Bev(QB)’s review of Beyond the Dark (Anthology) by Angela Knight, Emma Holly, Lora Leigh, and Diane Whiteside
Paranormal romance published by Berkley Sensations 4 Dec 07
First of all, if you aren’t familiar with these authors, you should be aware that this book should have been labeled as paranormal EROTIC romance. I suppose it could be argued that it’s implicit on the back cover with “Four bestselling authors of paranormal romance and erotic thrills…” But I’m surprised it wasn’t explicitly stated somewhere.
From the inside cover:
“What can you feel in the dark?”
“How far are you willing to go beyond it?”
Dragon Dance by Angela Knight
“Angela Knight does it– in the psychic realm of a woman attuned to the touch of strangers– and the powerful temptations of a seductive and mysterious protector.”
Someone call Marvel! There’s been a mini-trend lately to adapt romances into comic books. Well, Angela Knight’s novella has comic book-like superheroes adapted into novella form. I don’t think I’d like it as much in full length novel format, but in this shorter form it’s fun, sexy and quirky. Explaining it would spoil all your reading fun.
Queen of All She Surveys by Emma Holly
“Emma Holly does it– in the fantastic demon world where a powerful queen rules– until she commits the sin of falling in love with the handsome son of her worst enemy.”
If you aren’t already familiar with Emma Holly’s demon series, there is one erotic scene in QoASS that will leave you scratching your head and saying “WTF was that extra bit all about?!” [Hint: what he THINKS it might be is correct and it only appears in mated royals.] But for those that do read the series, I think this might be the best and most memorable one. The full length books tend to drag a bit from an overload of details, but this erotic novella was tight and well-written. Except for when Mem declares “I itch… back there”. EEWWW! I half expected Tou to offer him the demon version of Preparation H or douse him with a de-worming potion. A need, a burning need, an aching emptiness, surely there was another term Holly could have used besides I ITCH! GAK!
In a Wolf’s Embrace by Lora Leigh
“Lora Leigh does it– in the domain of a strange Breed, part man, part wolf, on the hunt for the woman he craves– and needs– to fulfill a hunger clawing at him from within.”
Curious what Lora Leigh’s Breeds series is all about? IaWE is an excellent way to find out. Since Matthias, a knotty [hee] Wolf Breed, wants grace to understand exactly what she’s getting into before they are overwhelmed by Mating Heat, and since he first has to make her understand the Breeds history so she’ll let go of her horror at witnessing him execute someone she considered a harmless old man, readers get a condensed summary of the Breed series. This is a sizzling erotic romance with a smile-worthy HEA.
Caught by the Tides by Dianne Whiteside
“Diane Whiteside does it– in an alternative universe of regency magic where two lovers are threatened by a vicious mage and swept up in a turbulent war off the Cornish cliffs.”
Dianne Whiteside’s CbtT should have worked. Paranormal plus Regency plus erotic romance usually makes me a happy reader. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t as crisply written as the other three novellas. But in all fairness, I’m not that big a fan of stories whose plots rely almost exclusively on magic. Combine that with underdeveloped characters and erotic scenes with a surprising lack of heat (from the author of The Switch?!), and I never quite connected with this one.
Overall Grade: B+
Read more from Bev at Cubie’s Confections.
