Spicy Shakespeare, 1
Emerson Walsh is barely keeping her head above water.
After a wreck leaves her twin brother in a coma, Eme is returning to campus and some semblance of her life before the accident. Between visits to the hospital, shifts in the Box Office, and auditions for the Theatre Department’s new season, Eme is swamped. Move-In Day brings her new roommate, Harper, who she was hoping might be a girl she has something in common with. But due to a mix up in housing, she’s been placed with Harper “Bear” Reed. He’s one of the school’s most infamous star athletes, notorious campus playboy, and an immediate and infuriating thorn in Eme’s side.
The new roomies set off on a crash course in seeing which of them can drive the other to move out first. But when Bear finds out that Eme is working with his long-time crush, he decides to play a different kind of long game. Armed with a proposition, Bear begs Eme to help him win Olivia’s heart. He offers to do anything Eme wants in exchange, even if it means finding somewhere else to live. Eme agrees to use her theatre training to coach Bear in some desperately needed personality lessons. To get what they want, they’ll have to find some way to turn their dissonance into harmony.
And if music be the food of love … PLAY ON.
Excerpt:
“What do I get out of it?” she teases.
But when she asks that question, she does this thing with her body. She turns her chin into her shoulder, sort of peers at me from under her lashes. She means it to be playful, maybe. Like she’s entertaining the conversation but not taking it very seriously. But I don’t think she realizes what it actually looks like. It’s a fucking bombshell of a look. She’s totally transformed. Just changing the curve of her arm, the slope of her neck, the expression in her eyes. She goes from this sort of awkward, unsure girl instantly into this confident, breathtaking creature. I must be drooling like a cartoon dog.
Holy shit, am I into my weird roommate?
All I can do is hold up my fork.
“I’m a cocky son of a bitch, don’t get me wrong,” I tell her as she chews. “But I’m not bluffing when I tell you that I know pretty much everybody here. I get what I need and I do what I want.”
Her lips curl in a mocking sort of smile.
Now I’m forgetting about the Lord’s work and thinking maybe I could make her call out the Lord’s name—
Seal the deal, Bear.
“Tell me what it is you’d like in return, Emerson,” I say, laying on the charm, turning up the heat. “I’ll see if I can’t make it happen for you.”
She rolls her eyes, but I lean forward, capturing her gaze before she can bolt.
“What is it you want, pretty thing?” I purr, licking my lips, biting down. “Letters of recommendation? Some scholarship funding? Pulling internship strings?”
She just keeps smiling, utterly unfazed.
Am I losing my touch?
“You want to meet my friends?” I ask, leaning in, pushing the plate out of our way to make room. “I make a hell of a wingman.”
I don’t stop until we’re close enough to kiss.
“You want to sit courtside?” I murmur.
I look down at her smiling mouth, touch the tip of my nose against hers.
Most girls would be taking off their pants by now.
Emerson is not most girls.
“Maybe you’re too shy to say it,” I press, learning that she smells like lavender and mint, needing more. “But maybe you want lessons. I could teach you a few things. Maybe that’s what you really want. To fuck like I do.”
She lifts that slender hand, draws one fingertip up my throat. Just the slightest brush from the pad of her pointer, up over the slope of my Adam’s apple. She stops under my chin, tilting my face up toward hers with just a tiny press of pressure. Jesus Mary and Joseph, I would let this woman choke me. Her eyes flutter closed. She shudders out a soft exhale, just the tiniest hint of a moan in the back of the sound. As her breath hits my parted lips, I taste her. Sweet and clean. That sound of hers makes me hard enough to cut into the edge of my zipper. When she speaks, her lips nearly brush mine.
“She faked that second orgasm,” she tells me. “Probably to get things over with so you’d stop drilling her into the cheap mattress like a malfunctioning jackhammer. I’m an actress, Harper. I’m the best. So trust me when I tell you that no one screams like a bad B horror film reel unless they’re really trying to get the point across.”
loved it !! love Eme and Bear... this is their mixed up story... a fun fast paced rom/com drama... this is a strange year for Eme... she's barely keeping it together... her twin is in the hospital ... she's working in the box office and in the play... and now, she has Bear as her new roommate.. Bear is male... what a mix up... and now, she has to coach him to get his crush to like him !!! so funny !!!
What a fun story with some witty banter. The story is about Harper, also known as Bear, and Eme, also known as Emerson. Do to a mix up they end up being roommates. She has had a lot dumped on her and the last thing wants is him for a roommate. Let the jousting and sparing begin. Things get even more interesting when he tries to win a girl with Eme's help. I could not put this story down. It was so much fun to read.
What a fun story with some witty banter. The story is about Harper, also known as Bear, and Eme, also known as Emerson. Do to a mix up they end up being roommates. She has had a lot dumped on her and the last thing wants is him for a roommate. Let the jousting and sparing begin. Things get even more interesting when he tries to win a girl with Eme's help. I could not put this story down. It was so much fun to read.
