Review - Laid Bare

Title: Laid Bare
Author: Lauren Dane
Publishing Date: 2009
Genre: Contemporary/Erotic
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I received a free copy from this year's RT Book Convention.

Laid Bare is the first book in Lauren Dane's Brown Sibling series. Erin Brown a wild, free-spirit rocker chic and Todd Keenan straight laced, very conservative cop had a fling which didn't work out. Ten years later, things have changed. Todd has accepted himself and all his kinks but Erin has had an extremely unfortunate life changing event. Todd and Erin meet up back in Seattle and resume their relationship, however things are more complicated.

With Laid Bare I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, the book had certain components that I enjoy: lots of dialogue, unique characters and plenty of action to move the plot along. On the other hand there were things that I am not such a fan of, such as a heroine that is hard for me to relate to and an alternative lifestyle for the characters that seemed out of place or fast paced. Erin was not a typical heroine and she was quite unique in her make-up. This could be good or bad depending on your point of view. If you are a very conservative person, she is going to be difficult to relate too. I typically don't relate well to these types of heroines, but because Erin wasn't overly aggressive, I found her appealing. I really liked her directness. It was refreshing when so many heroines are wishy-washy with what they want.

As far as Todd went, I found him much more my speed. He is a man's man, but needs to come to terms with who he is and what he is willing to accept about his own sexuality. I have to admit that while I found the change in him believable, I did have trouble at the speed with which he accepted things. It seemed like his changes were too abrupt for my taste. Also, there were certain aspects of the threesome lifestyle that seemed a little "too good to be true". Hey, this is a romance, so I am not overly complaining. However, if you are looking for a more realistic approach you will need to give this book a little bit of open-mindedness when you read it.

Review - Corralled

Title: Corralled
Author: Lorelie James
Publishing Date: 2010
Genre: Contemporary Erotic
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I received a free, signed copy from the RT 2011 Book Convention.

Lainie Capshaw works as a sports therapist for two different rodeo circuits. She has had a physical relationship with two men, Kyle who is bull rider and Hank who is a bull fighter. Lainie's problem is that she can't seem to choose between either man and neither has asked her to be exclusive. But then on accident both men end up at the same bar as Lainie, on the same night and the gig is up. However, since Lainie won't choose and they don't want to lose her both men agree to share her.

I have to say Corralled really surprised me, and in a good way. I found it to be one of the most realistic takes on how people would really behave in threesome situation. It actually tackled the issues of jealousy between the men over Lainie's attention and affection. The ending surprised me. It wasn't what I expected to happen. I am not really sure I had any expectations, but it surprised me and I liked it! There is a lot of sex in this book, but to me I felt the emotional connection between the characters was displayed in addition to the physical component to the relationships. This book really worked for me. I am definitely going to be reading more of this authors work.

Review - Raine

Title: Raine
Author: Elizabeth Amber
Publishing Date: 2008
Genre: Historical/Erotic
Rating: C-
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I received a free copy at the 2010 RT Book Lovers Convention.

Raine is the second book in Elizabeth Amber's The Lords of the Satyr series. Three brothers have been tasked with finding the Fairy King's daughters and marrying them to keep them safe from harm. Raine the second brother is already scarred from an unsuccessful first marriage that failed because of his ravenous sexual appetite. Needless to say he is definitely reluctant when it comes to finding the King's daughter. He finds her in Venice, Italy. Jordan has been raised as a man. She is the most unusual person because she actually has both male and female genitalia. When Raine sets eyes on her Jordan can't believe that a man can look at her as a woman when most of her life she has only been known as a man, especially when deep down inside intrinsically she knows she is a woman regardless of her mysterious sexuality.

I must admit when I first heard about this book I was intrigued. I mean who wouldn't be a little bit curious about a female character that has both a vagina and a penis! I went into this book knowing that it would be outrageous. Knowing that, this book did have its moments when it came to ridiculousness, but I didn't feel that Jordan's sexuality was one of them. What I had a problem with were the so called "bad guys". I just hate it when the bad guys get a lot of page space in a book. That is exactly what happened in Raine and I couldn't stand to read the demented ravings of the enemy. In this case there wasn't just one but two.

