Review – Hotter Than Ever by Elle Kennedy

Hotter than EverPublisher: Samhain

Publish Date: Out Now

How I got this book: from author

 

Claire McKinley has just experienced every bride’s nightmare. The groom is a no-show, and now she must face five hundred guests alone. Furious and humiliated, Claire seeks help from the most unlikely candidate—her almost-brother-in-law, who promptly whisks her away to his apartment in San Diego, where she can recover her pride in peace and quiet.

Dylan Wade is no fan of Claire’s, but no way can he leave the jilted bride in her time of need. Bringing her home seems like a good idea—until he remembers his new roommate. Dylan’s relationship with Aidan is…complicated. And with Claire thrown into the mix, life becomes even more…complicated.

Claire is blindsided by her attraction not only to Dylan, but also to Aidan, a man she’s just met. Soon they’re caught up in an all-consuming sexual storm they can’t fight even if they wanted to. Yet Claire wonders if it can last, or if she’s just setting herself up for more heartache.

Warning: This book is very dirty. Ménage a trois and man-on-man dirty. Graphic-language and explicit-sex dirty. Basically? Dirty. You’ve been warned.

*Blurb from Goodreads*

 

I have to say, when I first read Kennedy, I fell head over heels in love with her writing. She creates such sexy and fun stories, and the characters are all so easy to fall in love with.

Dylan has been living with his lover and friend Aidan for awhile now, and despite the fact that the two of them are insanely attracted to one another, the two of them just can’t figure out what the missing link is in their relationship. When Dylan heads home for his brother’s wedding, and ends up coming home with the jilted bride, Dylan and Aidan realize the missing link might very well be the sexy Claire.

Claire hated Dylan, but the attraction could never be denied. When Dylan and Aidan propose an all out threesome, Claire is hesitant but intrigued. As they explore the unknown together, it becomes clear their relationship works best with three. But between Claire’s conservative family, Dylan and Aidan’s military careers, and Claire’s almost ex-husband, their relationship might not be able to survive.

I am the first person to tell everyone how much I usually hate menage relationships. I usually feel like someone always gets the short end of the stick, and I have yet to find an author who can make me truly believe that things will last forever. However, I’ll admit that Kennedy came damn close with this one. Although I LOVED Dylan and Aidan together, and would have been totally happy with a m/m romance only, Kennedy left enough hints to the fact that neither Dylan nor Aidan were totally happy with just each other. They both said time and time again that despite the fact that they really cared for one another, it wasn’t enough. They knew it, they acknowledged it, and it was said and presented in a way that made me believe it.

I was not a huge fan of Claire from when we met her in Seth’s book. She was kinda stuck up and snooty, and the way she and Dylan constantly bickered with each other was enough to have me wondering how they would work out. However, once Aidan locked them in a room together and forced them to work out their differences, I loved the way their relationship developed. Dylan was such a joker and free spirit, and although he still teased Claire, he did it in a way that showed her just how much he cared. Likewise, he was such a polar opposite from Aidan, they made a wonderful triad.

I was surprised with how many twists and turns Kennedy threw into this book. Between Dylan’s mom’s issues, the truth about Aidan’s mom, Claire’s family and boss’ reaction to her relationship and the overall douchebaggery of Dylan’s brother, Chris, I was shocked at how much really happened. Yet, I never really felt like it was too much for the story. Instead, Kennedy did a wonderful job of balancing out the lives of three very different people, who are trying to make a go of a very unconventional relationship in their conventional world. I loved that.

All in all I think Kennedy has done a wonderful and amazing job of creating a believable triad relationship in the contemporary romance setting. It was heartfelt and sexy and so engaging that I didn’t want to put the book down. I am still head over heels in love with this series, and can’t wait to see what Kennedy has in store for us next.

I give Hotter than Ever a B+

 

2 thoughts on “Review – Hotter Than Ever by Elle Kennedy”

  1. I like well written menages and this review honestly makes me want to read this one. How long is it, though? Is it novel or novella length?

  2. @azteclady – It’s a full length novel. I think Goodreads puts it at like 350 pages or so.

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