Review: Girl From Above: Escape by Pippa DaCosta

Title: Girl From Above: Escape
Author: Pippa DaCosta
Series: The 1000 Revolution, Book 2 (Serial)
Genre: Sci-Fi Erotica Romance
Release Date: 19 June 2015

"There’s no quicker way to get yourself killed than trusting someone in the black." ~ Caleb.

Caleb Shepperd knows Fran has her own motives for helping him escape prison, but he’s not about to let a little thing like past betrayal stand in the way of his next paycheck. Until he’s forced to meet with the sexy and psychotic pirate, Adelina Cande. They’ve met before. When he seduced her, cleared out her credit account, and left her for dead in-the-black.

Caleb figures Adelina holds a grudge when she plants a bomb on his ship and demands he steal a fleet freighter for her, that is, if he ever wants to fly again. Get him drunk enough and he’ll try anything once, but this time, he has to balance his own greed, with the needs of a vengeful pirate and the scheming of his dubious second-in-command, Fran. What could possibly go wrong?

In the heart of Chitec headquarters, #1001 enlists an eager young technician to aid in her escape. But it’s not freedom she wants. It’s revenge. The memories of a life that don’t belong to her demand she finishes what she started. She believes she killed Caleb, now she's targeting Chitec CEO Chen Hung, and not even the hopeful technician can dissuade her.

Synthetics don't make mistakes.

She thought she knew the truth.

She was wrong.

It's not often that a second book in a series (or serial) will get a higher grade than the first from me. This one does. And earns it. Partly because it blew through all my expectations and gave me something that I wasn't expecting - more than once.

Everything I said in the first one still holds. Our protagonists are not heroes - they're not good people, and yet....I still root for them. I think that probably says more about me than it does about them.

There's a HUGE twist at one point in the book. Something I did NOT see coming, and still really shocks me with its simplicity and I-should-have-known moment. Then there's the moment when I start to complain about something, thinking that one thing is going on, thinking that it should go a different way, and something even better than I imagined happening, happened. Hell yes. Loved it.

There's a lot of sex, or near sex, in these books. It's usually angry sex, without a lot of "good" emotions behind it. But it's freaking hot as hell. And, to quote my friend Navessa:

Also, I figure in a near-lawless space setting, sex would be as common as violence, which seems to be the case in these books. Now that I think about it, I tend to feel that way about any setting in which humanity breaks down.

It's a good point, and I definitely agree. Violence and Sex are BIG in this series. So is self-recrimination, questionable actions, double-crossing, and lawlessness. For a society that's supposed to be "perfect" with Fleet and Chitec...it's pretty fucking grim.

And the ending? I saw it coming, I knew it would happen from the moment the scene started, and still - I read that last sentence and groaned that I have to wait (at least) a month-and-a-half for the next book. I needs it, precious. I needs it, NOW.

Grade: A

Review: The Professional Part 1 by Kresley Cole

Title: The Professional, Part 1
Author: Kresley Cole
Series: The Game Maker, Book 1.1
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 16 December 2013

He makes the rules...
Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan’s loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss’s long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Sevastyan will do anything to possess her as well—on his own wicked terms.

Rules are made to be broken...
PhD student Natalie Porter had barely recovered from her first sight of the breathtakingly gorgeous Sevastyan before the professional hit man whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. With every day she spends under his protection, she falls deeper under his masterful spell.

Are you ready to play?
Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy’s reach, Sevastyan spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-wealthy in Paris, the two lovers will discover that even their darkest—and most forbidden—fantasies can come true..

I'm a huge fan of Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series, and think it's some of the hottest paranormal romance I've ever read. Needless to say that I was stoked when I heard that one of my favorite authors was venturing into the realm erotic - BDSM - romance. I was looking forward to some incredibly, blistering hot, sexy times. Unfortunately, I had so many other issues that I couldn't enjoy this first part of the serial.

My biggest problem was Natalie, herself. It's been a long time since I've had the misfortune of reading a character that was this TSTL (to-stupid-to-live). Honestly, by the end of the first couple of chapters I was hoping she'd die just so I could read about someone more interesting and smart. By just a quarter of the way through this very short (120 page) novella, I'd given up marking all the moments where she was an idiot. It all started when she believed the guy, that had broken into her house and watched her in the bath, was sent by her father and didn't try to run from him immediately. Scary guy in your house? Have a conversation. Scary guy flips you over his shoulder and carries you - forcibly? Go along not wanting to get him in trouble in case he's telling the truth. Scary guy takes you to a corn field where he has a private jet waiting? Run from him, get caught, and proceed to have smexy times. Give me a freaking break.

All of this was bad, but might have been somewhat less irritating if she hadn't started off on such a bad note for me.

"Mommy issues. Serial cheater. Humor void. Two-pump chump." With each guy who entered the campus bar, I ticked off my inital impression to my drunken friends.

I had an uncanny knack for sizing up males--I was a regular "manalyst." My secret? I always went negative, and the guys, well, they always accommodated.

This from a woman that's barely dated, never been in love, and never had sex. Apparently she's a genius at sizing up and judging men at a glance though. Ugh. Isn't this what we want men to stop doing to women? Double standard much. Immediately I didn't like Natalie and it carried through the book. In addition to this, I could never figure out if Kresley Cole wanted her to be this cynical, jaded, experienced person or if she was supposed to be the inexperienced virgin. Her characterization was never really solidified. She portrayed whatever trait was required for the scene and surrounding characters, not because I ever felt like it was her.

There's only a couple of other characters worth even mentioning. I suppose, Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan should be one of them considering he's the hero. He's a mafiya enforcer that's still noble. He's got dark sexual desires - you know, he's into Domination - and somehow this, coupled with the fact that Natalie is his boss's daughter, makes her triply untouchable. Not that it prevents him from watching her in the bath, touching her, having oral sex with her...all before they even get to Russia. Of course, he beats himself up for it afterwards, and pushes her away - rudely - because, well, it's the right thing to do.

Speaking of Natalie's long-lost father, Kovalev, he's a Russian mafiya vor - like a Godfather in the Russian mafia - but he's (also) noble.

"The bulk of his business is related to real estate and construction. But he also mediates disputes between gangs, and he sells protection to business owners. He does a brisk trade blackmailing politicians. No girls, no guns, no drugs."

So, we get all of the danger of a mafiya story and none of the pesky concerns about ethics. He's just doing this to protect his family and other people in his territory. Never mind that his clan brings automatic weapons to tea. Don't get me wrong, I didn't really have a problem with her father, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy that was excited to have a daughter. I'm just frustrated with how his business is portrayed. I'm more frustrated with Natalie's response to it. She starts out all affronted and worried and not wanting any part of it. But 2 seconds after meeting him she's all 'I'm more upset that I don't get to hear how you defeated them than I am about what you do for a living." When Natalie accepted a fur coat - immediately after saying she didn't do fur - I knew she didn't have any strong convictions. This was just another example of that.

The last character I'm going to talk about is Natalie's distant cousin, Filip. From the first moment we meet him, I'm quite sure of his coming role in the book/serial. He's there to offer competition to Sevastyan, as well as - I'm sure - eventually betray Natalie's father. He tries to romance and seduce Natalie - which makes Sevastyan jealous and mad - and it's clear that he's jealous of Sevastyan and his lack of place in Kovalev's business. I'm quite sure that he's going to end up betraying the business and may even be behind the current problems that they're facing.

The territory war is, ostensibly, the reason behind Natalie having to go to Russia - immediately - in the first place, but honestly, it's all pretty boring. Nothing is happening, Natalie's privy to nothing, and she's locked up in a beautiful estate with loads of money, fine clothes, jewelry, horses, and basically anything she could ever want. But, of course, the money means nothing to her - for it not meaning much to her she sure does spend quite a bit of time detailing all the things it's bought her.

