VELVET SCARS

TITLE: VELVET SCARS

AUTHOR: SEAN MICHAEL

Pages: 99

Date: 21/04/2014

Grade: 4+

Details: A VG Resurrection Tale

             Received from Torquere Press

             Through Love Romances and More

Own/Kindle

The blurb:

Argon is the new master of the body mods shop at the rebuilt Velvet Glove and he needs an apprentice. He’s hoping for someone who will not only want to learn how to pierce, tattoo, scar and brand, but who is interested in being his submissive as well. 

Brother Yves arrives at the body mods shop on a mission from the clerics of Mount Bell. The cloister has been his only home and he is totally innocent. Scared and far away from home, he nonetheless forges forward and presents himself to Master Argon, insisting that he is destined to be with the man. 

Are Argon and Yves too different to find common ground, or are they destined to be together forever?

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My thoughts:

“His apprentice didn’t have to be his submissive as well, but it was Argon’s dream, to have his shop and his love all in one place. To be able to work together as Dom and sub in all aspects of life...”

Master Argon is looking for an apprentice to assist him in his body mods shop, but he wants a bit more than just someone to work with. The first few applicants are disappointing and sent away again within a few minutes of arrival.

When a very pale young man in robes enters the store and offers himself to Master Argon everything changes. Brother Yves has been sent from the cloistered community where he has lived all his life with orders to go and find his Master.

Argon is immediately intrigued by and attracted to the young man. Yves on the other hand is a complete innocent and scared out of his brain. He might trust the people who sent them to Velvet Glove and he may also have been dreaming about this Master for as long as he can remember, he is like a fish out of water in this world. Everything he encounters is new to him; from the variety of foods available, through clothes other than robes to intimacy and sex, it all comes as a confusing and scary novelty.

Will instant attraction, deep feelings of tenderness and patience from Master Argon combined with Yves wish to obey his orders be enough to bring the two men together or are the worlds they come from just too far apart?

I have to start by saying that while this is the second book in ‘Velvet Glove Resurrection’ series which appears to be a continuation of an earlier series, I did not feel I was missing vital information about the setting or the characters while reading this novella.

This was the sweetest BDSM story ever. When the book starts Argon appears to be a rather cold, calculating and intolerant man. That impression changes the moment Yves walks into his shop. The man who seemed rather unlikeable turns out to have a heart of gold and goes out of his way to make the young man who appears to be made for him comfortable and less afraid. I loved the patience he had and the gentle steps he took to introduce Yves to both the world the boy now found himself in and intimacy with another man.

Yves broke my heart at times. He desperately wants to please his new Master but is scared of everything he encounters, including tight pants. He has no idea about kissing, never mind any other form of intimacy and is convinced that most intimate acts are destined to make him ill. The combination of his eagerness to please the Master he recognises as the man he’s been dreaming about all his life, and his slow introduction to the delights of intimacy and sex was beautiful.

For a BDSM novel this story was very soft and sweet and that worked wonderfully. Yves natural inclination is to submit to the man in charge which means this story didn’t need the power play dynamic to establish who was in charge. Quite the opposite in fact. Yves didn’t need to learn to obey his master, his most important lesson was that he had the right to been heard, to have opinions, and to give and receive pleasure.

I loved reading about Yves seduction and appreciated that while it takes place over just a few days it didn’t feel rushed. And I liked the role-reversal. In this story it is not the sub hoping to bind the Master to him, it is Master Argon who knows he wants and needs Yves long before his ‘little love’ even starts to understand all the new emotions and sensations he’s experiencing.

Sweet, sexy and very hot this was a very satisfying read that left me a little bit sad when I my time with the two men had finished.

FIERCE HEARTS

TITLE: FIERCE HEARTS

AUTHOR: Lynn Stark

Pages: 143

Date: 19/04/2014

Grade: 3

Details: No. 3 Men of Silver

             Received from Siren Publishing

             Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Lucien St. James, betrayed by those closest to him, leaves his old life behind. When he arrives in Silver to hide from the world until he heals, his father hires bodyguards to protect him. It isn't long before Lucien wants something more with Jax Talbert and Jonathan Lang.

Jax and Lang consider Lucien just another client. It's their job to protect the pop star from the paparazzi and anyone else seeking to exploit him. The intimacy of guarding him in a mountain hideaway, however, allows them to become good friends.

