The Romance Reviews

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Release Blitz: XO, Blake (The Undergrade Years #3) by Avery Aster

XO Release Banner

For fans of the dark comedy film Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down comes an erotic exploration in domination and submission where Ivy League students let their naughtiest desires run wild…

If you think my besties Lex, Taddy, and Vive have had some bad luck earlier this year, cut to me at Glamorama. Last thing I remembered was dancing with Diego and Miguel from my English class, when the room started… spinning. And not in a good way! We got sick. Think Regan in The Exorcist. Taddy was rushed to the hospital. Holding on for dear life, I was carried out by the boys and taken back to their dorm.

Now I’m waking up in Diego’s bed and Miguel keeps staring at me from across the room. I’ve wanted to get into these dudes’ pants since the first day of class. But Diego told me he likes to be tied up and—wait for it—spanked. WTF! The news on TV reports that last night we all got roofied. And Vive just texted me saying that someone is out to kill her. Could this semester get any more bizarre? -–Blake Morgan, college freshman, gay best friend, virgin.

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xo blake excerpt

Fuck. Pre-cum.

Utterly compelling, his magnetism was so potent I could get drunk just by looking at him. Clearly my body couldn’t control itself.

“And?” He came over and straddled my legs, curled himself into the curve of my body. Then his sexy mouth descended to meet mine, first slowly, drugging those lips until our tongues danced.

With a lightness in my chest, my lips burned in the aftermath of his kiss. Damn, he’s good. Gasping in delight, I reached for his hand and embraced the adrenaline rush of being with him. The stroke of his skin sent erotic jolts through every part of my body. There was a dreamy intimacy between us, as if everything was standing still. Except for my heart. That was beating at a zillion pulses a second.

Wet. His mouth covered mine hungrily as we tongued all over again.

Fuuuck. I curled my toes. A delightful shiver of wanting ran through me. I was going to cum in my pants. Any second now. Air, I need to breathe. Instinctively, my hand came up to his chest, begging for a minute.

Filled with desire to know, my pulse quickened as I demanded, “Tell me why you have the rope…”

“I like to use it when I’m having sex.” His mouth grazed my earlobe.

Hearing that made my heart thump erratically. I bit down on my lower lip before asking, “Do you get tied up or do they?” When he didn’t give me an answer, I pressed my open lips to his and murmured, “Tell…me.”

“Usually, they do.” He kissed the sensitive spot of my neck. “I like the power it gives me, having someone helpless under my body. I’m in complete control of them.” A series of slow kisses all over my entire face ensued. It sent a shiver up and down my spine until he rested his lips against my scar, kissing it…twice.

“Does that hurt?” he asked.

Shaking my head, I replied, “The doctors told me I have nerve damage. Mostly, it just feels numb.” Self-conscious, my gaze fell on the floor.

“Hey, guapo…look at me.” He grabbed my chin, his brown eyes flickering with intent. “Let me see your smile.”

My face must’ve been bright red, because I felt embarrassed. I grinned back at him.

“There you go, guapo. You are a beautiful man.” His lips brushed my scar.

Drugged by his compliments, feeling a bit more self-confident, I muttered, “Thanks,” and kissed him back. We took our time getting to know every square inch of each other’s flesh. Curious to see what all that control would feel like, I confessed, “I want to tie you up.”

“Why?”

“The power.” My emotions skittered. “Lately, my life has been sorta slipping through my hands—”

“So…you tying me up will help balance you out?”

“Maybe.” My consciousness seemed to ebb and then the burning desire to fuck him took over, more than ever. “Have you ever been tied up before?”

“No. Like I said, usually I do all the tying.”

My lips curved down into a frown.

“But…”

“Yes?” My voice went up an octave.

“I’m willing to bottom for you, so I might as well let you tie me up.”

“Really?” My eyes blinked.

“Sí.”

“Good. Very good.”




XO, Blake (The Undergrad Years, #3)XO, Blake by Avery Aster

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Undergrad Years are like – The OC, 90210 and Gossip Girl on steroids – I love it!


This is part three of The Undergrad Years, a spinoff series or prequel series if you will, to the very popular Manhattanites Series by Avery Aster. The Undergrad Years features or favorite besties Lex, Taddy, Vive and Blake as college students. Each installment has the close knit clan in crazy adventures attracting attention and drama everywhere they go.

This installment is all about Blake Morgan III. I loved finding out more about Blake. I have to admit out of all the Manhattanites he was not my favorite. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t getting why the girls loved him so much. Reading XO, Blake and going back in time to the college years with them taught me so much about Blake. He is a generous, kind, loving friend to all and these girls would be lost without him.

Avery Aster manages to write stories that make me laugh out loud, hold my breath in anticipation and get emotional all in a few chapters. Though there are lots of funny parts to XO, Blake there are also some serious issues that the author address very tastefully. Blake is dyslexic when he writes in his journal Avery was sure to show us his mistakes which made the character all the more realistic. There is also talk among the friends as well as between Blake and his mother about HIV/AIDS and safe sex. Important issues that I still find even today people have a hard time talking about.

The romance part of this installment is the new relationship between Diego and Blake. The sex scenes were very well written as I would only expect from Ms. Aster. There is a bit of light BDSM scenes that I though played well in the story. I felt so bad for Miguel loving Blake from a far poor guy. I can’t wait to read Unsaid, which is the Manhattanite series story of Miguel and Blake. I read it on Wattpad but it was revised since then so I am curious to read the changes that were made.

Taddy, Vive and Lex make their voices known in Blake’s life as well as Thor which of course means big scandals galore.

This book can be read as standalone but I highly recommend reading the whole series as well as the Manhattanites series.

The Undergrad Years are about friendship, first love, and growing into adulthood albeit kicking and screaming.

*Received and ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*




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New York Times, USA Today bestselling author Avery Aster pens The Manhattanites, a modern romance series of juicy melodramas multilayered on love, friendship, scandal, and drama to the hilt. As a resident of New York’s Upper East Side and a graduate from New York University, Avery gives readers an inside look at the city’s glitzy nightlife, socialite sexcapades and tall tales of the über-rich and ultra-famous. “I write about what I see in my metropolis that never sleeps–beautiful people on the quest for a passionate thrill,” Avery says. By and large, Avery’s characters are ripped straight from the headlines, speak their minds and always get what they want.

Undressed #1 (Lex & Massimo) launched The Manhattanites series. Unscrupulous #2 (Taddy & Warner) is the prequel. Also, stay tuned for the sequel with Unsaid #3 (Blake & Miguel) coming summer 2014.

The Manhattanites is for fans who miss TV shows like Sex & The City or watch Girls (HBO), Revenge (ABC), and The Bold & the Beautiful (CBS) . Avery’s characters are over the top. They have cray-cray fun, speak their minds and always get what they want. Each novel may be read as a stand alone.

Note: Avery Aster practices “follow my ass and I’ll follow you back!”

Join Avery’s Newsletter and get a free ebook: http://eepurl.com/CQ665










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