I combined these two short reviews because they’re very loosely related.  One is about birds (paranormal shapeshifters) and the other is by birds (a writing team going by the name Leda Swann). 

Gwen’s review  of A View to a Kill (King of Prey Book 2) by Mandy M. Roth
Paranormal eBook Novella published 24 July 07 by Samhain Publishing 

This short novel has a cover that has been the subject of much hilarity and general good natured ribbing over on Smart Bitches (hint: read the Comments for a truly funny conversation).  This is a story of a bird-man and his human mate, how the come together, are torn apart, and come together again.

Personally, I find the “backfat angel” to be gorgeous and I seriously would jump his bones, backfat, greasy hair, and all.  I think the cover artist was trying to make his hair have that glossy look of black feathers, not like the man hadn’t showered in weeks.  And good gawrsh – I am in LOVE with that tush!  I just want to BITE it!

Here’s the book blurb:

A trained assassin…a man even the deadliest of warriors fear. To cross him is foolish. To steal his heart is pure madness.

Book two in King of Prey series.

Sachin, head advisor to the king of the Accipitridae realm, has been forced to put his trips to Earth on hold. He’s not been honest with himself or King Kabril about his need to visit the primitive planet. The king thinks him to be a womanizer, out to bed as many human females as possible.

In truth, a woman he should have been able to woo with little to no effort—his mate—has found someone else to fill that void in her life. She wasn’t supposed to be on Earth. She wasn’t supposed to be human. And she sure the hell wasn’t supposed to agree to marry another man while Sachin was away.

Sachin must make a choice, give up the one woman he knows to be his true mate and let her live in ignorant bliss of what walks among her people, or fight for what’s his, taking it at all costs. A trained assassin…a man even the deadliest of warriors fear. To cross him is foolish. To steal his heart is pure madness.

Warning: This book contains hot, explicit sex and violence explained with contemporary, graphic language.

Read an excerpt.

This was a fun story.  Having not read the first book in the series, I was a little at sea at first, but I caught the thread quickly enough.  It’s an interesting love story and definitely on the slightly steamy side.  (Not sure it deserves the full warning label you see in the blurb, though.)  I could have wished a couple of plot points weren’t left hanging.  For example, I was more than sure that the heroine had a secret baby by Sachin (the hero), but the author leaves that undone.  I suppose with a novella some things must be left out.  I also didn’t understand why the hero resisted going to the heroine when his king found a human mate.  It seemed masochistic, not noble.

All in all, this was a good, quick read for the paranormal erotic romance fan.  Not horrible, not great, but good.

Grade: C

Coming from Mandy Roth:
 26 Sept 07

Gwen’s review of Sugar and Spice by Leda Swann
Historical erotic romance published by Avon Red

This is a re-release of an Oct ’06 trade paperback.  It’s a one-author anthology of three related stories.  They’re all set in the Victorian-era in an inn in Cornwall that caters to sexual appetites.  The three couples involved in the stories are acquainted with each other, but by no means are fast friends.  The stories are told from the male and female POV and cover various sexual peccadilloes and dysfunctions.

Here’s the book blurb:

There is a place hidden away in Cornwall, unremarkable from the outside. But enter and you will discover a haven for the most daring of pleasure seekers . . . and for every husband and wife willing to indulge their most intimate fantasies.

Three bold and sizzling tales of Victorian passion, lust, and ecstasy from a modern master of sensuous love.

Read an excerpt (click on the BROWSE INSIDE logo below the cover image). 

The first story, Obsessed, explores role playing.  The hero is a nice, if fairly typical Victorian male.  The heroine, Gwendolyn (sadly, I share a name with her), is a stupid wench.  This story’s heat is mild to hot.  Grade: C

The second story, Enslaved, explores BDSM.  The heroine was a nice enough woman, but the hero was a complete and utter jackass who didn’t deserve her.  This story’s heat is hot to steamy, but doesn’t make up for the creep husband.  I found nothing redeeming in him. Grade: D 

The third story, Exposed, explores exhibitionism/voyeurism.  The heroine is actually sympathetic and the hero is actually a noble, likable fellow.  The heat in this story is steamy to downright blazin’.  Grade: B-

The best I can say for this book is it wasn’t awful.  The Victorian era always gives me a bit of a pain in my arse – it all seems so hypocritical and authors LOVE to belabor that point.  Makes a big yawnfest for me, but fans of Victorian tales may like this better than I did.  I really wanted to slap a couple of these characters up side the head a few times.

Overall Grade: C

Coming soon from Leda Swann:
From their website, “We’ve just sent off to our publishers a new manuscript, as yet untitled. It is the story of Emily Clemens, Caroline’s sister, and her adventures with an aspiring photographer and publisher of risqué postcards.”