As you can probably tell, I spent the majority of the book either irritated or bored. The sex scenes weren't that sexy to me, and just when I thought I was about to get some awesome sexy times (because Sevastyan seemed to be in it wholeheartedly) this Part 1 ends on a cliffhanger. I almost want to start the second one to see if it's worth continuing on...but I probably won't.

Grade: D

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DNF Review: Reckless by Skye Jordan

Title: Reckless
Author: Skye Jordan
Series: Renegades, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Release Date: 23 August 2013
Source: From publisher in exchange for an honest review

A couture wedding dress designer to the rich and famous, Lexi LaCroix's image means everything. Raised on the wrong side of the tracks, her years of polish and hard work are finally about to pay off. But crossing paths with a sexier-than-sin, bad-boy biker who makes her realize how much living she's sacrificed for her success, one touch is all it takes to threaten her carefully choreographed life.

Jax Chamberlin has been screwed over by gorgeous gold-diggers one too many times. Though he runs his own stunt company, all of America knows his Hollywood face even years after he's given up acting. Finding a woman who doesn't plan to use him as a stepping stone to success is virtually impossible, so when the charming and mysterious Lexi offers him a chance at a totally anonymous hook-up during an out of town trip, Jax accepts. Only Lexi is more sextacular than charming, and Jax wants more. Lots more.

But Lexi's got a major hang-up over his renegade lifestyle. And if she finds out his connections could catapult her to the top of her career, he's afraid the fantasy woman he's falling for might just end up like all the rest.

Warning: This novel contains uber-hot sexual encounters. For safety's sake, read along with pitcher of ice-water. Or...wine...

Where to start?

I'm not sure what I went into this expecting. I hadn't even remembered what the blurb was about - my bad for not getting to it sooner - but I went into this completely blind. Unfortunately, that meant that Lexi and Jax had to make me love them on their own, from the start.

We first meet Jax where he's talking to an (apparent) ex, thinking incredibly nasty thoughts of her. We find out that she's screwed him out of a job and that's why he feels so negatively towards her. But when she offers to get him the job back if he'll just get back in her bed and he CONSIDERS it....not a good first impression.

My first impression of Lexi isn't much better. She sees the truck that Jax is in, and immediately thinks of the truck that she knows "exactly what kind of guys drove those trucks." Apparently, only sexy guys can now own big trucks. Mmm-hmm. I'll have to remember that.

For their meet-cute, Lexi uses a beta app that her friend designed to sell to the NSA (don't ask) and gets Jax's phone number. She proceeds to text him, anonymously, making it very clear that she's watching him, can see him, and is paying attention to him but not letting him know who she is. He, apparently, is fine with this because the flirting and sexting begin.

Don't get me wrong, the texts were my favorite part of the book to that point. They were both cute and sexy, and it was clear that they had a lot of chemistry. Their senses of humor worked well off of each other - and they both dropped their emotional baggage to flirt. I really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, we got back to the emotional baggage. Lexi can't get involved with anyone that could cause a scandal - apparently her Hollywood and/or rich clients won't appreciate her having any scandals....because they never do. Right. Anyway, she's all paranoid about her reputation, but she's attracted to the 'rough' Jax. He's got a leather motorcycle jacket (of a brand I've never heard of...so sue me), and work boots, and a tattoo. He's got to be 'lesser' right? Yep. But she can do a little anonymous sex.

Jax, on the other hand, alternates between 'She doesn't think I'm good enough for her,' and 'She's using me to get to my connections.' I still can't figure out how those two insecurities can coexist in his mind, but there you have it. He floats from one insecure moment to the next and there's nothing less sexy to me than insecurity. As the blurb states Jax is a famous Hollywood actor, retired and now doing stunts. He's easily recognizable - instantly by fans, as proven in one scene. His co-star that he is filming with is of the Brad Pitt type celebrity. Apparently Jax is of the same level.

Want to know where I lost all believability in this book? It wasn't Lexi's friend designing phone apps for the government. It wasn't the harmless hacking, or a top fashion designer taking on two interns that haven't graduated from the fashion design school. It wasn't even the fact that Lexi apparently could design better after Jax gave her an orgasm.

It was the fact that Lexi, who makes her living selling haute couture wedding dresses to the rich and famous in Los Angeles, has NO IDEA who Jax or his co-star are. Even after hearing the co-star's name, even after finally seeing Jax's face. Nothing. No recognition at all. How? How does that happen? You live and work there. You sell expensive dresses and you don't know your (possible) clientele? You've never thought maybe you should know the people you're trying to sell to?

Argh! I'm still so frustrated by this.

Before all that I'd happily been reading for the smexy times. They were pretty good smexy times - with a few things that pulled me out of the moment, but I feel like I've complained enough. Suffice it to say that when the sexy times had me laughing out loud I knew it was time to stop because there was nothing left to keep me invested.

I do have the second book in the series already, and the writing and sexiness were pretty good, so I'm sure I'll try it to see if some different characters work better for me.

Grade: DNF (at 51%)

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Review: Season of Seduction by Jeffe Kennedy, Elise Logan, Emily Ryan-Davis, Christine D'Abo, Jodie Griffin

Title: Season of Seduction
Authors: Jeffe Kennedy, Elise Logan, Emily Ryan-Davis, Christine D'Abo, and Jodie Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Release Date: 21 November 2013

What's on your wish list?

After indulging in twelve naughty nights in Mexico, a woman experiences an erotic epiphany. An adventurous elf has her eye on one very sexy Santa. A married couple hopes to find a very special marine under the mistletoe. And a holiday mitzvah leads a woman to submit to a man in uniform on Christmas Day. No matter your fantasies, this collection of four shorts will add spice and sizzle to cold winter nights.

Edited by Angela James, this anthology includes:

Five Golden Rings by Jeffe Kennedy
Naughty Nicks by Christine d'Abo
Ménage on 34th Street by Elise Logan and Emily Ryan-Davis
Matzoh and Mistletoe by Jodie Griffin

Stories also available for purchase separately.

Five Golden Rings by Jeffe Kennedy - 3.5 Stars

On the first day of Christmas, my lover gave to me...

Matilda Campbell's plans to spend Christmas solo in the sun take an erotic turn when she encounters the handsome and enigmatic Miguel D'Oro on the plane to Mexico. As the CEO of a major firm, Tilda's used to being the one in charge--but now she'll have to learn how to take orders instead.

In the spirit of the season, Miguel offers Tilda naughty gifts for each of the twelve days of Christmas. There's just one rule: she must accept them--and fulfill his commands--or face the sensual consequences. Intrigued and aroused, Tilda agrees to let Miguel take control of her pleasure.

What follows is a week unlike anything she's ever experienced. From choosing her sexy new wardrobe and naughty accessories, to pushing her boundaries with BDSM play, Miguel satisfies every forbidden craving. But as their time together runs out, she must decide if there's room in her real life for her holiday lover and her newly discovered kinky side.

This is my first time reading anything by Jeffe Kennedy, and I've got to say I was pleasantly surprised! Tilda and Miguel had some smoking hot chemistry and I enjoyed seeing them both explore it together.

Miguel was creative and fun in his "twelve gifts" for Tilda. Watching Tilda let herself experience and enjoy - letting go of that control she maintains all the time in her normal life - was fantastic. I liked seeing that she was able to. Miguel I didn't feel like I got to know as well, but that was a conscious decision on his part. He kept things very much physical and his life separate from what was happening between him and Tilda.

