Nikki’s Review of Erotic Research by Mari Carr
Contemporary erotic romance released by Samhain 18 Mar 08

This book is SO good! I was drawn by the warning (yes, I’m bad) but I’m so glad I read this story. This is not just a read-and-forget erotica title. This book has some depth as well as mucho heat.

Julia Martin has had a hard life. She lost both parents early on and is very afraid of loving, just to lose. She has basically been a recluse all her adult life, writing books and keeping to herself. Her best friend is her editor. He’s her secret fantasy, as well.

I love her character. She has the insecurity without seeming like she is wallowing in self pity. She is a successful author, so she has confidence in some areas. She just doesn’t carry that into her relationships.

Ross is terriffic. He’s known Julia for a very long time. He loves her because of who she is. He’s not just hot for her. He adores her. He’s not a soggy sap, though. He’s just right.

When the games begin, the story steams. There are various fantasies played out and they never feel shallow. Ross and Julia are immersed in the sensuality of their play. Ross is dominant and Julia enjoys being overwhelmed. This doesn’t have a D/s feel, though.  And the sex doesn’t completely take over the story. Ross and Julia’s characters are strong and the love rings true. Their games are just sex play and don’t spill over into their other interaction. He respects her and he is vulnerable to her.

I want everyone to read this story. Half of what I’d like to praise would be spoiler, so I’ll just hope I’ve won you over. The climax made me bawl and the end made me smile. I’ll definitely be looking for more from Mari Carr.

Grade: A

     It was just a little innocent research…

     Romance writer Julia Martin is fine with her life, just the way it is. Her simple apartment, successful career and Thursday-night pizza dates with her too-hot-for-words editor Ross are more than enough for her. At least, that’s what she thinks until her cat dies.

     Ross Philips has spent years lusting after his shy best friend, but fears his rather strong sexual desires will be too much for Julia. When she falls into a depression over the death of her cat and stops writing, Ross decides she needs a change.

     His suggestion? Try a new genre—erotica. And, of course, being such a good friend and editor, he even plans to help her do a little research.

     Read an excerpt.

Nikki’s review of Laila’s Bargain by Reese Gabriel (no author site found)
Erotic romance ebook released by Ellora’s Cave on 22 Feb, 08

I’ve been auto-buying Reese Gabriel for quite a while, now. He’s actually hit and miss, for me, but he’s locked in as worth the risk. Laila’s Bargain is very different from the other titles of his that I’ve read before, though.

Reese Gabriel is all over the map within the BDSM genre. He does everything from the romantic couple in love who like a little spanking here and there to the love slave who actually craves abuse. While the latter isn’t romantic to me, it is the fantasy that a lot of people are looking to replicate with their sex play, so I “get it.” This author understands, which is why I’ll keep coming back even when his stories don’t always hit the mark for me.

Laila’s Bargain is something very different. The setting is an island with a small enough population that everyone knows everyone’s business. There are some rough characters and some who just posture. The island is a character itself. The story couldn’t have played out the same way anywhere else.

The hero, Matthew, is a private investigator. The heroine, Laila, has a past with him. She met him and had a hot affair with him and fell in love. He can’t bring himself to admit emotions like love and so she left. Ok, good basic set up for a romance.

Matthew is domineering, which is what we want here, so that’s good. But Laila is not compelling to me at all. I don’t see her as nearly as smart as Matthew keeps saying she is. Unless this is a comedy. But if it is it falls short because I didn’t “get” that. If it is serious, she is just not smart enough for me to like. But Matthew obviously does.

So, this isn’t funny enough to be comedy, for me… I’ll say it’s serious erotic romance with light bondage (what it says in the description). There is very little bondage, even for “light” bondage.  He tells her to do some things but it never feels like she’s submitting… more like she just wants to do it.

Basically, read this one if you want to have all of Gabriel’s books or if you want a cute, sweet kind of fun story with some toys for garnish. Don’t go into it looking for erotic w/light bondage. It just isn’t that erotic. Personally, I would buy it because I have to have all his stuff.

