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Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
24 December 2015
Title
| Tipping the Velvet |
Author
| Sarah Waters |
Publisher
| Virago |
Publication Date
|
1998
|
Pages
| 480 |
Genre
| historical romance |
Description (from Amazon)
Piercing the shadows of the naked stage was a single shaft of rosy limelight, and in the centre of this was a girl: the most marvellous girl - I knew it at once! - that I had ever seen.
A saucy, sensuous and multi-layered historical romance, Tipping the Velvet follows the glittering career of Nan King - oyster girl turned music-hall star turned rent boy turned East End 'tom'.
My thoughts
I loved this book! And it affirmed my love for Sarah Waters. This was the second book of hers I bought. My first one was Fingersmith which was an impulse buy in a book shop, and as I loved this book, I then looked for more of Sarah Waters and was not disappointed.
Tipping the Velvet is a historical romance book and the story of a lesbian self-discovery, telling the story of Nancy 'Nan' Astley aka Nancy King and set mainly in London's East End during Victorian times.
Nancy lives with her family of sell Oysters in their restaurant in Herne Bay, and can't imagine nothing else but to eventually marry her boyfriend and live as an oyster girl in Kent. But then she visits the the local theatre and sees Kitty Butler, a male impersonator, and though she doesn't know it initially, falls in love. She joins Kitty and stage and the two become not only a double act but also lovers. But there is no happy end in this relationship. But Nan is a survivor, and she will have many more adventures and loves to live in Victorian London.
I loved reading Nan's story, and how she makes her way. I also found the descriptions of London and life at the time fascinating. From the theatre scene to 'lady's club' to rent boys to political activists, all packed into this page turner.
Yes, there are some lesbian love scenes, but they are by no means explicit, but very tasteful (pardon the pun). The developing romance(s) for Nan are like any other romances really told often before, from madly in love, being hurt, and finally finding a soul mate, and all this in prude Victorian London!
5 October 2015
.....
Title
| After You |
Author
| James Farmer |
Publisher
| CreateSpace |
Publication Date
|
August 2013
|
Pages
| 201 |
Genre
| Fiction, Romance, Contemporary |
Description (from Amazon)
‘The day we met. Our first kiss. Our first dance. The night we first made love. The first time your text didn’t end with an X. The day you said it was over.’
It was supposed to last forever...
Is it ever possible to pick up the pieces and start again after losing The One?
An honest and evocative tale detailing the aftermath of the break-up that was never meant to happen.
It was supposed to last forever...
Is it ever possible to pick up the pieces and start again after losing The One?
An honest and evocative tale detailing the aftermath of the break-up that was never meant to happen.
At only just over 200 pages, this little book can be read almost in one/two sittings, and only 99p at the moment (I've picked it up as a Freebie from Amazon a while ago).
The story of a break-up, as simple as that. No hidden agenda and no big twists and turns in the middle nor a huge revelation at the end. I could almost physically feel the pain of the protagonist. And even though the author says at the end that it is not based on personal experience, it certainly feels that way. The way the raw emotions are described, it feels like you can only write about it in that way if you 'have been there'. It starts out depressing - and that's the point of it I think, as the author wants to show how incredibly hard it was. And that's it's not a one-way street but have throw-backs. How your friends think they are helping you but actually just seem to make at worst. At least at the beginning.
But there is a positive message at the end. I don't think it is too raw to read if you are just going through a difficult break-up, as it shows that others have been there, and there is hope. (I know it's fiction but even fiction taken from real life here for sure.)
5 July 2015
Title
| Rivals |
Author
| Jilly Cooper |
Publisher
| Corgi |
Publication Date
|
1988
|
Pages
| 720 |
Genre
| Romance |
Description (from Amazon)
Into the cut-throat world of Corinium television comes Declan O'Hara, a mega-star of great glamour and integrity with a radiant feckless wife, a handsome son and two ravishing teenage daughters. Living rather too closely across the valley is Rupert Campbell-Black, divorced and as dissolute as ever, and now the Tory Minister for Sport.