I admit, this irritated me. I get that he was looking for some fun, no-strings, tension-releasing sex....but it doesn't really allow me to see why they end up thinking a relationship of more will work. Because Tilda is not who she normally is when she's with Miguel in Mexico. As she says, she's on vacation - of course she's uncomplicated. With Miguel not sharing anything of himself but the sexual aspect, I didn't really buy into their desire to continue seeing each other when they got back home.

Still, I thought this was a fun, sexy, Christmas novella and I'll definitely be looking for more from Jeffe Kennedy.

Ménage on 34th Street by Elise Logan and Emily Ryan-Davis - 2.5 Stars

Katrina and Liam Holland have the perfect marriage, a home in the trendiest part of Baltimore, and a scorching sex life. As another Christmas approaches, there's only one thing still on Kat's wish list: Hunter Croft. But she made peace long ago with his decision to choose the marines over their relationship. Until seeing him again arouses feelings she thought were in the past…

Hunter has spent a decade outrunning his attraction to both Kat and Liam. But now that he's stateside, his self-control crumbles when he comes face-to-face with the two people who star in all his favorite fantasies. Their reunion is both erotic and emotional—and has Hunter wondering if three's really a crowd, after all.

Liam can't imagine his life without Kat. But he can imagine a future where the three of them live and love under one roof. Liam and Kat have shared their bed with other men, but Hunter is the only one who could ever have a place in their hearts. And this holiday season, Liam intends to make their dream a reality.

I have really mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand the sexy times were seriously HOT. On the other hand, I was frustrated with the relationship aspect of the book.

Ménage stories are always a hard sell for me in the first place, because I think they take a lot of work and most of the ones I've read seem to gloss over that work. I can safely say that Emily Ryan-Davis and Elise Logan don't gloss over the difficulties of making a permanent ménage relationship work. Unfortunately, they didn't convince me.

Hunter's been running from his desires for Kat and Liam for TEN years. He joined the Marines. He loves his career, has aspirations and goals of going further in the military; he has no plans to get out anytime soon. He visits his best friend while he's on leave and suddenly ends up in the middle of Liam and Kat - right where he's been avoiding.

I don't think it's a bad thing for Liam to push Hunter a bit, especially considering he wants them both so badly. Where my problem lay is that I felt like Hunter was pushed too far, too quickly. He denied his attraction to Liam, a guy, but suddenly an hour after seeing him again he's having sex with him? Then one thing after the other - he's not sure about it, but pretty soon they're doing it.

I liked how the three of them would get together and talk about things - that's important in any relationship - what I didn't love is that each time they finished talking I was less sure of their ability to make it work between them. Then they just went straight to some more boundary and limit-pushing sex which apparently was going to solve all their concerns and problems.

The other thing I wasn't sure of was the "I love you"s - I get that they all cared about each other, but honestly, they haven't even talked in TEN years. Hunter joined the Marines and is committed to his life as one - you can't tell me they didn't all change. But twenty minutes together and the love comes out again. I didn't buy it and it made me even less sure of how things were going to work long term.

All in all, I was incredibly uncomfortable during this read. Partly because the sex was hot as hell and I kind of wished that it had just been a straight erotica, but mostly because the relationship didn't seem workable to me - at least not as they'd begun.

There is a note from the editor, Angela James, at the end of this novella that there's going to be a sequel showing how this relationship works in every day ways and I admit I'm somewhat curious about that. I think this story needed more page time to make me buy into it.

Naughty Nicks by Christine D'Abo - 3.5 Stars

Kim has been the coordinator at Naughty Nicks, home of the sexiest Santa strippers, every Christmas for three years—and for just as long, she's lusted after her boss. She enjoys their flirty banter and heated looks, but she's getting tired of Blake being nice when she's feeling naughty. This year, there's only one kind of Christmas bonus she wants.

With each passing holiday season, Blake's attraction to Kim has grown. But after a bitter divorce, he's not sure he's ready to jump into a new relationship, especially with an employee. One passionate kiss under the mistletoe and he realizes he's had enough of looking and not touching. Fortunately, he knows the perfect way to seduce Kim—a private striptease to prove she's the only elf for his Naughty Nick.

Admittedly, Christine D'Abo is the only author that I've ever previously read in this anthology. I know she writes some great sexy times and I was looking forward to seeing what fun she had with Christmas in this one.

I loved Kim so much. She's outgoing, has an awesome sense of humor, finds life amusing, and knows what she wants. Blake was great as well, kind, smart, respectful - you wouldn't think that'd be such a sexy thing, but it so is - and able to laugh at himself and with Kim. The friendship between them was so gratifying to read about, and seeing them take the sizzling chemistry to the next level.

This was nearly a perfect Christmas story, because what I'm looking for generally is fun and happiness. Though there was the minor drama over Blake's concerns about the difference in his and Kim's age and the number his ex-wife did on him when she left him, overall it was all about how Kim and Blake could take things where they both wanted them to go.

I really loved that Blake valued her friendship so much that he was concerned about losing that. Friends-to-lovers is an especially fond story-line for me, so I appreciated how they made it work from the simmering (and sometimes not so simmering) attraction.

Matzoh and Mistletoe by Jodie Griffin - 4 Stars

Every December twenty-fifth, Rebeccah Rickman volunteers through her synagogue so that others can celebrate Christmas. Her usual mitzvah, or good deed, is assisting police officer Jeremy Kohler. But this year is different: this year, Becca is free to act on the attraction that has long simmered between her and the sexy cop.

Jeremy couldn’t have asked for a better gift than discovering the woman he’s fantasized about for five long years is single. But when he learns about the violence that broke up Becca’s marriage, he’s hesitant to pursue her. He fears his desires will scare her away—but can’t deny his own need for control in the bedroom. Or his longing to instruct her in the fine art of submission…

Becca is shocked to learn that Jeremy is a sexual dominant. And despite her past, she’s also aroused. But before she can explore what that means, she’s going to have to put her trust in Jeremy—and her own fledgling desires.

I'm not sure if I just missed reading the blurb for this one, or if I forgot it, but I had no idea what to expect when I opened this book up. Another friends-to-lovers story and I was instantly hooked.

Becca was a great character. Strong and vulnerable at the same time. I understood what drew Jeremy to her. She has a great sense of humor, a backbone, and a playful personality. What I really liked about Jeremy is that he was fun - he liked to laugh and tease, not something I see in a lot of the Doms I read about, so it was a really nice change.

Speaking of, I had no idea there was going to be BDSM in this book. I'm pretty picky about how the lifestyle is portrayed in the BDSM books I read, so it was a wonderful surprise to find another author I can trust. I loved how she portrayed the relationship building between Jeremy and Becca - especially with Becca coming out an emotionally, verbally, and physically abusive relationship.

Though I did feel like things rushed a bit quickly, I was happy to let that go and be swept away by the story and the happiness these two were building.

I'll definitely be looking for more from Jodie Griffin soon.

Review: If Only by Cherise Sinclair

Title: If Only
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 8
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 5 November 2013

After the last fiasco, Sally gives up. She’ll never find a Dom of her own. Instead the computer whizz is job hunting in between bending the law—just a bit—to unearth the bastards who’d enslaved her friends. The clueless cops and Feds obviously need help.

FBI special agents, Galen and Vance, have waited to play with Sally for a long time. When the mischievous submissive returns to the exclusive Shadowlands BDSM club after an ugly relationship, the experienced co-tops are pleased. Realizing she’s suppressing her emotions, the powerful Doms push her—only to find that her sassiness conceals a scarred and vulnerable heart.

Shaken by the unexpected emotional exposure, Sally flees the demanding Masters and the Shadowlands.

Both Galen and Vance have reasons not to seek a long-term submissive, but when a brutal attack by her ex-Dom sends Sally into their home, the two agents are driven to protect her. To help her. To take her under command. Falling in love isn’t in the plans.

