Kindle Edition Amazon Crushed Velvet Facebook Category:  Romance Publisher: NBB Hearts After Dark ISBN-10:  1945407204 Type: Fiction Pages: 263 Copyright: Feb 3, 2017 ISBN-13: 9781945407208 Price: $2.99 (eBook) Pleasure is a one-way street for Teresa; she's given plenty of it, but has never received much in return. She is under contract to please high paying clients, with most of the money paying off the contracts that quite literally keep her tied down. Teresa got in over her head when she signed into a pleasure contract with the Velvet Undervault. Her contract has her making a living, but paying most of it back to the corrupt Madame she signed with. After working a couple of years in the underground clubs, Teresa was allowed to move outside the club scene to take on her own clients. While working above ground has given her a certain amount of freedom, she is now beholden to two bosses and two contracts to pay off. Relationships for Teresa are complicated. Having been abused in the past, she is desperate for attention, yet trusts no one. The only person in her life is her abusive roommate from college, who wants Teresa for sex and holds a secret over her to get it. The only control Teresa has in her life is what type of clients she takes in, and she gets no enjoyment from the encounters with any of them. Then one day a new bodyguard is assigned to her by the Undervault, and she begins to see that not all the people in her life are abusive. And pleasure is not a fairy tale. Excerpt The last step of the staircase falls away behind me and I pause just outside the open door of Suite 301. I don’t even know why the ancient hotel gave the room a number, it’s the only one up here besides a shared restroom. Peeking inside 301, everything looks to be just as it should. Large king size four-poster bed in the middle, against the far wall. Burgundy velvet material makes up the bed spread and pillow cases. Looping flowers plaster the walls on dark and aging paper. The room is musty, and the unventilated air hangs stale with just a hint of bleach. My breath catches in my throat as a large man fills the frame of the door, looking down at me curiously. “Uh, Miss Terri, I presume?” he rumbles politely. Oh, he is stunning. Good thing he’s not a client. I have to hope he is a better man than all those stuffy old men who make frequent use of my services; viewing me as property. Maybe he’ll actually be capable of protecting me. I stare a moment longer at his chiseled features; clean shaven, prominent cheekbones, solid jaw. Full lips. I haven’t wanted to kiss a man in years, but for some reason I can imagine myself kissing those lips. “Uh, yes, yes. That’s me. I take it you are my old guard's replacement?” “Yes, I am. Lovely to meet you. I’m Andrew.” A large hand hovers in the air in front of me. “You are new to this, aren’t you?” I shake his hand gingerly before putting mine back to the strap of my bag. “Yeah, I am. Sorry. How obvious am I?” Cheesy grin, flushed cheeks. He’s not quite embarrassed, but well on his way. I pull off my sunglasses and stare up at him. “Well, you used your real name, for starters. Secondly, guards for the Velvet Undervault are usually much less… chatty.” “Oh, oh shit. I’m sorry. I…” I wave my hand, still holding my glasses, cutting him off. “It’s okay. Do you have a nickname?” I smile, thinking of a few nicknames I could give him myself. “Yeah! In the Navy I was called Max.” His face brightens again. I blow a breath through my nose, stifling a sigh. This poor guy. He’s dropping personal information all over the place. “Look, Max, it’s a good thing no one else is here right now. Giving away all that info could get you in trouble. You aren’t supposed to be too friendly with me. The job is much tougher if that happens.” “Oh. I’m sorry, really I am.” Max’s face falls a bit. He’s going to have to toughen up. He has the build of a pro wrestler, but seems like someone who hasn’t let himself out much recently. I smell a tragedy under the surface. “Just trust me, after tonight you’ll understand. You did get a briefing during your orientation at the Undervault, right?” “Yes, ma’am, I did.” Great he’s falling back on his military politeness. Whatever. “Alright,” I say as I glide over to the bed. Good thing I got here a few minutes early, so the talk with Max didn’t kill too much of my precious time. “Now, I will need your help with a few things to set up, and during the night. First, take these ropes and loop the knotted ends around the upper bedposts. Yep, then just lay the other ends in the middle of the bed there.” While he does as instructed, I pull off my overcoat and hang it on the wall next to the now closed door. Turning back around, I catch him staring at me. This is going to be a very awkward night. For him. “Never seen a lady in lingerie before?” I ask him.