I did like Jordan's character and her internal struggle with whether or not she was a man or a woman. There were facets to her personality that suggested she enjoyed playing both parts. I was disappointed though with the conclusion to the story. Jordan and Raine have a major confrontation at the end of the book and I don't feel like things were resolved between them satisfactorily. I felt that Raine owed Jordan a huge apology because of that fight and it never came. The final sex scene seemed overly gratuitous when I would have liked to see them work through some of their earlier conflicts. I will give Ms. Amber kudos for her imagination though!

Review - A Gentleman's Wager

Title: A Gentleman's Wager
Author: Madelynne Ellis
Publishing Date: 2003
Genre: Historical/Erotic
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I received a used copy from Paperbackswap.com.

Bella Rushdale and her brother are invited to stay with their neighbor for a summer party in the English countryside. Bella is excited at the prospect of being around Lucerne Marlinscar and wishes to catch his attentions. Bella is surprised when she realizes that she is not the only one who has eyes for Lucerne. Another gentleman Vaughan, Marquis Pennerley also has his sights set on Lucerne. Bella and Vaughan compete for Lucerne's favors, which eventually lead to emotional entanglements from every party.

A Gentleman's Wager was a pleasant surprise for me. I tend to be hard when grading erotic romances and usually feel that character development or plot is usually neglected in light of focusing on the sexual activities of the characters. I felt that A Gentleman's Wager was able to balance lots of sex yet it seemed integral to the characters personalities and the relationships between them. And I will also say that this is the first time I have ever thought that a ménage a trios is written in a believable, honest light.

For me, the characters are what really make this book interesting and most especially Vaughan, Marquis Pennerley. Vaughan is such a bad boy. He loves causing mischief anywhere he goes. He is such a troublemaker!! He will say and do things to create complete and utter chaos. It is why Lucerne, who is completely steadfast, is drawn to him. Actually, Vaughan is able to draw most people and is similar to a train wreck where you just can't turn away. I also enjoyed the development where the relationships between Lucerne and Vaughan and Lucerne and Bella eventually morph to encompass feelings between Vaughan and Bella from hostility to affection.

If I had to complain about one thing in this book it would be Bella's lack of supervision, or actually any unmarried woman. It felt that the women in that time period would have been chaperoned a little better than they were. The author does touch on this a little bit at least in terms of Bella, but it felt out of place in the time period the book was written. I am glad to know that there is another book that continues to explore the relationship between Bella, Vaughan and Lucerne. I will definitely be reading it.

Review - Sinful

Title: Sinful
Author: Charlotte Featherstone
Publishing Date: 2010
Genre: Historical/Erotic
Rating: D
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I received a used copy from Paperbackswap.com

Matthew, the Earl of Wallingford needs money. His father has decided to cut him off from funds because of his wild and reckless lifestyle. Matthew holds an auction for one of his very risqué paintings. This money will allow him to open his own art gallery. After the action Matthew is jumped by a couple of thugs and is brutally beaten and left for dead. Someone finds him and he is taken to a hospital where he is nursed by Jane Rankin who is considered shy and plain by most.

Sinful started out with promise. Charlotte Featherstone's writing is very sensual and the characters were intriguing, each with a mysterious past. Unfortunately, things went downhill after the first quarter of the book. There is a point when Matthew insults Jane with such cruelty. It was such an ugly hurtful scene that I felt in order for things to work between them Matthew was going to have to grovel. He never really does. I believe they do talk about the incident but not much in the way of an apology is given.

Then the ending of the book was a complete an utter disappointment. Matthew had some major baggage in his past and I don't feel that it was ever resolved. Also, I felt cheated at the way that Matthew and Jane get their "happy ever after". I can't really go into details without spoiling it for other readers. Just suffice it to say that I was majorly disappointed. I almost wish I had not finished the book and just stopped in the middle. I would have been more satisfied. Sorry, but this is not a book I can recommend.

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Review - Naked

Title: Naked
Author: Megan Hart
Publishing Date: August 2010
Genre: Contemporary (Erotic)
Rating: C+
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I purchased an ebook from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.

Naked is loosely connected to Megan Hart's book Tempted. It continues with Alex Kennedy meeting Olivia Mackey the morning after a Holiday celebration. It turns out that Alex needs a place to stay for a few months and Olivia has an apartment she can rent out to him while he is in town on business. Both are attracted to each other but Olivia is very hesitant to become involved in a relationship with a man who might swing both ways. She was already hurt once by her former fiancé Patrick who finally came out of the closet.

