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June 9th, 2011
 Neon Yellow: Obsessive Adhesives by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: Gay Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Length: 121 pages
Summary:
What happens when a shy accountant goes from being invisible to Mr. Popularity? He gets scared… and lucky, that’s what. Spencer Whitfield is used to being ignored. When explicit Post-It notes regularly start appearing on his computer monitor, he’s sure someone is having a laugh at his expense. Stalker? Don’t be silly, who’d want to stalk Spencer?
Jason Doyle, hot IT tech, can have any man he wants. He wouldn’t give the painfully shy Spencer a second thought. Breakfast, a James Bond double feature and a Chinese Good Luck Banquet for Two change all that. As the men become closer, the notes become more threatening, until it all comes to a head early one Sunday morning. No one knows why shy geeky accountants get all the boys, but Spencer certainly deserves the special one he has.
Pomme’s Review:
At 121 pages, Neon Yellow: Obsessive Adhesives has the most awesome title of the year, and I’ve been eyeing it for a while. The summary itself is right up my alley: Cute’n'Shy versus Work Jock! Stalker Post-It notes! More cliches than i know what to do with!
I love cliches. Does it show?
Told in the alternating third person limited points of view of both Nathan and Spencer, the story itself is quick and has a great pace, with the authors making the most out of their 121 pages. The plot was tight and no scenes felt extraneous: every single thing described serves a purpose, as does every scene. They either make the plot move forward, or highlight a facet of a character.
Now, I loved Spencer. Shy, geeky, a little bit dense, and completely terrible at social interaction. Mss. Wylde and Slayde made a very lovable character that I just wanted to hug and muss the hair of. His interest in rocks is very endearing, and i wish his low self-esteem and its reasons had been extrapolated upon. As for Jason… I believe I mentioned there were no purposeless scenes, and quite a few of them show Jason interacting with his colleagues, his friends, and a lover. And, to be perfectly honest, I thought he came across as a bit of a jerk. He does have his moments, usually when he’s with Spencer, but even then he isn’t that great of a human being. I’m not saying he should have been Prince Charming, but… He is one very human character, just not one that’s part of the best humans, if that makes sense.
The stalker plotline was well-developed and not utterly predictable, which was quite nice. The stalker’s escalation was very well done, and I very much enjoyed seeing Spencer under stress and how awesomely he reacted to it.
The secondary characters were just right: not too many of them, but not so few that the characters seem like they live in a bubble. I wish they had been slightly more fleshed out, especially That, Jason’s friend-with-benefit. Jason made him seem inconsequential, but I thought he came across as slightly complex and definitely interesting.
The smut itself is well-written and, dare I say it, very cute. Very much in character, which is bound to make you smile.
There were no typos that I could find, and the layout makes it easy to read on a small screen as the font is well-sized.
In brief, Neon Yellow: Obsessive Adhesives is a solid read. While it is chock full of cliches, it’s biggest drawback, I think, is not making the characters more than they could be: they do evolve throughout the book, but not enough to make them unique and unforgettable. I also wish, just a little, that I had liked Jason more.
Rated 3.5 Ravens by Pomme
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Posted in 3 1/2 Ravens, Ali Wilde, Andy Slayde, Author Review, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, GLBT, m/m, Neon Yellow: Obsessive Adhesives, Pomme, Raven Divas, Torquere Press | 1 Comment »
June 9th, 2011
 Twice to the Stars by Alexis Reed
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Sci-Fi, menage, futuristic, erotic
Length: Short Novel, 135 pages
Summary:
As the only woman on board the pioneer-class galactic vessel The Adamant, Chief Engineer Samantha Hartland knows better than to let any man into her bed—or her heart. Unfortunately, she doesn’t want just any. One. Man. Blake and Kane Damsen, identical twins and fellow officers, haunt her most vivid erotic dreams. Together.
Blake and Kane have kept their passion for the green-eyed mistress of engineering a secret for two years. Barely. But when one of the crew members reveals he’s willing to kill to get Samantha’s attention, she turns to the twins for help. She gets a lot more than that in the bargain.
Pomme’s Review:
So, Manchester United has just suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Barcelona and their players are surely feeling as frustrated as I am, trying to review Twice to the Stars in a fitting manner.
