This latest release from Sawyer Bennett’s new Series Love Hurts, is a short, sweet, sassy, sexy, and sometimes funny read. This is one of those books you have to take at face value, and not think it’s going to blow your mind like The Hard Truth About Sunshine, or fire your panties up like the Wicked Horse series. If this is your first time picking up Sawyer Bennett, then this is for you. It’s just a cute little love story, placed in a smaller than small Alaskan town. Valentine. a big NYC blogger, comes to Alaska to write a blog series on Alaskan men and how they measure up again their NYC counterparts. Arriving by boat to this small town, with no car service, she meets and is instantly smitten with the local Sheriff, Logan. Of course Logan is interested, but so is half of the town, and he needs to play it cool/safe, and just be her friend. But of course, we all know how that works out in these books. *wink wink*

I will read anything Sawyer writes, and it’s a great premise. Here’s where I had trouble. Valentine’s personality is very BIG, and I often have issues with these characters that are over the top. As I got into the book, I felt like she relaxed a little into the quiet life in a small town. She did chill out a little, but that wide eyed city girl routine only takes you so far, after you’ve been in town for a couple of weeks. I liked Logan, single Sheriff, Mayor of the town, basically in charge of it all. He’s quiet observance of Valentine in the wild, is funny and kind of cute. I was really getting into this story and feeling pretty good about it..until something happened in the storyline, that made me so I had to put the book down for 24 hours to get over myself. I am not going to spoil it, but it just hit me wrong in my book heart. My faith in Sawyer and her story telling ability, made me move on, and I wasn’t sorry I did.

This is not a complicated web of feels, it’s just a cute, feel good book. The reader gets their HEA, and we see Logan and Valentine head off into the deep of blue of Alaska together. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a no brainer, sweet and simple love story between two opposites. I will say this though, if you have read a lot of Sawyer Bennett’s books this might be a miss for you. She has set the bar pretty high with her other books/series. I liked it, but I didn’t LOVE it.

An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Talk about being out of element, Valentine French has grown tired of the New York dating scene and when her cousin suggests a new locale she travels to Alaska to find her guy. Bringing her whole arsenal of things. Think Carrie Bradshaw in the wilderness. Only she's out of her depth and knows it but she's optimistic in exploring a new dating scene.

Valentine is pretty much my total opposite in all aspects except her anti high society part. Which is ironic since she is total city girl and a high maintenance one at that. She may not be the type of person I'd hang with but she has heart. Logan moved to the outskirts to be more solitary. He enjoys his job and life, settled where he is. As a cop helping others he does it well when he he comes to Valentine's rescue. Definitely different from all the metrosexuals and a more solid guy. Clearly these two are opposites.

This started slow for me but picked up halfway. I wasn't a fan of Valentine's being judgy through her blog the way she acted around town. I felt like there would be a proper way to do without disclosing everything and being snippy with her words. I've seen articles with snark to make it more readable and gain audience but these are actual people who are nice. I would be upset to to find out about it especially if I was the guy she was seeing. That said they did have their moments together I liked.

Alaska is not the typical setting but has appeal for me anyway. That was an upside for me. The premise behind was cute and charming but I grew tired after a few blog entries. It's probably just the heroine that bugged me the most. A pretty ok start to new series by Sawyer Bennett it had cute and good moments. With quite interesting secondary characters and entertaining times in between.

What a treat! I absolutely loved this book!

Valentine is rich and runs a dating blog to keep herself busy. She has discussed with her audience all sorts of intimate things regarding dating. As she expands her horizons by going to a small town in Alaska to compare dating in New York City with Alaskan hunks, she changes her destiny when she meets Logan, chief of police extraordinaire!

Logan is everything you would want in a man... except his temper. He does get upset and goes ballistic without listening to the reasons behind what is happening. On his behalf, I have to say the man has never been in a real relationship. He avoids complications and entanglements. Needless to say, Valentine is one complication he never saw coming.

Their love runs hot and heavy. They are both so independent and avoiding entanglements. Only a love affair like theirs can survive the wilds of Alaska!

