Addicted

by Charlotte Stein

Kit Connor has always led a safe, cautious life. But when her friend points out that her erotic writing lacks something, she decides to attend a Sexual Healing group to improve her knowledge.

Kit expects to find the gritty underbelly of sex, and instead finds louche, laidback, sex-loving Dillon Holt.

He makes a suggestion to her: that he will tell tales of his sexual excess, and help her book get the realism it needs. She agrees, but hasn't the least idea of what she's getting into.

Dillon doesn't have simple advice in mind … he has lessons to teach her. Lessons on everything she's never dared to experience, from kink to real passion.

Now Kit is never sure: is Dillon the addict, or is she just addicted to him?

Genres: Erotica, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, BDSM, Smut

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 24, 2013

About the author

Charlotte Stein is the RT and DABWAHA nominated author of over fifty short stories, novellas and novels. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. For more on Charlotte, visit: www.charlottestein.net

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 53 %. My defenseless body couldn't take it anymore. If this is supposed to be erotic romance then I quit the genre once and for all! Where Addicted most certainly failed for me was credibility. The writing is OTT, very unrealistic and the characters are totally silly, unlikable, and unbelievable.

Is this supposed to be funny?



First let me say that I like different, but after reading something different I don’t want to feel spaced out. The heroine is ridiculously embarrassing and awkward and…hmmm…let me QUOTE 'I’m being a hilarious idiot without really meaning to, apparently' and the hero is a sex addict as well as a silly bragger who’s wearing flip-flops. Needless to say that I disliked both of them. Well, and if I don’t even like the hero then the whole book will go down the drain. The author’s writing is very weird, totally OTT and sort of overwritten. Also, I would go so far and say that her descriptions are absurd at times. Here are a few examples to your perusal:
 
I had to spoiler tag the quotes to shorten my review. Please read them!
 

First, his arms and his general chest area are absolutely enormous. They’re so enormous that they briefly blot out all light in the universe, and cause a cataclysm the likes of which the world has never known.
 
I came around thinking I’d maybe get a sandwich—and God knows I can never say no to a sandwich. I’d probably go to Hitler’s house if I thought I’d get some pastrami between two slices of bread, so you know. It’s not like I can be blamed, right?
 
(…)Maybe because his thousand-yard stare of utter sex just melts the clothes right off women’s bodies.

Uh-huh. Unfortunately not my clothes, Dillon, coz your stare does nothing for me.

But obviously I realize the detrimental effect this unhealthy pussy-eating obsession has on my psyche.

 
Yup, check your brain, Dillon.
 

He feels incredible. And he smells much, much better than I thought he would, when he was sat all the way over there like some half side of beef. I thought he’d have a musky tang, but mostly he’s made up of shampoo and fabric softener. He’s like a big pile of laundry, fresh out of the drier—and I don’t mind admitting that I kind of want to bury my face in him.
 
The glimpse of him is so shocking that I have to turn, to get the full impact—and it is an impact. His ass is like a meteor, smashing down on my defenseless body.

Duh? An ass like a meteor…*rolls eyes*

I can see that he seems to go on forever and ever—to the point where it starts to get scary—and that the head of his cock is fat and thick, and very solid. He could beat someone to death with that thing, I think, feverishly.

Oh my, Dillon, you are scaring me to death!

It feels like you dropped your nightstick down your pants
 
I may need to rethink the shape and depth of my vagina.
 
My body flushes so hot it leaps off of me, and gets all over him.

I think my body suffered a seizure….*insert major eye roll moment*


 

He probably knows it. Some lady in a hut on top of the Himalayas knows it. She can hear me sobbing with pleasure from all the way over there, every time he drums his fingers against that absolutely existent place inside me.

 

 
I’ll make sure that I have this ripe, nice lady on my mind whenever I have sex. Yay! That’s such a turn-on and will vault me right into sexual oblivion. Can’t wait to give it a try! *shudder*
 

Is it weird I want to hug his face.
 
I’m starting to stumble out into the ruins of myself, with the words, what the fuck just happened on my lips. I’m a war-torn survivor of Dillon Holt.

It makes my words come out like this: “The…place that I… do workings…at…opens late. And my…person in charge…wants to…to…”

 

“I made it through the wilderness. You know I made it through…” “Please don’t start singing.” “Didn’t know how lost I was until I found you”
 
“Well, it would make it easier to kiss you. Very hard when I have to barrel my way across a barbed-wire-riddled no-man’s-land just to put my mouth on yours.”
 
He goes for me, the way drowning men go for the lifejackets. I think his arm actually hugs my head, because I can feel his elbow close to my ear…(…)
 
And just as I’m lost in the sweet pull of his lips—just when I’m ripe for it—he parts them, and let me feel the slick suggestion of his tongue.
 
My feet aren’t even touching the floor. He’s not just pinning me to the wall. He’s holding me up—or maybe, oh, God, maybe I’m the one doing the holding. I’ve climbed him like a monkey and now I’m clinging to him, desperately, as he kisses me into oblivion.

 
WTF? Do you honestly believe that I have monkeys on my mind when my BF is pushing me against a wall and we’re engaged into some Oscar-worthy mouth-to-mouth respiration hotness? Get real!


 

I’m trying to kiss him back but it’s really hard to when your eyebrows have disappeared into the stratosphere. And my eyes…I know my eyes are comically wide.

It's him looking at me and wanting me to feel it, like some insane cheerleader on the sidelines of my orgasm.

 

But his face is the color of…well…mine, and his cock has made a small military compound under his pants. He can’t even casually walk to the kitchen, because apparently it’s parade day at Fort Dillon’s Underwear.
 
He licks them so that the lower one goes all fat and glossy looking (we’re talking about his lips), and I lose most of the saliva in my mouth down the sides of my chin.

So sexy. Not. Yikes!


 
I’m sure it was supposed to be funny, however, instead of laughing myself to death I had to insert major eye roll moments over and over.
 
What bothered me as well was the fact that we didn't get any background information about them. I mean what did I know up to the point where I DNFd the book at 53 %? She likes to write kinky stories, is working at a library and has a BFF and Dillon, our sex maniac, likes to have sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex. That’s it.

There is absolutely no chemistry between the two, no sexual tension, no build-up whatsoever. And where was the eroticism? Unfortunately it was nowhere to be found. I actually thought that I'd be reading an erotic romance; that's the reason why I wanted to read the book in the first place. If anything, Addicted is a bad comedy about Project Dillon's C@ck a  sexual research project. Besides, I couldn’t for the life of me connect with the characters, and I was never emotionally engaged either. I guess the writing just turned me off. Also, there is plenty of narrative/inner monologue. It was annoying as all get out and an O.V.E.R.K.I.L.L. par excellence. It saddens me to say that I am completely and utterly UNADDICTED, and I’m very sorry that my journey of discovering Ms. Stein’s work has come to an abrupt and definite end. She is not for me. Once again I’m the odd one out there. Having said this, I feel quite at home by now and there is always the next book.



P.S.
I’d like to advise the heroine to take a reality check. When I have mind-blowing sex, then I don’t have a million things on my mind that I have to mull over. Gah! She is un-freakin-believable!

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

When all is said and done, I loved this story. I would warn readers going into this, it isn’t your normal every day romance. This story is dense. It has so much richly detailed dialogue and emotion.

I’d almost classify this as intelligent erotica.

Because of that emotional weight, it was difficult for me to get through. It made me uncomfortable, it was lyrical and almost poetic in prose. The first chapter threw me for a loop, and didn’t match the next few chapters. I was confused.