I have to start by saying i really really really wanted to like this book. Everything in the summary pushes my kink buttons: strong woman in a position of power, check! Not one but two hot men, check! Twins, check!
Told in a third person limited point of view cycling between Samantha and both Blake and Kane, Twice to the Stars starts off very solid. Ms. Reed‘s prose is engaging and she sets the scene quickly but without information dumping, which I very much appreciated. Samantha comes across as both fragile and strong in the beginning scene, which is a nice dichotomy. I enjoyed her thoughts about Blake and Kane, because she isn’t ashamed of wanting them but knows she must keep herself in check. She isn’t tortured by her desires and doesn’t feel guilty for them, making her a really strong character. Blake and Kane, on the other hand, were a bit interchangeable throughout: while their want for Samantha comes across as very strong, I didn’t think they were too different from one another, which made them slightly weaker characters.
The plot, for me, is where Twice the Stars hit a snag: I was ready and eager for the premise set up in the summary to be developed, but instead it was just expounded upon in the first twenty pages, and by page twenty-six, the characters were getting it on. Now, I definitely don’t mind sex (on the contrary!) but I felt a bit cheated, since the whole premise was about how the three characters would make it work. It was just too easy, and there weren’t any real hurdles to Blake, Kane and Samantha being together. They were all ready for it by page two, and it was as if I had arrived after all the good stuff (feelings developing, desires being awakened, etc.) had already happened. Ms. Reed tried to insert some angst but it felt a little contrived, because the characters seemed to have already weighed the odds and decided on the outcome. This made everyone in the book fall flat, which is a shame.
The stalker story line was a little bit predictable, and it felt as if there wasn’t really a point to it: it doesn’t really come across as the trigger to the relationship, more that its events coincided with a good time for Blake and Kane’s feelings to make themselves known to Samantha. I also don’t really know what I was expecting, with Blake and Kane: they share Samantha but they don’t really interact with each other when they’re in bed, which I found a little disconcerting.
Now, I’ve complained about the sex. But, to be fair, it is really good sex: well-written, engaging, and ultimately very hot. For smut, Ms. Reed gets full points!
The layout itself is pleasing to the eye, and there were no typos that I could find.
In summary, this is definitely the read for you if you want well-written and satisfying sex of the twin variety, but I would definitely have liked Twice to the Stars to be longer, with more emphasis on how the characters actually get to the satisfying sex.
Rated 3 Ravens by Pomme!
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Posted in 3 Ravens, Alexis Reed, Author Review, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Erotic Romance, Futuristic, menage, Pomme, Raven Divas, Sci-Fi, Twice to the Stars | No Comments »
April 27th, 2011
 Turn the Other Cheek by Chris Owen
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: M/M, GLBT, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary:
In this sequel to the popular Cheek to Cheek, Mallory and Will have moved past dating, though it’s still a race to hit the sheets every time they look at each other. Trouble is brewing, however, since hitting the sheets is a no-no for firefighters who work together. Will is ready to move forward, to tell the world that they’re together, but Mallory is still trying to keep their private lives to themselves.
With their careers on the line, Will’s brother pushing his own agenda and Mallory’s keen desire to live on his own terms, choices have to be made. Their work situation needs to change, and so does Mal’s attitude, or he’ll lose the one thing he wants more than anything in the world — Will.
Can a change of schedule save Mallory and Will’s relationship and send them dancing into their future, or will tension and frustration tear them apart forever when Will’s had enough? Find out in Turn the Other Cheek!
Pomme’s Review:
At 233 pages, this follow-up to the popular Cheek to Cheek by Chris Owen delivers on its promise to give us more of the main characters and answer some of the issues raised by the first novella. If you’ve liked Cheek to Cheek then I definitely recommend picking up Turn The Other Cheek without even reading the rest of this review: Chris Owen‘s writing is so consistent that the transition between the two books is seamless. You won’t even realise you’ve picked up another book, as opposed to just further chapters!
