Mel TeshcoCritiques

4.25/5 stars!

In the latest Virgin Hunt Game, the heroine enters for the social network to find her birth parents, whereas the hero entered as a dare. The two are matched as a pair, and as their relationship deepened throughout the game, they battle everything and everyone to win the contest.

This is my fave book of the sci-fi erotica series. Though there were some details that I didn't like about the hero's past, overall they were the best couple in my view and I enjoyed reading their story. I felt like the story flowed way better in this book and I got to know more of the couple individually. I liked that there is also an animal that caught a character's heart. Overall, this is an entertaining read an I look forward to reading more Mel Teshco books in the future.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**½

The latest addition to The Virgin Hunt Games series features a warrior heroine entering the game not as the pursued, but as the pursuer. With the switched role, the hero is focused on pairing up with the heroine for vengeance. As the competition continues on, the couple will learn more about each other and their competitors in a place where sex and war are fair game, and they must survive until said game is over.

This is a solid addition to this sci-fi erotica series. Each book is provided enough information to be read as a standalone. This particular book has switched the rules a bit, and I found it entertaining to read about. It provided a role that is better suited for the heroine and helped show the hero in a different light. Overall, an entertaining read and I look forward to more books in this Mel Teshco series in the future.

** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thought in the review are my own. **

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 Stars)
Title: Defective
Author(s): Mel Teshco
Character(s):
― Melody Simmons: 23 years old, Blonde, Blue Eyed
― Damon Banscott: Gray Eyed
Setting:
Tag(s): Romance, Sci-fi
Content Rating: R
POV: Third Person
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s): N/A
Overall Opinion:
Mel Teshco “Defective” was a definitely smut-worthy read. I was apprehensive to pick up this series up since Sci-fi stories often times are a hit or miss for me but overall I was left impressed by the authors work. The premise of the series is like very much like the “Hunger Games” but with more of a Sci-fi and Erotica element to it. “Defective” was filled with steamy sex scenes and action but I will mention the only downside to this series was the instant love. Can anyone really fall in love with in love with someone in six to seven days? Realistically no. Yet seeing how this book falls more into the erotica genre, I'll ignored that bit. Besides that factor, I'll keep Mel Teshco on my author radar and will keep a lookout on any future releases from her.

This is a well-written, engaging story with an original plotline, one of the first in Tule's new Eros line. Kate/Brandy is a high class call girl who has finally found success and confidence after a traumatic childhood. Blaine is one of her regular clients who has fallen in love with her and wants a permanent relationship, which makes Kate want to run. Mel Teshco does a great job of including plenty of steamy sex scenes without them being gratuitous or clinical/tasteless as is sometimes the case in the Erotica genre. Ms. Teshco has developed the characters well and the reader gets a good sense of what they're thinking and feeling. A page-turner - it was hard to put down!

This is the first I've read by this author. The characters and other alien creatures and settings were vibrant and interesting. There's lots of action, some angst and emotion and it definitely lives up to its erotica genre. An entertaining and action-filled story. I'll be going back to read books one and two of the series.

"4 out of 5 stars. This novel was a mixture of what I expected and what I had not expected. Also, even though I had not read the Hunger Games series I had watched the movie versions and can definitely say that this novel felt like an adult sexualized version of the Hunger Games – game-wise only as there was no similar plots – with a Cinderellaesque twist to it. THIS NOVEL WAS SOOOOOOOOOO HOT!!! Yet, there were a lot of ..."

Read more of this review and a TEASER here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2021/03/feasted-on-virgin-hunt-games-...

An erotic alien romance!

Each of these books are their own complete story with small references to earlier books in the series, but nothing spoils the story.
That being said, I think Volume 3 is my favorite out of all the books. The relationship between Violet and Zel has just enough tension and passion that I became invested in their outcome. And the ending is so sweet...the best HEA! Even the side characters have just enough depth to really add extra intrigue to the plot. There's plenty of sexy scenes (of course!), but there's also a really interesting storyline too which I've found harder to come by in erotic novels.

Another fast-paced, action-packed, super steamy book. Definitely recommend!

Thank you again, Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for the e-ARC to read and review!

