Member Reviews
Okay, I finished Compromised In Paradise by Samanthe Beck. Let me say I was super excited to read Samanthe's latest book. Seriously, I love her books they tend to be fun and steamy. However, I felt Compromised In Paradise was lacking something. I couldn't put my finger on what I was missing. They are both great characters and I thought it was because they hid their identities from each other. Nope that wasn't it. It wasn't the steamy parts, because those were nice and steamy. Yes, cold shower worthy. It wasn't until I got to the end that I realize what the story was lacking from all of Samanthe's previous books; it was the light fun banter. The quick funny remarks. I didn't realize I was missing that until the end when they showed up. I guess it would be hard to get those in when both characters are pretending to be someone else for the week.
I know I'm in the minority with saying that Compromised In Paradise was an all right read. I wanted to love this story, but I couldn't fall in love with the story. I like Nick as a pretty decent. I mean he was willing to play along with Arden's idea keeping their identities to themselves. Arden was dealing with a lot stress and Nick was the perfect person to help her unwind. Overall, Compromised In Paradise was an all right read. Yes, there are going to be a lot who will love this story. This one was an okay read for me. I'm still excited for Samanthe's next book, because she's an amazing writer when it comes to steam.
Copy provided by Entangled via NetGalley
Arden has had a hard time finding the right person to date, her social status seems to get in the way and most guys can't see past her family name. Until Rider, he is a mystery and she loves every second of the anonymity he has provided her with.
One week, six dates and the promise of the best sex she has ever had, what could possibly go wrong?
Nick doesn't do commitment and this arrangement with this sexy woman seems like a great plan, until he realises that maybe a week is too short for him to be able to get his fill on this mysterious creature.
Watching them fall for each other while they were busy having the greatest and kinkiest sex ever was super entertaining and fun. They were perfect for each other in every way possible.
Arden needed to enjoy life again and appreciate the little things and Rider needs to trust people again, opening his heart won't be an easy task but he might be in for a surprise if he takes the leap.
A beautiful story, and two amazing and fun characters. Prepare to fall for this dominant alpha male and his kinky methods for the ultimate soul-deep, hurt so good, cry for mercy cure for stress orgasm.
***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***
3.5 Stars
Brazen titles are expected to be on the erotic side, and to be focused on sex and moving from one sexy encounter to the next. And, this one was exactly that, but with the fun twist of Nick helping Arden work through her stress related inability to have an orgasm.
I thought the premise was fun, and it gave the movement from one sex scene to the other a reason, and it gave the story more plot than a lot of the more erotic titles. It also matters that you really like Nick and Arden, you want to get to know them, and you want things to work out for them (even if that does mean her father is right).
The writing was good and the pacing worked, the sex scenes were placed with enough romance and enough character development that they moved the story along. And, the sex is hot...which is important for a more erotic story.
Was this the most emotionally wrenching book I have ever read? No. Was it a good time with a couple of likeable characters and some really hot sex? yes.
I recommend this title.
Steamy Hot in Paradise! This story was so freaking entertaining. I loved the flirty fun vibe it had going on. Everything about it was fantastic from the wonderful and enticing main characters, the flirting and sexy escapades that brought these two together in the beautiful back drop of Maui. I pretty much inhaled this. Every single second of this story was just so incredibly delicious.
I couldn't put this down. Compromised In Paradise is a steamy, romantic ride. Loved Arden and Nick's story. Samantha Beck created a world that was passionate, sexy, and with intriguing characters. Fantastic storyline! Highly Recommend this story!
Received a copy through NetGalley and voluntarily wrote an honest review.
A quick read and a very enjoyable read. Steamy and easy to read.
Compromised in Paradise will have readers surrendering their minds to lust as they open their hearts to love. Nick and Arden break relationship taboos as they heat of the sheets and navigate through matters of the heart. Samanthe Beck is at her best when she exposes a little romance to sweeten up the naughty. Ms. Beck shines her brightest with her Compromise Me series novels.
Compromised in Paradise by Samanthe Beck is the third book in her Compromise Me series. Each book is a standalone story, but the characters are all linked in some fashion, either by friendship or family. The heroine of this one, Arden St. Sebastian is the sister of the hero in book one, a woman who finds herself caught up in a whirlwind vacation romance.
