I’ve learned a few new things in the last year. To break some rules.

One of them being “You should pick a genre and stick with it.” I always thought this one was right, that the poor dear reader would get confused.

Not a bit of it. When I started writing paranormal romance, I used a pseudonym for the historical romance and had two websites, one for each genre. Angie James, then at Samhain, wondered why I’d changed the name, since I’d worked hard to establish a “Lynne Connolly” brand. Thanks, Angie, she was perfectly right. I dropped the pseudonym and then redesigned my website, putting all the genres in one place. People like a change of reading matter. I was still careful to mark the books that were erotic, because not all readers want to go there, but it worked. People liked the simpler website and the way they could get all my books in the same place.

So I was known in both the paranormal romance genre and the historical romance genre.

I’m about to add another. Contemporary romance. And guess what – I’m doing it as Lynne Connolly.

Recently I’ve been working with some ladies at Ellora’s Cave, namely Ciana Stone, Samantha Kane, Desiree Holt, Mari Carr, Mari Freeman and Dalton Diaz. It’s been sheer pleasure, an absolute joy. Some of us met at last year’s Romantic Times Convention and we got on like a house on fire. So when Ciana contacted us with her idea, we were ready to go with it.

Cougars. Oh yeah. Older women, younger men. I’ve never done anything like it before but the concept has interested me for a while. When I write my paranormals, I’m working with beings that can be centuries old, but that’s different. Different rules apply, different experiences. This was completely new to me. How do you put an alpha male with a confident older woman, who might have more experience than he does? What an interesting situation!

We started with the same concept and then did our own thing. Six women meet at a romance convention and realise they are all at a crossroads in their lives. One of their number, Monica, challenges them all to find themselves a younger man, get a bit of experience. They come from all walks of life. After they get home they’re joined by another character, Edie. I got to do Edie.

I loved doing this, and the words flew off the page. I’m really delighted that Ellora’s Cave decided they wanted it. Our stories are very different, but working with these ladies was a sheer delight.

So was the new genre. Apart from one failed attempt at a Harlequin Modern romance, I hadn’t done a straight contemporary before. I used to worry that there wasn’t enough going on, that I’d have to introduce another element, like the paranormal, to make it work. You know what? I didn’t. Edie and John handled it all on their own. I had to cut a character out of the story, to make room for their interactions.

So what do you think? Should an author try something new, or should she stick to what she knows? And how about pseudonyms for different genres?

I dunno. I’m just doing what feels right these days.

Check out the Tempt the Cougar blog here: http://temptthecougar.blogspot.com/

And for my contribution, “Beauty of Sunset,” here’s a sneak peek for you: http://lynneconnolly.com/BeautyofSunset

Sandy M’s review of Retreat From Love (Brothers in Arms, Book 5) by Samantha Kane
Historical Erotic Romance released by Ellora’s Cave 21 May 09

Samantha Kane is a new author for me, having read only one or two of her books so far. The only other book in this series I’ve read and reviewed is At Love’s Command, which I loved. Ms. Kane is one of very few authors who writes a great ménage that I end up liking. And while I enjoyed most of the love scenes in this book, there’s a couple that didn’t work for me, but mostly it’s the emotion that I got in ALC that this story lacked.

The three characters in this book are tied together by Bertie, former Duke of Ashland and former fiance of the heroine, Anne. Freddy is Bertie’s younger brother and the current Duke. Brett served in the war with Bertie and they were the best of friends. Anne and Freddy became friends when they were quite young, but because Freddy’s mother always whisked him off to England for some unknown reason, they didn’t spend a lot of time together and even less time as they grew older. Brett has loved Anne for years now, having fallen for her through her letters to Bertie during their military service. Freddy has been Brett’s constant companion during his convalescence since he returned from the war, loves him wholeheartedly, but Brett refuses to act such on emotion due to Freddy’s age.

I really liked all three of these characters. Anne’s reputation has been ruined — she likes sex and now goes for it when she can — she knows what she wants and doesn’t take guff from anyone. Freddy is the tender one of the three, he loves both Anne and Brett and wants to give them everything. Brett is the oldest and has a hard time accepting anything that would be good for himself, he carries around such guilt. He’s, of course, the longest holdout in this threesome until he finally works everything else out in his head to the ultimate conclusion that he does deserve happiness.

Since they want each other to be happy, Freddy and Brett have the idea they will fix Anne up with the other, so they work at cross purposes for a bit, but when Anne decides she wants them both, they don’t have a chance, though they keep trying to marry her off to the other man, which means then that the one left will have to move on. Before too long, however, they have come together and the love and sex is unbelievable and just so-so for me depending on where I was in the book.

There’s a daydream sequence that each of the characters go through, the next one picking up where the previous left off to continue the sexual fantasy they all have about each other. This just didn’t work for me. It went on way too long and I’d rather have had them all together actually doing these things to each other instead of them imagining it all.  There is another scene involving a piano that seemed rather silly to me, Freddy’s idea of making music with sex. The intensity that’s always in Ms. Kane’s love scenes was there, but I just kept thinking how uncomfortable that has to be, whether they’re all hot and bothered or not.

There are some terrific scenes between Freddy and Brett late in the book once Brett allows himself to love and have Freddy. And this is why I like Ms. Kane’s writing. The emotion in these scenes are simply wonderful. And that’s why I usually don’t like m/m scenes and/or storylines, the author just doesn’t give me enough emotion. This author, however, has a way with them. In fact, I felt more emotion in those particular scenes than most of the other scenes involving Anne. They’re that well done. And I was a little sad those other scenes didn’t quite measure up to Ms. Kane’s usual fare for me.

