Review: Faking It

Faking It by Christine d'Abo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Riptide Publishing rarely steers me wrong when I want a little romance in my reading, and Christine d'abo's Ringside Romance series is one of my favorite Riptide discoveries. Working It, book one in the series, hooked me immediately as solid entertainment, with great characters, smooth pacing, and an engaging storyline. Those qualities continue here in book two, and Faking It is an excellent continuation of this delightful and delicious series.

Max, though only a minor character in Working It, was one of my favorites, and I was thrilled to see him get his own story. His nurturing nature, warm personality, and snarky sense of humor are all in excellent form here, and d'Abo pairs him with the perfect romantic foil -- Grady Barnes, failed reality TV star and the spoiled and troubled scion of wealth and privilege who needs an emergency fake fiancé to help escape his father's control of his life. Max needs money to help fund Ringside, and Grady's crazy offer might be the opportunity he needs to make a difference, and to escape the rut his life has become.

It definitely isn't smooth sailing to happily ever after, but the trip is a good one, with a strong storyline, fabulous protagonists, and great supporting characters (Justin, Grady's long-suffering handler, deserves his own book!) and a great blend of emotion and sexiness to keep the reader engaged and interested. Max and Grady's chemistry, both physical and emotional, is delicately crafted, and their shared legacy of troubled family relationships serves as a nuanced backdrop as both men seek to figure out themselves so they can figure out each other. Christine d'Abo is great not only at character development but at the highs and lows of relationships, and she takes her characters, and the reader, on a journey that is hilarious, sexy, and emotionally real as flawed people try to find those moments of connection that change I to we.

Zach and Nolan, the dynamic duo of Working It, both make minor appearances, reinforcing their own happily ever after, and the stage is set for the appearance of the mysterious Eli, the third member of Zach and Max's childhood boxing group, who is mentioned but as yet unseen in the series. I admit, I'm ridiculously excited for the next chapter in this series.

Advanced reader copy received from NetGalley.

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After a long hiatus...a new review!

Frostbitten by Charlotte Stein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love the concept of this book; it has amazing potential for both sexiness and emotional character development. I also love Stein's characters; they too have amazing potential to be more than just types or tropes. Sadly, though, I didn't love this book. It isn't bad at all, but it's very rushed; the book is really too short to do the plot idea or the characters justice. Rather than give her story time to evolve naturally, the reader is given only a brief set-up to help introduce the characters and their world, and then the story is over before I really had time to appreciate it. Given the concept and plot, it's also somewhat hesitant in its sexiness; the erotic scenes are almost detached in their descriptions, lacking the forthrightness I tend to appreciate in Riptide publications. The story isn't unsexy, though, and it has its moments of great one-liners in Cora's mental monologues, but I wish there was more to appreciate.

Reader copy received from NetGalley.

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A Wee Taste of Holiday Spice

Hill, Daisy.  David's Selfie.  Samhain Publishing, 2014.  

As a doctor and a single dad, David doesn’t have much free time to meet people, especially datable people.  A widowed bisexual man interested in meeting a new guy, David isn’t sure he will ever manage to have sex again, let alone find another relationship or someone to help raise his daughter.  Go-go dancer and graduate student Craig meets plenty of people, but his job means that no one really takes him seriously as a potential partner.  He has plenty of dreams, goals, and plans, but it’s hard to get guys to see beyond the body and the dancing, to see him as more than a one-night stand.  Their paths are unlikely to cross, but an attempt at online dating gone wrong, a lost cell phone, and one naughty picture may be all it takes to bring this unlikely couple a Christmas gift of happily ever after.