Declan needs only a few days at Corinium to realise that the Managing Director, Lord Baddingham, is a crook who has recruited him merely to help retain the franchise for Corinium. Baddingham has also enticed Cameron Cook, a gorgeous but domineering woman executive, to produce Declan's programme. Declan and Cameron detest each other, provoking a storm of controversy into which Rupert plunges with his usual abandon.
As a rival group emerges to pitch for the franchise, reputations ripen and decline, true love blossoms and burns, marriages are made and shattered, and sex raises its (delicious) head at almost every throw as, in bed and boardroom, the race is on to capture the Cotswold Crown.
My thoughts:
So there is a bonkbuster before anyone had heard about Christian Grey. What I love about Jilly Cooper is that her books are sexy without having to resort to detailed anatomical /gynaecological descriptions of the act and everything around 'it'.
This time, in the second book of the Rutshire Chronicles, she takes us into the world of television instead of show jumping. But fear not, Rupert Campbell-Black is back and his story continues. He bordered on the unpleasant in the first book, but here, he mellows out a lot (though I've always loved him I have to say!) and, after a few more Rupert-like conquests, his life takes a surprising turn - with the arrival of a young woman in his life, of course.
Yes, all the characters are OTT, but completely loveable (somehow even the 'nasty' ones). Not a lot of the other characters from book one are coming back, only Billy Lloyd-Foxe got a bit of a very small side role. But that didn't make a difference, as I quickly got to know the new people here. I couldn't really warm to domineering Cameron (who really just want's to be loved) - can't really say why. But of course, I loved Cinderella aka Taggie. There are so many other characters, some with bigger, some with smaller parts, but I felt that I really got to know all of them really well and felt I was almost part of their little world at the end and would really like to know how it continues.
The book was written and published in the 1980's and all of those readers who, like me, lived in the 1980's, will recognise current themes of the era, most notably the emergence of AIDS/HIV which Cooper manages to include (not the main story, of course, but Rupert, being responsible, takes a HIV test and is relieved all is clear).
I am already looking forward to read Book 3 in the series Polo and can't wait to see how it continues for Rupert and hopefully I'll also meet some of the other characters again.
25 May 2015
Title
| Riders |
Author
| Jilly Cooper |
Publisher
| Arlington Books Ltd |
Publication Date
|
1985
|
Pages
| 928 |
Genre
| Romance |
Amazon description:
Set against the glorious Cotswold countryside and the playgrounds of the world, Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles, Riders, Rivals, Polo, The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous,Appassionata and Score!, offer an intoxicating blend of skulduggery, swooning romance, sexual adventure and hilarious high jinks.
Riders, the first and steamiest in the series, takes the lid off international showjumping, a sport where the brave horses are almost human, but the humans behave like animals.
The brooding hero, gypsy Jake Lovell, under whose magic hands the most difficult horse or woman becomes biddable, is driven to the top by his loathing of the beautiful bounder and darling of the show ring, Rupert Campbell-Black. Having filched each other's horses, and fought and fornicated their way around the capitals of Europe, the feud between the two men finally erupts with devastating consequences during the Los Angeles Olympics.
A few years ago I read a new Jilly Cooper book (Wicked!) that had just come out and enjoyed it enormously. Having read up on her, I found that the so-called Rutshire Cronicles what she is famous for, and it came highly recommended, so I got myself the Riders / Rivals ebook bundle for a forthcoming beach holiday.
The book is set and was written in the late 1970's / early 1980's around the world of show jumping: riders, horses and women. And please - even if this is neither your decade nor the topic, I can absolutely reassure you that you will love this book. I'm neither into horses nor who-jumping but couldn't tear myself away from the book. And don't be put of by the length either.