When they begin to see him as more than a friend, however, they quit their job. Confused by the actions of the two men, and his own feelings for them, Lucien finally comes to the conclusion that if he's to have a relationship with them, he has to force their hand and their emotions. He's willing to risk it all for love.

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My thoughts:

I’m in two minds about this book. On the on hand there is the story-line, as described above, which I loved. But on the other is the way this story was written. And that didn’t work for me. I found myself getting confused as to whose mind I was in and how they were talking to and/or about. I can’t help feeling that maybe the author didn’t trust her own story enough. The tale of the three men and what it took for them to accept their love for each other would have been enough. It didn’t need the unexpected and unexplained violent scene near the end. To me it felt as if that was only there for shock value, to keep the reader engaged. The thing is that I was engaged – in the love story – and this scene pulled me out of that, leaving me wondering ‘what the hell?’ and ‘why?’.

I couldn’t help feeling the book would have benefitted from a bit more editing. On several occasions the repeated use of a word in subsequent sentences took me out of the story.

I also feel the author dragged the ending out too far. The perfect moment to end the book on came, in my opinion, several pages before the final word. Those last few pages didn’t add anything to the story as the described a future I had already pictured in my mind. I more or less had to force myself to read the epilogue and resist the temptation to just skip to the end. And it wouldn’t have made any difference if I had skipped to the end, I don’t feel I would have missed anything vital to the story if I had.

But, like I said, I did enjoy the story itself. I liked the relationship between Jax and Lang and how well they worked together. I liked Lucien although he did seem a bit naive for someone who’d been famous for such a long time. And I loved how the three men slowly get closer to each other despite the reservations each of them had about that set-up.  I enjoyed watching Lucien getting his confidence back and adored Jax’s turmoil while he was trying to deal with his feelings and his inability to vocalise them.

I adored the idea of the town of Silver. The acceptance of unconventional relationships was not only fun to read about but also we can only hope will one day be normal everywhere. And it was very smart to have the whole town being private property, thus allowing the sheriff powers he wouldn’t have in any other community.

“Fierce Hearts” is the third title in the “Men of Silver” series. I didn’t read the first two books and was pleasantly surprised that this wasn’t a problem. While it is quite possible that I would have enjoyed the secondary characters more if I had read those prequels, I didn’t feel as if I was missing vital information while reading this book.

Overall this book felt a bit like a missed opportunity; a great story idea that could have been a wonderful read with just a few smallish changes. As it was I found it too easy to put this book down and not easy enough to pick it back up again.

FRENCHMAN'S COWBOY

TITLE: THE FRENCHMAN’S COWBOY

AUTHOR: W.M. KIRKLAND

Pages: 30

Date: 16/04/2014

Grade: 4-

Details: A 1 Night Stand Contemporary Romance

            Received from Decadent publishing

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“After a fling with a professional polo player and model on the set of a reality show, rodeo rider Dustin Gerke wants to let go of his regrets and get back in the saddle—romantically and professionally. Determined to wash the Frenchman out of his mind, he schedules a 1Night Stand…

Unable to forget his affair with bronc rider Dustin, Pierre Anthony Archumbault III has cut back on his schedule to follow the rodeo circuit…and the cowboy he hasn’t gotten over. Signing up for a 1Night Stand he hopes for a fresh chance at a new romance…

What neither of these former lovers expected was each other, but they have one night to lasso their dreams…”

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My thoughts:

These 1 Night Stand stories are, of course, a bit predictable. Two people meet through Madame Eve’s matchmaking service and what both expected to be a wonderful but one-off experience turns out to be the start of the rest of their lives together. After all, Madame Eve knows exactly what she’s doing when she brings people together.

Then again, I don’t read these books hoping to be surprised. What I want and what I get when I read one of these novellas is the story of how one night of unbridled passion gives two people the opportunity to find what they never thought they could have.

This one was no exception. Our two men, while very attracted to each other are convinced they are too different from each other to ever have a future together. And yet they’re unable to stop thinking about the other man and the time they spent together.

The differences between Dustin and Tony are well established in this story. They’re shown not only through the clothes they wear, the cars they drive and the way they treat their bodies, but also in their thoughts. Both had a distinct voice which matched their description perfectly. They also have at least one thing in common, their attraction for each other.

