Archive for the ‘BDSM’ Category

THE SURRENDER OF LADY JANE
Marissa Day
ASIN#: B004XFZ4FO
ISBN#:  978-0425-24125-7
The Berkley Publishing Group/Berkley Heat
July 2011
Erotic Romance/Historical
Trade Paperback

Sir Thomas Lynne is the Captain of the Feary Queen’s guard. He’s sent to the mortal realm on a mission from his Queen. His mission, to seduce Lady Jane DeWitt. Lady Jane is a member of the Duchess of Kent’s household and the Queen needs someone from that household under her spell so that the Feary Queen can get past the wards of Kensington Palace and see if the child in the Duchess’s womb (Queen Victoria) will the Queen destined to close off the wards to the Feary realm as the prophecy states.

Sir Thomas Lynne has always been a loyal follower of the Feary Queen but when he meets Jane, the simple seduction he’s planned has turned into something more, but no one escapes the Feary Queen’s control intact and he knows his love for her will not only destroy his life, but hers as well.

THE SURRENDER OF LADY JANE has an interesting premise and engaging plot, which I enjoyed. Despite being an erotic romance, THE SURRENDER OF LADY JANE had a rich and deep plot. Yet, despite the intriguing storyline revolving around the Fae Court, the prophecy, and Queen Victoria, I was looking for a little bit more.

THE SURRENDER OF LADY JANE didn’t connect with me personally, I am going to try to articulate why, and I apologize if I don’t do it correctly. I had a hard time believing the connection between Thomas and Jane. I think that was because that despite the intriguing plot that revolved around them, they weren’t working together to resolve the situation, they were doing it separately, so when Thomas and Jane were together they mostly just had sex. Because of this, I had a hard time believing in the depth of the relationship. I had a hard time seeing a deeper connection between them. They each fell in love with each other and I didn’t see besides the sex what drew them to each other.

Despite wishing for a deeper emotional connection with Thomas and Jane and connecting with them on a deeper level, the external plot keep me turning the pages.

SURRENDER TO ME
Shayla Black 
ISBN:  978-0-425-23655-0 (Trade Paperback)
B0049U4OHC (Kindle eBook)
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Heat
March 2011 (Trade Paperback)
March 2011 (Kindle eBook)
Erotic Romance/BDSM
Trade Paperback and eBook

Kata is celebrating her twenty-fifth birthday in Las Vegas with friends and family when her neighbor Ben decides to fulfill her fantasy of ménage for a birthday present. He brings in Hunter, a Navy Seal who is home on leave while recovering from a wound. When Ben gets too drunk to perform, her ménage turns into just her and Hunter. During their sexual encounter Kata learns that Hunter is a Dom and is looking for the perfect submissive and he believes he’s found it in Kata. The problem is the last thing Kata wants is to be submissive to any man.

Kata’s birthday fling turns into something she never expected when she realizes that after a drunken binge she married Hunter. The only thing she can think of is divorce, but when she is attacked, the only person that she can trust to keep her safe is Hunter. It’s easy for Kata to trust Hunter to keep her safe, but trusting him with her body and soul is a whole other matter.

While I was reading SURRENDER TO ME, two of my on-line friends were reading it as well. One of them hated it, the other loved it. I am somewhere in between. I’ve noticed that Ms. Black’s writing inspires that type of response in people, you either love her or you don’t, but she inspires an intense reaction from you.

I personally became aware of Ms. Black when I read an anthology she was in and found that I liked her story better than the author who I picked up the book for, so I was eager to get my hands on SURRENDER TO ME and see how I’d like a full length novel by her.

SURRENDER TO ME is a BDSM novel. One of my pet peeves in these types of romances is that the heroine often appears as a doormat. Right off, I was pleased that Kata, the heroine of SURRENDER TO ME was such a strong character. Ms. Black did an excellent job of exploring why Kata had such problems with submission and I totally understood her hesitation and fears. I loved how Kata was able to work through her deep seated fears and I especially loved that the solution of her being able to work through them was not all resolved in sexual manner like most BDSM novels that I read. I really, really, really liked that. Because of the way Kata was able to work through her issues, in the end, I was able to buy into Kata and Hunter being able to sustain a lasting relationship beyond the end of the story.