Grade: D

Book summary:

     Laila Prescott couldn’t get away from Paradise Island fast enough after breaking up with sexy PI Matthew Hardin two years ago. Now her brother is missing and Laila is back on Matthew’s doorstep, desperately seeking his help.

     Matthew never did get over the feisty redhead, so he agrees to take the case, but on his own terms. Laila will pay cash, meet all expenses…and give him unfettered access to her voluptuous body.

     Is Matthew up to his old tricks or is he a changed man looking to tie himself to Laila for good? Laila’s body tells her to surrender to Matthew’s hard loving but experience tells her that she must resist with all her might.

     Read an excerpt.

Nikki’s review of Extreme Danger by Shannon McKenna
Contemporary, erotic romantic suspense released by Brava 1 Feb 08

This book was listed as “The McCloud Brothers, Book 5″ when it was sent to me. It’s plainly in the same series but the hero isn’t a McCloud Brother. He’s the ex-fed friend of the family and he’s definitely worthy.

Becca has had a really hard life and the last couple of days have just topped it all off. She just can’t take any more. She’s been accused of being boring by her ex-fiancé and she’s decided to be more adventurous. Starting with a skinny-dip in a neighbor’s pool. She gets more adventure than she bargained for.

Nick is tormented by past mistakes. He’s hit bottom and only lives to make right what he can. He gets his chance, finally, to bring down the evil mob boss who stole his friend’s daughter and killed his friend. He doesn’t even have a hope of finding the girl alive but he might gain news that will give her mother closure. Nick is beyond moody. His cold shoulder treatment would have sent me running. But Becca draws him back to her, time and again, with her sweetness. He can’t stay away from her and she can’t bring herself to toss him out. He’s not good for her and she knows it. but with her, he starts to change.

I didn’t actually like this book as much as the last one. There were way more sex scenes than were supported by the relationship development. I know this won’t be a problem for a lot of you but I found myself hoping they would hurry up a time or two.

My opinion could also be partly because the plot in Extreme wasn’t quite as strong as the last book. It was good but not great. Nick is jumping through hoops to get to Mr. Bad Guy because he’s so hard to trace. It is said that there weren’t even decent pictures of him, but later they have been watching his townhouse. Huh? They know where he has a place and are keeping it under surveillance? And they see someone who goes there because they are watching the place but they never see the Boss guy or his goons go in or out? Or a certain someone else whose very existence is later questioned (vague to avoid a spoiler)?

Still, the book is enjoyable. I would recommend it to anyone who likes McKenna’s books and to people who are looking for hot romantic suspense and don’t mind a few light plot holes. There are cool spy gadgets and edge-of-your-seat just-in-time rescues. Nick and Becca go through a lot and I believed their HEA.

Grade: C+

From the back cover:

Nobody’s home at the millionaire’s estate on remote Frakes Island. And nobody seems to be watching. Becca Cantrell dives in for an illicit midnight skinnydip–and gets hauled out by a towering, hard-muscled guy with burning dark eyes. He seems to be in charge. Good. The man is the embodiment of her most intense fantasies. And she’s up for risky thrills…

Nick Ward can’t tell her that he’s spying on a vicious Russian crime boss. Becca could be his worst enemy: an assassin sent to kill him, a call girl sent to distract him, or the worst scenario of all–a clueless innocent. Anyway he looks at it, she’s trouble: beautiful, bare, dripping-wet trouble. The kind he can’t resist.

She’s not scared. After one taste of his hot mouth, Becca soon discovers just how fearless she can be. She’ll need it, too–because things are about to explode on Frakes Island, launching Becca and Nick into danger they could never have imagined–and a passion that could destroy them both.

Read an excerpt.

