When I was offered
the anthology Exclusive for review, I jumped at the chance to
read it! There is not a single author in this book whose previous work I do
not love, and I expected at the very least an entertaining trio of stories,
and at the best a book guaranteed to keep me up way past my bed time in
order to finish it. I had a strong feeling it would be the latter, and I
was not wrong.
Each of these authors is already on my must-buy list, and this anthology
proves to be an excellent representation of each of their writing talent. I
think the only negative thing I have to say about any of the stories in
Exclusive is that they ended! LOL
If you have never read any of these authors, then this book is a perfect way
to get a taste of their work. If you have read these authors before, then
you are most certainly already a fan yourself and will not want to miss this
one! If you enjoy erotic novellas with unconventional romances and plenty
of steamy scenes, then run to your nearest bookstore and pick up your own
copy of this gripping book!
~Sanctuary
by Eden Bradley~
Until the night her
best friend drug her to the fetish club, Devin never thought she would find
herself in such a place. And she most certainly never expected to find
herself enjoying it, even drawn to it.
But since that night at he Ring inside Club X, Devin has been unable to get
the sights out of her head. Nor can she forget Master Shaye, who flirted
with her so shamelessly, and delivered ‘punishment’ to his willing
submissives so deliciously as she watched…
Eden Bradley has a
knack for creating BDSM stories that make even us vanilla lovers a bit
curious... I first enjoyed her work with her full length novel,
The Dark Garden, but she really moved up a notch in my list of
favorite authors with her entry in this anthology, Sanctuary.
Shaye’s job at 'Club X' playing Master to various subs fulfills his urges
quite well without risking emotional entanglements. Charismatic, playful,
and a touch dangerous, Shaye is the kind of man who could charm a woman into
most anything he wanted.
Devin is a bit gun shy, and understandably nervous of the BDSM lifestyle,
which she never in a million years expected to be drawn too. We feel her
nervousness and excitement as if they were our own, and lose our hearts to
Shaye right along with her.
~Wild
Nights by Jaci Burton~
Mike Nottingham has
seen it all, done it all. Having become a bit jaded, he is looking for
something, anything different during his stay in Las Vegas. When a friend
secures an invitation for him at an exclusive club catering to the sexually
adventurous, he is intrigued by the idea. Upon his arrival at the club, he
is even more intrigued by the reality of Grace Wylde, the sexy and
untouchable proprietor.
However, Grace is not something different. In fact, she is all too familiar
to Mike – almost a mirror image of himself. Finding himself on the
receiving end of the treatment he typically doles out to the women in his
life, he
finds it doesn’t set well with him. But is his interest piqued solely
because of her seeming lack of interest, or do his feelings run much
deeper? And how does a player who has met his match convince her he
wants forever with her?
While
Jaci Burton’s story, Wild Nights, works perfectly as a
standalone novella – even to readers as anal as I am about reading series
books or connected books in order – it will be greatly enhanced for those
readers who have already read her novel Wild, Wicked, and Wanton.
Continuing the story of Mike Nottingham, a supporting character from that
previous book, Burton explores what happens when a player falls head over
heels for a woman who is more than his match and even more reluctant than he
is to commit. Watching him fall is fun, but decidedly most fun for readers
who met him in Wild, Wicked, and Wanton!
Grace is the kind of heroine that can keep both her lover and the audience
guessing. Determined to prove to herself and to Mike that their brief tryst
meant nothing and that she doesn’t need a relationship, she does everything
she can to drive him away. When Mike’s tenacity and devotion prove
unshakeable, she finally gives in, much to our delight and her own, not to
mention Mike’s.
Be aware, this story does not follow the typical romance ‘rules’. Remember
I described these novellas as unconventional romances, and none fit that
description better than Burton’s Wild Nights. What the author
does deliver in this tale is a story that totally fits the two main
characters involved, and leaves the reader with a more than satisfying
ending.
~Purple
Magic by Lisa Renee Jones~
Half-human,
half-vampire Jolene will do anything to save her mortal friend Carrie from
the clutches of the dastardly vampire Alex - even if it means asking the
help of the fearsome Drago, one of the vampire council’s deadly Slayers.
But it is either that or walk into the lion’s den all by herself and,
even as intimidating as the Drago is, the
first scenario is definitely the preferable one.
Posing as a traitor to the vampire council while working undercover to bring
Alex down, Drago is nearer his goal than ever. He definitely does not need
another Slayer’s daughter compromising his investigation, no matter how his
instincts scream that Jolene is his mate and must be protected at all
costs. But he knows Alex is drawing Jolene into a trap, and to save her, he
must force her submission to him…
I’ve been a fan of author Lisa Renee Jones for some time now, and whether
she is writing a contemporary romance or a paranormal romance, it is always
fantastic! In Purple Magic, Jones introduces us to a whole
new world, one I am very hopeful we will see more of in her future
releases. With vampires and humans knowingly co-existing peacefully as
races, and the oh-so-hunky and powerful team of Slayers who I am sure can
slay a woman’s heart as easily as they defeat their enemies, this story is
surely only an introduction into a fascinating new series. This is purely
wishing on my part, but a fan can hope, right?
J
Drago is the typical reluctant hero who will do anything it takes to save
the day, but shrugs off the acclaim that comes with his own successes. His
sense of duty to both his friends, his team, and to those under his
protection is commendable. But it is his ability to combine fierce passion
with tender caring that was my undoing- er, I mean Jolene’s undoing!
LOL
Jolene’s loyalty and determination are noble, if ill-advised in the matter
of rescuing her friend. Unwaware that Drago is working undercover to rescue
all the women imprisoned by Alex, not just her roommate, she rushes headlong
into danger only Drago can save her from. Once apprised of his mission,
however, she easily follows his lead, trusting the sexy warrior with not
only her own life, but her father’s and her friend’s. And there is the
little matter of trusting him with her heart…
Reviewed by Jennifer
