BevQB’s review of Raine: The Lords of Satyr (Book 2) by Elizabeth Amber
Fantasy historical erotic romance released by Aphrodisia 1 Mar 08
It wasn’t until a few of you honorary duckies started quacking about how grossed out turned off you were by this book that my interest was piqued. You see, in Nicholas: The Lords of Satyr (Book 1) Raine was a bit of a prig and I wasn’t sure I was going to bother reading this book. What a mistake that would have been!
While Raine may not be for the faint of heart, for someone looking for a truly different and original erotic romance, I highly recommend this book.
This fantasy historical series set in 1820’s Italy centers around three brothers, Nicholas, Raine and Lyon, who are neither human nor fey, but Satyr/shifters who guard the passage between Elseworld and the human world. The King of the Fey is dying and confesses that he fathered daughters on three human women 20 years earlier, but they have no idea they are half fey. He commands the three Satyr brothers to find his daughters and marry them to protect them from the upheaval that will occur upon his death.
In book 1, Nicholas, we learned that the brothers grow an extra peen when in Satyr form and that their mate’s nipples glow when aroused by them. So, how does Elizabeth Amber top all that? By giving the heroine of this book a little extra sumpin’ sumpin’ of her own!
WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD (although it’s revealed at the beginning of the book).
Jordan has been raised as a boy to protect the family inheritance, but has always privately felt s/he had a female identity. Why the confusion? Jordan is a hermaphrodite. S/he has breasts and all the other female “cooter mints,” but instead of a clitoris s/he’s got herself a fully functional penis. Yep, yep, you read that right… the heroine is a chick with a dick!
And, oh, the erotic permutations with three peens and the abundance of orifices this couple possesses! Good God, what will Amber come up with for Lyons story? Can she possibly top Raine and Jordan’s story?
I’ve often said that, for a book to really work for me, I expect to meet engaging characters I’ve never met before, fresh new world building, and/or an edge-of-my-seat storyline. A book has to have at least one of those traits to rise above the thousands of other books, and this book possesses the first TWO. Totally outrageous, yet Amber pulls back and UNDER plays the character of Jordan by gaining our sympathy for her right from the beginning. We’re horrified at the callous way she is treated and soon find that we want Raine to accept her for herself and for him to be the one person who doesn’t make her feel like a freak. I enjoyed watching Jordan’s delight in being treated like a female for the first time in her life.
Although, I should warn those of you with delicate sensibilities that you might have a tough time reading the beginning chapters of this book. The medical community refers to and handles Jordan as an “it”, something less than human. And it IS cringeworthy and uncomfortable to read.
Kudos to the folks at Kensington Aphrodisia for having the cojones to let Elizabeth Amber push the envelope with this highly imaginative story. And further kudos for the Fine Art covers in this series. Yep, that’s some Fine, FINE art.
BTW, It really isn’t necessary to read Nicholas in order to read this book. Amber does an admirable job of making Raine a standalone story.
Grade: A-
From the back cover:
The last in a fabled line of otherworldly aristocracy, the Lords of Satyr are born to wealth, power, and a talent for sensual delight that mere mortals only dream of. Commanded to marry, these passionate men will travel to Rome, Venice, and Paris—and along the way will explore desires both shamelessly wicked and blissfully divine…
AS A LOVER, HIS SKILLS ARE LEGENDARY . . . Middle brother Raine is both sensual and stoic. Scarred by a former wife who could not accept his carnal needs, he wants no part in another marriage. But duty commands that he fulfill his promise to wed King Feydon’s second daughter, Jordan…
IN MATTERS OF THE HEART, HE HAS MUCH TO LEARN . . . This loyal satyr begins a search that leads him from Tuscany to romantic Venice, where his beautiful bride awaits, unaware of what passionate delights fate has planned for her. Raine is careful not to reveal his powerful satyr sexuality, for fear of driving yet another woman away. But unbeknownst to him, Jordan is no ordinary woman and was born with an insatiable appetite for love. And as Raine’s heart begins to melt for her, how long will he be able to hide his true nature when Jordan seems to want him so fiercely?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in the Lords of Satyr series:
Lyon, coming 29 Jul 08
Read more from Bev on her personal blog Cubie’s Confections.
I’m looking forward to this one, Bev. I know folks haven’t taken to it because of the extra “cooter mints,” from what I’ve read so far, but I’m like you, I love that Amber has taken us someplace we’ve never been before. I liked Nicholas, and while it wasn’t a keeper for me, it intrigued me enough to finish the trilogy.
OMG, you had me in stiches by that point and that capped it off!
Bev(QB): This little duckie was not a fan of the chick with a dick and the hero with 2 wee-wees. Bleck, Ick, gross.