Daisy Hill’s David’s Selfie isn’t particularly original in terms of romantic plots, but her novella is sweetly charming with plenty of sexy spice to add to the reader’s enjoyment.  Hill manages to avoid being either sappy or trite, instead offering a new twist on romance between the social classes.  David and Craig are both well-developed and interesting, and David’s daughter Maia adds a delightful twist of innocent handicap to the couple’s relationship evolution.  Even given the short nature of the story, Hill takes her time with David and Craig’s relationship, carefully guiding her characters through realistic pitfalls and relationship hiccups to a chance at forever.  If I have a complaint at all about David’s Selfie, it’s that the story is short.  Interesting sub-plots and supporting characters, including Craig’s not-quite-a-villain landlord Joachim, are only shallowly developed, though they have potential to be much more. 

If you’re looking for some holiday fluff to keep you warm during your holiday reading, David’s Selfie is a delicious dash of Christmas cheer, one that is both naughty and nice.

ARC received from NetGalley.

Happy Halloween, a little early

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.

The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate

Berrisford, Kay.  The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate.  Less Than Three Press, July 2014.

I admit it; I picked up this book because I thought the title was hilarious (still do, for what it’s worth).  I was expecting a cheesy, but hopefully very hot, bodice-ripper of story, possibly with some interesting human/merman naughtiness. 

And I was wrong, brilliantly wrong.

Kay Berrisford’s novel is a fabulous combination of coming of age, romance, and adventure.  Raef is an innocent young merman, raised by a single mother on fairy tale love stories, stories where lords are good, pirates are bad, and lovers live happily ever after.  Forced to leave his mer tribe when love is outlawed and arranged marriage required, the romantic-minded Raef seeks out the coast of England, searching for the human lord to be his perfect love.  When he spots the handsome young Lord Haverford on the beach one night, Raef is sure he’s met the man who will make his dreams come true.  But his plans to show himself to his would-be lord are disrupted by an attack by the feared pirate Jon Kemp, who not only ruins Raef’s intended rendezvous but forces him to reconsider everything he thought he knew about lords and about pirates.

Jon Kemp, on the other hand, is bored and jaded, a successful pirate who has lost interest in treasure and instead has become a kind of Robin Hood, using his skills at banditry to help the weak gain justice against the strong.  A love-em and leave-em type, uninterested in commitment despite his fondness for love poetry, Kemp has no desire for a relationship, certainly not one with an innocent and mysterious young man who might stand in the way of his current quest for justice against Lord Haverford.

Berrisford takes her time, and that slow build-up gives Raef the chance to grow up and the reader the time to care about his happiness.  Raef starts out as an almost annoyingly innocent young man, the male version of the princess in the tower who has never experienced life other than through books and stories, desperate to find someone who will give his life meaning and completeness.   But the as story builds and Raef begins to develop his own sense of personhood, to build relationships with people rather than fantasies, and to stand up for himself against those who would control him, he becomes his own champion, and in that he is able to become a champion for others as well.  

  

And Berrisford does not sacrifice her story for erotic fan service.  Instead, romance and adventure share the center stage, and Raef’s relationship with Kemp develops slowly rather than merely exploding in instant sexual contact.   Little details give the story both unexpected depth as well as a sense of realism.  Raef’s confusion when faced with the realities of being human – clothes, whiskey, even sexual arousal – perfectly captures the oddness of trying to be something you’re not, and Kemp’s wonder at his lover’s mer form seems natural for a man who has spent his life at sea and long heard legends and stories of the sea folk.  With an interesting supporting cast, a well-drawn villain, and some excellent swashbuckling adventure mixed with delicious eroticism, The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate is a delightful read, perfect for beach or poolside.  For readers who prefer plot to porn in their romance, this sea story is an unexpected pearl. 

ARC received from NetGalley.

Saddle Up for a Naughty Ride

Chase. L. C.  Let It Ride.  Riptide Publishing, May 2014

I loved L. C. Chase’s Pickup Men (see review here), and I was definitely excited to see that she’d added to this series with Let It Ride.  Pickup Men introduced Kent, Marty, and Bridge…a trio of rodeo cowboys bound together by a lifelong friendship…one totally straight, one openly gay, and one who might be somewhere in the middle.  Pickup Men was the story of Marty and his cowboy lover Tripp Colby; Let It Ride is Bridge’s story. 

