Decadent by Shayla BlackÂ
Contemporary Erotic Romance published by Berkley Trade paperback on October 2, 2007
Reviewed by BevL(QB)
As a teenager, Kimber met pop star Jesse when her father’s company provided his bodyguard services. Through the intervening years of phone calls, emails and letters, Kimber is convinced that Jesse is “The One”. But Jesse won’t let Kimber join him on his tour because he doesn’t think she can handle his lifestyle. Kimber isn’t sure what he’s talking about, but begins to hear rumors about his predilection for ménages. So, deciding it‘s time to discover if she could have a permanent relationship with Jesse, she realizes she must first find out if she can handle his ménage lifestyle.
Kimber has also heard rumors that Deke, an ex-Special Ops Ranger who used to work for her father, enjoys ménages too. She hasn’t seen him in the five years since she was 17, and back then he was a real jerk towards her. But, for Jesse, she decides she’ll swallow her pride and ask Deke to teach her about menages. She has one caveat though– she must save her virginity for Jesse.
Yeah, you read that right, she’s still a virgin and intends to remain so throughout her “training” with Deke and his long-time ménage partner, his cousin Luc. (Honestly, there’s a lot about Kimber that I had to swallow. Just go with it, okay?) While Deke tries to scare Kimber off to hide the fact that she’s had him straining his zipper since she was 17, Luc believes that they have finally found a woman they can marry and have babies with.
I have to admit up front that I’m not a big fan of the wildly popular Special Ops/Ranger/Navy Seal/Green Beret contemporary romance sub-genre. Those surly uber-alphas just piss me off and I can’t figure out how women can fall in love with overbearing men who don’t laugh. Bed them? Oh, hell yeah! But love? Nuh-uh. No way. I’d have to force him to eat certain parts of his anatomy… backwards. Perversely, apply that same behavior to a character with fangs, fur, or a kilt, and I’m drooling all over the pages. Go figure.
But Shayla Black gives us more than the standard story of a stoic alpha hard-ass who pushes away the one woman he wants. She weaves in Kimber’s relationship with pop star Jesse, threats to Kimber and her family (although that feels a bit contrived), two love triangles (Deke/Kimber/Jesse and Deke/Kimber/Luc), Deke’s inability to perform sexually without another man present (uh-huh, you read that right- situational erectile dysfunction in an erotic romance!), and she gives us Luc.
[Read more after the cut…]
Ah, Luc… I‘ve already stated my opinion of men like Deke, and Kimber‘s character was a bit inconsistent, but I have a complete crush on Luc. Now see, this is the bit about this sub-genre that I don’t understand. Deke has always treated Kimber like crap. He’s just plain MEAN to her. It started when she was a teen, and after two days of not one civilized word from him, Kimber decides she might be falling in love with Deke and starts questioning her longtime feelings for Jesse. She adores Luc too, but is in love with the man that shows her no respect or affection.
Kimber, sweetheart, let’s talk, okay? Luc is a chef and a successful cookbook author with dark Mediterranean good looks and a gorgeous body. Did you catch that, Kimber? He’s swoon worthy AND HE COOKS! Not to mention that he revs your motor from zero to 60 with just a brush of his lips, or that he’s a master at aural sex (yeah, that’s spelled right), treats you with respect and tenderness AND wants to marry and have babies with you! But n-o-o-o-o, you love the one that pisses you off, hurts your feelings, and makes you cry, not the one who cherishes you and makes you smile. GAK!
Shayla Black, I’m keeping an eye on you– my Luc deserves to meet a woman who can appreciate how freaking great he is. So I’ll be watching for his book to make sure you treat him right. Got it? Oh, and I’m guessing that Kimber’s brothers, Hunter and Logan (Logan intrigues me), will get their own stories, but how about their father? He’s hardly an old geezer at 48, and I’d also like to read HIS story.
Just to be clear, Decadent contains m/f/m ménage scenes so erotic that it should come with a warning to never, EVER read it in public… all that involuntary panting and whimpering could prove embarassing. If ménages just flat out do it for you, don’t miss this one. And consider it a must read for all you Special Ops/Rangers/Navy Seal/Green Beret fans. The multiple plot lines elevate it a step above many books in this sub-genre. Plus, it’s got Luc. *sigh*
Grade: B
Drop by my personal blog, Cubie’s Confections. It’s the often bawdy, and not always work safe, musings of a pervy old broad with opinions about books, chocolate, and eye candy (you know– the important stuff), and who is convinced that hot flashes burn away brain cells.
