HUSTLER by Meghan Quinn & Jessica Prince
Scheduled to release: May 9, 2016
NA Romantic Comedy
I make my living as a hustler, and I’m great at it.
I don’t have a single tell and use that to my advantage to manipulate any situation.
I’ve always known what a person is about to do before they’ve even decided.
That is, until I met Nell.
I can’t get a read on her, and what’s worse, she doesn’t want anything to do with me.
Which only makes me want her more.
Now I’m in for the hardest hustle of my life.
Somehow I have to convince Nell that she belongs with me.
Good thing I’m always up for a challenge.
EXCERPT:
Casually, I sit on the side of the table and take a sip of my drink as I let her eyes peruse my body. It’s a power move. Even though I’m eager to get to know this little hellion, I mask my reaction to her. Never show and tell, especially with women.
I can feel her eyes scanning me, focused on the bit of exposed skin near the collar of the shirt. They then travel down my stomach – little does she know what’s hiding underneath my clothing – and then to my crotch, then she immediately refocuses on her hands. I caught her though, she’s a goner as far as I’m concerned.
“Penelope Prescott,” I start, but I’m quickly interrupted.
“Nell.”
“Excuse me?”
“Everyone calls me Nell,” she clarifies.
I set my glass down and study her before saying, “Too bad for you, I’m not everyone.” Her mouth falls agape for a second before she closes it, trying not to let her shock show. I have a rather up front personality, it can catch some people off guard. Clearly, she’s one of them. “Now tell me, Penelope, how long have you worked for Hotel Paragon?”
I know the answer to my question, but when you’re holding the upper hand, you not only want to show power, but you also want to make the other person feel as though they have some control over the situation, when in fact, they don’t. Poker 101.
She wrings her hands together on her lap. Tell number one.
She’s nervous, but there’s a confidence in her eyes that almost boasts a cocky air around her. Unfortunately for her, I’m a master at reading people, so she’s doesn’t fool me one bit.
With her head held high, she answers, “A little over a year now.”
I nod. “And how long have you been working in the high roller room?”
She bites her lip before answering. Tell number two.
“It’s my first day today.”
I nod again. “And before you started, were you informed that the men playing at the table you would be serving are valuable members to this hotel, some of our most lavish and esteemed customers?”
She twirls a strand of hair around her finger. Tell number three.
“Yes, sir.”
“Mr. Saint,” I inform her.
“Sorry, yes, Mr. Saint.” She grits out my name, as if it’s painful for her to say.
GIVEAWAY:
$50 Amazon Gift Card
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Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4a501259569/?
About the Authors:
Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Meghan has grown into a sassy, peanut butter eating, blonde haired swearing, animal hoarding lady. She is known to bust out and dance if "It's Raining Men" starts beating through the air and heaven forbid you get a margarita in her, protect your legs because they may be humped.
Once she started commuting for an hour and twenty minutes every day to work for three years, she began to have conversations play in her head, real life, deep male voices and dainty lady coos kind of conversations. Perturbed and confused, she decided to either see a therapist about the hot and steamy voices running through her head or start writing them down. She decided to go with the cheaper option and started writing... enter her first novel, Caught Looking.
Now you can find the spicy, most definitely on the border of lunacy, kind of crazy lady residing in Colorado with the love of her life and her five, furry four legged children, hiking a trail or hiding behind shelves at grocery stores, wondering what kind of lube the nervous stranger will bring home to his wife. Oh and she loves a good boob squeeze!
Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor
Find me on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn
$50 Amazon Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4a501259569/?
About the Authors:
Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Meghan has grown into a sassy, peanut butter eating, blonde haired swearing, animal hoarding lady. She is known to bust out and dance if "It's Raining Men" starts beating through the air and heaven forbid you get a margarita in her, protect your legs because they may be humped.
Once she started commuting for an hour and twenty minutes every day to work for three years, she began to have conversations play in her head, real life, deep male voices and dainty lady coos kind of conversations. Perturbed and confused, she decided to either see a therapist about the hot and steamy voices running through her head or start writing them down. She decided to go with the cheaper option and started writing... enter her first novel, Caught Looking.
Now you can find the spicy, most definitely on the border of lunacy, kind of crazy lady residing in Colorado with the love of her life and her five, furry four legged children, hiking a trail or hiding behind shelves at grocery stores, wondering what kind of lube the nervous stranger will bring home to his wife. Oh and she loves a good boob squeeze!
Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor
Find me on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn
Visit my website: http://authormeghanquinn.com/
Jessica was born and raised in Texas--where she'll stay because she claims the cost of living in Texas excuses the god-awful weather. She is first and foremost a wife and mother. Because of those two things, she's also a self proclaimed wino and coffee addict.
She's always been and avid lover of all types of books, but romances are her main favorites.
Jessica's husband likes to say reading is her obsession, but she likes to call it her passion...there's a difference.