Riders is very much about the characters. Yes, there is a plot - telling us about their lives, loves and intrigues. But what you will fall in love with is the characters. Rupert Campbell-Black, of course, a brute, rich and obnoxious, with women everywhere he goes. His womanising ways are not stopped by marriage to Helen McAuley whom, as it becomes obvious, he is mismatched with. He is almost a bit like an anti-hero and you will almost feel a bit ashamed to actually like him. Then there is Billy Lloyd-Foxe, Rupert's best friend and fellow show-jumper, who is more like a loveable teddy bear. And no, I didn't take to the woman he is going to end up with (no spoilers!). On the opposing end, there is Jake Lovell, with gypsy blood and a brooding nature to match, is another show-jumper who knows Rupert from way back in boarding school when Rupert used to bully him. Will Jake get his own back? Jake's wife was actually a character I really loved for her sweet nature, and Jake... well, we forgive him anything.
This is not to say that the plot is boring, but maybe a tiny bit predictable. But after such an entertaining read, who cares. You will turn the pages on this book and I can't wait to read to follow-up Riders to see how the story continues.
The author:
Jilly Cooper is a well-known journalist, writer and media superstar. The author of many number one bestselling novels, including Riders, Rivals, Polo, The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, Appassionata, Score! and Pandora, she and her husband live in Gloucestershire with several dogs and cats.
22 March 2015
Title
| The Reverse Commute |
Author
| Sheila Blanchette |
Publisher
| Book Shepherd Publishing LLC |
Publication Date
|
January 2014
|
Pages
| 376 |
Genre
| fiction, women |
Book Description (from Amazon)
Sophie Ryan, a middle-aged woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown, is stuck in a dead-end job barely paying her bills. Adding to her problems, she and her husband, Ray, live in an old New Hampshire farmhouse with endless, humorous calamities.
One night when Ray is out of town, Sophie has a vivid, passionate dream of Ryan Gosling that inspires her to hatch a plan to change her life and fulfill her dreams of escaping the farmhouse and her job.
Meanwhile, in the same suburban office where Sophie works, is a twenty something young girl also stuck in a cubicle, bored with her job and frustrated with life after college. One snowy night, she barely makes the train home and finds the last available seat across from a strikingly handsome, mysterious young man.
We follow Sophie and Ray and the young couple, keeping up with their dramas while at the same time trying to make the leap into their newly imagined, idealistic lives. Like a fast moving train, the story carries us along through twists and turns, obstacles and speed bumps to the surprising conclusion.
Readers will be eager to find out what happens next and will be thinking about the book long after they have read the last page.
My Review
I enjoyed this sweet little story which I picked up as I mainly read on my commute, and it was a freebie - can't go wrong. It tells the story of 2 woman in alternating chapters. One is a middle age woman, unhappily stuck in a job she does not enjoy, teenage children who are just about to fly the nest and a husband she has to nag constantly to do jobs. And then there is a young woman, at the start of her career and adult life who is stuck in an unhappy relationship. But has just met a boy on her daily commute who seem to tick all the right boxes. Both woman work in the same dreary office where they feel stuck with boring jobs and dreams of a more exciting future.
It can be a bit confusing first, but once you understand that the story of each woman is told in alternating chapters, it becomes quite clear and I was looking forward to see what they are doing next. There is a bit of a sweet twist to this at the end which I did enjoy. After having found traces of Sophie in my at the beginning (oh dear!), I felt at the end of it that all is not too bad and there is hope.
I guess the book is not going to change your life, but I thought it was well written and entertaining and I did get the 'aha' moment at the end. I think it would maybe suit a middle-aged reader best.
About the Author
Sheila Blanchette grew up in Warwick, RI and attended Pilgrim High School. After graduating from Bentley University, she bounced around in various accounting jobs for almost thirty years until she found her voice and began to write. Currently she is living in New Hampshire with her husband Rich and pursuing her dreams. She still wishes on stars.
9 March 2015
Title
| Fifty Shades Freed |
Author
| E L James |
Publisher
| Arrow |
Publication Date
|
April 2012
|
Pages
| 594 |
Genre
| Erotic Romance |
When Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged entrepreneur Christian Grey, it sparked a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably. Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy, and being together poses challenges neither of them had anticipated.