Nikki’s review Edge of Midnight (The McCloud Brothers, Book 4) by Shannon McKenna
Erotic romantic suspense released by Brava 1 Aug 07

Sean McCloud has a little trouble playing well with others. He hasn’t really had much in the way of an example, though. His father was not the most social guy, he lost his mother early on, and his brothers are as messed up as he is. The brothers who are left, that is. His twin was killed 15 years ago. So, Sean doesn’t do relationships anymore. He doesn’t even do coffee the morning after. Though, at one time he thought he would…

Olivia Endicott braved the bad boy, once. Their love was intense and, she thought, forever. But he sent her away 15 years ago, disillusioned and brokenhearted. Even with professional therapy she never got over him. Now he’s back in her life and she has to decide if it’s some kind of sick joke to him or what.

A word to those who haven’t read Shannon McKenna: her heroes are of the extreme alpha-male variety. Sean and Liv have a history and he knows how she likes to play it, so I could allow his behavior. I believed he would stop if she ever seemed to really want him to. She knew it, too, and thinks exactly this to herself at one point. Still, if the hard, rough type of male appreciation turns you off, skip these books. Think, ‘cave man.’ I loved it.

This book can be summed up with the word “intense”. Sean’s personality is intense. Liv’s situation quickly demands intense decisions. The bad guy’s plot is intense. The secondary characters even have an intensity about them. And the sex is, without a doubt, very intense.

These books are erotic romantic suspense but if you usually love romantic suspense and don’t read erotica, you still might enjoy these. There is more sex than most 17 year olds could manage but there aren’t any of the “kinky” scenes that are associated with erotica. The plot, characters, and dialogue are good.

Actually, the dialogue is better than good. McKenna brings an edginess to her dialogue that keeps me enthralled. Here’s an example:

He didn’t answer. She felt the heat of his face, pressing hard against her shoulder. “I remember it,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” She shoved his knees apart to free herself, and kept her back to him while she adjusted her robe, and her face. “You must have a split personality. There’s the sweet, cuddly Sean, and there’s the cruel, horrible Sean. Is it fun to wind women up and then watch them flap around when you dump them? Do you secretly hate women?”

I love that! I got a picture in my mind of one of those cheap wind-up toys rattling in pitiful, helpless circles on the floor. The choice of wording brought extra imagery and emotion to the thought.

Okay, for realism look elsewhere. Read this book with a healthy dose of suspension-of-disbelief. The kind we needed to accept that CTU would ever hire Kim Bauer (TV series 24). Yes, all these big, tough, hot guys with such a troubled past have done really well for themselves. If reality were so much fun we wouldn’t be reading the books, would we?

Grade: B+

From the back cover:

     Shannon McKenna creates characters readers never forget–and in her latest novel, Sean McCloud must protect the woman he has never stopped loving: Liv Endicott. Years ago, Sean had to send Liv Endicott away to save her life. Now he has to keep her closer, very close–for the same reason . . .

     THE BREAKING POINT

     On the very day an arsonist burns down Liv’s bookstore in a small town in the Washington mountains, she finds fate has another shock in store for her. Amid the smoke, rubble and tears, Sean McCloud appears, calling her name. He’s every inch the man he always was–the man she kept on wanting. But wanting is not the same as trusting, and she doesn’t dare let him get too close. Yet a ruthless killer is gunning for Liv, and she’ll die unless they join forces to unearth a chilling truth–and come together in a blaze of searing passion . . .

     Read an excerpt.

Read Gwen’s review here.

Other books in this series:

Nikki’s review of Brazen by Maya Banks
Erotic romance ebook released 4 Sep 07, print release 29 Jul 08 by Samhain

I just love, love, love ménage stories. They are my weakness. They are the ones I finish even if they are bad. They are the ones that have me reaching for Buzzy, my B.O.B. Having read and enjoyed Bad Girl, I was thrilled to find a ménage story by Maya Banks.

Brazen is a different kind of ménage story. Most take the easy way out. Two guys are trying to get a girl to join, a girl finds a bi-couple and tries to join, etc. Brazen comes from the direction of a young lady trying to convince two straight men to share her. Ok, it’s loosened up a bit by the fact that the guys have shared women before but they weren’t relationships, just sex. This time they are facing the idea of sharing a wife.