Arden is in Maui, staying at her family's resort recently purchased to be part of the St. Sebastian hotel empire. She's stressed out, with expectations on her from all sides whether it's trying to keep her separated but never quite divorced parents happy, working with the hotel suppliers to get the right supplies for the rooms, or even just trying to chase down an orgasm in her down time – yet another facet of frustration in her life. When she meets the handsome stranger at the hotel bar with the biteable biceps and the self confident attitude, the chance at a one night stand sounds oh so heavenly. It'll hopefully give her some good memories to make up for the blind date at the end of the week, set up by her well meaning father as yet another stress to add to her life.
Nick Bancroft is in his medical residency at the local hospital when he meets the beautiful woman at the bar after agreeing with his aunt and uncle to a blind date they set up for him for the end of the week. No names, no expectations, just a hot night of no holds barred sex? Yes please! When their night together proves to be less than satisfactory for Arden (not Nick's fault!) Nick promises Arden that if she gives him the week, he'll make sure she'll leave her worries behind in the time she spends with him. They agree to nicknames only (Czarina and Rider) and no holds barred sex, with the end date clearly in sight. But can their week in paradise be the start of something long lasting?
I think the heat quotient of this series has ratcheted up with each book, because whoa baby, this one is hottt! Nick is out to prove to Arden that he can get her to let go of all the stresses on her mind and focus on them and is extremely successful at it. The catch is that the more time he spends with her, the more he's starting to regret that he agreed to a sex only fling in the first place. He wants to know more about her, he wants her to trust him, and he wants to not just be an afterthought at the end of the week. Nick comes across as smart, fun, friendly, and a very generous lover with a big heart. He's a great catch – if only he'd let Arden know he wants to be caught.
Arden is also a very likable character. The stress on her is clear, as is her desire to let things go when she's with Nick. She also comes to regret the choice they made at the beginning to leave out the more personal details of their lives, but sticks to their agreement. But Nick is also able to make her see that she needs to take more firm footing with her parents and find ways to stick up for herself and her needs better. The conflict in the story is fairly predictable, since the reader knows about the blind date they've both been set up for, and what they are headed for at the end of the week. The story unfolds well and with plenty of steamy scenes between the couple, it makes for a highly enjoyable read. This one is definitely going on the re-read shelf! Compromised in Paradise is a sexy vacation romance with a sweet happy ever after ending.
This review will be posed at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews and feedback updated with the link. It will be posted at sale sites during release week.
Samanthe Beck did it again! She manages to craft the ultimate Book Boyfriends! I have a harem of Book Boyfriends thanks to Samanthe. I don't know how she manages it.
Arden St. Sebastian is the stressed daughter of a hotel billionaire father who's micromanaging her role within the family corporation. She needs a stress reliever and when she spots Dr. Nick Bancroft across the hotel's bar, she knows he's it. When they meet neither one knows who the other is and as they're looking for a one night hook-up. Arden decided he doesn't need to know. If her hears her name he'll know who she is and that's NOT OK. Her name changes relationships. He becomes "Rider" an astronaut and she's dubbed "Czarina". Love it! When she fakes her "O" with him he decides to take up the challenge and it becomes an exclusive week of seduction. Oh can Dr. Nick turn up the heat! This book is HOT, HOT, HOT and curled my toes! They of course fall for each other and fight it, but the journey if full of a few twists and some predictable moments too. I absolutely loved it.
Thank you Samanthe and Entangled for the opportunity to ARC read this for a review!!!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Compromised in Paradise by Samanthe Beck
Book Three of the Compromise Me series
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Publication Date: August 28, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Stressed out hotel heiress Arden St. Sebastian is in Maui for one thing and one thing only. Work. But when the hottie at the bar buys her a drink to end all frilly umbrella-and-glow stick drinks, she can’t help but accept his unspoken invitation. When they get back to her villa, however, and the sexy moment of truth arrives, she can’t…quite…get there. Again.
ER resident Nick Bancroft can handle a night of fun, anonymous sex, but he draws the line at a fake orgasm. He makes his mystery woman a deal. He’ll take care of her little stress-induced orgasm problem if she’ll spend the next six days exploring the island with him, no questions asked.
A week of island relaxation on the arm of the sexiest man she’s ever met? Arden’s game. As long as she keeps her identity secret, she’s got nothing to lose…except her heart.
What I Liked:
This book was sexy, humorous, and so fun! Out of all of Beck's books - most of which are sexy, humorous, and fun - this is probably the most fun story she has written. I'm very happy with the love story she gave Arden, who is an amazing young woman. I adored Nick Bancroft, more than I did in the previous books. Together, they made an excellent pair.