Each of these three people come into their own by the end of the book and that makes their relationship that much sweeter when all is said and done. There’s plenty of last-minute problems and issues that come up to perhaps eternally mar their happiness, but once they’ve discovered their love for one another, they let nothing stand in their way. A satisfying read with a couple of issues for me, but still a great job by Ms. Kane

Grade: B-

Summary:

Read Shannon C’s review here.

A man with everything except his heart’s desire.

Frederick Thorne, Duke of Ashland, has been in love with Brett Haversham for years. If the only way to have him is to give him what he wants Freddy will share him, in bed and out, with the woman Brett loves. The woman who was Freddy’s first love.

A man sacrificing everything for the past.

Brett Haversham is in love with two people he’s sworn never to touch. But his desires prove to be stronger than his resolve when they both set out to seduce him—together. The incredible sex they share overwhelms him.

A woman with nothing left to lose.

Anne Goode lost her fiancé Bertie in the war. Now his younger brother Freddy is back, all grown up into the handsome and powerful duke. And he’s brought Bertie’s best friend Brett with him. Lonely and already ruined, Anne can’t resist taking both of them as her lovers. Is the uncontrollable desire between the three enough to heal the wounds of the past and overcome the problems of the present? They must accept love rather than retreat from it.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

I know you’ve all been saying to yourself, “Self, I have not read any scintillating content from Shannon C. lately. Does she not love us anymore?”

To which the answer is, no. I’ve just been behind on reviewing, and I’ve been kind of underwhelmed by a lot of the romances I’ve picked up.

Still, I did want to post something so you’d know I hadn’t fallen off the face of the planet, so here’s a series of Quick Quack Reviews, covering the stuff I’ve been reading.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Highland Pleasures, Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance released by Leisure Books 28 Apr 09



The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie is one of the few books I’ve read this year in which I felt the hype was even a little justified. The titular Lord Ian MacKenzie has Asperger syndrome, which makes him blunt, socially awkward, and unable to look people in the face. He is drawn to Beth Ackerley, a young widow recently freed from her obligations as a companion to a shrew of an old lady.

Beth is equally drawn to Ian, and soon she’s falling for him.There’s a lot to like here. Ian is a fascinating character, as are the rest of his family. But, surprisingly, I actually liked Beth. Romance heroines are hard to portray well, and I’m rarely pleased with them. But Beth was confident without being brash, knew what she wanted in life, and was interesting in her own right as something other than a foil for Ian.

There is a mystery that doesn’t entirely work for me, and the way in which a feud one character has with the MacKenzies is resolved in a way that didn’t work for me, since it felt a bit too schmaltzy. But this is a unique romance, and I strongly recommend it to fans of historical romance.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family–rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn’t be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them–of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz.
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The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He’s also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women.
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Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama–an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband.
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And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Burning Alive (The Sentinel Wars, Book 1) by Shannon K. Butcher
Urban Fantasy released by Onyx 5 May 09



Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher isn’t the kind of story I generally go for. It’s one of an increasingly annoying trend of books featuring groups of paranormal alpha men so manly even Chuck Norris would be forced to back down in shame. These guys, of course, fight supernatural creatures, which for some reason nobody ever notices.

As per usual, Drake, our studly manly hero is paired with a woman with all the flavor of wet Kleenex. Helen is good and sweet and gentle, and doesn’t appear to do anything with her life except take her elderly friend Miss Mabel out to dinner. Oh and she’s afraid of fire, having seen a vision of herself burning to death while a man who, coincidentally, looks like our hero, Drake, watches with a smile.

Drake discovers by accident that when he touches Helen, the constant pain he’s endured all his life dissipates, so he basically kidnaps her and throws her into the paranormal world.The setup for this book is so incredibly cheesy, but I can’t help it. I like stuff like this, in moderation. There’s something about a man being literally unable to keep his hands off the object of his desire that gets me every time. But even without my personal biases, I’m not sure I’d recommend this one.

The setup will ring familiar to many paranormal readers, and I really don’t know how many books featuring dull heroines and exaggeratedly alpha men we need. Also, the book is set in the vicinity of where I live, and so there were a few geographical mistakes that wouldn’t detract from the story that I noticed.

Grade: C

Summary:
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There are worse ways to die…
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They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes–the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love…
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For too long, Helen Day has been haunted by visions of her own death, surrounded by flames as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her across a diner, she attempts to flee–and ends up in the man’s arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine.
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The instant the Theronai warrior Drake touches Helen, the anguish he has borne for years fades away. He is determined to know why this beautiful, fearful woman has such power over him. The answer lies in his very blood–and in Helen’s as well. For together, they may become more than lovers–they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war–and save Drake’s people…
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Tomorrow by Samantha Kane
Science Fiction Romance released by Ellora’s Cave 22 Apr 09



Tomorrow by Samantha Kane is Ms. Kane’s first foray into science fiction romance. Samantha Kane’s historicals are favorites of mine for their depth of characterization and the fact that she’s one of the few authors that can convince me that any group of two men and one woman belong together. Unfortunately, this story of a bounty hunter, a rebel princess and a space pirate didn’t work at all for me. I think i was first turned off by the names.

Our heroine is Cerise, and one of her men is named Tie. Tie? I dunno, a guy named after an article of men’s clothing is just not doing it for me.The story does have its moments, but there wasn’t really anything unique in the world Ms. Kane is using, and her characters lacked the depth I’ve come to expect. The story also suffered from what felt like an overabundance of sex scenes. Yes, I know this is an erotic romance, but still… Even for that subgenre, there are still times when enough is enough. I’m not sure this is a series I’m going to continue, though if Ms. Kane writes any more historicals, I will buy them right up.

