Beach Blanket Bad Boys

Beach Blanket Bad Boys by Linda Lael Miller, Alison Kent, Lucy Monroe, Jill Shalvis, Susanna Carr, Morgan Leigh is 311 pages. Being a Brava book you need to add in the previews at the end, three books at about 20 pages. Now don't get me wrong, I am one of those people that hate to miss the previews at the movies so I like the way Brava teases you with their other books. The only time previews annoy the shit out of me is when they preview the book, in the book. How difficult is it to take out the preview or put in a different one? That screams of apathy to me. And with as much money as I spend on books, publishers showing me they don't care or are not paying attention, make me want to spend my money elsewhere. hmmm but I digress... I did have a point. Oh yes, so we are looking at about 290 pages for SIX authors. I really need to look at those types of things before buying anthologies. That being said the stories are pretty short, quick to read but fun for the most part. Batteries Not Required by Linda Lael Miller headlines the pack and I am not really sure why. I know she has written tons of books (4 in my tbr) but I would have thought Alison Kent or Jill Shalvis would lead. But again I digress. At 33 pages this is one of my faves of the group. In fact I would have loved it to be longer. Gayle's reason for leaving her small hometown, and bad boy Tristan, in the manner she did is really a lil thin. But Gayle and Tristan grab you from the start and make you go with the flow. Sara Smiles by Alison Kent (47pgs and five books tbr) is a story that could happen to any woman. And to me that is interesting. I love fantasy and can go for a ride on many different topics and plots but I also like it when you can almost touch a story. Sara's bad boy, Jax is a lil melodramatic due to the size of the story. You don't get a chance to flush him out as much as a longer novella would but you can still feel his pain and see where his angst comes from. Now both BNR and SS are the type of novella’s that starts with the h/h having a history and I have to confess I like that. It is easier to buy the falling in love and marriage and baby carriage in 24 hrs or so when there is a foundation to build on. But a good writer can sell me on love at first sight. Lucy Monroe tries a lil too hard in Seducing Tabby (44pg none in tbr). I am not sure what I didn't like about the story. I didn't hate it but it was very eh. Maybe the woe is me everyone loveses my sister and not me plot is just too cooked for me. Although I did love the spin she put on it with Tabby and Helen both loving and respecting each other and not fighting to get the hero. And the hero, Calder was just a little too perfect. Jill Shalvis is the first author in the bunch I have read. Captivated (53pgs and 3 books tbr) was the hottest of the stories in the bunch, sez I. And that was a little surprising. Not that I didn't expect Shalvis to create some steam but I expected all the stories to be spicier than they were. Not erotica, or woo hoo lets have a threeway with an alien sex but Brava! Sorry I am getting off track again. I didn't like Ella, she was TSTL and I sort of got the impression she was suppose to start out that way (forgive me jill if I am wrong). She grows up in this short tale and is much more likeable at the end and James (her soon to be ex) does some changing for the better as well. And hell to be able to have character growth and steamy ocean sex in 53 pages says something good. At least I think so. Sister Switch by Susanna Carr (46pgs no tbr) had me groaning at the summary and not in a good way. I am just not much for twin stories and for the old switcharoo. And honestly I almost just skipped this story completely but I had wanted to try Carr. I could have skipped it I think. And since this was just a 46pg story I do plan on reading her again. The whole plot of the story was just ick and I am not one of those 'omg marriage is holy and not to be screwed with' people. So for me to go ick and roll my eyes, that says something. I did like how Nick had her number from the get go and the nice tightly wrapped up HEA for everyone at the end. But still I rolled my eyes. Might just be me. Morgan Leigh is an author who has given me quite a few novellas's to like. hee given me, yes they were written just for me. I allowed the rest of the world to buy them cuz I am nice like that. Spencer For... Ever (46pgs no tbr) isn't her best but is still good. Arden is a woman who was a wuss in the past and now knows what she wants and is going to get it. She might make an ass of herself along the way but she is damn well going to try. I like that in a woman. And woo hoo once again some steam. Don't get me wrong they all get it on, hell in BNR they do it on a pool table, but I just expected more from bad boys. Someone get Shannon McKenna on the phone. To hell with bonding with her new baby we need smut. Sorry, fine, I have Out Of Control and Behind Closed Doors to read she can go bond. OH and I found Return to Me. I am rambling again. Sorry it is the drugs for my migraine. Oh who the hell am I trying to kid, I fucking ramble. This is the first Bad Boys book I have read cover to cover in one sitting. And if you were looking for a good book to kick back on the beach with or by the pool, I would say this is for you. Short, sweet and a lil smutty, you can't go wrong with that. ***(notes the number of pages I prolly very badly tried to calculate in my head and the number of books I have by the author to be read)