But then the end came, and it was like the most beautiful light shown down on the story, and I was once again deeply impressed with Charlotte Stein’s writing.

Her heroes are always amazing. Giant in stature, sensitive in heart. And those intimate scenes. Holy hell!

This story had humor, insecurities, raw vulnerabilities, and wonderful communication. Ends with such a lovely hea.

Why not five stars? Because the first chapter felt unnecessary and weird. Because at times, the plot felt disjointed and occasionally awkward. But when it was good, it was so good.

Thank you for suggesting this one Isabella! It was tough going for a little while, fun to read together and so worth it. 🙏 I’ll never look at these prayer hands the same way again!

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awkward librarian meets sex god who steals her erotica novel and is all too willing to play out all her sexual fantasies. What's not to like?

This book is steamy and hot and a little bit uncomfortable at times but I had no clue how funny it would be. But it's that awkward kind of funny and Kit is definitely awkward. She's also timid and shy and in no way at ease with everyone around her and she had all these desires that she can do nothing with except write down on paper.



And then we have Dillon. Kit actually meets him at a "sexual healing" meeting that she went to in hopes of getting some real stories and boy, does Dillon tell a story. He has them all foaming at the bits. Dillon sees through Kit but she fights him...at first and then watch out. Phew....there are some very hot scenes!

Dillon and Kit are great together but there is something off and as Kit comes into her own, she sees it too. Dillon is doing everything for her and nothing for him. Trying to get him to open up is torturous and it made me wonder at how truthful he was being.


[image error]



I really enjoyed Kit and Dillon as they made an actual connection to each other. They both had something that the other needed and while I wasn't surprised at what Dillon needed, I was surprised as to what got him there.


Favorite quotes:

♦ "His lower lip is as plump as an overripe fruit, and, when he thinks no one’s looking, he licks it. He licks it in a way that makes my body respond – like some secret sex sign I didn’t even know existed."

♦ "I’ve climbed him like a monkey and now I’m clinging to him, desperately, as he kisses me into oblivion."

♥ "But the thing is … I guess … I don’t want to be with a lot of women any more. I’m not some sex addict trying to sort myself out. I don’t get a high from fucking everything that walks. I get a high from wanting someone as much as I want you."

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I found my Dillon Holt:D

˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜

"Ohh, you have no idea what I've got planned. Bad things. Outrageous things. You'll be talking to your therapist about them in ten years' time."
"You're f*cking with me."
"Yeah, I totally am. Take it easy, Kitty-cat- I'm not some sex demon."

My brain cells just evaporated into mist lol:D
Another satisfying story from Charlotte Stein. What a delicious read it was!!! her writings are Smut-tastic, but what I love in her writing is the Emotions that plunge into the reader and feel it. it's so Riveting and its not your traditional erotica book!

I don't know if this book is a story within a story as it explains if an erotic book connotes realism or not...as Kit and Dillon role-plays the scenes in her book, you won't know if its possible for it to be real or if Dillon's stories are more realistic...Does it matter? what is more important is if the heat level on the scenes will hit you!:) and it did.

there are few dialogues in the story and we are only given the internal monologue in Kit's perspective...as the two MC gets along with each other..we witnessed Kit's growing confidence with herself and Dillon on the hand being closed off. He’s a book I haven’t quite finished, yet, and I’m compelled to get to the end. although Dillon distracted her with sex most of the time we get to know them emotional with their silly banters and deadpun comeback..I love Kit's Titled quotation when Dillon said something to her..
There are a lot of adorable moments in the story, and the sex scenes keep burning up higher, you need to ring the fire alarm!
Its done very well..the debacle of Dillon feelings opening up and showing his vulnerability affects the reader..

Out of all the sex scenes and intimate ones..the 'hugging' was my favorite of all...how he hugs her with all his body and arms in a bear hug, is so touching and adorable:)
I love the story and how it ignites in every way possible..it will leave you wanting more!!!

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why authors write their book as copy version of Fifty Shades of Grey is beyond me. I can't comprehend that.







Now, i'm not the type of reader who compares books to others. But this is a big exception. Whereas Fifty Shades was all like 'This guy is a psychopath who needs to be locked up in a facility for mental people', Addicted is just like...






This book is about Kit who is in her 20's and have never experienced an orgasms. But she (tries) to write erotica books. However they are not realistic because she as a writer has no experience. So she goes to a group or whatever that specializes in helping people with sex issues. There she meets the 'sexy' Dillion. They later make a deal - Dillion will help with her book by telling his sex stories and demonstrating them too!

We can guess the rest. He has a shocking and dark secret that he hides from the girl and just all that 'blah' stuff we read a million times before.






Why i read this?










The main protagonist (Kit)is a very shallow, cliche, and unlikable character. She was starving so much for attention and especially for affection that at one point i thought she would kill someone. To be honest she was pathetic.

Dillion is addicted to sex. I don't know a moment in the book where he did not have a hard on. He is a liar, but i must give him points for being such a good actor (almost had me there!). When i found out his secret i was like "He is such a girl!".






Overall




Addicted hasn't got a story line or plot. It's basically made up of sex. Sex that, unlike Fifty Shades, was actually readable and didn't want to make you throw up.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: “You know how big I am, right? Cause otherwise I’m gonna warn you now.”

I don’t think he could have said anything better if I’d given him a script.

Charlotte Stein released a new erotic romance this week titled, Addicted. If you follow this blog at all you know I am a huge Charlotte Stein fan and Addicted did not disappoint. I think one of Charlotte Stein’s strengths is pairing up a more awkward character with one that is very upfront and confident. She usually gives her heroines more confidence but in this book she changes things up a bit. Kit is a librarian and secret erotica writer who has very, very dirty thoughts about sex but has never in real life played out anything dirty whatsoever.

Every sexual encounter I’ve ever had as occurred beneath the sheets, under a double layer of darkness. Once I started kissing some guy’s elbow, thinking I’d found his cock.

By a series of events, she ends up at a sexual healing group therapy session. She feels a bit like a fraud since her only ‘issue’ is having dirty thoughts about things. She starts to panic that she won’t have anything to admit.

This is the sort of place where I’m going to be exposed as a horrible fraud, who preys on the issues of others. It will come to my turn and I’ll have to say the only thing I can: One time Martin McAllister accidentally slipped his cock into my bum a bit, when aiming for my vagina. And then he expected me to be mortified, only I wasn’t.

God help me, I wasn’t.

It is at this meeting she meets Dillon Holt. Dillon kind of brags about his sexual conquests and this deeply turns Kit on.

“Big girls, little girls, dark-haired, blonde, burgundy…girls with weird bits, girls who don’t know how to dress – I’m not fussy, I’ll take all comers.”
Oh, God, he’s not fussy. He’ll take all comers!

They meet after the meeting and he pushes all of her buttons. They start this sexual exploration together – Dillon getting Kit to come out of her shell. And slowly, Kit realizes Dillon may be all confidence and swagger on the outside but he has many vulnerabilities on the inside. It takes awhile for him to trust her with his inner truths, but he does eventually get there. They both get stripped of their pretenses and are stronger for meeting the other.

This book is heavily erotic (and oh so naughty). I really enjoyed it. I also want to note how much I enjoyed Kit’s voice. She made me laugh and she says some ridiculous things. I really adored her. Since it’s Smex Scene Sunday, I’ll end with an excerpt….(that is durty. Yes, so durty it calls for durty with a “u”)

How can I resist? How can I resist the sounds he’s making – these soft, breathless sounds? Or the feel of him shaking as I lean back a little and look up at his flushed face? He’s completely lost now, completely gone in a way I never thought he could be, and I kiss his cock for that.