Megan Hart's writing is so difficult for me to give a grade when reviewing. I think she is such a fabulous writer. Her characters are completely fleshed out and so human that it is hard not to be drawn in by them and have an emotional reaction. But at the same time sometimes the characters are so human, faults and all, that the very same thing that drew you in pushes you away. Am I making any sense at all?

Let's start with Alex. On the outside he seems so completely put together. All posh and circumstance, yet just past the surface the man is a mess. He thinks he knows what he wants, but I am not convinced that he does. Olivia's perception when it comes to relationships is very skewed and much of this is due to the fact that the only serious relationship she has had is with a gay man.

But despite all these obstacles it is obvious that these two when together are happy. They have baggage that they will have to work to overcome. I like that the author doesn't sugar coat things and faces the fact that for the relationship to be successful, Olivia and Alex will have to work for it. I really liked how Ms. Hart ties themes of acceptance throughout the book. She took religion, race and sexual orientation all without being preachy, and showed how these things can affect a person or people. I thought that was very well done of her and it gave the book quite a bit of depth.

I must admit the way the book was going I thought it was going to end badly. Fortunately, things were resolved in the end, but I felt that the ending was VERY abrupt. I wish that things could have been hammered out a little better and eventually this is what led me to lower the grade rating. I am not entirely convinced of the happy ever after.

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Review - Pleasure Control

Title: Pleasure Control
Author: Cathryn Fox
Publishing Date: 2006
Genre: Contemporary/Erotic
Rating: C
Senuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I received a free copy from the RT Book Lovers Convention.

Pleasure Control is book one of Cathryn Fox's Pleasure Game series. Laura Manning is a scientist working on discovering a potion to inhibit a man's libido. For a long time she has had a crush on her lab partner Jay Cutler. With a deadline for the potion hanging over them, Jay suggests Laura try the potion on him and then seduce him to see if it works. Against her better judgment Laura goes along with the plan.

Pleasure Control was an okay read for me. This book kind of gets the kiss of death I guess since there is not a lot that sets it apart from other books, nor is there anything that really stands out in my mind about it. It was neither good nor bad but somewhere in between. The characters, the plot and the execution were all just mediocre. What else can I say?

The good things Pleasure Control has going for it are that is it short and sweet. There is not a lot of conflict. It's a relatively fast read at only 228 pages. Unfortunately, I can't really recommend it, unless there is not much else to read, or you want something short.

Review - Nicholas

Title: Nicholas
Author: Elizabeth Amber
Publishing Date: 2007
Genre: Historical Erotic
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I received a free copy at the 2010 RT Book Lovers Convention

Nicholas is the first book in Elizabeth Amber's The Lords of Satyr series. The King of the Fey is dying and has tasked the Satyr brothers to find his lost daughters and protect them through marriage. Nicholas is the first to find his bride, Jane. Jane is surprised when this handsome stranger wants to marry her after only one brief meeting. Jane accepts her situation and Nicholas whisks her off to his vineyard where Jane will eventually learn of Nicholas's beastly behavior.

I have to say, I have heard a lot of rumors about this series, rumors about the crazy sexual things that happen in The Lords of Satyr series. I wasn't really sure how I would feel about the book because of that, but I have to say I actually enjoyed it. Yep, I confirm that there is a bunch of crazy, satyr sex happening but despite all of that I thought the characterization and plot were better than average. A lot of it was outrageous and I was expecting that, which allowed me to sit back and just enjoy my reading experience. It is what it is.

Since Nicholas and Jane didn't know each other before marriage, the book focuses a lot on Jane and Nick working out the kinks most newlyweds have but throw in a few fantastical elements, like the fact that she is half Fae and he is a satyr and these two have their work cut out for them. Nicholas's views on women were too archaic for my taste, but I loved that Jane was willing to address the situation head on and not let Nicholas run roughshod all over her. I will definitely be giving the next book in the series a try.

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Review - Down in Texas

Title: Down in Texas
Author: Delilah Devlin
Publishing Date: 2008
Genre: Contemporary (Erotic)
Rating: B
Sensuality: Burning

Down in Texas is an anthology of three stort stories written by Delilah Devin. All three of the stories are centered around two ranching families the McDonoughs and the Dermotts.

