Naughty Games by Lena Matthews

LMatthews-Seven Minutes in HeavenAwhile back ago, I was browsing the free reads on Amazon and found Lena Matthews’ Seven Minutes in Heaven. The premise intrigued me and I thought it would be good for when I got in my next romance funk. Boy was I ever right.  Earlier this month, my mood shifted to romance again and when I started reading it, boy did I get sucked in.

Seven Minutes in Heaven: In honor of her friend’s birthday, Bev Navarro does something she swore never to do again, enter Holden Lancaster’s home. At one time the two had been part of a close-knit group of friends, but that all changed thanks to one game of Seven Minutes in Heaven.

Holden can’t understand why Bev is avoiding him. He can only hope tonight’s festivities will give them the time needed to mend old wounds. But one look at her face tells him he’s in for a night of disappointments.

The birthday surprise is on them though, because they’re receiving a gift neither will ever forget. The stopwatch is going, and the only question is, will they make the same mistake the second time around?

I Never: Thanks to his friend’s thirtieth birthday, Tripp Kowlaski is forced to face the two people he’s been avoiding for the last year-Skylar Daveigh and Gideon Foley. At one time the three of them had been part of a close-knit group of friends, but that all changed thanks to one game of I Never.

Some things can’t be forgiven or forgotten. Unfortunately for Tripp, Gideon isn’t in the mood to do either. He and Skylar are happy now together. The last thing either of them needs is to be reminded of what they can’t have.

Skylar is conflicted. She’s in love with two men who can’t move past their anger or fear to admit their love for one another. All she wants is the three of them to be happy, together, but some wishes aren’t meant to come true. The birthday surprise is on them though, because they’re receiving a gift none of them will ever forget. The only question is, will they make the same mistake the second time around?

The series is all about a group of friends who have had some issues.  There are some definite mixed feelings going on. Not with me, but the characters had their own perceptions from their past adventures and neither have forced (or talked about) the issue. In the first novel, Seven Minutes in Heaven, we get to find out all about the confrontations and they are hot. While there isn’t a lot of depth to the characters, there’s enough for a story of just over a 100 pages each.  It was totally what I was looking for, and it drew me in so well, that I kept thinking about all the characters even after I finished Seven Minutes in Heaven.  The beginning gives enough clues to each couples dilemmas, that you want to know what happens next, but its all done through the eyes of our first couple.  We’re just given a hint before we’re quickly focused on Holden and Bev.

LMatthews-I NeverThis first couple, while they were hot, I’ll be honest, I didn’t connect much to them. Their chemistry was good, but Bev gave in a little too easy for me. It wasn’t her fault for their situation and she should have stressed that more to Holden. She accepted the guilt and I didn’t like that too much.  But there was no denying the chemistry of the two. So while I was unhappy about how fast she gave in, I got over it quickly due to all the smexy hotness that occurred.

As soon as I was finished with Holden and Bev’s story, I just kept thinking What is going to happen with Skylar, Tripp and Gideon?, so I went out and bought I Never. I have to say, where Seven Minutes in Heaven disappointed me, I Never so made up for it. With Bev and Holden, we pretty much stayed in his house for the entire affair; however we get to see this triad take time to reacquaint themselves with each other and actually build their relationship. We get to see them interact with the outside world and face the problems that’s been preventing them from being happy together. I Never was just as hot as Seven Minutes in Heaven, but there was more meat to the story in I Never. So I have to say it was my favorite.

Seven Minutes in Heaven and I Never are the first two books in the Naughty Games series. Sadly, I haven’t had a chance to pick up the third novel, Double Dare, just yet, but it’s definitely in my future. If Shane and Paige’s story is anything like their friends, then it’s definitely going to be what will work when my next romance mood strikes.

Overall, the Naughty Games series by Lena Matthews was definitely what my erotica romance mood needed.  Not only did I get some great characters, but their stories were really engrossing despite having a very obvious plot. Once I started both Seven Minutes in Heaven and I Never, I couldn’t put them down.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.