I kiss it, slow and soft and wet. And when he doesn’t object – when he goes briefly weak in the knees and utters a curse word that I’ve never actually heard before – I do it again. Only deeper this time. I take more of him into my mouth, craving the sudden salt-sweet taste of him on my tongue…or the heavy feel of him pushing in.

Because he does, a little He can’t seem to help it, any more that I could help my recklessness in the library. he just groans, and rocks his hips, and suddenly my mouth is full – though I’m not complaining. I like this role reversal. I like this loss of control.

And like it even better when he puts it into words.

“I’m sorry,” he says, as he slowly pushes into my mouth, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s just, God, you have no idea what that looks like. Oh, you have no idea what it does to me to see you taking it like that. You’ve no idea how often I’ve though about you doing this to me.”

I wonder if it’s as often as I’ve though about giving it to him? Probably not, if I’m honest. I’ve thought about it so many times I’m almost greedy for it, now that I’ve got it. My mouth is slowly getting sloppier and sloppier around that impossibly swollen head, and when I can’t take as much as I’d like – when I try to deep-throat him and end up with him telling me, “No, no, take it easy” – I use my hand to devour the rest.

And then I use both of them, once I realise that one won’t do the job. I can’t circle him with a single thumb and forefinger. I have to clasp him like I’m in the middle of a prayer. I’m beseeching some deity, in a very pious way.

Aside from the giant penis, of course.

[Lady Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story, but didn't LOVE it.

Kit's 'mental monologues' were really starting to piss me off by the end of the book.

[La-Lionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

FUN ! FUN! FUN!

The story is about a woman, Kit, who have lost (or maybe have never had) her "O". Her friend suggests to try a croup therapy called Sexual Healing. People go there to talk about their problems related to intimacy, emotional, physical or both.


Kit works at the bookstore and is a writer in her spare time, who writes erotica novels. But she feels like they are missing something important.

She didn't go there to learn how to get laid. She went there because she wants to figure some stuff out about her self, understand why she feels the way she does. Why her relationship with men always missing something. But when she gets there and hears the stories of others, she feels like her problem is small and silly, in caparison to theirs. That's why she makes up this story about her being wild child, strolling from bar to bar looking for some sexy time :-D.

When she gets to the Sexual Healing, she meets Dillon.

No, he wasn't sitting there naked, but when she saw him, that's pretty much how she imagined him. Sitting there, listening to others, smirking mischievously at her. And she was, like, "I want some of what he is having.".

He was very mean sun of a gun. When it came his turn to share, he start telling the stories of his sexual adventures with soft laughs and smirk on his face. She thinks he's bragging. It really felt like he was. I mean come on, the room is full of serial masturbators and sex addicts, who sits there squirming in their chairs, going crazy, while he's telling his "problem".

"Yeah, so I'm Dillon. Dillon Holt' He says, like he's introducing himself at a barbecue. There is not a hint of discomfort in his voice, when he says 'I'd say I've slept with quite substantial number of women - maybe hundred?"
I think I can see him counting, in his head.
'Maybe more like two hundred, huh?"
***
I'll hide this one, just in case some minor stumbles upon my review, because it's sooo NOT for the readers under 18 :)
"I'll say it right now - I love eating pussy. I could eat pussy all day everyday until the end of time, just to get a girl all flushed the way she gets, and hear those little soft, desperate moans or maybe even the loud, aggressive ones... I don't mind. Pull my hair, call me names, sit on my face, I'll take it and come back for more, I swear I... But obviously I realize the detrimental effect this unhealthy pussy-eating has on my psyche." :-D. I mean, come on! That is evil at his best.

At the end of the session they have to find a partner to give a hug. Of course he targets her :). While they stand there hugging, he calls her out on it and whispers "faker" into her ear :-). She goes all stiff. She lies and tells him that she is there because she is doing research for her book. He offers to help. Who can be better to help her with her book than a guy who have slept with half of the city?

And boy is he a good story teller :-D. Simple fan won't do, to cool a reader off. You will need something stronger... Something like that, yes :-).


So, they inbark on a journey of self discovery. She is there to learn and he is more than willing to be the teacher. At first, it's all fun and games, mind-blowing, star-seeing and oh-so-good.
[image error]
But then, when feelings get involved, the "mind-blowing" thing they have going on, it's not enough anymore. He has a secret, that he is afraid to tell, because he thinks she will run for the hills. It's not an earth shattering secret, but I understand why he is so hesitant to share it. Society can be a mean bitch. If you look certain way, you are expected to act/be certain way, because being yourself has consequences.

"I'm quite aware of what I am, Kit I know how people look at me. I'm the guy you see in some bar, being loud and obnoxious. I'm the jock at your college, throwing a basketball onto your desk as you're trying to study. I know I am."

It's sad when someone can be themselves because of the expectations of others.

I didn't expected for the story to get emotional, but it did. And I'm happy that it ended on a more serious note than it started.
The reason I'm giving 4.5 stars is because the heroine was getting on my nerves sometimes. I love heroine that has a great sense of humor, which she does. But in this case, even though she was funny a lot of the times, sometimes I wished she would tone it down on the sarcasm and knock it off with the jokes. Other than that, I enjoyed the story.

Fun, sexy/steamy/hot and even a little emotional read.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew!



Charlotte Stein knows how to spin one heck of a hot tale! Yet her stories also have such great emotional elements to them and she often (exclusively?) writes characters with major self-esteem issues and insecurities.

In 'Addicted' we're introduced to Kit, a dowdy librarian with kinky sexual fantasies and no idea how to go about making them happen. The story is exclusively told from her 1st person POV so we're treated to a lot of inner monologue as she processes what's happening to her and around her. When she meets gregarious, laid-back, handsome, and überly-sexually experienced Dillion her life is turned upside as he takes her on a wild ride of sexual discovery and table-turning fantasy-fulfillment.

Now, I've gotta be honest. The inner monlogues got a tad annoying at times...



But, the evolution of Dillion, *sigh* Dillion, made it all worth while. Stein reminds us that even the most seemingly happy-go-lucky person has depth - even if they don't see it themselves....

[(✿◠‿◠) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Charlotte ever since she hooked me with my favorite book of 2012, Sheltered. There is just something real about her storytelling that I can relate to. While the heroines are generally as far from me as one can get, I still get them, and that is something incredibly hard to do...to get a reader to relate to a character so far from themselves.

But Charlotte does it. In every book, every time, I feel like I'm right there in the head of the heroine, rooting her on, feeling her insecurities and pains and motives and excitement.

I'll admit that when I started this book, I was scared. Everyone who knows me knows I am not a fan of BDSM. At all. Not even a little. And in the opening chapter of Addicted, it's a BDSM theme. In fact, I was so worried, I went back and read the summary, just to make sure I didn't miss the glaring sign that said WHIPS AND CHAINS WILL BE USED IN HERE . But, of course, if I was a little more observant, I would've seen that this first chapter was actually the words of our heroine, Kit. She's a librarian by day, an erotic romance writer by night, but there's something missing in her writing. Her friend encourages her to go to a, well, a sex group, I guess. And against her better judgment, she does.

