Page 83 of XOXO, Valentina

I had used her hard, so I pampered her, lifting her from the tub and drying her with a towel. She snuggled against my chest when I carried her back to the bed. I tucked her under the sheet and filled a glass of water from the sink for her to drink. Then I got in behind her and cradled her back to my front until she fell asleep.

When her breathing was shallow and steady, I disengaged and rolled onto my back. Staring at the dark ceiling, I felt my disappointment grow with every beat of my heart. I’d never thought the married life with kids was for me, but I was craving it like a missing ingredient. The one woman I pictured a future with only wanted me for my body. I would have laughed at the irony if it wasn’t so damn sad.

Gabriella muttered something and snuggled against me. For a woman who didn’t want a relationship, she was clingy in her sleep. I pulled her closer to my chest, knowing I should give her up before I was completely fucked. But I also knew I’d been fucked the moment I kissed her.

36

Book Review of “The Round Up” by Janet Freeman

By Valentina blueridgebookclub.com

1star

5hot peppers

1book boyfriend hearts

Dear Readers,

If I had anything else do to with my time, I wouldn’t have finished this book. That just goes to show you how horrible it was. I was on a long flight with nothing else to do, so I finished this ghastly piece of fiction, although it is a gift to call it anything other than pure smut. I don’t know if I can do this job anymore. I’m so disgusted with the crap that is out there. Don’t we have any good erotica authors anymore? It used to be I would get a story with the sexy times… not anymore.

Plot Overview:

Something about cowboys and ranches and a jaguar?? I don’t know how the jaguar got to Montana, but it is causing chaos all over the ranches and even made national news. Enter city girl Bridgette Connelly to save the day. She’s a city girl from NYC who wants to save the world one jaguar at a time. Somehow, she gets entangled with four lonesome cowboys, and that’s where things start to get murky and the plot disappears faster than five-alarm chili at a cook-off.

Pros:

•Trope: Reverse harem, cowboys

•Why choose when you can have four handsome cowboys wrangling for your attention?

Cons:

•Multiple men to please. I mean, really? I can imagine accommodating more than one man in bed, but these men were draining. They never left her alone for one second. She couldn’t even go to the bathroom by herself. Worse than toddlers.

•Worst meet cute ever: Bridgette is lost on the back roads, so she decides to get out and walk. Who does this? I almost threw my book, but since I was on a plane at the time, it seemed like a bad idea. What if I hit someone in the head?

•Screwball ending: Bridgette saved the jaguar, and they made him into a pet. WTF did I just read?

To sum it up,skip this one, readers. And if you have any suggestions for me to read, please email me @ [email protected]. I’m getting desperate, and if things don’t change, this may be my final review.

37

Chapter 33

Gabi

“You got taller,” I said, reaching up to hug Shane.

He hugged me back, stooping a little. “You always say that when we are away from each other for a few days.”

“Because it’s true.” I didn’t want him to stop growing up; I wanted him to slow down a little.

He tossed his duffel bag in the back seat and narrowed his eyes at me as I got behind the wheel. “Why do you look like that?” he asked.

I patted my hair, which was in its usual sleek ponytail. “Like what?”

“All tan and happy.” He pulled out his phone, which he’d just gotten back after a week of no technology at camp. “Did you go somewhere?”

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