Limecello’s review of Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Marie Rice
Erotic romance published by Avon Red on 1 Jul 08

I’ve never read a book by Lisa Marie Rice before this, but I definitely plan on reading more. That may be a reason why I enjoyed this book so much, or I’m contrary and liked it because I was told I might not like it. No – this book is very well written, the story flows well, and I found myself re-reading parts while reading, it was that good.

Charity Prewitt is a great romance heroine, because well, she’s so normal. But this is a positive – she’s your average woman, attractive, smart, has a job, and is dutiful. She’s not unhappy with her life, though she knows it could be a bit better. She’s a regular person, but she’s good. Charity knows her limits, but is willing to put herself at risk and step outsider her comfort zone to do what needs to be done. She’s a character you respect, admire, but more importantly, one you like.

Nick is interesting and at times unexpected. Actually, I felt the opening was somewhat misleading. Still, Nick is the type of romance hero we all love. He’s alpha – capable, and able to handle any type of situations, yet he’s human. I loved that he knew his limits – during one scene, he could admit he wasn’t the best at x,y or z – but he does know where his gifts lie. It’s nice to read about characters that are so self aware. He’s layered and complex, but I think a very important detail is that Charity makes him spin out of control. We romance readers are a bit twisty, so we love when a hero’s world just falls apart, because he’s mad for the heroine (in a healthy way).

Nick’s intensity is what carries a lot of the book. He’s willing to sacrifice everything for Charity- including himself. In a way, it’s almost scary, because he becomes an uncertainty. A friend once said she didn’t find Secret Service Agents attractive basically because she felt that someone willing to die for a position was too extreme. Nick is definitely there, and I can see how some people wouldn’t particularly like that. It’s unsettling.

One thing I that annoyed me, was very minor. It was Charity’s self-proclaimed, as it were, unfamiliarity with wealth, immediately paired with her recognition of Armani suits. The kicker was when she “wasn’t sure” if the car Nick drove was a Lexus. I think it’s a culmination of frustration with romance novels across the board. I work with suits, and have spent more time than I should trolling high end stores and sites, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t recognize Armani, Manolo’s, etc (unless the label was showing). Which takes me to my next point – hello, the giant “L” symbol on the car would be a dead giveaway. The only car Makes that people could be unsure about would be Porsche – because there are a lot of shield logos out there, and Maybach – because, really, who drives those? (Ok, so not only - but I’m making a point here.)

Still, the plot is interesting and engaging. The characters are developed and believable, the villains realistic and fitting. The chemistry between Nick and Charity generates enough heat to be labeled an alternative energy source. I liked the side stories and secondary characters, the setting, their personalities, the events… and I had a tiny squee moment when Filene’s Basement was mentioned. I’d have to nitpick to find anything I truly disliked about the book. (Which I did in the previous paragraph because I happened upon that minor detail while trying to find which school Charity attended.)

Basically, this is a book I would recommend to any reader. Beautifully written, and it’s just so good.

Grade: A

Small-town librarian Charity Prewitt never dreamed she’d meet and fall in love with a man like Nicholas Ames. The handsome, rich, charming, sexy-as-hell millionaire blew into tiny Parker’s Ridge, Vermont, and immediately rocked her world. Powerful, sensual, the perfect man, Nick knows all the right words-and all the right spots to touch, sending her soaring to dizzying new heights of ecstatic abandon. Never before has prim and proper Charity leapt into bed with a perfect stranger-and now that she’s there with him, nothing is going to drag her away!

But Nick Ames is not who he claims to be. In truth, he is Nicholas Ireland-the one they call “Iceman.” A former Delta Force operator, now a high-level undercover agent, he will do whatever his government asks of him-lie, seduce, betray . . . even kill, if necessary-for the sake of the mission. And this time his mission is Charity Prewitt.

Suddenly one woman has broken down his chilly restraint and ignited his passions completely. And before the erotic dream turns into a nightmare, will Charity be able to melt the Iceman’s cold, cold heart?

Read an excerpt. 

LauraD’s review of Crave: the Seduction of Snow White by Cathy Yardley
Erotic romance released by Avon Red 3 Jun 08

I’m a sucker for fairy tales, especially “re-told” versions, so I was really excited to get my hands on a copy of Cathy Yardley’s erotic version of Snow White. Her decision to set a classic fairy tale in modern times-in a cult, no less-really sets it apart from all the other romantic erotica choices on the bookstore table.

Goodmaid Beth has lived quietly among the Penitents for 10 years, since faking her own death and running away from the kingdom of Cordova at 17. After several assassination attempts by her stepmother, the Queen, she chose to give up her birthright in exchange for her safety and that of her loyal followers. There was a worldwide media frenzy, searching for the missing princess, and she needed a place to go where no one would look for her. So she found her way to the Compound, where a group of extremists live in isolation and eschew temptations while glorifying work. Men and women, living separately. No talking, no touching-absolutely no sex!

