The Spice Rack: From Blackmail to the Pacific Northwest
- Noah Kennedy
- Mar 20, 2024
- 5 min read
Spice comes in many forms and varieties---both literally and in literature---and that is why this section has been titled The Spice Rack. Some like their spice, like cinnamon and clove, just enough to get your heart going but more of an add-on than a focal point. Others prefer a more even split, like paprika or coriander, where it is very much present and sharing the stage with the story. But those who like to live on the edge know that the best spice comes from the ones, like black pepper or chili flakes, that will just not be ignored. They take center stage and really turn the heat up on the full blast. Regardless of where you fall on your spice intake, one thing is for sure: there is something out there for everyone.
As a reminder, below is the structure of our Sticky Scale.
Wax
The first of the three ratings---and the one to which we dedicate this post---is Wax. Anyone who has previously handled wax knows it can be a slippery substance, but it becomes brittle when dried. Therefore, Wax books have no explicit sensuality. Physical romance
may be described in general terms or implied, but your innocence will remain intact.
Honey
Moving up a step, the second rating is Honey. As you can imagine, honey is significantly stickier than wax, but more importantly, it is sweeter. Honey's monthly section is The Sweet Spot because these books will be the perfect option for those looking for a more...
adventurous read while not devolving into spicy territory. In simpler terms, think fade to black. There is sure to be moderate sensuality, and physical actions will be described and detailed but will not be explicitly written. If you're unsure of whether you are ready for a
true spicy book, these recommendations are sure to help!
Nectar
At last, we have arrived at the last of the ratings: Nectar. These books are not for the faint of heart; I can guarantee you that. Nectar's monthly section has been deemed The Spice Rack (if you know, you know). These books will have your blood flowing, your palms
sweating, and your heartbeat racing. Whether you're into the sweet stuff, the taboos, or any of the laundry list of kinks out there, this section will surely have something for you! Be warned, our Nectar recommendations will have explicit sensuality and go beyond what is
appropriate for anyone under the age of 18. Sex will be written in graphic detail, and there is always a chance that acts beyond intercourse may make an appearance. So strap in, grab your favorite drink, and settle into your favorite spot as you venture into a world of
new experiences, or revisit your favorite smutty reads.
Love Finds A Way
Out of Nowhere
Most readers have, at one point or another, come across a story about blackmail. It's one of those tropes that has a fairly large following because of how malleable it is. You can spin the blackmail angle so many ways, and sometimes they're predictable, but in others, you'll find a hidden gem. Blackmail also makes for a steamy pairing. The person being blackmailed will typically find themselves hating their blackmailer and lashing out against them and anything remotely related to them. The blackmailer finds themselves with all the power, but oftentimes, lines begin to blur, or things start to go awry and out of their control if they push too far. But when you are one of the most powerful forces in the business world and find yourself blackmailed into a marriage of convenience for the blackmailer's family, all you can do is lash out at the object of your hate. But what do you do when the line between hate and love begins to blur?
The Line Between Love and Hate
Our first Spice Rack pick this month is King of Wrath by Ana Huang.
She’s the wife he never wanted…and the weakness he never saw coming. Ruthless. Meticulous. Arrogant. Dante Russo thrives on control, both personally and professionally. The billionaire CEO never planned to marry—until the threat of blackmail forces him into an engagement with a woman he barely knows. Vivian Lau, jewelry heiress and daughter of his newest enemy. It doesn’t matter how beautiful or charming she is. He'll do everything in his power to destroy the evidence and their betrothal. There’s only one problem: now that he has her...he can't bring himself to let her go. *** Elegant. Ambitious. Well-mannered. Vivian Lau is the perfect daughter and her family’s ticket into the highest echelons of high society. Marrying a blue-blooded Russo means opening doors that would otherwise remain closed to her new-money family. While the rude, elusive Dante isn't her idea of a dream partner, she agrees to their arranged marriage out of duty. Craving his touch was never part of the plan. Neither was the worst thing she could possibly do: fall in love with her future husband. |
In the book that kick started her Kings of Sin series, Ana Huang weaves a tale of hate, betrayal, revenge, and love. As the saying goes, what could possibly go wrong? Huang's twist on the blackmail trope is uniue in that the blackmailer is not one of the two involvedi nthe relationship. Rather it is the brides father that is forcing a marriage upon his daughter, who is dutybound to comply, and his son-in-law, who he is blackmailing into the arrangement. Unfortunately, love has a way of finding us when we least expect or desire it and a situation that was forced upon them slowly starts to become something more than a scheme as love takes center stage despite their efforts. Although, no one ever said love was easy to keep in your grasp, even when it comes to you unwillingly.
Ana Huang is a New York Times, USA Today, international, and #1 Amazon bestselling author. Best known for her Twisted series, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance with deliciously alpha heroes, strong heroines, and plenty of steam, angst, and swoon sprinkled in. Her books have been sold to over two dozen foreign publishers for translation and featured in outlets such as NPR, Cosmopolitan, Financial Times, and Glamour UK. A self-professed travel enthusiast, she loves incorporating beautiful destinations into her stories and will never say no to a good chai latte. When she’s not reading or writing, Ana is busy daydreaming and scouring Yelp for her next favorite restaurant.. You can learn more about Huang and explore her many works at anahuang.com.
Coasting On By
Wild Nights and Bar Fights
It seems high rofile individuals are our theme for this month's post as we now head to the Pacific Northwest where Piper has been exiled by her wealthy family after a wild night out that landed her behind bars. Well, th ebars might have been a bit on the nose as her punishment is exile to Washington to run her late father's dive bar. But there is nothing that can make a person turn a new leaf more than the doubt others place on them. Especially when the person doubting you is the usper hot, bearded sea captain you just met. But as homecomings usually do, getting back to her roots forces Piper to reevaluate her life and question whether the life she's been living is truly the one she desires.
When You Know, You Know
Pull up a stool for our second pick for this month's Spice Rack category: It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey.
Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar... in Washington. Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face. Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart. |
Ths book has everything you could want: a female main character to root for, a hot sea captain to swoon over, a beautiful pacific Northwest backdrop, and a dillemma that will have you speeding to find out the answer to. Piper will first choose to show her tepfather and the brooding sea captain that caught h er eye that she is more than what they believe her to be. But once she's proven her point, Piper will have to face the true question that will haunt us until the last page: is her heart in LA or is it in Washington?
Tessa Bailey is a New York Times Bestselling author who can solve all problems except for her own, so she focuses those efforts on stubborn, fictional blue collar men and loyal, lovable heroines. She lives on Long Island avoiding the sun and social interactions, then wonders why no one has called. Dubbed the “Michelangelo of dirty talk,” by Entertainment Weekly, Tessa writes with spice, spirit, swoon and a guaranteed happily ever after. You can visit tessabailey.com for a complete list of books and more about the author.
IF YOU READ ANY OF OUR MONTHLY HONEYPOT BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN THE QUEEN'S CORNER TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.
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