Arden St. Sebastian is looking for a little relief. She has been stressed about so many things, including her father nagging her and taking over her personal life after her last relationship went south. Arden works hard and loves her job, but sometimes she is so overwhelmed. A week in Maui at one of her father's hotel properties should do the trick... especially when she meets a sexy stranger who is definitely her type. Nick Bancroft is good at his job, and very good at sex. It's lust at first sight when he sees this mystery woman at a bar one evening, and one thing leads to another. They only have a few days together, but they are going to make it count. But what happens when it stops being just sex, and becomes more? What happens when they find out the truth about each other?
From the start, this book was flirty and fun and sexy. The pair meet at a bar, but they don't give each other their names. They don't know who each other is. What's wild is that Arden has a date in six days with the nephew of the former owners of the property - and Nick has a date in six days with the daughter of the new owner. Wild, right? But Arden and Nick have no idea about each other, because throughout all of their interactions in this book, they don't give each other their names. It's part of the fun, making up a ridiculous identity and having fun with it.
Arden is a hard worker, and constantly stressed. So the arrangement works for her. She's usually a fun person, when she isn't stressed and nagged. She loves the purely physical relationship she has with Nick (she knows him as Rider).
Nick works hard at the hospital - he is a senior ER resident and he is looking to climb up the ranks. He doesn't do commitments, so meeting Arden is destiny. Nick is a good guy with a big heart. He is also charming, intense, and very sexy. He and Arden are great for each other, and they have a lot of fun together.
This book is all kinds of hot! Seriously, this has to be one of Beck's hottest books. There are a few kinky scenes, but I liked them just fine. I don't read a ton of erotica (just sexy romance) but I don't think this book crosses into the erotica territory, though it toes the line. Nick and Arden have great chemistry and that leads to some very passionate, sexy scenes. Their dynamic works well, with Arden liking to be handled, and Nick being an alpha male who likes to please.
I liked how involved Beck gets when it comes to writing about the protagonists' jobs. We know the ins and outs of Arden's job, and Nick's job. Their jobs are important to them, and Beck makes it appear so to the readers. Beck doesn't just make Nick an ER resident because hot doctors make great male protagonists - no, she does her research and makes sure that we know he is an ER resident and his job isn't a prop or a simple role. Same with Arden and her job.
The climax isn't as drama-filled as some romance novels, though there is some miscommunication and a tiny bit of drama. But it really isn't bad. The book ends very well for the pair! It's a HEA and the epilogue is so cute. I'm not sure if this is the end of the series, but it fills like it. I would be okay with that! The ending is lovely, for all three couples.
What I Did Not Like:
I can't think of anything specific! For once, I think this romance novel had the perfect amount of sexy times (usually that is my complaint with romance novels - they don't have enough).
Would I Recommend It:
I highly recommend this book - or any of Beck's books - if you're looking for steamy contemporary romance that is also a little on the fun and humorous side! Nothing dark and heavy in her books, no angst and minimal drama. Beck is so creative with the characters, their jobs, their lives, their problems. She is also suuuuuper creative with the sexy times. The books are very, very hot, you are warned!
Rating:
4 stars. I can't wait to read a new Entangled Brazen book by this author - hopefully she has more coming! I've enjoyed her old Entangled Brazen books and her new ones, and I'll definitely be looking out for future ones. She is an auto-read author for me!
When only a sexy stranger will do! Flirting leads to more than she bargained for when Arden stumbles across a man who doesn’t like to disappoint a lady. Hot sex awaits when one night leads to 6 … and more? Fun characters and a steamy read!
Arden St. Sebastian is stressed to the point of no return by her father’s constant critique in how she does her job at his luxury resorts. He has supposedly retired and put her brother in charge, but you couldn’t prove it by her! She’s drowning here .. and needs some stress relief something fierce!