As investigative reporter Stephan Trent sees it, the Compound is sort of like a Quaker theme park. Under cover as “Goodman Stephan”, he’s there to find out what secrets the oddball society hides. But as soon as he and Beth make eye contact, he knows who he wants his source of information to be. She looks strangely familiar, though.

Ms. Yardley has a lot of fun with the Snow White fairy tale, and uses it to good effect. This is definitely an adult fairy tale, make no mistake. The story begins with Beth waking from a bad dream and taking a midnight walk, only to come upon two of her fellow Penitents breaking a few of the Ten Commandments in a moonlit meadow. The same couple later meet another Goodmaid in the same meadow for a (what seems like obligatory nowadays) ménage.

Beth and Stephan are also an amorous and adventurous couple-pretty darn energetic, too. The love scenes in Crave are very frank, and plentiful. This was not a book of deeply drawn characters, but I read Beth as naive, not stupid; and Stephan’s halo had a nice little tarnish to it. The evil Founders were actually pretty menacing, and I was not expecting the Queen to show up when she did. I loved all the little details from Snow White that were worked into the story, some of them to pretty creepy effect!

What I didn’t like? The epilogue. It just didn’t feel in sync with the rest of the book. All in all, Crave is a very fun erotic romance. Avon=vanilla sex, so the menage, and Beth’s voyeurism, is as kinky as it gets. The plot gives a classic fairy tale a very unique twist, and if you’re in the mood for a naughty fairy tale with a little intrigue to boot, grab a copy of Crave.

Grade: B

 Summary:

When a woman is ripe for the picking . . .  Beth Cordova’s life is no fairy tale. Having barely escaped the evil grasp of her wicked stepmother, this “missing princess” seeks refuge in a strict commune where carnal pleasures are forbidden.

Sometimes just one bite of the apple . . .  Her world is lonely and void of intimacy, until the charming Stephen Trent arrives at the commune. Suddenly Beth yearns for a man’s touch, the feel of his lips on hers . . . and Stephen is eager to show this pure-as-snow princess that she can still be the sensual woman she was once upon a time.

Is all it takes to unleash her desires…  But all is not what it seems, and the stunning beauty finds herself again in danger, her stepmother hot on her trail. The commune’s founders will not tolerate the pair, yet fleeing its walls could prove fatal. Trapped in a world where passion is outlawed, can Beth live happily ever after?

Read an excerpt. 

Finn’s review of Everything Forbidden by Jess Michaels
Historical erotic romance released by Avon Red 30 Oct 07

Talk about HOT! I really enjoyed this book. Naughty little Miranda Albright has watched her neighbor, Ethan Earl of Rothschild, as he fornicated with his summer lover for years. Well now her family is in dire straights and in need of assistance. Miranda does the sacrificial lamb thing and tells him she will be his summer lover in exchange for coming-out Seasons for her sisters. Yeah, what a hardship! (Giggle)

You just want to hit Miranda’s mother in this book. She has not come to grips with the fact that her family is running out of funds fast. She wants to spend way outside their means and Miranda has to try to rope her in.

I love Miranda’s idea; she takes matters into her own hands and finds a way to help her family. She already has decided not to wed, and she has been watching Ethan for 3 years!

Ethan is very willing to collect the payment for his financial support of the Albright sisters from Miranda. Ethan even has a chamber in his home for just such occasions; I came to refer to it in my head as the Fantasy Room. Of course, like any romance novel, the hero and heroine try to keep from loving each other but end up confused and struggling with their feelings.

I love that the book starts out with a love scene. Heck, that’s the main reason I read these romance novels! The author’s description is FABULOUS! The pictures that are painted with words are very arousing. I like that Michaels makes Ethan a man who uses all of his sense when it comes to sex. Ultimately, is that what we all want, a man that is creative and in tune with us.  Right?

Grade: A

From the back cover:

     Country miss Miranda Albright has secretly watched her wicked neighbor, Ethan Hamon, the Earl of Rothschild, as he ‘entertained’ lovers on the grounds of his country estate for three summers. But after her father dies and the family falls into financial peril, Miranda is driven to strike a bargain with the Earl. He will play financial and social host for a Season for each of her three younger sisters… in exchange for three months of sin with her.

     Miranda has always ached for the passion she’s spied upon, but she knows Ethan is the kind of man who could steal her heart, as well as claim her body. And falling in love with a man who admits she is nothing but a game to him could be the most dangerous and forbidden seduction of all.

     Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Seduced by Darkness (Dark Realm, Book 2) by Delilah Devlin
Contemporary erotic paranormal romance released by Avon Red on 26 Feb 08

I’ve been waiting for this book since I reviewed the first book in the series, Into the Darkness. As I said in that review, I really liked Nic and Chessa and was glad they were getting their own book. I liked Chessa’s refusal to give in to Nic, his dominance over her when loving her. Now, don’t get me wrong, Seduced is a very good book, I liked it, but I’m just a tad disappointed.