There is a wonderful balance between tender and rough in this story, with both men being reluctant to show their feelings yet not entirely able of keeping them hidden.

While this story is only 30 pages long I did find myself liking Dustin and Tony by the end of it and hoping that they would be able to find a way to make their different worlds, backgrounds and lifestyles melt together. Their bodies didn’t need any more time; they had it all figured from the start.

This book ends on what I would call a hopeful note. It’s not really a happy-for-now as nothing has been resolved, but the reader is left in no doubt that the future might hold happiness for these men. And since this series isn’t called ‘1 Night Stand’ for nothing, that is more than good enough for me.

“They’d had their one-night stand. The next evening they’d have another one. Maybe, eventually, they could string enough of them together to actually make a life.”

LIP SERVICE

TITLE: LIP SERVICE 

AUTHOR: NIKKA MICHAELS

Length: Petite

Date: 16/04/2014

Grade: 5

Details: no. 2 Room Service

            A Cobblestone Blue Line Story

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Dr, Seth Campbell and Carson Randall from ROOM SERVICE return in this short erotic sequel. Separated by their jobs on a daily basis, the partners have to make time for each other when they can.  They combine their passion for each other in mini interludes to reconnect with each other and rekindle their connection.

When Set finds Carson waiting for him in the hotel bar, their attraction and awareness smolders to life. When their already limited time together is interrupted by an important phone call, an impatient Seth takes matters into his own hands.”

My thoughts:

‘Lip Service’ is the sequel to ‘Room Service’ and gives us the opportunity to spend a little bit more time with Dr. Seth Campbell and Carson Randall. While it is possible to read this book before turning to Room Service, I would advise against it. There’s a delicious twist in Room Service that won’t come as a surprise if you read Lip Service first.

Seth and Carson are busy men, happy to concentrate on their individual careers even if it means spending too little time together. When they do meet up they more than make up for lost time and us readers are very fortunate to be given this second opportunity to look on as they get very hot and bothered together.

What I love about these stories is that while they are short (and boy would I have loved more time with Seth and Carson) both give us an insight into the characters and the way they interact as well as a hot, sexy, and oh so romantic encounter.

Rumour has it that there might be a prequel on the way. I can only hope that will turn out to be true (Cobblestone Press are you listening?), finding out what happened between Seth and Carson when they first met is very high on my wish list.

Anybody who’s in the mood for a well written, exciting, hot and quick read about two fascinating men should just rush over to the publisher’s website and treat themselves. You won’t regret it.

“He chuckled, the low throaty sound sending blood pooling between my hips.”

Buy link: Cobblestone Press

NAUGHTY BITS PART 1: THE LINGERIE SHOP

TITLE: NAUGHTY BITS PART 1

          THE LINGERIE SHOP

AUTHOR: JOEY W. HILL

Pages: 110

Date: 15/04/2014

Grade: 4+

Details: Naughty Bits Part 1

            Received from Penguin Group

            Through NetGalley

Own / Kindle

The Blurb:

“When finance executive Madison inherits a lingerie shop called Naughty Bits, she decides to leave behind her staid career and explore her every forbidden desire...

Madison is a control freak with one wish—to lose control. Her hidden submissive cravings have led to a string of disastrous relationships. So when she inherits her sister’s North Carolina lingerie shop, Naughty Bits, she jumps at the opportunity to dump her boring finance career and bad history and try her luck down South.

But before Madison can settle in, she catches the attention of the owner of the neighboring hardware store. Sexually dominant Logan Scott can see the hunger for command in Madison’s eyes and is anxious to help unleash her submissive desires. He presents her with three very tempting gifts—handcuffs, erotic cards, and an open invitation to join him at a submissive’s training session.

Faced with the realization that she can’t sell fantasies to her lingerie customers without embracing her own, Madison accepts Logan’s offer. Now, she’s about to discover just how far her desire can take her…”

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My Thoughts:

“Relinquish control – on your own terms”

This is going to be one of those reviews containing numerous quotes. I did try to restrain myself but found myself highlighting section after section. In the end I had to leave quite few very wonderful quotes out of this review because it was just getting too long. Joey W. Hill has a wonderful way with words and explains the intricacies of BDSM in a way that embellishes the beauty of the life-style without ever making it sound dark, scary or dangerous. I hope that the quotes I share below show both the beauty of her words and the depth of her knowledge.