The younger brother, Zane has been the most easy-going brother. For six years Jaz has been coming to him at night if she needed comfort. He let her snuggle in bed with him and it wasn’t sexual. He’s closer to her age and so it is more of a shock for him, when she comes home from a year away, to find himself getting hard for her. He tries to fight it, hide it, not realizing it’s exactly what she wants.

For older brother, Seth, it isn’t a new thing. He’s the more controlled, more conservative brother. And he’s wanted Jaz for years but hasn’t acted on his desire because she’d been through enough. She needed a place she could feel safe. A home. He doesn’t know she wants to change the dynamics of that home quite so radically.

Jasmine’s character is a good example of a young woman just coming into her own. She’s inexperienced and makes some judgment errors but nothing extreme. It was definitely in her character, not bad writing. She has determination and a lot of heart. She shocks them right away with in-your-face sexy dress and behavior that they can’t ignore. The fact that they both love her, already, definitely gives her an edge.

I love Maya Banks’ writing. I’m thankful every time I find an author who’s easy to read. There are just times in life when I need to sit down and enjoy a book without having to work at “getting into it”. You know that reading zone where you don’t see the words on the page anymore, you’re just in there? I get there with Maya’s writing from about the first page.

As for the erotic side, this book builds well. It is a romance and doesn’t just toss in sex where it doesn’t fit. Thank you. Nothing is, to me, as unsexy as sex that doesn’t fit.

Butt, on the topic of sex that doesn’t fit… The first dual-penetration scene was my only real problem. I don’t know if it was deliberately glossed over for more sensitive readers (though a ménage book probably assumes anal sex in most minds) or if it was unintentional. Jaz hasn’t done this before and it just wouldn’t be that quick and easy. Anal sex allows for some very tender, trust building interaction precisely because it takes so long to prepare for. The guys wouldn’t hurt her for the world, and anal sex shouldn’t hurt, but the way it was written would hurt. A lot. But maybe Banks just didn’t want to go into it for some reason. This was the only area I felt a little cheated.

Overall Brazen was a treat. Highly recommended.

Grade: B+

     One woman’s campaign to win the hearts of the two men she loves. Jasmine left the Sweetwater Ranch and the Morgan brothers, no longer able to bear the painful dilemma of loving them both. After a year away, in which she gains new perspective, she returns home with one goal. To make Seth and Zane Morgan hers. Jaz may have left an innocent girl, but she’s returned a beautiful, sensual woman. Seth and Zane aren’t prepared for the full on assault she launches and each battle an attraction they’ve fought for years.
     She wants them both, but Seth has no intention of sharing his woman. Its up to her to change his mind because she can’t and won’t choose between two men she loves with equal passion. For her, its all or nothing.

     Read an excerpt and an  excerpt (it’s a hot one).

Nikki’s review of She Did a Bad, Bad Thing by Stephanie Bond
Contemporary romance published 1 Jul 07 by Harlequin Blaze

Jane is a professional in the area of make-up and dress but she doesn’t use her skills on herself. She considers herself plain and feels like she’s making a fool of herself if she tries to pretend otherwise. She dresses so as to not draw attention to herself and focuses on making others beautiful.

Then the condo next door is bought by the very handsome Perry. His ultra-sexy self is hard enough to deal with. Add in his ultra-sexy “friend”, obviously “with benefits”… benefits she has to listen to twice through the wall… who parked in her spot and Jane has had enough. Even a Plain Jane should be able to go home after work and watch her favorite TV show. But after confronting this pair of beautiful people she overhears some nasty comments they make and is devastated.

Have you ever stuck your foot in your mouth? Ever said something mean about someone and then found out they heard? Perry was angry and a little drunk that night but when he found out he’d hurt Jane he was sick over it. He decides to make it up to her, somehow, but she doesn’t want anything to do with him.

If you’ve read Stephanie Bond you already know this author puts you in the people’s lives. I felt how Jane just wanted to get home and watch her show and forget everything. How she felt a little giddy when it was about to start. She was real to me just a few pages in.