I am voluntarily reviewing this book. It is an awesome story! Thank you to the author for sharing a copy.
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I really liked this! It was light and funny and the scenes between Logan and Valentine were steamy :) I do think Logan was a bit harsh to Val there towards the end. I get why he reacted that way, but he was jerky. Otherwise, he would have been a perfect book boyfriend. The secondary cast of characters were awesome and I can see quite a few books coming in the future for this series. I'll be looking forward to them.

*thanks to InkSlinger PR for sharing a copy of this with me*

4 Stars

It's been a while since I've read one of Sawyer Bennett's books, but I'm so glad I picked this one to get me back into her books. This is Sawyer at her best, with a hot, swoon worthy hero who is an Alaskan, mountain man cop, and a New York socialite who is in need of a real man, not a stuck up suit that New York tends to offer.
When we first meet Valentine, my first thought is that she's going to be one of those stuck up socialites. She is anything but, yes she has money and is used to the finer things in life, but she also has a kind heart. The reason for the sudden trip to Alaska is to help with Valentine's blog. She wants to find a real mountain man and see if there is a difference between them and New York's men that's when she meets Logan.
Logan is the sheriff and one hell of a mountain man. When we first meet him, you can't help but swoon! He's every bit the alpha mountain man, and a complete sweetheart! Every time Valentine and Logan are near each other the chemistry between them is sizzling. You don't get much drama in the book, which was actually nice for a change, plenty of laughs and if you're a sap like me, maybe a couple of tears as well. Another great read from Sawyer and I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book of this new series!

I haven't read many books by Sawyer Bennett but so far whatever I have read was so good.This one isn't an exception!

Sex in the Sticks is a lightning,refreshing and sexy story!I have a smile all the time while I was reading it!The beginning was a little bit slow but overall I enjoyed everything about it!

Logan is a sexy alpha male with a dirty mouth!Val is perfect,I enjoyed her more than I expected!

If you are looking for a fast paced and entertaining read this is perfect!

Oh my goodness--LOVED!

Valentine French is about as fish-out-of-water as a heroine can get--and yes, we've seen the whole socialite stuck in the wilds bit before, but somehow here Ms. Bennett made it feel new and fresh again. There were so many LOL moments, so many awwwwwwww moments (seriously, how many warm coats does Logan own? Totally not complaining, though, because...So. Sweet.), and so many [fans self] moments...I need more from this series. Like, yesterday!

I'll admit Val was a bit much while in NYC, but fortunately she didn't stay there long enough for me to give up on her, and then Alaska managed to work its magic on her. Well, Alaska and Logan. ;)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I love Sawyer Bennett but I found the heroine in this story completely unlikable and it ruined the story for me. Of course it was well written and the plot engaging and fun but I just couldn't do anything about the main character. So oblivious to her actions and how they could hurt others and then BAM she dos a one-eighty almost overnight.
Overall the story was good and I enjoyed it as much as I could given my feelings.

4 Alaskan CROWNS

Sawyer Bennett’s first book in the Love Hurts series is everything readers have come to expect from her books, lovable characters, entertaining stories, and steamy chemistry.

Val and Logan are from opposite sides of the track. Logan is the Alaskan Chief of the town, is knowledgeable in all things related to the wilderness, and is caring, even for NY outsiders. His kindness continuously puts him in the path of Val, and with each encounter, their chemistry grows until it explodes one steamy morning. Logan’s counterpart, Val, is everything he isn’t. She is pampered and rich, and she has zero ability to survive in the wilderness. Like Logan, readers will love her tenacity to acclimate to this new town and the people in it. And while she writes about her experiences without the knowledge of the town, it is never down in a malicious way, and once she becomes invested her choices and decisions change, making what she does at the beginning forgivable.

The chemistry between these two is great. The way he takes care of her, the way she embraces the new lifestyle, and how the come together make this story more than just a lust driven story. Don’t worry, though, in true Sawyer Bennett fashion, the intimate scenes between the two are HOT!! She never disappoints in this area.