My Review
So much has been said and written about the Fifty Shades Books that it is somewhat difficult to come up with a unique review.
I have now finally managed to read the 3rd book, just about in time before the film was released. In book 3, the story of Ana and Christian continues. They are married now, and Ana tries to adjust to married life with her 'Fifty Shades' as she still refers to him in her mind. Madly in love and lots of sex, yes. But a challenge it is certainly for Ana. As we know now, Christian is quite controlling and of course there is also the security issues he is fretting about. Little things like not wanting to take his surname makes him go really mad. And when she decides to go out with a friend when she promised him she will stay in... oh my! But hey, he is only concerned for her safety. We pretty much meet the same supporting characters in this last instalment, and previous 'enemies' of the couple come back to haunt Ana.
I had trouble getting really into the book. The first half of the book was like wading through treacle for me. And sorry, I just didn't care for their sex life any more. I was like 'ok, here we go again' and I would find myself skipping it. The second half got a bit more interesting and I found myself turning the pages quicker.
I really enjoyed the last few pages where Christian recounts the story from his own point. One of my favourite part of the whole series actually, and I felt it was the perfect close for the series.
Lots of criticism has been placed on the book stating that Christian is very controlling and she accepts this. And would she still be so happy with him controlling her if he was not a multimillionaire but living in a trailer park? My thoughts..(apart from the fact that it is a fictional story after all)... Well, firstly, money and success are attractive, no doubt. I also found that the author actually got the portrayal of Ana just right as someone who doesn't actually care that much about the money (without being over the top on it and without being too obvious about it).
All in all, with all 3 books read now, I think they are quite simply a love story with sex thrown in. There are lots of elements from your typical romance book - damsel in distress finds prince etc. From my own reading experience, I can honestly say that I have read many books which were steamier than this - and no, I don't read porn, but just ordinary books purchased in normal book stores (Waterstones etc). I think the story would have been ok for 1 book only and 3 books stretched it a bit and parts became boring, especially as all of them are quite long.
8 December 2014
Title
| Fifty Shades Darker |
Author
| E L James |
Publisher
| Cornerstone Digital |
Publication Date
|
May 2012
|
Pages
| 188 |
Genre
| Romance, Erotica |
Blurb:
Daunted by the dark secrets of the tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Ana Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a US publishing house.
But desire for Grey still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, she cannot resist. Soon she is learning more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades than she ever thought possible.
But while Grey wrestles with his inner demons, Ana must make the most important decision of her life. And it's a decision she can only make on her own ...
My review:
So, I'm back for more on the Fifty Shades. After reading the 1st book on holiday, I took the 2nd book in this trilogy with me on my visit to my mum's.
Luckily, it's easy to pick up where we left with Ana and Christian. And I probably won't spoil too much of the story for you readers who haven't gotten round to book 2 yet if I tell you that Ana decides she can't do without Christian and is back with him. (after all, there is a book 3!!).
Again, this was an easy and quick read, but unfortunately, I did find that book 2 did get a bit more tedious. It was a bit same old, same old, and the intimate scenes were always the same, apart from the last few chapters. There wasn't enough to keep me interested I think. Fans of the books have told me that book 2 does get much more interesting and the story really picks up, but I have to say I do not agree. And even worse, I found that I really stopped caring for Ana halfway through. So, she's got her millionaire with issues ... poor Ana eh? Maybe I wanted to know more about Christian than just the fact that he was abused as a child and grew up with a crack whore mum. It was all a bit too obvious.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think it is a 'bad story' as such - a simple romance/erotic story for sure - but just not over 2 / 3 books and over 500 pages each. Saying all this, the book provided me with an entertaining read on my holiday.