Wearing His Brand
In this first story Lyssa and Brand Tynan have grown up together. Lyssa has lusted after Brand for years but he has always treated her like a little sister, since she is his best friend's sister after all. Brand has been tasked with looking after Lyssa while her big brother Mac is off on a military mission. Brand comes across Lyssa trapped in barbed wire fencing after an accident and things begin to heat up between these two on the shared horse ride back home.

I really enjoyed this first story. Lyssa and Brand already have an established relationship and the pace moves fairly quickly. I love that readers get to just jump right into the story. Lyssa is a spunky character and isn't afraid to maneuver the situation to suit her needs. I also liked that this story easily set up the next story in the book and that the smuggler plot was carried on through till the end of the book.

Slow Ride
Daniel Tynan ten years ago worked as a farm hand for the Dermott's. As a young man he found Maggie Dermott to be the woman of his dreams and to his shame he found himself lusting after an older, married woman. He answers an employment ad to once again find himself back at Dermott's ranch when Maggie is now a widow and in desperate need of help to keep the ranch afloat.

Slow Ride was probably my least favorite of the book. Maggie has quite a bit of baggage that she needs to overcome before she can be truly comfortable with a relationship with Daniel. I felt that in such a short period of time her acceptance of their relationship was too quick. However, it was probably the more compelling and emotional read of the book.

Straight up Soldier
Suki Reece is running from an abusive ex-boyfriend. She is hiding out in a cabin her good friend Tara helped her secure. Tara, worried about Suki, asks Mac McDonough to check in on her and make sure she is safe. Mac is recovering from a bad leg wound on his latest military mission. When he gets to the cabin he finds that Suki can hold her own.

Straight up Soldier is a slight change up, now the hero is a military man instead of a cowboy but he is still just as alpha as the other two heroes. Suki can go toe to toe against this big man and brings him to his knees a time or two.

The nice thing about these stories is they are short and sweet. The men are alpha heroes who like to take control in the bedroom and make sure their woman stay safe. The stories are fun and entertaining, although, there are similarities between the men's personalities and the fun that is had in the bedroom. If you like the first story, than I can't see why you wouldn't enjoy the rest.

Review - The Empress' New Clothes

Title: The Empress' New Clothes
Author: Jaid Black
Publishing Date: 2002
Genre: Sci-Fi Erotic
Rating: C+
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I purchased a used copy at a bookstore that specializes in trades.

The Empress' New Clothes is the first book in Jaid Black's Trek Mi Q'an series. Kyra Summers is spending her vacation at a resort that specializes in stress relief and relaxation with her best friend Geris. She is completely clueless that meanwhile, in a galaxy far, far away, the Emperor of Trek Mi Q'an has learned that his queen shall be none other than Kyra Summers. Zor takes a trip to Earth to pick up his destined mate. He finds her outside the resort and whisks her away to his planet. There Kyra must learn the new customs of Zor's world and succumb to his passionate nature.

This book was a lot of fun. It's hokey and over-the-top, but it is also entertaining as all get out. So the theme is a fish out of water. Kyra is taken to another world, existing in another time. It's nothing at all what she is accustomed to and she must learn a whole new way of life. This is the part of the story that I was most interested in and found entertaining.

Since this is an erotic romance there is a lot of sex in this book. The customs on this particular world all seem to revolve around sex. I liked reading about the different customs, but after a while I was bored with the sex. It just seemed like the sex scenes became repetitive. Wash, rinse and repeat. Boooorrring. The entertainment for me came from Kyra finding out the hard way certain customs. That was always good for a laugh. Zor was completely clueless as to what Kyra would accept and not accept as a custom. I actually enjoyed reading this book, but it is no literary classic. If you like Sci-fi and enjoy a good laugh, then you might want to give this one a try.

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Review - Lux in Shadow

Title: Lux in Shadow
Author: R.G. Alexander
Publishing Date: 2009
Genre: Paranormal Erotic
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I purchased a used copy.