And there...oh, man. There we meet Dillon. And the way Charlotte describes her heroes is...delicious. I absolutely love the way she forms the phrases to envoke this perfect sort of picture without using the boringly trite things. She doesn't say something like, "He's broad shouldered." Oh, no. She says, "First, his arms and his general chest area are absolutely enormous. They're so enormous that they briefly blot out all the light in the universe, and cause a cataclysm the likes of which the world has never known. And: Those earth-destroying arms are covered in tattoos."

Do you see?

She tells it so organically, so richly that you're sucked into these amazing little descriptors, you're lost in the story because of them.

However, the one thing that I love in Charlotte's writing is also the thing I dislike at times. This book was very heavy on the narrative. And, like I said, how she weaves a story is very stream-of-consciousness, so it feels like you're right inside the head of the heroine. It's jumbled and messy and not perfect. It's beautifully flawed. But, at times, it can be heavy. I found myself straining for more dialogue. I wanted to hear more of her words rather than feel them, if that makes sense. And I definitely wanted more of Dillon's.

And why wouldn't I with all his tattooed covered massive armed gloriousness? He's the kind of hero she always creates. This wonderful dichotomy of rugged masculinity and shy vulnerability. And I love that mix. I love a good Alpha man as much as the next girl, but there is just something about a man who is a nice balance of both. Who can be that all demanding, powerful guy, but who knows how to step back and let someone else lead.

And watching Kit grow into herself, watching her want to lead, was what this story was really about. It wasn't some huge revealed climax, where the hero and heroine are separated and they get back together in the end. This was very much an emotional journey, and one you ride on the coattails of, thanks to Charlotte's emotional writing style.

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on Under the Covers

There’s always reason to rejoice when Charlotte Stein releases a new book. In ADDICTED, a shy and awkward librarian named Kit Conner harbors some wicked fantasies that she likes to explore in the novel she is writing. But when her friend points out her writing lacks believability, Kit attends an Sexual Healing group to further expand her knowledge. There she meets the sex-loving, hot as hell Dillon Holt. As with all of Stein’s writing, things heat up quickly, but there is so much more to this book than just the stellar sex!

ADDICTED opens up with a sexually charged scene from Kit’s book. It’s a glimpse into Kit’s mind and gives readers a taste of the naughtiness that will soon come. I particularly loved the last sentence where it sets up the perfect opportunity to meet Kit.

It’s not surprise that Dillon is a bad boy. The big arms, the tattoos and his charm all come in a welcoming package that Kit cannot resist. Her awkwardness is both hilarious and endearing and Stein does a fantastic job of really getting into her heroine’s head and writing a POV that is fun and charming. Reading about Kit seemed almost effortless on my part.

Another great thing about this book is the humor. I’ve read a ton of erotic romances before but Stein doesn’t simply explore the sex in her books. She also spends a considerable amount of time building a relationship from the ground up. The romance is always strong and I think the humor in the books play a huge part in creating that bond. Dillon and Kit both have quotes that had my laughing out loud:

“Hey, calm down, OK? My penis isn’t going to suddenly lunge at your face.”

“It feels like you dropped your nightstick down your pants.”
“Oh, so that’s where that went.”
“I’m not kidding. Is this all you? Because if so, I think I may need to rethink a few things. I may need to rethink the shape and depth of my vagina.”

It makes sense that humor would be a major part of a romance and I love the way Stein is able to integrate this into her writing time and time again.

Now for the serious bit – the sex. Charlotte Stein is like a master seducer. She writes with the intent to tease, to arouse, to tempt. The sex scenes are long, but never drawn out and readers always feel intensely satisfied in the end. If you’re looking for a filthy read with a well-rounded story, do yourself a favor and pick up any Charlotte Stein book. Simply put, Stein is the Queen of Smut.

*Review Copy provided by author

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hot tamale, this is a scorcher!

[McGee Magoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear with me... I don't usually write reviews and I'm sure I will make a complete mess of this one. My mind is still whirling and reeling from Addicted. But here I go.

I'm sure there are people out there who may see my 5-star rating, read Addicted and say, "WTF?!" I KNOW that Charlotte Stein's voice isn't to everyone's taste. If you are looking for a formulaic romance, 2 pov's, and lots of dialogue--look elsewhere. Though I am always amused by the authors voice and wit, it took me a few stories to really warm to her style. I, like other romance and erotica readers, tend to prefer certain tropes, and character traits in the heroes and heroines. When I picked up Addicted--I knew it was going to be panty-wringing HOTNESS and the heroine's thought process was going to have me laughing out loud. I also knew that the only way I was going to get to know the hero was through the eyes of the heroine and her quirky interpretations of what he does or might think--oh and the little bit of dialogue he has. And, Boy-howdy, did I ever get the panty-wringing hotness.

Dillon, Dillon, Dillon... Dillon, I was worried about you. As a heterosexual woman, I would hate to see such a huge cock and eagerness to please go to waste (we all need to refer here to this quote from Dillon: "I LOVE eating pussy. I could eat pussy all day every day until the end of time, just to get a girl all flushed the way she gets, and hear those little soft, desperate moans or maybe even the loud, aggressive ones...I don't mind. Pull my hair, call me names, sit on my face, I'll take it and come back for more, I swear..."). After all, no hot, expert, pussy-eater should let his talent be wasted. BUT-- are you damaged? Is meaningless sex killing your soul? Should I really be sad that Kit might be chipping away at your sense of self-worth every time she knocks on your door? Yes, I'm dying for you to show Kit the beauty and wonder of her sexuality--I'm gleeful when you do--but it feels wrong and dirty that it may be hurting you, making your sickness worse. But, God, you are so HOT and you GET Kit--really get her. You see everything and find it endearing and funny and sexy. I want her to stay away and leave you alone. But then she (and I) might actually die from explosive horny-ness if she does. Oh, Dillon, what ever can be done?

I'm glad to report that it ends in a satisfactory way. But I shall not spoil it.

I'll just end with this snippet: ...He emerges from the bathroom - thankfully in a T-shirt and shorts - with an almost bursting look of amusement on his face. As though I'm just adorable, in the worst possible way. He even gives my hair a cute little pat as he passes me on his way to the kitchen.

And then he says this: "Hey, calm down, OK? My penis isn't going to suddenly lunge at your face."

Which makes no sense at all. I wasn't thinking that. I was thinking he was scared of my vagina suddenly lunging at his face. Lord, how can someone be so open and so mysterious at the same time?

[Trader (RedHotBlueReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic tale of unfulfilled woman meets the man who unlocks her repressed desires. This is done in a very creative way when Dillon steals her manuscript and sets out to reenact some of the scenes with Kit.

Kit is an eager student, basking in the glow of new found sexuality, yet, she wants more of a connection with Dillon than just sex. When she finally starts figuring out what makes Dillon tick, she realizes that he has been hiding from her and she sets out to find out more about him. Kit wants more than just sex. She wants talk, and she has to convince Dillon to trust himself and her, while running the risk of losing him.

I found the story to be told in a very fresh way. Charlotte Stein has a very unique voice to her writing. It’s so intimate that you really feel close to the main character. All of Kit’s feelings and fears are front and center. It isn’t always comfortable, but its always interesting. I found the last few chapters to be unsettling and riveting at the same time, as Kit tries to get Dillon to open up.

Kit grows quite a bit through her experiences with Dillon. I loved this quote from the morning after Kit thinks she's learned something of Dillon's secret.

"I’m no longer Kit Connor, cautious librarian. I’m Kit Connor, destroyer of worlds. "

It’s a good thing she has confidence too, because she ends up needing it when Dillon finally trusts her. Or does he? Does he really tell her the truth and does it really matter?

