Title: Deep Diving
Series: N/A
Author: Cate Ellink
Genre: Romance/Erotica
Blurb: From Cate Ellink comes a sun-soaked, sandy, seaside erotic novel about a tropical paradise, two athletes used to getting physical, and a sex-filled, no-strings holiday fling. Samantha is celebrating her newly retired status from competitive triathlons with a diving holiday in her favorite place in the world: Australia’s Lord Howe Island. But all divers need a buddy, and Sam can’t dive solo. A chance meeting with rugby league superstar Cooper Sterling in the dive shop seems serendipitous. Sam can’t wait to have a partner who might be able to keep up with her.
It soon becomes evident that Cooper and Sam are compatible both in and out of the water, and things gets seriously sexy. But Sam is disinclined to be another football groupie, and Cooper has been burned before. So the rules are clear: a holiday fling, no strings attached, and they part as friends at the end.
But as the final days of their time together come to a close and a life apart becomes a reality, Sam and Cooper start to question their decision. Is this holiday fling really the finish line or can Sam and Cooper turn their friendly competition into more than sizzling sex?
Thoughts: Part of the charm of this book is the descriptiveness – not just between the characters, but the amazing diving scenes, as well. I have to say, the author really has a talent for pulling you into the scene, so much so that you almost feel like you could reach out and touch the fish, the turtles, and the other ocean life that these characters experience on their dives. I definitely find myself with a new vacation spot on my fantasy list of places to visit in the future! I have no doubt that anyone reading this book will have the sudden urge to visit Australia’s Lord Howe Island. A very talented author, and one I hope to read more of in the future.
The characters were great – I loved the build-up of the chemistry between them, their interactions with each other, and just the sense of ‘rightness’ between them. When it comes to the erotica element, this one is more about two people testing their sexual boundaries and having fun with it rather than about some of the racier BDSM elements a lot of readers are used to. If you are used to the ‘wilder’ erotica books, this one may seem a bit tame – but definitely a bit racy if your not an erotica reader! Readers should also be aware that this is told from the first-person point of view (POV) – since I know some of you actively avoid reading those books.
Personally, while I loved the diving aspect and the erotic sexual scenes, the story just seemed to bounce alot back and forth between the two – with not much else. I wish there had been a bit more to the story, but that’s my opinion. What we do get with this story is a great relationship story with erotic elements told by an amazingly descriptive author.
All in all, an interesting read…:)
Rate: B+