What did you think of the side plot of the maniacal bishop who lusts after Raine?
I was all set to get this book–and the other two in the trilogy–but the three penises and one vagina between all of two people thing just… hmmm… no. Thanks, but no.
LOLOLOLOL. This book is DEFINITELY not for everybody! I HOPE I made that clear in the review.
But I know I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon. In case no one has noticed, I’m pretty stingy with A grades– a book has to have that special sumpin’ sumpin’ to get one from me– so you KNOW I liked this one a LOT!
Katiebabs, I thought that whole pervy psycho bishop sub-plot worked well. It just seemed to fit the outrageousness of the rest of the story.
And azteclady, don’t forget that there were more orifices than what you just listed! LOLOLOLOLOL
BTW, Sandy, Devon is the one that reminded me that this is referred to as the “chick with a dick” book.
Lordy Bev, you almost have me wanting to read this!
I think I could deal with the penis, if it wasn’t in conjunction with glowing blue nips. I’m not sure what it is about that particular element that makes me so crazed. It is just so completely absurd and random that their mates nipples would glow. Why not the guy’s? And why blue? Why not green or purple? Is that weird that that freaks me out more than the peener?
Oh, Devon, only the first book had glowing BLUE nips! Jordan’s nips glow ROSE, so not that odd, right? 😀
And who knows, maybe Lyon’s mate will have nips that glow green or purple, huh?
Rainbow color nipples ahoy!
Three peens between two people…
Mind boggling!
So they’re, what, color coordinated to their man? I need to think a bit about if that makes it better. If the guy liked to wear the color of the nips, now that would be cool.
Katiebabs, what if they flashed different colors like disco lights?
Why can’t I think of these things first? Or write a book? 🙂
GWEN: Three peens is too many between two people. For some reason I am fine with the two dick wonder, but a chick with a dick! EEK. takes me back to college when I watched some interesting porn with chicks with that same problem… er men… eh?
DEVON!! OMG that would awesome! Break out the roller skates and lets go roller boogie with the strobe lighted nipples!
Yeah, bay-be! Strobe light nipples=INSTANT PARTAY!
That movie you watched in college, it wasn’t called “Best of Both Worlds” was it? That’s the “chick with dicks” porno that Randall from Clerks watched, that I always try to find a way to reference.
Oh I know how she could top all this in the final book!
Just Google “Buck Angel” Bev.
A whole new world.
Ooooo now I want it. It sounds very interesting and I don’t think I can pass up such an interesting read. I have absolutely no problem with an abundance of penis’s. lol.
Thank you Bev I almost passed this book by. Although I enjoyed Nicholas, it was a slow read for me I picked it up and put it back down many times. I wasn’t planning on continuing with the series. But I’m thrilled to hear that the second book isn’t just the second brother following the same pattern as the first.
I look forward to ordering this book now.
After I read this book I walked around telling people “but she had a dick!” lol I loved this story and I think Amber is awesome for putting it out there. It is so damn crazy it works, and I’m dying to see what Lyon is in store for.
YEAH!!! Finally the adventurous duckies showed up!!
Ashley V. that’s a perfect way to put it:
JADE!! Where the hell have you BEEN! I haven’t seen you around in forever! I KNOW you will like Raine because you like different as much as I do!
Teddypig – thanks to you, I’m going to have some disturbing mental images for quite a while! Buck Angel is a bit icky in an oddly fascinating way.
LOL Strangely enough I have come across Buck Angel before I just didn’t realize that was his name.
You know what Bev you are absolutely right I think I will love this book. lol.
Buck Angel didn’t creep me out at all.
To answer your question Bev, I’ve been around… just quiet. I still visit your Blog all the time, I love your reviews. Your review for Challenge Protocol made me smile.
Hugs
I was just perusing the archives and remembered I intended to comment. I thijnk I might be a bit too young and/or prudish for this series, but holy God, I want to read them now just to see three-peen pr0n in action. I’m also tempted to buy the book and send it to one of my friends, who is way kinkier than I am, just to see what she’d make of it.
I read the 2 books out of order, Raine first. I loved both and didn’t cringe–I guess you can count me among the adventurous duckies, Bev. :o) I agree that the covers are some fine, FINE art. Esp Nicholas.
I really liked Nicholas and I was thinking of buying Raine. I’m glad I read the review and I’m…intrigued. I’m not sure what I think of the situation, but I may have to buy it and just see how adventerous I am. I loved Nicholas though, and may buy it jsut because I loved the previous book. I agree that I’m glad Elizabeth Amber tackled a topic like this*claps in appreciation*. I also agree that the cover art is very *coughs* FINE;) I was blushing so profusly when I went to buy Nicholas:)