I felt so bad for Perry, too. Most all of us have been there. Yeah, he asked for it but he felt so bad. I felt like he redeemed himself nicely. He did seem to change his mind about her looks a bit too radically and quickly but I could let that go.

The end seemed rushed. There isn’t a plain resolution to the problem that has come up with the old friend. Even though I could assume how it would go, it would have been nice to have a few more pages telling about it. Aside from that this book is just fun and sexy. Stephanie Bond writes just what I want in a Blaze.

Grade: B+

     What would you do if you hit the jackpot?

     Just once, mild-mannered Jane Kurtz wished she had the nerve to go for what she wants. And she really wants her neighbor, bad boy Perry Brewer. But he’s totally out of her league…until she wins the lottery and decides, once and for all, to change her life. So she heads out to Vegas for the ultimate bad-girl makeover! Poor sexy Perry won’t know what hit him!

     The woman’s driving him crazy! Perry’s been trying to get Jane’s attention for days, with no luck. Now she’s all alone in Vegas and, well somebody’s got to look after her. What’s a decent guy to do? But after he sees Jane in all her new naughtiness, there’s no way he’s going to be able to stop at just looking…

     Read an Excerpt

These are reviews of five short, erotic titles from various publishers, in various flavors. They are a bit too short to review on their own without the review being almost as long as the story, so I have put together five “Lightning Reviews.” 

Read on if you’re wearing rubber soled shoes…

The Good Lawyer by Rachel Carrington
Contemporary erotic romance released 2006 by Whispers Publishing 

This is a super-short story. The fantasy is sexy and the emotion is anchored by a plot twist that I loved. Recommended for a quick erotica fix.

Grade: B+

From the back cover:

     When Deidre Manning’s days get long, she allows herself to escape into wild fantasies. Locked inside the sanctuary of her office, she enjoys more than just the satisfaction of the moment, especially once a visitor makes it a party for two.

     Read an excerpt.

Mr. Fix It by Donelle Carroll (author doesn’t appear to have her own site and this looks like her only title)
Contemporary erotic romance released Oct 06 by Wild Rose Press

Also, a super-short story. Calling up the cute repair guy for a fling is a common fantasy, I’m sure. The problem is the characterization. Obviously just a sexual encounter between strangers, the author forced a level of emotion at the end that didn’t fit. But where some more sexual tension would have benefited the story, instead we get some faltering on the leading lady’s part that does nothing for the story.

Grade: D

From the back cover:

     Looking like he just fell from Hunk Heaven, Ryan stepped into the elevator. Jill shamelessly sized him up. Building Maintenance. Handy with tools. But could he fix her broken heart?

     No excerpt available.

Sweet Shoppe: Her Wicked Warrior by Melissa Schroeder
Time travel erotic romance released Mar 06 by LooseId (Title is out of print)

This one is sexy and fun. It has some unreal marathon sex but this is an erotic title, so that’s allowed. The characters are enjoyable and I wanted them to be together. Don’t expect deep relationships or plot development. It is adult fairy tale stuff but it’s good. I got some real giggles here and there as well as some “squirm in your seat” moments.

Grade: B

From the back cover:

     Librarian Paige Turner isn’t having the best of weeks. Work has been hell, her sometimes fiancé seems only to pay attention to her when he needs research help, and on top of that, she has been losing sleep thanks to some pretty erotic dreams. So, at the end of the day, one week before St. Patrick’s Day, she stops by The Sweet Shoppe for some Irish Truffles. Before falling asleep, she wishes her dream lover were real. When she wakes up in the morning, she finds out he is.

     Seamus can’t remember exactly how he ended up in Paige’s bed. One minute he is in a battle, the next he’s in bed with the woman who has been stealing into his dreams. Instinct has him seducing her before he even knows her name, but soon he is confronted with a strange new world, and the possibility that Paige just doesn’t understand he is her soulmate.

     Paige decides to keep her warrior, but soon everything goes awry. Thanks to Seamus, her life is disrupted, her career almost ruined, her fiancé has called off their wedding, and she finds herself falling in love with Seamus. But will Paige be able to accept the changes he has wrought, or will her fear of change bring disaster for both of them?