Readers are going to really enjoy this new town Ms. Bennett has created. It is filled with quirky and endearing characters who I cannot wait to read more about, and it has that home town feel that small town romance lovers will appreciate. Additionally, the author provides the perfect balance of emotional and physical intimacy to make their relationship authentic, yet sizzling. The conflict of the story is one that readers will see coming, but readers are going to enjoy how Val handles it and the resolution of the story.

Sawyer Bennett has created another world that I cannot wait to visit again. It will be exciting to see who the next story is about, revisit Logan and Val, and to see how this little town is going to change as the series unfolds. It is certainly another book worthy of one-clicking.

Valentine French is a rich, New York socialite who is tired of dating the metrosexual males who are more concerned about themselves than the people around them. Her cousin suggests trying something new, and she ends up in Alaska. The scenery is different, the people are different, the way of life is different. But, in this new experience is Logan Burke, resident police chief/mayor/savior/sexy man.

Their relationship development was so cute and sweet and I loved the characters. Of course, nothing is easy and perfect so their relationship is tested. Can they overcome their differences? Super sweet, sexy, addictive read!!

I love Sawyer Bennett book! They tend to be gritty, thrilling and you can't help but fall in love with the leading characters and be invested with them from the get go. But Sex in the Sticks is a different sort of a tone, than the Sawyer Bennett books I have read in the past; they are light hearted and sweet.

The main character Valentine is a wealthy high profile blogger on the lookout for love with a real "man", she was sick of all the metro-sexual men that New York City has to offer, so of all places she could have gone to (and trust me I could name a few), she goes to Alaska! I just had no strong connection with Valentine, and that really detracted, from the book for me. Now don't get me wrong, Valentine is a sweet character, but I just found her unrealistic. Logan on the other hand, was totally believable and (in my head) totally delicious! His only downside, is he can hold a grudge…FOREVER!!!!

Overall I liked the book, but it didn't WOW me like the authors books normally does. And even though I personally struggled with 1 one the characters, I did enjoy all of the rest of the characters.

I give Sex in the Sticks 4 stars.

This ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

I'll admit that the primary reason I wanted to read this was the Alaskan setting. I'm an Alaskan, born and bred, and I like to see what writers do with the setting here. And by here, recognizing that the state is huge and the different regions vary greatly.

So, on that point, I was very pleasantly surprised. I've lived in SE Alaska, so I'm familiar with the climate, small town AK life, and all of that. It was pretty dead-on with the details with one small exception, but I'm willing to give Bennett a pass for not knowing that there aren't moose in SE AK except in some areas on the mainland. The very smallest of quibbles, so this aspect gets a 5-star rating for me.

The main characters, however, I don't rate as highly. Val was not discreet at all when blogging about her adventures, and combined with her stereotypical NYC rich girl persona, it made her harder to like. Logan was a bit better, but to be honest, I preferred the secondary characters.

The sex scenes were supposed to be hot, and maybe they were for some readers, but I felt like something was missing. Definitely I could have used a stronger emotional connection between Val and Logan, but also the way it was described seemed a little cold for me, a little too much tab A/slot B.

This was my first Sawyer Bennett title, and I'm willing to try more just to see if she does any better with the characterization and sex scenes. Overall, it was just okay for me.

First, it really bothers me when the cover does not match the male character’s description in the book. The book says “…his dark, almost black, hair..curls over the tops of his ears and hangs halfway down his neck in a shaggy mess…doesn’t look like he’s shaved in days.” He’s also supposed to be 37. The cover is not even close! There’s no way cover dude is past mid 20s. And what the hell is he holding in his hand?!

Valentine French comes from wealth, and is a trust fund girl without a paying job. This is tossed in our face frequently. She only writes her blog to embarrass her family. I almost stopped reading before I even got through the prologue. I disliked Valentine from the beginning. She is supposed to be 31 and graduated from Columbia, yet she comes across as immature and dumb for the entire book. She’s extremely self-centered.

