Oh my this was an incredibly enticing reading experience because the coupling was so freaking sexy and engaging. And it's hella freaking erotic Holy hotness...It’s naughty in all the best ways and will get your lady bits screaming for attention. Beyond that, the characters are like able and they leave you wanting more from the first chapter.

Just when I thought this book couldn’t get any hotter, the next page proved me wrong. Opal Carew has always been at the forefront of authors that write smart, sexy, erotic romance. Grab your copy today and be prepared for a genuinely intense and sensual romance.

To be honest, I accidentally ended up with this book in my Kindle Library, as this genre is not typically my cup of tea. That being said, because I had it, I went ahead and read it and was hooked. I found myself quickly sucked into the story line and the character development. I finished it in a day, when normally it takes me at least a week to finish a book. I loved it!

NetGalley gifted me an ARC of this novel but all views and opinions are my own.

What drew me to this book in particular was the blurb. I really enjoyed the plot line of wedding that didn’t happen, run into ex and get into some major exploration of sexual fantasies. However I thought the execution of this plot line was not as great as I expected.
Just the beginning of the book and the opening chapters- they were a bit all of the place and very rushed. There was no right build up.
The author writes sex scenes in great detail and they hooooot. I do have to admit I was not aware of threesome aspect of the book which is generally a turn off for me. It worked out for April, but introducing another person into the mix takes away from the romance part.

Unfortunately, I didn't like the characters in this book and therefore had a difficult time connecting with them and enjoying the story fully. It had an intriguing plot and steamy scenes but I wasn't as invested as I would have liked to be. This may be for someone who likes the drama and MFM action.

This is the first book by this author that I've read and I definitely wasn't disappointed one bit. This is a second chance/MFM love story. This book has a great story line, twists and turns, drama, heartbreak and plenty of hot and steamy scenes. This is the sizzling story of the characters Quinn, Austin and April. These characters have amazing chemistry between them. This author has an amazing writing talent that moves the plot along really well.

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I went into this book expecting it to be super hot and it did not disappoint! I was in the mood for an easy, fun read that didn't require a ton of overthinking or serious emotion and this book delivered. It was the perfect break from everything going on in the world right now.

🔥🔥🔥

Lots of steam with fun characters but not much depth to the plot.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

Overall not a bad book, I enjoyed the main characters a lot. I was not disappointed with the number of smut scenes since this WAS erotica. I've found that others are lacking in scenes and the overall quality of them. This book did not disappoint. Although I wish there was more of a deeper plot, I feel like we just grazed the surface when it came to the overall plot.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A five alarm hot and steamy story. Riana finds herself being shared between her ex Quinn and his best friend Austin. She is open and vulnerable after being left in Vegas by her fiancé. It is a story of sexual exploration for her as she finds out how far she is willing to go for love and independence. It shows a sweet side of these two guys who takes care of her and tries to protect her.

Stroke of Luck by Opal Carew is a MMF, second chance romance currently scheduled for release on October 27 2020. April Smith’s luxurious Las Vegas wedding crashed and burned when her wealthy fiance cheated on her and left her with a hotel bill that costs more than she makes in a year. Even more humiliating, her college ex-boyfriend Quinn Taylor has come to her rescue and bailed her out. They didn’t part on the best of terms and never expected to see one another again. For Quinn, April was the one who got away and despite the heartache she caused him, he’s never gotten over her. Not wanting to be in his debt, April makes Quinn a tempting offer: she’ll spend the next month with him during his Vegas vacation, fulfilling his fantasies. Being with April has always been Quinn’s number one fantasy, and next on the list is sharing a woman with his best friend and business partner, Austin Wright. Since he can see an undeniable attraction between April and Austin, he makes that a condition of their deal, too. Enjoying the attention and affection from two hot and handsome men, April gives in to her desires to be with both of them. But with those desires comes a growing love that she fears may force her to choose between Quinn and Austin—or lose them both.

Stroke of Luck had some very good moments, and some that just made me reread passages wondering if I missed something. I liked the character development and how Austin and Quinn were best friends that balanced each other out. I liked April's personality and her desire to stand on her own two feet and deal with her problems. I thought the chance meeting, personalities, and different fears they all carried through most of the book were well handled. I thought the sex scenes were reasonably well done, but there were some overly repetitive words and some issues. I like that Quinn and April discussed terms and condoms before anything happened. However, they did not discuss pregnancy, only being clean, which left me a little confused. There were more then one sexy moment interrupted by me having to go back and reread to see if they moved or shifted position because I could not see something working or being comfortable- and worst of all was when in one scene there was no lube or prepping before anal while standing became an option- especially with limited experience being part of the story. I have read a few triad books before, and it just seemed like some important steps were skipped at important intervals, which brought down my enjoyment of the book.

Stroke of Luck was a mixed bag of good characters, hot scenes, and huh? for me.

