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    xoxo: Sweet and Sexy Romance
    Unavailable
    xoxo: Sweet and Sexy Romance
    Unavailable
    xoxo: Sweet and Sexy Romance
    Ebook228 pages3 hours

    xoxo: Sweet and Sexy Romance

    By Cleis Press

    2.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Sexy, sweet, and short, this collection of erotic romance is a box of Valentine conversation hearts, filled with fun surprises and unusual twists. With over 30 authors in the anthology and stories from Sommer Marsden, Kathleen Tudor, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Elizabeth Coldwell, Saskia Walker, and Cheyenne Blue, XOXO is a Whitman’s sampler of decadent delights and the perfect introduction to erotic romance.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCleis Press
    Release dateDec 16, 2013
    ISBN9781627780193
    Unavailable
    xoxo: Sweet and Sexy Romance

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    Reviews for xoxo

    2.5/5

    18 ratings15 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      With 38 stories crushed into 213 pages, each tale is little more than a lukewarm taste. Many of these stories attempt to create a warm relationship closure feeling and hot sex within a few pages, and most failed. Three stories, Connecting Flight, Puzzle Pieces, and Very, Very Well, did manage to get both within six pages. The majority of the short stories feature heterosexual couples and are told from the woman's perspective. There are five queer romance stories all femme-focused, and none feature two men. Most of the stories are fairly vanilla, and a few have touches of kink. (Generally when they do, the male is topping.)I found these tales a little too short to get my teeth into, and due to similar characteristics, many of them blended together. For anyone who needs consent in their kinky stories, this bunch isn't the best. One story for example, has a person being punished for the first time without any prior discussion or consent.
    • 1/5
      I picked this up thinking the subject was adding "sweet and sexy romance" to one's long-time relationship. Instead, it is short vignettes of soft-porn fictional encounters. It reminded me of the soft-porn magazines my great aunt used to keep around (unbeknownst to my parents): very inappropriate (but racy and interesting) for pre-teens. Now, as an adult, I'd deem it inappropriate and boring. I don't mind sexual encounters when they drive plot and character, but this is not that.
    • 1/5
      This book seemed to be a bit juvenile, in my opinion. A conglomeration of stories that at times, seemed like a child wrote them. I would not recommend this book to anyone, unfortunately. When you have a book with tons of stories, it would be nice if at least a couple of the stories were good.
    • 2/5
      This book was received in return for reviews as a member of librarything.com Early Reviewers group. Each very short erotic story is about three pages long. Some where interesting, some where boring but they were all different. I though about what to say in review of this book for about two months. I didn't really enjoy it. I wanted to consider if the book was just not written in a style I enjoy or if it just has some boring stories. I decided it is both. Three pages is just not long enough to enjoy even very fast hot sex, much less plain boring sex. I can't really recommend this book. It wasn't entertaining or engaging.
    • 4/5
      This collection was overall a pretty hot read. It had a variety of situations. Another plus was that these stories felt more honest than other erotica compilations, containing a wide variety of voices as well as a more open variety of partners.
    • 3/5
      Won through LibraryThing's early reviewers. I enjoyed this compilation of short stories. Each being only a few pages long, they are perfect to spice things up without taking up too much time. Truly is like a little box of chocolates.
    • 3/5
      For some reason I thought this book would be a collection of stories to read with a partner when looking to inject some romance into your relationship. That's not quite what this is. It's an anthology of nicely written stories, but nothing Earth-shattering and not something everyone is going to be comfortable sharing with a partner. If you're looking for an anthology of erotic stories, this is ok but you'd be better off with Best Erotic Romance edited by Kristina Wright.
    • 1/5
      Short stories, simplistic and predictable, with amateur writing styles. I would never pay money for this book or others like it.
    • 3/5
      I love a good collection of erotica and while there were a couple hits in this book, my overall opinion is that as a whole it was just ok. Cute cover, though! :)
    • 5/5
      This is a delightfully wonderful compilation of erotic, sexy, romantic, love stories. The editor compares them to the candy hearts that you get on Valentine's Day. Each is a different color and carries a different messages, but they are all sweet and worth savoring. So are the stories in this book. I loved them all. I plan on reading this book again, but much, much slower this time in order to savor each and every story. I loved the book.**A Library Thing win.