Grade: D+

Summary:
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A Hunters for Hire book.
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What if a beautiful rebel princess, on the run from an evil government, fell in love with the pirate who rescued her and with the bounty hunter who captured her? And what if the pirate and the bounty hunter used to be lovers?
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Princess Cerise Chessienne has the power to enslave men with sex. She’s never used it—until now.
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Regan is the most feared pirate in the galaxy, renowned for two things—his temper and his loyalty to the princess.
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When bounty hunter Tie captures Cerise, he gives in to his desires. Now the two are addicted to sex with each other. Then Cerise leads Tie to his long-lost lover Regan, and Tie realizes that tomorrow—the day he starts his life over—has arrived.
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The Amalgamation wants to execute all three of them. So what are a beautiful princess, a pirate and a philosophical bounty hunter to do? Have amazing sex, of course. And somehow lead the rebellion while avoiding capture.
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Strange Attractions by Emma Holly
Erotic Romance published by Berkley 1 Nov 05



Strange Attractions by Emma Holly, on the other hand, gets the balance of eroticism and romance much better. Charity is invited to stay with eccentric physicist BG Grantham and his long-time friend, Eric. In exchange for playing sexual games with the two men, Charity will receive a full scholarship to attend college.

The setup sounds kind of hokey, but in this book, it really works. Ms. Holly creates three-dimensional characters in our three protagonists, and she does a great job of developing the characters during sex. I also liked that this was very much a story of Charity’s self-actualization. I liked the fact that Charity is much more empowered by the end, something that seems all too rare in the romance I’ve read.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Determined not to repeat her mother’s mistakes, high-school dropout and unrepentant heartbreaker Charity Wills is eager to get an education any way she can. When she’s offered a chance to go to college for free, she jumps at it. There’s just one little catch.
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She must travel to the estate of B.G. Grantham, a reclusive physicist who likes to play sex games as exotic as the particles he studies. B.G. is obsessed with the unattainable: the meaning of life, the mysteries of desire, and the thrill of being refused the one thing he craves. Charity has more than enough spirit to provide a challenge-especial with Eric Berne, her sexy “keeper,” to lend a hand . . .
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of To Beguile a Beast (Legend of the Four Soldiers, Book 3) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical romance released by Grand Central 19 May 09



To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt is the third book in Hoyt’s Legends of the Four Soldiers series. The first two books were quite entertaining, and I see why Hoyt is well-thought-of in the romance community, because she can write well. This third book, however, is my least favorite in the series. It follows Helen Fitzwilliam, the mistress of a powerful duke, who has fled with her children to the highlands of Scotland, to the castle of Sir Alister Monroe, a scarred war veteran.

What follows is a standard beauty and the beast romance, which follows the conventions of such a story in a predictable way. The predictability doesn’t make for a bad story, but it does make for a less than satisfying one, and I wish the mystery plot had been dragged forward a bit more. This isn’t a bad book, however, and Ms. Hoyt is a talented writer.

Grade C+

Summary:
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CAN A WOUNDED BEAST . . .
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Reclusive Sir Alistair Munroe has hidden in his castle ever since returning from the Colonies, scarred inside and out. But when a mysterious beauty arrives at his door, the passions he’s kept suppressed for years begin to awaken.
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TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST . . .
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Running from past mistakes has taken legendary beauty Helen Fitzwilliam from the luxury of the ton to a crumbling Scottish castle . . . and a job as a housekeeper. Yet Helen is determined to start a new life and she won’t let dust-or a beast of a man-scare her away.
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TO TAME HIS MOST SECRET DESIRES?
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Beneath Helen’s beautiful façade, Alistair finds a courageous and sensual woman. A woman who doesn’t back away from his surliness-or his scars. But just as he begins to believe in true love, Helen’s secret past threatens to tear them apart. Now both Beast and Beauty must fight for the one thing neither believed they could ever find–a happy ever after.
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Truth and Consequences (Hearts of the South, Book 1) by Linda Winfree
Romantic Suspense published by Samhain Publishing 29 Apr 08

Truth and Consequences is the first in Linda Winfree’s Hearts of the South series, which comes highly recommended by many readers. I have to agree with them. Ms. Winfree manages to pack a lot into a rather short novel, and the romance between Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Kathleen and troubled and poor town bad boy Jason is well-executed. We also get to glimpse many of the people whose lives orbit around the main couple. I never felt overwhelmed by the number of characters, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of them.

Grade B+ 

Summary:

When deceit and desire collide, the results can be deadly…
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Book One of the Hearts of the South series.
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For undercover FBI agent Jason Harding, coming face to face with the grown-up version of his adolescent dreams is a nightmare. Kathleen Palmer sees him as a despicably corrupt small-town law officer and a murder suspect. Trapped in a web of his own making, he must see his mission through to the end and bring down the crooked cops who’ve run Haynes County for decades. To do so, he must betray the only family he’s ever known and fight his growing love for Kathleen, a relationship that could get one, or both of them, killed.
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Determined to uncover the truth, Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Kathleen struggles with her attraction to the one person who’s awakened her since she buried her heart and emotions in her son’s tiny grave. Listening to her heart could destroy all she has left in life-her career and reputation. When the truth about Jason’s identity surfaces, they both face unimaginable consequences: Jason may lose his life and Kathleen the man she loves.
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Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, violence.
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C.’s review of Retreat From Love (Brothers in Arms, Book 5) by Samantha Kane
Historical erotic romance eBook released by Ellora’s Cave 17 Dec 08

When I read that Samantha Kane was coming out with a new release in December, I literally “squeed!”. Normally, I like to think I’m far too dignified for squeeing, but that is pretty much what I did. And when I found out that the book featured Freddy and Brett, the playful and seemingly carefree Duke of Ashland and his constant companion, respectively, I was even more delighted to see what she’d do. And while Retreat from Love isn’t my favorite in the series, I still strongly recommend it.

