BOOK REVIEW: 'Sinful Temptation' by London Hale—5 Stars

Sinful Temptation by London Hale is a super sexy and fun read, perfect for fans of taboo-ish, “opposites attract” romance. Grab your copy today!

[For Mature Audiences; Some Spoilers]

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy some sexy, forbidden romance. Oh, who am I kidding! If you’ve been reading my book reviews over the years, you know that, in any season, I’m a sucker for all the taboo things. Thank goodness for London Hale!

London Hale is a writing duo of two of our fave romance authors Brighton Walsh and Ellis Leigh. The two have joined together to deliver some smuttastic romance, we were 100% on board!

These novellas take place in the fictional Midwestern town of Temperance Falls, located on an island in one of the Great Lakes. The first trilogy of novellas, Temperance Falls: Experience Counts follow May-to-December romances between older “Daddy” figures and the little ladies who love them (Daddy’s Best Friend, DILF, Nanny with Benefits). The second trilogy of novellas, Temperance Falls: Selling Sin, focus on “opposites attract” storyline, and the first book, Sinful Temptation is out today!

As soon as I saw the summary for Sinful Temptation, I knew I needed it in my hands with the quickness. I love all types of forbidden romance, but something about a pastor/priest getting his kink on is so taboo that it just melts me. This novella does just that. I read Sinful Temptation in an evening, swooned/flailed/keeled over, and then read it again the very next afternoon because I couldn’t get enough. The leading characters are fun, the chemistry between them is FIYA, and the sexytimes… lawwwwwwwwwwwwd! Sinful Temptation gets all five, smuttastic stars.

Harper Davis has just moved back to Temperance Falls after her grandmother passes away. Though Harper grows up there, she gets out of town as soon as she’s of age in order to escape her grandma’s moralizing. So, it really shouldn’t be a surprise Grandma leaves her Christian bookstore and tea shop to Harper. She takes that bookstore and takes a pretty scandalous step by turning it into an adult toy store, Sin. Perhaps, even more egregious, Sin is located right across the street from a nondenominational church. Welps.

Harper enjoys sticking it to the sanctimonious old biddies who look down their nose at her and her store. Interestingly, she’s also fascinated with Pastor Noah Reid, a gorgeous man, but so straightedge, he wouldn’t know what to do with a woman like Harper. Or so she thinks…

Noah has been fantasizing about Harper ever since they crossed paths several months ago. Their flirting is anything but harmless, and one day when she takes things a little too far, Noah decides to take things into his own hands. LITERALLY. At first, Harper doesn’t know what’s hit her, but as long as Noah keeps bringing the killer orgasms, she’s here for it. But when Noah starts talking about dinner dates and relationships, Harper cannot believe he’s serious. He’s a pastor for goodness sakes, and she owns the town sex store. Harper isn’t trying to attract any more ire from townsfolk for sullying Temperance Fall’s favorite pastor. But, Noah can be realllllllllly convincing when he wants to be…

Noah and Harper make me so happy! Truth be told, I don’t know that these two are all they opposite. Noah kind, generous, and open-minded. He doesn’t use religion to beat people over the head and alienate them. And Noah is totally willing to act on his attraction to Harper, with no shame whatsoever. I think this is what actually throws Harper off. When we learn about how she grows up, we see that people in Temperance Falls have always looked down on her. As a result, she’ uses her wit, fierce independence, and sexuality as a protective wall. Even when Harper gives into her attraction to Noah, she’s preparing herself to be his dirty little secret. And YAS, Noah can get dirty, but he has no intention of hiding his feelings for Harper, which I adore.

“Questions, I can handle. People talking about us, I can handle. And I’m willing to put in as much work as necessary to get you to see we’re great together.”
He leaned even farther across the table, his voice dropping to a low, sultry tone meant for only my ears.
“Harper, I’m a pastor, not a priest. I’m allowed to date, and I’m allowed to choose whomever I want to share my life with. I’m also allowed to fuck you six ways from Sunday so long as it’s consensual. What are you so worried about?”

…

“Tell me, Noah. What do you fantasize about?”
He gripped my hips, pulling me closer. Digging his fingers in deep.
“You. It doesn’t matter what. It’s always you.”
“For how long?”…
…“Since the first day in the parking lot. You were so beautiful…and wet.”
He brushed a finger down my neck to my breast before tracing soft as silk circles around a nipple. “I love it when you’re wet.”…
…“I’ve dreamed of doing this to you for months. Of tasting you.”
He turned his head to the side, brushing his lips over my thigh before sinking his teeth in hard enough to make me jump. “There’s no way in hell I can be gentle.”
“Then don’t be.”
With a groan, he dove in. No preamble. No working me up. No teasing. He covered me with his mouth, his tongue working fast and furious against me. Long licks up the length of my slit, followed by fast, hard flicks back and forth against my clit. And then added his fingers to the mix. He had me on the edge so fast, flying straight toward my orgasm, I couldn’t tell up from down, couldn’t discern his fingers from his tongue from his teeth. All I knew was he was devouring me whole. And I absolutely loved it.
“Oh God, you’re gonna make me come. Noah…”
He groaned against me, working his tongue faster. With a moan, I arched off the bed and reached for his hair, holding him to me as I pressed myself harder against his face. He responded to my moan with one of his own, the sound vibrating against my pussy, and then I was in free fall…

…And when it hit, when he braced his hand at the base of my spine, holding me to him and grinding so deep I had no choice but to fall, I knew it was different. Every second with him was different, from the teasing to the sex. From the way he looked at me to how he kissed me. If I’d been paying attention, I would’ve seen it’d been different all along.
“Harper…”
Even the way he whispered my name was something I’d never known. When he came apart in my arms, my name a prayer on his lips, I knew whatever I’d thought this had been between us was a lie. Noah was all in. Strangely, so was I.

See what I mean?! This is so hot and sexy and romantic and UNFFFFF! I’m telling you, I need to find my way to Temperance Falls, I really do.

If you’re a fan of kinky contemporary romance, especially the more taboo, then Sinful Temptation is for you! I read this as a standalone, but if you’ve read London Hale’s previous novellas, then several characters you’ve already met show up in Sinful Temptation. We also get a glimpse at some of the future protagonists too.

Add Sinful Temptation on Goodreads, download your copy today, and check out the rest of London Hale’s books too!