“When a woman gets out of the way of her instincts, and doesn’t let the baggage she brings from her day-to-day life drag her down, she’s the one who leads. As her Master, I put her in touch with those instincts; she’s the one who uses them to take us both to a deeper level of connection.” – Logan

It goes even further than that. Hill is the first author I’ve come across to take the time to explain why the idea behind a Dominant/submissive relationship is so tempting even for those who have no real desire to explore such a dynamic.

“Deep inside all of us are vulnerabilities, (...). Things we only reveal to the person capable of stripping us bare and yet cherishing the nakedness they find, not exploiting it. That’s a common threat beneath a lot of the Dominant and submission sexual fantasies people have, whether or not they’re actual Dominants for submissives.”-  Logan to Madison

Quotes like the two above took my breath away. I found myself re-reading them just to relish in the beauty of the words and contemplate them before moving on with the story. In fact, truth be told, I enjoyed these insights and the sheer beauty of the words more than I did the story as such.  I just didn’t like Madison that much, she infuriated me at times. Her actions, past and present, as well as her defensive stance towards the world rubbed me the wrong way and left me wanting to slap her or give her a good talking to.

Logan on the other hand was almost too good to be true. His Dominance rose of the page and flowed through me. I could hear his words, feel his hands and couldn’t get enough of him. I found myself resenting every single page he didn’t feature on and was very impatient to spend more time with him even while I wished that didn’t mean having to put up with Madison as well.

“She felt like a book he was reading, every word a page full of information about her.” Madison’s reaction when she first meets Logan

Alice leaves her lingerie shop, ‘Naughty Bits’ to her sister Madison who is like a fish out of water with her inheritance. But Alice goes one step further; she also – more or less – gives her sister to Logan, the Dom who owns the hardware shop next door.

“I’m giving her to you, Logan, but you might just give yourself to her too. For the first time in your life.” Alice, talking about Madison to Logan before she dies.

Madison has been dreaming about submitting to a man for as long as she can remember but all the men in her past have belittled her dreams before leaving her. After all the pain those relationships have caused her, Madison is about ready to admit defeat and concede the man and relationship she’s dreaming about don’t exist, at least not for her. Combine that with the guilt she feels about being estranged from her sister when she died and a desperate need to be in control of everything in her life, Madison is one bundle of insecurity and defensiveness, and it isn’t long before Logan finds himself on the receiving end of those emotions.

“I get that you have trust issues with men, Madison. But until I specifically deserve it, I’d prefer you not lash out at me because of what someone else has done.” Logan

Logan is the prototype of a perfect Dom; completely in control, reasonable, apparently able to see and understand everything his subject is thinking and feeling and, to top it all off, graced with a wicked sense of humour. In fact, he’s not just the perfect Dom, in my book he comes pretty close to being the perfect man.

“I’d give one of Troy’s testicles to know what’s going through your mind right now.” Logan to Madison

What impressed me most in this book was how very hot Logan and Madison were together even though they don’t remove a single item of clothing while together and don’t even share a kiss. The heat between them just from Logan’s apparently casual touches and the way he talks to her blew me away and left me wanting more.

“In D/s, chains are magic. Binding the body frees the soul, lets it fly. A woman stops thinking. She just feels.” Logan to Madison

I’m looking forward to finding out what will happen next to Madison and Logan. While I’m certain that Madison will continue to irritate me, I know that Logan’s presence and the way he deals with her will make up for any frustration I feel when I read about her. Logan combined with Joey W. Hill’s words and her wonderful descriptions of the world of BDSM have hooked me on this story with no chance of escape.

“You can be what you want with me, as long as you’re true to yourself.” Logan to Madison

ONLY LOVE & AWAKE AND ALIVE

TITLE: ONLY LOVE & AWAKE AND ALIVE

AUTHOR: Garrett Leigh

Pages: 274 / 34

Date: 13/04/2014

Grade: 5

Details: Received from the Dreamspinner Press

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

ONLY LOVE, the blurb:

“The diagnosis of a chronic stomach condition leaves thirty-two-year-old Sergeant Jed Cooper with little choice but to call time on his Army career. Then on the dusty streets of Kirkuk, an ambush gone tragically wrong decimates his team, and he returns to the US with a shattered leg and the memory of his best friend dying in his arms.