While there were a few good parts, and the writing is fun to read, the characterisation felt flat to me. The speed at which Kate goes from 'I will never change the career I love for a man' to 'I love this man and only this man and will change my entire life for him' felt unrealistically fast. The erotica itself was middling, and in places felt kind of rushed.

3.75/5 stars!

The Virgin Game is the popular competition of females being hunted by males to lose their virginity. When the heroine got captured and offered monetary compensation if she participated in the Virgin Game, she accepted due to gaining wealth for her family as they are struggling financially. The hero entered the game due to vengeance, in which he set his sight on the appointed mate of his enemy. How will the pair cope during the game as each have their own goals for the games while battling other contestants and the obstacles of the game?

Knowing what kind of book this is, I was prepared for the sexy times that the story is focused on. I enjoyed the couple as individuals and together. There was enough information provided to make the world clear in my mind and why such a game came about. Though I didn't mind the sexy times, there was one instant that I didn't like but it fits within the story. It was also nice to read about some of the secondary characters. Overall this is an enjoyable erotic romance and I look forward to reading more Mel Teshco books in the future.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

3.25/5 stars!

In the next Virgin Hunt Game, the human heroine, or the hunted, entered it for credits to help her parents get out of some evil investors' control. Whereas the appointed hunter, the hero, entered the game for his future after leaving a career that was forced on him when he was young. There is u deniable attraction between the couple as they try to survive the game with the most credits to become the winner.

This is a nice addition to the erotica series by Mel Teshco. It definitely made this game of virgin and the hunter become more dangerous as readers immersed themselves in the series. I liked the hero more than the heroine becase of his past and his integrity. On the other hand, the heroine wasn't likable in my eyes until near the end due to her viewpoint and some actions she'd taken. As my usual personal preference, I wanted more details though I did enjoy reading the epilogue. It also seems that there is a character trait that will be explored through the the series. Even though I didn't like this book's heroine as much as the first book's heroine, I look forward to reading more of this Mel Teshco series for enjoyment.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**½

The Virgin Hunt Games Volume 2 dives right into the next Game, there's minimal introduction to the story and I feel that if someone picked this book up first, they wouldn't be lost. There's a few references to the first book, but nothing that would leave you confused.

I'll admit, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first. The story was solid, but the characters were...less likeable. The plot felt a bit forced through the book and the romance was lacking.

There's still plenty of steam and action right up to the end which I enjoyed. And, of course, that happily ever after wraps the story up nicely!

Thank you Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for the e-arc to read and review!

If you're looking for an erotic, alien, romantic...fairytale, look no further!

The Virgin Hunt Games is sexy, action-packed, and even has a happy ending...swoon! There's a prince, bad-ass female, and plenty of steamy scenes, everything you could want in an erotic alien romance. The side characters are interesting, the story is fast-paced and intriguing, and it's all tied up with a sexy bow ;)

Thanks so much to Entangled Publishing for providing an e-copy for me to read and honestly review. I devoured this one!

What starts as a business transaction, quickly leads to a deeper connection. For Amos and Tiffany, no labels are needed. Amos, the rockstar is looking for a way to unwind. Call girl, Tiffany is seeking to leave her broken heart behind. Neither expected the burning attraction or the complications of their unorthodox relationship. Is it possible for the star and the escort to find a happily ever after with each other? Mel Techo knows what it means to be naughty, but behind every liason is a story of emotional turmoil and the healing power of love.

This was an interesting holiday book. There were five stories, each different in its own way.

In the first one, we find a nurse at Crest Haven Psychiatric hospital. Joanie Russell has been at the hospital for years and, in the story, muses and expresses regret for a myriad of things she has experienced or not experienced in life. In the story, the author introduces the reader to some of the patients: a young woman who found her husband with her best friend, a stripling young man who suffered an accident at work, Laura Beal who blamed herself for a terrible tragedy as a result of a fire and who waited for who some sign, and, a young girl who obviously had wandered away from the children’s area. In addition, the nurse meets an investigative reporter, researching information on the hospital and its patients for an investigative story, and Matron Flynn who rules with an iron grip and sometimes has ideas that seemed foreign and ill-suited to Nurse Russell. The story was okay, but not great. The transition from past musings, which became the current reality in the story, to the present at the end was done very poorly. While reading I had to stop to figure out what exactly was going happening, as it was not very clear to me and happened so suddenly. In addition, as I read I expected more on the other patients mentioned—why else include them and their back stories? However, these stories were left hanging. In a short piece such as this one, it is difficult to write a good plot since the space and timing is so short. Putting extra items into the story only serves to confuse the reader and to make the reader wish the story was longer, in my opinion. Finally, I never really did understand the story well, which did not settle well with me.