But as the little imp brings light into their lives, they begin to want more…until they discover she’s hacked into an organization that delights in burning people alive.

I feel like I've been waiting for this story for years - oh, wait, I have been. *g* Sally has been a central fixture in the trainee program at the Shadowlands since the beginning, and I've always loved her. She's sassy and smart, loyal and determined, and so much fun. I'd love to be friends with her. What I didn't realize until this book was that she was hurting - and perhaps she didn't even realize it in truth. Some hurts run deeper than we can even acknowledge, and it takes two determined men to bring Sally further out of her shell than she's ever been.

Galen and Vance are FBI agents that have been helping to break the human-slave trafficking ring that has affected several submissives in the previous few books. Just recently having moved and made their home in Tampa, they're now Masters in the Shadowlands and finally feel able to set their sites on one mischievous sub - Sally. Her sassiness and wit, her sparkling personality are what draw them to want to play with her, but it's her heart that draws them in.

I will be the first to admit, I don't generally like menage stories and I especially usually don't like them when they're MFM - meaning that the men only are involved with the woman intimately, or sexually. Mostly this is because I don't think most books that tackle this manage to show how equal the love is between all parties. And if you're going to have a permanent menage, I need to know that everything is equal between them all. So no matter how much I was looking forward to this story, and I had a strong feeling that Sally was going to end up with both Galen and Vance since To Command and Collar, I was trepidatious, too.

I needn't have been. The love, affection, caring and need between the two men is just as heartfelt, needful and deep as anything between them and Sally. They're so close as to be two parts of a (nearly) whole. They compliment each other and neither of them can stand the thought of living without the other. What I love is how Sally compliments them both. The other nice thing is that Galen and Vance have been co-Topping (as they sometimes call it) for a long time - they're comfortable in their roles with the submissive, and with each other. It's a fascinating - and incredibly sexy - dynamic.

The Masters of the Shadowlands has been my favorite BDSM romance series for years now. I re-read it often, and always look forward to re-visiting the characters at the club. My only disappointment with this book is that it seems to be coming to an end. I know that Cherise Sinclair has said on her website that she's writing Master Jake's book, but I doubt the series will continue past this much, if at all. And it's a little sad to see it all ending. Though we've gotten the stories of nearly all the characters, there are still some that I'd love to see how they're doing, and what they're up to.

Grade: A

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Review: This Is Who I Am by Cherise Sinclair

Title: This Is Who I Am
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 7
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 27 May 2013

When trying to save a woman from slavers, Sam screwed up. Royally. Now Linda wants nothing to do with him. Or with BDSM. She won’t even admit she’s a masochist. As a dominant and sadist, he can give her what she needs, and when an opportunity arises, he slips into her life, intending to make amends. She’s everything he knew she would be…except for her bullheaded determination to be ‘normal’.

Now the horrible time is past, Linda just wants to return to her small conservative town, pick up her quiet life, and be normal. But how can someone who likes pain be ‘normal’? To her dismay, when someone spray-paints her home with obscenities, Sam shows up to rescue her. Again. Doesn’t he understand that the last thing she needs in her life is a sadist? He’s amused by her objections. But his dry sense of humor can’t disguise that he’s tough as nails and dominant and stubborn. He’s not going to let her drive him off this time. Soon she realizes she wants him to stay.

When he takes her to the Shadowlands, she feels as if she’s found a home…until she hears a voice from out of her nightmares.

It's been a long hiatus between books - from 2011 to 2013 - in this series, and then an even longer one for me. I didn't read this book until just a few days ago. I admit that Master Sam made me uncomfortable. I liked him whenever he showed up in the other books, but I wasn't sure how I felt about reading and entire book with his sadism at the fore.

Fortunately, once again, I needn't have worried. Cherise Sinclair took me well past my comfort zone and made me love this book. Sam and Linda are a perfect match, and seeing them recognize who they are - separately and together - is incredibly satisfying.

Linda has healed a lot since her involvement with the slavers (that we were first introduced to in Make Me, Sir). She's had a few months to heal and has started to get her life back on track. But she's also denying a very important part of herself - that she's a masochist and needs pain to feel complete. Again, this isn't something I understand at all, but I thought Ms. Sinclair did a wonderful job of showing Linda's needs and how she comes to terms with them.

Sam's need to be a sadist is a bit more unclear to me. I understand that he gets something out of the exchange, but I'm still not sure what. And that's okay. While I would never be okay with a lot of the things that Sam and Linda enjoy, I understood that they did - and that made me love this book ... even when I was supremely uncomfortable.

Cherise Sinclair's Masters of the Shadowlands series is still a favorite for me. And with Sally's book - one I feel like I've been waiting forever for - up next, it seems it's going to continue to be great.

Grade: A-

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Review: To Command and Collar by Cherise Sinclair

Title: To Command and Collar
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 6
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 29 November 2011

Determined to find the human traffickers preying on Shadowlands' submissives, Master Raoul gets himself invited to a small slave auction. Once informed, the FBI orders him to reject the limited choices so the slavers will invite him to the big auction. To Raoul's shock, one of the slaves is the kidnapped friend of a Shadowlands sub. She has a scarred body…and an unbroken spirit. He can't leave her behind. Ruining the FBI’s carefully laid plans, he buys her.

Kimberly’s freedom has come at a devastating price: the other women are still slaves. An FBI raid is their only hope for rescue. Desperate to help the Feds locate the big auction, she agrees to pose as Master Raoul’s slave. Wearing a collar again is terrifying, but under the powerful dominant’s care, Kim starts to heal and then to blossom. This is what she’s been drawn to—and fled from—her entire life.

She escaped the slavers who captured her body—can she escape the master who’s captured her heart?

The first five books in the series have followed a very similar dynamic between the characters - a D/s relationship that involved mostly the power exchange to occur during play, during sex. I admit that's the dynamic that I'm most comfortable with, but what I learned in this book is that Cherise Sinclair can easily make me understand other dynamics that I may not have understood so well before. In To Command and Collar we get to explore the dynamic of a full-time Master/slave (and I have to add how much I hate that word) relationship.

This is a 24/7 power exchange, and I can't explain it nearly as well as this book does. Kimberly needs the security of the rules and position, Raoul needs the security and satisfaction of caring for her that much. Before reading this I never would have understood why a woman, or anyone, would want to give up that much control in their life. It sounded too much like slavery to me. But I learned different. As Kimberly struggled with her needs to submit, I began to understand much more too. Living in this lifestyle didn't detract from her, it made her stronger.

Now, Kimberly was coming out of a horrific, true slavery experience. She had been kidnapped, trained - read beaten and raped - and sold. When she tried to kill her 'Master', she was returned to the slavers on death's doorstep. But she survived. She endured and came out the other side, still determined to try to escape. Kim didn't have much hope that she actually would escape, but she was going to try - no matter what. I admired her so, so much. Even if I did think her recovery was a bit quick. However, I took this in pure escapist reading and didn't allow my mind to settle on it too terribly long. We've seen a lot of issues get worked through by Doms and their subs, and though these were a bit more extreme, that's what we see here too.

Raoul, I genuinely liked. He cared, and fell deeper for Kim than he even meant to. Circumstance and determination to take the slavers down threw them together for a trial-by-fire. And they pulled each other through it. I hurt for some of the things he had to do in order to both help Kimberly and to make the ruse believable. He really struggled with the roles they were assigned.

Overall, the believability of Kim's healing kept this from being a higher rating, but I greatly enjoyed To Command and Collar. Ms. Sinclair continues to test my comfort levels - Master Sam, the sadist is up next - and always gives me something to look forward to. I re-read these books a lot, because they're sexy, fun, and have great characters.

