The Pleasures of Summer
PENGUIN BOOKS
‘Evie Hunter’ is actually two authors who met at a creative writing workshop in 2010 and discovered a shared love of erotica. Since then, while they have both written fiction in other genres, they have also written a number of BDSM-themed novellas together.
The Pleasures of Summer
is their second collaboration on a novel, following the publication of their first,
The Pleasures of Winter
, in late 2012.
Praise for
The Pleasures of Winter
‘Move over
Fifty
… this gives more pleasure … a thrashing good read’
Irish Independent
‘Danger, heat, obsession and unexplored desires come together to form a combustive and sizzling tale, not soon forgotten … Did I mention the chemistry that they share?! You will definitely not need a blanket to keep yourself warm as you read this one! … [It’s] a knockout story that will grip readers and have them flying through the pages at a heart-stopping rate. There were times while I was reading that I found myself so emotionally engrossed within the story and the characters that I found my heart skipping and tears welling up’
Romancing the Book
(full review at
www.romancing-the-book.com
)
‘
The Pleasures of Winter
is perfect for fans of erotic romance that is heavy on the romance but still contains a little kink. If you’re looking for something hot and steamy with intense chemistry then you can’t go wrong with this one’
Feeling Fictional
(full review at
www.feelingfictional.com
)
‘
The Pleasures of Winter
is one of those rare books that has stolen my heart, my mind and my soul … I loved it that much. I was hooked from page one right up until the last page. I got so caught up within the story that I was actually heartbroken when the book finished because I didn’t want it to end … a flawless, exciting and downright steamy read that will stay with you long after your finish’
Totally Bookalicious
(full review at
www.totally-bookalicious.blogspot.co.uk
)
‘Some very steamy BDSM scenes …
The Pleasures of Winter
is explosive, action-packed, and a very interesting original story’
Tome Tender
(full review at
www.tometender.blogspot.fr
)
‘Where
Fifty Shades
lacked in quality,
Pleasures
prevailed. This book was written in a smart and sassy tone that reminded me a bit of the chick-lit genre – which I love! The female characters were strong women who worked hard, valued their relationships and weren’t just waiting around for love to come and find them’
A Bookish Way of Life
(full review at
www.abookishwayoflife.blogspot.fr
)
‘There is an awful lot of erotica on the shelves these days and they all seem to look the same, but I have to say I enjoyed
The Pleasures of Winter
immensely. [It is] well-written and compelling and [I] would recommend it to fans of erotica’
Novelicious
(full review at
www.novelicious.com
)
‘Is this book a long awaited reprieve for those that love
Fifty Shades of Grey
? I’m going to say, YES. And this is the first time I’m going to say it. This book has all the flavors of
Fifty
, yet this book stands on its own. It’s not a recreation with different characters in slightly different roles. This book is just different’
My Book Boyfriend
(full review at
www.mybookboyfriend.blogspot.fr
)
‘All I can say is, Holy yowza, Batman! Yes, this book falls firmly into the ‘What to read after
Fifty Shades of Grey
’ category, but in my opinion – and pay attention to me here, people – this book blows
Fifty Shades
out of the water. That’s right, I said it … I unabashedly adored this book’
This Bookish Endeavor
(full review at
www.ravingbookaddict.blogspot.ie
)
Quotes from
Goodreads.com
user reviews:
‘Sexcapades delivered with a bit o’ pain by a beautiful Irishman. Yum! Everyone should roll around a bit in
The Pleasures of Winter
. Wickedly Delicious!’
‘What can I say – it took my breath away … It was a truly intimate love story … I laughed, I cried, I got frustrated with Abbie because of the way he was treating her … but as the story went on I got to understand Jack a bit more and realized why he was like this. [He] truly loved Abbie … It was an awesome read and very well written.’
‘Awesome book! If you are a fan of
Fifty Shades of Grey
or
Bared to You
, you must read this book!’
‘The book was deliciously titillating! I loved the characters and the story. I also love the sex scenes, they were seriously steamy … I do not believe I will ever be able to look at a feather again without feeling dirty!’
‘Wow, did this book take me by surprise. I’ve been looking for something similar to
Fifty Shades
and
Bared to You
for a while and this book is definitely up there with them.’
‘Reading the description of
The Pleasures Of Winter
one may just assume it’s yet another
Fifty Shades/Bared To You
bandwagon book, but it is so much more. I honestly found myself enjoying this book way more.’