The plot picks up right where Cheek to Cheek left off, meaning reading Cheek to Cheek beforehand is a definite plus. I re-read my own copy in order to review this and it very much put things into perspective. The main characters, Mal and Will, have realised they do have something that isn’t just ‘casual’ and are dealing with that realisation: this involves dealing with the outside world (in terms of their friends and co-workers and family) which makes for some tense times. Now, Mal and Will have amazing chemistry in bed, which is what initially brought them together. I very much enjoyed how they translated that to outside the sheets by going out more often together, and not just to the gay bar where they met.
The story itself is told from the limited third person point of view of Mal: it was very entertaining to see how he coped with the whole situation spinning slowly out of control. I loved how entitled Will’s brother was and how he nudged the deck of cards that was their relationship, forcing it into the open and changing the whole way Mal and Will worked together. Chris Owen is very good at describing Mal’s feelings and I was right there with him when he felt trapped and forced to make choices, at work and in his private life, that he didn’t want to make, and when his stubbornness almost cost him everything.
The only quibble I have is with the one decision Mal takes and on which hinges the last third of the book: I personally thought it was too sudden. I’m not asking for foreshadowing, but as a reader I had no inkling that Mal’s thoughts were even headed the way they were, so I was as surprised as Will when Mal did his one-eighty. It was the only time I had to suspend my disbelief to continue enjoying the rest of the book.
The secondary characters are fleshed out and three-dimensional: we see more of Will’s brother, whom Mal cannot abide, and we meet Mal’s parents for the first time. They’re a riot, and I just wished they had been introduced earlier! There is also a cameo by the main characters of 911, the other novel in this series, but it is incorporated seamlessly into the story and the reader definitely doesn’t need previous knowledge of the characters to understand how all these men know each other and have come together.
Obviously there is sex, and it is well written and very much on the hot side. I love how Mal and Will can’t keep their hands off each other, but I really enjoy the fact that they use dancing as foreplay. The scenes at Cleo’s, the local bar, are the highlight of the book, especially when Mal decides to stake a claim on Will.
I found only one typo, as the book is well-edited and the publisher changed the font size to a bigger one (at least in the pdf version I got), which is a definite plus for people who tend to read on small screens.
In summary, this is an excellent continuation to the original novella. The main characters are solidly portrayed, likable, and very, very hot together, but the sex doesn’t steal the show. The secondary characters add depth to the adventures of Mal and Will, taking them out of a relationship vacuum and putting them in a real life setting. Personally, I don’t think reading Turn the Other Cheek on its own is a good idea, just because this book deals with issues stemming from a relationship already established and a network of characters that have already been introduced. Also, reading this before Cheek to Cheek takes away half the fun!
Rated 4 Ravens by Pomme!
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Posted in 4 Ravens, Author Review, Chris Owen, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Gay, GLBT, m/m, Pomme, Raven Divas, torquere, Torquere Press, Turn the Other Cheek | No Comments »
April 4th, 2011
 Blowback by Lyn Gala
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Sci-Fi, BDSM, Erotic Romance
Length: Super Plus Novel
Summary:
Tom is a soldier and sniper on a ship tracking space terrorists. Despite being unlucky at love, he hopes to catch the eye of crewmate Da’shay.
Da’shay, an exotically beautiful alien with her own very strange ideas, keeps ruining his plans. While Tom loves playing trust games in the bedroom, where he’s happy to let a woman take complete erotic control, in real life he never trusts easily. Da’shay is no exception to that rule.
But when danger forces Tom to rely on Da’shay, he finds himself drawn to more than just her body. Her strength and her suffering intrigue him. As the conspiracies and blowback threaten the entire crew, Tom finds his loyalties and his love starting to turn toward the one woman he never would have expected.
Pomme’s Review:
To say I was excited about this book is an understatement: I’m quite picky about my m/f, to be honest, because I really enjoy strong women who take charge, and it is so rare to find (or maybe I don’t look in the right places…). Suffice to say, this book was one hell of a good ride.
The author sets the tone right away: Tom doesn’t trust Da’shay, who is another crewmember on the ship they’re serving on, and shit starts going down that wasn’t part of the mission the crew has been sent on. At some point, Tom must rely on Da’shay and just go with her plans, which have some permanent consequences.