Throughout the book we know Nic and Chessa have feelings for one another and their relationship is still full of refusal and dominance and great sex.  However, I never got anything other than that as the story goes along.  I think there’s room to at least a try at tenderness in their loving, not having to wait until it’s forced on them. I just feel a little cheated that I didn’t see something more to show their feelings and emotions for one another other than the same old thing time and again.

Even when the opportunity is there, it isn’t taken. An example is in the beginning of the book after evil has been unleashed during a raging storm, Nic, tired and weary, goes to Chessa for comfort.  She realizes this and does nothing to show him a little. Even if it had been a peck on the cheek, a back rub, any little something with feeling outside of sex and then back to the fiery banter, I would have been happy.

The twists in the book, the most prominent of which is Alex, are thrown at you out of nowhere and add a lot to the mystery of the story. Even the history of the now-unleashed demon is given an unexpected hitch that promises a lot of havoc for both Inanna and Nicholas in future books.

That gets me to the end of this one. Even though I finally got what I wanted as far as Nic and Chessa, it didn’t seem to go far enough. I know that had to do with their situation at that point, I just wanted more. But, of course, from the ensuing and ending scene, I know there is so much more to come and maybe I’ll see what I’m looking for between them then. It’s just frustrating not to have it now since this is their book. But the mystery, the action, the betrayal, the all-consuming sex, the unexpectedness is all still coming at you full force.

So although I had a couple of small disappointments, I still love the world Ms. Devlin has created and added to with the appearance of Alex. We definitely have some engrossing times ahead of us with each new book.

Grade: B+

From the back cover:

     For eight hundred years Nicolas Montfaucon has dedicated his life to preventing the rebirth of an immortal evil. But now a terrible storm has assaulted unsuspecting New Orleans—and the beast walks the earth once more. “The Devourer” has been awakened, and there is only one in the besieged city who can help Nicolas defeat the foul creature—a mysterious and beautiful enigma who haunts the handsome Revenant’s erotic waking dreams and enflames his passionate obsessions.

     Chessa Tomas is not an ordinary policewoman. A vampire, she works only at night, patrolling a seamy and unseen underworld of roiling chaos. Though Nicolas is sensuality incarnate, Chessa wants no part of him or his kind—but she cannot close her eyes to the unholy malevolence that would consume their world. And Nicolas has uncovered the secret lust that rules her—a steaming, uncontrollable desire he intends to unleash, bending Chessa to his will by making her most forbidden fantasies real.

     Read an excerpt.

Before Syb fires me for being the worst Contest Duckie ever (I admit it, I’m WordPress challenged, or as Syb said, I have bevnical difficulties), I wanted to send some luv out.


I hope all of you had as much fun during Valenduckie Week as we did. Our Guest Cupids and all you “honorary duckies” created sooo much fun and mayhem! HUGE THANKS to all of you for joining us– YOU made it a party for US, too. (I have to admit that enticing Phil Gigante to come play with us made me as giddy as my 5th grade self was with The Monkees.)

And kudos to our duckie wrangler, Sybil. All those techie hiccups with the new template were worth it because Valenduckie Week showed us that Syb’s vision of a magazine style site was spot-on. The mayhem and craziness were safely contained within the Events box while Reviews and Ponderings each had their own spotlights without getting lost in the Valenduckie mayhem.

If you haven’t done so yet, check our Guest Cupid posts to see if you’ve won a prize. Look to your right… see the sidebar? Click on the names to read the Valenduckie stories from our Guest Cupids. Many of them also held contests, so click on the word “Winner” next to their name to see who scored some Valenbooty.

Want to browse through all the posts? When you go back to the front page, look at the title of this section– “BUZZ, GUESTS, and EVENTS – click for index” -OR- the “Category”/ “Guest & Events” drop-down box at the bottom of the right sidebar. Click on them to scroll through everything in that category. Or look down at the bottom of this post. See the blue “tag” that says “Valenduckie”? Click that to browse only the Valenduckie posts. (BTW, those methods also work to browse our Reviews and Ponderings, too.)


You remember all those prize packs o’ books that our Valenduckie Surprise winners won? Well, I want to shower some duckie love and thanks on the people that made those prizes possible.