Hunter was also a person I was able to understand. Hunter’s backstory was woven in brilliantly which made me understand what made him a Dom. While I understand his motivations, Hunter did have some umm . . . jerk tendencies. I actually had to put the book down for a while because Hunter’s domineering Alpha tendencies pissed me off so much it took me awhile to forgive him. He angered me for the first half of the novel. The first being that Hunter meets Kata at her twenty-fifth birthday party in Las Vegas and when she is drunk she says let’s get married (they just met a couple hours before) and he (he doesn’t drink and was sober) agreed. I lost a lot of respect for Hunter there and I didn’t forgive him until near the end of the book where he finally matures and makes a self-sacrifice.

My issues with Hunter were the only thing that bothered me with SURRENDER TO ME. I enjoyed everything else about SURRENDER TO ME, especially the suspense side plot. I loved the suspense and how it was woven into the story. I was equally surprised to discover that it took a turn that I wasn’t expecting, which doesn’t always happen as I’m pretty good at figuring out suspense plots.

Overall, I really enjoyed SURRENDER TO ME and now, I’m curious to delve into Ms. Black’s backlist.

Buy It from Siren Publishing:

CLUB ESOTERA 3: MINDING MISTRESS
Cooper McKenzie
ISBN: 978-1-60601-337-3
Siren Publishing
July 2010
Erotica/BDSM
Erotica/Ménage
eBook

Anthony Ryan has a dilemma. He’s about to get deployed and is going to leave his girlfriend/mistress behind. Despite Jenna’s dominate personality, Anthony knows she’s needs someone to take care of her. Anthony and Jenna have always talked about adding a third to their Dom/sub relationship so Anthony decides to ask his friend Gentry to help.

Gentry Michaels has never had a lasting relationship. Because of his muscular physique woman always expect him to be the sexual dominate in the relationship when he actually prefers his women to dominate him. Even still, when Anthony approaches him, Gentry is shocked. Its one thing to like a sexually dominate woman, it’s quite another to live in the BDSM lifestyle especially as Jenna owns a popular sex club and she and Anthony are immersed in the BDSM culture. Curious, despite himself Gentry decides to use the weekend to explore and figure out if this is something he wants to do. The more he learns and experiences, the more he wants to be a part of Jenna and Anthony’s lives, but the weekend is ending and Gentry is torn between loving the new life he’s found and giving up the old one.

When I saw the write up for MINDING MISTRESS the story idea sounded so compelling, that I wanted to read it, but I didn’t think I’d like it very much. Has that happened to you before? Even though ménage aren’t usually my thing, I was intrigued enough by the blurb to want to read MINDING MISTRESS. When I began reading MINDING MISTRESS I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story. While I am far from an expert on the genre, the D/s relationship seemed realistic without making me cringe in discomfort while reading. I loved the insight into Jenna’s character. The author did a skillful job layering in why Jenna was who she was, which made me understand and relate to her, even if I doubt I’d make the choices she has. Gentry was also skillfully drawn. His wariness, intrigue, and insecurity played nicely into his introduction into the lifestyle. I do wish that Anthony had more layers. He just seemed to be in the background in the story, because of this, I had a hard time believing in the ménage. I doubt if I would’ve felt that way if I understood a little more of Anthony’s motivation and conflict.

Overall, it is a good short story and a quick, steamy read.

BODY RUSH
Anne Rainey
ISBN: 978-0758238993
Kindle ASIN: B003KN3JMK
June 2010
Kensington Publishing/Aphrodisia Books
Erotica/Contemporary
Erotica/BDSM
Erotica/ Ménage
Trade Paperback

It all started with a bet….