Like Marty, Bridge Sullivan works the rodeo circuit as a pickup man, corralling the animals after the competitors ride.  Bridge is mostly straight, he thinks.  He has one gay relationship in his college past (that his friends don’t know about), but he’s dated women since then, and he’s been mostly happy that way.  But, then he meets newcomer Eric Palmer, a gorgeous paramedic who has left the city behind to work the rodeo circuit.  Eric makes Bridge want things he’s not sure he can have, but never let it be said that the cowboy is afraid of a challenge.  But Eric has demons of his own, demons that may be harder for Bridge to wrangle than your average bucking bull or bronco…

Eric Palmer is New York born, but he’s fled the city and his own rocky past to start a new life among the rodeo cowboys.  Marty’s injury on the circuit introduced him to this tight-knit group of friends and gave him his first real taste of acceptance and relationships when the boys welcomed him into their comradery.  Eric is willing to acknowledge his attraction to the handsome and charming Bridge, but he’s not sure he wants to risk his new life and friendships on a cowboy who might just be experimenting on the wild side.  But it’s hard to keep saying no when Bridge seems to be offering everything he’s ever wanted…

Let It Ride lacks some of the drama and depth of Pickup Men; the only thing standing between Eric and Bridge are their own secrets and issues, not the violence and injury that threatened Marty and Tripp, but that’s not a bad thing at all.  More romance than social commentary, Let It Ride is deliciously sexy and unexpectedly sweet.  Indeed, its contrast to the darker Pickup Men moves the series forward nicely.  Every romance may have its challenges, but sometimes those challenges are more within than without.  Let It Ride unfolds at a steady pace, keeping the reader emotionally invested and eager for a happy ever after.  Bridge and Eric’s journey is perfect for beach or poolside, or any reading time requiring romance and plenty of hotness.  Plus, Chase introduces newcomer Cory Ackerson, who features in the third volume of this series coming in the fall.  I can’t wait.

ARC received from NetGalley.

Cowboys and Secrets, Oh My!

Chase, L. C.  Pickup Men.  Riptide Publishing.  July 2013.

Brokeback Mountain with a happier ending?  Well, not quite.  Tripp Colby and Marty Fairgrave may be gay cowboys, but that is where the similarities stop.

The child of successful dude ranchers set to take over his family’s ranch someday, Marty Fairgrave is the sowing some wild oats on the rodeo circuit, experiencing some action and excitement before he settles down someday.  His job as a rodeo pickup man is to help capture the bulls and broncos after a cowboy rides.  Marty is well-known on the circuit, the “gay pickup man” in a sometimes hostile macho environment.

Tripp Colby is rodeo royalty, a three-time PBR champion with the rodeo world at his fingertips.  He’s also a man with a secret that threatens to destroy him.  But the burden he carries isn't merely his after-hours, under-the-covers relationship with Marty Fairgrave, but something much darker. 

Against his own ideas and beliefs, Marty has been Tripp’s secret for a long time, accepting Tripp’s unwillingness to come out despite hoping that someday Tripp will publicly stand at his side.  But when Marty throws himself between a Brahma bull and Tripp and Tripp stands aside, Marty’s forced to realize that sometimes love isn’t enough.  He deserves more than shadows, and he’s willing to walk away from Tripp to find someone willing to stand with him in the light. 

For all his accomplishments in the rodeo ring, Tripp Colby knows the truth about himself.  He’s a coward, afraid of publicly acknowledging not only Marty but the truth about himself.  Even if he wants to come out, scars on his spirit from a bitter past keep him hidden in the dark.  But when he is forced to face the real possibility of losing Marty, not only to his own fears but to another man, can Tripp dig deep to find the courage to face not only his secrets but his past?

The road to happily ever after is rarely smooth.  But this journey is filled with interesting characters, and unlike some novelists, Chase does not allow her supporting cast to be mere cardboard figures.  Kent and Bridge, Marty’s partners in crime, Eric, the hot new paramedic on the circuit, and Scott, Tripp’s competition and the embodiment of the macho cowboy world, are all given development and depth.  They are active parts of the story, not merely props in Marty and Tripp’s play.  Nor are Marty and Tripp the cowboys one might expect in an Eastwood spaghetti Western, but unique individual with their own demons, their own follies, and their own love.

In addition to her wonderful characters, who are so easy to fall in love with, Chase uses Marty and Tripp’s story to make important points about the dangers of conversion therapy, the damage effects of lying – to yourself and to others, and the healing power of forgiveness and love.  Pickup Men is sweet, provocative, hot, and uplifting.  And, it’s the first in series set in the rodeo world.  I admit, I can’t wait for the next installment to see Chase’s cowboys continue their story.

ARC received through NetGalley.

A Return to Reviewing

First, an apology.  Health and work issues have kept me away from reviewing for the last few months.  But, I'm back with new reviews to share and several books in the to-be-read pile!  The first book for this rejuvenation....College Boys by Daisy Harris.

Harris, Daisy.  College Boys.  Siren Publishing, May 2012.

Daisy Harris, I think it is safe to say, gets it – gets what the readers of this sort of erotic male romance are looking for when they pick up a book.  Her characters are sweet and endearing.  Soccer jock Chris Fisher, trying to find the space to deal with his mother’s recent death and his own transition from small-town boy to college student, has moved away from the dorm space he’s been sharing with several teammates to a small single room on the other side of campus.  No one warns him, though, that the ways in his new living space are thin, so thin that he can hear his new neighbor’s every move and word.  Enter Peter Cohen, the new neighbor in question.  Openly gay, Peter is an active member of campus gay life, including membership on the Queer Student Council.  He’s out and he’s definitely not willing to hide or deny who he is, not even for the hunky soccer player next door.

It would be easy for this story to devolve into tropes and stereotypes, but Harris keeps it fresh and interesting (and nicely steamy).  Chris’s struggles to deal with not only his own growing feelings for Peter but with what those feelings mean for his life outside their joined dorm spaces avoid melodrama and capture well the self-reflection and self-doubt that are so a part of figuring out your place in the world as a young adult.  Peter too must consider his own values and ideas, about what it means to be yourself and how to be supportive when a friend is trying to find his way through a maze of morals and preconceptions toward personal discovery.  Along the way, both Chris and Peter figure out new things about not only their growing relationship but about themselves.  And, perhaps most appealing in this novel is that the sex isn’t perfect.  It’s awkward at times, the guys are unsure and a bit insecure, and they don’t jump immediately into intercourse in their first intimate encounter.  Instead, Harris builds heat and tension, letting the sexuality evolve as the characters grow closer naturally.

Delicious steamy and with a rich authenticity of character and voice, College Boys is a great downtime read.  And, as College Boys is only a part of Harris’s Holsum College series, I have to say I greatly look forward to reading more.

Reading copy received from NetGalley.

Rock and Roll Sexy Time

Cunning, Olivia.  Double Time.  SourceBooks, 2012.

Rock and roll and hot musicians, does it get any better than that?  And Olivia Cunning’s upcoming Double Time, the newest release in a series about a fictional metal band (“Sinners on Tour”) is filled with delicious sexiness.  At the center of the story is Trey Mills, the bisexual rhythm guitarist for Sinners, who is desperately and unfortunately in love with his band’s lead guitarist, who is not only uninterested but completely in love with his wife and newborn son.  Trey’s melancholy is interrupted when he meets Reagan Elliott, the unknown guitarist who is stepping in as the newest member of Exodus End, Trey’s brother’s band.  Exodus End and Sinners are setting out on tour together, and sparks fly as Trey and Reagan’s relationship explodes into passion.  Determined to make the relationship work, Trey vows to give up on men, but can he deny his own desires?  Especially when those desires come to live in the person of Reagan’s roommate/bodyguard/ex-boyfriend Ethan – gorgeous, available, and oh-so-tempting?

Filled with delicious and frequently hilarious dialogue and steamy sex in a bounty of flavors, Double Time is a great erotic read.  Cunning’s world is peopled with interesting characters, freaks and musicians comfortable in their own lack of mainstream normality and the story feels authentic in its depictions of life on the road.  Trey, Reagan, and Ethan own their story and Cunning evolves the three-way relationship with a deft hand, balancing emotional personal evolution and the physical explorations of this unorthodox bonding perfectly.  If there is a flaw here, it is in the idea that a bisexual individual cannot be happy in a monogamous relationship, that Trey can only be happy or fulfilled with a lover of each gender, but Cunning is writing erotica, not a gender or sexuality treatise, and Double Time is clearly not meant to be a commentary on sexual orientation.    

What it is, though, is a great escapist read.  Fun, sexy, with just a touch of a mystery to keep the story rocking, Cunning moves her novel toward a great climactic confrontation and an unexpected happily-ever-after resolution, in which not only our heroes but their bandmates find satisfaction.  I highly recommend  this one to fans of non-hetero-normative romance.  And, personally, I’m eager to find the earlier volumes of this series.  While Double Time works well as a standalone, it might leave you hungry for more glimpses into the world of Sinners on tour :).

ARC received through NetGalley.

Two for One Romance

Today’s review post looks at two gay romances…Frat Boy and Toppy by Anne Tenino and Second Hand by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton.  As you can see, both books are written by women and both have a feminine feel, despite featuring male characters.  Let me start out by saying, these books are hot!  The sex scenes in both are deliciously done, with the right mix of emotion and steam to make for enjoyable leisure reading.

First, Tenino’s Frat Boy and Toppy, a fun college coming out story that introduces us to Brad, all-American jock and frat boy… who hates his own dating experiences, likes organic gardening and food preparation, and is majoring in PE because he thinks it’s expected, though he’s minoring in home economics.  Brad is discontented with his life, but he isn’t sure why until he meets Sebastian, the TA in his history class, and suddenly Brad starts to make sense of his own muddled feelings and desires.  Tenino does a good job here of playing with stereotypes…Brad, for example, uses the popular perceptions of what it means to be a college athlete and fraternity brother to hide his sexuality, even from himself, and Sebastian, the smart academic, is the more experienced sexual partner and the “toppy” of the title.  While there is certainly a happily-ever-after romantic component here, the journey to that ending is fun, with a delightful cast of supporting characters.  From Brad’s family to the marketing major ex-friend who tries to plan his coming out campaign to the frat brother who becomes “a card-carrying member of PFLAG,” Brad is surrounded by a motley band of supporters and confidants who try, successfully or not, to help him reconcile his emerging sexuality with his previous public personas.  Well-drawn and entertaining characters, a quick-moving if simple plot, and delicious sex scenes – both in Brad’s own experimentations and his relationship with Sebastian – make this a great escape read.  Even in the fun, though (and the story is fun), Tenino manages to raise interesting points on academic culture (or at least popular perceptions of campus life).  Definitely recommended.

Equally recommended is Cullinan and Sexton’s Second Hand.  Like Frat Boy and Toppy, Second Hand features a confused central character whose journey toward happiness requires that he accept himself as being something other than “normal.”  Vet school dropout and recently dumped by his fiancé Paul is struggling to maintain the rental property his ex choose and then left him with, including a seemingly endless array of useless kitchen gadgets and  her ugly art projects, and his desire to rekindle the romance is rooted more in a desire for normality – wife, children, and all that those things imply in society – than his own passions or desire.  Enter El Rozal, the local pawn shop owner—gay, cynical, and saddled with his own problems in the form of a hoarder mother and crazy extended family.  These two put the fun in dysfunction, though, when they meet as Paul seeks to bolster his finances by ridding himself of all the kitchen cast-offs and El finds himself drawn to the insecure and confused young man.  One man doesn’t want a relationship….and the other thinks he’s still in love with his ex AND that he’s too boring for anyone else to want him…and yet, somehow a Panini press and a misfit mutt manage to help bring these two very different souls together toward that elusive happy ever after.  The balance of story and steamy eroticism is well-handled, El and Paul’s relationship is as hot as it is funny (ever had to figure out what to do with your dog when you’re trying to get some action?  Yeah, it’s got that!) Second Hand is the second of a series of novels, loosely connected and set in the same charming small Colorado town with more than its share of misfits, Tucker Springs and one hopes the authors will continue to produce such works.  I look forward to finding book one and hopefully future volumes in this series.

The existence of a largely-underground market if you will of female driven male/male erotic works is something I’ve been aware of for years, but it is interesting to see publishers beginning to capitalize on the market for such works.  I’m not a gay man, so I can’t judge the appeal of these books for that market, but I definitely think both will find female readers interested in this sub-genre of erotic and romantic fiction.

ARCs received from NetGalley.

More romance, who'd have thought?

And, my newly discovered interest in romance and erotic fiction continues in this post – this time looking at two upcoming gay romance/erotica titles.  Neither of which, it turns out, were at all what I expected (to be fair, I don’t know what I was expecting exactly), but both of which I enjoyed very much.

Vaughn, Piper & O'Shea, M. J.  "One Small Thing."  Dreamspinner Press, 2012.

First, “One Small Thing” by Piper Vaughn and M. J. O’Shea.  In this delightful romance, club boy and aspiring hair stylist Rue meets sci-fi writer and socially awkward hermit Erik under desperate circumstances – Rue urgently needs to find a sitter for Alice, the newborn daughter he has acquired through an ill-conceived one-night-stand with a female acquaintance.  Erik, in need of money to bolster his diminishing book royalties, agrees to be Alice’s daytime caregiver, and this unlikely arrangement soon leads to the formation of an unorthodox but wonderfully perfect family for this odd couple.  Vaughn and O’Shea craft delightful characters, who despite their perhaps stereotypical outlines, are nevertheless fleshed out into individuals who are more and deeper than they appear and about whom the reader cannot help caring and cheering for as they find their way toward happily ever after.  Even the supporting characters, like Rue’s flamboyant friend Dusty, are interesting and developed, giving the story some unexpected richness and depth though an surprising yet affecting subplot.  The novel does not shy away from the intimacies in Rue and Erik’s relationship, indeed the novel’s sex scenes are both sweet and titillating, but they are never gratuitous but instead seem to flow naturally as part of the relationship’s (and the story’s) evolution.  Sweet, hot, and almost ridiculously romantic in sports, “One Small Thing” is a deliciously fun read for anyone (male or female, gay or straight) looking for romance outside the normal paperback box.

Lane, Amy & Voinov, Aleksandr.  "Country Mouse."  RipTide Publishing, 2012.

The second story for this post is a novella, “Country Mouse” by Amy Lane and Aleksandr Voinov.  Lane and Voinov use the novella form extremely well, giving the reader a perfect combination of story and sex to make this a fun and interesting escapist read.  The plot summary seems designed to draw the reader seeking erotic fantasy – young American in London for the first time meets a dangerous and masterful Brit seeking a night of masterful exploration, but Lane and Voinov take the story far beyond stereotype with characters who are more than they first appear.  Owen and Malcolm, and the reader, get far more than they expected in this brief yet compelling exploration of identity, relationships, and expectations.  Deliciously-detailed sexual encounters share page time with a brief tour of tourist London, and the city herself becomes a metaphor for this burgeoning relationship.  Can one weekend encounter really change your life?  Maybe, maybe not.  But one short novella can, if crafted by gifted storytellers, change your reading expectations for erotic fiction.

ARCs received through NetGalley.

More erotica, this time with history, fantasy, and sci-fi mixed in

So, my previous romance/erotica choices were interesting enough that I went looking for more in these genres.  I don’t know if “Fifty Shades of Grey” is responsible for what seems to be an upswing in erotic publishing or if there is just increased visibility of this kind of publishing, but I’m pleased to share my three latest discoveries.

Clancy, Eva.  Lord Atwood's Lovers.  Harlequin, June 2012.

First, another ménage a trois novel, this one a historical romance called “Lord Atwood’s Lovers” by Eva Clancy.  Part of Harlequin line called Harlequin Spice Briefs, this delightful novel is a bit short on plot, but deliciously steamy and the novella format works well to offer a fun and tantalizing read.  Unlike most other threesome erotica I’ve read recently, this one does include an active sexual relationship with the male protagonists as well as with the female lead, which made it stand out from other titles.  The basic plot is simple – the newly married Lord Atwood and his new bride enjoy teasing society with her flirtatious public behavior only to enjoy unbridled sex after such social events.  But Lord Atwood has a secret in the form of his last liaison, with a very male partner and his comfortable, indeed happy, life is threatened when his former paramour returns.  It is the new Lady Atwood, a lovely coquette who generously finds the solution that will offer all of them happiness and satisfaction.  The brevity here works with the simple plot and the story lives up to the “spice” its imprint promises; the erotic scenes are titillating and satisfying, particularly for readers who enjoy something other than the kind of bland heterosexuality found in most romances in their erotic reading.    

Julian, Stephanie.  Goddess in the Middle.  Sourcebooks, July 2012.

The second erotic exploration this time was yet another ménage a trois (and, really, I had no idea this idea was so available in erotic fiction), this one a paranormal romance title from Sourcebooks called “Goddess in the Middle” by Stephanie Julian.  Part of a series focusing on Etruscan goddesses in the modern world, this one is the story of the former Goddess of Health, who now lives as Amity and works as a medical aesthetist, using her remaining powers to help heal those who have suffered serious trauma.  Under threat from a God of the Dead eager to escape the underworld, Amity falls under the protection of two powerful werewolf cousins, Remy and Rom.  It is in this unlikely trio that they will find the power to defeat the powers waging war against them and perhaps heal their own damaged souls.  Part of a larger series called “Forgotten Goddesses,” this one is well-plotted and an interesting read.  While I suspect it would be best to have read previous titles before reading this one, since there were a few plot issues I had questions about, Stephanie Julian does a good job here with world-building, weaving her goddesses and associated supernatural characters into the contemporary world in a way that works for her stories.  As with some previous threesome titles, I found myself somewhat bothered by the lack of sexual inclusion of all parties, but Julian at least offers an explanation for this sexual distance by making her male protagonists family.  And the sexual scenes are expertly crafted – erotic, rich, and detailed, yet at the same time worked into the story, not added in just for titillation.  Sex is part of the novel, but it’s just a part of the story rather than its reason for being.  I enjoyed this book very much and I do expect that I will seek out other titles in this series to see how Amity’s story fits into the larger story arc Julian seems to be crafting with this one.    

Cain, Lilly.  Undercover Alliance.  Carina Press, June 2012.

My final erotic title for this post was a science fiction title called “Undercover Alliance” by Lilly Cain.  Another series title, this one is the third book in a series called “The Confederacy Treaty Series,” but it still works well as a stand-alone title.  Cain’s world features two species, humanity and the Inarrii, the aliens who have recently made contact and with whom the confederacy treaty is to be signed (assuming, of course, that they can work out all the details) facing off against enemies both human and alien who want to stop the burgeoning alliance.  A fabulous blending of scorching hot erotica and great sci-fi action, “Undercover Alliance” is the story of a damaged Inarrii warrior and an undercover human spy who find out they need each other, personally and professionally.  Only human John Bennings can offer Sarina the psychic connection she needs to achieve sexual wholeness and thus reintegration into her culture and Sarina may be the only being able to keep John alive long enough for him to find the traitor inside the spy agency that is trying to stop the human/Inarrii alliance.  A great read for science fiction fans who enjoy sex and violence with equal enthusiasm, “Undercover Alliance” hooked me into Cain’s world and didn’t let go.  Cain’s universe is well-developed, Inarrii culture is given real depth and detail rather than being merely a quaint (or titillating) other.  Sarina is no mere sex object, but a powerful warrior and strategist, a bodyguard of real power and yes, even, humanity in her emotions and honesty.  Bennings too is no stereotype action hero, but is given a depth that sets Cain’s character development a level above much science fiction (and a lot of erotica).  I look forward to going back exploring the previous books in this series as well as waiting eagerly for the next installment.


ARCs received from NetGalley.

Embrace the Dark and Sharing Hailey

I don’t read a lot of romance.  There are, I’m sure, many reasons for this – I’m too cynical (though I prefer the term “jaded realist”), I’m not a fan of euphemistic sex, and I prefer to find my escapism in movies being chief among them.  That said, recently two romance ARCs caught my eye and so, I grabbed both and was pleasantly surprised by both.  So, a two-for-one post this week on adult fiction.

Roane, Caris.  "Embrace the Dark."  Spence Hill Associates, 2012.

First, “Embrace the Dark” by Caris Roane, the first of what she’s calling “The Blood Rose Series.”  I’d heard of Caris Roane’s vampire series, even started “The Ascension,” but I managed to leave the book somewhere and never finished reading it.  And now I’m rather sad about that, because this novella is delicious.  Roane uses the novella-length perfectly, providing more world-building and development than could be found in a typical short story and yet offering a fun read that does not require the time investment of reading a typical novel.  At around 120 pages, “Embrace the Dark” is an ideal length for an quick escapist read.  The characters are intriguing and definitely not shallow caricatures; instead human Abigail and vampire Gerrod are well-developed, with room and potential growth if they (as I suspect they will) reappear in later series works and even the supporting characters are crafted with a skill and charm that make them memorable.  Their relationship is neither quick nor easy, despite the limits of the novella form, and Roane deftly uses the sexual scenes to expand her story, not merely to titillate the reader.  Culture conflict, family loyalty, personal sacrifice, all of these themes play out as human and vampire attempt to negotiate their unexpected, even undesired, relationship and find happiness with each other.  Richly erotic, yet balanced with both humor and drama, “Embrace the Dark” is an excellent read for fans of paranormal romance looking for a new series to explore.  I eagerly look forward to more.

King, Samantha Ann.  "Sharing Hailey."  Carina Press, 2012.

“Sharing Hailey” by Samantha Ann King was the second romance I picked up for the weekend, intrigued by the idea of a romance featuring a ménage a trois featuring one woman and two straight men.  King handles her topic with skill, combining both two- and three-person sex scenes with good character development and an actual plot to give the story form and purpose.  The emotions of the story ring true – from the family freak-outs over the unusual relationships to the challenges of two straight guys finding themselves sharing unexpected intimacies.  Domestic violence, in the form of Hailey’s ex-boyfriend, is also well-handled, both in the behavior of the abuser and the responses of Hailey and her men in coming to term with the situation.  King’s story could have been over-top melodrama or cheap kinky thrills, but it is neither.  Instead, it’s a well-crafted and enjoyable read, making the unusual seem quite normal.  The story’s unapologetic sexuality never overshadows the character development nor does it ever slip into tawdriness, but instead its eroticism allows the reader to glimpse inside a relationship that may be outside his/her own experience, but in which love is still love.  If I have a complaint at all, it's that there isn't enough sexual exploration, particularly between Mark and Tony, but I accept that not every woman wants that sort of thing in her romance.  Certainly, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

Perhaps my problem with romance has been not that I don’t like it, but that I was reading the wrong romances.  I absolutely enjoyed both of these books and will definitely be considering doing more exploring in this genre.

ARCs received through NetGalley.