Our two Purple Prose Challenge winners, Sharmi and Little Lamb Lost, have picked a couple of good ones from Samhain, who gave them each a choice of any ebook download…

Berkley will be sending the winner of our Valenduckie Surprise #1, Katiebabs, the following:

Also from Berkley, the winner of Valenduckie Surprise #3, JSL, will receive…

Valenduckie Surprise #2 winner, Azteclady, will receive her books courtesy of Harper Collins (Avon, Avon Red):

Our Mission imPossible winner, Becky, will receive:
From Dorchester (mailed separately)

Courtesy of Jo Goodman, SIGNED by Jo Goodman

Courtesy of Avon Red

Courtesy of Kresley Cole, SIGNED by Kresley Cole

Courtesy of Bantam Dell

[Oh, btw, if Syb is crazy enough to keep me on as the Contest Duckie, be prepared for spontaneous outbursts of "SYB! I wanna give something away!"]

Sandy M’s review of Into the Darkness (Dark Realm, Book 1) by Delilah Devlin
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published 26 Jun 07 by Avon Red

I love my vampires, and this new series by Delilah Devlin has some of the sexiest and lustiest vampires around. I liked the different take on the age-old vampire legends in this series. There are The Born, those born as vampires, and then there are those who are turned just like we’ve always read about before. These turned vamps are chosen by The Born when there is a need for more of their kind and those chosen are willing participants. None of that willy-nilly turning against someone’s will just for the blood and gore of it. And the virgin vampire part of the story is different also.

Natalie doesn’t know she’s a vampire, and then when she accepts what she is, she has to learn to be a vampire, how to control her feeding and her sexual urges while still deal with her human emotions and vulnerabilities. The hero, Rene, is not a vampire and has no desire whatsoever on God’s green earth to become one. No how, no way. I loved his attitude! He tries so hard not to want Natalie. He knows if he keeps going back to her she will eventually bleed him dry and he doesn’t want to die, especially in that manner. That virgin bond is something else.

What I liked just as much as the main story is the story of Nicolas and Chessa, both vampires, but Chessa refuses to be pulled back into the vampire world she’s fought so hard to stay away from, while Nic is immersed in that world doing his duty to protect other vampires from those who have gone rogue and are on a killing spree. Nic is my favorite part of the book. There’s just something about him. His mysteriousness, his sarcasm, his sexiness, his pursuit of Chessa, which turns to hurt and betrayal, even though Chessa herself wants him and she won’t admit it. I’m glad to see this couple is being featured in the next book of the series, Seduced by Darkness, to be released next month. I just want more of Nic. He’s the type of vampire I long to read about.

Then, of course, there’s the vampire sex. I’ll flat out tell ya, it’s hot in this book and there’s a hell of a lot of it. When the sex scenes are written like these, they’re a pleasure to read. They’re consistent with the characters. Natalie is new at being a vampire and new at sex, so things don’t always go well for her. Nic and Chessa are old hands at the vampire thing and having Chessa deny any feeling toward Nic makes their scenes all the more dynamic. Everything flowed naturally throughout the book and I never felt the sex overshadowed or drowned out any of the story or any of the characters.

Grade: A-

From the back cover:

Natalie Lambert’s life has changed in the space of weeks–and she has no idea why. Her parents were murdered, she has her first taste of sexual desire–and she feels out of control, afraid, desperate to understand her changing world. She flees to New Orleans, hoping to lure the murderer out of the dark and bring to an end the trail of dead loved ones. Instead, she’s attacked by crazed birds, swarmed by locusts, and saved by a Cajun cop who awakens all her latent desires.

When Rene Broussard rescues a virgin vampire, he ends up in her bed and becomes hers for life in one lusty bite. Rene awakens the vampire within Natalie, and she awakes the passion within him. Together, they fight the evil threatening to destroy The Born vampires amidst the horror of Hurricane Katrina while they discover a treasure of love they can share for all eternity.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Seduced by Darkness (Dark Realm, Book 2), coming from Avon, 26 Feb 08

Gwen’s review of Heat of the Night (Dream Guardians, Book 2) by Sylvia Day
Contemporary paranormal romance trade paperback published 8 Jan 08 by Avon Red

I am a big Sylvia Day fangirl. I think her sensual scenes are among the best written. Her books are all about the romance. There are, of course, plots and story arcs, secondary characters, but she never takes her eye off the ball – the romance. This book is no exception. We learn more about the Dream Guardians world and their rebellion in this book. There are several moving parts to the story and things become very complicated by the end. Nevertheless, we get an HEA.

The hero is Connor – bad boy, warrior, sex god. The heroine is Stacey – single mom, student, disappointed woman. The two of them come together and sparks fly immediately. It’s a very fun relationship, if a bit suddenly developing. I enjoyed their byplay and their lovin’. The secondary characters were there to move the plot along and didn’t distract from the main romance. The bad guys are really bad, and a villain evolves in this book who is scary in how close to home he/she is.

What I didn’t like was how rushed the story seemed. This book felt short. I would have liked to see more development of the relationship between these two people that we did. Their relationship evolved – no soul-mating to be had (thank goodness) – but it seemed too fast. It was still a good book, regardless. I just wanted more.

This is an interesting series so far and is evolving to become something complex and satisfying. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Sylvia Day’s writing and of the series. It could standalone, though there may be some confusion about what/where/why.

