King of Hearts by Christina C. Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If there's one thing that can be said about Christina C. Jones, it's that she always, always delivers. This sweet and sultry follow-up to Ante Up consists of three parallel short stories, each taking place in the three days surrounding Valentine's Day. In story #1, King of Diamonds, we are reacquainted with the fiery King and Asha, and oh how sweet of a reunion it was! We're briefly tossed back into their rollercoaster ride of a romance as they finally break through the last remnants of resistance.

Story #2, King of Clubs, gives us a glimpse into the love life of Asha's roommate, Camille. While in the midst of preparing for her big Valentine's Day show, Camille finds herself embroiled in a mystery; who is this new secret admirer and what exactly are their intentions? And then finally, the pièce de résistance, the icing on the cake and the cherry on top is the story that shares a title with this collection, King of Hearts. This steamy story brings us into the world of King's older sister Zora and her business associate, Trei. A difference in age and the need to be professional have kept these long-time acquaintances apart, but an important meeting between the two ends up being more about pleasure than business.

Christina C. Jones structured these stories like a pro. The first two were like foreplay, punctuated by the sweet euphoria of something fruity and high grade (roll one if you got it). The last story was the main event, the big show, the fireworks spectacular. I love this world, I love these characters, and I love this High Stakes collection. Just as before, I am quite excited to read the next book in this series.

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Me + Somebody's Son: A Heights Story by Christina C. Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story was closer to a 3.5 for me. It was very cute - a fun, flirty, quick read about two old college friends reconnecting in a way they'd always wanted to but never could. What this little novella has going for it is that it delivers an abundance of laughter. There were some seriously hilarious moments that really endeared me to the characters. I did feel a bit dissatisfied with the ending though. It felt somewhat abrupt, which kind of makes sense considering the size of the book, but I felt like things ended right as I was becoming really wrapped up in the blossoming romance of the two main characters. I would really love to know more about how their relationship develops. That being said, this was another solid work from Christina C. Jones. If you're looking for a warm-hearted, romantic pick-me-up and some sincere belly laughs, this novella delivers.

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Maybe Next Time by Christina C. Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To be honest, I tend to have low expectations for novellas, especially romance novellas. There's often not enough space and time to flesh out a story that is meaningful beyond the romantic or erotic nature of the tale. This was not at all the case here. This story had impact, beyond just the lusty stuff. This was a story of a marriage pushed to its limits by grief, anger, and a serious lack of communication.

I was apprehensive at first. The introduction to Denver's character had me seriously taken aback - like who the hell is this guy and what is his problem? But as the story unfolded, the two main characters, Denver and Kensa, took on depths that I genuinely did not expect. When they finally got down to the root of all of their problems, everything made so much more sense. Anyone who has ever been married or in a serious, long-term committed relationship can understand the overwhelming, sometimes uncontrollable waves of emotion that can arise once the union is tested by the things in life that we have no control over.

This was a rollercoaster ride. Short, but chock full of emotional lows and highs. The pain felt by both characters was palpable, and I found myself choked up once the story hit its climax. But this was also a story about redemption, and how even through life's toughest moments, love can prevail.

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