I was so thinking the same thing lol. Yeah, Deke was hot (in that, I’m going to drag you back to my cave sort of way), but Luc had the total package. I definitely agree that Luc needs his own book.
Bev – you never fail to entertain!! And this book is floating to the top of my TBR pile.
I ordered this already, I liked the premise, although admittedly, menages have been boring me to tears of late.
Zara, I wonder if Shayla will have an attack of performance anxiety once she realizes how many of us fell in love with Luc and want him to have the very special HEA he deserves. Poor Shayla… no pressure or anything. LOL!
And Karen, I agree that seeing the term menage is no longer enough to capture my attention. The reason this one worked so well is because she included more than just that one plot line. And because of Luc. 😀
Gwen, if you put one more book on the top of your TBR mountain, it’s gonna cause a landslide!
Bev, I found this on Shayla Black’s site,
“NEW SALES!
It’s official! Pocket will be releasing the next two Shayla Black erotic romances, starting in April 2009 with DELICIOUS. I’ll follow that either late 2009/early 2010 with another to-be-titled book. Heroes in both of these books are characters you’ll meet in DECADENT, and I’m so excited to have the opportunity to share them with readers!”
I’m guessing DELICIOUS will be Luc’s book?!
I haven’t read this book but it’s on my must-buy list now though I’m a bit confused. Did you like Jesse at all?
Ooh, Tracy, I sure hope so! But it could also be Hunter or Logan’s story. Which is also good, but I hope that Luc at least pops up (hee) in their stories, too.
Sarah, Jesse was interesting and charismatic, but it never dawned on me that I hadn’t said much about him. He really is more of a secondary character even though Kimber’s feelings for him are the catalyst for the main storyline. On one hand, he won my sympathy, but on the other hand, I wanted to slap him upside the head and tell him to just cowboy up. Think Britney Spears with a peen.
Does that help?
Bev, I was just just hoping that DELICIOUS was called such b/c Luc is a chef. I hope so for your sake, but 2009 is quite a ways away. I may have to stay away from DECADENT until it’s a little closer. Waiting 18 months for the next installment would not be pretty for me LOL
I have this in my TBR. It sounds yummy!
Ummm…why can’t he do it without another guy around? I enjoy menage stories on occasion, but I can’t think too deep otherwise they make my head want to explode. The weird reasons for needing the menage, the two guys always being brothers or cousins or whatever, the possibility of an HEA…it’s all so silly.
I have lots of questions about this one, so perhaps I should buy it.
Devon, the short answer is fear of intimacy. The long answer is a major plotpoint that pertains to the results of a relationship he had as a teen.
And yes, there are a lot of fictional (key word: Fictional) situations in Romance books in general that I feel the same way about. I’ve yet to read a perfect book. I think each reader must decide for herself whether it’s something they are just “gonna go with” or whether it’s a major stumbling block to enjoying the story. This book is no exception and only you can decide what bothers you and what can be shrugged off. That’s why I always make a point to mention these flaws that I know might be insurmountable to other readers.
The shorter answer is it’s HAWT!
And so ends todays episode of deep thoughts from the good, the bad, the unread brought to you by the number 3 and the letter X.
LOL it is so cute when Bev gets all deep 😉
Long answer… I’ve been in “Lecture Mode” all day today. Dunno why. But I don’t dare write any reviews in this gear. Unless I hate the book, of course.
Short answer… Devon started it. :-p
Heyya Bev – over here to give you a wahoo on your review. Everything I’ve read to date by Shayla/Shelley I have enjoyed the hell out of. Still trying to track this one down at local bookstores. Your blog bawdy? Say it isn’t so! Yeah – I’m still traumatized from the Scottish guy post many moons ago!
Would you be referring to the Lost Immortal Brother? Wee little Angus Hungwell himself? BWHAHAHAHA I’ve been waiting to spring his older brother on everyone.
Good news/bad news! I just heard back from Shayla Black and Delicious IS Luc’s story! Woot! But we aren’t getting it until April 2009. *dejected sigh*