Turn It Up [Kindle Edition]

Inez Kelley (Author)

Book Description

Dr. Bastian Talbot and self-proclaimed sex goddess Charlie Pierce heat up the air waves with their flirty banter as radio hosts Dr. Hot and the Honeypot. Off the air, they're best friends…but Bastian wants to be so much more. He wants Charlie—in bed, and forever.

Problem is, Charlie doesn't do commitment. Sure, she's had X-rated fantasies of Bastian, but he was always just a friend—until he impulsively proposes and unleashes the lust they've been denying for years. Charlie's willing to explore where their wild chemistry leads, but she won't marry him. And he won't have sex with her until she accepts his proposal, despite her seductive schemes.

What are Dr. Hot and the Honeypot to do? Ask their listeners for advice on how to tame a sex kitten and turn a perfect gentleman into a shameless lover. The Race to Wed or Bed is on…who will turn up on top?

85,000 words

Product Details

• File Size: 435 KB
• Print Length: 242 pages
• Publisher: Carina Press (August 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005CRQ5AK
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,334 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Turn It Up August 1, 2011

By M. Whitmore VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

Bastian and Charlie have been best friends for years. Charlie was there for Bastian when his marriage was falling apart. They also co-host a radio show as Dr. Hot and they Honeypot. Over the years, Bastian's feelings for Charlie have grown into more than just love as a friend. He wants the HEA and he wants it with Charlie. Charlie doesn't believe in love and the white picket fence. Her friendship with Bastian is the most normal relationship she has ever had and she doesn't want to ruin it by throwing sex and love into the mix. Bastian is determined to win Charlie's heart and show her that forever is possible. But Charlie doesn't believe in forever and feels that by giving in to Bastian's demands, she will be losing herself and her best friend in the process.

I loved the premise of Turn It Up. It's rare in a romance where they hero is the one experiencing unrequited love. Bastian is a traditional kind of guy. He loves marriage and the idea of being connected with someone forever. His first marriage didn't work but he has not given up on the idea of happy ever after. Once Bastian lets the cat out of the bag and tells Charlie how he feels, he's not afraid to put everything out there.

I really liked the dynamic of Bastian and Charlie's relationship. Bastian is a great, supportive friend to Charlie and even when the relationship changed, he continued to have Charlie's back. Their sexual banter on their radio show emphasized the great chemistry that they had with each other.

I enjoyed reading Turn It Up but I had a problem with Charlie throughout the entire book. I could not warm up to her at all and felt that Bastian deserved better. Many of her actions were hypocritical and childish. I felt that there wasn't any growth in Charlie's character until the very end and by then I had stopped caring. Charlie displayed a lot of bravado and confidence in her sexuality but she had no self-esteem. And her lack of self-esteem was on full display towards the end of the book. Charlie's notion that she wasn't good enough for Bastian irked me. Bastian constantly proves that she was more than good enough and Charlie turns a blind eye to it. Not once did Bastian display any hesitancy in being with Charlie or that the fact that she was a sex talk show radio host bothered him. Heck, he worked with her and his co-workers at the hospital were aware of it. I didn't see any growth in Charlie as the story progressed. If anything, it felt like she regressed at times.

I felt that the emotional aspect of Bastian and Charlie's relationship was one-sided. Bastian constantly showed Charlie that he wanted more than just a physical relationship and how much he truly loved her. Charlie would be awed by Bastian's display of kindness and love and then would undermine whatever headway Bastian had made by wanting to get physical. This was a constant push and pull throughout the book. Bastian would display his heart and Charlie would step on it.

Turn It Up is a good story about what happens when you fall in love with your best friend. Bastian and Charlie definitely had great chemistry. I loved their sexual banter as Dr. Hot and Honeypot. And when Charlie was trying to convince Bastian to come over to the dark side and give in to her sexually, it was hot! Despite my issues with Charlie and her lack of emotional growth, I still recommend this read if you are a fan of Inez Kelley.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars TURN IT UP really turns it up! <3 August 2, 2011

By Jaid

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Bastian and Charlie are best friends and have been for years. They work together on a late radio show talking about sex and everything that goes with it. Bastian is the conservative, gorgeous doctor to Charlie's liberal, knock-out disc jockey. And Charlie wheedles Bastian's secret out of him that he is IN-love with her. She thinks that the relationship is ruined, that her best friend just wants to nail her like every other man, and feels betrayed. Bastian, however, wants everything. He wants her love, her future, and of course in his bed- but in that order... mostly. They make a bet- Charlie does not believe in love forever, but great sex is not a stranger for her. She wants it, him, naked ready for her for however long they last as lovers since she believes in her heart that their closeness is a thing of the past now that sex is on the table. But Bastian is having none of that and declares that there will be no sex until she says 'yes' to marrying him. He wants it all and he is going to prove it to her by courting her and showing her that there is so much more to them than the sexual tension and the potential to be great lovers... And of course this bet is made on air on their show!

This book is flawless. I am a huge fan of Inez Kelley's work and really was not surprised to be floored by this story. She has such a gift with words and characters that just walk off the page (er, ereader for me). There is no fake and hokey 'talks' where the characters both bare all every other page and hash out their feelings in a superficial way. They are REAL. They keep their feelings to themselves like real people, until the time is right. They have real fears and real hopes and dreams. They make mistakes and fight in a real way. I am never rolling my eyes AT the characters or their problems. I laugh out loud and cry and sit on the edge of my seat with tension and feel for the characters the whole time. I could not stop reading. The characters have so many dimensions and the secondary characters are just as real as the main ones and you are barely in their heads! Inez Kelley's stories are real works of art and whether you have tried anything by her or not, TURN IT UP is not a story to be missed. I never thought that I would root for a couple to stay clothed in a romance, but I did. You just have to read this book to see their love story and you cannot miss the free read on her website for Bastian's brother, Caz (Boo). Amazing!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Gone with the Words reviews... August 2, 2011

By Jess

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

(Review originally posted at GoneWithTheWords.com)

I loved the originality of this love story. The fact that Bastian and Charlie have been best friends for years when we meet them was quite refreshing. I really enjoyed when they would talk about stories from their past - the funny ones and the heartbreaking ones - that included each other. I adored Bastian! I wanted to marry him from page one! He had such a good, kind heart.

Another thing I really loved was the relationship between Bastian and Caz, aka Boo. Which by the way, is the best nickname ever for someone named Casper. Casper's story was another heart-tugging one, with his musical genius abilities and drug abuse past. The secret he's keeping is heartbreaking.

"Talk is foreplay." That's one of Charlie's favorite sentences. Well, this book was total foreplay! Inez Kelley sure wanted to torture us. There were times when I would just growl at Bastian, "Oh, just do it already!" Haha! But it was worth the wait. :)

There was so much I loved about Turn It Up. The characters, the sexual tension, the relationships, the banter...it all made for a heartfelt love story. There's no doubt I've turned into a life long Inez Kelley fan, and I look forward to reading many more of her stories.

More About the Author

Inez Kelley is a West Virginia native transplanted to the midwest. She is a multi-published author of contemporary romance (both dark and comedic) as well as Fantasy romance.