Both Tom and Da’shay as well as their captain and the rest of the crew are quickly introduced. Ms. Gala has a deft hand at storytelling, and I was immediately immersed in what was going on. It helps that the first glimpse we have of the characters is during their mission, where they see a lot of action! This frames both Tom and Da’shay’s characters very effectively. We don’t need Ms. Gala to tell us anything, because Tom and Da’shay are shown to us in all their glory, with both their strengths and flaws. The story is told through the third person limited point of view of Tom, and his emotions pour off the page: whether he’s confused, angry, or horny, I felt it right with him. One thing that did put me off at the beginning of the book is that the summary does not accurately reflect the book, in that Tom isn’t attracted to Da’shay at the beginning.
Da’shay herself reminded me a little bit of River from Firefly: she speaks in riddles, and we never truly get an insight into her apart from what Tom himself figures out. She remains slightly enigmatic throughout the book, which I thought was wonderful. We understand her more and more as Tom discovers her, which makes for great character development.
In terms of plot, I thought it was slightly too convoluted in places, and sometimes I didn’t quite understand how the characters got from point A to point B. There are often narrative ellipses between the chapters which left things muddled. But I was definitely willing to overlook that because the plot moves fast and if you take it as it comes, the read is definitely smooth. The prose was solid and enjoyable, with just enough description and dialogue in between the action to provide for a seamless story.
I have to say the selling point of the story, for me, was Tom’s kink. I have very rarely stumbled upon a book where the man wants to give up control, so I was eager to see what Ms. Gala made of it. I have to say there are two scenes that stuck with me: they both involve Tom and are scorching hot. Tom and Carla, a prostitute introduced for one chapter but who was as endearing as he main characters themselves, fired up the pages. Their dynamic was just perfect. This is one sex scene I will definitely be revisiting! Another scene involves Tom, Da’shay, and a razor: the sexual tension during that chapter was unbelievable. To be fair, most of the sex in this book is of the burning hot variety which will leave you hot and bothered, and it’s just too bad there wasn’t more of it!
One thing I had a few qualms with was the rapidity with which Tom slips into a submissive role that carries over from his cover: I think it has to do with the fact that it takes fewer pages than I would have thought for him to go from hating Da’shay to almost blindingly trusting her. Well, not ‘blindingly’, but blindingly enough for Tom’s character. And if that doesn’t tell you how wonderfully Ms. Gala crafted this character, nothing else will. However, even when I was perplexed at this I was never lurched out of the story.
There were no typos that I could find, but I have to say that the publisher’s layout seemed a bit dense to me: I would have liked to have a bit more spacing between the lines. This is one book that will definitely benefit from being read on a larger screen.
In brief, I’m not saying it’s perfect, but Blowback is a great action-packed and well-developed sci-fi romance with all the trimmings: kick ass heroine who’s also fragile, badass hero with temper issues, one well-written and hot common kink between the two, and an actual plot. It can’t get any better than 400 pages of that.
Rated 5 Ravens and a Recommended Read by Pomme!
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Posted in 5 Ravens, Author Review, BDSM, Blowback, ellora's cave, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Erotic Romance, Lyn Gala, Pomme, Raven Divas, Recommended Read, Sci-Fi, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
January 22nd, 2011
 In Starlight by M. Raiya
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: M/M, Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Length: 15 pages / 3300 words
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary:
Making love in a canoe is not an easy feat, but Lewis and Taylor fit together remarkably well, considering one is an actor from New York City and the other has lived on a Vermont pond all his life with loons and owls and peace and quiet. There’s nothing like starlight and the call of a loon across a still pond in the middle of the night to make differences explode into passion.
Will Lewis trade the spotlights for starlight?
Pomme’s Review:
At fifteen pages, this is a quick and easy read from M.Raiya. It isn’t unforgettable and I really had to suspend my disbelief in a few places, but it’s so short it isn’t too painful.
Written from the first person point of view of Lewis, the author quickly draws the big narrative lines: Lewis is famous and on some kind of retreat to lick personal wounds. I thought it was extremely easy to delve into Lewis’ train of thought, and the way he sees his surroundings is quite compelling. It definitely was the highlight of this story because it very much made me feel the atmosphere of this interlude.
