Rage, Sex, and Teddy Bears: Review/Giveaway–Hold Me in Contempt (A Romance) by Wendy Williams (yeah, How you doin’?)

Expected publication: April 15th 2014 by William Morrow

Move over 50 Shades, there’s a new romance in town. Superstar Wendy Williams brings on the heat in her first ever, no-holds-barred, down and dirty, romance novel.

Kimberly Kind is trying to get beyond her roots. A successful, beautiful, smart lawyer, she’s finally finding direction in her life and getting out of the streets. But a terrible accident threatens to throw her carefully laid plans off course. Now Kim’s hiding a huge secret… one that could threaten everything.

Enter King. A perfect mix of Justin Timberlake and David Beckham, the man oozes sex and has more swagger than anyone Kim’s ever met. Their chemistry is off the charts. But after passion-filled nights, the intensity of their emotions takes both of them by surprise.

Love was not supposed to be an option. Now it’s the only thing holding them together. When their pasts come back with a vengeance, can love possibly be enough?

So, this is definitely a hot, steamy novel. Not a book you want your youngster or for that matter your teenager reading, but that goes for most of the books I read. I think perhaps fans of Fifty Shades (which I am NOT) are not going to love Hold Me in Contempt. For one thing, Kim (Kiki Mimi) would have flat kicked Christian's butt. And there is nothing remotely virginal or timid about Kimberly Kind.

This was a romance (of sorts) but I saw it more as very gritty chick lit and a love story. These are very different things in my book. I was happily surprised by the quality of the writing. I will admit to reviewing this book mainly out of curiosity. I had heard Wendy speak on the Fifty Shades phenomenon and her opinion on the books. I was interested in seeing where she could take a couple looking for love. Well, now I know. If she had published this under a pen name, I think it would be a pop sensation. Her celebrity in this case may be hurting her in this case. While I probably would not have jumped so quickly on the book, I would have read it, and enjoyed it. It was very current and very, very different from anything I've read.

This was how I envisioned King. He was a BAD dude, but decent for a thug. No, not thug, but not exactly a law abiding citizen. He was urban to the Nth degree, the slang, the dress, the lifestyle. He would definitely stand out at a Jason Aldean concert.

I pictured Gabrielle Union as Kim. She just worked in my head and I think she and King would have absolutely GORGEOUS kids. She was smart, ambitious, with a strong moral compass, and a great sense of loyalty to her family. She wasn't perfect though and slipped up sometimes. Sometimes in a major way. This book is written, I believe for those who have themselves slipped and are hoping for an HEA or least as close as they can possibly get. In other words, people need books that tell them love is not only for the perfect, and sometimes love isn't the pretty ending we read about in typical romances.

This to me was not exactly shocking, but it was a bracing book. It is definitely NOT for those looking for a submissive woman and a control driven man who wants to own her. Nor is it for the weak of heart, judgmental or someone looking for bunnies and butterflies. It most definitely is recommended for someone looking for a fast paced, sophisticated, current story with imperfect characters looking for someone to share their imperfect lives.

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Wendy Williams is the host of The Wendy Williams Show and The Wendy Williams Experience, her top-rated daily radio show. Her books include the New York Times bestseller The Wendy Williams Experience, and she writes a weekly column for Life & Style magazine.