Limecello’s review of Laced With Desire by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, Denise Rossetti
Erotic romance anthology released by Berkley Trade 2 Feb 10
I read Unlaced, which is the book before this one, and enjoyed it. I really liked Laced with Desire as well. Admittedly, I thought some of it was a little weird, but overall I thought it was well written. There’s definitely a lot of variety in it, and seems to be a pretty good representation of all the authors. I liked that for this being an erotic romance anthology, there was a heavy focus on the relationship between the characters, and emotions as well.
No Strings Attached by Jaci Burton
I have to admit, I love the story line Jaci Burton used – the “forbidden woman” as well as friends to lovers. Ella has been widowed for five years, and while she’s done amazingly in business, personally, she’s let her live stagnate. She goes off to Hawaii, and her over protective friend Clay is driven to go and make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid… and finds he’s more than attracted to her
It’s nice that Ella and Clay had a relationship prior to the impetuous trip to Hawaii. Even more, that Clay had been friends with Ella and her deceased husband. The fact that Ms. Burton addressed the complicated relationship, and the anxieties and misgivings Ella might have, really gave this story depth.
It also makes Clay that much more likable. Yes, both character avoid their emotions, and there’s a bit of run around, but for a novella, I thought it was extremely well written.
The story is hot, the characters fit, and nothing too outrageous happens. The characters were also very natural, believable, and developed. I’m very much looking forward to Ms. Burton’s next book – it seems her writing only gets better.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Jaci Burton breaks the rule of mixing business with pleasure when two professional rivals cross paths at a tropical resort. She figures she can handle a fling with no strings attached. He’s out to show her that she figured wrong.
Read an excerpt here.
La Petite Mort by Jasmine Haynes
For those of you who like such stories, the hero and heroine in this novella are slightly older. (In their 40s or more.) Sophia was a model, but has lived the consummate life. She made a mistake while young, and due to the alienation it caused with her father, has been extremely careful since. The fact that she thinks she may be dying makes for a believable catalyst in making changes.
This story features a threesome, but somehow Ms. Haynes makes it seem very personal still, and that it brings Sophia and Ford closer together, rather than adding complications. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s believable.
In a way, the biggest hang up might be the fact that Ford is Sophia’s boss.
There isn’t a lot of substance to this story, as the word/page constraints limit that, but I thought that Ford and Sophia were well developed. I got a sense of who they were, and understood their characters. And the fact that they liked and admired each other before entering a physical relationship – and that it was natural, if not bound to happen.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Jasmine Haynes explores the lust of a former supermodel who needs to finally fulfill a no-holds-barred sexual fantasy. Finding two men to do it with is easy. But are they up to giving her all the pleasure she’s been denied?
Read an excerpt here.
Honor Bound by Joey W. Hill
I have to say… I was not expecting this story. It features and interesting dynamic with a dominant and submissive. It’s a continuation of the Knights of the Boardroom, and admittedly, this novella is why I was so excited for the entire anthology. I’ve only read the previous story, and I think my selective reading left me confused. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of sexy, kinky stuff going on in this story. And, a lot in general, with layers and emotions and characters.
All the males are dominants, the women submissives. (More so in this story, than the others, which is some of the cause for my surprise.)
Additionally, both Dana and Peter are soldiers. I liked that they had that commonality, and that Ms. Hill treated it so realistically. Dana is actually injured, and blinded, and worse. While tragic, I appreciated the fact that the characters are wounded in battle, rather than superhuman and making war seem like a day at the amusement park.
It also leads to a very complex psychological push and pull between Dana and Peter, because there’s the question of their relationship (or lack thereof), and the reasons why they might get back together.
I liked the love at first sight concept, and the fact that even though Peter is the dominant, he writes to Dana for a year, knowing she won’t respond. There’s give and take to the relationship, that had nice balance, and made me believe in a real romantic relationship between the two. It helped me understand more of BDSM, I suppose. It’s definitely not my thing, but I could see how and why it was for Dana, and that also made me like and appreciate Honor Bound.
Grade: B
Summary:
Joey W. Hill reveals the erotic bond between a master and the beautiful submissive who stole his heart. Recapturing their night of unparalleled passion won’t be easy—until a specific piece of lingerie comes into play.
When not called up by the National Guard, Peter Winston is a successful businessman, part of the K&A management team. Like the other four members, he’s also a sexual Dominant, adept at bringing a woman to pleasurable surrender. The night before he heads out on his second Afghanistan tour, he meets Dana, a sexual submissive who gets into his head and heart the way no woman ever has.
But Dana is also an Army sergeant. It will be over a year before they see one another again, and when they do, she’s suffered injuries that took her sight and will to live. With the creative use of a corset and the talents of the other K&A males, Peter sets the stage for another special night for them, knowing that only a submissive’s willingness to trust her Master will bring her back to love and life again.
Read an excerpt here.
Rhio’s Dancer by Denise Rossetti
There was a lot going on in this story, but I found the ending to be really cute. I did feel that I might be missing something by not having read many of Denise Rossetti’s other books. This is a fantasy romance, and a continuation from Ms. Rossetti’s novella in Unlaced, and I liked that a lot. We get a cameo visit from the previous couple, and a happy ending for Rhio and Amae (Dancer).
The setting makes things a bit difficult, and some time needs to be spent describing the world, social structure, and political system, even, but there’s still a nice connection between Rhio and Amae. Yes, sex brings them together, and there’s this whole sub plot to stop the assassination of the queen (like how I just threw that out there? It’s not the main focus of the story anyway…) it all works to bring Rhio and Amae together.
Amae is damaged – she’s been a slave for fifteen years, and for all that Rhio is a hardened captain, he’s a genuinely nice guy. There’s a scene where he’s cuddling with Amae, and she expresses surprise. The juxtaposition of sex and violence and soft tender moments rounds everything out nicely.
Grade: C+
Summary:
Denise Rossetti goes beyond the limits of desire when she pairs a battle-scarred veteran of love and war with a woman who’s just as fearless and twice as dangerous. What happens between them is positively combustible. But what a way to go.
Rhio’s a battle-scarred veteran of both love and war, a soldier right down to his bootstraps. But he’s never met a woman as fierce, as fascinating – as dangerous – as Dancer. And she’s up to her pretty neck in political intrigue. She just might kill him before they’re through, but what a glorious way to go!
Read an excerpt here.
I have to say, each story was distinct, and yet incorporated a corset on some level. It was nice to get the whole “laced with desire” idea into all four in such different ways. Cute, and well done.
Overall Grade: B
Summary:
Rough hands rounding the curves of a soft warm body—caressing, stroking,
edging her toward exquisite pleasure…Seduction is a cinch in these four all-new sizzling stories from the hot authors of Unlaced…
