Review and Giveaway: Spice

Spice (Sugar and Spice - Book 1) by Seressia Glass

Publication Date: 11/04/2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Heat
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Pages: 336
ISBN-10: 0425275094
ISBN-13: 978-0425275092

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Heat)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Indiebound

Seressia Glass on the WEB: website, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Excerpt from, Spice, courtesy of the author's website.

Synopsis:

Temptation comes in many flavors…
 
Nadia Spiceland works in the business of temptation. The confections she crafts at the Sugar and Spice Bakery and Café lure in the locals. But one customer is interested in more than just her delectable sticky buns…
 
Kane Sullivan teaches human sexuality at the nearby college, where coeds are clamoring for seats in his lectures. Nadia is reluctant to his advances, yet she also has needs. Who better to fulfill them than the man who’s referred to as “Dr. Sex” by his female students?
 
Soon Kane creates a hunger in Nadia that nothing can satiate. It weakens her, and that’s something she cannot risk. Not again. But Kane’s masterful touch might just be powerful enough to melt her heart—and free her to trust again…

Thoughts:

Seressia Glass brings readers the first book in the new Sugar and Spice erotic romance series, Spice. To say this one is steamy is probably an understatement. Glass doesn't hold anything back in this sexy romp featuring a former addict making a success of her new business and a professor of human sexuality. Readers looking for a little kink, a lot of sexual tension and exploration will find this one tantalizing. 

What I liked:

One of the things that I appreciated about this book was the way in which the heroine's former drug addiction was portrayed. Glass was able to show readers how devastating this kind of thing is without it becoming the main focus of the story. Nadia's past was just that, her past. She was able to get clean and get her life back on track and that is huge for anyone who has ever suffered the affects of addiction. It was good to see this story focus on the here and now and the fact that Nadia bet the odds and got her life back.

Nadia was a powerful heroine in this book. She not only survived addiction but was able to move forward. She had strength, fortitude and tenacity. She was in a place in her life when the story begins that lets the reader know she is ready to start dating again to have a few of her sexual needs taken care of. In my book that's a nature progression of things. And it did feel like it was time for her to pursue that part of her life again. Finding Kane was not only perfect timing, but just the right kind of relationship she thought she was looking for. Glass gives readers a heroine to cheer for, they will find themselves not only wanting her business to succeed but her relationships as well.

I enjoyed Kane. He wasn't your typical professor, that's for sure. Human sexuality is the kind of field that got him a lot of wanted and unwanted attention. He just gives off the air of mystery and the reader will feel his sexuality oozing off the pages. He didn't want a complicated relationship and he and Nadia seemed to really work. He had some kinky moments but nothing really too far out of the box. I especially liked the way he treated Nadia. He seemed to not only want to meet her sexual fantasies, but to genuinely care about who she was and what she wanted out of life. A very good hero.

The sexual aspects of the book were a bit overdone for my tastes. The language and the sexual scenes are pretty hot and spicy and unfortunately they tend to take over the book a little bit. Glass doesn't give enough time to the development of the characters and their stories outside the bedroom for the reader to really connect with them. I liked Nadia and Kane, but wasn't sure they had quite enough depth to make the story come alive. 

Bottom Line:

There is a lot of potential here. The bare bones idea of the series was good. I liked the former addiction plot line for Nadia and Kane's interesting profession. They had good chemistry but the sexual aspects of the book were a bit too overwhelming. I didn't get the character development I needed. But I think Glass definitely has a good direction to go with this series. We'll see how it goes!

Spice is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Seressia Glass is an award-winning author in contemporary, historical and paranormal romance as well as urban fantasy. She has published nine novels and eleven novellas. Seressia won aRomantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award for contemporary romance and was a finalist for a Maggie Award of Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers, Emma Awards for multicultural romance, and Romance in Color Reviewer’s Choice awards.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Spice by Seressia Glass.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, December 4th.

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