Grade: B

Blurb: He is a vision from every woman’s erotic fantasies. Existing in the twilight beneath sleep and consciousness, Connor brings them decadent pleasures, fueled by their sexual energy. But violence and strife now tear apart both worlds, and Connor must embark upon a quest into the mortal realm . . . and into the arms of one intoxicating enchantress.

Stacey Daniels has always been attracted to the wrong type of men—and the muscular, Viking-like champion on her front doorstep is no exception. She can hardly believe the wounded warrior is from another world, a world where erotic dreams are needed to survive, a world of terrible danger that has followed him to her home. Connor finds solace in her passion, but only time will tell if he can defeat the dark foe who hunts them . . . and if Stacey can surrender to the promise he offers with every electrifying touch.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Read my review of Book 1 here.

Lawson’s review of A Red Hot New Year by Cynthia Eden, Diana Mercury, Virginia Reede, and Denise Rossetti
Erotic romance anthology released by Avon Red November 27, 2007

New Year’s Bites by Cynthia Eden

Sybil has be wishing for more werewolf stories, and for very good reason. Though not a full werewolf sort of plot, the wolfies play an essential role. Anna is controlled, but has a passion that’s unleashed through her new wild side, which is good to see. And meeting her stroke for stroke (pant, pant) Jon is right for her. Their chemistry works well but the plotting and easy to spot villain could’ve used more organization.

Grade: B

Anna has always been the good girl, until a mysterious and powerful encounter with a wolf brings out her wild side! Now she’s unleashing her long-repressed desires on the sexy stranger who comes to her rescue . . . in Cynthia Eden’s New Year’s Bites.
(excerpt)

Night Resolutions by Diana Mercury

This one started off ok. There was some decent chemistry between Chantal and Jake, who she wanted. But something comes out of left field that just ruins everything. The story seemed slapped together in a quick sort of way and no organized plot or direction showed itself, and I was not a fan of the full of himself, ass of a “host” at the part being so cocky (with a monstrous member no less) and doing everything in his power to seduce and basically rape a obviously unwilling woman.

Grade: D
(excerpt)

Seducing her lover at a lavish party seems like the perfect way for Chantal to rekindle their lost passion. But the tables are turned when she finds herself the target of an even more intoxicating man’s desire . . . in Diana Mercury’s Night Resolutions.

Snow Blind by Virginia Reede

I loved this story for the fact that the two lovers have been best friends for years. There’s a foundation there and when they succumb to their unacknowledged desires in a hot tub in Colorado. . .oh boy. It was steamy (in more ways than one) as well as very sweet. Then there’s a bear skin rug, more time in the hot tub, and even kicking out those people they were with that were wrong for each other and starting a new year with your best friend in a new way. . . Makes for a great chemistry driven (with a great friendship based) romance.

Grade: A-

During a weekend getaway at a cozy mountain cabin, two couples decide the long winter nights lend themselves to exciting sensual exploration. But no one expects their red-hot sessions will turn good friends into lovers for life . . . in Virginia Reede’s Snow Blind.

Coming on Strong by Denise Rosetti
Gina is a dragon, only she doesn’t know it. She’s in one of her yearly “hot” periods and when Sam comes along and handles what she can dish out, Gina is one happy girl. Though they have some good chemistry, when Sam finds out the truth about Gina, he takes it bad, then overly well. If the story was longer it would have worked, but being so short makes it hard to swallow.

Grade: C+
(excerpt)

Gina is your average female who just happens to become a bit of a . . . dragon when she’s turned on! Good thing she’s found the kind of savagely sexy man who can bring out the beast in her . . . in Denise Rossetti’s Coming on Strong.

Overall a fun, quick and steamy read and one I wasn’t expecting. I don’t read a lot of erotica, Syb gave this to me to try and I’m glad I did, especially for Snow Blind.

Overall Grade: B-

This New Year’s Eve, turn up the heat . . .

At the stroke of midnight a new year begins a time for passionate resolutions and brand-new pleasures; a time to let go of past restraints and embrace new sensual boundaries. Four masterful writers offer a quartet of boldly erotic tales guaranteed to heat up those winter nights.

Sandy M’s review of Magic & Mayhem by Cathryn Fox and Sylvia Day
Contemporary paranormal anthology eBook published 24 Jul 07 by Avon

Halloween has never sounded like so much fun. I think every woman would wish it was this easy to dream up the perfect lover! These two stories give us a look into what it would be like to have the power to conjure up your dream man and then, on the reverse side, to conjure him without knowing you’ve done so.

Magic by Cathryn Fox

Brianna James has special powers that not even her best friend knows about. Her powers are to be used for the betterment of mankind and not personal gain. Remembering the legendary Xander, who was banished by the Council when he had used his power for himself and roams the earth as a cat as punishment, Brianna has no desire to have such a life, so she is careful when and when she uses her magic.

