Hothouse Orchid by Vashti Valant
Sci-Fi erotic romance ebook published 1 May 07 by Ellora’s Cave Presents

Isn’t this cover sinfully hot?  Very wicked, and yes, I LOVE it, though it doesn’t depict much about the book.  This ebook novel is a sci-fi erotic romance set very far into the future and mostly on other planets.  Its heroine is a genetically engineered “sex toy” and a hero is a human the likes of which I wanted to run away with myself.  The premise that brings the two characters together is seemingly simple, but actually becomes rather complex and isn’t resolved until late in the book.

Here’s the book blurb:

 The most sought after love slaves in the Anarchion are the Hothouse Flowers, genetically designed women with the attributes of living flowers. When rogue-for-hire Vance is commissioned to deliver an orchid-petaled beauty to her Owner, he assumes his greatest challenge will be resisting her pheromone-drenched scent of sexuality. He has to give her to her Owner still a virgin…but that doesn’t mean he can’t make her orgasm under his caresses. After all, passion is woven into her DNA.

Cattleya may have lilac skin as soft as orchid petals and she may find Vance’s touch irresistible, but she refuses to believe that she is destined to be no more than a sex toy. She has a refined education in the arts and sciences, and has been reared to believe that her Owner will love her and marry her. What would a common mercenary like Vance understand about love?

Reader Advisory: This story contains some capture and forced sex scenes for those who like a little more kink.

Read an excerpt.

To begin with, there is some kink in this book, but nothing that will make your hair stand on end (other body parts, perhaps). 

Ms Valant has created a complex and, for us sci-fi fans, believable alternate reality.  This is a universe with genetically engineered male and female sex toys (think cat-human, dog-human, or rabbit-human hybrids with animal cerebral cortexes), cyborgs, and other bizarre creatures.  There are even plant-human hybrids that are trained like geisha.  The details provided by the author fleshing out this odd world make it very interesting and does a bang-up job of suspending disbelief.  I never had the eye-rolling, “Oh puh-leez” moment that I have had in other books using fantastical elements.

The lead characters, Cattleya and Vance, meet, fall in love, have some great sex, and eventually get their HEA.  There are quite a few challenges in between, as well as some very good villians.  There’s even a surprising twist on the hero’s history – of which the author does an admirable job camouflaging; it almost surprised even me.  The way he sighs her name is most yummy.

I didn’t bother my head with the larger issues of the morality behind genetically engineering sentient beings.  I just let the book take me away and I really enjoyed the trip.  You will too if you’re up for some hot sci-fi romance.  Another excellent summer read.

Grade: B-