Lux in Shadow is book two in R.G. Alexander's Children of the Goddess series. Lux Sariel is haunted by the death of his former lover who was murdered during an attack on his people. With the help of Arygon he must find a woman Sylvain who has the power to save his people. Her life is in danger and Lux and Arygon must find her before the Shadow Wolf does. When Arygon and Lux find Sylvain they discover that the three of them are mates, which only complicates the situation more.

I picked up this book because my good friend Dana really likes R.G. Alexander and I haven't ever read anything by this author before. She had recommended this series. When I was at the used book store the other week, I picked it up on a whim. It was a mistake to read this book before reading Regina in the Sun, Children of the Goddess book one. I was struggling to understand who the different factions were in the book. I didn't completely understand the world building.

I will say even though the world building was complicated I liked that there is a feeling of Native American mythology to the story. It put a different slant to vampires and werewolves. I enjoyed the characters' interactions with each other and the whole threesome plot didn't seem too contrived. It worked within in the context of the story. I will have to go back and read the first book to see if certain gaps in the storyline are filled in. The overall plot in the book is easy to understand, yet the world building just felt incomplete.

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Review - His Fantasies, Her Dreams

Title: His Fantasies, Her Dreams
Publishing Date: 2007
Genre: Futuristic, Contemporary (Erotic)
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: I received a free book from the RT Book Lover's Convention.

His Fantasies, Her Dreams is an anthology of three stories by Ellora's Cave. I have reviewed each story individually below.

Title: The Jewel
Author: Sherri L. King
Publishing Date: 2003
Genre: Futuristic (Erotic)
Sensuality: Burning
Rating: B

Samantha is kidnapped by a group of aliens looking for a birthday present for their king. Samantha finds herself surrounded by all kinds of strange creatures and these aliens want her to be a consort for their king. After Samantha comes to terms with her impossible situation, she discovers that maybe her new life isn't so bad after all.

I enjoyed The Jewel the best out of the three stories. I seem to be able to let go of reality better when the erotic story centers around a different planet or world. I liked the premise of the story and the creativity of all the different species the king has collected. More importantly this story revolved around the king and Samantha falling in love. I will say I was a little annoyed over how long Samantha kept up her defiance at her situation. But overall I found the story entertaining and a quick read.


Title: Learning to Live Again
Author: S. L. Carpenter
Publishing Date: 2004
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality: Hot
Rating: D-

Michelle heads home after breaking up with her boyfriend. While on the train home she enters her room to find a man dressed in a toga passed out in her cabin on her bed. After he sobers up the next day Michelle and Josh hit it off over dinner and begin a budding relationship.

I did not enjoy this story at all. It started off fine but eventually progressed into weird territory. Some of the conversations and dialogue made me uncomfortable. For example, there are scenes where the Michelle is talking about sex openly with her Mom and scenes where Josh is watching a porno with his Dad. I didn't find this to be remotely sexy. Plus there were times when a phrase or sentence in the dialogue didn't fit or make any sense. I recommend skipping this story.


Title: Fantasy Bar
Author: Trista Ann Michaels
Publishing Date: 2005
Genre: Futuristic
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Burning

Jarod, a detective and good friend of a politician who has just been murdered, is searching for the victim/killer of the crime. He tracks Kira to Fantasy Bar on Klindor. This Fantasy Bar specializes in Fantasies. Customers come there to live out their sexual fantasies. There Jarrod discovers Kira is more than he bargained for and he must uncover what really happened that night his friend died.

Again the believability factor is easier to accept of a fantasy bar existing on another planet than my own. Kira is a sweet, likable character with a surprising internal strength. Jarod fortunately sees the truth about Kira early on and is instantly attracted to her. I actually wish this story was a little longer especially to set up the murder/mystery portion of the story. It had a lot of potential. There was a lot going on and it could have been fleshed out better if it had been longer. However, I did enjoy what was written.

This book can be purchased in print format from Amazon

Review - Wolf Tales

Title: Wolf Tales
Author: Kate Douglas
Publishing Date: 2006
Genre: Paranormal (Erotic)
Rating: C+
Sensuality: Burning

Wolf Tales is the first book in Kate Douglas' erotic Chanku series. The Chanku are a race of people who can shift into a wolf because of special dietary foods. They are polyamorous, meaning that they have sex with all members of the pack. Alexandria, Xandi for short, has a bad accident at night in a snow storm. When she wakes up she finds herself in the arms of a very virile man. It's not until the morning after does Xandi realize that Stephan is half wolf and half man. Stephan expects Xandi to be disgusted by him, but to Stephan's surprise Xandi wants to help Stephan return to his normal self.