Grade: A-

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Review: Make Me, Sir by Cherise Sinclair

Title: Make Me, Sir
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 5
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 1 February 2011

Her job is to make his life miserable. His job is to make her submit. Whose heart will surrender first?

Across the country, rebellious BDSM submissives are being systematically kidnapped, one from each club. When her friend falls prey to the slavers, FBI victim specialist Gabrielle volunteers to be bait in a club not yet hit: the Shadowlands.

She finds that being a bratty sub comes naturally, especially when she gets to twit the appallingly conservative Master of the trainees. But she soon discovers he's not as stuffy as she'd thought. Or as mean. She'd expected punishment, even humiliation, but she sure never expected to fall in love with a damned lawyer.

Courtesy of a prima donna ex-wife, Marcus loathes disobedient submissives. When the club owner insists he admit an incredibly bratty trainee, he's furious. But as he comes to know Gabrielle and sees the alluring sweetness beneath the sass, he starts to fall for her.

Unfortunately, Marcus isn't the only one who believes the feisty redhead is a prize worth capturing. And in the world of the slaver, such treasure is worth a hefty fee.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up Make Me, Sir. We didn't know Marcus too well, and Gabi was completely new to me. And it ended up being my favorite. Even after reading the rest of the series, Make Me, Sir remains my favorite book out of all the Masters of the Shadowlands.

Considering it contains two of my biggest book-annoyances, even I'm surprised that it's a favorite at times. Big Misunderstandings and Deceptions are generally deal breakers for me. However, Cherise Sinclair handles them so beautifully that I barely even recognized that they were being used in this story while I was reading it.

Marcus, the sexy southern lawyer, and Gabi, the rebellious, strong, big-hearted victim specialist are absolutely wonderful together. Seeing Marcus fall for someone he didn't even realize he needed, and Gabi learn that sometimes first impressions are not the whole story and a person you imagined not being able to stand could turn into your whole life - just made me so happy. I loved every moment of watching them get to know one another.

Since it also starts the human trafficking story-arc that continues for the next several books, the suspense plot is interesting and heart-wrenching. My heart broke for the women being taken, and for Gabi's need to do good.

Make Me, Sir is the book that I've re-read the most since it was first released. That it introduces Galen and Vance (double yum) is just a huge plus.

Grade: A

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Review: Lean on Me by Cherise Sinclair

Title: Lean on Me
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 4
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 30 March 2010

Andrea wants to submit, but not to just any so-called Dom. He has to be tougher than the slum-bred bullies she grew up with. She’d given up finding a true Dom when her friend finagles her a place as a trainee in an exclusive BDSM club with the powerful Shadowlands Masters. Andrea’s thrilled…and terrified.

Forced to accept an unknown submissive into his carefully run trainee program, Master Cullen is furious. Not only is the young woman new to BDSM, but she’s unsuited to her role--armoured in leather like a Domme, she’s more liable to punch a Dom than kneel. He decides to push her right back out the door. But as he ruthlessly intimidates her, punishes her, then cuddles her, his glimpse of the woman inside the emotional armour intrigues him, and her utter surrender captures his heart.

Although Master Cullen is famous for his unfettered lifestyle, Andrea believes he might be interested in her, until she discovers he’s not just a bartender--he’s a cop. Maybe he’d overlook her past brush with the law, but when another trainee accuses her of stealing money, Andrea knows she’s lost the Master she wanted with all her heart.

I admit I've been looking forward to Cullen's book since we first met the charismatic bartender in the first book Club Shadowlands. He's always seemed so easy-going, definitely my mistake as we (and Andrea) learn here, but I wasn't wrong about his kindness and his innate sexiness.

Unfortunately, for me, Andrea brought my enjoyment of this book down somewhat. I like her determination to do for herself, her pride in her work and her ability to help others, but I got so irritated - as did Cullen - with her need to not rely on anyone. She not only wouldn't ask anyone for help, she was bound and determined to never let anyone help her. She hurt her friends by not letting them care for her, and hurt Cullen more than once with the same overtly-independent desires. I do understand why she was that way, and how it could be incredibly tough to get past, but it was just too much for me at the same time. Probably because I know how irritating - and hurtful - it is to have someone deny my help.

Still, Lean on Me is a nice addition to this series, Cullen is fabulous, and Andrea does eventually realize exactly what she's doing and works hard to change. I really appreciated the lengths she went to prove to both herself and Cullen that she could change. And the lengths he employed to ensure they both knew they could count on each other.

In my opinion, the Masters of the Shadowlands series is still the best erotic BDSM series out there. Lean on Me is the first full-length novel in the series and I love seeing the additional character development and growth that Cherise Sinclair gives us. I highly recommend Ms. Sinclair's books in general, and this series in particular.

Grade: B+

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Review: Breaking Free by Cherise Sinclair

Title: Breaking Free
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 3
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 2 June 2013

Beth must yield to become aroused, but she's too scared to give up control. The last thing she wants is a ruthless, powerful Dom. But that's just what she gets, and exactly what she needs...

A sadistic husband left Beth scarred, inside and out. Only at the Shadowlands BDSM club does she feel like a woman. But her fears limit her to Doms who won't overwhelm her— the very ones who cannot arouse her. The Master of the Shadowlands gives her an ultimatum: accept the Dom he assigns or lose her membership. The last thing Beth wants is a ruthless, powerful Dom, but that's just what she gets.

Asked to take on a problem sub, Nolan sees the issue immediately— although truly submissive, the little redhead is too scared to relinquish control and her Doms have let her get away with it. That will change right now.

As Master Nolan takes Beth under command, compelling her submission, she's terrified, but the experienced Dom brings her pleasure, not pain. His only demand is that she never lie to him. Under his capable hands, her body comes alive, and she begins to heal. As he pushes her limits, she learns to trust...and then to love. And she realizes he is beginning to care for her in return.

But now her cruel husband has found her, and Master Nolan discovers she's been lying and lying and lying...

Though this is still a novella, Breaking Free packs a lot of story and character development into its pages; it's easily the best in the Masters of the Shadowlands series yet.

Beth is such a great character; she's so incredibly strong and absolutely inspiring. After escaping her incredibly abusive husband she's managed to begin rebuilding her life, not only starting her own business but recognizing her needs as well. Not only does she realize that she needs BDSM, but she continues to seek it out. After what she's been through that's an entirely amazing fact in and of itself. But she's not getting what she needs either.

Master Z, owner of Club Shadowlands, won't allow her true needs to continue unmet, so he assigns her a Dom - telling her that she must allow Nolan to attempt to work with her and see if he can't help her work past her issues. Of course, Z doesn't really know what he's open them up for either.

Nolan knows he's taking on a challenge, but he doesn't begin to realize how much of a challenge Beth is - or how much baggage she brings with her. He's a strong Dom and he scares Beth with his ability to control her. The way that he skillfully pushes her limits, prompting her healing and growth, her ability to recognize her needs, is amazing to me. He's walking a emotional minefield, and not even Beth understands where all the triggers may be.

I loved seeing these two find each other, pull towards the others and give something that neither knew they were looking for. I did have one slight moment of irritation at Nolan, but was able to forgive him for his absolutely emotional response - he simply wasn't being logical when he got hit in his emotions.

This is the book that cemented my love for Cherise Sinclair. Her ability to give such a satisfying story in such a short format - sexy, emotional, and heart-wrenching - made her one of my go-to authors for all things erotic. And next up is the sexy bartender, Cullen. Yum.

Grade: A

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Review: Dark Citadel by Cherise Sinclair

Title: Dark Citadel
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 2
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 7 April 2009

After Kari breaks up with her date during Beginner's Night at Club Shadowlands, she's given the option to continue with an experienced dominant. Despite her steamy fantasies about BDSM, the inexperienced schoolteacher plans to simply observe. Yet under the unyielding hands of Master Dan, she not only participates, but gives him everything he asks for. There is nothing she can hide from him. Not her passion…or her love.