Reviewed By Andrae Douglas for Readers' Favorite
Alicia L. Wright's work of fiction, Crushed Velvet, tells the story of a female college dropout (Teresa), who resorts to prostitution in order to make a living. The other main character in this romance sizzler is Andrew, the bodyguard assigned to protect her during her sexual liaisons. The plot intensifies as Andrew sees Teresa as more than a prostitute and has her best interest at heart. It is no surprise that she later falls for the most genuinely caring man she has ever met. The two grow closer together and express themselves freely to each other; however, freedom isn't much of a reality since Teresa is bound to her employers via a contract.

Crushed Velvet is an exciting fiction novel. When it comes to heat, fire and intensity, Alicia L. Wright only steers in one direction; and that's UP! Line after line, page after page are filled with sexual acts, thoughts, memories and teasingly satisfying sex talk. Though a fiction novel, the sexual situations presented are consistent with that of the real world. Be it consensual sex or rape, Wright uses words to paint a graphic image that puts the reader right there in the story. This book was intriguing and kept my curiosity piqued as Wright flirted through the story line. Crushed Velvet at times appears to be straightforward sex, then Wright presents a twist as if to play hard to get. This book is about far more than sex; it is an adventure.

Reviewed By Samantha Dewitt (Rivera) for Readers' Favorite
A low moment in Theresa's life caused her to sign a contract that she now regrets every day, but it's a way to survive and that's all she's been doing ever since, until the day her new bodyguard walks into her life. Drew has some demons of his own, but he's determined to protect Theresa with everything he has, even if it does cost him his sanity every night see her beautiful body used the way it is. But Drew isn't counting on feelings developing and Theresa definitely isn't counting on anything from a man, but Crushed Velvet by Alicia L Wright is about just that.

If you love romance novels, you're going to love this book. The characters are ones you'll want to know more about and you just can't help sitting down and reading this book all at once. Theresa is beautiful and smart but self-conscious about everything, while Drew is strong and confident, but still terrified of losing someone he cares about and maybe is a little bit lost. Their flaws make them more relatable as characters and a whole lot more fun to read about. Of course, you will find yourself rooting for them as you keep reading. There's plenty going on in this story and it's not just about romance, but about what someone will do in order to keep their loved ones safe, no matter what. Crushed Velvet by Alicia L Wright is a little bit of sweet with a whole lot of spice.

Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
Crushed Velvet by Alicia L Wright is a captivating, dark and thrilling erotic novel that pushes the boundaries of romance. Scorching hot, sizzling, intense and darkly seductive, this novel exposes romance, emotions and a more realistic side of the world. The novel follows a gorgeous college dropout named Theresa, who, at an all time low, signs a contract with the Velvet Undervault. Getting naked with strangers gets the bills paid, but this is not the life she had envisioned for herself. She regrets the decision, but she is bound too tightly to walk out of the life she has created for herself.

She meets with Andrew; he is her bodyguard so that no one uses her for more than what she is being paid for. The relationship between the two intensifies when Andrew starts seeing Theresa as more than just a prostitute who sells her body. He genuinely cares for her and wants to help her, even if it means that he will be destroyed in the process. Theresa does not need to rely on any man, but soon she realizes that some good can come out of her life as well.

So real and deep, the main characters are so lost. They are flawed and that's what makes them so beautiful to the reader. You can easily connect with Theresa, who is insecure and unsure of herself, while Andrew is a strong man, yet he too has his moments when he is not as poised as he makes out to be. What I loved about this novel is that it is not just a wishy-washy romance. It has character, drama, psychological elements and is somewhat sweet at times. You will be lost in the plot and you won't be able to stop reading. So intense and breathtakingly good.