Again, this was an easy and quick read, but unfortunately, I did find that book 2 did get a bit more tedious. It was a bit same old, same old, and the intimate scenes were always the same, apart from the last few chapters. There wasn't enough to keep me interested I think. Fans of the books have told me that book 2 does get much more interesting and the story really picks up, but I have to say I do not agree. And even worse, I found that I really stopped caring for Ana halfway through. So, she's got her millionaire with issues ... poor Ana eh? Maybe I wanted to know more about Christian than just the fact that he was abused as a child and grew up with a crack whore mum. It was all a bit too obvious.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think it is a 'bad story' as such - a simple romance/erotic story for sure - but just not over 2 / 3 books and over 500 pages each. Saying all this, the book provided me with an entertaining read on my holiday.
About the author:
E L James is a former TV executive, wife and mother of two based in West London. Since early childhood she dreamed of writing stories that readers would fall in love with, but put those dreams on hold to focus on her family and career. She finally plucked up the courage to put pen to paper with her first novel Fifty Shades of Grey.
30 November 2014
Title
| Fifty Shades of Grey |
Author
| EL James |
Publisher
| Cornerstone Digital |
Publication Date
|
March 2012
|
Pages
| 530 |
Genre
| romance, erotica |
Blurb:
When literature student Anastasia Steele interviews successful entrepreneur Christian Grey, she finds him very attractive and deeply intimidating. Convinced that their meeting went badly, she tries to put him out of her mind – until he turns up at the store where she works part-time, and invites her out.Unworldly and innocent, Ana is shocked to find she wants this man. And, when he warns her to keep her distance, it only makes her want him more. As they embark on a passionate love affair, Ana discovers more about her own desires, as well as the dark secrets Christian keeps hidden away from public view …
My review:
So, I finally read this book during a beach holiday. And you know - it actually made the perfect beach read. Why? Easy language, didn't need to think too much, just enough to keep me interested.
Essentially, for me this is more of a romance novel with erotica thrown in rather than the other way round. The story follows the well-trodden path of many romance novels where two people who are very different fall in love and have obstacles to overcome. Will they - won't they get together and be happy ever after? And the difference could be anything, and here we have: socio-economic status, character, life experiences incl sexual.
Anna is a very sweet character and I think there can't be a lot of woman who do not identify with her, at least in parts. Tripping and falling into the office during an interview - that would be me! Not knowing what to wear and not having the right clothes anyway - yep, me again. I think her sweet innocence in all matters 'made' the book for me. Christian's devotion to her I found, in parts, a bit unrealistic. But than again, this is typical of romance novels. And that is exactly what lovers of this genre want.
As for the erotic... I was expecting more explicitly after all the furore this has caused. To be honest, I have read books much more explicit than this. And no, I don't buy 'porn' books, but just normal novels with erotic content from your usual book store or Kindle. I thought the author actually managed the erotic scenes here quite well and it does not come over awkwardly.
I summary - a great beach read, something for romance lovers who are not afraid of a bit of erotica and also for those who have never read erotica and want a bit of an introduction into this genre.
About the author:
E L James is a former TV executive, wife and mother of two based in West London. Since early childhood she dreamed of writing stories that readers would fall in love with, but put those dreams on hold to focus on her family and career. She finally plucked up the courage to put pen to paper with her first novel Fifty Shades of Grey.
18 August 2014
Title
| Tearing Down Walls (Love Under Construction Series Book 2) |
Author
| Deanndra Hall |
Publisher
| Celtic Muse Publishing |
Publication Date
|
October 2013
|
Pages
| 465 |
Genre
| Erotic Romance |
The book contains adult material and would only be suitable for persons over the age of 18. It also contains reference to BDMS.
Blurb:
Second full-length novel in the Love Under Construction series!
That's easy - you pick the one who can't stand you.
And that's exactly what Vic has done. He's tried desperately to get the wrong woman out of his heart, and it looks like he may have succeeded. And just when he thinks everything in his life is falling into place, Cupid plays a nasty joke on him and he falls for the one woman who doesn't want to be anywhere near him, Somehow it isn't already bad enough that he has a secret keeping him from having a loving, long-term relationship; to make matters worse, if he wants to have a chance with the ice princess, he has to keep her alive long enough to tear down the walls she's built around herself.