Wolf Tales is a very sexually explicit book. Anything and everything goes in this book. Just so you know, there are muliple bed partners. If that kind of thing squicks you out, then Wolf Tales won't be for you. Personally, I found it really refreshing that the characters embraced their sexuality - quirks and all. They were very free about sex as it is a big part of their lifestyle. Sexuality is embraced and no one is made to feel shame for their voracious appetites.

Being an erotic novel, much of the plot obviously focused on sex. I would have liked to have seen more character development between Stephan and Xandi. I felt like I was being told of their relationship development instead of being shown through actual scenes in the story. However, the concept sure is an interesting one and certainly entertaining. I would advise not to look for a deep meaningful read with this one, though.

This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon

Review - Tortured

Title: Tortured
Author: Amanda McIntyre
Publishing Date: 2009
Genre: Historical (Erotic)
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I purchased this book new.

Tortured takes place during the Dark Ages after the Romans pulled out of Britannia. Sierra works as an apprentice to an executioner. She was forced to this position as a twelve year old after she witnessed the rape and death of her mother. Six years have passed and Sierra has managed to survive by take each day at a time. When her master has captured a rebel soldier, he orders Sierra to work him over for information. Only Sierra is drawn to Dryston and they formulate a plan to escape.

I picked out this book because Amanda McIntyre will be at the RT Convention this year and also because it was set in a time period other than the standard Regency that is so prevalent today. I will admit I was a little worried that there would be too much written about the torture. Plus, this book is published by the Harlequin Spice line and it is an "Erotic Novel" and that means I might not get my happy ever after. Fortunately I needn't have worried. Although, the reality of life was very hard back then, the author didn't dwell on it and managed to balance the dark with the light.

I really thought that the author did a good job with making the characters ring true to the time period. The reader will feel like they have traveled back in time. The political upheaval made for very desperate and uncertain times. The reader will feel the characters desperation, yet underneath is a sense of longing and hope.

I did have some problems with Tortured. Sierra has learned that in order to survive she has to contain her feelings. To reveal them might be her death. It would have been nice to see Sierra really break through these emotional bonds, especially by the end of the story. When Sierra goes back to confront her captor with all the animosity she felt towards him, the ending seemed anti-climatic because Sierra never really loses control emotionally. Also, I never really bought into the passion between Sierra and Dryston. I felt like something was missing and this could again lead back to Sierra's emotional disconnection.

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This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon.

Review - Switch

Title: Switch
Author: Megan Hart
Publishing Date: January 2010
Genre: Erotic Fiction
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: Bought new

Paige finds an anonymous note in her mailbox. It's not meant for her, but instead it’s meant for her neighbor. She can't help but be intrigued by the strange command on the expensive paper. The anonymous notes keep coming, getting bolder and bolder. They take Paige on a journey of self discovery.

I am being sort of vague with my summary of the plot because I think one of the strengths of Switch is the unusual method through which it's told. Paige narrates in first person point of view in present time, but there are little clips of her past seen though her memories especially her past relationship with Austin. The twists and turns the story takes and the fact that the reader has no idea where the story is going leads to a very fun and intriguing journey.

At first, I didn't completely like Paige. She seemed cold, emotionally distancing herself from others and her own perception on life. Eventually, I realized that her faults are what make her a great character and seem truly genuine. This is what I love about Hart's writing. Her characters always seem so real, as if they aren't characters in a book acting out their lives for the enjoyment of the reader, but real people with problems they have to work through.

My one quibble would have been to expand more on Paige and Austin's relationship. I felt like I was just given a glimpse of what went on in their relationship and I would have loved to have been shown more. I think Switch was much more focused on Paige's own self discovery, rather than her relationship with Austin. However, Paige’s self discovery is what made this book work for me. Megan Hart has another winner on her hands with Switch!

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This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon

Taking Care of Business

Title: Taking Care of Business
Author: Lauren Dane and Megan Hart
Publishing Date: April 2009
Genre: Contemporary/Erotic
Rating: B
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I purchased this book new.