Logan is former military police, Seattle PD, now Chief of police and Mayor of this small Alaskan town. I initially liked his character but soon didn’t. He totally blew that whole blog thing out of proportion and really treated her like crap over it.

The plot was predictable and the sex scenes were almost laughable in some spots. Yeah, we get it, he was huge and she had awesome oral skills. I actually skimmed parts of these scenes they were so bad and rolled my eyes and shook my head during others.

I have read other books by this author that I have enjoyed. This was a big miss for me.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley.

Rich socialite blogger Valentine French has had enough of metrosexual men who are only interested in their jobs and their cell phones and how they look. So she takes to the woods of Alaska on a friends recommendation to see how "real" mean live.

She's immediately inundated with dates as there is a disparity in the women to men ratio in the little town of East Merritt. The women hate her because she's got all the guys in her thrall, but the only one that is really gets her interest is Logan Burke, the sheriff.

It takes a almost disaster in the woods for the two of them to hook up, but when they do --it's hot and very "mouthy". It all has Valentine thinking she might stay in Alaska for a while, until a secret is revealed and everything just goes south.

I really enjoyed this story. It was fun and light-hearted. Even though Valentine had plenty of money, she wasn't uppity or condescending to the people in the little town when she easily could have been. And Logan was very manly and he knew his way around a woman. These two definitely fit together, in spite of it looking like they shouldn't, and I loved how everything got resolved in the end.

So if you are looking for a sweet, light, opposites-attract sort of romance, you might like Sex In The Sticks.

ARC provided for review.

Reading the first couple of chapters I wasn't sure if this one would be for me - however, once Valentine left Manhattan she became a much more likable character! Funny rom-com like situations and insert a hunky Sheriff/Mayor in Logan made this a great story and an enjoyable read.

Solid 4 star romance with no cheating or OW drama. Just slightly over the top characters and situations that made me smile and hope for a HEA! Oh, and it was HOT too :-)

Recommend.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley.

Book Review
Title: Sex in the Sticks
Series: Love Hurts #1
Author: Sawyer Bennett
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: May 2, 2016
Cliff Hanger: No

4 Stars

*This story is for mature audiences only. Contains explicit scenes and language intended for adults 18+

Synopsis:
Wake up and feel the wood! In the first of a series of irresistible standalone romances from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett, a city girl rediscovers love and lust in the Alaskan wilderness.

Valentine French may be the sassiest dating columnist in New York City, but the abundance of metrosexuals in her adopted metropolis is seriously cramping her style. Where are the beefy all-American boys? Hoping to find some inspiration, Val heads to Alaska, where the men outnumber the women fifteen to one and wrestle grizzly bears for sport. Or so she can only imagine. Suddenly the most eligible bachelorette in a town full of horny lumberjacks, Val is writing her best columns ever. But if she doesn’t get her nose out of her laptop, she just might miss out on Mr. Right.

Logan Burke is the sheriff of the little podunk town that Val finds so charmingly backward. He’s not that different from the guys she’s using for her little experiment; it’s just that one date would never be enough for Logan. As he listens to Val complain about love over beers in the local tavern, he realizes that she can’t see the forest for the trees. Because if she would ever give up her Prada bags and fourteen-dollar martinis, Logan would give her the only luxury that matters: his heart.

My Thoughts:
This was so fun! What a great concept, an NYC dating columnist tired of dating and writing about NYC metrosexuals and at the advice of her best friend/male cousin, heads to Alaska where men outnumber women to find a real man!

I laughed out loud a lot while reading this book. I really loved Valentine and Logan as individuals and as a couple. There was good character development for the main characters as well as all the crazy secondary characters! I flew through this book and couldn’t put it down.

I don’t want to give away anything as you really need to experience this fun, sexy and fast paced read!

ARC kindly provided by InkSlinger PR and NetGalley for an honest review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael – ☆☆☆☆☆
I absolutely loved watching Valentine turn from a city girl into a country girl or well, an Alaskan girl. It was amusing to watch her make all the mistakes someone who has never lived out of a sprawling concrete area as she steps into a bear-infested, man-dominated town.