Charlotte Stein knows how to write erotica. Her scenes are the perfect blend of sexy and smart with a bit of dark and dirty. The scene in the library and the scene in the church are both scorching hot, and there’s no doubt of the sexual chemistry between Kit and Dillon.

Overall, Addicted was a very satisfying erotic romance. I like Charlotte Stein’s intimate, unique voice and would absolutely read other titles from her.

[Jamie]

Gave up at 18% so I won't even rate it. I will just say that the silly extream descriptive exaggeration was just too much for me to handle.. Vaginas and penises lunging after one another and biceps so big it would take you 7 months to walk across.. and just crazy wierdness. Not sexy. Just Silly. The END

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kit and Dillon
4.5 stars

My, oh my, can Charlotte Stein write. Full review on Fiction Vixen Book Reviews

After all, what do I know about sex? Nothing. Less than nothing. Every sexual encounter I’ve ever had has occurred beneath the sheets, under a double layer or darkness. Once I started kissing some guy’s elbow, thinking I’d found his cock.

And as for the pleasure I’ve just described to her, in my twisted take of kinky delights…Well, I guess that’s disingenuous of me, at best. I should have written: Sex for her was sort of like being vaccinated, by a big pink finger.

First I would like to stand up and applaud Ms. Stein for her astounding ability to write some of the filthiest, edgiest, most sexually charged scenes that I have ever read. This was only my second book by Ms. Stein, the first being Deep Desires, but I adore her voice and her way with words. Once I start one of her books, I will beat down anyone that dares interrupt me.

Kit Connor has written an erotic novel. When the novel is laughed at by her friend she decides to attend a sexual healing class in hopes of improving the book. At the sexual healing class she meets Dillon Holt. In her eyes, Dillon is perfect. He is hot, he is a sex god, he can do no wrong. Each member of the class is asked to explain why there are there and Dillon tells a story of such excess that Kit is immediately turned on and drawn to him.

“I’ll say it right now- I love eating pussy. I could eat pussy all day every day until the end of time, just to get a girl all flushed the way she gets, and hear those little soft, desperate moans or maybe even the loud, aggressive ones…I don’t mind. Pull my hair, call me names, sit on my face, I’ll take it and come back for more, I swear I- ”

He cuts himself off here, bit it’s fairly obvious why. It’s kind of like seeing someone wave a beer around at a meeting of alcoholics anonymous.

…..

“But obviously I realise the detrimental effect this unhealthy pussy-eating obsession has on my psyche.”

He doesn’t realize that at all, and we know it.

When it comes to her turn, Kit makes something up just wanting her turn to be over. After the meeting Dillon finds Kit and calls her bluff on her confession. She tells him she is writing a dirty book and she was doing research to which Dillon volunteers to tell her all his stories, all in the name of research, of course. Their first “research” session has Dillon telling Kit about losing his virginity and then demonstrating part of what happened. Kit freaks out and leaves Dillon’s house only to realize that he has taken her novel out of her purse. She returns to his house the next day to find that not only has he read her novel but he wants to act it all out.

I am telling you there were some scenes, like the one where Dillon describes his first time, where I was almost tripping over myself to read the words faster. I had to force myself not to jump paragraphs ahead just to see what he was going to say next. Ms. Stein, and Dillon by extension, had me completely enthralled with every word that came out of his mouth. I felt like I was part of the scene; like I was the one Dillon was telling the story to.

What made this book so lovely was that intermingled with the amazing sex we see the hopes and fears of Kit and through Kit the almost desperation of Dillon. For about 75% of the book we follow Kit and Dillon acting out certain chapters of her book. But eventually their connection becomes more than just chapter based. Kit falls in love with Dillon but he is so closed off from her. He will not share anything of his past or what makes him the way he is. While this worked for the book that Kit wrote, in real life she is increasingly frustrated with the lack of emotion or at least the lack of expression of that emotion she knows is there.

Eventually Kit confronts Dillon. I am not going to spoil that scene for you because my heart did a little, oh…when we got Dillon’s explanation for what was happening between them. It wasn’t anything crazy but it also wasn’t something I expected. I love how he explains himself to her. It was perfect.

Overall, this was a really great book. Ms. Stein has a way of allowing us to follow the heroine’s every thought but not such that we get bogged down in dumb details. Everything flows so beautifully. The sex here was off the charts, I loved the storyline and really understood the characters. The one thing I have to say about her books is that so far I have considered hunting her down to beg her to write sequels to each of the stories. I don’t think I got enough of Kit and Dillon. Final grade- A-

Favorite Quote:

“It feels like you dropped your nightstick down your pants.”

“Oh, so that is where that went.”

“I’m not kidding. Is this all of you? Because if so, I think I may need to rethink a few things. I may need to rethink the shape and depth of my vagina.”

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

DON'T READ THIS AT BEDTIME!!

Oh no, ( dirty people ), not because it's hot, which it is but it is just so funny as well..real 'laugh out load moments'

Story of Kit and Dillon..
Kit is a Librarian and a secret erotica writer who at the advice of a friend ends up in a group therapy for sexual healing....

Also at the group is Dillon, a supposed sex addict

I just loved Dillon, oh and he had a dirty mouth..

"I'll say this right now,I love eating pussy.I could eat pussy all day everyday until the end of time,just to get a girl all flushed the way she gets.....I don't mind.Pull my hair,call me names,sit on my face,I'll take it and come back for more..."

Oh ,dear God, who doesn't love a dirty talking man(I think I just moaned !)

I know this has mixed reviews, but , to me, it's erotica at it's best....

[Dabney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was  originally  published at DearAuthor.com

Dear Ms. Stein:

Addicted is the third work of yours I’ve read. (The other two are Sheltered (reviewed here by Jane and January) and Restraint.) I’ve enjoyed all three works–Restraint is my favorite–but, after I finish each book, I think, who the hell were those people? That’s not a bad thing–in fact, I like it. Romance critics often bemoan the sameness of many of the books we read; we complain frequently about overused tropes (a term I so overuse I vow to give it up after this review.) This is not a problem in your books. You write the unexpected; when I read Addicted I thought about a scene in Karen Ranney’s in An Unlikely Governess where the hero describes something truly unique as being like a unicorn. In Addicted, both the heroine–Kit Connor–and the hero–Dillon Holt–and their love story are unicorn all the way.

Kit Connor is a 20-something librarian and a wanna-be erotica writer. The thing is, her sex life defines mediocre and her erotica lacks a certain verve. In fact, when she reads the first chapter of her erotic novel The Master(which is, I guess, a meta-novel in that it’s erotica in erotica that’s meant to satirize erotica), her best friend laughs so hard she cries. Kit’s not especially offended: she knows she knows her carnal knowledge is nonexistent.

After all, what do I know about sex? Nothing. Less than nothing. Every sexual encounter I’ve ever had has occurred beneath the sheets, under a double layer of darkness. Once I started kissing some guy’s elbow, thinking I’d found his cock. And as for the pleasure I’ve just described to her, in my twisted tale of kinky delights …

Well, I guess that’s disingenuous of me, at best. I should have written:

Sex for her was sort of like being vaccinated, by a big pink finger. 

Kit’s friend–a good woman–offers Kit an alternative.

‘Here,’ she says, and I know what’s going to happen before she’s even finished fishing through her wallet. She’s finding a card for me, with the name of some expert on it. She did the same thing last year, when I told her I was afraid of spiders – she sent me to a wellness specialist, who made me touch a spider.

