Swinger Style (Hot Rods #5)
by Jayne Rylon
Blurb:
After
watching his mother crumble in the face of heartbreak, Holden believes monogamy
is bull. New week, new woman, that’s just how
Sabra
was ready for the climb from local news reporter to national anchor—before her
pursuit of a story almost destroyed the Hot Rods, whose friendship she has
admired from afar. Too bad they all hate her guts. That’s okay, she despises
what she’s become too…enough that she’s just told her boss where to stick it.
When
Holden drives a drunken Sabra home and puts her to bed, her blatant invitation
almost has him following her between the sheets. She’s willing to let him take
charge in bed, friends included—and he’s willing to listen to her amazing
business proposition, which could rocket the Hot Rods to stardom.
Yet
as his friends have paired off, Holden realizes that to participate in their
polyamorous games without becoming a third wheel, he needs Sabra. And she needs
him…oh, how she needs him.
Warning:
Contains a career-driven newswoman/yoga fiend who wants to get twisted up with
a Hot Rod or five and a what’s-mine-is-yours guy who likes to watch. One scene
with non-explicit drug use takes a Hot Rod to the dark side—good thing this
group of friends always has each other’s backs
Themes: Ménage,
M/M, erotica
Rating: 5 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
The Hot Rods are back with a vengeance and there’s
no stopping them now. I have been a fan
of this spin-off series from the very beginning and had some seriously high
expectations that this series would blow away even the original, Powertools,
series. I have always found myself
strangely drawn to the writing of Ms. Rylon ever since I stumbled upon her
story Dream Machine, but when I began the Powertools series I never imagineed just how much I would come to rely on her writing and characters to take me out
of my head and expand my horizons. I’d
always been a fan of ménage, but never imagined just how complicated that could
get when you add so many people sharing love.
And no matter what others might think, Jayne’s stories are all rooted in
that most basic of principles—love is not something that can be restricted by
society, only by the limitations of a person’s heart. So to that end, I find myself once again drawn
into the multifaceted and sensual world of the Hot Rods and their group
dynamics never fail to provide a glimpse of a loving and passionate lifestyle,
definitely not for everyone, but one that cannot be denied for those that live
it.
Sabra
made a mistake the last time her path crossed with the Hot Rods and though she
tried to rectify the mistake, the damage was already done. But she is determined to try to make it up to
these amazing people, especially Holden, whose touch lights her up from the
inside out and whose dark and dangerous looks leave her yearning for his touch. When she comes to them with an idea to help
them all out, a way to atone for her past misdeeds, there is no mistaking that
Holden is reluctant to trust again, not even a little. Outvoted, Holden is forced to deal with the
fact that his issues have to be put aside for the greater good of the group,
which pulls Sabra right into his daily sphere.
When the passion that existed from the beginning between them becomes
impossible to deny, Holden and Sabra decide that resisting is no longer an
option for them. Their passionate affair
becomes even more interesting as Sabra learns more about this family and longs
to become a true member, but can Holden handle sharing her with the only people
he has ever loved. And can Sabra force
him to accept that the love they have come to share makes becoming a true part
of this family all the more important if they are to have a future.
Sabra
is a very intriguing character, though we don’t learn a ton about her past,
mostly about her present and her hopes for the future. Meeting her in previous stories we know she
is a very driven woman and though she is determined to make a name for herself,
she’s not willing to break promises and step on backs to get where she wants to
go. She is genuinely remorseful for the
damage she caused and we can see that she is the type of woman that would be a
great addition to the group. Her nature
blends so well into the group and as she gives Holden just want he needs from
her, she finds a piece of herself that she never realized was missing, one that
needs the love this family can offer her, right along with the love of her
man. Holden of course begins the story
as a bit of a bastard, unwilling to let past mistakes go,
so that he might have a chance with Sabra, someone who obviously turns him inside
out every time he is with her. He is of
course sexy as hell, one of those men that draw every eye when he enters a room
and his commanding presence makes him a crucial part of the Hot Rods team. His past has shaped him into a man that finds
trusting anyone, especially a woman, almost impossible, but thankfully the love
of his chosen family far outweighs the trauma of his past and we get to see him
finally come to terms with the fact that love is worth fighting for and
fighting to win is the only choice.
I
loved the concept of this story, having Sabra using her skills and melding her
dreams into a way to not only help herself in the short term, but also allowing
her to atone and bring the Hot Rods into the world, making their lives better
in the long run. Though Holden resists
her plans, when the group embraces her and her idea, there is no way she will
let her own feelings of rejection by Holden keep her from achieving her
goals. Her determination is just one of the
things that attracts Holden to her, her inner fire and of course her sensuality
being not far behind on his list of reasons for wanting her. Holden’s past has some real sadness and darkness
in it, but seeing him overcome it and embrace a chance at true happiness with
Sabra and the Hot Rods, shows the true greatness of this author. While the passion and the heat is not to be
denied, the physical scenes are not what really makes this series so compelling for
readers, it’s the emotion that is so apparent between all the characters more than
the physical expressions that make any Rylon story and especially this one into
a masterpiece. I will say that I really
hated seeing the split that seems to develop between one of the member of the
group as he grapples with his own feelings and past, but I won’t spoil that
revelation, except to say that the next book CANNOT get here fast enough. I am already on tenterhooks awaiting
Barracuda’s Heart, to see how everything falls out and hoping that the love of
this group will once again prevail.
While the sex and passion is a draw for many readers, this is truly a
love story and the love is vast and limitless.
*eARC
provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased
review. No compensation was provided.
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