Still mourning the death of his wife, Master Dan avoids getting involved with women and he never takes a sub twice. But this modest little beginner is such a sweetie, one night is far from enough. As he plumbs her responses, taking her ever deeper into the world of BDSM, the gentle submissive begins to show him how barren his life has become and what a dark citadel he's made of his heart.

During their three nights together, the teacher will learn to submit...can she teach the master to love?

I enjoyed coming back to visit Club Shadowlands, and the Masters there. In Dark Citadel we're treated to a beginners' class. Kari arrives with her boyfriend - who's a real asshole - and ends up dumping him when he oversteps his bounds. Luckily, Master Dan is there to help her explore her desires and questions about BDSM.

Kari's a school teacher that isn't quite sure if she should be even doing this. She's interested, more than, but at the same time she can't figure out what possessed her to agree to stay and play with such an intimidating, experienced Dom. I really like how she's secure in herself; Kari may not always be comfortable with her body, but she knows what she deserves and isn't afraid to demand it.

Master Dan hasn't let anyone get close since his wife's death several years ago. He doesn't want to risk letting anyone into his heart, but he's incredibly caring and the instant connection between Kari and himself is hard to deny - not that that prevents him from seriously messing up a few times.

Dan's own issues lead him to hurt Kari a couple of times - without meaning to - and I love how she calls him on it and tells him that she deserves more.

Dark Citadel is another novella so there's not really an outside plot, simply Kari and Dan getting to know each other, themselves and decide that they deserve happiness - something they can find with each other.

Grade: B

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Review: Club Shadowlands by Cherise Sinclair

Title: Club Shadowlands
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 1
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Original Release Date: January 2009

Her car disabled during a tropical storm, Jessica Randall discovers the isolated house where she's sheltering is a private bondage club. At first shocked, she soon becomes aroused watching the interactions between the Doms and their subs. But she's a professional woman--an accountant--and surely isn't a submissive...is she?

Master Z hasn't been so attracted to a woman in years. But the little sub who has wandered into his club intrigues him. She's intelligent. Reserved. Conservative. After he discovers her interest in BDSM, he can't resist tying her up and unleashing the passion she hides within.

I've re-read this book many times over the years since it was first released. Cherise Sinclair has become the go-to author I read and recommend when I'm looking for good erotic, BDSM, romance. Her Masters of the Shadowlands series continues to get better and better and I almost can't help but love it.

A lot of how you end up feeling about this book is going to depend on how you go into it. I do have some qualms about some of the things that happen between Z and Jessica, and some of the decisions - or lack thereof - that Jessica makes. However that doesn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the novel.

My biggest concern with this book probably comes directly at the beginning; Jessica's been in a car accident, is soaked and seeking shelter from the storm. She walks up to Club Shadowlands, unknowingly, looking for shelter. And there, freezing and unable to stop shivering, her mind not really working, she's required to sign consent papers in order to get in someplace warm to wait for help.

I do understand the reasoning for the consent forms, and her signature. With that type of club it's absolutely necessary. Honestly, health clubs won't let you walk around unescorted without signing consent and liability forms. But she was clearly in distress. There had to be an office she could have gone to, or something. Though that option wouldn't have moved the story along, so I eventually just accepted it and moved on. Once past that I fairly easily got into the story.

I liked watching Jessica be introduced to something so outside her comfort zone, and something she so clearly wanted to learn and experience more of. Master Z is the perfect person to show her everything she's curious about. Jessica's uncomfortable in her body, and I loved how it was shown that Z found her beautiful, without shaming other body types. One of my favorite things about her was her determination - to face her fears, her desires and recognize her needs. Accept them, and acknowledge them. She didn't back down from what she was feeling once she realized she was feeling it. The only thing I didn't like is that she was all too quick to dismiss herself in other people's eyes. It's an insecurity thing, and I understand it, but it's not my favorite thing to read. I do like how Z step by step allays any of her fears though.

I also really love how, with this being a short story, it's not all HEA (happily-ever-after) by the end. It's clear they're together and going to move forward in their relationship, but love's not declared, she's not moving in, they're not getting married. It's so refreshing.

And, I'd be remiss, if I didn't talk about the tension and the sex - which is scorching hot! This book is so utterly readable, pulling you along on this journey into consensual BDSM and so tantalizing while it does it. Cherise Sinclair is the first name I say when someone is looking to dive into BDSM erotica. I've recommended her hundreds of times and many of my friends that had doubts ended up enjoying something they never thought they would. Since my introduction I've read a lot more in this particular sub-genre, and I still haven't found anyone that combines all the elements as well as Ms. Sinclair. Club Shadowlands is a quick, sexy start to a series and a wonderful introduction, or addition, to a genre.

Grade: B+

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Review: Rocking Her Curves by Aubrey Rose

Title: Rocking Her Curves
Author: Aubrey Rose
Series: Asher and Trixie, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 23 August 2013

What’s your temptation?

Asher just broke up with his long-distance girlfriend. When he meets Trixie, he's smitten by her curves – but she's the lead singer for the opening band: strictly off-limits.

Trixie can't help but be attracted to the tall, handsome skater who plays music with such passion. There's no way that he would be interested in someone who isn't a rail-thin model, would he? Anyway, she's heard that he has a girlfriend: strictly off-limits.

When their paths collide – literally – they're forced to look temptation in the face and ask themselves: What do I really want?

Rocking Her Curves is an incredibly quick, easy read. At just 59 page it doesn't long to fly through it. Aubrey Rose's writing is simple and easy to read, comfortable to fall into, and lets you get to know the characters.

And I did like the characters. Trixie is lead singer in her band, that's what initially drew me to request this book. I wanted to read about a female rock star. She's incredibly talented and seems determined to succeed. She's also a curvy woman, a woman with 'padding' as it's said in the story, and she likes it that way. She's comfortable with her body and I really thought that was great - especially when it didn't come at the expense of other body types; though there was the one moment where she was calling Asher's type "Barbie" that rubbed me the wrong way. I'm still not sure how to reconcile it.

Asher was this interesting combination of shy and awkward and strong and dominating all at the same time. His fumbling attempts at flirting with Trixie, his interest (and hers) in skateboarding, the way that he just stated the truth like there was nothing else to say. It really endeared me to him.

I was going to give this some slack for being part of a series, but from all I can tell it's not actually going to be a series that deals with Asher and Trixie - but with other people in the band/s. I knew going into it that it was a short story, I knew not to expect too terribly much, but I can't help but being disappointed. The characters were so interesting, and great (for the most part) that I wanted more.

Unfortunately we spend about 80% of the book with Trixie nearly hating Asher - thinking he's hitting on her while he has a girlfriend - and Asher trying to figure out how to get her to talk to him. We have two disappointing, almost painfully so, sex scenes with the main characters and other people; in a story this short they just take up space that could have been devoted elsewhere. I didn't need a play by play.

Then there are all these obstacles in Trixie's life that come up, and suddenly they're just brushed aside for her to say 'Yes' to Asher. One sex scene later and we're at a happily-for-now ending. I say 'for-now' because Trixie's life is kind of up in the air right now, and Asher's leaving to tour Europe in little over a week. The ending left me feeling kind of let down, like there was still too much unresolved. I still don't even really know what's going on with Trixie that everything went crazy with her schedule towards the end.

Rocking Her Curves has some interesting characters and I'm definitely going to be reading more by Ms. Rose, but ultimately it left me wanting more - and not in a good way.