I was slightly baffled by Lewis’ reaction to Taylor, but the whole story is fifteen pages, so if the characters want to get it on after exchanging only smoldering glances, well…In any case, it was difficult for me to understand the leap the characters made in order to be together. I did suspend my disbelief, however, and the subsequent sex was very much to my liking. Sweet but not too subtle, the author’s descriptions fit the overall atmosphere of the story: straight to the point but not crude, and with a distinctive flair.
Like their decision to have sex, the ending requires some suspension of disbelief. That’s because real life is not usually sunshine and roses, and when it is, it requires people to talk it out. Nonetheless, it’s still an enjoyable ending for those who enjoy their sex with a side of commitment.
In summary, this can be an enjoyable short if you don’t require build-up between your characters. I definitely enjoyed M. Raiya’s style and will look for slightly longer works to see if they have the character development I seem to require to enjoy well-written sex!
Rated 3 Ravens by Pomme!
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Posted in 3 Ravens, Author Review, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, GLBT, In Starlight, M. Raiya, m/m, Pomme, Raven Divas, torquere, Torquere Press | 1 Comment »
October 28th, 2010
 Happy Birthday, Nancy Tobin by Lillian Grant
Publisher: Loose ID
Genre: Erotica, Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel Plus
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary:
Suddenly single on the eve of her fortieth birthday, Nancy Tobin’s not sure turning middle-aged is worth celebrating. She’s stuck in a dead-end job as the boss’s bitch with only her morose Labrador for a companion. What does she have to party about? Maybe if she ignores the whole birthday thing, it will just go away.
Hot, twenty-six-year-old Jake Turner has other ideas. When he bumps into Nancy at the library, he sees a woman in need of a wake-up call. Determined to unleash the beauty hidden beneath the sad façade, he schemes to relight her spark. He wants to give her a birthday to remember but he ends up being the one who can’t forget: a visit to his apartment becomes a weekend in his bed where he discovers an offbeat, unpredictable, sexually adventurous woman he never wants to let go.
With Jake, Nancy can do anything, her life can be whatever she chooses. But this new and exciting relationship teeters on the edge of destruction when her soon-to-be ex-husband reveals the reason for Jake’s initial interest in her. Can Nancy trust Jake when he finally tells her he loves her?
Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual content and graphic language.
Pomme’s Review:
The start of Happy Birthday, Nancy Tobin is very powerful. Nancy comes across as a very unhappy woman with many uncharitable thoughts, and I have to say it almost put me off reading her story because she seemed like a very bitter woman for whom it was difficult to feel any empathy towards. I’m glad I persevered, though, because her story unfolds slowly throughout the book, and it is never an information dump. The glimpses we get of the full picture of Nancy’s life come through her conversations with Jake, and I loved that I understood her bitterness at the beginning more and more the closer I got to the end.
The whole book is told from Nancy’s perspective in a third person point of view, and that made it somewhat difficult to truly understand what drove Jake to seek her out. He came across as a wonderful man who knows what he wants, but Nancy kept on stressing the age difference and that made me a little bit uncomfortable. I do get it, yes, he’s almost half your age. That is not the first thing that should come to mind when describing him to yourself once you do get to know him, I’m just saying.
The sex was well-written, if somewhat flowery. Definitely not very, but enough for me to notice (it must be said I have a low tolerance for floweriness, so take my impression with a grain of salt). There are quite a few scenes that are memorable (why yes, library scene, I will definitely revisit you!) but one thing I felt was slightly lacking is the actual progression of Nancy’s and Jake’s relationship. They never really go beyond the ‘honeymoon’ stage. It’s great that the book ends on this hopeful note for their relationship, but I would have liked their interaction to have slightly more depth. The book is all about Nancy empowering herself and setting herself free of her existence, but I felt as if we don’t really see why Jake needs or loves Nancy as much as he claims he does. The book’s point of view contributes to that feeling of slipperiness concerning Jake’s motivations, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of it at all: quite the contrary, since we got more of Nancy’s life story as a result.
I must also note that Nancy is married: I wasn’t really comfortable with the fact that her relationship with Jake developed under those circumstances (I’m not really a fan of adultery-type plots), but as we got more and more insight into her married life and her history, any lingering discomfort disappeared because truly, how could she not? Ms. Grant is great at this type of slow build up and story reveal, and by the end of the book my whole perspective on Nancy, her husband, Jake, and their crossed relationships had changed.