As I mentioned in the above paragraph, Freddy is the Duke of Ashland. He was sort of thrust into the role when his two older brothers died. He is relatively young for a hero, and a lot of the growing up he’s had to do to get him to the point where we meet him has happened offscreen. His friend Brett Haversham has provided a steadying influence on him. Trouble is, Freddy is in love with Brett, but Brett feels that doing anything with Freddy would be a betrayal of Freddy’s older brother, whom Brett served with in the war that is a backdrop to all these stories. Complicating all of this, Brett is also in love with Anne Goode, Freddy’s brother’s former fiancee. And, of course, when Freddy meets Anne, he falls in love with her, too. But can they get past Brett’s feelings of betrayal and Anne’s stubborn pride to have a happily ever after?

I really liked Anne, who I think may be my favorite heroine Ms. Kane has written to date. She’s spunky, she knows her own mind, and she’s not about to take crap from anybody. Her reputation is already tarnished beyond repair, so she’s just going to enjoy her life. She’s decided that she wants both Brett and Freddy, and she goes for them. I really liked that about her, and I thought her refusal to marry Freddy and become the duchess was based on some legitimate fears and wasn’t just an excuse to draw out the conflict.

Brett was, quite honestly, the harder for me to like of the two heroes. While I could understand and sympathize with his feelings that he should stay away from Anne and Freddy because of Freddy’s brother, Bertie, his fits of emo got a little old. He was as much a martyr as those heroines in more traditional historicals that I hate. That being said, when he realized that he had been being kind of a shit to Freddy in some ways, I was cheering for him, because it can’t have been so easy to come to that decision.

Freddy totally made this book for me, which is maybe one of the reasons I’m so hard on Brett. I liked that he was significantly younger than both Anne and Brett, because that’s not something I see a lot of in my romances, where it seems that men are rakes until they’re at least 35. I loved that, though Freddy had been rather spoiled and cossetted as a child, he turned into such a loving, generous man. He really wants to do what’s right by the two most important people in his world, and I felt that he really needed Brett and Anne’s love in ways that the other two didn’t, because they loved him for who he was, and not his title.

The chemistry between the three is definitely high, and the sex scenes are scorching. What’s more, and as is usual for Ms. Kane I totally felt that none of the trio would be complete without the other two.

This would be an excellent book for anyone who has ever wondered about this series to start out reading. There are allusions to previous characters, but there are no reunions with past happy couples, which is OK with me. Ms. Kane obviously has a lot of other things up her sleeve with this series, and I continue to live in hope that one day Stephen Matthews, the vicar, will get his own story. We also got introduced to Gideon North, and, oh,but I love me some Beauty and the Beast stories, so I really hope she writes his book soon as well.

Oh, and one last thing that I loved. Each chapter of the book opens with a letter, usually written to Anne, but not always, from the people fighting in the war. I absolutely adored this particular touch, because the letters were so full of poignancy and helped to illustrate the characters and make them come alive more for me.

The only reason this book doesn’t quite hit A status for me is that I felt that the middle dragged on a bit. Brett and Anne were busy martyring themselves, and I just wanted them to get over themselves and make Freddy happy. That being said, I can’t complain too much, because Ms. Kane’s longer works are by far her best works, and this was definitely long enough to sink into.

Despite a bit of dragginess toward the middle, this book is definitely a great addition to the Brothers in Arms series. If you like your regencies hot, and you like your menage stories M/M/F, this is definitely worth the cash.

Grade: B+

Read other reviews of books in this series by clicking on the Brothers In Arms series tag.

Summary:
A man with everything except his heart’s desire.
Frederick Thorne, Duke of Ashland, has been in love with Brett Haversham for years. If the only way to have him is to give him what he wants Freddy will share him, in bed and out, with the woman Brett loves. The woman who was Freddy’s first love.

A man sacrificing everything for the past.
Brett Haversham is in love with two people he’s sworn never to touch. But his desires prove to be stronger than his resolve when they both set out to seduce him — together. The incredible sex they share overwhelms him.

A woman with nothing left to lose.
Anne Goode lost her fiancé Bertie in the war. Now his younger brother Freddy is back, all grown up into the handsome and powerful duke. And he’s brought Bertie’s best friend Brett with him. Lonely and already ruined, Anne can’t resist taking both of them as her lovers. Is the uncontrollable desire between the three enough to heal the wounds of the past and overcome the problems of the present? They must accept love rather than retreat from it.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Shannon C.’s review of Jewels of the Nile, Vol. II by Samantha Kane, Anna J. Evans, Natasha Moore, Rebecca Airies, Maxie Cooper, and KyAnn Waters
Erotic romance anthology released by Ellora’s Cave 20 Jun 08

I own several of Ellora’s Cave’s multi-author anthologies. I tend to not read many anthologies, because they’re so easy to just put down again. But I did buy this one specifically for the Samantha Kane story, and I was pleased to find that I liked quite a few of the other offerings as well. Read on for my thoughts.

After Dark by KyAnn Waters
Contemporary paranormal

Well, I liked the idea of native American vampires, but Ms. Waters tried to do too much and didn’t succeed. The essential story, that of a woman who meets a vampire at a nightclub and the consequences of her one-night stand with him could have been much more compelling, except Ms. Waters tried to throw in extraneous paranormal world-building. I also felt that the conflict resolution was weak. I wasn’t convinced that heroine Kayla would have been happy being with hero Alandro for eternity, since there were too many other things in her life that she was concerned about leaving behind. This story tried to be a lot of things and never quite succeeded.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Kayla March has never reached orgasm…not even with a vibrator. However, she has the feeling that could all change when she meets Alandro Blackwood at the club After Dark.

Few vampires can breed. Alandro carries the unique recessive gene. His blood match, believed to have been killed by a vampire slayer, has been found. Unless her dormant vampire gene had already been awakened by a breeder, why would she go to After Dark, the feeding grounds? He’d soon find out.

Read an excerpt.