Grade: C

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Review: Carnally Ever After by Jackie Barbosa

Title: Carnally Ever After
Author: Jackie Barbosa
Series: Ever After Novellas, Book 1
Genre: Erotic Historical Romance
Release Date: 20 September 2011

Jilted at the altar, Lady Louisa Bennett seeks the solace of a quiet, empty chapel and instead finds Alistair de Roche, her fiancé’s best man and the subject of her fantasies from the moment she met him. Alistair knows bedding his best friend’s betrothed is well beyond the pale, but Louisa has haunted his dreams for months. Soon, Louisa and Alistair are caught up in a consuming love affair that threatens their families’ plans and their own hearts. Can they find a way to live happily, and carnally, ever after?

Carnally Ever After is a quick erotic read that was ultimately satisfying; I did have some issues with it, however they didn't detract from my overall enjoyment too much. At a mere 68 pages, per my Kindle, the story flies by and there is - surprisingly - an actual story packed in here too.

Louisa is left at the alter, not so much jilted as forgotten by her fiancé. She comes to the conclusion in her discussion with his best friend, Alistair de Roche, that it's because of her plump figure and general unattractiveness. Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely get feeling self-conscious about weight; but just once I'd like to see a heroine that's overweight and comfortable in her own skin. In all other regards though I like Louisa. She goes after what she wants when she finds herself in this untenable position, and is fearless in pursuing her desires.

Alistair, of course, has been attracted to Louisa and her generous curves since he first met her - but she was already his friend's fiancé, so he's kept his thoughts - and his hands - to himself. Until Louisa demands that he prove she's attractive to him. I honestly don't have much of a feel for Alistair, other than we're told he's good with making money and he's incredibly attracted to Louisa. This is a downside of the length of the novel. I liked how he treated Louisa - even if I didn't quite like how he dealt with his own fiancé.

I felt quite immersed in the story and the time period, though there wasn't a lot of page to develop the world. The characters felt slightly anachronistic, but honestly that wasn't what I was reading for; the sexy times were quite sexy though perhaps a little rushed. I did quite enjoy the last "Epiphany" epilogue that was included in this edition, which takes place some months after Louisa gives birth.

My main issue with the story, and it admittedly comes up in almost all stories I read that contain a self-conscious, overweight heroine, was the implication that only lush women are feminine. Now, I thought the author was doing really good for a while, showing that Alistair is attracted to her, and other men are attracted to other body types of women, but then about mid-way through there was a comment regarding her being the ideal for "loving" and again in the "Epiphany" epilogue some generalized comment about all men loving big breasts and no breast being too big. I'm sure these were meant innocently enough, and the man was speaking as a man that is in love and attracted is wont to do, but it grated at me. It wasn't enough to ruin my enjoyment of the book though, and I will definitely be reading more by Jackie Barbosa in the future.

Grade: B-


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Review: Bound by Marina Anderson

Title: Bound
Author: Marina Anderson
Serial: The Dining Club, Part 2
Release Date: 27 August 2013

Grace has surprised herself by falling hard for the breathtaking financier David. But now she knows that in order to keep this man, she will have to explore his darker side.

Grace is shocked by her body's instinctive response to the private club David has introduced her to: the Dining Club - a secret society where members can explore their most forbidden fantasies. David got her through the Club's exclusive doors - but to stay she must pass a series of erotic trials.

Wrapped in a luxurious dress of chiffon and lace that David gave her for her first challenge, Grace is anxious and excited to enter into the heart of the Dining Club. Little does she know that one of its members, the dazzling and domineering Amber, has every intention of keeping David all to herself...

In my review for Desire;, the first part of this serial, I mentioned that I had some reservations regarding David. These concerns have increased with each paragraph I read in Bound.

David is not only distant and emotionally manipulative, he's cold, and demanding, and a jerk, and seems to have a weird double-standard, and is even kind of elitist. There's just not much there for me to like.

Early in the book Grace is talking about what it means to be 'nice' to someone you care about - caring about their feelings, making them feel loved and cherished. David responds with: "There are other ways of making a woman feel loved and cherished..." I don't disagree that there are many ways to make someone feel loved and cherished, but caring how your partner feels should be at the top of the list in any relationship.

I think my main problem with this is that the book is trying to act like it's BDSM - more about domination and submission than any other aspect, so far, and one of the most important things in that type of relationship is the trust and communication between partners. There's no communication here. Grace is thrown into situations, expected to react in a way that passes the 'trial' and the whole while with the ultimatum hanging over her head of if you don't pass, we're through. The first trial: For one hour five people will take turns teasing her, attempting to bring her to climax (though only three actively participate) and "If you climax more than twice, then you will fail the trial." It's hard to gain that kind of control over your body - harder for some people than for others. One hour of people actively trying to make her climax and she's supposed to have instantaneous control? I was more than a little outraged. Especially when he brought up the whole 'you know what happens if you fail,' crap again.

Then there's the fact that the whole time Grace is going through this trial David is distant and aloof - she remarks on it more than once. What-the-ever-living-hell? You bring her here to do this, ostensibly to prove her love for you, and then you aren't even emotionally involved with her while you've turned her over to complete strangers to pass a test that you've demanded? Kick to the head - repeatedly.

On top of that women are apparently just objects - set dressings to be replaced as needed.

"She disobeyed and order last night and had to be punished for it. Amber has had problems with Laura before, but the twins [Laura and Amy] add something to the Dining Club. I hope we don't have to let them go." [said David]

"Did Amy cause a problem too?"

"Not that I know of, but aesthetically it would be the same to keep one of the girls. The Dining Club would have to train up another pair of twins if Laura doesn't improve."

(emphasis mine)

Are you *($*)@#*)@ kidding me??! I can't. I just can't.

The sexy times, meh. Just not that sexy to me. I don't know what the obsession is with squeezing the 'globes' of their breasts so hard it leaves marks, over and over and over again. Everyone does it. Actually squeezing at that level is pretty much done all over. I'll grant this is likely a personal preference thing for me, but it just doesn't work. When someone pressed hard on Grace's pubic bone, I cringed in sympathy. That hurts...

At this point, I'm sincerely hoping that Grace gets through the trials, dumps the asshole David and rides off into the sunset with Andrew.

With Andrew what you saw was what you got, and she liked what she saw. David didn't let you see very much, but she realized that was probably why she was so obsessed with him.

(emphasis mine)

Obsessed, not in love any longer, obsessed. Yup, I'm good with her dumping David and going with Andrew who actually seems to care and is kind and maybe just plain old nice.

Grade: D- 


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Review: Desire by Marina Anderson

Title: Desire
Author: Marina Anderson
Serial: The Dining Club, Part 1
Release Date: 20 August 2013  

Young, ambitious theatre director Grace has no time for distractions, but she just cannot resist enigmatic city financier, David. Alluring, charismatic and an incredible lover - David never lets Grace get too close. So when he invites her to a weekend at his private club, Grace is thrilled.

Arriving at the secluded location, and excited by her nerves, David reveals the truth behind the Dining Club: a place where guests are taught to open their minds, and their bodies to erotic challenges. If she passes the tests, she is promised ecstasy beyond her wildest fantasies. If she fails, she's forbidden to ever set foot in the exclusive club again. But even as David's seductive commands make Grace feel more daring than ever before, she begins to fear for their future. What if she fails one of the Club's tantalizing trials? Will David still want her or will she lose him forever?

Desire, being the first part in a serialized novel, is a little hard to discuss on it’s own. It’s an introduction, to the characters and to the set-up of the weekend at The Dining Club. I’ll talk a little about my thoughts in these short thirty-odd pages.

Grace and David have been together for six months and Grace believes she’s starting to fall in love. David’s courteous, attentive, loving, and the sex is fabulous; however she realizes that David isn’t quite in the same place as her. He’s holding something back and she’s not quite sure what.