Brianna makes up her mind up to start conjuring and writes her incantation down, asking for the man of her desires. As long as she doesn’t complete the spell by sprinkling cat’s claw over it, things will be fine. But when Max, her pet cat, inadvertently knocks her vial of cat’s claw over and it dusts the paper spell, she then notices a man leave the store, wondering why she hadn’t seen him come inside beforehand.

Little does she know her incantation describes Xander to a perfection. Tonight he will definitely give her everything and, hopefully in the process, the spell on him will be broken forever.

Mayhem by Sylvia Day

Abby is watching the “Most Eligible Bachelor” from her balcony once again, the man behind the housing development where she bought her new home after relocating from California to Massachusetts and where he could have had any house he wanted, but he ends up next to her.

He arrives early for her Halloween party and they get to know one another a little better before guests begin arriving. But it’s not until much later that Shane accosts Abby and wickedly asks for her to tell his fortune. Using the wording from a flyer she must have gotten from the magic shop where she bought her costume, things suddenly become very heated quite quickly and Abby’s desire for the man of her dreams is dangerously close to being sated.

Being in an anthology, both of these are short stories, so things have to move quickly, but both Fox and Day do a great job of weaving the storyline and characters together in a unique way. They alternate between Magic and Mayhem throughout the book to give the story a time line and introduce all the players. The characters are fun, the magic adds a mystical quality, and Halloween ends up being a night to remember for all who reach out and take what they want.

Grade: B

An innovative ebook featuring two intertwined stories:

Magic by Cathryn Fox

When good witch Brianna James writes a sexy, forbidden love spell on her thirty first birthday, on the thirty first day of October during a full moon and conjures up one roguish, bad boy warlock, she has no idea that by using her magic, she’ll experience a passion so deep and so intense it would forever turn her good girl days into bad girl nights.

But…when that spell lands in the wrong hands…be prepared for a little Mayhem…

Read an excerpt.

Mayhem by Sylvia Day

When Abigail Garvey steps into Conjure, the local magic shop, all she’s looking for are a few props to round out her fortune teller Halloween costume. Abby isn’t looking for a love spell that turns her drop-dead gorgeous, but long-oblivious neighbor into an aggressive alpha sex machine. Sure his single-minded pursuit (and follow-through!) is the stuff her wickedest fantasies are made of, but how much of it is the real deal? And how much of it is just a little magical mayhem?

Two couples. One mischievous spell. All out passion.

Falling in love has never been more fun.

Read an excerpt.

The best description of Alluring Tales can be found on the cover of the book – awaken the fantasy. Most of the stories seem to involve a fantasy of some kind. And as Avon Red is billed as Erotica you won’t find a HEA with marriage and baby here. I would argue this is erotic romance more than erotica, as each story ends with the couple together. And with hope there will be there HEA.

Lover’s Locket by Cathryn Fox
A young woman frustrated with her love life is given an antique locket, when used with a spell it will bring her true love to her. The downside is it also unleashes an evil darkness she must fight in order to keep her HEA.

Lover’s Locket has a great set-up but it was just too big a story for a novella. There is a huge back story here, one I would have like to see more than be told and there wasn’t enough time to fully develop the characters or their motivation. So I was left wondering too many things and couldn’t just enjoy the story. Why did the family keep this painting hanging in their living rooms and not pass down a story about it. Why didn’t he spend time helping her know how to fight the darkness when it came to her instead of having sex with her? And the end was way too pat and nicely tied up. Although it kicks ass the heroine was the one who had to save the day.
Grade C-

Kili’s Ice Man by Delilah Devlin
Kili has had it with smart men. She wants a pretty boy toy with more between his legs than ears. In effort to calm down before her presentation in front of her newest fantasy man, she goes for a lunch time virtual fantasy snack. Unfortunately Gunnar “Ice Man” Rydeman’s hears her ‘all jock and no brains’ speech and next thing you know lunch gets a whole lot spicer.

This was better than I expected because I rarely do the funny stuff and I enjoy Delilah’s ‘darker’ stories. The whole caveman can’t talk thing almost got old but I have to say it was creative as hell. I would have rated this higher but the idea the smart, strong, professional woman couldn’t hold it together when meeting a cute guy, even when he is THE cute guy, set my feminist bells ringing and I never got over it.
Grade C+

Hottest One Night Stand by Lisa Renee Jones
Jessica Montgomery is heading down to Brownsville Texas for a family birthday party. Along the way a storm, car trouble and the old no room in the inn leads to one amazing night with a stranger. Only for as big as Texas is, sometimes it is still a small world and it helps to have connections.