Three close friends share their innermost fantasies and decide to see just who will follow through with them. In Legal Briefs, secretary Lydia Burke is determined to keep things on a professional basis with the three lawyers she works for, despite her growing attraction to one in particular. Will her frustration allow her to let loose when her friend, Roni Smart, drags her to a BDSM club?

I don’t generally like stories involving attorneys so I was a bit skeptical that even Anne Rainey could make me enjoy Legal Briefs. Boy, was I ever wrong! The sexual tension in this story sizzles before Lydia ever arrives at the club but once she arrives, whew, the heat is DEFINITELY on! I also appreciated the fact that Anne Rainey addressed the potential conflicts that can arise with a workplace romance. Sizzling hot!

Doctor’s Orders features psychologist Roni Smart. Roni is tired of men trying to impress her and just wants to see what a blue collar man will be like. Problems with her computer cause computer repairman, Jake Cornick, to enter her life. Little did she suspect that Jake might also be the one man she couldn’t walk away from.

Doctor’s Orders is a much sweeter story than Legal Briefs, offering a nice change of pace. Don’t misunderstand me, however- the heat level is scorching hot! Roni is a bit cynical about relationships and she needs the sweeter touch of Jake to show her that love is more than just sexual satisfaction. And oh, what an ending Anne Rainey has in store for the reader- it brought tears to my eyes!

BODY RUSH concludes with Midnight Snack. Jeanette Williams has fantasized about the man she calls Mr. Motorcycle Man but now Hunter Trace is making his move on her. Can Jeanette stand the heat when it’s not in the kitchen?

Midnight Snack is the perfect conclusion to this blazing hot book. I love the image of Mr. Motorcycle Man! Anne Rainey seamlessly ties all three stories together as the friendship between the three women is woven into each and every story. BODY RUSH is yet another outstanding read from the very talented Anne Rainey. Don’t miss out on this one- it’s easily a Recommended Read!

Buy it from Samhain:

BLUE JEANS AND HARD HATS BOOK ONE: SWEET CAROLINE
Lissa Matthews
ISBN: 978-1-60928-029-1
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
April 27, 2010
Erotica/Contemporary
Erotica/BDSM
eBook

The day her ex-husband marries a much younger woman, Caroline decides to go out and get piercings. She also hires a contractor to do some work on her home before she places it on the market. When Buck arrives, Caroline learns that not only is Buck good with a saw and hammer, but with other tools as well. A casual fling is perfect for Caroline because in a couple months she’ll be selling her home and moving out of state. When her feelings for Buck cross over from considering him a casual fling to someone she cannot live without, her anxiety increases. Can the games they play turn into something lasting.

SWEET CAROLINE is a well-written story with interesting characters and steamy sexual scenes. Caroline, the heroine, goes on a compelling journey as she learns to let go of her inhibitions and realize she is still a beautiful, viable woman. SWEET CAROLINE kept me entertained and I never got bored or didn’t want to know what was going to happen next.

However, having said that, when I closed SWEET CAROLINE I had a hard time believing that Caroline and Buck could have a lasting relationship besides a short fling. I didn’t feel an emotional connection with either Caroline or Buck. To me, it missed that extra something that makes you think about Caroline or Buck beyond the last page. Despite my wishing for more, I was not disappointed with SWEET CAROLINE and would read the author again.

TEMPTING EDEN
Margaret Rowe
ISBN:  978-0-425-23431-0
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Heat
June 2010
Erotica/Historical
Erotica/BDSM
Trade Paperback

Seduced and trapped in a depraved relationship with her step-father, Eden feels that she’s finally set free when her step-father dies. Yet, in his place, her guardianship is placed in the hands of his nephew Major Stuart Hartford, known as “Holy Hartford” to his friends. When he arrives on the estate all he wants is to quickly discharge his duties and find a nice wife that could help him live down the scandalous reputations of his late father and uncle. When Hartford learns the true nature of Eden’s relationship with his uncle, he’s torn between horror, fascination, disgust, and an attraction that won’t go away.

