Plain by Emma Queen.

Jane is a 26 year old office worker, she dresses really plain and is a virgin. Jane spots a guy in a coffee shop and fancies him. She wants to start to live life to the full, just like the other girls in her office. This is the story of Jane’s sexual awakening.

Plain is a very pleasurable read and has good characterization. You really feel for Jane and wish her well as she explores different styles of sex. Jane meets many interesting people who are not mainstream. Plain is an erotic tale with lots of sex that goes the whole gambit. The sex acts are descriptive and this whole book is intelligently written. Emma is very good at capturing the mood. She illustrates the surprise of your first sexual experiences and that joy of early adult life.

Plain is great fun to read. It deals with attitudes to sex, BDSM, domination and submission as a lifestyle choice. There is a mild humour throughout this novel and I found it a bright, entertaining and refreshing read. Plain was such a great pleasure to read that I will vote it the top score of 5 stars.

Plain is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2014

A New Job at the Castle by Emily Jones.

This novella is about Annie Miller, a 23 year old woman from England who is starting a new job on the outskirts of Amsterdam. She is to become a barmaid in an exciting, no holds barred, sexy nightclub called the Castle.

I found this novella a fun read, it was bright and entertaining. It is an adult tale that is told in an articulate manner and explores the stresses of the workplace and what makes women feel comfortable. This is a very pleasant read that should appeal to both genders. It is told from Annie’s point of view and does include some sex. There is a happy ending although it is unrealistic.

Emily has written a good story that stays on focus with good editing. Her writing quality is high and a lot of thought has gone into her script. This is not cheap, amateur soft porn but a Bridget Jones style screenplay. Emily paints a lovely picture with her words that you feel as thought you are there and it is your first day, with all the anxiety and excitement that can provide. What Emily did provide was a very enjoyable read that I think is a good book that I will happily vote 4 stars. It was a thrill to read and the thought of working with little or no clothing was a turn on for me. Thanks for brightening up my day and I am sure it will please other readers, who have an open adult mind too.

A New Job at the Castle is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2014.

Murder On The Beach by Todd Lowry.

Dan Smith is a detective with the LAPD and he thinks with his dick. A body is found on the beach and it is Dan’s case to catch the murderer.

Followers of regular crime thrillers will find this book poor. The plot is shallow, the scenes are silly and this whole book is a fantasy, Dan is obsessed with his dick and is not bothered that it can get in the way of his investigation. Do not let the title confuse you, this is nothing like the excellent British television crime drama called Broadchurch, which revolved around a murdered body found on a beach.

Murder On The Beach is rather funny to read, in the same way you can enjoy, for all the wrong reasons, a B movie. There are typos on every page and the grammar is appalling. It is not realistic and the characterization is puerile. This is a silly story that has as it’s main theme some soft porn as Dan explores the BDSM scene for the first time.

This book does make you smile and Dan is clearly happy in his work. It is the most light hearted crime thriller book I have ever read! Yes, it is trashy and cheap. It will not win any prizes for writing quality but this is a fun read. Take this book for what it is and it will amuse you, it is not serious but a harmless distraction. Although there is a fair bit of sex woven into the story, it is not shocking and will not offend most adults. This is an okay read that kept me amused and I will vote it 3 stars for the chuckle it gave me.

Murder On The Beach is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2012.

Lowest of the low by Laura Curtis.

Mac and Scarlet are criminals and they can play rough. This is their love story, warts and all.

This is an adult novel that does have some sex and violence that is part of the story. It is quite claustrophobic as it focuses heavily on the developing relationship between Mac and Scarlet.

Eddie, Jack and Janet only play a small part in this powerful tale.

I enjoy starting a new novel as everything is new and fresh. Some books lose that freshness as the story develops but this novel retains it’s freshness and brightness to the very end. Laura has done a lovely job as she captures those feelings that men and women get when,out of the blue, they fall in love with someone. You want to know more about Mac and Scarlet, you want them to open up and reveal their secrets. She captures the magic that feels raw, unexpected and surprises you, as you get to know and fall in love with another person. Having been married for 23 years, this novel brought back to me how I felt when I first met my wife - those intense feelings of there just being the two of you and how your relationship seemed to be the ultimate pleasure you could ever have. That intimate closeness you have longed for so long but being human you would have doubts.

I enjoyed reading Lowest of the low and it was a shame Mac and Scarlet were criminals but ignore that and enjoy it as a good boy meets girl tale. The beauty of this book is how it illustrates the differences between having someone as a friend, as opposed to a lover. The intensity of feeling is spot on and you understand Mac and Scarlet very well. Character development is very good, this is not a shallow novel and fully explores human desire. It is not a sweet and slushy romance but a gritty tale that has a sad ending. The quality of writing is very good and this makes for an exciting and entertaining read. Laura has great talent and I think she is an author to watch. Lowest of the low is a good read and I will vote it 4 stars and look forward to reading another novel from Laura in the future.

Lowest of the low was written in 2014 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.

Kingdom of Asphalt by Kenny T. Wilson III

Adam Fletcher works in a call center but his true passion is his car, a Plymouth GTX which has a 440 cu in (7.2 litre) petrol engine mated to a 4 speed manual gearbox. His uncle Tommy passed down this muscle car to him and gives Adam dreams of becoming a street racer.

Adam’s life is not rosy as he spends his time at work actively listening to callers whilst he gets so many put downs at work. He has no social life, just a dream of restoring and racing his uncle’s muscle car, which he affectionately calls Rustbucket.

Velo City has a problem with illegal street racing and there are 2 rival car clubs. Musclebomb, where uncle Tommy was a member and Rising Sun which supports Japanese cars. There are many wannabe drivers and posers who take great pride in their cars. They belong to a separate culture to Adam’s lonely life. But Adam wants to be accepted and goes to the docks to further his dreams.

The reader gets hints about the bad side of Musclebomb but Adam knows nothing. These guys have very different clothes and image, enjoying a very different lifestyle to his. These guys are free and are living life to the full. Adam goes along to Solids, a nightclub at the docks and makes some colourful friends.

Kingdom of Asphalt is a nice novel about achieving a good work/life balance and having fulfilling hobbies outside of work. I was amused by this book and you do not need to be a boy racer or a petrolhead to enjoy this story. I trundle along in my common rail diesel car but can still appreciate the joy these characters get from their high performance petrol engined cars. This tale is a bit of a soap opera and the characterization is okay with readers having a lot of empathy for Adam as the underdog. As a right of passage, Adam has to do a special task to be accepted into the Musclebomb car club. The pace of this story is okay although the twists and turns are not that surprising. The epilogue was rather silly though making this book an okay read that I will vote as 3 stars.

Kingdom of Asphalt is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.