From the Sea by Maxie Cooper
Contemporary Paranormal Romance

Kelly discovers her soulmate, but can she conquer her fear of the sea to be with him?

This was much better. I felt that Kelly’s motivations were well-realized, and Sean was hot. Ms. Cooper managed to convince me of their romance in a relatively short space of time, even if the story did involve fated mates, a plot device I am generally tired of reading. I particularly liked that Ms. Cooper tied up Kelly’s loose ends, leaving her with no excuse not to go be with Sean, something I found lacking in the last offering. This is an author I’m definitely interested in seeing more of.

Grade: B

Summary:

Kelli Rhodes is vacationing at a beachside cottage when a mysterious man emerges from the sea, offering erotic pleasures beyond her wildest fantasies. For the first time in her life, Kelli feels a connection with someone — and his unbelievable story might explain the mystery behind Kelli’s birth.

There’s no denying the sexual chemistry between them. But to claim this man, Kelli must overcome her greatest fear…and take a leap into an even greater unknown.

No excerpt available.

Lady’s Choice by Rebecca Airies
Futuristic Erotic Romance

This one suffered from many of the flaws of the Waters story. Set on a space station that has recently lost power, our heroes and heroine are trapped together until they can be rescued and power restored. The men, who naturally come from the kind of alien culture that encourages two men to share one woman for reasons that are never explained, have a few ideas as to what they can do with their time. But after the rescue, can Kyna, the heroine, accept the love they offer?

Because of the limited word count, I didn’t really understand why the men wanted Kyna as much as they did. They tell her later that they’ve been watching her for a while, but I’m not sure I bought it. I also felt that certain aspects of the world were given much more detail than necessary (we learn an alien term of endearment) while others were pretty much glossed over (The guys have tattoos on their chests, but of what, I have no idea. Also, I really wanted someone to mention how sticky constant sex in the position they were using would be after several days, unless alien sperm is self-cleaning?) The result is a story that is all over the place, and my least favorite in the anthology.

Grade: C-

Summary:
Kyna has fought long and hard to establish herself as a dedicated, capable soldier in the Laurati army. Now she is determined to let nothing about her past tarnish her reputation as she works to advance among the Calazi militia. She’d wanted to impress her commanders, but not like this.

In the midst of a power outage on their base, Finn and Drace make their intentions toward Kyna crystal clear. Kyna is intrigued and aroused but wary of sleeping with a superior, let alone both of them. As the heat between them rises, however, she quickly realizes she needs to make a choice — and not between the two men.

Read an excerpt.

Sunrise by Natasha Moore
Contemporary Romance

Here’s another story I really liked. Caroline has been taking walks alone on the beach and meeting up with Alan for anonymous sex. Alan wants to take things to the next level and have something more permanent and less anonymous, but Caroline is afraid to.

This is such a great slice of life story. The characters have already met and are established as a couple, but their story is moving. Caroline’s first-person narrative brings a surprising immediacy to the story that made me identify with her, despite the craziness of the premise. I was rooting for her to accept what she was offered, and I was glad she did. I was left feeling satisfied with the direction of the romance, and I moved on to the next story with a smile on my face. This is hands down the best story in the anthology, and completely worth the price of admission alone.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Caroline has been meeting Alan at sunset for months. The hot sex they’ve been enjoying started out mindless and anonymous, just the way she wanted it. Little by little, they’ve gotten to know and care for each other. Caroline fears the changes in their relationship she can’t seem to prevent.

Alan wants Caroline in his life. He sets out to seduce her with his voice, his hands, his body. He’s no longer satisfied with sex in the shadows and wants more. Can he make Caroline feel the same?

Read an excerpt.

Surrender Dorothy by Anna J. Evans
Contemporary Paranormal Romance

This was a cute paranormal with an interesting setup. Stephen must convince Gelsey to become handfasted to him and perform a midsummer rite in order to save her from the dark magic that has always taunted her.

“Let’s have sex to save the world” stories are fun. And this is no exception. Ms. Evans ratchets the tension up expertly, and even though the outcome is pretty obvious (this being a romance anthology) I was still on the edge of my seat wondering if they would or wouldn’t. And there is a nice grovel scene near the end. This isn’t my favorite, but it is a fun story.

Grade: B

Summary:
Sexy men, magic, and mayhem…oh my!

Gelsey is grateful to land a gig as costume mistress for a theatre. She simply wants to hide from the dark forces that pursue her. She never plans on falling for the sexy, surly Tin Man, the character every Wizard of Oz fan knows has no heart.

Stephen has finally found the woman destined to be his. Now only one night of danger, a little sex magic and Gelsey’s stubborn refusal to admit she’s his stand in his way. But Stephen won’t give up. He’ll have Gelsey, giving her such pleasure she’ll have no choice but to surrender.

No excerpt available.

The Debutante by Samantha Kane
Historical Erotic Romance

OK, let’s be honest. This story was the entire reason I bought this anthology, because I am a slavering Samantha Kane fangirl. Seriously, I would read her grocery lists as long as there was hot sexoring going on between the bread and the eggs. So I knew I’d like this story, and I did. Viscount Lethbridge meets debutante Clarissa at a house party, and, after seeing her from afar, decides he wants her. Naturally, he has a BFF/partner in sexual escapades and he’s determined that the lovely Clari will want them both.

Unlike other of Ms. Kane’s stories, there’s no M/M involvement between the two partners, and I don’t entirely know that I bought their habit of sharing women as a result. I did like that by the end of the story I never felt that the third member of their triad was simply being cast aside. That said, I do prefer Ms. Kane’s longer works, and so I’m not especially convinced of the romantic connection between the three characters. But the sex was hot, and the characterization well-done as always, and Ms. Kane manages to write the sorts of rescue fantasy type stories that hit me especially right, so I’d still recommend the story.