Her blog writing was pretty humorous, but I love how even that changes as she does as she grows. The conflicts she has to deal with inside herself are really interesting to follow along with.

It's hard to say too much since there are a lot of surprises and turns in the story, but just trust me when I say that you don't want to miss this story! A strong heroine with a super sexy and just as dominating hero leading the way, you won't be able to put it down. I know I couldn't.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Loved the story and the characters. Valentine is a city girl from NYC who is tired of the same old dating scene. She wonders what it would be like to date men from other parts of the country. Thanks to her cousin, Jeremy, she's off to the wilds of Alaska to see if location really does make a difference.

Watching Valentine out of her element is both funny and scary and very relatable. Everyone has their own comfort zone and rarely do we strike out in such a way that we leave everything we know, and Valentine did just that. Logan is the first person Valentine meets in Alaska – aside from the ferry boat captain – and she immediately is charmed by him.

Logan, on the other hand, is slightly wary of the city girl who invades his town. Not in a "she's out to run amok" kind of way, but in a "why is she here" way. He knows she's way out of her element and the more he runs into her, the more he realizes that she's getting under his skin.

Valentine's trials during her stay in Alaska bring them closer together until her past and her job catch up with her. Turns out that what Valentine likes to blog about can cause deep and hurtful feelings that are hard to overcome.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Sex in the Sticks tells the story of Valentine, a New Yorker living off her trust fund, who runs a blog where she shares dating tips and her dating life. Sick of New York men, and at the urging of her cousin, she heads to the rural town of East Merritt, Alaska, to try a new dating pool.

The story switches between Valentine's point of view and the point of view of Logan Burke, East Merritt's police chief, who rescues Valentine when she first arrives in Alaska. Logan helps Valentine adjust to life in Alaska, has meals with her, and they become friends. While this is going on, she is checking out the local dating pool with interesting results.

The situations Valentine finds herself in make for some great laughs. Despite that fact that she is a city girl, she gets on well with most of the town's folk and there is a good supporting cast of characters. There is never a dull moment with Valentine around. But the story isn't all about the fun, it is very hot too. I loved the way the romance plays, it is perfect.

This is the first book I've read by Sawyer Bennett and she has the rom com thing down pat. Sex in the Sticks is thoroughly entertaining and is a great romance. I have to say I think this would make a great movie too.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆
I just really couldn’t get into this book, it was kind of disappointing and definitely predictable.

You’ve got a rich diva from New York, Valentine, who is a man-eater that blogs about it. She’s gone through pretty much all the men in her area and is ready to step way out of the “metrosexual zone.” So, she packs up and heads to a town of practically all men, in Alaska. Immediately upon arriving, Val meets the sexy sheriff, Logan, who is an absolute sweetheart. Though the attraction is immediate for Val, she didn’t move across the country for one man – she needs fodder for her blog and sets out to serial date the entire town. Of course, Logan wiggles his way into her heart and the two begin exclusively (or so Logan thinks) seeing one another… then he hears about her on a date with another man and things quickly turn ugly.

I will say that though I didn’t much care for the storyline, I’m giving three stars because I really liked Logan’s character and the book not only held my attention enough to finish it, but had me laughing out loud on more than once occasion. Val’s character wasn’t my favorite, I found her a bit shallow, but did love that she helps one of the local girls get a man she’s had her eye on by giving her a makeover and boosting her confidence. I especially love when Val gets caught table dancing and winds up being arrested by Logan – definitely my favorite part of the book. This isn’t my first Sawyer Bennett book and I was just really expecting more with this one, with as much as I’ve loved her previous ones. All in all, a 3-star rating and sadly, I probably won’t be reading book #2.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a really fun story which introduces small town Alaska to Valentine French, and to us. She is one of the upper echelon of New York society, but is getting rather jaded of NY metrosexual men. Her blog on the subject and is in need of more material – so rather on a dare from a friend, she ends up in Alaska.