Taking Care of Business is one story with two heroines. Leah and Kathrine are two women who have been friends since they were young girls. Over the years they have gone their separate ways but have managed to maintain their friendship. They are attending a business conference. Leah has just broken up with her boyfriend and finds herself drawn to the hotel manager, who happens to be younger than her. She begins to explore new facets of her sexuality by dominating him. Katherine is a lawyer who has been having a secret affair with Dix who works at the company which she is providing legal advice. She has recently moved from the West coast to the East coast bringing her much closer to Dix. She is worried by moving closer she might push him farther away.

Both relationships get equal time on the page and blend together seamlessly. I found myself more interested in Katherine and Dix's relationship. Dix is an appealing hero in that whenever Katherine would push him, instead of withdrawing he would push back. I love it when couples work through their problems and don't run away.

I am not a big fan of women playing the dominant role in the sexual relationship, nor do I tend to like older women with younger men. It's my own personal bias. However, Leah and Brandon's relationship was a pleasant surprise. At first it was slow moving, but in the middle it heated up quite nicely.

I was hoping for more relationship building between the two women. According to the back story they had been friends forever. But they didn't have a lot of bonding going on during the story between them. Nothing really stood out about their friendship. I guess I was expecting more girl time with laughs and fun conversation, but it was notably lacking. I don't know if it was more evident because I read this right after I read Vision in White by Nora Roberts which had it in spades. Who knows? I try not to be biased, but this is my review site and I can do what I want!

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This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon.

Review - Sweet Restraint

Title: Sweet Restraint
Author: Beth Kery
Publishing Date: July 2009
Genre: Contemporary/Erotic
Rating: C
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: Rented from Paperspine.

FBI Agent Shane Dominic is investigating the Chicago Police for crooked cops. He suspects that Laura Vasquez's husband is one of them. When Laura's husband turns up dead he thinks Laura knows something about the crime ring her husband was a part of. Only Laura's not talking. Shane and Laura had a relationship thirteen years ago until she abruptly broke it off and married someone else. Shane didn't understand it then and he still doesn't. But he wants answers and to get them he kidnaps Laura for a weekend to show her the fire they once had is still burning strong.

The main problem I had with this story was Laura. She is one very pig-headed, stubborn woman. She also does some very stupid things and puts herself in danger more than once. She resists Dante time and again as he tries to learn what forced Laura to marry Huey. I don't know how she could resist Dante in all his manly glory. I actually enjoyed Dante's character. He was smart and confident and had the "it" factor. But what he saw in Laura was beyond me.

There is A LOT of sex in this book. Most of the scenes helped to move Dante and Laura's relationship forward, but a few of them felt gratuitous. The problem I find with having too many of these scenes is that the author runs out of words to use and the same phrases get recycled, which happened by the end of this book. Kery was also very fond of the word "Dusky" to describe Dante's skin.

This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon.

Review - Highland Obsession

Title: Highland Obsession
Author: Dawn Halliday (AKA Jennifer Haymore)
Publication Date: August 2009
Genre: Historical (Erotic)
Rating: C-
Sensuality: Burning
Book Disclosure: Rented from Paperspine and part of RT Reading Challenge

Alan MacDonald is Laird to the small village of Glenfinnan. He comes home after growing up in England to take a wife. He chooses Sorcha Stewart. Sorcha hides a secret from Alan in that she was first lovers with the Earl of Camdonn, Alan's good friend. Alan and Sorcha are wed and on their wedding night Cam kidnaps Sorcha after he realizes his feelings run deeper than a casual affair. Cam, Alan and Sorcha are tangled up in a web of deceit and will need to be honest with each other if they are to untangle it.

I was disappointed with Highland Obsession. The characters were flat and undeveloped. The situation between Alan and Sorcha, Sorcha and Cam and Cam and Alan could have been very intense, instead it was bland. Especially, the first half of the story because Alan withdraws both emotionally and physically from the situation and the action can't move forward until Alan is willing to confront both Cam and Sorcha. He finally does in the second half of the book and that is when the book does pick up.

Overall, my impression is not a good one. If this story would have been a little more even in it's pacing and I had been more emotionally drawn to the characters it would have been a better reading experience. On a positive note, at least the book was short.

