Review: How to Master a Millionaire by Talia Hunter

Title: How to Master a Millionaire
Author: Talia Hunter
Source: Author Request
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: March 9, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 4

She’ll learn to tame him…

When he scores the lead role in a feature film, millionaire model-turned-actor Max Oberon won’t let anything mess up his big break. But there’s a problem. His character’s submissive relationship is a big part of the movie, and Max can’t seem to make it convincing. Solution? Five days with a dominatrix should help him overcome his need for total control.

Ally’s life is one hot mess. A broke blogger, this story could be her chance to get back on her feet. If Ally can pass herself off as a dominatrix, she can publish a tell-all article and get the money she needs to keep from losing everything. So what if she’s clueless about anything kinky, and her abusive ex left her with a self-confidence problem?

Although Ally can’t give orders and Max hates taking them, together they discover new ways of commanding pleasure. But will Ally’s deception destroy their one chance at love?

The whole idea behind this book was pure genius.  Seriously...what would a somewhat shy girl do if they had to pretend to be dominatrix for a week?  Ally somehow manages to convince Max that she is on - I never would have been able to pull it off without giggling.  Watching her take on this new role was really fun and it showed how strong she was and her ability to overcome her nerves.

Max is all alpha male so trying to learn to like submission is pretty hard for him.  He's glad that Ally seems to make it easier and you can really see the chemistry growing between them from the moment they meet.  I wish we had seen a little more of his softer side earlier in the story - but he hid it away until a bit later and then just let it loose.

So...why not five stars.  Well, romances based on lies can be tricky to wrap up.  Max is really pissed at Ally when he finds out she lied about be a dominatrix, but he still loves her.  What to do?  Not gonna give it away, but Talia Hunter did a pretty dang good job wrapping it up.  One of the better post-lie make ups I've seen.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Guest Post by Talia Hunter: Writing Young Adult vs Adult Fiction - Three Hot Tips!

Talia Hunter is a new writer to the Adult Romance world - but I predict she is going to take it by storm.  I loved her new release Her Hot Number and awarded it our Hot Picks award.  Talia has previously written in the YA genre (which is a genre I also love) and today she shares with us some tips on how the make writing across age groups work.

Writing YA Versus Adult Fiction – Three Hot Tips! by Talia Hunter

Confession time. When it comes to reading, I’m an unashamed genre slut. I’ll quite happily jump into bed with a hot and steamy romance, and later you might find me cozying up to an epic fantasy, or switching to a fast-paced young adult novel to get my heart pumping.

But one of the first things people told me when I started writing my own books, was not to write in different genres. Apparently it’s hard to connect with readers if you write different kinds of stories for different audiences.

So what did I do? Yup, exactly what I shouldn’t! I’ve published two books for young adults - an adventure story and a comedy - and my first adult romance, Her Hot Number, has just been released.

So what’s the difference between writing for different audiences? Here are three hot tips:

1. Keep Your Foot On The Gas Pedal.

If you’re writing for teens, keep in mind that you’re competing with games, movies, and other media, so whatever you write needs to cut through that noise to hold your readers’ attention. Make sure your story maintains a good pace and doesn’t sag. Many YA novels are written in first person, and some in present tense to give them a greater sense of immediacy. It’s an excellent challenge for any writer!

If you’re writing adult romance, you can ease up on the gas pedal a little as long as you still keep your story moving. The important thing is to dig in deep to your characters emotions, laying out what makes them tick. Take your characters (and your readers) on a deep emotional journey, travelling through hope and anticipation, through despair, to intense joy… and of course, love.  The more profound the journey is for your characters, the better for your readers.

2. Let Your Characters Speak.

If you’re worried about what kind of language is appropriate for your readers, don’t! No matter who you’re writing for, you should always stay true to the language your point-of-view character would use. If your adult novel protagonist is uneducated, write simply. If your young adult protagonist is highly intelligent, go ahead and use complex words and sentences. If you remember that your characters, not your audience, should define your language, you’ll avoid any temptation to talk down to your readers. Concentrate on telling the story truthfully, exactly as your point-of-view character would tell it, and it will have the right voice.

3. Book Monogamy Is Boring!

My final tip is one you’ve probably heard before, as it’s the single most important thing any writer can do. Get promiscuous with books and read widely—and especially read in whatever genre you want to write in.

Even if you don’t want to write for teens, I challenge you to make your next read a YA novel. Personally I think some of today’s most exciting writing is for young adults, with authors like John Green, Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, Laini Taylor, and Rainbow Rowell some of my favorites. Give them a try, and you might just find a new love!

And if you’re looking for a hot adult romance that will take you on an emotional journey, check out Her Hot Number.  It’s out now from Entangled Publishing. 

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Author Bio:

Talia Hunter likes writing about smart, funny women, and the men who set their hearts on fire. Her motto is, If you aren’t laughing, you aren’t doing it right.

A formerly committed city dweller, she’s recently moved to the country. She’s put in a vege garden, learned how to make bread, and is now the proud owner of a pair of gumboots. These days she spends time Googling important questions such as how to cope with a runaway zucchini crop (make fritters), and narrowing down exactly what kind of giant hairy spider might be eyeballing her from the washing tub.

To learn more about Talia, visit www.taliahunter.com or connect with her on social media.

Author Links:

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Review by Jasmyn: Her Hot Number

Review: Her Hot Number by Talia Hunter

Title: Her Hot Number
Author: Talia Hunter
Source: Entangled Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: October 20, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 5
Sexual - 3

One bad boy billionaire plus one sexy geek equals one hot fling.

It's a travel nightmare for mathematician Caylee Reynolds. It's bad enough that her luggage was lost en route to her conference, but when she arrives at the Australian resort and learns that she's also lost her reservation, Caylee’s ready to break down. Then things get even worse. The resort is owned by Blake Sampson―the bad boy who once took everything from her...

Blake thought he’d left his troubled past far behind him. Then the sexy-but-proper math guru he’s never been able to forget walks into his lobby. Hoping to show Caylee he’s changed, he offers to share his suite. Except the attraction between them only grows in such close quarters―exponentially.

Even though Blake’s incredibly successful—and hot—Caylee’s not sure she can risk her heart again. Not after the way he destroyed her trust when he disappeared years ago. But if she's wrong in her calculations, she could lose everything...

This book just about had it all.  The hot bad boy with a heart of gold, a smart woman that knows what she wants, and a tropical paradise.  With a history that goes back years for our main characters - one that's filled with untruths and assumptions that have haunted them both for years.  So much goodness I couldn't believe it.

So Caylee is pretty damn smart.  She's a mathematician working on some pretty heavy concepts, but may be losing her funding if she doesn't impress the new director.  So off she goes to a conference at an island resort run by - or course - her crush from long ago - the one that loved her and left and she's still pissed at how she thinks he did it.

Blake is an amazing bad boy turned billionaire.  He comes from a rough past and it never truly leaves him, but he's made the best of all the lessons he's learned and come out on top - and then some.  He now owns the resort and jumps at the chance to help Caylee when her travel plays go awry.  He also jumps at the chance to show her what he's made of himself.  He feels the need to prove to this beautiful and smart woman that he's not the loser he seems to think she thinks he is.

Now, I mentioned they have a history - but it isn't didn't fall out the way either of them though it did.  I'm not normally a huge fan of misunderstandings driving emotions in romances, but this one was written in a way that I could actually see it happening.  Their assumptions were logical based on the way events played out and they never had reasons to doubt them - until now.  Now the both need to be honest and own up to what they did and didn't do if they want to find out if they'll ever work.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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