Blog Stop, review and Giveaway; Vivian's List by Haleigh Lovell

Title: Vivian's List 

Author: Haleigh Lovell

Genre:  New Adult Erotic Romance
Tour Organised by: Tasty Book Tours
Publication Date: September 12, 2013

Purchase Link: Amazon  
Add to: Goodreads 

Blurb

Vivian Sorenson is in a verbally abusive relationship, and all the abuse has left her feeling lost and disoriented. When her boyfriend, Brody, calls her "frigid" and "boring ol' vanilla," Vivian ends the toxic relationship and embarks on a journey of sexual self-discovery. Hence, the sexual bucket list or as she calls it: Vivian's List. 

Liam Sykes has known Vivian all his life. He's always been overly protective of her and perhaps half in love with her, too. When he happens upon Vivian's sexual bucket list, he agrees to be her sexual partner. Soon it becomes more than just sex as Liam picks up every jagged little shard of Vivian's shattered heart and pieces it back together, replacing it with a piece of his own.

** New Adult Erotic Romance intended for readers 18+ due to language and sexual content

My Review 

 ~ Respect exists only on the basis of freedom, for love is the child of freedom, never that of domination ~

Living in an abusive relationship and unable to see the signs, is exactly what Viv's current situation is. When her Brother's best friend comes home from Iraq he sees the signs and is able to make Viv see what she is unable to. With his own history of abuse growing up, Brody wants nothing more than to see the old Viv. The Viv that he can't get out of his mind. Slowly and tenderly he is able to bring Viv back. 

You may not realize this, but you're doubting yourself more and more each day.

You are loosing yourself. You are losing your voice.

When Viv finds herself coming to terms with what her relationship with her Ex has left her. She decides to make a sex bucket list. When Brody finds it, she convinces him to help her accomplish it. 

"I want tonight to be only about your pleasure," He said, already breaking away from my mouth to kiss a slow trail down my throat, to the hollow at its base. "I want you to know it should feel like to have a man make love to you." 

But soon things become complicated. They have no control over their feelings, and Viv and Brody soon find themselves in much further than either of them thought possible. 

I wondered how I could ever have loved anyone else in my life 

Not only was Viv beautifully profound, she was profoundly beautiful. 

And In that moment, I knew. The list, it didn't matter anymore. What we had between us was bigger than the list. It was more than just sex. It was so much more 

But where does that leave them when Brody is about to head back into duty? Will their few short weeks be able to handle the distance? 

I really enjoyed this. It was so much more than what I was expected. 

When you meet Viv you really do feel for her situation. But as she moves forward, her wit and humour shines through. I loved Brody. You really do feel his attraction to Viv even before the list was introduced. The Sex was soooo hot! 
The scene when her watches her in front of the mirror...... SMOKING 
I can't wait for the next instalment!  I need it now! 

4.5 Steamy, Sexy Stars 

Buy it

Read it 

Love it 

Excerpt

Unable to meet his gaze, I picked up my fork and pushed the food around the plate in a circle. “He accused me of sleeping with you.” I inhaled sharply. “And he called me frigid again.” I paused and took a swig of wine to cover my distress. “Sometimes I can’t help but wonder …  if I wasn’t so frigid in bed, he wouldn’t have needed to find it elsewhere.”

I heard Liam exhale. “Don’t do that, Viv.”

As I fiddled with the stem of the wineglass, I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Do what?” 

“Doubt yourself. Blame yourself. Don’t do that.” His voice was nothing but kind. There was no hint of condescension in it.

I tried to speak, failed, so I drank some more wine.

“Listen.” Liam set his fork on the table. “If a girl is frigid, it is usually because the way she is treated outside of bed has left her frigid.”

“But there has to be something wrong with me. I mean, what twenty-two-year-old has never experienced the Big O? You know, I can be a little uptight, even high-strung at times. So really, it could just be me.”

“It’s not you,” Liam said firmly. “Don’t let Brody mess with your head. Do you know that about ten percent of women have never experienced an orgasm? And most women aren’t able to climax with intercourse alone. They need other sorts of …” He paused, seemingly to search for the word. “Stimulation.”

The word made a blush rise on my neck and throat.

Liam leaned back in his chair and regarded me steadily. “And from what it sounds like, Brody is a fucking moron. No guy should ever expect you to function with the predictability of a machine. And if he does, then he should just have sex with his car.”

I smothered a giggle. “So I take it you’ve had plenty of experience helping girls reach the pinnacle of sexual passion.”

His lips turned upward in a semi-grin. “Not really.”

“C’mon,” I teased, swirling the wine in my glass. “What about all those Jessicas you dated? Jessica Neal, Jessica Cena, Jessica Long, Jessica Alba?”

He let out a dismissive laugh. “I never dated Jessica Alba.”

As I forked a mouthful of ravioli, I pointed out, “You had the biggest crush on her, though.”

He didn’t deny it. “Me and every other guy I knew.”

I arched an eyebrow. “So did you love all the other Jessicas?”

He shrugged. “Truthfully, I don’t think I even knew what love was back then.”

I eyed him curiously. “Do you know now?”

He shoveled in a bite, chewed then swallowed. “I think I may have some idea.”

I leaned back in my chair and ran a fingertip around the rim of my wineglass. “What do you think love should feel like? Fireworks? Crazy intense, mad passion?”

The look he gave me was long and considering. He lifted his glass and took a swig before answering. “I think a slow burning candle produces more warmth and light than a brief explosion.”

We stared at each other as his words hung in the air between us. “With Brody …” I spoke into the silence. “It was crazy intense. I met him in college my freshman year. And right from the start, we had instant fireworks … the brief explosions you were just talking about. He pretty much swept me off my feet, and I kind of jumped off the diving board into the deep end.” 

Liam had a deep and intent expression on his face as he listened to me. 

His eyes were open and accepting. Nonjudgmental. 

When I finished, he grew quiet for a moment. Then he said, “I think the idea that love must be crazy intense all the time is what keeps people from being satisfied with the normal, boring day-to-day love. The sort of quiet love that is tucked away in the corner instead of shouted from the rooftops. That kind of simple day-to-day love … that quiet love, it might seem dull to others. But for me—” He gave a short shrug— “that’s love.”

Author Info

Haleigh Lovell lives in the west coast with her husband and three rescue dogs. Haleigh received a B.A. in Journalism and a B.A in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin--Madison. Despite training as a journalist and a sociologist, Haleigh soon found she preferred making up her own stories--stories with heat and heart.
An expert at the art of procrastination, Haleigh is easily distracted by food and can often be found snacking on Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Pringles, Kit Kat bars, Toblerones and sushi.

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