“You’ll stay with me for a month. I’ll expect you to be totally cooperative. You’ll do whatever I tell you to do. Fuck me whenever and however I want. Agreed?”

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I kind of requested this book on a whim whilst browsing Netgalley. I was in desperate need of a romance and I was very fortunate to find this book. I wanted something steamy, quick, and fun. This book definitely delivers on all fronts.

I’m very much a sucker for “hero catches heroine at the worst possible time” trope and that’s exactly how this book begins. April was supposed to be getting married in Las Vegas, but after catching her fiancé in a compromising position, she’s not hearing the bells anymore. When her betrothed gets his revenge by leaving her with the wedding bill and taking back everything he’s ever bought her, she’s left with nothing but a huge debt. And just her luck, her first love/ex-boyfriend, Quinn is there the witness it all. When Quinn and April reunite along with Quinn’s business partner, Austen, sparks fly in the trio. Making April question everything about her future.

I really loved this book. It’s steamy and with a really great damsel in distress heroine. I really liked April, she’s fun, adventurous, and I really understood her motivations. She’s had nothing belong to herself all her life and has huge insecurities about being able to stand on her own. Her biggest flaw is being naïve and a bit too trusting. But that’s not something I’ve ever really minded in a heroine.

Quinn was awesome though. I like a hero to be just a bit mean and Quinn definitely was, but with good reason. I really liked that Quinn and April had all this chemistry from the beginning and Quinn’s distain and distance was just from past hurts and misunderstandings.

Austin was also awesome. He was so much fun! An awesome foil to Quinn! I really love this trio dynamic, it’s always a favorite whenever I read romances like this. Austin is funny and really open with both Quinn and April. He becomes this person who is so important to both of them in different and special ways. He quickly becomes a favorite for the reader as well.

The only thing I didn’t love was the agreement between April and Quinn. I felt like both of them didn’t have their hearts in it. I felt like it was almost too callous of Quinn and didn’t quite match up to the rest of his character. I mean- suspension of disbelief if a must for this book, so it’s not a big deal. It’s just something that struck me as weird.

But yeah, I’m not complaining about the subsequent levels of steam. This book is a great for a fast relaxing read. It’s funny, dramatic, and full of all the feelings you want.

TL;DR: No thoughts, head empty. Read for a fast fun book filled with sexy times and some good romance tropes.

E-Galley provided by St.Martin’s Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotations and opinions are based off an uncorrected review.

Opal Carew's erotic second chance romance, STROKE OF LUCK, is a polyamorous orgy with an incidental plot.

FULL REVIEW TO BE POSTED TO ALL ABOUT ROMANCE

I like my books a little steamy and hot, but I also need a strong plot and multifaceted characters. Stroke of Luck lacked much of a plot and overdid the sex scenes throughout the book. I started to skim many of scenes as I felt it often repeated itself. April, Quinn and Austin just spent the whole book in their hotel room having sex. I wanted a little more drama and character development. I don't like leaving bad reviews, but this one just didn't work for me.

So...I didn't love it. But, I didn't hate it either. I was just an okay read...hot (like off the charts at times), but really not much else.

We follow April, Quinn, and Austin in a story of second chances, old wounds, new beginnings, and a lot of chemistry...taking place on the sexy strip of Las Vegas.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into, instead choosing to be surprised as I read, but with Carew's track record of fabulous love stories, I knew I'd get something worth my time with this one. I'm not saying it was the best way to spend my time...but I'm not complaining about the creativity it sparked by reading. *wink*

Overall, while sexy, it felt a little overdone...I'm not really a fan of third-person POV, and while Quinn and Austin had some great qualities about them, I found not much to be interesting about April. She felt a little weak and way too easy-going without much substance to her...and a lot happens to her for her to still remain this way.

I will pick up other titles by Carew, but this one was just meh...I hope to have better luck with a different book.

**3 For Love or Money, Stars**

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Ya know...there are decent people and then there are down right nasty people. April's fiance is one of the nasty. He has no qualms treating her like dirt and expecting her to take it because she comes from nothing.

After she finds him cheating on her in Vegas and she calls off their wedding he leaves her with a giant hotel bill. One she can't afford with the charmer also freezing her assets held with his family's bank.

This is one dude everyone will hate. So who should pop up? The man April has always loved just so happens to also be at the hotel but he has a huge chip on his shoulder. Could have something to do with her breaking up with him when he thought they were forever.

Communication people! It saves a lot of heartbreak. But doesn't make for great book stories though. *smile*

What started as two persons in love in college now introduces a third that makes things all the more scandalous but oh so delicious for April.

Definitely an Opal Carew book at it's finest. Good story and definitely knocked some sense into the men that need it!