Which doesn’t bode well for this particular scenario.

I can’t imagine myself fingering a penis, to get over my need for more exciting sex. If anything, the penis fingering is only going to make me crazier – though of course I don’t say that. Mainly because it’s insane, but also because I suspect she’s going to offer me something far more daunting.

‘You want realism? You should try this on for size,’ she says, then hands me a square of yellow construction paper with a terrible-sounding title emblazoned across its front. Sexual Healing, it says. As though Marvin Gaye is going to help lower my expectations and make me all normal again. ‘It’s a kind of therapy group for people with sexual … issues.’

Oh, God, there’s that word again. Issues. And if I’m not mistaken, she seems to think that I have them. This isn’t just a friendly word of advice to help me be more than a librarian.

This really is her way of making me touch a spider – only the other way around. She wants me to sit in a cold, probably clinical room, with people who think sex is a hideous nightmare. I’m going to come away even more depressed about the whole thing, and probably never do it again.

Is that the aim here? To make me never do it again?

Kit trudges off to the group and there hears Dillon wax profusely and profanely about all the fucking, sucking, licking, and dicking he’s done. He’s a sex storyteller on verbal steroids and Kit is transfixed. After the meeting, Dillon follows her and, once she explains she was only there because she was doing research for a “dirty book,” Dillon, full of sly amusement, offers to help her with her work and tells her to come round to his flat the next day.

Kit’s not quite sure what to expect from Dillon, but what she gets, that first day in his apartment, isn’t anything she’s ready for. Not only is Dylan (just barely) wearing a towel, he’s so orally outrageous, Kit struggles to follow their conversation. When she asks him what he’s got planned, he laughs.

‘Ohh, you have no idea what I’ve got planned. Bad things. Outrageous things. You’ll be talking to your therapist about them in ten years’ time.’

‘You’re fucking with me.’

‘Yeah, I totally am. Take it easy, Kitty-cat – I’m not some sex demon.’

Oh yes he is. He regales her with a Guccione-worthy tale of how he lost his virginity, tells her he’s going to make her come so hard she’ll be amnesic, gently kisses her, and makes her lose her mind. She then bolts-after the first cataclysmic orgasm of her life–only to realize he’s palmed her novel and she has no choice but to see him again. When she does, he proposes–to further her education–they act out the chapters of The Master. Kit, anxious and agog, agrees and the two begin an erotic exploration that includes lots of sex but, as Kit slowly discerns, little intimacy.

The book is told entirely from Kit’s point of view–kudos there; this is one of the best first person narrations I’ve read–and so the reader experiences Dillon only through Kit. Given that Kit’s not all that great with relationships–her life is distressingly lonely–it takes both the reader and Kit much of the book to see what an utter faker “open” Dillon is.  He’s all talk, action, and hidden heart. And, after a while, Kit, whom Dillon has empowered with his massive cock and his unlimited sensuality, demands Dillon offer her his inner self.

I liked Addicted. Neither Kit nor Dillon really know what they’re doing in life–I think one could classify this as post-New Adult Erotica–and their relationship pushes them both, in fits and starts, to take ownership of their lives in lovely and healthy ways. The book is very funny–Ms. Stein has a hip deadpan humor that is vibrantly fresh–even as it is keenly sad. I found the novel more romantic than sexy; there is a crassness to the sex that, for me, was interesting but not arousing. However, I bet if you like modern erotica, you will find Addicted salaciously steamy. I give it a B+.

~Dabney

[Nicci ☞ Hell Raisin Sugar ☜ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me hooked three pages in. It’s hilarious. Kit is a smut-writing librarian who’s looking to “authenticate” her writing. Her bestie sends her to group sex therapy, where she meets Dillon. He’s a tatted up, dirty talking man-whore hottie who’s looking to—in his words--reverse the “detrimental effect this unhealthy pussy-eating obsession has on my psyche.” Ahem. He’s a man looking for meaningful sex. What a novel idea! Yeah.



Dillon


I loved Kit and her internal dialogue.

The last guy I dated thought clitoris was an island off the coast of Greece.

Vaginas just attach themselves to his face, before he knows where he is.

He’d probably sooner fuck a postbox, and here I am mooning over him like a teenager with a crush.

So, Kit’s little problem? Dillon is more than happy to help out with that. How, you ask? Why, by providing his sexual services, of course. The sex in this book is shit-hot. Seeing as I am a nice Catholic girl, I really should have somewhat of a problem with one of their escapades....nope. Can’t bring myself to work up a lather about it because it was seriously HOT.





Most of the reason—other than Dillon’s innate hotness—that the sex is hella hot is because this boy can talk dirty. The word cock is used 58 times. Some derivation of the word fuck is used 93 times. Pussy is used 31 times. This book is 190 pages. That’s some serious dirty talk.

I love eating pussy. I could eat pussy all day every day until the end of time, just to get a girl all flushed the way she gets, and hear those little soft, desperate moans or maybe even the loud, aggressive ones … I don’t mind. Pull my hair, call me names, sit on my face, I’ll take it and come back for more, I swear …

Come on baby, work for it.

You want some more? Tell me it’s good.

Oh, yeah. Take that cock. You like that, huh? You like sucking me off?

Yeah, yeah. Use my cock to get yourself off.

Seriously? Do I need to go on?

[Aura · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Hey, calm down, OK? My penis isn't going to suddenly lunge at your face."

Kit is a repressed, mousy librarian. She writes erotica as a hobby. In trying to make her stories more realistic - at the insistence of a girlfriend - she attends a meeting for people that have issues with sex. This is where Dillon crashes into her life.

Dillon can read her, right off the bat. He calls Kit on all her bullshit, all her hiding, all her insecurities. He's on a mission to draw her out. Kit is beyond attracted to him. He's intimidating and bossy, not to mention, kind of a mess.

"Great! Now I don't have to pretend that I'm not a child who only drinks soda."

Kit is totally lost in what he does to her, what she wants to do to him. She's discovering just how much she doesn't know about sex, about giving and receiving pleasure. Kit's amazed at her reactions, at the things she wants to do. The weirdest things come falling out of her mouth, and even worse are the stray thoughts going through her mind.

"Christ, what am I doing? Don't ask me to do stupid things."
"Why?"
"Because I might do them."

This book is pretty funny, very sweet, and extremely hot. Kit and Dillon practically set fire to one another with their chemistry and lust.

Addiction is short. There is almost no background story on either character, and it feels like some important conversations were left out. The ending is abrupt, the conclusion is incomplete. I still enjoyed the book, very much. There is no cliffhanger, but not really an HEA either. I'll call it a HFN, at best.

[Sunshiny Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I was gonna do a more in-depth review but I'm just too damn sick (and feeling sorry for myself). so I'll just say: I really enjoyed this a whole lot. so good. ms stein rocks!

[gabymck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming up: all my blabber about how much I enjoyed reading this.

I'm a slow reader (subjective) and I finish this author's books faster than others. I just want to know what happens, what is weekday sleep I don't care.

There's not much that happens in the book besides these 2 MCs meeting and being together, overcoming their internal conflicts to get to their HFN. It was perfect.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 for steam level

The lady is a writer, and Kit's finished book is many things in the novel. It's a character, a talisman, an ode to writing, a critique about writing. It's an explicit book and it helps them explore their intimacy and it even gives them their own secret love language. They start talking about "what happens in Chapter 2", "oh you went to Ch 10 real quick" and only they know what they mean... (we are left out of the loop and we are curious!) Readers' imagination is set free =). The journey is circular because the novel begins finding out what happens in a certain chapter, and it ends with another take on that same chapter.