Okay listen… this book wrecked me and then stitched me back together with a spicy slow burn ?? She’s barely keeping it together after her brother ends up in almost brain dead from a car accident. Now she’s back at college. New dorm. New start… except her new roommate? Yeah, he’s a he, and a total man whore ? Like — the campus heartbreaker. Cocky smile, flirty eyes, and absolutely zero emotional availability. He wants help getting her best friend’s attention, and she agrees (because obviously she doesn’t like him ?)… except, plot twist — he stops wanting the friend and starts falling for her. Now it’s Friday night pizza and movies, accidental touches, jealous moments, and that slow, delicious realization that they’re both falling even though they really shouldn’t. But underneath the charm, he’s hiding something — his own kind of pain. Trauma that makes him think he’s not worthy of love. So yeah, it’s messy. It’s emotional. It’s hot. It’s “you were supposed to help me get her, but all I want is you” energy and I ATE. IT. UP.
Great story that really hit me on all levels. I really loved that it combined romance and humor very well. It is a wonderfully adorable read. So very well written.
I am obsessed with Shakespeare and loved this take on 12th Night. Harper (Bear) is an absolute rake, bedding anything that moves but really pining for Olivia. Enter the roommate mix up and Emerson, who just happens to be Olivia's best friend and the Shakespearean plot writes itself. Only Eme has struggles of her own and Harper is caught between who he wants, and who he wants to help. To be fair, some of the characters are a little unnecessary and there are times I felt like I was missing something but it was well worth the read. It's book 1 in the series so I'll be interested to see what comes next. Definitely worth the read.
I am obsessed with Shakespeare and loved this take on 12th Night. Harper (Bear) is an absolute rake, bedding anything that moves but really pining for Olivia. Enter the roommate mix up and Emerson, who just happens to be Olivia's best friend and the Shakespearean plot writes itself. Only Eme has struggles of her own and Harper is caught between who he wants, and who he wants to help. To be fair, some of the characters are a little unnecessary and there are times I felt like I was missing something but it was well worth the read. It's book 1 in the series so I'll be interested to see what comes next. Definitely worth the read.
Life has really caught up with Eme she is already having a hard time just keeping up with things. In housing mistake she doesn’t end up with who she thought she would. Now her and the new roommate Bear are stuck. She doesn’t want to room with him. This hilarious book pulled me in and had me cracking up and when they make a truce to help him win the girl he wants. It just gets better. I highly recommend this read. It’s adorable.
The start of the Spicy Shakespeare, a good start to the series. The initial encounter between Emerson Walsh and Harper "Bear" Reed as college roommates, despite its rocky beginning, sets a compelling stage for their relationship. The narrative is well-crafted with strong character development and a very engaging storyline that culminates in a satisfying conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and eagerly anticipate the next installment in the series.
This book will have you laughing out loud, blushing, and shedding tears all at once. Emerson, Eme, has had a rough time lately, her brother is in a coma after a tragic accident, she spends her time working and rehearsing her plays, and once she is ready to return to college, she finds that her new roommate, "Harper", is not the girl she was hoping for. Harper is instead the infamous male athlete -a baseball player- with a reputation. They are both not happy with the arrangements and each of them will stop at nothing to have the other leave the room. BUt Harper finds out that Em is working with Olivia, his crush, so he strikes a deal, he will leave the room in exchange for her to coach him to get Olivia. But they don't count on is that through it all they will peel their layers, show their souls, and their attraction will turn to love. Be prepared for an tear jerker at the end!
So, so, so, so good!! If you want a book that is going to have you yoyo-ing from epic highs to epic lows, then this is the book for you! Harper… From our introduction to Harper, I thought he was going to be the quintessential playboy jock, who mowed his way through all the females on campus… Instead, we had a MMC who is deeply traumatised and vulnerable. Emerson…. Where to begin. My heart hurt for her so much - surrounded by so many, but missing her other half. She was so generous and giving, and ohmygod… she was funny, and dirty, and felt so much…. This book was playful, lighthearted at times, then all of a sudden, it turns serious and the characters are dealing with some kind of trauma. Then bam! We’re back in humour. Cait Morfi keeps you on your toes - you’re half crying one moment, laughing the next, fanning yourself (the shower scene… oh my, then…. the necklace…. IYKYK…), and then you’re raging, then celebrating. I devoured this… then once I got to the last word…. I want more!
So, so, so, so good!! If you want a book that is going to have you yoyo-ing from epic highs to epic lows, then this is the book for you! Harper… From our introduction to Harper, I thought he was going to be the quintessential playboy jock, who mowed his way through all the females on campus… Instead, we had a MMC who is deeply traumatised and vulnerable. Emerson…. Where to begin. My heart hurt for her so much - surrounded by so many, but missing her other half. She was so generous and giving, and ohmygod… she was funny, and dirty, and felt so much…. This book was playful, lighthearted at times, then all of a sudden, it turns serious and the characters are dealing with some kind of trauma. Then bam! We’re back in humour. Cait Morfi keeps you on your toes - you’re half crying one moment, laughing the next, fanning yourself (the shower scene… oh my, then…. the necklace…. IYKYK…), and then you’re raging, then celebrating. I devoured this… then once I got to the last word…. I want more!
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