Life in his sleepy hometown proves intolerable until he finds solace in a lakeside cabin with vivacious young carpenter, Max O’Dair. In the shadow of the epilepsy that periodically plagues Max, he and Jed form an unspoken bond. After a late night episode, Jed realizes how much Max means to him, and life has taught him not to waste time.

But the lines between contentment and complacency are blurred. Things left hidden resurface to tear through their world, and before they can repair the damage, death comes to call again. Faces, past and present, rally around them to weather the storm, but before long, they are left with only love.”

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My thoughts:

This review is going to be different from the ones I usually write. While I will discuss my thoughts on the story, this post will touch on more than ‘just’ the book. Jed’s medical nightmare in ‘Only Love’ resonated with me on many levels. Writing about this story without also touching on personal memories has turned out to be impossible.

There was so much I could identify with in this book. Gastroparesis may not be the name of my particular problem but I I’m all too intimately acquainted with gastro-intestinal problems and all the consequences they can have for your (love)life. Similarly, I may have never been on the receiving end of a bullet, I do know what it is like to have a leg that just won’t do what it’s supposed to be doing. Oh, and don’t forget to check off that ugly scar nor the constant lack of appetite.

“Jed wasn’t hungry, but then he never was.”

The frustration Jed experiences was a constant presence in my life for years and still makes regular reappearances. Swinging between gratitude because people look out for you and anger because they feel they have to; been there and done that too.

I’m sure there are emotional triggers in this book for every reader. Mine were probably a bit different from most; I was closest to Jed when the endoscopy was mentioned and literally shuddered in distress at the mention of morphine.

The funny thing is that the hardest part of this story wasn’t Jed’s illness but Max’s helplessness while Jed was on death’s doorstep. It once again brought home to me what it must have been like for my husband when the doctors were ready to write me off.

This book all but killed my while I was reading it. Max and Jed are wonderful characters to read about; well developed, fully rounded and completely realistic, I found myself in their thrall from the moment they were introduced. Their slow progression from roommates, to friends to so much more was smooth, realistic and beautiful. The secondary characters in ‘Only Love’ made it easier for me to understand Max and Jed and added warmth and realism to their story.

While I don’t want to spoil the ending for anyone who hasn’t read the book, I have to say that I’m grateful that while the author gave us an optimistic ending, she kept it real. Thankfully there are no miracle cures on these pages; ‘just’ two strong yet vulnerable men finding each other and the strength to build a future together.

“How do you do that?

Do what?

Say nothing at all for months on end, then kill me dead in three sentences.”

I can’t thank Garrett Leigh enough for the way in which she managed to combine harsh realism with thoughtful sensitivity. She took two men who might well have been broken by their medical circumstances and showed that the limitations health issues can throw in your path don’t mean you have to stop living, never mind loving. In fact, I don’t think I have the words to express how much reading this book has meant to me.

To avoid any confusion I should add the following. I would have loved this book if I had never been ill in my life. I would challenge any reader to pick up this book and not feel ALL the emotions. If you find yourself in need of a well written, thought provoking, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting love story, you can’t go wrong with ‘Only Love’. The book will take your breath away.

“For him, Max was the early morning sun, a cool springtime breeze, and a blanket of fresh white snow. His warm eyes were a guiding light in the dark, and the love they held was the only thing Jed would ever need.”

AWAKE AND ALIVE, the blurb:

“After a successful surgery relieves Jed of the illness that nearly killed him, he returns home to slowly recover with Max. With time to reconnect, Max shows him a new way to love. Now at a crossroads and facing a new life, Jed must listen to his friends and family to learn how to move forward.”

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My thoughts:

Awake and alive is a 34 page out-take from ‘Only Love’ and is available as a free read on the publisher’s website. If, like me, you’ve read and loved ‘Only Love’ this is a very welcome and beautiful addition to a wonderful story. Make sure to read it after only love though, you will regret it if you don’t.

I was very happy with this opportunity to spend a little bit more time with two men I got very attached to over the course of 274 pages. While I completely understand why it wasn’t included in ‘Only Love’ I’m very glad it was made available to the public separately. It gives us a glimpse of the happier times once the heartbreaking events of ‘Only Love’ are a thing of the past. While the ending of ‘Only Love’ didn’t leave me in any doubt about Jed and Max’s happily ever after, it was a joy to be part of it for a short while; a very welcome burst of light after the trauma they had put me through in the main story.

