Lauren Blakely has set quite a standard for men in her Seductive Nights series...Clay, Jack, and even the hints to come of Brent...and she has done it again with Nate Harper.

He's sexy, charming, successful, witty, and totally has the hots for his close friend, Casey Sullivan (who also happens to be the sister of his best friend, Jack). But he would never tell her. He's been burned badly in the past and does not plan on falling in love or being in a relationship again. Due to his trust issues, he  knows he can't be the man to give Casey everything  she deserves. So he plays the field and never gets emotionally involved.

"When it comes to women, you could say I'm an omnivore...I like everything. I'm equal opportunity."

Casey is a powerful, outspoken alpha female. She runs her company well, but her personal life is not as successful. She and her profession as a sex toy company CEO often intimidate men and her need for control makes men run or want to change her. Her past relationships have scarred her and left her doubting herself. But when a new man shows interest in pursuing her and hints at the fact that he would like be the one in control, Casey has a limited amount of time to try to learn how to not to be so demanding and let go of her need for control.

When Casey wanted something she went after it passionately with everything she had. Ironic that the strategy had worked well at her company, but her approach hadn't gone as swimmingly in her rather dismal personal life. A string of bad relationships trailed behind her. Yup, Laugh it up. She was the Sex Toy Princess who didn't get any action beyond the battery-operated kind."

Nate is Casey's "Best Guy Friend"  and one of the few men she completely trusts. They have a good rapport, similar work ethic, and truly enjoy spending time together. So she comes up with a plan that would help teach her to lose control. Little does she know it also allows Nate to act out some of his fantasies about her. Tutoring. No Strings. No commitments. All with the idea of ultimately preparing Casey for future relationships.

"I don't want lessons in seduction. I want lessons in submission."

Anticipation. Pleasure. Submission. Reciprocity. Spontaneity. Exploration...all in a safe environment among friends. It seems like the perfect solution. She needs to learn to let go. He needs to get her out of his system. What could possibly go wrong?

"Your whole body is a playground....For now until you learn to thoroughly give up control, it will be my playground. Isn't that right, Casey?"

Trust, intense chemistry and a sense of adventure lead them to explore each other in very intimate ways. And along the way their needs become more and more apparent. But they are crippled by fears, and lack of trust in their own judgment keeps them stuck in limbo between the friends zone and a real relationship. But in their middle ground they share some scorching hot sexy times. Will Nate's fear of relationships and Casey's need for a HEA  ruin any chance of more between them?

He was all wrong for Casey. She wanted love, and tenderness, she wanted commitment and the possibility of forever. Those were notions that had no appeal to him. He'd been there, done that and had the ugly scars to prove it.

I really loved these characters. Nate was the perfect Best Guy Friend who was sweet, understanding, and protective, but he also had a sexy, alpha edge. He had a vulnerable, broken part hidden under his charismatic, successful, playboy exterior. He was confused and conflicted, but he could surely be sexy and swoony too. You could tell how badly he was hurt and how it kept him from wanting to be that vulnerable again, but also how affected he was. He won over my heart. I really fell for Nate and loved his magnetic personality.

Casey was so sassy, strong-willed, and outspoken, but deep down she was insecure and just wanted to be loved for herself. She wanted to be able to have her own opinion and ask for what she wanted and not to have to be some docile version of herself for a man. But her need for a real relationship and insecurities made her more willing to change if she had to in order to find true love. I had a girl crush on Casey. She was such a dynamic heroine. And the fact that she could be so open about sex and toys due to her profession made it even more interesting.

I loved the fact that they were friends first and they had such a strong connection and could truly be themselves together. Their love scenes were hot and their connection was intense. But because they had so much already invested in their friendship, it was definitely a big risk.

Hope was risky, and led to things he didn't believe in. He didn't possess any hope himself, so it made no sense why he'd want her to think in bigger terms that went beyond the here an now.

There were so many fun cameos in this one and each one brought a big smile to face. So many crossovers due to friendships, business relationships and family not only in just the Seductive Nights series but from Lauren's other series as well. We especially got to spend more with Jack (Casey's brother/Nate's best friend) and Michelle (Nights with Him) as they were an integral part of the story line. I might have been most excited to see one of my favorites, Michelle's brother, Davis (Playing With Her Heart). And Nate's sister Kat and her husband Bryan (Caught Up in Us) were featured. But there were plenty more characters around for some visits and special events. It is always so much fun jumping back into the Blakely world and seeing how all of these characters fit together and see some progression in their lives. But it could easily be read as a stand alone story as well.

This installment has a bit different vibe from the other Seductive Nights books since this one is based on friendship first and is not as suspenseful or darkly emotional as its predecessors. But it has the same sexy banter, seduction, steam, and connection that the rest of the series has. I liked the more fun, playful feel of this one. And there were some tender moments that brought a tear to my eye as well. Lauren's writing style flows effortlessly and just sucks me right in and I become part of the story. It was told in both points of view that was so important as these characters struggled with their own fears and emotions, but had such a hard time expressing them, 

It was humorous, sweet, heartfelt, and passionate. It had two people who needed to learn to trust, not only in a partner but also in their own judgment. It was an exploration in the bonds of friendship, lust, love, and pushing boundaries while establishing trust. I was completely invested in Nate and Casey's story and loved getting more with the other characters. There was even a little tease for Brent's upcoming Vegas based story Sweet Sinful Nights . I can't wait! 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. I was also a beta reader for this title. Quotes are from beta copy and subject to change.

Casey and Nate have been friends for a very long time. Nate is best friends with Casey’s brother, and living in New York both as successful business people, their paths have crossed in work and casual capacities.

Casey is a strong-willed personality. She is direct and forthright, both in her business and personal relationships. When a long term boyfriend breaks it off with her claiming she’s too controlling in the bedroom, she begins to doubt her ability to please a man when she knows exactly what it is she wants in the bedroom.

When these two best friends turn their relationship physical so Casey can learn to be more submissive in bed the flames heat up so fast it was hard to believe neither had noticed the mutual attraction before that moment. They are hot, hot, HOT.

But they were also immensely playful, both in bed and out. As their relationship started as friends, they have that friendship to fall back on in times when they aren’t naked together, and even when they are it is clear that there is mutual attraction and more than just plain “like” between them.

Beyond the physical, they each had their own relationship hang-ups to get over before they could fully open their eyes to what was between them. Though their hurdles were different, they each carried pain inflicted by past significant others that clouded their perception of all other romantic relationships.

At a fundamental level, Casey is asking Nate to help her change her personality to fit what she thinks is expected of her. I loved the way that whole aspect was handled, as it could easily have been awkward, or lose authenticity as Casey went through her lessons. But Nate (and Lauren) handled Casey’s request beautifully and I loved him even more with each passing lesson.

Set within the world of Lauren’s Seductive Nights and Caught Up In Her series, many of the side characters are beloved friends and family members that readers of the series will recognize and appreciate.

This book was hot, hot, hot, and fun. I loved every moment of their friendship, their physical side, and the deeper emotions that ran underneath everything they did with each other.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Read all about the full Seductive Nights Series , Nights with Him, and Forbidden Nights on Lauren's website!

Seductive Nights Box Set Featuring First Night(Prequel), Night After Night, After this Night and One More Night(Clay and Julia's books) : Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks
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