Happy Birthday, Nancy Tobin was well-written, as the author’s prose flows beautifully. There is no ‘telling’ and everything is shown through the characters interacting, and the characters’ stories are wonderfully woven with the slow plot. This is definitely more of a character-driven as opposed to plot-driven book, and that makes for a wonderful female lead that is greatly layered and interesting. The plot itself is not that new, but is is well done by Ms. Grant and she very much succeeds in making Nancy memorable.
All in all, a great evening read for people who like their erotica preceded by angst, some UST, and an ugly husband.
Rated 3.5 Ravens by Pomme!
Posted in 3 1/2 Ravens, Author Review, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Lillian Grant, Loose Id, Nancy Tobin, Pomme, Raven Divas | 2 Comments »
October 21st, 2010
 Privateer’s Treasure by Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: M/M, GLBT, Historical, Erotic Romance
Length: Novel
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary:
Under a steamy Barbados sun, Nathaniel makes an impulse purchase that will change the course of his entire life as a privateer. Pierced to the core by the sad blue eyes of the young man on the auction block, he buys Adlai, thinking to erase the slave’s sorrow and protect him from a less-pleasant fate in the fields or brothels.
At first, Adlai dares not trust the pirate who now owns his body, but time and proximity, need and care, change Adlai’s suspicions to respect-and Nathaniel’s respect to love. Together, they brave all the sea can throw at them, including Nathaniel’s former captain and rival, Thomas Harrison.
Harrison will stop at nothing to have Nathaniel and his ship back. And Adlai, Nathaniel’s most prized treasure, becomes one more weapon in their ongoing war.
Publisher’s Note: The high seas are a place of danger and intrigue, and some images may be disturbing. This story was previously published elsewhere under the title Kestrel on the Horizon, and has been revised for Ellora’s Cave
Pomme’s Review:
I have to say I’ve re-discovered the appeal of historical navy stories recently: the open seas! The wooden ships! The tumultuous waters! The language formality! To say I was looking forward to reading Privateer’s Treasure is putting it mildly. Unfortunately for me, this book didn’t quite hit the mark.
Written in the third person point of view, we’re quickly introduced to the main character, Nathaniel, who captains a ship which loots other ships in the name of the Spanish empire. He comes across as a strong man with moral convictions. We’re then introduced to Adlai, a striking mixed race slave with a secret. Adlai himself is a more contained character in that we don’t often get his point of view. It was more difficult for me to understand him, especially as Nathaniel’s point of view is prevalent in the scenes with Adlai. In contrast to the aforementioned Good Couple, we have Thomas Harrison, Nathaniel’s ex-lover and ex-captain, and their running feud. He starts off as a type of cookie-cutter villain who is a true pirate in all the evillest sense of the word: on the road he picks up Samir, a Moroccan boy who is as evil as he is seductive. All the characters are well-crafted and don’t fall flat at all. However, they don’t leap out of the page either, and it may be due to the fact that they have quite some stereotyping to fight against.
I couldn’t really take the characters at face value, which dampened my enjoyment of both the plot and the characters. All the characters say something, and then do something completely contradictory. For example, Nathaniel insists he will never force himself on Adlai, and yet he kisses him right after making that statement. Granted, it isn’t sex, but it still involves consent that isn’t given. Plus, can anyone say ‘mixed signals’? This kind of thing peppers most of the book and made me slightly uncomfortable.
I have to say, the most interesting thing in the entire book was the relationship between Nathaniel (the Kind-Of-Reformed Good Guy) and Thomas Harrison (the Irredeemable Bad Guy). As much as the characters come across as clear-cut stereotypes in the beginning, the chemistry when they interact is undeniable. The evolution of Nathaniel and his actions where Harrison is concerned is subtle at first, but then escalates in a fascinatingly horrifying way. Both Nathaniel and Harrison come across as richly layered characters, which is slightly less the case with their paramours. I really wanted to like Adlai, but we don’t get any real insight into him, and truly understanding his progression from ‘scared of Nathaniel’ to ‘desiring Nathaniel’ didn’t happen for me. Samir, on the other hand, delightfully sank into evilness: while predictably demonising, this meant I understood his reactions more.