Here is what others had to say:

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This book can be purchased in print and kindle format from Amazon

Review - Beloved Vampire

Title: Beloved Vampire
Author: Joey W. Hill
Publishing Date: August 2009
Genre: Paranormal (Erotic)
Rating: C-
Sensuality: Hot

Jessica Tyson was taken against her will and forced to become a vampire's servant. After five years of servitude she was given the opportunity to end the vampire's life and she took it. Only she was partially third-marked which means she didn't die right away like she should have. Instead she is slowly wasting away. Her will to live has exceeded her body's need to parish. Before she leaves this earth she is determined to find the grave of Farida whose diary kept her sane all those years. Once she finds Farida's tomb she is discovered by Lord Mason, Farida's lover who also happens to be a vampire. Lord Mason saves Farida's life the only way he knows how by marking her as his servant.

I had a hard time with Beloved Vampire. Jessica suffered horrible, indescribable torture at the hands of the sadistic vampire, Raithe. I was very disgusted by the things Raithe did to Jessica. She has HUGE baggage that she needs to deal with in order to gain some semblance of control over her life. She doesn't trust any vampires or anyone associated with vampires. To top things off she is a natural submissive and is confused by her desire to submit to someone stronger than her. She feels the need to please, yet feels guilty or ashamed by these submissive feelings.

Lord Mason is also tortured by his past. He had loved in the past and that love ended very tragically. Both he and Jessica need to overcome HUGE amounts of baggage before they can heal and move on with their lives. Here in lies the crutch of the problem for me. I felt that Mason and Jessica's relationship was overshadowed by each of their own individual problems that I did not believe in their romance. It was almost as if it was too much for me to comprehend and be able to relate too. I hate to say it be I was also bored on a certain level because the story became stagnant. Before Jessica could move forward she had to work through her issues and it seemed to stall the movement of the relationship between her and Mason.

Beloved Vampire is part of the Vampire Queen series. I don't feel that the other books need to be read in order to read this book. It is not the best of the series in my opinion. Although, other characters from previous books to play a small role in this story. I am sorry to say, I can not recommend this book.

Here is what others had to say:

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This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon.

Review - Maiden and the Monster

Title: Maiden and the Monster
Author: Michelle M. Pillow
Publishing Date: 2005
Genre: Medieval (Erotic)
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot

Lady Eden unconscious after being severely beaten and smelling of pig manure is left to die just outside the Duke of Lakeshire's castle. He mistakenly believes the bundle of fowl smelling furs is just that, but his servant discovers that the pile is actually a woman who is barely alive. Vladamir against his will at the insistence of his servant and friend Ulric, places the woman in Ulric's care to recover. However, after Eden is cleaned up and the swelling in her face lessons he realizes how attractive Eden is and wonders where she came from and how she came to be found in her condition on his doorstep, so to speak.

I was pleasantly surprised by Maiden and the Monster. It is published by Ellora's Cave, which is known for their erotic romance, but also the stories are generally shorter. Maiden in the Monster is 355 pages and wasn't quite as erotic as other Ellora's Cave books I have read in the past, but this is actually one of the reasons the story worked as well as it did for me. I thought the history of the time period was well researched and the characters true to the time period. I was expecting one thing and got something else and it was a pleasant surprise.

Vladamir is a bit of a beast. He was jilted by his first wife of whom he adored and loved. She in turn was a selfish, horrid woman who scarred Vladamir deeply. He has built up walls to keep people out and he puts on a mask of indifference and cruelty when in reality his is a very sensitive, affectionate man. Eden discovers that his bark is worse than his bite and believes that he is a good man. His actions have spoken louder than words in the way he cares for her. She has been around other men who have treated her cruelly and Vladamir is not one of them.

My one little complaint about the book is that there is a very passionate love scene towards the latter half of the book in a very beautiful outdoor setting. This scene took me by surprise and this time, not in a good way. The scene went in a direction that seemed out of character for Vladamir and Eden. It seemed as if it was to be more sexually explicit for the reader as a way to titillate, instead of being the true motivations of the characters. Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be reading to much into how a publisher might influence the outcome of a book and that one scene did not overly influence my experience when reading this book. I just felt like mentioning it. Anyone who wants more details feel free to email or comment.

This book can be purchased in print from Amazon.