We get to see all the ways in which she manages to miscalculate life in a cold climate – and her handbag dog, Sassy, has some big adventures. It only helps to make her like her regular hero and saviour, Police Chief Logan even more. To the extent that maybe her plan to date lots of locals may be under threat. Indeed, Logan seems to tick every box she didn't even know she had.

Watching these two seemingly mismatched people get it together in a snow-meltingly hot way is both fun and fan-worthy. But knowing there is a potential expiration date ups the stakes, as does a badly timed revelation which puts it all in jeopardy.

Highly enjoyable read, with a cast of fun side characters. I am very curious to see where this series goes next, and can't wait to find out!

Ahh...Logan. He's perfect in every way imaginable. Valentine is sweet, funny, and sexy. She is a New York socialite who is a blog writer about her single life. She becomes bored with her life and decides to try a different place to date and write her blog. She ends up in Alaska because her cousin tells her how there are way more men than women there. She is immediately shocked the first day she arrives when she finds out there is no cab service. But thankfully for her, Logan the chief of police, gives her a ride. And from there her journey begins and Logan seems to always be there to help Valentine out. This is such a perfect romance with just the right amount of heat. You can never go wrong with a Sawyer Bennett book. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy.

4.5 Stars!

The whole time I'm reading this book, I kept thinking this would make a cute movie. I really enjoyed this low angst book and it would have earned a full 5 stars from me if I didn't want to slap Logan upside the head. I don't know why these men in these books don't do what I want them too.

In all seriousness, if you looking for something that won't get your emotions up too high and for lack of a better word, just want to relax into a book, this is a good choice.

I was pretty envious of Valentine. She's a trust fund baby and lives off her family trust, spending days blogging about her dating life. She was slightly spoiled, but not annoyingly so. She was still relatable and fun. Honestly, sounds like a great life to me.

Valentine is sick and tired of dating metro-sexual males in New York. She wants a change and her cousin suggest going to Alaska to meet a different type of male. As part of her dating and sex advice blog, she decides this is a great idea and goes blindly to a small town in Alaska.

This was where I was afraid the spoiled Valentine would get too annoying, but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, she's used to finer things in life but she adapted pretty quickly. Got into a lot of little mishaps that just made the book fun and introduced so many characters living in this little town that you felt like you were right there with her.

Valentine starts this trip out by wanting to serial date these rugged, manly men but learns real quick that Logan, the chief and mayor of Merritt, Alaska is the only man she wants to get to know.

I loved Logan, but there was two times in the book I wanted to slap him upside the head. Nothing too serious, just the typical stubborn male and too much pride. I really loved how Valentine treated these instances. I didn't really think the conflict towards the end was worth the reaction he gave her but she couldn't have handled it any better.

Overall, a fun read and I'm so curious who the next book will be about. I really hope we will be staying in Merritt for the next couple. I truly enjoyed the background setting of this story. ARC provided by Netgalley.

4.5 Hot Alaskan Stars!

I know I say it every time after I read a Sawyer Bennett book, but this author knows how to suck me into a book with her characters and their story lines. I am never disappointed when I finish a book by Ms. Sawyer and Sex in the Sticks is another fantastic read from her.

Sex in the Sticks made me laugh and swoon throughout this book. Valentine French is dating columnist from NYC, she blogs about her dating life and it's currently going no where! She's beautiful and extremely wealthy, and has no luck with the men in the city. They are all the same to her--all pretentious and only care about themselves. So to find better writing material and men, she takes off all the way to the great state of Alaska. Cause we all know the ratio to men and women...

She comes face to face to the rugged and very handsome, Logan Burke. Logan is the town sheriff and mayor and the attraction between the two is hot and very humorous! But Valentine doesn't act on it, she's there to date many lumberjacks for her blog! And for some reason, Logan there at every turn to save her.

Sex in the Sticks is a fun, hot and low-drama read that will have you laughing at the city girl living in the wild.