Laura is as prickly as they get, but there's a reason. Her clothes hide a secret that she's sure would make any man run, and that secret is about to get her killed. The trauma she endured during her service to her country left her unable to feel any emotion or trust anyone, and the idea of ever letting a man touch her is out the window. When she returned home from Bosnia, her family shunned her and her harsh personality, so she's dealt with her demons alone and on her own for too long. But Laura didn't expect to meet a man who would promise to keep her safe and would die to keep that promise. That makes him a man worth trusting. And when her past wants to kill her to keep her quiet, can she open up to him before it's too late?
The second full-length novel in the Love Under Construction series, Tearing Down Walls is a fun, erotic, romantic, and suspenseful romp that takes you back into the world of the Walters family of Louisville, Kentucky. It features many characters over the age of 40 and contains too many steamy, hedonistic sex scenes to be suitable for anyone under 18 years of age. Step into the Walters' world and have some fun!
WARNING: This book contains BDSM activities, criminal violence, and coerced sexual acts. Not suitable for readers under 18. Reader discretion is advised.
My review:
The good thing about books in a series is that you are firstly already know most of the characters and their background stories, so you don't have the first few chapters 'oh I wish I could understand what is going on here'. Also, you are already used to the authors writing style, and this gets you right back in into the story. My own view is that this book can stand-alone, though it is recommended that you do read the books in order and certainly read the prequel.
All our favourite characters are back. This is book 2 in the Love under Construction Series, and the main focus of this book is the relationship developing relationship between Vic and Laura. Though the other characters from the Walters family like Tony, Nikki, Clayton, Brittany etc are all there, they are all mostly mentioned in passing and we don't learn anything new about them. had taken Laura in my heart from the prequel, so was really happy that this book focuses on her. Both Vic and Laura have had a lot to deal with in their lives which is slowly revealed in the book. And as the previous book in this series, again both the main characters Vic and Laura are in their 40's with life stories and life scars. I personally found the fact that Laura is overcoming her difficulties and how she overcomes them very encouraging. Might not be for everyone but it worked for her and I can actually imagining this as not too far removed from reality. Confusing? Well, give it a try - I don't want to reveal too much.
This is an erotic story with a lot of detailing on sexual practices. BDSM also features extensively in this book. This is not something I knew anything about, and so for me, it was quite surprising, interesting and at times, really quite technical (without being unpleasant at all). If you would like to learn about this scene on a neural basis or are generally just curious, I can recommend this book as a very informative read. And again - finally an erotic book where the main players are not in their teens and twens.
The cover is probably exactly like I would image Laura and Vic to look like, though (and this is a very personal thing!) I don't like men with moustaches so I'd probably rather imagine him without one.
All our favourite characters are back. This is book 2 in the Love under Construction Series, and the main focus of this book is the relationship developing relationship between Vic and Laura. Though the other characters from the Walters family like Tony, Nikki, Clayton, Brittany etc are all there, they are all mostly mentioned in passing and we don't learn anything new about them. had taken Laura in my heart from the prequel, so was really happy that this book focuses on her. Both Vic and Laura have had a lot to deal with in their lives which is slowly revealed in the book. And as the previous book in this series, again both the main characters Vic and Laura are in their 40's with life stories and life scars. I personally found the fact that Laura is overcoming her difficulties and how she overcomes them very encouraging. Might not be for everyone but it worked for her and I can actually imagining this as not too far removed from reality. Confusing? Well, give it a try - I don't want to reveal too much.
This is an erotic story with a lot of detailing on sexual practices. BDSM also features extensively in this book. This is not something I knew anything about, and so for me, it was quite surprising, interesting and at times, really quite technical (without being unpleasant at all). If you would like to learn about this scene on a neural basis or are generally just curious, I can recommend this book as a very informative read. And again - finally an erotic book where the main players are not in their teens and twens.
