Series review: Turkish Delights by Liz Crowe

Liz Crowe is a new-to-me author who blew me away with her three interconnected stories in the 1 Night Stand series. I've read novels that didn't pack as much punch as these short stories did and I'm *thrilled* that I've had a chance to play in her world.

Books in the Turkish Delights series (Decadent Publishing)
Prequel: The Diplomat's Daughter
1. Turkish Delights (1 Night Stand #54) - Kindle
2. Blue Cruise (1 Night Stand #57) - Kindle
3. Tulip Princess (1 Night Stand #58) - Kindle
4. Flower Passage: Tarkan's Return

All books in the 1 Night Stand Series

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Turkish Delights (Turkish Delights #1)
Synopsis (Goodreads):

The fifteen year age difference between Elle Kensington, expatriate American executive and Emre Deniz, son of Istanbul's most successful businessmen, has not kept them from becoming fast friends as they toured Istanbul together. But the time has come for him to return to the U.S. to finish his master's degree, and she has just been named CEO of the pharmaceutical company that brought her to Turkey in the first place. Elle adores her adopted country, and is alarmed to find herself falling in love with the young man who's been her impromptu guide for the last few months.

She knows they can never be. She will return home to California within a month, leaving behind all she loves about the ancient city. In a rare fit of spontaneity, Elle has contracted with Madame Eve's 1Night Stand dating service, hoping to find a way to forget the dark, handsome young man who has captured her heart. Little does she know what awaits her in the ancient recesses of the Ottoman palace turned luxury hotel under the hands of her one-night stand masseur.

My Thoughts: A fairly quick dip into Elle and Emre's blossoming relationship. The age difference bothers Elle but Emre sees nothing wrong with it. He uses his wiles to get them both in a position to admit that they're not just friends, she becomes an enthusiastic participant. The fact that they were friends before jumping into bed (or on the massage table, as the case may be) made this feel pleasantly real. I was also thrilled with the secondary characters that populated the story, namely Caleb and Tarkan.

Blue Cruise (Turkish Delights #2)
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Caleb and Tarkan were an odd couple—men from two different cultures—so in love, they were determined to overcome any obstacles. But fate had different plans for Tarkan. Shattered and unable to function a full two years after tragedy strikes, Caleb faces the hollow shell that is his life.

Adem Broussard is happy enough, as owner and chef of his restaurant on the Turkish southern coast. But a tall, American Adonis he saw once, years ago on a Turkish Blue Cruise haunts his most erotic dreams, and he hopes contracting Madame Eve's 1NightStand service for an unconventional date will help him forget.

When Caleb caves in to his friend Elle's insistence that he return to Turkey and exorcise some of the demons that haunt him, he reluctantly climbs on board a private yacht for a special 1Night Stand Blue Cruise. There he comes face to face with the man who remembers him well…and helps him heal.

My Thoughts: Heartbreaking is the word that comes to mind with this story. Caleb is broken by losing Tarkan. Heck, I was broken just watching him. Being the friend that she is, Elle forces him to go back to Turkey to face his ghosts. Caleb grudgingly goes, gets himself some sexy, sexy man-love and realizes that he has a chance to be happy again.

This time around, Elle and Emre are the fabulous secondary characters. Their relationship is strong. They've had to deal with losing Tarkan as well and watching Caleb on his slow spiral of apathy prompts them to force him to come to terms with losing the man he loved. Like I said, heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Tulip Princess (Turkish Delights #3)
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Lale Deniz was always prone to wildness. But when her family is ripped apart at the seams, she becomes more reckless than ever. Desperate to stop her self-destructive slide, her parents step in and send her to America to live with her brother, Emre. Just the chance, she thinks, to escape the tragedy suffusing her Istanbul home.

Andreas Michos, Greek former NFL star, the recently divorced athletic director at UNLV, floats through life seeking fulfillment. He has reason to doubt his own abilities as a natural Dom and has given up finding his perfect mate. Until he agrees to a 1Night Stand.

Set against a backdrop of ancient cultural clashes and Mediterranean family dynamics, Lale and Andreas meet in Las Vegas at the Castillo resort for their date. But it seems Madame Eve and destiny will both fail this time, unless Lale and Andreas are willing to relinquish enough control to discover what happiness can be found inside the soul of the other. Will stubbornness keep them from connecting, or can they let go long enough to heal?

My Thoughts: Ahh, Lale. Talk about someone on a self-destructive path. She's buried her anger and pain over losing her brother in a string of faceless men, alcohol and drugs. When Elle's second pregnancy results in a close call, Lale's parents send her to the US to help out. Elle's gentle machinations put her in Andreas' path in Las Vegas. Andreas is a hunky Dom whose trust has been shattered by his faithless ex. The two of them clash, they have smokin' sex, all is good.

Once again, Elle and Emre's relationship is fantastic. Emre's careless words to Lale spark an argument between Elle and Emre that felt very organic. They love each other, but there are some things that Elle isn't willing to bend on.

Overall, this series was full of memorable characters, more than a touch of heartbreak and plenty of steamy sex.


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