     Read an excerpt.

The Seduction of Sean Nolan by Treva Harte
Time travel erotic romance released (unknown date) by LooseId

This story has some seriously yucky parts. She notices he’s filthy and bloody and probably has lice… and he’s dying from an infected leg wound. So of course she can keep herself from going down on him? Eeewww! The plot resolution completely out of left field and unexplained. I really can’t recommend this one.

Grade: F

From the back cover:

     Wounded and near death, Sean prayed for the thing he wanted most. “Dear God, don’t let me die a virgin.”

     When Nell appeared, she didn’t look like any angel he’d ever imagined. And she sure as heck didn’t kiss like one. But she might just be the answer to his prayers.

     Read an excerpt.

Come, Sweet Creature by Tilly Greene
Contemporary erotic romance released 2005 by Whiskey Creek Press

I saved the best for last. This story is light BDSM. It may disappoint the hard-core power exchange lifestylers. However, it is a good story for those who like sex games. There’s no humiliation, but there is titillation. I liked the characters, but, really, get this one because it’s hot… then put down a towel on your chair before you read it.

Grade B+

From the back cover:

     Jena Flyno works for Tilton Spidermach, CEO of TS Properties. As PR Director she’s got her hands full cleaning up after his debauched peccadilloes. She’s heard about his playroom and she’s not about to become his latest prey.

     Spider has been watching his lovely, but oh, so prim and proper PR lady for months. Jena is elusive and unattainable, and he has just figured out a way to ensnare her. All he needs is one little sign of weakness and she’ll be caught up in his web.

     Read an excerpt.

Nikki’s review of Bad Girl by Maya Reynolds 
Contemporary erotic romance released 4 Sep 07 by NAL Trade

Sandy Davis watches out for people. As a matter of fact, she’s gotten in the habit of watching out for everyone in the building across the street from her condo… through their windows, with her telescope. She feels responsible for them, in a way. And if she happens to see some of their intimate moments and slide her hand into her panties, well, nobody knows but her. Or so she thought.

Vice officer Zeke Prada starts out just planning to scare Sandy straight without having to report her. He’s attracted to her more than he thought, though, and soon he’s going much farther than he had planned. Another thing he hadn’t planned was her getting involved with the evil bad guy he was there to watch in the first place.

Zeke is a really cool hero. He’s a good guy who’s a little on the naughty side. He makes Sandy feel sexy and he has a taste for the things she wants to do. He brings out the bad girl in her. Which is where I come to one of my problems with the book.  He can have a kinky side in his private life but I think he’s a little too easy going about the chance of getting caught with his pants down (literally). He could get in a lot more trouble than the story implies if he gets caught having sex in public. But I decided to let this slide since he is so sexy and this is erotica, after all.

My other problem is with the heroine. Sandy makes some really bad choices. The kind of choices that will bring on the rant that she’s “TSTL”. That’s kind of harsh but having the heroine make stupid decisions to further the plot felt cheap and made me mad.

But the book is just so dang sexy! And Sandy and Zeke actually had the chemistry the book claimed they had. So often the author tells us it’s there but I just never feel it. They had enough to make me believe their HEA. So, I say read it but don’t expect the suspense plot to hold up to too much scrutiny. It’s fun and hot, if a little light.

Grade: B-

From the back cover:

A sizzling new voice in erotica offers a hot debut novel of sex and suspense.

Being bad can be so good. All it takes is the right man. By day, Sandy Davis is a dedicated social worker. By night, she’s found an unlikely pastime: spying on her neighbors’ erotic encounters. She tells herself that it’s harmless, until one night she finds herself on the receiving end of such a fantasy-and an anonymous phone call from a peeping stranger who calls himself Justice, and whispers, “You’ve been a bad girl.” The arousing predicament turns into a sensual dance between the adventurous pair. But when a third player enters their sexy game, the fun turns to something darker and more dangerous.

