Bryce sets his plan in motion to melt the Ice Queen.

The menage was tame and more passionate than crude, which made their connection more believable and hotter. I really enjoyed this story and I intend to check out some of the author's other stories.

Disclaimer: Review copy from one of the authors.… (mais)

What made this story work for me was the pacing and the foundation of friendship between the hero and heroine. They didn't automatically fall into lust and then the sheets. The reader wasn't privy to what went on during their one month blossoming friendship, however once the story picked up again, the atmosphere was noticeably more charged. Mere attraction had given way to something else.

Mason was all about confidence, tenacity and he certainly didn't know the meaning of giving up. Where Kate was concerned, that was not an option. I loved his portrayal in this story. Aside from the more superficial attributes (young, successful, good-looking), he was quite worldly for his age. An old soul in a young body. The way he approached Kate and tried to make her see what he saw in her was handled believably and made him that much more appealing with each turn of the page. When they finally came together, it was perfect.

That being said, I found myself just a little annoyed with Kate. Her insecurities led her to mention or think about her physical flaws more often than I wanted to hear. Everything from the twelve year age difference to her shapewear and her weight. No matter what the hero said or did, it wasn't enough to convince her. Kate was definitely in stark contrast to his last relationship with an older woman. I can get behind her hesitation but not behind what sounded like she was fishing for compliments or assurance. For me personally, I would have liked her to have come to some realizations on her own, and not because someone was telling her her worth.

I may not have liked all aspects of the heroine's character arc, but on the whole, I think this was my favorite SRE story. The age difference was probably the biggest draw for me. It's refreshing not having to read about perky twenty-somethings. No matter our age, we all have many of the same hangups. The author always does a great job of telling a whole story even in a condensed format. I recommend this series to anyone who wants to read a BDSM story that is kinky enough to still be romantic, steamy and won't make the reader squeamish. Ms Bunino hits the perfect balance.

Each book can be read as a stand alone, but it's more enjoyable when read in order so you know who the characters are when they make cameos.

Reading order:

#.5 – The Satin Rose Experience in the Keyboards and Kink Anthology
#1 – Mia's Submission
#2 – Brooke's Wish
#3 – The Submission of a Mafia Princess
#4 – Tie Me Free

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author for the purpose of an honest review.… (mais)

Three novellas set at a BDSM club where the ladies have their Satin Rose Experience.

In Mia's Submission, Mia has her first experience as a sub under Archer Cain's guidance. He isn't looking for a relationship but cannot separate his feelings for Mia from his Dom persona.

In Brooke's Wish, after dumping her long-term lover Brooke is wanting a spa weekend. Her practice partner has arranged for Brooke to go to SRE where she meets Ty and watches others living our their fantasies. Ty helps Brooke live out hers.

In The Submission of a Mafia Princess, Toni's crime boss father has died and she is engaged to the next head of the family but she cannot forget the pool boy from her past.

Each story builds on the previous one. They can be read as standalones. Mia's Submission has an unfinished air about it. It starts with Mia's trying out her submissive side but there is no completion of her training. I wanted to see more of Mia's training to see if she could handle the position of VP in charge of client experiences. Brooke's Wish was good. I would like to see how she and Ty handle their relationship. My favorite story was The Submission of a Mafia Princess. I liked the flashbacks that told how Toni and Brax met and got involved. I liked that they were able to repair the past and move on.

I want more SRE.… (mais)

Even though this is a short story, I couldn't make it more than a dozen pages in. The dialogue was forced, the characters were not believable, and aside from the cover (which did draw me in), I couldn't find a concrete reason to keep going.

When the professional businesswoman instantly turns into a sobbing wreck after the elevator jolts an inch beneath her, only to be confronted with sleazy come-ons from the stranger beside her, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to believe in these characters enough to root for their passion in the bedroom (or elevator, should that be the case).

I hate being a downer, but this one wasn't for me.… (mais)