Dr. Nick Bancroft can’t help but eye the sexy woman at the end of the bar and when one flirt leads to another, and they make their way back to her room, he’s looking forward to the anonymous night of sex she’s offering … but hold up … he might not make her give him her name, but no way is he going to put up with her faking her enjoyment! He offers her a crazy deal that she decides to go along with … she’ll tour the island with him for the six days that she has left in Maui and in exchange, he’ll work her through the lack of enjoyment her stress induces body has been wreaking on her of late and make sure she leaves Hawaii a very satisfied woman!
the compromise me series concludes with compromised in paradise. i've been waiting for arden st. sebastian's story since the first book and i was glad to see nick bancroft make another appearance. the hot doctor is once again set up with our heroine, but he doesn't know it.
when arden and nick first cross paths they don't know each other's names. they know nothing except that there is a powerful chemical attraction that flares between them. and arden wants one night to lose herself and forget all the pressures that have her wound so tight. all she wants is one night with a stranger, with someone who doesn't come from her world, someone who has no expectations.
but arden can't turn off for one night. her ringing cell phone ruins the moment, and when nick realizes she's faking there is no way he's going to let their night end on that note. except that as a doctor he can't really turn off for one night either, and an emergency at the hospital forces him to leave. but not before he extracts a promise from arden. they will see each other for the next six days, and he will get her to fully relax and enjoy the moment and not fake any orgasms. and arden agrees as long as they both agree not to divulge their names or identities.
this actually doesn't sit right with nick, but he wants arden more than he wants her name. and over the next few days he comes up with ways to spend time with her both in and out of bed. the sexual connection between nick and arden is off the charts, but they have more in common than they realize and fit together in ways that neither of them expects. at the end of the six days, both arden and nick are trying to figure out ways to stay in touch. it's that whole not sharing names or identities agreement that blows things up.
but not for good, or for that long, because nick and arden are pretty clear about their feelings for each other. and once they have the full picture, they realize that they were both feeling the same thing. that what started out as a one-night fling is something they never want to see the end of. nick is basically a super swoonworthy hero. he's kind and giving and funny and sexy and naughty at just the right moments. and honestly, i never wanted to see the end of him either.
Samanthe Beck is great at painting a picture. In this case in Maui - hello I wanna go. Arden St. Sebastian is in paradise, but her life and the stress her family induces have her anything but enjoying herself. That is until she spies a sexy stranger across the hotel bar. Dr. Nick Bancroft is an ER resident who has no interest in commitment despite his aunts attempts. But he becomes enamored by the sexy brunette who seems to meet his stare and light his fire. What begins as a challenge with no names becomes more. Too bad these two can't seem to tell the other how they are feeling. But the heat between them will surely light you up, so make sure you've done laundry!!
Samanthe Beck is steadily climbing up in my favorites lists. I really enjoy her main characters. The men are confident, dominant and sexy. The women are strong, independent and don't push away too much. That's a big deal for me! She even takes a storyline that isn't one of my favorites and has me liking it. This was a fast paced read with no other women/men drama, no cheating or abuse and you get to see the characters from the previous stories. ARC provided by NetGalley.
When you are away and you meet someone you are both pretending to be someone else what could go wrong?
first nothing because after vacation you will never see each other again.
second who cares chalk it up as two people having fun and it's only a week.
What really happens you are both set up on a date at the end of the week with each other by your families and don't realize it at first. You do have a great romance going on with much heat. The lies always come out and by the time you both figure out ho the other one is it's too late to turn back. Feelings get crushed and maybe there is a happy ending.
Anyway this book was a fast read and I thought it was pretty entertaining.
** i received a copy if this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Please note: I received COMPROMISED IN PARADISE from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.
Five stars and here’s why:
Samanthe Beck wrote a past-paced, hella-hot and entertaining book from start to finish. This is a fresh take on a case of mistaken identity. Arden St. Sebastian needs a vacay from her stressful life and Dr. Nicholas Bancroft, the emergency room doc and alpha male living the player lifestyle, offers to be her sexy stress reliever for the week she’s in Maui working on one of her family’s hotels. They agree to no names and each one comes up with a hilarious back story and fake name that they adhere to all week as “Rider” the astronaut helps “Czarina” let down her guard and experience the elusive “O” she’s been chasing, but she can’t seem to find due to all the stress in her personal and professional life. In reality, these two are scheduled to go on a blind date at the end of the week thanks to their meddling families who think they’d be perfect for each other. What ensues is a fantastic page-turner of a sexy story of how casual sex is anything but casual. Highly recommend.
Something about this one didn't work for me. Maybe it was the fake names or the pretending to be other people. I am not a fan of that at all. So right from the start, this one didn't click for me. Why pretend to be someone you are not, even if it is a fling?? I don't get it.
I have truly loved this series. Samanthe Beck always comes through for me, and I've really enjoyed all 3 books. This story has the sister of the hero from book 1, and I'm glad we get to see her get her HEA. I'm also glad we got to go back to Maui as the setting for this one. Makes me feel like I'm there!
