James Laird and Lola Caraway have been next door neighbors and best friends since elementary school. James was always the ultimate player, and after graduation moves to LA and finds his place as a rising star in the porn industry. Lola, three years younger, is a studious overachiever and on track for graduation and success in college.
Lola knows about and accepts James and his debauchery; it’s never been a secret between the two friends. However, a hometown visit prompts James to face his evolving feelings for her, especially after his conservative family discovers his true profession and she comes to his rescue. Not wanting to seduce the innocent Lola, he returns to California, where he sets his sights on becoming a superstar in the industry.
While Lola is visiting James from college, they dance around their attraction to each other. After Lola admits she’s never had an orgasm, James offers to be her hands-on teacher. A lifetime of friendship with a manwhore tells Lola that she should not get attached to James as a lover, as tempting as his offer may be. Can she please her body while still protecting her heart?
From the author of some of the highest rated erotic romance on Smashwords comes this first look into a world of love, friendship…and porn.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON
MICHELLE’S REVIEW
Let me start this review by saying this is a great book and an interesting story.
If I am being totally honest- as hard as I tried to not compare this to other books- I did find myself comparing it to two books by two of my favorite authors. One book focuses on the male porn star aspect and the second book focused on the friends become lovers aspect so it was hard not to compare them. It doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the book on it’s own though.
In fairness to the author, I will keep my review to this book and this book alone.
This book was realistic in a lot of ways. For one thing- the characters acted and spoke their age. At first this was difficult for me because 18 and 20 year olds aren’t often very mature and their dialogue followed that- almost too well. But in the end, it really worked because the characters were believable.
Another thing that I really liked was the emotion behind some of the scenes, especially between James and his mom. I was definitely emotional after that whole episode.
I really liked Lola and James as characters. I did have some trouble imagining two best friends that were that attracted to each other and who had fooled around even if just a little still trying to defend being “just friends” but that again goes back to the realism of their characters. At their age it would be believable that they would have problems admitting their feelings or even putting a label on it. And even more believable is that Lola would have a better grasp of what was happening than James.
I kind of liked that Lola spends a lot of time talking herself out of her feelings with James. You know we’ve all done that at some point.
Sometimes James was such a 20 year old porn star that it was maddening. Also he might be a sex addict. But it was a lot of fun hearing about his porn sex-capades. That was definitely some hot writing there!
And the sexual tension and chemistry between Lola and James….
HOT!
Now, the way the story ends, it’s unclear where James and Lola really stand so it will be interesting to see where they end up. I know that their entire story has been told already on Smashwords but I am going to wait for the release of the official books to find out what happens. I know…I’m a glutton for punishment!
BOOK TRAILER
AUTHOR INFO
Bianca Giovanni has been telling stories since she could talk. Writing was always her primary creative outlet, but she didn’t begin publishing her work until much later. She creates original, character-driven romance and erotica tales which typically feature her trademark realistic, witty dialogue. Bianca’s ebooks can be found on Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo and other retailers.
CONTACT BIANCA:
GOODREADS / WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / OMNIFIC PUBLISHING
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
How did you come up with the idea for the series?
I’ve always been really into pop culture, so I was fascinated with the post-Fifty Shades erotica boom. After reading several novels, I worked up the courage to try writing my own. I didn’t really want to go the BDSM route, so I decided to write a story about two best friends who started to realize that they were completely in love with each other but struggled to come to terms with it. I’ve always liked friends-to-lovers stories because they’re filled with sexual tension, so I knew that was where I wanted to go.
What made you decide to make James a porn star?
All the best book boyfriends are fantastic in bed, so I thought that making James a porn star would be a quick and easy way to show that he’s a sex god without having to spend a lot of time explaining it. He does this for a living, so we know he’s very good at it. It was also a fun way to add some steamy scenes while still keeping James and Lola’s relationship platonic.
Your books are written from both the male and female POV. Why did you decide to write them this way?
I love first-person narratives, but I also like knowing what both characters are thinking. Most of the books I had read were from the heroine’s perspective only, but I thought it was important to get a peek into both of their heads so I could fully develop both characters. I read On the Island a few years ago and fell in love with the dual narrative, so I knew that was what I wanted to do for this series. The vast majority of my friends are guys, and I tend to think like a dude, so it wasn’t hard for me to get into writing James.
Who are some of your inspirations?
I love Wallbanger, and I’m completely in love with Alice Clayton’s sense of humor. I read Tangled after I had self-published my first four books, and I totally connected with it. I also read Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster after I started the series, and I feel like James and Travis would be buddies. I can never put down an Alessandra Torre book, and I usually end up staying up until the wee hours because I absolutely have to finish them. Sylvia Day and Olivia Cunning are the queens of the sex scene, in my opinion, and I’m a huge fan of the Crossfire series and the Sinners on Tour series. Basically, I try to absorb something from every book I read, and I’m inspired by the entire erotic romance genre.
What was it like going from self-publishing to working with a publisher?
I was great. I’ve really enjoyed the experience. Before Omnific, I was handling everything and just bouncing things off my friends. Now it’s awesome because I have a great editor and a kick-ass team. It’s been amazing to have experienced professionals working with me on something I started writing just for fun. I can’t get over how cool it is to see people connecting with the characters and having a publisher to help me with everything.
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