    • 2/5
      This book is a collection of very short erotic stories. I feel the stories were actually a little too short and I did not feel invested in each story. Reading multiple stories in a row just felt like sex scene after sex scene with no connection to the characters. On the plus side, there was a lot of variety from story to story.
    • 4/5
      I personally appreciated how short the stories in this anthology are. Sometimes, you don't have time to read a long, drawn-out "short story" when that story is actually 20 pages long. With xoxo, it's possible to read any of the stories in one sitting; it only took me about an hour to get through half the book! Concision makes a story all the sexier; the subpar stories don't seem to drag on, while the magnificent ones leave a quick, cutting mark.Below, I've spotlighted four exceptional stories that stood out to me. It was hard picking just a few to feature, but I hope they give you a sense of what this anthology is like!"Anniversary Wrappings" by Kathleen TudorA couple's one-year anniversary starts out with a sweet gift that ends in kinky pleasure. The simplicity of this story really made me connect with each of the characters, and the writing is fluid, readable. The scenario isn't outlandish and ridiculous like a porn plot (which isn't uncommon in erotic anthologies), and is a situation you could totally find yourself in in everyday life."Dirty Laundry" by Martha DavisThis one is on the more extreme end because of how aggressive the sex is, but it's SUPER hot. It features ultimate alpha male Josh Moran, whom, even when domesticated, has the ability to start a five-alarm fire. Comforting story not only about spontaneous sex, but also about cohabitation, about making even daily household chores like laundry mind-blowing, as long it's with the one you love."Night Moves" by Christine d'AboWhen plagued by incomprehensible night terrors, the protagonist turns to the solace of her husband's arms. In this dark, lingering hour of frenzy, fright, and complete need, the two find each other with familiarity and ease, with practiced hands and experienced hearts. I loved the middle-of-the-night sex scene, but it's the beauty of how well a married couple can know and understand each other d'Abo portrays, that really blew me away."Wild Naked Bandits Flee the Square Conspiracy" by Nikki Magennis1. A mediocre costume party—how the night starts off2. A wild, skintight leggings-clad bandit—how the night becomes interesting3. And a thrilling escapade—how our night endsNarrated in a wry, engaging voice that I immediately liked, this story is hardly a romance—it's spur-of-the-moment, fantastical, and even a little eccentric, but oddly enough, that's what makes it so sweepingly romantic. You would not expect an erotic story about a hookup at a party to be so vivid, so entertaining, but Nikki Magennis's characters exude sex, subtlety, and charm that culminate in a very whimsical roleplay. By far my favorite story in the anthology; five stars for being all of smart, playful, and incredibly comical—in the bests of ways—while still provocative.Pros: High-quality writing // Each story is only 4-6 pages on average, so very easy to get through them // Lots of variety // Perfect blend of sweet and sensual stories with hot and heavy stories // Each story has something incredibly romantic about it; this isn't just about sex // Read "Wild Naked Bandits Flee the Square Conspiracy" if nothing else!Cons: A few stories that I didn't like that muchVerdict: This collection of 38 short and sweet stories will both light your heart up and light it on fire. Like a Valentine's Day candy sampler, each is delectable and unique; put together, xoxo: Sweet and Sexy Romance makes for a passionate, completely satisfying treat. The range of subjects and storylines is vast, featuring the kinky and vanilla, the sensual and scorching, the routine and spontaneous, the heterosexual and lesbian... so much variety! You definitely won't grow bored with Kristina Wright's latest anthology because there are so many different types of story to keep you entertained, each with special romantic flair that will make you melt.Rating: 8 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended.Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Cleis!).
    • 4/5
      I won this for the Early Reviewer Giveaway. Nice short story collection. Nothing fancy, easy read. Quite descriptive =) Definitely not a “lets read at lunch” kind of book. Would I purchase in a store, no. Garage sale or thrift store...sure.
    • 4/5
      XOXO: Sweet and Sexy Romance is another fantastic anthology from Cleis Press. Thirty-eight contributions promise something for everyone: Married couples, friends to lovers, reunited lovers, lesbian couples, May-December, interracial couples, kinky sex, and exhibitionism, just to name a few. Not every story was my cup of tea. I found a few to be a little too rushed, others were just weird and didn’t read “romance” to me, but I found some standouts and have every intention of looking into those authors for more of their work.