The cover is probably exactly like I would image Laura and Vic to look like, though (and this is a very personal thing!) I don't like men with moustaches so I'd probably rather imagine him without one.
23 July 2014
Title
| Laying a Foundation (Love Under Construction Series) |
Author
| Deanndra Hall |
Publisher
| North Road Publishing |
Publication Date
|
March 2014 (and ed)
|
Pages
| 388 |
Genre
| Erotic Romance |
Blurb:Tony is a successful businessman whose personal life has been almost unbearable thanks to his crazy ex-wife. Nikki lost her husband and children in a tragic accident and barely has a life. It looks like there's a "happily ever after" on the horizon - until an ecoterrorism group with a personal bone to pick threatens everything.
First full-length installment in the Love Under Construction Series, now including the introductory volume, The Groundbreaking. Tony Walters operates a successful construction company in Louisville, Kentucky; he's anything but successful in his personal life, thanks to a mean-spirited, mentally ill ex-wife. Nikki Wilkes has lived for five years with almost no life, thanks to a drunken driver's mistake that took her husband and children from her. It seems the universe has aligned to make sure they meet, and their shy and sweet attempts to build a relationship blossom just as an ecoterrorism group begins to threaten the construction business. But as time goes by, it becomes clear that the threat is directed personally at Tony, and as the group's efforts escalate, it looks like answered prayers for a special someone in their lives might morph into not having a prayer for a "happily ever after." Through it all, family and friends stand by them and add to the madness, mayhem, and hilarity, while the bedroom smokes with enough scorching, crazy, adventurous sex to set everything on fire.
The main characters are all over the age of thirty-five, and most are well over forty. A fun, mature, erotic romp with enough suspense and danger to leave the breathless. Not a stand-alone; the four novels are designed to be read in order for greatest enjoyment. It'll make you say, "I didn't see that coming!" more than once and leave you smiling!
My Review
Tony and Nikki Are the
main characters and most of the action is played out between those two. It’s
certainly easy to get into the story. Both have an interesting background story, and
initially it’s all about how these two meet and get together. I though: ‘yes,
finally!’ when it did happen, yes, I was rooting for them. The story with
Tony’s deranged ex-wife and the problems experienced with the ‘Eco Group’ will
keep you interested rather than just reading about the budding relationship
between Tony and Nikki. And I wanted to continue reading to see the conclusion to
their troubles. It is easy reading. The bedroom action of Tony and Nikki is described in detail, so careful if you don’t enjoy this. But my guess is if you
don’t like erotica you wouldn’t have picked up this book. The erotic writing is
certainly very good (in my humble opinion) without slipping into the unpleasant
and embarrassing (easily done with erotic writing). I do read mainly on the
train commute though, and it was not the right reading for the train journey I
have to say. But that’s a personal one for me and I did enjoy reading the book
at home.
What I loved about this story is that the main players are in their 40's and 50's. Yes, even if you are over the age of 25 you can have great sex with all the trimmings. By this stage in their life, most of us have had a big amount of good, very good, bad and very bad experiences and the author certainly shows this. And also, no matter how devastating your experiences might have been - death, trauma - there is a chance for all of us. Is it always realistic? No idea, but this is fiction, and it is meant to make us feel good.
I have read the Prequel and Part 1 of the Series so far. The prequel is supposed to introduce the main characters and it certainly does so. However, I think that this information could have been incorporated into Book 1 easily? Certainly, all the characters have their own background story (and let's face it, who of us doesn't), they are not that complicated so that a reader won't understand them if woven into the story. We get to know the main characters pretty quickly, and some of the others do have, in my opinion, a too minor part in order to fully needing to understand their background. Having said that, the same time, it is nice to have an extra 'book' to refer back too to see 'who was that again? The Prequel is now also available together with Book 1, and I think that was a wise idea.
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