Be sure to Connect with Jessica at:
Website: www.authorjessicaprince.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjessicaprince
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessPrince2013
Or sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/_KJ0n
Jessica was born and raised in Texas--where she'll stay because she claims the cost of living in Texas excuses the god-awful weather. She is first and foremost a wife and mother. Because of those two things, she's also a self proclaimed wino and coffee addict.
She's always been and avid lover of all types of books, but romances are her main favorites.
Jessica's husband likes to say reading is her obsession, but she likes to call it her passion...there's a difference.
Be sure to Connect with Jessica at:
Website: www.authorjessicaprince.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjessicaprince
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessPrince2013
Or sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/_KJ0n
She pinky promises not to spam you.
On to my actual review!
Hustler was more than I had anticipated. This isn't to say that I thought it wouldn't be enjoyable, just that there were a couple of things that played out much differently than I originally thought. The first thing being the hero. If you look at that cover, he has a big cheesy grin on his face, so right away I'm thinking the hero is going to be this pleasant, unassuming guy leading me on a rollicking good time through rom-com land. I couldn't have been more wrong. Gavin was straight-up cocky, rude, and a man that keeps his cards close to his chest. Stoic doesn't begin to cover him, he uses his sharply honed poker skills to give nothing away of what he's thinking and feeling. Except that he's an asshole and he doesn't like to lose.
Fans of jerk-faced heroes that are the definition of possessive, jealous, and commanding will probably eat this guy up with a spoon.
The need to beat my chest and piss all around her, marking my territory is almost too strong to control. Would I ever tell her that? Fuck no. That would be showing my cards.
As soon as he sets eyes on the new beautiful foul-mouthed cocktail waitress, he can't look away. Even though he's in a position of authority at the hotel where she works in Vegas, she never once cows down to his intimidation tactics. Her smart mouth runs away with her and instead of being insulted, it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
Gavin has sworn to never let a woman get to him. His father was ruined because of one, and he built his whole life around the fact that he won't follow in his father's footsteps. He had no problem with his solitary lifestyle or choices, that is, until Nell barreled into his life. I cannot explain how much I enjoyed Nell and Gavin's tug of war with each other. The power struggle was real, and she was a very worthy opponent to his seduction and games. Just when he thought he pinned her where he wanted her, she'd give him the verbal equivalent of a spit in the face with an added dick flick thrown in. She was unstoppable! I love heroines like this. I was reveling in this girl.
"Despite what you might think, Mr. Saint, I don't need your pity tip, nor your overrated fingers. Buy yourself a hooker, I'm sure she'll allow you to play around with her in your sick and twisted way. As for me, I have a date to plan."
With that, the door slams in my face, enveloping me in the dim light once again.
This book led me through plenty of laugh out loud moments, and having read this author before I was expecting that. However, another thing I didn't anticipate was the degree of heat the sex would have. The build up from the lust-hate war between the two of them led to an explosion that not only left them both desperate for more, I was a little greedy myself. It was mouthwateringly good.
I expected him to command, to plunder, to dominate. But as I part my lips to allow him entry, he's slow, methodical, almost careful.
I can't help but moan at the taste of him in my mouth, an my needy sounds must do something to him, because the kiss grows in intensity. We nip and suck at each other's lips and tongues, as if we're unable to get enough of the other person.
I don't often go for these types of asshole heroes, but the author sold it to me and made him redeemable in the end. Gavin's fast growing obsession culminated into a more tender and affectionate relationship with her. He quickly realized that Penelope was a game changer, someone whom he respected and wanted to be around all the time.
Never in his life had he experienced the passion, the happiness, and the rewards that he reaped from letting her past his defenses. The challenge was breaking down hers, they were equally strong, if not stronger. She's making him do the chasing, and no one is more surprised than him that he's enjoying every minute.
For the first time in my life, I'm going to do something I've never done before, something I swore I'd never do. I'm going to woo the fuck out of Penelope.
One issue I had was Penelope's dream of joining La Magie du Cirque. She was a talented gymnast and aerial acrobat, yet for some odd reason, we never see her practicing at all. She's supposed to be mind-blowingly good, yet the only time this enters the plot is when she goes to a couple of auditions. To be this caliber of an athlete, you need constant dedication to the craft. So that didn't add up in my mind, but in the greater scheme of things, It's not that major of an issue. That's just me, being picky.
As well, I wished that Gavin's sudden behavior in the last 15% and the conflict involving the choices he was making could have gone a little differently. I couldn't really see him reacting that way to the challenge he received since he had already decided that Nell was worthy of risking the past repeating itself. He'd fought it, accepted it, and moved on. Then to suddenly turn around and do an about-face at this point in the book felt unnecessary. Thankfully, the resolution happened quickly, and the heroine's uncharacteristic reaction quickly squashed.
In conclusion, if you're looking for a book that's filled with sarcastic hilarity, a couple that is well matched on the battlefield and between the sheets, this may be the book for you. Though there were some minor bumps, I would recommend this to anyone looking for something light with plenty of steam.
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