Reviews: Mai Tai for Two and Sex on the Beach by Delphine Dryden

Mai Tai for Two by Delphine Dryden: May 1, 2014

Sex on the Beach by Delphine Dryden: July 15, 2014

Julie's Hawaiian Vacay Itinerary! (Mai Tai for Two)

You and your "work husband" have just won an all-expenses-paid vacation in Oahu. Now the fun begins…

1. Get lei'd. (With flowers, obvi.)
2. Settle into your gorgeous ocean-side cabin. Contemplate living in Hawaii forever.
3. Become overwhelmed with hideous unexplained jealousy when your bestie decides to make sexy moves on your work husband, Alan.
4. Dismiss jealousy. After all, you're not interested in Alan "that" way…are you?
5. Avoid joyous dancing when bestie's ex arrives and sweeps her off her feet—leaving Alan completely and totally available.
6. Now you're alone with Alan. Alone. In paradise. Take a deep breath, have a mai tai—or two—and (gulp!) make your move. Be classy.
7. "Accidentally" let Alan peek under your grass skirt.
8. Take off grass skirt.
9. Do Incredibly Naughty and Sexy Things everywhere.
10. And do not think about what happens when you and your work husband go back to reality….

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Amanda's Hawaiian Vacation To-Do List: (Sex on the Beach)

1. Bikini up! You're in Oahu, and it's time for fruit drinks with umbrellas in them!

2. Being obsessively organized doesn't work during a Hawaiian vacation. Relax. Seriously.

3. Scan the resort for hot dudes. Huh. That hot jogger who ran by looks a lot like your ex, Jeremy—only fitter, harder and sexier.

4. Moonlit walks mean bumping into Hot Jogger Guy. Who is your ex.

5. Don't panic. Instead, think with your libido! Also debate the merits of ex sex.

6. Ignore the consequences. Go for it.

7. Revel in the afterglow. Go for rounds two and three.

8. Ooh, kayaking!

9. Round four. Oops!

10. Definitely do not think about why you broke up in the first place. Or that you're having wicked-hot nookie with the man you were here to forget…

Laura's Reviews:

These were two novellas as part of the Cosmo Red Hot Reads series that told the stories of two couples on the same Hawaiian vacation - the timelines of the stories ran parallel with each focusing on a different couple's perspective of the same trip. Julie and her "work husband" Alan have both won all-expenses paid trips to Hawaii - Julie chooses to bring along her best friend Amanda, who is still getting over a rough breakup when her ex-fiance, Jeremy, decided to relocate his company to a different state without discussing it with her. So, guess who shows up in Hawaii after getting tipped off by Amanda's mother? It was a unique take on a novel series, and I loved the location, but at times book two felt redundant when I knew what was going to happen since I had already read about it in the previous book.

 Mai Tai for Two showcases Julie and Alan - two close work friends who haven't been able to admit to themselves or each other that they've been in love for 3 years. I loved the banter and ease with which they got along. Clearly the chemistry has been there and although some communication would have been nice, it was still fun watching them finally get on the same page.

 Sex on the Beach was a bit less fun and more hot, but the aforementioned story redundancy coupled with glaring relationship problems and the fact that Ms. Dryden seemed to paint her hero (and her plot) into a corner that went unresolved made me wonder what the point of this book was. 

Mai Tai for Two: 3.5/5 stars

Sex on the Beach: 2.5/5 stars.

Note: copies of these books were provided in exchange of honest reviews.