The couple's dynamics begin in a certain way, and through the book and their times together they find out things about themselves.

She works at a library and of course I have a soft spot for that. Stein lets shenanigans happen at libraries that should very much NOT happen. But it's fiction, so then it's ok.

Since I consume her books very quickly, and then I forget the plot, I wanted to write something that would remind me of why I liked it. So I had to include details. And the book is borderline too sexy, where one could think "nothing happens but them sleeping together" but I would argue that those times together make us know the characters more and understand (back up) their actions/choices...

Or it could be my excuse of why I love this very sexy book, very much.

[Kazen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts with an overused trope - the romance reader/writer that loves steamy words on the page but doesn't know how to make those dreams come to life until Fantasy Guy comes along. Crazy hot sex is had, The End.

The first half of Addicted follows this story, especially where the hot sex is concerned. I had no idea why a reviewer I trust recommends it... but then we get to the second half. Emotional issues come to the fore and the couple has to do honest, emotional work to break bad cycles and get to an HEA. It's an interesting flip, and I respect Stein for doing something I haven't seen the likes of before.

While the writing chops are there I'm not a fan of books where all the sex comes in the first 50%, so a middling three stars it is. I am interested in trying out more books from Stein, though, to see what else she can do.

[Under The Cover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come check out the reviews on my blog Under The Cover

"'Take it easy Kitty-cat, I'm not some sex demon." What a fucking liar."

What can I say? I must be addicted too, but to Charlotte Stein's writing. And man! Was this book hot or what?

If you take a look at my reading challenge, you'll see that Addicted is the fifth book I read by Mrs. Stein, and so far, I haven't been disappointed once. She an incredible storyteller and has a wonderful way with words. One way or another, she always makes me fall in love with her characters because of who they are and how perfectly flawed they are. The voice of her characters crack me up when I read and Kit was no exception.

"You're not as hard to understand as you think, you know."
"Really? Then why has no one else ever figured me out?"

Kit and Dillon are great characters and I loved reading about them getting to know each other. I loved how Dillon coaxed Kit out of her shell and how Kit saw and described Dillon in the book. They fit so well together it's a real pleasure to see them together.

"So many thoughts stop me. The main one being: what if I do it wrong? Always, always: what if I do it wrong?"

Meeting Dillon was a real sexual awakening for Kit and I loved seeing her grow and becoming herself, sexually and otherwise thanks to him and a variety of sexual experiences that go from hot to scorching. And what a dedicated lover Dillon was! So focused on Kit's pleasure, and taking his by making her go over the edge and go wild with pleasure. I think most women dream of such a lover because learning and trying things with someone like Dillon ought to be liberating and satisfying.

"Lord, please let me survive Dillon Holt. He's not natural. He keeps saying stuff and saying stuff, and it's even more baffling than his ability to press a button inside me that apparently makes me come."

I also really liked the way that her characters aren't ...predictable. Dillon is the perfect example here. You see him how he wants you to see him (or more how he wants Kit to see him) until the moment you see another side of him that you never suspected existed in the first place. It makes Charlotte Stein's characters that much more realistic. They are like real people whose story you are reading.

"I've had thirty-two years of feeling...disposable. And I don't want to be disposable any more"

As per usual, this book is just as hot and erotic as the other by this author's. It's crazy the effect they have on me every time! Ladies (and the few brave gentlemen out there) prepare yourselves. Because between Dillon's stories and his dirty talk, you are in for a treat.

"Women want the same thing men do. They want to get off. They want what feels good, not necessarily what feels good for you -- though I think some girls like that idea, too. I think you do, if that squirming you started doing when I told you about stroking my own dick is anything to go by."

And again, the only thing I'd remark on is the length of the book. Oh how I wish it'd be just a tiny bit longer! Even just one or two little chapters... If you haven't read any book by Charlotte Stein yet, prepare yourself for that too. You'll be seriously wishing for it to last longer. Why do you think I'm obsessively reading her books?

"Sometimes, there are so many things I want to say that they overwhelm me."

You probably guessed it by now, I really loved and enjoyed this book. It is full of erotism, humor, tenderness and vulnerability. I will gladly read it again and recommend it to you and to the people around me.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great thing about a Charlotte Stein book is that you're never sure what you're reading until the end. Is it an angst filled romance, a horror story, or urban fantasy:

He loves me enough to turn himself into a monster who chases me across dimensions. What could possibly be more perfect?

I adored Kit and Dillon and loved the way Charlotte Stein weaved the story to make you think it was all about Kit overcoming her problems. But it's because Dillon helps her overcome all of her self-doubt, self-esteem issues that she can even begin to help Dillon with his problems. If only he'll let her...

What I enjoyed the most about this book, aside from the hot sex, the funny dialogue between the two main characters, Kit's quirky internal dialogue, was that when most authors would have ended the book, Ms. Stein kept going. It wasn't enough to just learn what Dillon feared revealing about himself. We got to see Kit help him with it. There was an HEA, but she made her characters work for it and you got the sense the work would continue long after the story ended.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing about the way Charlotte Stein writes is its very much like the way I think inside my head. Unfiltered and a little bumbling but very honest and real.

Addicted is about 2 people who are both a little broken, both hiding and lying to themselves, both confused but knowing they need more. It's about exploration and pushing the limits. Best part is, it'll knock your socks off, light your hair on fire and send you running for the closest available ...ehhemmm...release.

Rates a 10 on the hotness scale. Dillon Holt can "help me with my book research" any time he wants.

[Cyn Mistress Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

God I love Charlotte Stein's books and this one didn't disappoint. The way she writes is just genius.
I just loved Dillion and Jesus the sex in this story was totally addicting for me to read. Sorry for the pun.
I really hope that Dillion will now be ready to go back to being a firefighter. A job he loves.

[Kaetrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars, rounded up.

Why I read it: I pre-ordered this one and snuck it in between review books.

What it's about: (from Goodreads) Kit Connor has always led a safe, cautious life. But when her friend points out that her erotic writing lacks something, she decides to attend a Sexual Healing group to improve her knowledge.

Kit expects to find the gritty underbelly of sex, and instead finds louche, laidback, sex-loving Dillon Holt.

He makes a suggestion to her: that he will tell tales of his sexual excess, and help her book get the realism it needs. She agrees, but hasn't the least idea of what she's getting into.

Dillon doesn't have simple advice in mind … he has lessons to teach her. Lessons on everything she's never dared to experience, from kink to real passion.

Now Kit is never sure: is Dillon the addict, or is she just addicted to him?

What worked for me (and what didn't): First off, this book is funny. Kit made me laugh and so, what she felt was pathetic about herself didn't come across as whiny. She's self aware and self deprecating but not sad with it.

After all, what do I know about sex? Nothing. Less than nothing. Every sexual encounter I’ve ever had has occurred beneath the sheets, under a double layer of darkness. Once I started kissing some guy’s elbow, thinking I’d found his cock. And as for the pleasure I’ve just described to her, in my twisted tale of kinky delights …

Well, I guess that’s disingenuous of me, at best. I should have written:

Sex for her was sort of like being vaccinated, by a big pink finger.