Grade: B

Summary:
Dominic, Viscount Lethbridge, is struck by debutante Clarissa Welliston’s voluptuous form and arresting, unusual features. In spite of her innocence, he wants her. But first he needs to discover if she can embrace his sexual appetites.

Clarissa wants a man between her thighs, desperately. When Viscount Lethbridge pursues her, she finds the love and passion she’s longed for in the dark, seductive pleasures he desires.

Read an excerpt.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad anthology. None of the stories failed to work for me, though I had my favorites. The Moore and the Kane stuck out, though at least in the latter case this isn’t one of her best stories. I’d recommend buying the anthology for those two stories in particular, then reading the Cooper and Evans stories.

Final Grade: C+

Shannon C.’s review of A Lady in Waiting by Samantha Kane
Historical erotic romance published 28 May 2008 by Ellora’s Cave

As anyone who knows me and my reviewing patterns knows, I am a Samantha Kane fangirl. I love her characters, I love how the sex in her stories is critical to the relationships that develop, and I love the fact that her heroes are honest and open about their sexuality.

I also think that Ms. Kane excels at longer works. This short story was just that, a little too short, and while nice for a quick, fluffy read to pass the time, I wasn’t as blown away as I’ve been by her past efforts.

Sylvie, the Marchionesse of Bartlebyrne, is widowed and horny. And she knows exactly who she wants to scratch her particular itch, the reformed rake turned vicar, Edmund James. Edmund, in turn, finds his daily chats with Sylvie to be both fun and intensely sexually frustrating. He knows she wants him, he just needs to prove to her that she should be with him.

This is part of EC’s “Oh Yum” lineup featuring older women and younger men. Because it’s a Samantha Kane, I was immediately transported into the story and I came to really like both our leads. The story doesn’t really have much of a plot, but for really good smut, this works. Those scenes between Sylvie and Edmund are hot.

Unfortunately, as is usual for this sort of thing, I wanted more. More depth to the characters, more of seeing them get to know each other in ways that didn’t involve sexoring, hell, even more of Edmund as a vicar.

I think fans of Samantha Kane will like this story, and fans of hot erotic romance should try it too.

Grade: B

Summary:
Oh Yum! – A Lady In Waiting By Samantha Kane
Sylvie, Marchioness of Bartlebyrne, has been a widow for much of her adult life. Her grown son is away at school, leaving Sylvie in charge of the family estate, The Byrne. She offers the vacant living in the village to the son of one of her late husband’s friends. The new vicar, Mr. Edmund James, is twenty-six, handsome and, his family hopes, a reformed rake. Sylvie falls under the young man’s spell at first sight, but is ashamed by her desires — she’s so much older than him, how can she be having all these naughty thoughts about what she wants him to do to her, and where, and how often!

Edmund James’ family gave him a choice — be ordained and take the living in Byrnham or be cut off and transported for failure to pay his debts. The one thing that makes his new life worth living is Sylvie. He seduces his way into her bed, but can he overcome her worries about their age difference and win her heart?
Read an Excerpt.

Shannon C.‘s review of At Love’s Command (Brothers in Arms, Book 4) by Samantha Kane
Historical erotic ebook published 12 Dec 07

I have to qualify this review by admitting, again, that I am a Samantha Kane fangirl. This is mostly Lisabea’s fault [ed note: visit her blog today and every monday for Man lurve Monday], and now I’ve read everything on Ms Kane’s backlist. I was looking for a guaranteed good book to read while taking a break from studying, and finally decided to read this one.

At Love’s Command is set in Ms. Kane’s version of Regency England, which has an overabundance of bisexual men who hooked up during the Peninsular Wars and now are looking for the one woman to complete them. This premise works well for me, because I really like Ms. Kane’s men, so much so that I have my favorites that aren’t officially paired off and have actually considered sending whiny e-mails to the author begging for their books.

Anyway, the pair in question in this book consists of Ian Witherspoon and Derek Knightley. Unlike the heroes in Ms. Kane’s other books, Derek and Ian are already lovers. They met, surprisingly enough, during the war, and have been together ever since. The war left its scars on both of them, and now that they’ve been back in England for two years, Ian’s decided that they need a new start with someone capable of bringing them peace. And since Ian’s already betrothed to Sophie Middleton, it might as well be her that they marry.

Sophie, it turns out, really, really wants to get married. This is because her father is an abusive rat bastard and her brother Harold rapes her. Anybody else looks good, and she remembers thinking of Ian as her knight in shining armor when they first met. She figures since he’s already got Derek, he won’t want much to do with her except provide her with an heir, so her wedded life will be comparatively blissful.

Derek is opposed to the whole thing. He thinks that surely Sophie has to be manipulating everyone around her. He was perfectly happy with his life before Sophie came into it, and he is determined that she won’t take Ian away from him.

Needless to say, the three of them have a lot of issues to work out between them. And they do, with events following one another in a logical pattern until the end. Ms. Kane carefully paints each of her characters, adding depth as we get to know them. By the end I was totally convinced that Ian, Sophie, and Derek couldn’t live without each other.

Ian is great as the stabling force between Derek and Sophie. He realizes after he meets Sophie just how much she needs him, and he acts the perfect, chivalrous gentleman. I liked that he was exactly what Sophie needed when she first starts to come to her own, and I loved his patience.

I should have disliked Sophie. She’s shy, she’s been a victim all her life, and she’s terrified of everything. But then, I say that about all of Ms. Kane’s heroines, and somehow they turn out to really work for me. I loved watching Sophie grow into a confident woman, and I got the sense that she hadn’t done a complete 180 and become someone totally different by book’s end. In addition to her relationships with Ian and Derek, I really liked her interactions with the supporting female characters.

