Review: All of You by Rhian Cahill

Title: All of You
Author: Rhian Cahill
Genre: Erotic Romance
Heat Index: 5 out of 5
Release Date: Sept. 2011
Word/Page Count: approx: 38,000
Format: ARC

Claire Jones never dreamed the fantasies she'd been having about the young guy next door would ever become reality, but after a push from her best friend and one encounter involving dirty laundry, she's getting more reality than one woman should be allowed. But with reality comes emotion, and Claire finds herself falling deeper and deeper under Ryan's spell.

Ryan Doherty wants in Claire's pants, but he soon discovers hot sex isn't all he's after. She makes him happy in a way nothing and no one else ever has, and if he has to use their amazing chemistry to stay in her life, he will. Because having more of Claire isn't an option. It's the only choice.

Can Ryan and Claire bridge the age gap to find the love of a lifetime, or will what others think destroy the best thing either of them has ever found?

I truly enjoy the concept of erotic romances, but I tend to find issues with the stories that populate the genre. Oftentimes, I feel stories are more of the Penthouse variety (all about the sex and little about the plot). To be honest, I expected this out of All of You as well, but it totally surprised me. Don't get me wrong, the sex is smokin' hawt, but the likeability of the characters just blew this out of the water for me.

Kudos to Ms. Cahill for using aspects that normally turn me off in the genre, language (I often find it unsexy or downright crude) and characters jumping into the sack very early on, but making it work within the scope of a very short story.

Plotwise, the cougar angle is a bit shallow. I wanted to see more between the characters especially since it becomes the 'Big Problem' for Claire. Since we don't see much of that, the instigator and doubts that panics Claire ends up feeling a bit  tacked on.

Overall, I was impressed by this well written smutlette and the likeability of the characters. Well worth reading. I will definitely be on the lookout for this author.