There are moments in the book where she allows the reader to see her real vulnerability but by then, her character was much more than her vulnerable places and I was disposed to think of her as brave rather than pitiable. Because she could have been pathetic. She thinks of herself as the stereotypical librarian (of the non-sexy variety), lonely and dried up and not good at sex or relationships. She writes erotic fiction and her "friend" laughs at it. Which is why I don't think she's much of a friend. Her critique was thoughtless and aimed at making Kit feel small and I think a better friend would have taken more care. In any event, her (alleged) friend sends Kit off to a "Sexual Healing" group and Kit, because she does what she is told, goes. At the group, she meets various people suffering from some kind of sex addiction or perceived sexual issue (one woman can't say "vagina") and she feels shamed because she has no excess to share. Her own story, she feels, is boring and embarrassing because of it. But at the group, she meets Dillon. He's big and built and gorgeous in a slightly non traditional but real kind of way. He has tattoos and a cheeky smile and he's watching her.

His arms are folded jauntily over his chest, and I immediately notice two things because of this:

First, his arms and his general chest area are absolutely enormous. They’re so enormous that they briefly blot out all light in the universe, and cause a cataclysm the likes of which the world has never known.

And:

Those earth-destroying arms are covered in tattoos.

Though maybe all of that is just a slight exaggeration.

He tells a story of being caught with no pants after a sexcapade and she is mesmerised.

"...And by this point, I really want to go lower down. I’ll say it right now – I love eating pussy. I could eat pussy all day every day until the end of time, just to get a girl all flushed the way she gets, and hear those little soft, desperate moans or maybe even the loud, aggressive ones … I don’t mind. Pull my hair, call me names, sit on my face, I’ll take it and come back for more, I swear I –’

Dillon is everything Kit feels she is not and pretty soon, Dillon is giving her a very specific critique of her book in an entirely different way than her friend (on a number of levels actually).

The sex scenes are hot and messy and dirty in the best way and there is plenty of funny in there too. Because the book is told from Kit's POV and in large part is her journey of self discovery, there isn't a lot of Dillon. He acts as her sexual mentor and fantasy-bringer, but remains largely unknown and it is that which forms the conflict of the end of the book.

I thought it was very clever the way Ms. Stein used exaggeration to heighten the sense of fun - only to then make me lose my breath when the sucker punch of the deep down vulnerabilities of these two people were suddenly revealed. There were a number of times in the book where I was fresh from laughing only to be jerked back by some revelation of pain or fear.

Everywhere I look, there’s more of him. He’s kind of hunching his shoulders against the cold, and they’re still taking up my entire world.

And now he’s saying things. Revealing, warm sorts of things.

‘I guess I just wanted to find out why I feel this way.’

Oh, Lord. He’s talking about feelings. He’s looking at me with those eyes and talking about feelings. Shouldn’t a guy like him be mashing a beer can to his head while mooning the Prime Minister? I’m sure that should be his MO.

But apparently it’s not.

‘And how do you feel?’ I ask, still expecting something stupid. I feel like lighting my own farts, he’ll say, and then he’ll snort and probably run off to find some guy to punch. I’ll see him on an episode of Street Cops two months from now, and never regret jumping over a hedge to escape him.

Though all of that nonsense just makes it more of a shock when he answers:

‘Empty.’

Kit realises that, despite appearances, Dillon is just as vulnerable as she and together, they realise that they are good for each other and their mutual addiction is not a health hazard. But it takes a while and a lot of bravery from both of them to get there, to strip naked emotionally.

We’ve made a mess. A really big mess.

But I couldn’t care less. In fact, I can’t keep the grin off my face when I see the havoc we wrought. I’m no longer Kit Connor, cautious librarian. I’m Kit Connor, destroyer of worlds. I raised my mighty fists and clobbered my own reality into smithereens, and now I have to live amongst the remains.

The journey is sexy and fun and brave and I loved how Dillon used humour to help Kit relax, how he made it easy for her to be with him and how he didn't let her slide away or out from under while at the same time not applying undue pressure.

Oh, I like that deadpan, Kit. I like that a lot. How did you know my weakness?’

‘Your weakness is a woman using deadpan humour?’

‘My weakness is brunettes with bee-stung lips and big round asses. The humour’s just a bonus.’

...


‘Well … thank you. But, no. I wasn’t talking about myself. I was talking about –’

‘Angelina Jolie?’

‘Yeah – I hear she’s a real deadpan hoot,’ he says, sarcasm so thick I almost gag on it. I have to swallow quickly and compose myself, because then he comes out with this: ‘I’m talking about you, you idiot. You have seen you, right?’

And after he has, my world turns upside down.

‘Of course I have. I saw myself last Wednesday. My hair was doing this woo-woo thing,' I say, but only because I’m panicking. My palms have gone all sweaty and my mouth has dried to a crisp. It’s like my saliva has disappeared down into my hands.

And all because he said I had nice lips.

‘Can you give me a demonstration of this woo-woo?’

‘Well, my fringe was kind of going out here like – Christ, what am I doing? Don’t ask me to do stupid things.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I might do them.’

and here:

'So it does get you off to see me making a fool out of myself. I knew it.’

I roll my eyes, only I don’t truly mean it. I don’t mean it, because he’s not what I thought at all. Instead, he’s the kind of person who laughs, and says:

‘No, baby. It gets me off to see you not knowing a single damned thing about yourself, and getting to be the guy who makes sure you learn. Because I am going to be that guy, I promise you that.’ He pauses – probably to give me time to faint. ‘And we’re going to start with a much-needed lesson in orgasms.’

And there are moments where something poignant and special is hidden for the reader to find, like an Easter egg.

‘Here then. Here. Rest in this convenient nook I seem to have, right where my shoulder meets my chest.’

What else? The end disappointed me but I'm not sure I can entirely articulate why. It was certainly abrupt. But the story was told so what did I want instead? And that's what I'm having difficulty with. It kind of felt like it cut off mid-sentence (although it didn't) it was that sudden for me. But other than to say that I wanted it less sudden, less like a guillotine slice, I can't say what I did want. I felt like Dillons' revelations came so late in the book that I didn't have time to reconcile myself to them and feel better and because of that, the ending was kind of a let down. Actually, now I think about it, Sarah Wendell said something apropos in the recent DBSA podcast - to the effect of; when a trauma is revealed late in a book, even if there is plenty of foreshadowing, the reader experiences the loss then. And the reader needs time to get over it. I think that's maybe what happened to me here. I felt a bit like "here's the loss, it happened a while ago and it's better now" was just too quick a transition for me to make in such a short space of words and it did affect my grade.

However, I can see that I my highlights go over to 2 pages and I cannot express to you how sexy the sex scenes were.

There was a recent Twitter discussion about the difference between erotic romance and romance. One side of the debate seemed to say that e-rom is merely sexed up romance - take the sex out and there would still be a plot and a story. But I don't favour that definition. I lean to the definition that the sex in an e-rom is essential - that the story is told (largely) through the sex. And here is my proof. If you take the sex out of Addicted, there would be virtually no book - certainly not one of any great sense or emotion. But this is not a book for mere titillation. It tells a story of two flawed and vulnerable people finding that person with whom they can truly be themselves, unafraid and unadorned and be accepted and loved for just who they are. And that's why I read Charlotte Stein.

Grade: B

http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this for the smut, to distract myself. And the smut was good, don't get me wrong. The plot was fine, it was fun and surprised me. BUT the protagonist is named Kit and I kept thinking of Kit Harington all the time, which was just weird.

[Kindred Reader (lilastrings)]

Charlotte Stein's books are usually a hit or miss for me. This isn't a hit, unfortunately. I managed to finish because it's a short read. I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The author writes the thoughts of the FMC so beautifully though, even during the steamy parts of the book.