Derek, though, was my absolute favorite. He’s a big man who is really a submissive in the bedroom, a fact that I thought was interesting and a nice twist on the conventional tropes. He also feels things very deeply, and I loved his struggles not to care about Sophie. He was suffering through most of the book, in some form or another, but I loved that he wasn’t full of angst–just generally an abrasive smart ass.

As usual, Ms. Kane does a lot of the relationship development between her characters through sex scenes. And she manages never to lose track of who’s doing what to whom. Each scene felt necessary for something in the story, and I thought they were hot.

As for the extternal stuff? I really could have done without the creepily obsessed cartoonish villain, but then, I usually can. I also think I could have done with a lot less of the Very Thomas storyline, since I’m not sure that it was necessary for the rest of the plot. That being said, it was fun to see Kate and her husbands from the first book in the series, and my favorite secondary character, the Jewish dandy Daniel Steinberg, makes an appearance and shows a surprising amount of depth, so much so that I really, really want his book.

I enjoyed this book very much, and would highly recommend it to readers who like good M/M/F menage books. Ms. Kane is the gold standard by which I have come to judge menage stories, and this book is her best yet.

Grade: A-

You can read other reviews of this book from Sandy and Bev.

You can also read my takes on the first three books in this series:  The Courage to Love, Love Under Seige, and Love’s Strategy

     Summary:

     A child when they were betrothed, Sophia Middleton has been waiting twelve years for Ian Witherspoon to return and marry her. Preyed upon by her vicious father and older brother, Sophie longs for Ian to rescue her.

     Ian Witherspoon and Derek Knightly became best friends during the Peninsular War, and returned as lovers. Two more years pass before the desire for a wife and children prompts Ian to recall his little fiancée. Ian is determined to make a marriage work between the three of them. Derek opposes the marriage despite Ian’s determination, but how long will he be able to resist love’s command?

     Sophie’s vulnerability hides a core of strength and the combination enthralls and seduces both men. An apt pupil, Sophie learns trust and passion from Ian, and Derek tutors her in the ecstasy of surrender. Love will conquer their fears as they fight those who would tear them apart.

     Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of At Love’s Command (Brothers in Arms, Book 4) by Samantha Kane
Erotic historical ebook published by Ellora’s Cave 12 Dec 07

This is the first book I’ve read in this series and if the other books are this stirring, this emotional, this erotic, and this damned good, I sure as hell have been missing out. Normally ménage is not one of my favorite reads because most authors just cannot write those scenes to amount to anything. Not so in this case. And while those were some of the best scenes in the book, those love scenes between Ian and Derek are even better.

Why? The emotion. Whether it’s anger, love, desire, humor, lust, it doesn’t matter.  You feel every miniscule feeling between these two men with every word uttered, every touch, every look, every act of love. This is the kind of emotion I wish every author could call forth and give to their characters to pull us so completely into a story. I guess, however, if every author did that we wouldn’t have reason to rejoice over those who do. The interaction and love between Ian and Derek is real and as deep as their souls. They are both honorable men, both scarred from war, and both in need of something more than themselves to give them a viable future together. Ian is the only one who knows this and he decides to act on it the only way he knows how.

Marrying Sophie is what Ian knows both he and Derek need to survive their past, to find peace with that past, and then to move into their future happy and whole. Derek stubbornly refuses to see Ian’s logic and to accept his decision. They’ve been doing fine on their own as far as he’s concerned, but meeting Sophie changes both of their lives. Ian realizes immediately the kind of horrific childhood his bride-to-be has suffered and promises her she will be safe and will be loved as his wife. Knowing Ian has a male lover, Sophie doesn’t care as long as she’s out of her father’s and brother’s grasps and can live without fear around every corner.

Sophie’s character is by far the one that grows the most, although Derek is not far behind. She is a frightened and abused young woman, wanting only for someone to love her. It is with Ian and Derek that she finds her true self, the one stolen from her by her family so long ago. She is a delightful and sensuous woman who is awakened in these men’s hands. It’s wonderful to watch her fear recede and see love take over her life and her spunk to evolve to put Ian and Derek in their place when needed.

It’s hard to decide if liked Ian or Derek best, so I opted for both. Ian is the sensitive one, the one who takes care of everything, who makes everything all right. Derek is the demanding lover, the one who still reels from his war experience and needs the love and caring that only Ian can give him when his life spirals out of control. Until Sophie comes along. Sophie is the shining light needed to bring happiness into their lives and she accepts them both, loves them both as they are. But Sophie also receives the same from Ian and Derek, the love she’s always wanted and needed and she receives much more from them than she ever dreamed.

I’m in love with Samantha Kane’s writing and characters. I can’t wait to start at the beginning of this series and get to know very intimately the rest of her cast.

Grade: A+

Summary:

      A child when they were betrothed, Sophia Middleton has been waiting twelve years for Ian Witherspoon to return and marry her. Preyed upon by her vicious father and older brother, Sophie longs for Ian to rescue her.

     Ian Witherspoon and Derek Knightly became best friends during the Peninsular War, and returned as lovers. Two more years pass before the desire for a wife and children prompts Ian to recall his little fiancée. Ian is determined to make a marriage work between the three of them. Derek opposes the marriage despite Ian’s determination, but how long will he be able to resist love’s command?

     Sophie’s vulnerability hides a core of strength and the combination enthralls and seduces both men. An apt pupil, Sophie learns trust and passion from Ian, and Derek tutors her in the ecstasy of surrender. Love will conquer their fears as they fight those who would tear them apart.

     Read an excerpt.

See Bev’s review here.

Other books in the series:

Bev(QB)’s review of At Love’s Command (Brothers in Arms, Book 4) by Samantha Kane
Erotic historical ebook published 12 Dec 2007 by Ellora’s Cave

As much as I loved the previous books in this series, they almost pale in comparison to At Love’s Command.

