Dirty: A Dive Bar Novel by Kylie Scott

I've pretty much enjoyed all of Kylie Scott's books, some more than others. Play, Mal and Anne's story tops the list. But, I have to say, Dirty is right up there with Play in reading enjoyment.

Here, have a blurb:

Love—on the rocks….

The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a broken hearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that come with her.

Lydia Green doesn't know whether to scream or cry in a corner. Discovering the love of your life is having an affair on your wedding day is bad enough. Finding out it's with his best man is another thing all together.

Just when this runaway bride has nowhere left to turn, a handsome stranger offers her a broad, muscular shoulder to cry on. Vaughan is the exact opposite of the picture perfect, respected businessmen she's normally drawn to. This former musician-turned-bartender is rough around the edges and is facing his own crossroads. But Lydia's already tried Mr. Right and discovered he's all wrong--maybe it's time to give Mr. Right Now a chance.

After all, what's wrong with getting dirty?

Dirty is the first book in the Dive Bar series from bestselling author Kylie Scott.

                                                                             *****

I read the first couple of chapters with a smile on my face, I know I did, all because of lines like this:

"It's just kind of hard to ignore a penis and scrotum when they're dangling right in front of your face. I tilted my head, trying to get some perspective. Every viewpoint, however, was equally shocking. There was dick as far as the eye could see." (Lydia has been discovered in the tub.)

Lol!

I liked this couple. I liked their personalities, their humor, their appetite for each other. I liked the secondary characters too, even Eric, even though I'm sure they are all sequel fodder. It will hopefully be as much fun reading their romances as it was Lydia's and Vaughan's.

And we got to catch up just a bit with the Stage Dive gang. Mal made a cameo, being his usual crazy self while bringing news of the others.

There's no shoot 'em ups, no deeply tragic angst, no fairy godmothers or life saving alphas in this novel. Just real people (more or less) with life problems that can be solved with a little introspection and a lot of trust. "To thy own self be true" is the quote describing this tale of love and if you can do that, well then, you can love and be true to others. 

It's gonna be a great series, I feel it in my bones.

Amazon link

The Young Heroine

Carolyn and I have talked before about the Stage Dive series by Kylie Scott. We both were blah on book 1 (David and whiny girl), LOVED book 2 (Anne and Mal) and disagreed vehemently on book 3 (Jimmy and Lena) with Carolyn loving it and I hated it.

Book four, Deep, released and Carolyn told me she didn't like it. It's the story of Ben and Liz and I was hopeful for it. Instead I DNF'd it. I found the hero too wishy-washy and annoying and the heroine was a child emotionally.

I don't read NA for a reason and that's because I'm not interested in 20 year olds as heroines. If you've lived for awhile then you know that the best thing about being is your 20s is uh... youth. But the average 20 year old is just beginning their journey and they're learning how to stand on their own two feet and it just doesn't interest me. I like more seasoned heroines. I like people who have been through the wringer and have bruises, or scars.

In Deep, Liz is pregnant from a one night stand with rock star Ben. The condom broke. So Liz decides to quit school and travel with the band and be taken care of because morning sickness is kicking her ass.

Fucking crybaby.

I had to stop reading and then started Silver Bastard by Joanna Wylde. (Funny happenstance, Kylie Scott is acknowledged in Wylde's book and as critique-beta reader. )

Silver Bastard is the story of Puck and Becca and Becca is 21, Puck is 26 (I think). Becca is a kick-ass heroine. She's been through more in her life because of a fucked-up, meth head mother and a sick fuck step-father who raped her repeatedly and then pimped her out as a teenager.

Becca has issues but that doesn't make her a wuss. She's going to school, working, creating a network of friends and family,. Liz in Deep had no real issues except that she let other people take care of her, Becca was self-parenting at a young age and deals with her issues. And she has some big ones.

Loved Becca. Loved her story. Was a little meh about Puck as a hero because he just wasn't that interesting as man-meat, hero bait but damned if I didn't love the book.

Seriously have to pimp Silver Bastard but have to give Kylie Scott a pass. Except for Mal, she's struck out with me every time.

Play by Kylie Scott

I didn't know erotica could be like this. Light and funny and heart wrenching, all at the same time. Welcome to Play, the second book in the Stage Dive series.

Malcolm Ericson is drummer and peacemaker for the group Stage Dive. He is also the clown, which is a good cover for his worries and the one great heartbreak he's forced to endure.

Our heroine, Anne Rollins, meets Mal at a party thrown by her neighbor's old roommate and her husband, another member of the band. Mal's feeling no pain and zeroes in on Anne, much to her confusion.


"Honestly, this whole monogamy thing. It takes so much getting used to, man." Mal set the distinctly cranky brunette away from him, the muscles in his arms flexing. He deposited her gently back down onto the floor. "Apologies. I'm sure you're very nice and all but my heart beats only for Anne."

Mal threw himself at my feet. I scuttled back in my chair in surprise.

"Forgive me, Anne! I didn't mean to stray."


Anne, whose roommate has absconded with the couch along with owing 2-3 months rent will lose her apartment, until she comes home from work one day and finds she has a new roommate, namely one Malcolm Ericson, and a new couch.

From this point on, I laughed my ass off at these two 'different' lovers. Romeo and Juliet they ain't. And while seemingly self absorbed, overbearing alpha heroes make me grit my teeth, I had no problem with Mal. I'm not even sure he's an alpha.

I'm a sucker for a sense of humor from anyone.

There's a deep, dark secret Mal is hiding which turns out to be not such a secret, but it still breaks his heart. Anne is there for him.

I cannot say how much I admire Anne. She not only puts up with all Mal's shit, she becomes his rock, the foundation of his life. It was a pure pleasure watching it happen.

Oh! This is what the cover looks like:

I totally loved this book. The erotica wasn't overwhelming and ... it was joyful. I can't say it any better than that. Mal was an unusual hero for this genre, but he captured my heart along with Anne's.

The first book in the series is Lick, David's story; the third book is Lead, Jimmy's story. And OMG, Lead just might be better than Play! Jimmy is so broken and we get to follow him as he overcomes his past and finds love in his present and future. *sigh*  The fourth book, Deep, Ben's story, is due out March 31, 2015.

Amazon Link