Stroke of luck was HOT. From the first chapter you were sucked in. April waking up to 2 hot naked men that were not her fiancé. It had you automatically thinking, what happened last night? This book has you feeling all types of ways. I feel like it’s a second chance romance twisted with love at first site, since it is MFM ;)

So like I stated above, in my copy the female character’s name was April and she had a great explanation where her name originated from. Your wedding is one of the biggest days in any girl’s life. So when April should have been happy and having the time of her life, she found the person she thought loved her, cheating on her. Her heart was broken and knew she could not stay with him. After breaking things off, he left Vegas and left her with a bill a mile long that she could not afford, because of course he canceled all her cards and cleared all their accounts.

Quinn has never once stopped thinking about the girl that got away. The one he thought was “THE ONE”. No other girl has ever made him feel how April did. But he had to find a way to move on because she left him for another man. He put all his focus on his studies and now his work. He had worked hard to get to where he was and he deserved this vacation. What he didn’t expect though was for his world was turned upside down on his vacation when he saw the most beautiful woman sitting in the hall of the hotel he was vacationing at. Could it really be her, the girl that broke his heart in college? She looked broken and Quinn knew he had to do something to help her and could not leave her.

Austin was Quinn’s business partner and best friend. Quinn had a brilliant idea for a business and Quinn had the capital to make that happen, so for many years they worked night and day, side by side and it was time for a vacation. Gambling, drinking and having a little free time sounded amazing, so they headed off to Vegas. Austin knew about the girl in college that stole Quinn’s heart, what he didn’t know was that she would steal his too. She was amazing, always held her head high even though she was going through so much, beautiful and had the biggest heart. But he had to stay back, he would never over step, because even though Quinn denies it, he still loves her and she still loves Quinn too and Austin loves them both to do that. He would do anything to help his best friend.

April was now basically on the streets with no money or a place to stay, so when Quinn stepped in, paid the bill her ex had left her with, move her to his room and helped her out. Austin did have to do it, he did even know her, but he did the same, covering her bill when they ate and buying her things while she stayed with them. But she needed to pay Quinn back anyway she could, because she didn’t have that type of money right now, so the only way she could pay him back was giving him something he has always longed for, her. So April made a proposal and told him she would be his lover for a month and Quinn was so happy but what would make it even better for him was not just be his lover but also to Austin at the same time, which turned Quinn on so much. Would Austin agree?

This book was really good, but I gave it 4 stars because there were times where the POV switch and it didn’t tell you and you were kind of thrown off. I loved Austin and Quinn and all they wanted to do was take care of April. She was the most important person for both of them. But could they turn this proposal of 1 month to much more and a life time together? Could Quinn move passed what had happened in the past? I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review and opinion.

The story seemed to be missing pieces, it was jumpy. There would be a story line going on and then it would jump to something completely different.

It took me over four months to get through this book and in hindsight I should have DNFed it early on, but I don’t like not finishing books, especially review copies. I also don’t like leaving negative reviews, so I’ll try to keep this fairly brief.

I’ve heard good things about Opal Carew so I was looking forward to this but it was just… not good. I don’t know if her writing style has changed recently, but this felt like a very early unedited first rough draft of a story.

None of the characters have any personality whatsoever, the female MC in particular is a total doormat, and the love interests aren’t likeable. The villain is an over-the-top jackass and the conflict with him is resolved way too easily (goes back to my point about the MC being a doormat – not at all what we want from our heroines in 2020).

The writing felt very basic and juvenile, and the sex scenes lacked steam and were underwhelming and unoriginal. I can forgive a weak plot in erotica if the actual erotica makes up for it, but this did not.

Aside from this, the formatting made this almost completely unreadable: there were section breaks in the middle of a conversation with no POV change, and then the POV would suddenly change in the middle of a paragraph. The author would drop us in in the middle of a scene with no explanation of what was going on, often referring to "he" as if we were supposed to know who she was talking about. It felt like sections were just missing and it was all very confusing and completely took away any enjoyment I might have gotten out of the incredibly lackluster story.

Admittedly I did read a galley so hopefully some of these issues will get fixed, but honestly unless this goes through some very heavy editing before its release, I recommend skipping this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I did not like this at all. I think this falls in the category of mine I like to call "roll your eyes erotica". It's not erotic. It's not romantic. I found the story to be ridiculous. I'm sure there are going to be people out there that might love this book. I'm not one of them. It was a struggle to get through and I wish I could get my time back.

I don't like leaving reviews like this, but I can not recommend this the way it is.

Stroke of Luck is about April who finds her fiancé has cheated on her the day before her wedding. He ruins her life since he has control over all aspects of her life. She happens to meet Quinn, her former flame and he helps her out. He along with his business partner and best friend Austin, form a relationship of sorts that’s mutually beneficial.
There’s a lot of sex, which is pretty hot, and the story is pretty good. She marries both men, but is really mostly with Quinn. I feel like Austin should have felt more included in the relationship. April was also kind of a wilting flower through most of this, and didn’t really find her self until the end. I like stronger women in stories and she just didn’t do it for me.
I received an arc from Netgalley for my honest opinion.