Despite a couple of minor issues I had with two secondary characters, Kane’s writing has matured exponentially with this rich, exquisite, multi-dimensional story. Each of the men reminisces about their history together which makes their bond all the more believable and allows us to see their current situation from both viewpoints. And watching Sophie bloom and discover her true personality and sexuality is a delightful journey. Kane weaves Ian’s dreams of a loving triad, Sophie’s dreams of freedom, and Derek’s cynicism together and gradually a pattern of mutual respect and caring starts to appear. As with the previous books, Kane’s mastery of erotic scenes allows us to perceive each erotic act as unique to this set of participants.

One of the joys of having a voice in Romancelandia is that I have a platform which allows me to champion authors and books that I consider “my” squee-worthy discoveries. Samantha Kane is a shining example of the gems offered by ePubs at their very best. As it stands now, NY would never touch her bisexual storylines, yet I assert that At Love’s Command deserves to be front and center on the mass market new releases display at every major bookstore.

Grade: A+

     Summary: A child when they were betrothed, Sophia Middleton has been waiting twelve years for Ian Witherspoon to return and marry her. Preyed upon by her vicious father and older brother, Sophie longs for Ian to rescue her.

     Ian Witherspoon and Derek Knightly became best friends during the Peninsular War, and returned as lovers. Two more years pass before the desire for a wife and children prompts Ian to recall his little fiance. Ian is determined to make a marriage work between the three of them. Derek opposes the marriage despite Ian’s determination, but how long will he be able to resist love’s command?

     Sophie’s vulnerability hides a core of strength and the combination enthralls and seduces both men. An apt pupil, Sophie learns trust and passion from Ian, and Derek tutors her in the ecstasy of surrender. Love will conquer their fears as they fight those who would tear them apart,

     Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Read more from Bev at Cubie’s Confections.

We here in Romancelandia are complete series addicts. Once an author writes a well received book, her fans immediately start clamoring for more stories set in the same world. I think it would be correct to state that no two Romancelandians will ever have the exact same entries on their own Favorite Series list. 

Eclectic and fodder for debate, these are the series that leap to mind when I’m asked what my favorite reads are. The order I’ve listed them in is approximate as my preferences change based on my mood and what feels right at the time.

Bev(QB)’s All Time Favorite Book Series

1. Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton. (Ballantine Books) This complex fantasy/urban fantasy showcases Hamilton’s unparalleled world building expertise. (see Review: A Lick of Frost)

2. Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. (Delacorte Press) I consider this fantasy/urban fantasy to be a master’s class in the use of first person POV. Brilliant.

3. Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton. (Berkley) Hamilton is one of the godmothers of what is now referred to as urban fantasy. Unlike most long-running series, I’ve known people to jump in this one – at any point with no problems. I started at book 9, Obsidian Butterfly, then went back and read them all – several times.

4. The Cynsters, particularly the Bar Cynsters (books 1-6) by Stephanie Laurens. (Avon) The crème de la crème of Regency era historical romances. In fact, I consider book 1, Devil’s Bride, to be closer to perfection than any other romance I’ve ever read. Its only glaring flaw is that unfortunate back cover pic (roll over the original cover in the link to see it). What were they thinking?!

5. Skye O’Malley saga by Bertrice Small. (Ballantine Books) The life and loves of an extraordinary woman and her family during the reign of Elizabeth Tudor. To read a Bertrice Small book is to instantly and completely be absorbed into the rich tapestry of the tastes, sounds, sights and lives she weaves together.

6. Breeds series by Lora Leigh(Ellora’s Cave and Berkley). When someone says they are new to ebooks, I recommend they start with this series. No one writes sexual tension and characters consumed by unquenchable need better than Lora Leigh. The intense erotic scenes are woven into the story of a not-quite-human species as they overcome the horrors of their past, and begin a journey to understand themselves as a species and as individuals, while also striving to find love and acceptance.

7. The Highlanders series by Karen Marie Moning. (Jove and Dell) Although they were always a highly enjoyable auto-buy for me, it is the audio books (with Phil Gigante’s swoon-worthy narration) that earn this series a permanent place on my list. (see Aural Pleasures 103)

8. The World of Hetar by Bertrice Small. (HQN Books) In this epic fantasy, Ms Small has created a world that is in some ways recognizable, yet vastly different from our own. Without the constraint of historical fact, she allowed her muse free rein to create this lusty, sweeping saga.

9. Jarheads by Sean Michael. (Torquere and Fictionwise) Sean Michael has a unique voice. He doesn’t give us much physical description of his characters, but somehow paints an emotional picture. We get to know them through their words and actions and I get completely caught up in the lives of these lovable and loving men. Rigger, whom I adore, is the heart and soul of the series and someone I’d like to count as a good friend in real life. One caveat though – there were times when even I said, “Enough with the sex, already! Get on with the story!”

10. The Donovan series by Elizabeth Lowell. (Avon) Still tapping my foot waiting for the rest of this contemporary romantic suspense series – including a look back at the elder Donovan’s love story. You know, I do believe I’m overdue for a re-read!

11. Brothers in Arms by Samantha Kane(Ellora’s Cave). The newest addition to my list. The erotic scenes in these Regency period bisexual manage stories are written in exquisite, excruciatingly drawn out detail. And Kane manages to make each scene feel completely unique to each triad.

12. What series will someday claim this last spot on my list? Is it a series I’ve already started? Maybe Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series or Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series. A Gentleman’s Wager by Madelynne Ellis is already on my single title favorites list, but with its upcoming sequels and spin-off, will it land on my series list, too? Or maybe my next favorite series is waiting out there for me to discover it. Maybe it’s not even been written yet and is being nurtured by a muse waiting to bestow it on some worthy author.

Read more from Bev at Cubie’s Confections.