The plot, to me, seemed overly contrived at times, with some subplots not ringing true. However, the sex was hot and well-written for both couples. Very entertaining, and it happened quite often too, which is good because it’s erotica, but not that good because it’s just so unrealistic. And I think that was my main problem with Privateer’s Treasure: I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough in terms of the plot and how the story progressed to enjoy it without reservations.
What definitely redeems it though is the wonderful storytelling: the prose of both authors is outstanding, and the story flows beautifully. Ms. Sparrow and Ms. Brooks write very well together and the seas and ships and captains’cabins truly put me right there with the characters. There was nothing awkward about point of view switches (and I can’t say much about them because I didn’t feel any of them, which is great), and the plot moved at a brisk pace. The ending was not rushed and the build-up to the climax of the book was solid.
In terms of the formatting, there were no typographical errors that I could find. The publisher’s layout was quite pleasing to read on a small screen, so if you happen to commute on public transport you can definitely read it on the go.
Privateers Treasure can be described as one of those daytime soap operas, but on a ship: full of drama, that entails shallow twists and turns in the plot pitting ‘the Good Ones’ against ‘the Villains’. This definitely isn’t bad per se, but if drama isn’t your cup of tea then you might want to give Privateer’s Treasure a miss. Both authors write amazingly well together, though, so I’m definitely checking out some of their other titles.
Rated 3 1/2 Ravens by Pomme!
Posted in 3 1/2 Ravens, Author Review, ellora's cave, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Erotic Romance, Gay, GLBT, Historical, Historical Romance, m/m, Pomme, Raven Divas | 1 Comment »
September 9th, 2010
 Infected: Prey by Andrea Speed
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: m/m, fantasy, paranormal, erotic romance, mystery, suspense
Page Count: 376
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary
In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds..
The murder of a former cop draws Roan into an odd case where an unidentifiable species of cat appears to be showing an unusual level of intelligence. He juggles that with trying to find a missing teenage boy, who, unbeknownst to his parents, was “cat” obsessed. And when someone is brutally murdering infecteds, Eli Winters, leader of the Church of the Divine Transformation, hires Roan to find the killer before he closes in on Eli.
Working the crimes will lead Roan through a maze of hate, personal grudges, and mortal danger. With help from his tiger-strain infected partner, Paris Lehane, he does his best to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind… and occasionally worships them.
Pomme’s Review:
When I picked up Andra Speed’s Infected, I definitely did not expect to completely fall in love with the writing, the characters, and the plot.
The premise of the book is one found in many paranormal romances, but what is compelling about Infected is that it is none of those things exclusively: it is paranormal, it does have some romance, but it is not one of those cliché-ed shifter books. The world Ms. Speed creates is one with a scientific twist, where shifting is caused by a virus and there is none of the mystical rhyme usually associated with it saturating the book. It’s a dark, gritty and real disease which comes across as ugly and something of a death sentence to its carrier.
Told in the alternating limited third person points of view of either Roan, the protagonist, or his boyfriend Paris, the writing is incisive and the pace is quick. I was immediately immersed in Roan’s life and adored the way he comes across as snarky and cynical. He’s one tough cookie who knows what he wants and where he stands. He’s gay, and he’s an infected, and if anyone has anything to say then he has no qualms throwing it in their faces. I didn’t know quite what to expect when I realised Roan was already in a relationship with Paris at the beginning of the book. I couldn’t anticipate what kind of ride Ms. Speed was taking us on: was the book going to be driven by a disintegrating romance? Was it going to be mainly the mysteries that come across Roan’s desk because he’s a P.I? She left me guessing, especially as he prose is everything but purple, and I couldn’t put the book down.
The book itself is divided into two stories, ‘Infected’ and ‘Prey’, which each revolve around a case of Roan’s: they stand independently, but by the end of them both I realised that Infected is not about the romance or about the mysteries… It’s really about Roan: about what he feels, how he develops, what kind of man he is and is becoming. It’s very much about the way the virus affects him, and how it also makes him different from other infecteds out there.There is no information dumping at any point, and the writing flows flawlessly.
