Fifi Flowers is a supremely classy writer. Her voice is elegant, and her style is charming. Even though her stories take place in the here and now I feel as if I am transported to a much more refined world than the one we currently live in. I’d like to live in that world, please! After reading her recently released novel, Just A Number, which I adored, I wanted to stay in the Fifi Flowers orbit a bit longer. So I opened Reclining Nude in Chicago and promptly fell in lust. This is an older novella; book one in the Encounters series. And with the imminent release of book two (Falling In Montmartre), I convinced myself it was only logical to start at the beginning. No, it’s not necessary to read them in order. They stand alone. But my logical self doesn’t need to know that. Reclining Nude in Chicago is not quite as polished as Just A Number, but that’s merely an observation and in no way indicates that there is anything inferior about this story. In fact, I think it says a lot about Ms. Flowers’ growth as a writer.

One of the things I love about Fifi Flowers’ stories is her ability to set the mood like nobody’s business. We are introduced to freelance art writer Julia Van Rothfelder, as she sits at an outdoor cafe in her West Hollywood neighborhood pondering a list of former lovers. Sadly, none of them could elicit a level of excitement equal to that of sinking her teeth into a new story about the art world. As luck would have it, Julia discovers the announcement of a new Matisse exhibit set to open in Chicago in a few months. Matisse being her absolute favorite artist, she sets her mind on writing an article about the exhibit. See, right there…classy. Like any good writer, Julia begins researching her subject. Which leads her, finally! to the curator, Pierce Marten. A phone call, during which Julia imagines him to be a curmudgeonly pain in the butt despite his very manly and sexy voice, leads to days and days of texts between them. Texts which become increasingly full of fun and innuendo. Who knew Mr. Marten had it in him?

The day finally arrives for Julia to travel to Chicago to interview Mr. Marten. Only to get distracted at the hotel bar, flirting no less, causing her to be late for their evening meet up. The large brick building in an industrial neighborhood is not what she expects. But she’s often had to visit artist lofts for her articles. What she hasn’t encountered, until this night, is a cranky and bossy man who admonishes her for being late, then orders her to strip naked and pose on a bed just opposite his artist’s easel. The man is so commanding, and gorgeous, that Julia doesn’t think twice about obeying him. Well, maybe she does think twice but it’s all just so crazy and dreamlike that she’s compelled to see what happens next.

What happens next is one hot little story! It’s loaded with mouthwatering, panty destroying, sexed up yumminess. When the real Mr. Marten arrives, and Julia learns she’s being painted by Mr. Marten’s good friend Emerson, the vibe in the loft shifts. Oh my goodness, Mr. Marten! What we have here, lovelies is a case of Two, two, two for the price of one! Eventually, two leads to only one.  This love story has everything I want in a novella. It sucks you in and takes you for a damn hot ride. It has your emotions all revved up, not to mention those private bits down below. And the epilogue! Gah! I loved Reclining Nude in Chicago and can’t wait for Falling in Montmartre.

Reviews for Fifi Flowers

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