To our families
December
Summer O’Sullivan’s heart pounded when she checked her rear view mirror again. The blue van was still following her. Usually she wouldn’t notice anything less exotic than a Bugatti Veyron, but it was after 4 a.m. and she’d had two unpleasant encounters already that night. Why couldn’t the paparazzi leave her alone?
She accelerated away from the van, only to be stopped fifty yards down the street at the pedestrian crossing. Summer tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as the remnants of a hen party staggered across the road singing ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’. The bride carried a traffic cone. How could they take so long?
She glanced at the mirror; the blue van was still on her tail. The creep wasn’t acting like a pap, but he was driving close enough to send a trickle of sweat down her spine. Summer fumbled in her bag for her mobile phone.
Bugger.
It was dead. She must have forgotten to charge it.
As the lights changed, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator. Her BMW shot forwards with a screech and she raced away. She didn’t care if she got a ticket. In fact, she would be delighted to be stopped by a policeman anytime now.
London’s finest weren’t inclined to oblige her.
Praying that she had lost him, Summer took the turn for Hampstead. She glanced in her mirror, relieved when there was no sign of the van. Exhaling a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding, she eased back on the accelerator.
Summer switched on the radio, hoping the late-night jazz would calm her. Maybe she was overreacting, but since the break-up with Adam, her life had turned crazy.
It’s over. Don’t think about him now.
Lights flashed behind her, taking her by surprise, and a van overtook her at speed, causing her to swerve on the icy road. Bloody lunatic.
She relaxed when she saw the turn off. Almost home. She rounded the final bend with relief.
‘What the –’ Headlights blinded her and for a split second she couldn’t see a thing. She blinked. There was a vehicle blocking the road. Instinctively, she jammed on the brakes and the rear wheels lost traction. Her nails dug into the leather-covered steering wheel as she turned into the skid, struggling to regain control, but it was too late. Her car hit the kerb and she jerked forwards. The seatbelt whipped her back against the seat like a rag doll, knocking the breath from her lungs. The airbag engaged before she had time to scream.
Blackness. Fuzzy vision. Everything hurt and there was blood. Hers, she realized with a hysterical laugh. The sound of wheels spinning uselessly grated on the silent winter road. The radio continued to play a Melody Gardot song about a man with a heart as black as night.
A light flashed through the windscreen. Summer scrunched her eyes shut and then forced them open.
‘Hold on. I’ll soon have you out.’ The voice was muffled.
‘Oh, thank god,’ she gasped.
It rattled, but the driver’s door wouldn’t open. The man walked around to the passenger door and tugged hard, cursing when he realized that it was jammed.
He knocked on the window. ‘Open it.’
‘Ca-a-an’t,’ she managed. ‘I think my arm is …’
‘Open the fucking door.’ He banged on the roof of the car.
Why was he shouting at her? Summer squinted, trying to focus on the road. There was no patrol car, no ambulance, just a dark van. A sharp blow on the window made her jump. The glass in the passenger window shattered, the cracks spreading out like a spider’s web. What the hell was he doing? Was he crazy? Was this a robbery? A car-jack?
‘Please don’t,’ she whimpered. A trickle of moisture blinded her. She wiped it away, sickened when she realized that it was blood.
The man struck the window again and it collapsed into the passenger seat in a shattering rush. She shrieked as he reached through the broken window and tugged at the handle. He ignored the Chanel tote on the passenger seat. It wasn’t a robbery. He wanted her.
‘You fucking little bitch.’ He grabbed her sleeve, wrenching her arm as he pulled it, and a bright arc of pain shot through her. Oh god. Oh god. Her heart thudded until she thought it was going to explode. Somehow, she dragged her arm free and grabbing a handful of the broken glass on the passenger seat, she flung it in his face.
‘Whore,’ he spat, recoiling. ‘You’ll fucking pay for that.’
She needed a weapon. Shoes. She had the needle-spiked Louboutins she had worn at the party. Her fingertips brushed the soft suede, but she couldn’t get a grip. Again, and this time she caught something. Her shoulder screamed in protest as she dragged the shoe free. When he reached through the window again she slammed the heel into his hand as hard as she could. He roared with pain.
Summer pressed her hand on the car horn and held it down.
Somebody hear me. Somebody please hear me.
After that, everything went black.