I really liked this story. Part of it is due to the fact it is less fantastic and easier for me to believe and the other is it fits well into a novella. I would have enjoyed the story if it was longer but I didn’t feel there was anything I NEEDED to know. We learn a lot about the characters in small ways and that leaves the reader with a better feeling they will get their HEA. The biggest issue I had was his repeated use of Spanish endearments. Yes I am sure many a man does it but damn it is annoying.
Grade B+

Out of the Shadows by Myla Jackson
TJ Evans has just finished a night at work. He is on a special Houston Police Unit set up to hunt and kill vampires. There is a hurricane coming and his wanna be girlfriend slash neighbor hasn’t spoken to him since the two of them spent the night getting hot and sweaty. And the night only gets better when he learns Cassidy was attacked and he now has a whole new reason to be chasing her.

I liked the fact it was the girl who was fighting her lust for blood and the one being chased instead of the other way around. TJ was a good guy, which is always nice to see in a romance. And hey was set in Texas. But really there isn’t enough story here and I found it flat. When I hit the last word of the story I wasn’t really interested in finding out what was next.
Grade C-

A Familiar Kind of Magic by Sylvia Day
As an unattached Familiar, Victoria is something of an oddity and one the High Council wants to deal with by assigning her a new warlock. Enter Hunter Max Westin, who is sent to tame and collar the kitty. Once he has her on a leash, he decides to keep her. Now the trick is getting her to see it the same way.

The story was good in a Catwomanish sort of way. And there wasn’t a vampire to be found! But I could have so done without the BDSM stuff. Just running on overkill right now with it. But the grade dropped a good grade level or three because it doesn’t end. I hate a cliffhanger and make it one I wasn’t expecting and have no clue when and if the next part is coming, I get way cranky.
Grade D

Quick Silver by Viva Anna
A good messenger is contacted from an unknown to deliver a package to Las Vegas for an ungodly sum of money. Only to find out the ‘package’ was a person, and not just any person but a whore. Now they are on the run and hiding out from one of the most powerful people you can find, well if the year is 2080 and you are in the New States of America.

Typical futurist story or it is until you make the messenger a woman. The whore a man. The powerful person they are running from is the first lady. And… I could go on. The heroine was awesome and completely kicked ass without losing her femininity. She could have weakness without being weak and completely owned her sexuality. So why the low grade you ask? It is a cliffhanger!!! I upped the grade when I read the deal and saw there will be an Alluring Tales II and III. But I am still only ASSUMING that will continue the story. I mean it has to… right? It is one thing to leave the relationship up in the air but even erotica has to close the plot.
Grade C+

Tempting Grace by Sasha White
Grace Walters is just about living her dream life. Her home, job and place in her community mean the world to her because as a former bad girl, runaway, stripper she never thought she would be in the position she is now. Life is nice and stable or at least it would be if it wasn’t for Lucas Martin. An emotional crisis is just the thing to make her crack and take Lucas up on his repeated offers. Only now what does she do when the much younger preachers kid wants more than just one night?

It prolly says all sorts of really bad things about me but I rushed and read this story first. I love the tale of the kid who was going to make nothing of herself coming out on top and it seems I have a Thornbird Complex. Lucas was great. He normal and not made out to be holier than thou. My biggest issue was the story was too damn short.
Grade A

Overall this is a really good anthology with something for everyone, well except historical fans, so make that just about everyone. I think the book would have benefited from the stories being in a different order but who knows. Let me know if you pick it up or if you have read it. I would love to hear what you think.

I have to admit I adore Sasha White.

I almost always like her writing and some of her books I love but the author herself is one of the nicest people.

I started to do this intro about an hour and a half ago. But once I hit her site I got lost reading it.

She has written tons of books. And has quite a few coming out this year. Sasha has written for more publishers than I think I could list but the ones that quickly come to mind are Avon Red, Berkley, Samhain, Aphrodisia and Liquid Silver Books.

Something you won’t always find in writers or their writing is a large part of Sasha comes out through her writing.

I don’t mean they mirror her life but often I find they mirror her attitude. Sasha is very open. She is extremely sexually positive something I find matters to my feminist self. But most of all I would say there is a respect about her for other people that shines through her stories.

I think it is very likely I am not making myself very clear but if you have been here before you should be use to that and if you haven’t been, well you have more than a few books by Sasha to try out. Sasha says she write erotic and that they always have a happy ending and she writes romance and those do have a happy ever after. Sadly I don’t think there are any historicals.

I will be putting up some guest post penned Sasha White, some excerpts, a Q&A, a contest and she will be popping in some. I think. LOL if not she will be by later I am sure.

We have a week of Alluring guests and they sort of all know each other. Do feel free to comment on any authors post on any day. New posts should go up each day around 10am to noon. I hope you find a book to love, a new author to try or maybe even pull off a book off the TBR mountain. If nothing else we should have a good time.