Hartford decides the best way to protect Eden is to marry her, but Eden is so damaged by what she’s been through that she would rather do anything, even if it’s to become a whore, rather than put herself under another man’s thumb. So she rebels and it’s up to Hartford to tempt Eden and to show her how good things could be between them when degradation is replaced with love.

TEMPTING EDEN is a hard book for me to review. TEMPTING EDEN is so well-written, and unique to its genre that it captured my attention and kept it. However, I still had issues with TEMPTING EDEN. Eden was such a damaged character and with the way TEMPTING EDEN was written, I found it hard to believe that she could make such a complete transformation and achieve her happily ever after. Honestly, I didn’t believe Hart was man enough to give Eden that. He wasn’t as well drawn out as Eden and I never really warmed up to him as a heroic character. I believe I felt that way because of the lack of respect shown between Eden and Hart.

Eden’s degradation was so complete and started at such a young age, and so well-explained, I found it hard to believe that she would have the strength to stand up to Hart without fear and second-guessing herself. I also found it hard to believe she would fight Hart about their relationship instead of just doing his bidding. This feeling was compounded with her submissive personality. These feelings could be me and my misunderstanding of submission.

The only other thing that bothered be about TEMPTING EDEN was how when Hart went after her back to his estate. That didn’t seem appropriate to the historical setting and I couldn’t see how they could’ve gotten away with living together on the same estate without a chaperone in that era. Why didn’t the neighbors come in protest? Why wasn’t anything said about that? Even with Eden’s past, it wasn’t something that was widely known. To everyone’s eyes, she was still an unmarried maiden. However, I’m not an expert so I could be wrong, but because of that situation it pulled me out of the story.

TEMPTING EDEN is a wonderful tale that left me curious to see how the story was going to play out. Although it left me with a lot a questions, I don’t think anyone would be disappointed with ordering this book!

HERS FOR THE EVENING
Jasmine Haynes
ISBN:  978-0-425-23417-4
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Heat
May 2010
Erotica/Anthology
Erotica/BDSM
Erotica/Menage
Trade Paperback

HERS FOR THE EVENING are three loosely connected super sexy stories written by the same author that focus on a group of people who use the same courtesan service to spice up there sex life. The first story, Three’s A Crowd is about a married couple facing issues that many couples have to deal with. The kids are gone, the husband is working on a project, and the wife is feeling neglected and desires to bring that spark back into her and her husband’s relationship. She decides to spice up their sex life by inviting another woman into their bed but when the tables are turned she gets more than what she bargained for.

The second story Stand-In is about senior executives who work for the same company with a strict no fraternization policy. When the heroine CEO (who outranks the man) cannot get over her feelings for her CFO, she decides to use a service and request a man to pleasure her who looks exactly like her CFO. When she creates her encounter little does she know that the real man she wants is watching her every move.

The final story, Surrender to Me, is about overcoming loss and betrayal. The heroine’s husband has died in the arms of another woman and she blames her best friend and their business partner for telling her about the affair. He however has been in love with her for years and wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of her husband’s infidelity. When he comes across her secret desire of wanting to submit, he feels that this is his time to finally come out from the shadows and inform her of what they can mean to each other.

Umm, I’m not sure what to say other than I loved HERS FOR THE EVENING. When I first opened the book, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. It was nothing that was written, but a preconceived notion about the path that I assumed the author was going to take, a path that I really didn’t want the author to go down. In fact after I read the first couple of pages I had put the book down and didn’t pick it back up again until about two weeks later. When I picked it up again, I was pleasantly surprised that the author didn’t take the path that I was dreading she would. That’s when I really began to love HERS FOR THE EVENING.

That saying, the characters are realistically drawn and multi-layered with their motivations and conflicts woven in skillfully in a way that I rarely find in erotic romance. I also found their wants, needs, and desires reasonable given their characters and situations in life. As I alluded to earlier, the plot wasn’t predictable and I liked the little twists and turns the characters took to their journey to love and discovery.

Speaking of discovery . . .. I totally bought into each couple’s happily ever after. I felt that after each journey the couple’s relationship was strong and lasting and each couple benefited from their erotic journey. I also loved the fact that the couples weren’t twenty-year-olds, but mature adults in there forties and even fifties.