Since I started on a personal note I guess I might as well end on one as well. Just as Garrett Leigh painted a very realistic picture of what it is like to be brought to your knees by a medical condition in ‘Only Love’ she successfully described the start of a new life afterwards in ‘Awake and Alive’. It may not be the life you’d expected to live, it may mean having to change all the plans you had for your future, it is still a life well worth living. Especially if you’re lucky enough to do it with someone you love and who loves you dearly by your side. 

SEDUCING HELENA

TITLE: SEDUCING HELENA

AUTHOR: ANN MAYBURN

Pages: 46

Date: 10/04/2014

Grade: 4+

Details: no. 3 Calendar Men

            Received from Decadent Publishing

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Supermodel Helena Flores didn’t plan to fall in love with her Marine pen-pal, but that’s exactly what happens when she starts corresponding Seth Morgan. He’s funny, kind, and so hot she can’t stand it. In an effort to see if Seth can like her for her who she is on the inside—and not just as a swimsuit model—Helena pretends her job in the fashion industry is behind the camera rather than in front of it. But soon it’s time for Seth to come home and Helena tells him the truth, hoping he can forgive her deception.

Seth Morgan had been falling in love with his sweet and feisty pen-pal for months. When he finds out who Helena is, he wonders what she sees in him. Worse, when he meets her in the flesh, the reality is even better than his fantasy. But what can you do to keep the girl who can have anyone? Seth hopes the answer is a seduction so thorough and pleasurable she won’t ever want him to leave.”

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My thoughts:

Was there ever the possibility of me not reading a book titled ‘Seducing Helena’? I guess not. And, while it can be risky picking a book based solely on the title, I’m very glad to say I got away with it this time.

Helena Flores is a supermodel who enjoys her job and the lifestyle it allows her to have, but feels lonely in a world where everybody knows who she is and wants a piece of her but nobody appears to be interested in exactly who she is. When she sees a picture of Marine Seth Morgan she feels an instant attraction to him and jumps on the opportunity to correspond with him, while keeping her identity secret.

The emails from his funny, sexy and feisty pen-pal are a life line for Seth during his last few months as a Marine. It isn’t long before the two are sharing sexual fantasies as well as anecdotes from their lives. When Seth discovers who Helena really is, he has doubts about his ability to be able to fit into her world. He can’t quite see how a simple man like him could ever be good enough for the superstar the woman he’s beginning to fall for is. But Seth has a plan; his seduction of Helena will be slow and sensual. He is determined to proof that it is the woman he’s interested in, not the beautiful and famous model.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a short, light, funny and sexy read; more or less what I expected. However, ‘Seducing Helena’ was more than that.

For starters, the main characters in this book, especially Helena, are anything but stereotypes.

“Helena knew her beauty was considered unconventional for the modelling world, with her curves, dark brown skin and bold nose.”

That description doesn’t just make her unconventional in the modelling world; romantic fiction could do with a lot more a-typical characters as well and it was wonderful to come across one here. Especially one as fun and captivating as Helena. Here we have a woman who owns her own life, knows what she wants and is not only willing, but happy to pay the price for it.

I liked that Helena was not only in control of her life but also confident about her body and fully engaged and unashamed about her sexual appetite. This woman can give pleasure as well as she can receive it and doesn’t make a secret of her desires. No false modesty, no weakness and no surrender; if Seth finds himself in control of the situation it is because that’s how Helena wants it.

 I liked Seth as well. He may be like fish out of water in Helena’s world, he is willing to embrace it because it is part of who she is and he has fallen for her. The macho Marine is perfectly happy to follow his woman’s lead when he’s out of his comfort zone and looks all the stronger for it. And his slow and restrained seduction of Helena, while suppressing his owns burning need for, her was both touching and hot.

I was impressed with the way the author touched on the fact that this is an interracial romance and pointed out some potential pitfalls without making it the focus of the story.

The very, very hot emails between Seth and Helena were a treat and a wonderful lead up to the moment they get together. In fact, I don’t think I was bored or distracted for a single moment while reading ‘Seducing Helena’. Ann Mayburn may be yet another author I’ll have to further investigate.