Better Than Sexy (Sexy #3) by Carly Phillips-Review & Excerpt Tour
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play / Apple /
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 25, 2020
Insta-love only happens in the movies.
Insta-lust? That she’d buy into.
Until she meets take-charge club owner Landon Bennett and falls head over heels at a glance.
When hot as sin Landon Bennet offers sexy songstress Vivienne Clark a summer residency at his popular Manhattan nightclub, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime and she can’t resist. Add in the man’s obvious interest and seductive attention and life is perfect. Until she puts together the pieces of his past. Fate might have brought them together, but is the intimate relationship they’ve been building strong enough to overcome one painful fact. She’s the sister of the man who killed his twin.
••••••••
REVIEW:BETTER THAN SEXY is the third instalment in Carly Phillips’ contemporary, adult SEXY erotic, romance series, a cross-over with the author’s DARE series. This is nightclub owner Landon Bennett, and singer Vivienne Clark’s story line. BETTER THAN SEXY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I recommend reading the series in order for back story and history.
SOME BACKGROUND: Several years earlier Landon Bennett’s twin brother Levi was killed during a hazing incident at college. Together with his best friends Tanner and Jason, Landon opened the nightclub Ten29, in remembrance of the day his brother died.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Landon and Vivienne) BETTER THAN SEXY follows the building relationship between nightclub owner Landon Bennett, and singer Vivienne ‘Vivi Zane’ Clark. Landon, Jason and Tanner had plans for club Ten29, and when an up and coming singer went viral on social media, our trio offered Vivi Zane a summer residency at Ten29 but little did anyone know that Vivi’s connection to Landon’s past was deeper and darker than anyone could have imagined. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Landon and Vivienne, and the potential fall-out when the truth is revealed about Vivi’s relationship to the man that killed Landon’s brother.
Vivienne Clark is an up and coming star but when she is offered a summer residency at club Ten29 our heroine struggles in the face of the truth. Her brother, an unrepentant killer, has shown no mercy in the face of his sins, and her brother’s sins are about to reflect on our story line heroine. Landon Bennett can never forget the day his brother died, and opening club Ten29 in his memory was only the beginning of Landon’s homage to the brother he lost. Hiring Vivi Zane to perform at the club gave Landon a hope for his own happily ever after, but a HEA that will be destroyed by sins of the past.
The relationship between Landon and Vivienne is one of immediate attraction but neither one knows the connection to one another until Vivienne’s brother reveals the truth during an interview about college hazing. Landon, his partners, as well as his parents struggle in the face of Vivienne’s connection to the man that murdered Levi Bennett, but none more so than Vivienne herself who tried desperately to walk away before everything spiralled out of control. The romance between our couple is one of insta-lust but a relationship that is about to quickly implode. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are reintroduced to Landon’s business partners and best friends: Jason Dare, and his girlfriend Faith (Sexy Dare #1), Tanner Grayson and Scarlett Davis ( Twice as Sexy #2). The colorful secondary and supporting characters include Landon’s parents Carrie and Samuel Bennett, Vivienne’s mother Anne Marie Zane, as well as Vivienne’s agent Owen Rhimes, and her personal assistant Ellie Roberts.
BETTER THAN SEXY is a story of forgiveness and loss; heart break and pain; romance and love. The premise is emotional and captivating; the characters are broken, struggling and charismatic; the romance is seductive but struggles in the face of Levi’s death.
Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Sexy Dare
Twice as Sexy
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
“Yes, it is. Feel free to put your own touches on it for as long as you’re here.”The decorator had pulled together an apartment for three single men.
She treated him to a generous smile. “Thank you.”
Knowing he’d be tempting himself and not caring, he stepped closer until her feminine fragrance filled his nostrils. They stared at each other for a long, charged moment, desire he couldn’t escape building inside him.
She met his gaze and her lips parted. It wasn’t an invitation, but her eyes still held his, and she wasn’t backing away either.
He slid his hand behind her neck, cupping her soft skin. “I know I’m your boss, so no pressure,” he said as he applied a bit to her skin. “But I want to kiss you.”
She paused. Looked up at him. Then rose onto her toes. His mouth met hers. Warm and willing, her soft lips glided against his and his entire body came alive. He tightened his grip on her neck as he slid his tongue into her waiting mouth. She tasted sweet and he deepened the kiss, wanting more of her. With a moan, her body leaned against his, her breasts pressing against his chest.
Their tongues meshed and mingled. Their harsh breathing filled the room. The kiss went on and he was in no rush to end the moment. But suddenly she gasped and pulled away.
“We shouldn’t,” she said, brushing her damp lips with her hand.
“Because…?”
She swallowed hard. “I just … I need to focus on my work,” she said, turning away so he couldn’t see her face.
He narrowed his gaze, wondering if something more was at play. A woman didn’t kiss him like she did, then back off that easily. But he also wasn’t going to push her. He’d see how things between them played out during her time here and take his cues from her. Which didn’t mean he wouldn’t play up the charm and test her resolve.
“I think the apartment will work out well.” She headed for the door.
“Do you need help moving in?”
“I’ve got it but thank you,” she said in a strained voice.
“Who’s helping?” he persisted.
“Well, Ellie. Owen wouldn’t get his hands dirty moving my clothing over. It’s fine. We’ve got it. She’s borrowing her parents’ car.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll be over at eight a.m. tomorrow and we’ll get you moved in.
”He wasn’t going to leave the two women to drag all her things alone back and forth up to the apartment.
“We’ll get me moved in?”
He grinned. “I’ve got partners, don’t I? All you need to worry about is packing your things up. We’ll handle the rest.”
“But–”
He placed a finger to her lips, and damned if her eyes didn’t darken with desire. She might be focused on her career, but she was interested in him as well.
After a successful fifteen-year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers.
Website Mailing List NewsletterGoodreads Amazon Facebook Twitter
Text Updates of New Releases Carly’s Corner! Instagram
Blog & Website Updates Bookbub
