Natural Enemies by Roan Parrish
Surprise release date: April 17, 2018
Sale: $.99, for one week
Price: $3.99, as of April 25, 2018
On sale at:
On sale in: ebook and paperback
Pages in print: 150
Synopsis:
When opposites attract, love blooms in unexpected places.
Buttoned-up botanist Stefan Albemarle has felt like an outsider his whole life. As a result, he mostly keeps to himself—makes it easier not to notice that no matter how he tries, people think he’s a know-it-all and a snob.
Freewheeling urban gardener Milo Rios has worked hard to get where he is, and he’s passionate about his job at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He can get along with almost anyone, but no one has ever made him care enough to stick around.
When Stefan and Milo meet on Milo’s tour of the Botanic Garden, it’s hatred at first clash. But hatred quickly turns to lust as Milo shows Stefan how exquisite it can feel to lose the control he’s clung to for so long. As Stefan’s mask begins to slip, Milo sees a deep vulnerability in the prim academic. Once he’s experienced Milo’s world, Stefan can admit that he wants more from life than professional success. If they can work together, Stefan and Milo just might be able to cultivate the future they both yearn for.
Excerpt:
“Why did you come here, man, seriously? What is this?” Milo asked.
This close, I could see the flecks of amber in his brown eyes, could see the softness of his lashes and the way one of his front teeth was in front of the other. A curl of his hair hung over his forehead and he had a smudge of dirt on his chin. As I watched, his eyelids drifted half shut and I found myself completely unable to look away. I was frozen to the spot and my heart began to race.
“Unless,” he said slowly, stepping right up to me, “you didn’t come here to talk shit at all. Maybe you came here for something else.” His gaze dropped to my mouth and he bit his lip. “Nothin’ to say now?”
I blinked madly, trying to sort things into brand-new categories. Was Milo…hitting on me?
I took a step backward as Milo stepped forward, then another, as if we were dancing. Then my shoulder blades hit the fence and Milo was so close I could smell him—fresh soil and sunlight and the sweetness of light sweat.
We were the same height, so when I looked at Milo, he was looking right into my eyes.
“What’s it gonna be, Stefan?” Milo’s voice curled around my name and it felt like a hand around my cock I was so suddenly turned on. I took a shuddery breath and Milo’s mouth curved in a knowing smile. “Huh,” he said. “That right?”
I closed my eyes and bit my lip. I was so hard and so mortified. How could this be happening? Things like this did not happen. Not to me.
Milo leaned in close and I opened my eyes to see hunger in his expression.
Then he was kissing the hell out of me, mouth hot, tongue slick, a hand at my throat and the other sliding up my back to drag us together.
A shot of pure lust blasted through me and I grabbed at Milo too, squeezing his hips and pulling us together. My head fell back against the fence as he fed on my mouth and I heard myself cry out as his hand slid down to my ass.
I felt like I was dissolving into velvety heat everywhere we touched—mouth and throat and ass and groin—and suddenly it was too much. It had been so long since anyone had touched me. I was so close. I was going to come.
4 Stars!
This is a very sweet, fast-paced, opposites-attract, sort-of-enemies to lovers novella. Stefan is all prim and proper and determined to prove that he's the best at what he does, he's not exactly a people's person. Milo is all laidback and relaxed, content with being among the plants and people that visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden where he works. When they meet, sparks fly and not the good kind! But after Stefan apologizes, they strike up a tentative friendship that quickly blossoms into more.
I wasn't too sure how to feel about Stefan at first. He was very standoffish and came across as a snob, but once I read about his childhood and how difficult it was for him to interact with others, well, he won me over. With Milo it was just the opposite, I adored him at first, then after he tried to influence Stefan regarding his promotion, well, I thought that was a shitty thing to do. Like he knew better and Stefan had to do what he said. After that, well, he sort of made amends, although maybe he didn't grovel as much as he should have.
Despite this, I really liked them together. Milo helped Stefan come out of his shell a bit and showed him all work and no play wasn't quite working for him. I think they fit together quite well, had great chemistry and a lot in common, in the end.
Overall, an enjoyable read! Short, cute and hot! Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Giveaway:
Win one of three prizes: 1) swag pack of Roan Parrish goodies or 2) 1 of 2 ecopies of any back catalog book by Roan Parrish (reader’s choice!)
About Roan Parrish:
Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.
When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.
Connect with Roan:
No comments:
Post a Comment