David cares about Grace a lot, and wants to take their relationship to the next level so he suggests a weekend at The Dining Club, an exclusive club at which he’s a member. Here he’ll finally be able to tell her, show her, the things he’s been holding back.   Honestly, I find the chemistry between Grace and David a little…forced. I feel like they’re both saying the right things, thinking the right things, but it just doesn’t feel right to me. At first I wondered if this wasn’t going to be a story where she showed up with one person and ended up with another but now I doubt that.

As you might have guessed, The Dining Club is a place where sexual fantasies can be carried out. A place for members to bring their significant others and be safe in finding out if they can fulfill each other’s sexual needs. They meet once a month and there’s only ever one ‘newbie’. This month is Grace. If they work out on this first visit, they’ll come back to go through several more ‘tables’.

Have I mentioned how much I dislike deception? Six months they’ve been together and the implication is that David has still been going to his club every month. I kind of have a problem with this. There isn’t anything in the text about them promising exclusivity, but it’s kind of been implied, and then there’s the scene with the woman at the club just before he goes to pick up Grace.

Look, I like some of the ‘more unusual sexual needs,’ as David puts it, but I also like openness and honesty in a relationship. I like that a lot. In fact it’s kind of one of my must-haves. I’m reserving a bit of judgment on this, but it did bother me here.

My other problem is the treading-the-line of manipulation that David pulls out near the end to convince Grace to stay. Maybe I’m a bit more sensitive to it because I’ve been in that sort of relationship. The ‘if you love me…’ and ‘I thought you’d want to do this for me…’ sort of comments roll off me badly.

Because of the format, serialized, these sorts of things can make or break a story. Because I have the next three installments I’m reserving my thoughts until I’ve read a bit further – and as they’re so short, it could be I do a complete 180 on my feelings for David, and Grace. But this is one of the downfalls of this format. The first one has to set the tone, and right now I’m not too happy with one of the main characters.

Grade: Due to my personal issues, I’m going to grade this in two different ways:

Writing: B
Story/Characters: C-

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Review: Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha

Title: Beyond Shame
Author: Kit Rocha
Series: Beyond, Book 1
Genre: Erotic Dystopian Romance
Release Date: 15 September 2012

All Noelle Cunningham has ever wanted is a life beyond--beyond the walls of Eden, where only the righteous are allowed to remain, and beyond her stiflingly restrictive existence as a councilman's daughter. But only ruins lie outside the City, remnants of a society destroyed by solar storms decades earlier.

The sectors surrounding Eden house the corrupt, the criminal–men like Jasper McCray, bootlegger and cage fighter. Jas clawed his way up from nothing to stand at the right hand of Sector Four's ruthless leader, and he'll defend the O'Kane gang with his life. But no fight ever prepared him for the exiled City girl who falls at his feet.

Her innocence is undeniable, but so is their intense sexual attraction, and soon they're crossing every boundary Noelle barely knew she had. But if she wants to belong to Jas, first she'll have to open herself to the gang, to a dangerous world of sex, lust and violence. A world where passion is power, and freedom is found in submission.

Funnily enough, considering it's an erotic romance, the first thing I'm going to talk about here is the world. I love how Kit Rocha (aka Moira Rogers) have set up this dystopian world. There's Eden, the supposed Utopian ideal, but which of course is stifling and desperately corrupt. No sex, no drinking, no ... fun. Surrounding Eden are the Sectors – home to the criminals, the gangs; cage fights, alcohol and lots and lots of sex. Life is freer in the Sectors; more dangerous as well, but at least people can live out there if they're willing to protect and fight for what's theirs. Outside of this are the farms and communes which we haven't learned much about, but which are just as interesting to me. I'm fascinated with all the options that are a possibility. With all the corruption in Eden being hidden by the righteous and the possibilities for things to get better all the way around – I suppose in the end this is why I read dystopians. Granted, we don't get a ton of information about the set-up of the world. There aren't pages and pages of info-dumps, but they're not needed. We learn what we need to as we need to, and I'm looking forward to learning more.

Most books for me hinge on the characters, and in a romance they hinge on the two (or more) main characters. Jasper is a top enforcer for the O'Kane gang in Sector 4. He's honorable, level-headed, somewhat quiet, and surprisingly kind – something I wasn't expecting when I started reading about the top enforcer in a gang in the dystopian world. It was a very nice realization. He also has no limits, anything and everything is on the table as a possibility as long as he is sure that it's wanted. I liked that he needed to know that, and wasn't just going to take extreme advantage. Noelle, the heroine, is from Eden. Raised in nothing but a nearly sterile environment with no touch or love, no kindness or feelings, and definitely no emotions or desires; her only objective in life to be a pretty hostess, knowledgeable about serving and preparing for guests, and then quietly put herself away when the time for her was through. Soon enough she realizes that isn't enough for her and gets caught trying to experiment in this unforgiving place. When she's caught, she's banished – to Sector 4. After some extremely bad luck due to her naïveté, she stumbles into Jasper and quickly begins to learn that what she's always known is just the very tip of an iceberg of possibilities.

The big problem though is the Noelle has no frame of reference for most everything that she's experiencing, and a whole lot of shame for her desires. She feels a nearly instant connection to Jasper, and while this sort of thing can sometimes be characterized as 'insta-love', it's just not here. It's questioned and looked at, examined and thought about. As are all of Noelle's feelings. She not only has to feel them, she has to realize why she wants what she does. I admit to being a little unsure about Noelle at first. I don't hate the virginal-heroine-trope, but it's not my favorite either. The wide-eyed innocence tends to get to me. However, what I enjoyed about Noelle is that for her to really come into her own it was without Jasper. She learned herself when she became truly independent. I loved that small subversion.

Now, the sex. It was definitely hot. Some of the best sex scenes I've ever read in an erotic romance, or period. Things are very hedonistic in the Sector 4 O'Kane gang and we're quickly introduced to the orgies that are common, weekly (or more frequent) occurrences. I said earlier that anything's on the table for Jasper, and that's true for the entire gang. I don't read a lot of menage books, mostly because the politics of relationships with multiple people don't usually work for me. But with everything being so open here, it's hard to find any issues with it. I also was fairly impressed that I didn't have any problems following the scenes that involved more than 3 people; I've read others where I couldn't understand who was on first and I don't know's on third, but it flowed smoothly and naturally for me here.

I also really loved that the female characters were just as liberated (except perhaps Noelle at first) as the men. They could enjoy sex, initiate it, not want it, and any other option they wanted to choose. They could connect with females, or males, multiples or one, permanent or for a single night. The one gender role that seems fairly firmly entrenched is: Men Protect. Women can too, but men do universally – at least so far. I'm willing to see if that continues to be the case, because I liked the glimpses I got of other small subversions. Females are collared or tattooed when choosing a permanent partner, but men can be, too. True, there was only one reference, but it was made so casually (and accepted) that it felt to me like nothing out of the ordinary also.

I feel like there should have been things that bothered me, however they just didn't. I saw too many possibilities for subversion of the norm, I saw too many actual occurrences of subversion. Though there were instances of gender roles and inequalities between the male and female characters there were also very strong examples bucking that trend. And that's what I'm looking for in the end in this situation.

The side characters are just as fully developed as the main characters and I loved that we got to know Dallas, leader of the O'Kane gang, Lex, Bren, Ace, and several others. They're fascinating to me and already so incredibly real – to the point where I can predict some of their actions based on what I know of them. That's comforting, that consistency in character building. It's also nice when a character steps outside of that and you see some new facet.

All in all, this is a fabulous start to a series. If you're looking for some fascinating world building, intriguing characters, and hot-as-hell sex – pick it up. I can't wait to see where Kit Rocha takes us next.


Grade: A-

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