Stacia in Progress

Adult review for erotic content.Real. Life. Problems.I haven't checked out many reviews for this book yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if at least a few people took issue with Eric's "issue" turning out to be something which doesn't exactly fit the role of him being a sexy rock god.Personally, I loved how real his problem was. All this time, I wondered why Eric liked to watch more than participate. And even though his reason for being standoffish was not the sexiest reason in the world (and it really wasn't), it was real. Any woman who's dated more than a couple of guys might have come across a guy who's dealt with a similar problem. They were all fucking studs, and Eric felt like more of a dud.So the guy had a minor problem...it honestly wasn't that big of a deal. Rebekah was up to the task of handling it, much how Aggie was up to the task of handling Jace's issues in the previous book. I am actually in awe of Ms. Cunning having the nerve to write erotica with flawed characters. PERFECTION IS BORING to read about. Sure, imperfect men can sometimes ruin the fantasy for some people, but if that's going to be an issue for someone, then they can go pick up one of the other gajillion erotic books with men who have no flaws (other than the crap going on in their heads leading back to their abusive mommy issues). I will be over here reading the stories featuring real men dealing with real issues.Something else which resonated with me was the way Rebekah voiced her need to feel wanted. She had been hurt and needed to know that she was wanted and that she was thought of as beautiful, so she spoke directly to her man and told him what she needed to hear. So often with books, I almost get frustrated by the voiced insecurity in heroines (because it's generally whining and complaining), to the point where I want to slap them for not shutting up about it. Rebekah took her insecurities and turned them into something which she voiced (in the bedroom), taking the power back and asking for reassurance in a manner which was sexy and realistic, and not overdone in a pathetic and needy way. She wasn't sure she wanted either of them to do anything about their desire. She just needed to know that it existed.Another thing I appreciated was some of the "too fast, now we might have regret" moments. Feelings can get intense in these situations and things can be said prematurely, yet it's great to see people sort of wrestle back and forth with their feelings. Life is rarely all or nothing, and I can appreciate people getting confused about what they are thinking and feeling. She shouldn't have spouted her feelings so carelessly. She wished she could take the words back.So here we are nearing the end and I really can't get enough of my Sinners. Yes, there's more sex than plot, but that's what these books are, so that's why I wait to read one until I'm in the mood for a lot of smoking hot sex. These aren't romance books with a side of erotica. The books are erotica with a side of plot (and the scant plot that is there is something I truly like). Few authors can write sex to my preference the way that Olivia Cunning can. There was great dirty talk, great voyeurism scenes and great one-on-one scenes. Each man has a different way of doing things and Eric was no exception. In fact, I was floored by the fact that he wasn't as open about sharing as you might have expected from his past encounters. Even the most free of man can fall when the right woman comes along.On a separate note : Trey's scene in a bathroom near the end of the book = WOWZA. Talk about unexpected! Talk about needing a fan to cool down the place!I know that a few people said this was their least favorite book in the series but I loved Wicked Beat just as much as any Sinners book because it wasn't another copy of Brian, or Sed, or Jace. Eric's story was unique, and his pain and fantasies were just as viable as any of the other band members. I am definitely going to be re-reading this hot mess someday. "Eric finally fucked a girl properly," Trey shouted. "Woot! Woot!"In fact, I have no real big complaints at all. I was in the mood for some hot sex and Wicked Beat delivered. The only instances which gave me pause were a couple of times when words such as retard and pansy were thrown around. Regardless of how realistic the banter might be with guys behind closed doors, I think we live in a place and time where there's other ways to be crude without using certain trigger words...especially when the author has control over what goes into the writing. I'd rather see sexual lingo or general swearing, instead of words which can hurt readers and alienate them from what is otherwise a great time.This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All quotes taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final copy.