Arden St. Sebastian is a hotel heiress, and she works for the family hotel chain. She's in Maui for a little R&R, as well as a little business. She loves her job, and even her nosy family, but ever since her father retired, leaving her brother in charge of their operations, he's been bored, and constantly hovering in her life. It's driving her crazy, so she escapes to Maui to one of the family's resorts. She decides she is too stressed, and she needs a nice vacation fling to get her back on the right track. Especially since her father has set her up on an unwanted blind date with the nephew of the former hotel owners for the final night of her trip, and she doesn't want to have to think about it. She's sitting in the hotel bar on her first night, and she finds the perfect man to fulfill her needs.
Nick Bancroft is a busy doctor, living on the island. He's at the hotel bar having a drink with his aunt and uncle, who used to own the hotel before they sold it to St. Sebastian Resorts. Once the older couple leave, he heads to the bar for one more drink, and locks eyes with a beautiful brunette, and he decides they are definitely looking for the same thing. He hasn't had the time or inclination to have any type of real relationship since med school, when his last one went horribly wrong. So short flings with vacationers are exactly what he likes. They agree to spend the night together, no real names, and no grand expectations. Little do they know what's in store for them.
Arden and Nick (or should I say Czarina and Rider?) have chemistry like whoa, and they are super into each other physically. But, Arden is too stressed out, and hearing her phone ping again and again throws her completely out of the moment. She knows it's not coming back, and she feels bad, so she tries to fake her orgasm. Nick is NOT having it. They talk it out, and he's intrigued by her issues. He offers to take her out, exclusively, all week while she's in town and he guarantees her as many orgasms as she can handle. She takes him up on it, and she is not disappointed. Neither was I! I loved the main characters' banter and jokes about their pretend jobs they made up on their first night. You can tell it's starting to mean more to them than sex, but neither of them is willing to talk about it.
I love that we got sneak peaks of some of the prior characters in the series, and I really enjoyed Arden's interactions with her family, especially her brother Rafe. I even enjoyed the conflict between Arden and Nick, and found it believable, though I wish they could have communicated better than they did at certain points. I really loved this entire series, and I'm so glad I read it. I highly recommend each book. They've all been very different, but equally fantastic. I can't wait to see what's next from this author!
I loved this story and the way the hero softened the heroine and wouldn't let her accept anything but the BEST from him...in every way. Samanthe Beck is one of my favorite authors! This story, like all of hers, is the perfect combination of sexy and emotional, with a sharp and sassy heroine and a swoon worthy hero.
Compromised in Paradise is book three in the Compromise Me series by Samanthe Beck. I was so excited about this one. There have been so many little tidbits dropped regarding Rafe’s little sister, Arden St. Sebastian and I already was partially in love with the sexy Dr. Nick Bancroft. Put these two together and you pretty much have spontaneous combustion.
Arden needs a vacation, badly. Between work and running interference between her parents, she’s on overload. Then there’s the little matter of her almost blackmailer. So, she’s spending a week in Maui at the new hotel to both work and rest. The first night there she sees a man in the bar that instantly calls her attention. There’s just something about his hands. But after her recent experiences, she just wants to be anonymous, not the St. Sebastian hotel heiress. So she and the stranger agree to a no names agreement. She is a princess from Siberia and he is an astronaut. Mutual silly games, right? At first, yes, but as these two would discover over the next week, not so much.
What starts out as a very sexy night for Arden and Nick has a bit of a lackluster ending for Arden. Her brain just won’t shut off and she just can’t get there, you know, to the big happy ending. So instead of a one night stand, Nick offers her six days of orgasmic bliss. Six days to turn off her stress.
Nick most definitely knows his way around the female body and he does deliver on his promise in some very inventive ways. He also manages to get Arden out of her head, to just be. This series is very sexy but I think this one was the hottest. These two most definitely steamed up the pages. As the week wears on, though, they both begin to question their expiration date. But with no names involved, with the whole week being about make believe, it’s easier said than done.
If I had one complaint about this book, it was that at times, Nick’s approach to Arden’s “problem” was a bit too clinical. But, he IS a doctor after all. And he most definitely broke down her walls. One thing this series does have that I love is perfect endings. I love the way every book ended. You are guaranteed to walk away with a smile and all the warm and fuzzies you can handle. I loved my visit to Maui with Arden and Nick as well as the whole series. If you haven’t started yet, now is the perfect time. I hope you’ll love it too.