Roux, Abigail, Andrea Speed, Anne Tenino. My Haunted Blender's Gay Love Affair and Other Twisted Tales. Riptide Publishing, 2014.
Well, it’s not quite Halloween, but October seems like a
fine time for this collection of paranormal romances from Riptide
Publishing. The publisher describes My
Haunted Blender’s Gay Love Affair and Other Twisted Tales as “a collection of not-so-chilling
tales of love and laughter from three of the genre's masters of pulp,” and indeed
these novellas provide evenings of fun reading for the fan of both the supernatural
and erotic romance.
“The
Bone Orchard,” Roux’s contribution, is an Old West adventure, one in which not
even death can stop US Marshal Ambrose Shaw and Pinkerton agent Ezra Johns from
stopping a notorious serial killer, or from falling in love. Speed’s
“City of Monsters” features the haunted
blender that gives the collection its title, along with vampires, fairies,
shape-shifters, and more, including a sexy were-snake photographer with a taste
for danger and a disreputable investigator trying to keep himself and the hot
newcomer to the city alive long enough to find out what kind of were-creature he
is. Finally, “Horny” is Anne Tenino’s
take on a world in which the Greek pantheon is real, sort of, and Achilles
leads a band of demigod enforcers on the trail of Zeus, who is in trouble again
for sexual immorality. Their
investigation leads them to Ryan Caulfield’s bar. A sensitive soul with a troubled past, Ryan
isn’t looking for excitement or romance, but that doesn’t mean that Fate isn’t
waiting to bring him both in the form of a sexy demigod and a little unknown
family history.
Twisted
Tales is a delightful collection of romantic misadventures - sweet, steamy, and laugh-out-loud funny. Brilliant characters, including a fabulous villain,
and a fast-paced Wild West adventure, complete with shootouts and a hanging, combine
with a sweet touch of romance and some steamy supernatural sexy times to make “The
Bone Orchard” a great beginning to the set.
“City of Monsters” offers an unusual world peopled with monsters of all
flavors, each with their own rules and restrictions, in a place where nearly
anything is possible and nothing is quite what it appears. And “Horny” brings a new twist on old
stories, reshaping Greek myths into the modern world with a flair for drama and
great sex. Any of these tales would be
fun on their own, but as a group, they provide a delightful introduction to
three unique authors and to the kind of erotic fiction that Riptide
embodies. Highly recommended for a
great fall weekend read.
ARC received from NetGalley.