      My top picks:

      Midnight by Emerald – For the past six years, this married couple upholds their kinky tradition to ring in their birthdays. Romantic and very sexy.

      By the Sea by Angela R. Sargenti – Wow! This story deserves a medal for hottest sexual encounter on a beach! I think this made the list on quite a few reviews. Involves facesitting. This was hot!

      Dirty Laundry by Martha Davis – The heroine knows how to manipulate her burly, manly firefighter into doing housework which ends in mutual satisfaction. Hot!

      Imagination at Play by Brighton Walsh – A couple fantasizes about a threesome without having to cross that line. Very hot with a dirty talking hero and heroine.

      One Hot Wet Night by Veronica Wilde – Two divorcees, a skinny dip and possibly the beginning of a new relationship status. Very sexy read.

      Wild Naked Bandits Flee the Square Conspiracy by Nikki Magennis – This was probably the most memorable, even though I have no idea how to sum this up in one sentence. I have no idea if Gabriel was a loon or just really clever at playing one to intrigue a woman. This was engaging, sexy and some parts were hilarious.

      “We may have been on the point of being eviscerated by a couple of rabid Alsatians, but for the moment I was as stuffed as a Kalamata olive and thoroughly enjoying myself.”

      Very, Very Well by Kristina Wright – This couple gets kinky in a dressing room. Good introduction to the couple and what they’re into sexually. A very hot and steamy read that didn’t feel rushed. A very nice and satisfying read to end the anthology.

      Other very enjoyable stories:

      Control by A.J. Lyle – On their wedding night, the groom coaxes his blushing bride into submitting.

      Friend of the Court by Kelly Rand – In this May to December romance, Koryn was fine with the secret relationship and casual sex with the hot DA, but now she wants more. Can Craig give her what she wants?

      Designated Driver by Heidi Champa – A married couple gets adventurous in this sexy tale when they need to sober up before driving home. How will they pass the time?

      Ouch! by Lily K. Cho – Sexy, playful retaliation between lovers.

      Eighty Cupcakes by Neve Black – A quick shopping trip turns into foreplay and leads to a hot car tryst. Quick and sweetly sexy.

      A.M. Wood by Rosalia Zizzo – After twenty years of marriage, this couple still has it. Sensual.

      The Distraction by Louise Hooker – A husband helps his wife take her mind off conceiving difficulties. Sweet and romantic.

      Puzzle Pieces by Rachel Kramer Bussel – Bending over a jigsaw puzzle leads to some sexy times for this couple. It’s evident how well they know each other and what works so well for them. They just fit. Sensual and sexy.

      Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the publisher/distributor.
    • 3/5
      With 38 stories crushed into 213 pages, each tale is little more than a lukewarm taste. Many of these stories attempt to create a warm relationship closure feeling and hot sex within a few pages, and most failed. Three stories, Connecting Flight, Puzzle Pieces, and Very, Very Well, did manage to get both within six pages. The majority of the short stories feature heterosexual couples and are told from the woman's perspective. There are five queer romance stories all femme-focused, and none feature two men. Most of the stories are fairly vanilla, and a few have touches of kink. (Generally when they do, the male is topping.)I found these tales a little too short to get my teeth into, and due to similar characteristics, many of them blended together. For anyone who needs consent in their kinky stories, this bunch isn't the best. One story for example, has a person being punished for the first time without any prior discussion or consent.