The second story finds a young girl in a difficult, if not impossible, situation, trying to escape a malicious step-father and still take care of an ailing mother. The story was, for the most part, a dark one. It had little or nothing to do with Christmas and did little to put me in any holiday or festive mood.

The third story was just weird, in my opinion. I found it difficult to relate to the characters, and the setting was very unique for me. I am not sure I would like to read more about Rodger de Jonge or his family after reading this one.

The fourth story was okay, but also kind of strange. I felt little or no connection to the characters, and I thought there was little development beyond the development of Selena and Dallas, and the ending could have been done much better. I wish the author had developed the character of her father and new body guard better.

The last story was the shortest, but was, in my opinion, a fairly good holiday story. It was the kind of story I expected in this collection.

This may be a good collection of holiday stories for someone looking for something a little bit different. It may also appeal to other readers who look for and can relate to things I normally don’t. I received this from the author through NetGalley to read and review.

5 Stars for 5 Wonderful Stories! No two were alike and all have a message for this Holiday Season!

Silent Night by Robyn Grady is women’s fiction that spans decades. Joanie Russel has been a psych nurse for 20 years and believes her future will not change though she has always dreamed of having a family and all that goes with it. What happens on Christmas Eve in 1966 may just provide the Christmas miracle she hopes for!

Running Out of Time by Sara Hantz is a gritty YA novella that has Nicole looking for a way out for her and her mother. A 17 year old loner never allowed time to be a child while caring for her mother and avoiding her stepfather has created tension and more for Nicole. She contemplates options but her time to make changes seems to have run out. A bit of romance might help or might make things worse for her. Great story that made me think.

The Avoidable Orphan by T. M. Clark is General Fiction that is bittersweet. This one had me in tears a couple of times but they were good tears. The ideas of loss, love, grief, family and more were all explored and though there was sadness there was also hope for the future and a coming together of friends, family and animals to make this one a treasure! It also opened my eyes to issues related to elephants that I was not aware of before.

Selena’s Bodyguard by Mel Teshco was short, steamy and dealt with the issue of trust. Though short it was action packed and interesting.

The Billionaire’s Mistletoe Baby by Tabitha Robbins is a sweet holiday short story that has a new mother asking a wealthy man that she worked for in the past to help her out for a few days. There is a happily ever after for Laurel, her daughter and Nick that made me feel good and provided a great way to end the anthology.

Thank you to Net Galley and Hat Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

The Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives series has certainly shocked, educated and entertained me in equal measures. I think I’m going to miss the series when it finishes (there’s one more story, Darla, to go and you can also buy the whole series in one big book now). Camilla is a character who has remained on the fringes of the Double Diamond Dinner Club – some of the housewives seem to actively dislike her while others go out of their way to include her. (Surprisingly, it’s not the women you would expect to be nasty that actually are – Jorja, who we know to be quite insecure from her story is very, very mean to Camilla).

In this story, we find out Camilla’s secret. It’s not that shocking to the majority of us, who are just like her (well, until she married a zillionaire) – Camilla is an ordinary, everyday person. She was a uni student and waitress until Drake swept her off her feet. She’s never been rich until now – her mum brought her up alone and Camilla can’t quite get used to spending up big. Drake is also over twenty years her senior. He wants a baby, she doesn’t. (It would have been good if Camilla’s thoughts on this matter had been explored a little more). However, Drake is determined to make things as easy as he can for Camilla – new wardrobe, event organiser for her turn to host dinner, hot sex etc…

I can’t say that this episode was shocking for me – there was really only one scene that there was a bit out there. I did really enjoy the probing (pun not intended) into Camilla’s backstory and why she’s always been on the fringes of the group. It was lovely to see Virginia, the original ice queen, making a defrosted return in what could have potentially been a Pretty Woman-style moment. The story was a fun and quick read and has me wondering how Darla will end the series…

Thanks to Escape Publishing for the eARC. My review is honest.

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