Read an excerpt.

Nikki’s review of Sunfire (Pure Wildfire, Book 1) by Lynne Connolly
Paranormal erotic romance ebook released 18 Jan 08 by Ellora’s Cave

Aidan is a rock guitarist who is contracted with John Westfall. As their manager, Westfall gets Aidan to play on a charity album with his three daughters. The oldest daughter, Corinne, is an accomplished, talented classical guitarist. The younger twins are talent challenged pop singers. Aiden falls for Corinne immediately and hard but he has a secret. Will Corinne accept him once she knows he is not just a shapeshifter firebird but the one and only phoenix?

I was sucked into Connolly’s version of the phoenix legend. I wasn’t sure if a bird could be masculine enough for me but I shouldn’t have worried. He’s powerful and sexy in whatever form he takes. He isn’t aloof, though. He has a need for Corinne that touched my heart.
I loved Corinne, too. She’s frustrated and unfulfilled as a musician because her father has shaped her career for popular consumption. She’s lost her passion for her art but she isn’t a fool. She knows her father is just using her. She’s drawn to Aiden because he still has that love for his music. With him, she recaptures her own fire, as well.

Sunfire burns quick and hot but it isn’t fleeting. This is a full length title and the characters are solid, the plot developed. I expected the heat but I was pleasantly surprised to get laughs and tears as well.

Secondary characters are excellent. I can’t wait to get more of the band… or Ryan. Which is a good thing since he’s the hero of the next book. So, I’m holding up my cell phone hoping for a quick encore.

Grade: B+

From the backcover:

Rock meets classical. Paranormal meets mortal. Will anybody get out alive? The members of rock band Pure Wildfire are firebird shape-shifters. Manager John Westfall will sacrifice anything for the power they wield, even his daughter Corinne.

Corinne attracts Aidan in a way he’s never known before. He’ll do anything to release her from Westfall’s trap. He offers her marriage, but Aidan wants more from Corinne — he wants her heart. And he’ll give her his in return.

Classical guitarist Corinne is desperate to escape her father’s control. She loves Aidan but craves her freedom — can she trust him to give it to her? Can she trust the wild man of rock with her heart? There’s only one way to find out. Dive into the wildfire!

Publisher Note: This book was previously released under the title Wildfire. It has been expanded for publication at Ellora’s Cave.

Read an excerpt.

Nikki’s review of Renaissance by Zannie Adams
Contemporary erotic romance ebook released 21 Mar 07 by Ellora’s Cave

Cali Ross has known Kent Landon most of her life. She’s felt a connection with him that she doesn’t understand but has been smart enough not to act on her feelings. He’s rich, powerful, cold, spoiled… in short just the sort of man a woman would be wise to avoid. To her shame, she can’t seem to control herself whenever he’s around.

This story has enjoyable aspects but there are a whole lot of tedious pages in between, way too many predictable plot devices. The sexual tension is good. The characters and dialogue are terrific.

There is a maturity to the characters that comes through. They have a realistic progression to their relationship that is refreshing but, at the same time, drags the book down. Mature adults take a lot more to establish a real relationship than I really want to read about. I don’t say this often, but there needed to be some short cuts here. When I finished I was happy for the couple and happy the book was finally over.

Grade: D+

From the backcover:

Cali Ross gave up a successful career on the West Coast to move closer to her aging father. Although satisfied with her single life she has no objections to spending one hot unforgettable night with the man she could never have in high school. Or two nights – or maybe three. But she has no intentions of falling in love – certainly not with a man as closed-off and jaded as Kent, no matter how irresistible he is.

When he propositioned Cali for a one-night stand, Kent Landon never imagined he would still want her months later. But their fling quickly spirals into a full-blown affair. The more heat and passion he finds in her, the more determined Kent is to make her his alone. He just has to work through his own defenses so he can convince Cali that what started as hot sex has transformed into something deeper. Their renaissance.

Note: While the general information provided on the artist Giotto is accurate, the Giotto painting referenced in the novel is fictional.

Read an excerpt.