 Umm, I don’t have anything else to say. Great read!

PASSION BOOK 2: PATIENCE
Lisa Valdez
ISBN: 9780425210543
April 2010
Berkley
Historical/Erotica/BDSM
Mass Market Paperback

Miss Patience Dare, is well-known for her beauty as well as her lack of interest in all who pursue her.  Her only love it seems is for the cello she practices on every morning without fail; that is until she shares a very passionate kiss with her enigmatic brother-in-law that seems to shake them both to the core.  Both Matthew and Patience have issues with trust and each has been devastated by betrayals of the heart.  However, the kiss between them has changed the playing field and upped the stakes in a very dangerous game of payback and submission.

***   My very first introduction to this author was over a year ago with her debut book PASSION which told the story of Patience’s eldest sister’s romance with the Matthew’s brother Mark, the Earl of Langley.   While that book had much to recommend it including some extremely sensual and erotic love scenes, it also had a fabulous story that held you mesmerized with assorted character’s whose foul deeds of betrayals and blackmail kept the action at a high pitch.

With that in mind I found myself anxiously awaiting more of the same from this author, however while there were some references to the previous books storyline in why Matthew and Mark’s relationship had been damaged the plot itself seemed to have suffered because the author seemed to put more energy into the sexual encounters (in which I find it hard to refer to as love scenes).  A note here to the readers – if BDSM, domination and submission is your thrill of choice than this book is for you – otherwise you might want to steer clear.  I like hot sensual and spicy love scenes, but unfortunately – I just didn’t feel the love here and it wasn’t as though there were just a few of these scenes.  Unfortunately, there was just too, too much of it. And while I am not terribly offended by four letter words either, even this was overdone.

Agreed, Matthew had been bitterly betrayed once the secret of his lowly birth was blatantly revealed in which he became persona non grata overnight, and his fiancée and her father set out to totally ruin and destroy him.  However, I just didn’t understand how treating Patience the way he did – the only person that really seemed to genuinely care for him –  was justified in that  way.  Yes, I understand that certain sexual practices were what turn some folks on but the bottom line is, this is not what in my opinion constitutes a romance.  It was hard to like the hero in this story and it took me quite a while (right down to the end) before I thought he had redeemed himself.

Ms. Valdez is an excellent writer and I find her prose quite beautiful but unfortunately, in this instance she lost me with just too much graphic detail, too much sex and not enough plot. 

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

GHOSTLAND WORLD BOOK 2: SPIDER-TOUCHED
Jory Strong
978-0-425-22793-0
August 2009
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Sensation
Urban Fantasy
Erotica/Fantasy
Erotica/BDSM
Trade Paperback

Araña’s nightmare has come true… and she now finds herself trapped in the post-apocalyptic version of Oakland. The world has changed since The Last War as supernatural beings have emerged from hiding and the Church has taken a strong stance against them. Araña knows all too well the damage the Church can wreak for she bears its brand. She’s not the only one suffering, however, as Tir is held captive by the humans with no memories of his past. Tir hates humans for what they have done to him and yet Araña touches his soul. Can Tir be freed and still love Araña or will he seek revenge on the race that enslaved him?

Jory Strong crafts an interesting albeit very bleak world with SPIDER-TOUCHED. I actually preferred the first book, GHOSTLAND, as the world seemed a bit more daring and unique. SPIDER-TOUCHED may be a bit confusing to readers unfamiliar with GHOSTLAND as the characters and plotline intersect without a lot of back story for new readers.

Araña is an interesting character, full of compassion despite the hardships she has faced in her own life. She softens Tir’s hardened heart, making him likable even in the midst of his anger. Araña and Tir’s romance is quite steamy as the attraction between them ignites instantly. However, I couldn’t help but wish I could read Rebekka’s story instead as the side story involving her and Levi was far more intriguing. Regardless, I will be curious to see what direction Jory Strong takes next in this dark world.