Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Sex therapists lead us through lessons on sexual discovery and empowerment while fighting their own dark and terrible pasts. (Basically on how not to blush when talking about sex. :oops: )

Opening Sentence: “I’m going to wrap my fingers in your hair and slide my other hand up your thigh. You have to be quiet for me. We can’t let anyone know.”

The Review:

Off the Clock is the newest erotic romance series by Loving on the Edge author Roni Loren. I have only read a few books the in the Loving on the Edge series, and what I have read I loved, so I really had high expectations for this novel. I really wasn’t disappointed. This story was quite erotic without going crazy over the edge, although there was one scene with a wine bottle that is whoa. Roni Loren knows how to write characters with such emotional depth and heartache that I can’t help but fall for them. My only complaint was that the novel was over with way too soon.

The novel starts out when Donovan West and Marin Rush are in college studying sexual research. Marin has had a crush on her TA for months when she unexpectedly runs into him one night. Donovan introduces her to his research and asks for her womanly help wanting to know what really turns women on because he wants his research to work properly. Marin quickly agrees to help him but she isn’t really truthful about who she is because she doesn’t want him to know she is just a freshman. Donovan and Marin share a week of happiness and sensual fun until life smacks Marin in the face and causes her to take a drastic turn in life and college.

Nine years have passed since that fateful night with Donovan. Marin is completely comfortable studying sex research for the college but with personal bills and the college funding for her research disappearing, she must pursue a higher paying job. She isn’t exactly thrilled to go out of her comfort zone of research but as a sex therapist she can make quite a bit more. Marin gets a job at The Grove, a therapy ranch for the rich and famous. Marin didn’t realize that her new co-worker would be the sexy Donovan West.

Donovan West’s job at The Grove is on the line. He’s an excellent therapist and he’s up for a promotion but his behavior of showing up late for his clients and sleeping with other co-workers has his boss upset. If Donovan can’t get Marin trained in six months then he will be out the door with her. Marin is a natural at therapy but the sex talk causes her to blush a lot. When Donovan realizes the lack of experience, he decides to help her get over her shame about sex talk. It will make her a better therapist.

Marin and Donovan both have extremely depressing and sad backgrounds that make them the perfect pair. Marin understands Donovan’s hang ups and frustrations, and Donovan loves that Marin doesn’t look at him differently for his imperfections. Marin was never prudish, she was just too busy for relationships, so when she gets to finally explore, she jumps all in ready to learn what feels good and what does not. Donovan knows sex, it is what he is good at. He doesn’t believe in Love or The One. He especially knows that he isn’t built for a relationship. Marin makes him happy, feel comfortable and relaxed but his insecurities arise when he is alone making him doubt what he could have with her.

Overall, Off the Clock is an amazingly H-O-T read! This novel is filled with sex talk from beginning to end. The story is a bit dark while being uplifting and impactful. If you want some sex therapy, I highly recommend this story. I’m already excited about some of the side characters, I can’t wait to see what their dark secrets hold.

Notable Scene:

Her chest rose and fell with gulping breaths and her eyes stayed squeezed shut. But after a few last cries of release, she moved her hand away, letting her arm fall to the side.

“Shit,” she whispered, almost to herself.

Donovan gave her breast one last stroke. Then he reached down and righted her dress. “Beautiful. Feel better?”

“I can’t believe I just did that.”

“You’re more daring than you think. Your desire’s there. You just need a nudge.” He finally rolled forward through the stop sign and tried to mentally tamp down his own level of arousal. At this rate, he was going to walk into his place with a monster hard-on leading the way.

She shifted in the seat. “You make me stop thinking. It freaks me out a little.”

He smiled and reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers and hitting the gas to rocket them down the dark road. “I make you stop thinking, and you wake me up.”

FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Off the Clock. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )