Sweet Surrender by Jack Greene

November 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment


Sweet Surrender by Jack Greene
Publisher: Phaze Books
Genre: Historical, Sci-fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (28 pgs)
Other: M/M, anal sex, Multiple Partners, Masturbation, Dirty Talk
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Siris was being trained to be a pleasure slave, when, on the eve of his auction, his captors are attacked by a band of mercenaries.

Legar, a handsome and noble guard, fights with the leader of the mercenaries, the barbarian Rakurr over Siris. Before they kill each other, though, Siris convinces them to come to a mutually beneficial agreement.

He’s a hot commodity in more ways than he realizes.

I love a book that grabs my attention and holds it there until the last page. Jack Greene writes those kind of books for me. Once I open the file on my reader, I’m snagged. Why? Greene writes with a fluidity I enjoy. The words leap from the page and make me feel like I am right there. I care about the characters and am totally on board for the ride. This book is no different.

Siris is a pleasure slave. He’s there to make his lovers happy–except he’s very young (eighteen) and he’s a virgin. The idea of a pleasure slave that’s been trained but is still virginal is interesting. I felt his fear when he’s up at the auction and held my breath at each twist and turn. He’s young, but he’s memorable. I liked that. I thought about Legar once the book concluded as well. The guy is there to protect Siris and takes his job seriously. He has some scenes with Siris on a horse that let me tell you, you will need ice! I felt the depth of his caring for Siris and enjoyed their pairing. The third in this story is Rakurr. I could picture all three characters quite well, but holy moly, he’s yummy. There’s a level of trust between the three men that Greene writes with a tenderness and it’s great to read about.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all smiles and sunshine in this book. There are moments of tenseness and some twists I didn’t expect, but all in all, I am glad I got to read this book. If you want a book that’s got plenty of heat and heart, then this might be the book for you.

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Darkling by Em Petrova

June 13, 2012 By 2 Comments

Darkling by Em Petrova
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Sci/Fi-Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (73 pages)
Other: M/F, voyeurism, masturbation
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Carnation

Niles Walker, a social worker in the ’hood, stumbles across what appears to be a gorgeous homeless woman heaped in rags in the middle of a heat wave. Drawn to her beauty, he struggles to keep from peeling the layers off and taking the tantalizing curves beneath. Finally he gives in to his urges and offers his apartment as refuge, though it puts his job on the line. And too late, he realizes he can’t keep her from his bed.

Vega is a fallen star looking for the magical object used to light newborn stars. She can’t believe the human who gives her shelter can also inspire such need in her strange new human form. She’s so hungry for his kisses and the fire he kindles inside her, she nearly forgets her purpose for coming to Earth—retrieving the starscale, or risking her future and those of her fellow celestial beings.

When a celestial being takes human form for the first time, she’s besieged with unexpected sensations and emotions. The experiences of smiling, tears and thirst are small surprises compared with the overwhelming desire that suddenly comes over her when she is kissed by the handsome, passionate man who has decided to take care of her.

Vega is a star in the galaxy who has fallen to earth to find the magical Starscale she dropped here by mistake. When she arrives in the city she’s overcome by the heat of the sun and wraps herself in rags she finds in the park. When social worker, Niles finds her under some bushes in a sleep induced haze, he assumes she’s a homeless woman. When she proves unable to communicate well he believes her to be an illegal and the only way to shelter her legally is to take her home with him.

Niles hasn’t counted on her sweet charms or beauty and soon falls hard for her with a heat that matches her own. Unfortunately Vega only has two weeks to find the precious Starscale and return it to her kind in order to give light to the newborn stars soon to appear. She’s unable to tell Niles of her dilemma and is swept into a raging hot affair with him that overshadows anything she has ever experienced as a Celestial.

Will Vega choose her duty to her own kind or the irresistible, exquisite love and passion she has found while in her new body? The decision is sure to leave her broken in spirit, either way.

Ms. Petrova has written this beautiful fable with sensitive prose and realistic force. I was swept through this magical tale in captivated delight. The problem posed seems impossible to resolve, but leave it to the creative imagination of Em Petrova to find a believable and touching solution.

The story was written with the precision and capability I have come to expect from this author. This fanciful tale succeeded in every way, including in delivering a singeing-hot erotic romance. Here’s an example of the way Ms. Petrova reveals the tender love that bursts between Vega and Niles: “‘Vega, my rare beauty. Who are you?’ ‘Yours,’ she whispered.”

I recommend, Darkling to all lovers of fantasy and romance.

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Dangerous Obsessions by Blake Deveraux

June 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dangerous Obsessions by Blake Deveraux
Puiblisher: Red Rose Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (170 pgs)
Other: M/M, Anal sex, masturbation, Voyeurism, Menage, M/M/M, Multiple Partners, Forced Seduction, Mention of Rape, Toys, BDSM
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

What can bring a strong career Marine to his knees?

Daniel Deveraux is a man of action. He doesn’t allow his life to be complicated by anything or anyone. He left the Marines after deciding that the don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy was more than he could abide. He returned home in search of a simple life, one devoid of the insanity he’d endured in Iraq. Love for him was a distant dream.

Brandon Matthews is an exceptional man, both in body and in mind. His magnetic personality and exceptional good looks were an impenetrable wall behind which this damaged man safely hid. His journey found him working days as a carpenter, and nights as “eye candy” at a local gay bar.

The two men find themselves on a tumultuous journey of emotional and sexual revelation that threatens to destroy them both. The intense sexual relationship binds them in a way neither one expects.

The question remains—will the deep sexual bond bring the two men together in a deep and enduring love? Or will it destroy them?

So much drama, so much angst, but such a great read.

I must admit I’ve had this book on my shelf for quite a while. I’d walk past it and take it down, only to put it back. Why? I’d read the first few pages and was sucked in, but I put it back because I didn’t want the story to end. I knew it had to–there’s only 170 pages. I’m glad I read the book, I only wish I’d gotten to it a LOT faster.

Initially I wasn’t impressed with Brandon. He grated on my nerves because he had so much baggage. That said, the farther I got in the book, the more I respected him and the more I fell in love with him. He’s complex and Mr. Deveraux wrote him with such care, I felt like I was right there and could hug Brandon. Heck, I wanted to. The descriptions put me right in his shoes. I liked Daniel, even when he got irksome. Why? I understood his feelings and could identify with him. He’s a good man trying to figure out how to get what he wants out of life. Loved it.

Before I go any further, there were a few things that kept me from fully enjoying this book. Many times the same descriptions were used for the same character. I liked knowing how hot both men were, but felt there were times when I didn’t need to be told again. I enjoyed Mr Deveraux’s story telling. There were times I wasn’t sure where the characters lived, but it never yanked me from the story.

I do have to mention there are more than a couple scenes that aren’t for the faint of heart. There’s a great deal of sexuality in the story and Mr Deveraux handles the emotions behind the acts well. If the reader isn’t expecting a BDSM scene, then it could come across as a shock. Don’t get me wrong, the scene made the book and gave me greater insight into the characters. The scene scorched the pages of the book and left me needing a cold drink. Yeah, it’s that intense.

There aren’t many books with characters who stick with me after the last page. This book is one of those rare exceptions. I wanted to spend more time with Daniel and Brandon. Good for me, there’s two more books in the series. I can’t wait to get my hands on them. If they are anything like this book, they will be worth the read. If you want a book that’s strong on emotion and sex as well as a pair of characters guaranteed to wrap around your heart, then this is the book for you.

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Happy Endings by GA Hauser

June 5, 2012 By 1 Comment

Happy Endings by GA Hauser
Publisher: The GA Hauser Collection
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (224 pgs)
Other: M/M, BDSM, Anal sex, Toys
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Twenty-seven year old, Kelsey ‘Kellie’ Hamilton was caught up in the economic housing disaster. Losing his home, his job, and having to reinvent himself, Kellie went back to school for his certificate in massage therapy and is hired by an elite spa in West Hollywood. Though Kellie had experienced ‘happy endings’ in the past while getting massages from older men, he was going to abide by the rules and not get sexual with his clients.

Montgomery ‘Monty’ Gresham, ex Navy SEAL plans to open up a SEAL training boot camp for civilians, and decides getting referrals from a celebrity club in LA would be a perfect idea. While Monty recruits members to his military training center, he meets the handsome massage therapist, Kellie Hamilton.

The contact between Kellie and Monty while Monty is on the massage table instantly sends both men into a state of pure sexual arousal. In this heightened state, where two opposites certainly are attracted, Kellie needs to decide if the tough thirty-eight year old ex-military man will be his Happy Ending, or if living happily ever after is just a fairy tale.

Twenty-seven and thirty-eight are certainly looking great. Have I intrigued you? Wondering what the numbers mean? Okay, there’s nothing really exciting about them other than they are the ages of the characters in GA Hauser’s book, Happy Endings. The ages didn’t matter to me, but the guys are smoking hot.

I picked up the book because I already love the work of Ms Hauser. I know when I grab one of her books, I’ll be transported to the world of the characters and walk away feeling like I’ve spent time with close friends. This book was no exception. Kellie likes to refer to himself as boring. Trust me, there are things in his life that are not boring. He’s got a past the reader, like me, can relate to. He’s had to work to get where he is–again. I liked that there were times when he let his past bog him down, then got right back up. It made him believable as a character. I couldn’t get enough. Monty is exciting as well. Ex-Navy SEAL, guarded, he’s a conundrum I enjoyed reading about. Coming out is hard and even harder when you don’t feel like you can. That’s how Monty felt at times and again, it was nicely realistic. I did think the dancing between Monty and Kellie took a bit long, but I could understand why. Two men, scared that things could collapse at any moment, but wanting to try. It’s great stuff. Oh, and that session in the massage room in the middle…I’m pretty sure parts of the book melted.

I’ll gladly pick up more by GA Hauser and recommend Happy Endings. If you want a book that’s got sass, huge cupcakes, men with more muscle than should be legal and lots of heart, then this book is for you.

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Divine Phoenix by Heather Rainier

May 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Divine Phoenix by Heather Rainier
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (324 pgs)
Other: M/F, Masturbation, Spanking, M/F/M, menage, toys
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Plumeria

Every woman wants a fairy-tale ending, but Lily Valentine has given up on that. Other women may get their happily ever after, but what she lives is more like a nightmare. Admitted loner Clay Cook has heard all the stereotypes about artists and even lived some of them. He struggles with his craft, wondering if his best work is behind him.

Mortally ill, Lily flees to Divine, barreling headlong into Clay’s life from the distant past. Clay’s brother Del returns from a lengthy deployment, suffering from deep trauma of his own, at a loss for how to move on from it. In an effort to remake herself, Lily unintentionally does more harm than good.

As Lily Valentine rises from the ashes of her former life, jealousy is sparked and danger comes calling. Will Clay and Del be able to save her when her old life tries to reclaim her?

Even in the darkest of times, a person can claw her way out and rise above the ashes to start anew.

This story is about Lily Valentine, originally from Divine and childhood friends with Clay and Del Cook. Lily and her family moved away while she was still in school and she lost contact with the boys. Moving away may have seemed like the worst thing to ever happen to Lily until she met and married a man named JT, who turned out to be a sick, sick man. Lily spent the next twelve years in her abusive husband’s clutches, with no hope for escaping. But after a final humiliating confrontation she decides enough is enough and Lily heads for Divine. Little does she know her entrance would be a smash.

Clay is the local jeweler and owns a shop where he designs his own creations. Even though he’s as dependable and caring as he can be, Clay still buys into the stereotypical idea of what artist should be, flaky, in touch with with emotions and unreliable. He spends most of his time alone and works on his friends’ tokens of love for their women while he has no one. It wasn’t until Lily came crashing back into his life that he realized what he was missing.

His older brother Del finally comes home from working in a private military company. It’s been four years since his last visit and this time he brought home some emotional baggage. Unable to deal with his issues, Del sets himself to making his run down ranch functional. Of course, that’s easy to do when you never sleep. Once he and Lily reconnect, sparks fly but Del can’t help but worry about Clay’s feelings.

While Lily sets a backbreaking pace to improve herself and her life, Del sets the same pace but instead of improving, he ignores his issues. Clay is the healing agent for them both. Initially the story starts off as Clay and Lily grow closer to one another and when Del shows up everything shifts to create their triad. I really loved how different all of theses characters were and how they complimented each other without even trying. And how they just easily flowed into creating their relationship between the three of them with little discussion. Once the idea was planted, it literally grew wings and flew.

What I enjoyed most about Divine Phoenix was the emotions that the author was able to pull out of me. As a reader, I admit I can be a bit jaded when it comes to conflicts and the bad guys. But this story really grabbed me from the beginning to the very end. I just wanted to hug Lily, kiss Clay and hold Del. And I really wanted to do serious damage to JT.

But what made this book 5 stars for me was Ms. Rainier’s restraint when it came time for the climax. I deeply feared what I was going to read as I sped through her words but she gave you just enough without going too deep. Once you read this book, and I think everyone should, you’ll understand what I mean. Sometimes authors walk a fine line when it comes to painting a character especially the bad guy. They can come off a one dimensional or even ridiculous, but Ms. Rainier did it just perfectly. She painted a beautiful story with all the right colors and the end was a portrait of a divine phoenix.

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A Perfect Storm Rising by Cameron Dane

May 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A Perfect Storm Rising by Cameron Dane
Publisher: Loose Id
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (175 pgs)
Other: M/F, M/M/F, F/F, BDSM, Spanking, Anal sex, Voyeurism
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Plumeria

On an island off the coast of Maine, Lucien Cabot monitors the dark clouds rolling across a bleak sky. Patience and planning have been Lucien’s two closest friends for years, and now Mother Nature has aligned to create the perfect storm he needs to exact his revenge.

Television producer Sophie Emerson can’t believe her luck when the mysterious owner of Raven Island offers her a story about the island and castle. She really can’t believe it. Still, if real, this offer could be the break her career needs. Although suspicious, Sophie agrees to meet Lucien at his home.

Gotcha. Lucien can taste victory — if he can resist the keen intelligence, beauty, and light in Sophie. Falling for his guest is the last thing Lucien can afford to do.

Trapped on Raven Island, Sophie is shocked by her powerful desire to know more about Ravenstoke’s clever, darkly attractive master. In secret, Sophie also searches for the truth behind her invitation to Lucien’s island.

A perfect storm of fierce attraction and unbending revenge soon rages behind the walls of Ravenstoke. In the aftermath, once the debris has cleared, will Sophie’s love for Lucien be enough to end his dark revenge and bring him back into the light?

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

And what a game Lucien plays! He devotes his life to exacting revenge on those who wronged him. Typical right? But while he has this whole thing set up, like a chess game, he wasn’t expecting his partner to be quite the adversary she turns out to be. But Lucien is blinded by his revenge, unable to see what is actually right in front of him. Sophie.

Sophie is spunky, smart and turns out to be very sexy. Drawn into the game Lucien has set up starting with letting her into his castle on an island ( awesome right? I know! ) to let her work on a news story about the history of the castle. She is instantly drawn to the enigmatic man who she knows is toying with her yet can’t seem to make herself pull away from him. But under it all, she sees his pain and the grief he carries for his loss.

Lucien and Sophie were quite a pairing. They fed off each other and for every push and pull the other returned the favor. Whenever one thought they had the upper hand in their game, the other threw them off balance. It was an elegant dance of deception and sexuality. In one very poignant scene, which I won’t give away, Lucien is in a very dark place and no one but Sophie could have brought him the light he needed.

So much of this story is woven with Lucien’s plan that it’s hard not to give out spoilers. I was more than one hundred pages in before I realized what exactly was going on and the exact person around whom the revenge revolved. It kept me very intrigued and I was completely absorbed in book. Add in the additional back story of the man who built the castle on the island, and his family, I finished this in just a couple hours. By the way, did you happen to notice the other elements of this story above? Yeah, that was not at all what I was expecting.

My only complaint was a few times I scratched my head during some of the internal monologue. Sophie was someone who didn’t swear, yet during a sex scene she used very adult slang words. I felt that if she truly didn’t swear those words shouldn’t have been in her vocabulary. I think other terms could have easily been used to describe the scene. Leave the vulgarity to Lucien, who was quite fond of it.

All in all, a great story very captivating and heart wrenching. Ms Dane wrote a fascinating tale of one broken soul and the last person on earth he expected to fix it. So if you enjoy stories like that, this is for you.

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Training Cats by PD Singer

December 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Training Cats by PD Singer
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (31 pgs)
Other: M/M, mutual masturbation
Rating: 4 cherries
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The gloss is off Brent’s relationship with Tyler; the real man is showing through and his inside does not match the outside. Tyler’s handsome and glamorous, but that’s no longer enough to overcome his selfishness. Brent’s got a better chance of teaching a cat to sit and stay than of convincing Tyler to be thoughtful, and it’s time to stop trying.

No longer distracted by appearances, a newly single Brent is finally ready to notice the considerate, steadfast man who’s been part of the background too long.

Training a lover is like training a cat…almost impossible.

First off, I want to say I saw the title and knew I had to nab this book. Then I read the blurb. I wasn’t thrilled with the characters in the little bit I gleaned from the blurb, but it didn’t stop me. Did I say the title snagged me? Yes, it was the title that kept me wanting to read the book.

I’m glad I read Training Cats.

The writing in this story, though occasionally flawed, flowed well enough that I never wanted to put the book down. I raced through the story wanting–needing–to know what would happen next. I thought about the characters when I had to put it down because I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Why? Brett and Ethan aren’t typical men. They have issues and circumstances that not everyone would be in.

Brett puts up with a lot. I mean, a LOT. It’s like his patience is almost too good to be true. There were times I wanted to conk him on the head, but I understood why he acted the way he did. He wants to please and wants the shimmer of love in his relationship. Too bad life doesn’t want that for him.

Then there’s Ethan. The guy is creative and patient as well. He’s waiting for a change is so calm while he does this waiting. I don’t know if I’d have been so calm, but that’s me. The antagonist is pleasantly slimy. I had no troubles disliking him, and there was more of the feeling of wanting to give him a shake. But I loved how things came together. The build up was great and timed well. Oh and Monster? He’s the best part because I could totally identify with the freaked out, I’m-in-a-new-home-and-scared feelings he has. Great cat!

If you want a short story that’s got plenty of heart and just enough heat to sizzle, then you need to read Training Cats.

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Riever’s Heart by Renee Wildes

November 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Riever’s Heart by Renee Wildes
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (203 pages)
Other: M/F, Voyeurism, masturbation
Rating: 3.5 cherries
Reviewed by Spiderwort

The warrior in her was ready for anything. But she never saw him coming…

Guardians of Light, Book 5

Verdeen is on the brink of becoming an elite warrior ranger until the ultimate humiliation—no war mare chooses her for advanced training. King Loren’s consolation prize isn’t much better. Journey to the Isle of Ice as bodyguard to a human riever. Daq Aryk. Barbarian. Prince of thieves.

Aryk dreams the impossible: unite six fractious clans into a peaceful nation. Failure means they are all doomed to kill each other off—and the nightmares of his son’s death by sword will come true. The new elven ambassador rouses his ire, not because she’s female, but because she’s inexperienced. Her possibly needless death weighs on his already overburdened soul. Her beauty is a distraction he can’t afford.

In a fragrant, moonlit garden, Verdeen dares yield to an irresistible compulsion to kiss the mortal riever. The heat shakes her to the core, and frees a desire that should occur but once in her life. With a mate.

As their quest twists down ever more dangerous paths, though, their bond is the asset that could assure peace…or the liability that could send a dream down in flames.

Destiny Awaits. How like a woman to use a man’s words against him.

As a novel in the fantasy genre, Renee Wildes’ Riever’s Heart follows the expected formula almost to the last element. There are rampaging barbarians, noble elves, and even a half-dragon ruler within the pages of this romantic quest, and the journey is a noble one: to unite the warring hordes under a single rule to bring peace to the sundered lands.

However, at times, the execution of the plot feels a little too much like a forced march into the awaiting destiny that faces the story’s heroes. Verdeen, the elven warrior maid, is petulant and often comes across as spoiled, which is not at all the same as the strong, independent woman she could have been. Aryk’s noble and generous nature – especially in his awakening of Verdeen’s sexuality – at times becomes overshadowed by his lust, and this somehow seems to confound the development of his character. While I realise this is a product of the manner of their relationship, the lack of subtlety in the use of this character’s inner conflict risks endangering the reader/hero relationship. The single, biggest interruption to my enjoyment and engagement with the story, though, was that much of the narrative voice is written in a very self-conscious, ‘old worldly’ language. The use of such words as ‘Twas, afeared and betwixt is fine in dialogue, but it feels jarring and out of place when it appears as part of the general narrative as it does here. It feels like a vehicle by which we, as readers are being forced to identify with characters whose own actions should make us care about them enough to feel with them.

While that sounds all rather negative, the pace of the novel keeps those considerations from becoming overwhelming. The faithful adherence to all the well loved elements of both the fantasy, and the romance genres mitigates the d20 fumbles, (and fantasy role play gamers are probably the only ones who’ll truly ‘get’ that reference), and the attention to detail in the battle scenes, which fit perfectly within the telling of the tale, are more than strong enough to help carry the story forward. Lastly, and by absolutely no means least, the sexual tension underlying the whole of the novel remains high throughout, and the intimate scenes between Verdeen and Aryk are scorching hot, often unresolved (until the end), and tease unmercifully to leave both the characters and the readers desperately wanting more.

If fantasy set within a burning romance is what you like, or smouldering sensuality and strong, fiery sex in a brutal fantasy world is what you’re looking for, then Riever’s Heart will probably strike you just as true as one of Verdeen’s arrows.

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Clawed by Beverly Rae

August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Clawed by Beverly Rae
Wild Things, Book 3
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (98 pgs)
Other: M/F, Voyeurism, Masturbation
Rating: 3.5 cherries
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

His beast could rip out her heart…if she doesn’t claim his first.

Wild Things, Book 3

Chloe Long has cleaned up her last mess where her now ex-boyfriend is concerned. Desperate to clear her mind of her last images of him—in her bed with another woman, then with his hand around her throat—she heads for the mountains. The one place that refreshes her spirit.

Conan Cahill’s sojourn in the North Carolina mountains was supposed to be a break from the demands of his bear-shifter people…and the smell of humans. When he discovers a human female secretly sketching his naked body, though, his reaction catches him off guard. Not only does her scent rouse an aching need to touch and taste, her stubborn refusal to give up the drawing makes his body twitch in some very pleasurable ways.

Trapped with Conan in her tent during a storm, all thoughts of sleeping alone fly out of Chloe’s mind. She can’t help but grab something more than forty winks in her sleeping bag. They come together like thunder and lightning, but there’s danger beyond the rain. And the stirring of a love that may not survive their differences.

What’s a were-bear to do when he finally finds a woman who can see beyond his fur? Claim her of course. It’s not as easy as he’d like which made for a fun book to read.

Chloe is the heroine of the piece and she’s tired of always picking the wrong man. Seems she has an ideal but he only exists in her dreams. After reading the story, I think Fate was giving her hints as to who she was finally going to be happy with. It took a leap of faith and the ability to see the whole picture for Chloe to come to terms with what her future might hold – if she’s brave enough and emotionally strong enough to grab it. Her character goes through a process of believing, not believing and finally acceptance. The author handled the character’s fear and trepidation well without turning the heroine into a mass of conflicted angst that would have undermined her and overshadowed the plot and story. It was just the right balance.

Conan is the hero who is on the run. From what, I was never completely sure but the important thing is, I figured out who he was running to – eventually. The hero seemed like a lonely man which isn’t helped by the fact that he gave the impression that he was a loner as well. He doesn’t interact much with the outside world so his attempts at wooing the skittish Chloe were conflicted. He wants her, of that there is no doubt, but he’s plagued with a lot of insecurities and worries. For a big guy, he’s a crème puff. The only thing that man was confident in and did with alacrity was making love to the heroine. His post-coital actions needed some refinement, but I am betting Chloe will be effective in fixing that. As it was, it contributed to the chaos called courtship.

There seemed to be a secondary romance going on between Chloe’s best friend, Nina and Conan’s buddy, Billy. It was cute and it was nice that everyone seemed to find love in the wilderness; I just wished that more time was spent on getting into Conan’s motivations and emotions. It seemed that the author only gave enough information to make their sexual union more palatable and believable. I guess it worked but I miss having that connection where I really craved to see them come together. I wasn’t teased enough and I think this book had plenty of length that it could have been addressed in some fashion.

The outside conflict came from an ex-boyfriend of Chloe’s. I figured he was going to push his brutish head into the mix and be as obnoxious as the author presented him early on. What I didn’t expect was the second and third confrontations. I was impressed by the last one because it totally took me by surprise. At that point, there were two layers of action going on. The one where Roger tried to instigate a violent reaction and did something brutal to Conan, and the other where the hero kept his promise to Chloe. As silly as I might have thought it was, because he interpreted it literally, it was romantic and sweet and proved Conan to be a true hero, all in the name of love.

Clawed didn’t end with a big, flowery and typical wrap-up. The finale showcased instead, a beginning. Chloe’s life will never be the same and it’s more powerful because she chose it. I found that much more romantic than anything either character could have said or done.

If love, were-bear style, is intriguing, then read Clawed. It’s an engaging and entertaining paranormal romance that has enough heat and fur to keep a reader’s interest.

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Level Up by Lena Austin

August 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Level Up by Lena Austin
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Sci-fi/fantasy
Length: Short Story (32 pgs)
Other: M/M, M/M/M, F/M/M/M, anal sex, masturbation, voyeurism, menage, M/F
Rating: 3.5 cherries
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Megan’s late again, and David is getting tired of waiting on her. However, Megan and her roommates Jared and Michael are going to make it up to David in a big way. They’re hoping he’ll level up his domestic situation and join them in a never-ending foursome.

Looking for a book about a a guy with a girlfriend who has two male roommates? Want sex in said story, too? Then you need to read Level Up. I’m glad I did.

When I get a book by Lena Austin, I know there will be lots of sweaty, hot sex. I wasn’t disappointed. I knew there would be lots of interaction, but holy crumb cakes, Batman. I didn’t realize there was so much four bodies could do. The words flowed from the pages and kept me right in my seat. I had to know what would happen next and how the characters would react to what occurred.

Lena Austin manages to paint a clear picture of her sci-fi world in a mere thirty-two pages. I felt like I was right there and man, I needed a cool drink.

If I had a complaint, it was really minor. I liked the characters and didn’t want the story to end. I wished Ms. Austin had it a tad longer, but this is a short story and I didn’t feel short changed. Rather, I was so involved I needed more. I have to say I was totally taken by Jared and Michael. This is very much Dave and Megan’s story as well as Dave’s journey, but I fell for Michael and Jared. They made me laugh and, whew are they hot…

If you want a short story that’s guaranteed to make you giggle, sweat, and sigh, then you need to read Level Up. It’s a good read.

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