Pleasures of the Night by Sylvia Day

Aidan Cross is a Dream Guardian. In the Twilight between sleep and wakefulness, a battle ensues between his kind and the Nightmares, with the victor reaping the benefits of the energy created in slumber. Guardians recharge with various skills, Nightmares drain while thriving on distress.To keep the portal locked between reality and dreams is a calling that rules Aidan’s life, until he’s assigned to protect Lyssa Bates. Unlike the other women whose dreams he’s calmed with deeply erotic seduction, Lyssa recognizes him and his purpose. She welcomes him to her bed as he is, without the disguise of her fantasies, and offers him the first true solace he’s known in a lifetime of fighting. Her ability is a gift. And a curse.

Because of her rare cognizance, she is said to be The Key they have all been searching for. The Key serves a terrible purpose to open the Gateway and allow Nightmares in unlimited numbers to travel through the Twilight. From there, they have access to the mortal plane through the individuals whose dreams they control.

So Aidan leaves the Twilight to protect her from both his own people and the enemies who need Lyssa to open the door to them. Stripped of the endless possibilities of dreams, they have only their will to live with which to conquer her destiny and grasp the elusive promise of love.

There is a companion site for the series. It’s a work in progress and is presently undergoing a full-site redesign, so by November visitors will find a whole new site and lots more content — deleted scenes, sneak peaks at future installments of the series, games, etc.

But there’s an excerpt up now!

And a little mini-trailer. (It’s just something I whipped together myself while Circle of Seven works on the “official” trailer. *g*)

From Leda Swann:

And then THE PRICE OF DESIRE, a full-length novel, comes out with Avon Red in February next year. Again it’s Victorian set, this time in the world of the workhouse.

Excerpt!

Caroline Clemens pasted a smile on her face as she gazed belligerently over the assembled company.Her insides cramped with fear, but she did not let any sign of her discomfort show on her face. Any sign of weakness, and the pack would race in for the kill. They did not deserve the satisfaction of watching her crumble. She would outface all the malicious gossip from those old spinsters who had always envied her and all the false condolences from pretend friends who had come to crow over her misfortune.

Heaven help her, but tonight she could even bear the unfeigned sympathy of the handful of people who genuinely loved her.

She cast her eyes over the sea of color in front of her, looking for the red and gold jacket of Captain Bellamy. He, at least, loved her well. The small matter of her family’s bankruptcy would not matter to him a whit. Only last week, when the rumors of her family’s financial troubles were starting to make the rounds, he had sworn to her that he would love her even if she were a pauper.

The Captain’s earnestness had made her smile at the time, but she clung wistfully to the memory now. Last week she had known only that she could not afford the new pair of kid gloves she needed, even though her old ones were worn and stained. Tonight she knew the whole nasty truth. Her entire family was ruined. Utterly and irretrievably ruined.

At the end of the month, their house in Mayfair and all their household effects would go under the hammer. Her father’s untimely death had made absolutely sure that nothing would be left for them to live on. Nothing.

Were it not for her impending marriage to Captain Bellamy, she and her all younger brothers and sister would be facing the workhouse. She shuddered. There was no point in dwelling on the horrors of the workhouse – the rough clothes, the hard labor, the poor food that scarcely kept body and soul together, and the disease that carried you off in the end if starvation and exhaustion didn’t claim you first. The Captain would save her from that. He would save all of them.

As she scanned the crowd looking for her savior, her gaze was arrested by that of another man. He was a stranger to her, which in itself was enough to catch her attention. Few strangers successfully braved the close-knit society of London merchant bankers to which her family belonged. Though they took carefully calculated risks in their business dealings, when it came to making acquaintances for their wives and daughters they eliminated any chance of risk. Only the most impeccably respectable personages were ever allowed to visit or to mingle with them in their infrequent evening soirees.

Caroline allowed herself a wry smile. Those same impeccable personages were now watching avidly from the sidelines, salivating at the thought of ripping her to shreds.

The stranger caught her smile and evidently thought it was meant for him. He raised his eyebrows at her in a friendly, if somewhat surprised, acknowledgment and returned her smile with one of his own.

Caroline caught her breath at the sight. His smile transformed his face from that of an eminently respectable personage into an enticement to sin. Devilry danced in his eyes, promising delights that she had never dreamed of. His face, tanned a deep brown by the sun, no longer looked weather-beaten and oddly out of place in an English autumn, but somehow full of dangerously alluring mystery.

He stepped forward as if he would claim the right to make her acquaintance. Though his figure was stolidly dressed in a dark suit similar to those worn by nearly every other man in the room, underneath the drab clothes he moved sinuously, gracefully, with the barely controlled energy of a panther. He radiated an energy too powerful to stop, wrapped in a gorgeous pelt that begged to be touched despite the obvious danger.

What caught her most about him, though, were his eyes. They hypnotized her, she could not look away. With deliberate focus he held her gaze with his, not allowing her any chance to move away as he came towards her.