Paris, Roan’s boyfriend and assistant, is another very strong character. A born manipulator, he’s described as an Adonis who knows how to make use of his charms. While he appears as a golden boy, he’s also infected, and has hidden depths even Roan cannot fathom. His outlook on life is simply staggering, and by the second book I was as attached to him as I was to Roan. The portrayal of their relationship left me with a fuzzy warm feeling: they’re both deeply flawed and definitely not perfect, but they complement each other beautifully. Their banter is gold, and as the stories progress we get deeper glimpses into both their psyches: they are so much more than they seem. They are both emotionally wounded, but the manner in which they need and support each other, building something together when both of them almost auto-destructed when alone, echoed really strongly all throughout the book. Their relationship definitely gives an extra dimensionality to the whole Infected universe. A thing to mention is that any sex in this book is implicit: Paris and Roan share their bed together away from the reader’s eye, and that’s also something you don’t see very often in m/m books. In this case, it detracted nothing from the story or the feeling, but it’s definitely a novelty.
There are a host of secondary characters which don’t have much screen time but are expertly crafted nonetheless: the people involved in Roan’s investigations, the suspects, the the witnesses… everyone is painted three-dimensionally and in shades of grey, which is an amazing feat. The murder-mysteries were terrific and kept me guessing, especially as they were woven with Roan’s private life. I felt as if I was juggling the whole thing with him, and it’s all due to the perfect pace of the book.
There were no typos that I could find, and the layout is very pleasing to read. A point to mention would be the overall gritty feel of the book, which is not all sunshine and rainbows. It echoes the murder-mystery P.I angle extremely well, but be warned that it is not very conducive to a happily ever after atmosphere. The endings are not depressing by any mean, but, well.. They’re real, without all the loose ends tied up. It definitely left me wanting, and I wandered to the author’s website for more and devoured everything that I could find.
There are not enough words to adequately do justice: even if you can’t stand shifter books, or are not sold on the idea of a whole book without any sex, pick this up regardless. Ms. Speed’s writing alone will make you fall in love with both. and put her on your ‘favourite authors’ list.
Rated 5 Ravens and a Recommended Read by Pomme!
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njoy our new site.
The Blackraven
Posted in 5 Ravens, andrea speed, Author Review, Dreamspinner Press, Erotic Romance, Fantasy, Infected Prey, m/m, Mystery/Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Pomme, Raven Divas, Recommended Read | No Comments »
August 10th, 2010
 Gay Best Friend by Kim Dare
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Genre: GLBT, M/M, BDSM
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary:
Book ten in the G-A-Y Series.
What’s a straight man to do when he can’t stop fantasising about dominating his gay best friend? Should he resist temptation or simply give in and enjoy?
Carlton’s not gay. He knows that, because he’s checked. Internet gay porn does nothing for him. Checking out guys who he’s pretty sure any genuinely gay man would find hot as hell doesn’t even raise a flicker of interest inside him. He wouldn’t mind being gay, but all the available evidence says he’s as straight as they come. So why the hell can’t he stop imagining himself tying up his gay best friend?
Carlton knows Bryce better than he’s ever known any other man. He’s all hard edges and even harder attitude, all sarcastic quips and uncertain temper. He might be gay, but he’s not the kind of guy who’d let another man push him around. He’s not the sort of man who’d humour someone who can’t even decide which way he swings either. And he’s sure as hell not the type to submit to anyone. Or is he?
Carlton’s got lots of questions. It’s time for him to find some answers…
Pomme’s Review:
At 48 pages this is a short romp delving into a very specific area of D/s, where it isn’t about the scene as such, but more about the total submission of one party to the whims of the other. Narrated in the limited third person point of view of Carlton, we’re introduced to Bryce and to the fact that he’s gay and Carlton supposedly is not right at the beginning. However, it isn’t totally a only-gay-for-the-best-friend scenario because as the story progresses we learn that Carlton, while comfortable with his sexuality, has had gay fantasies and has surfed gay porn sites: so really, he’s not as straight as they come, and I found his insistence in telling us that he is slightly bewildering.
The story is dynamic and Ms. Dare writes with gusto, but what I didn’t really like is the fact that the book doesn’t really do what it says on the box: Carlton doesn’t really fantasize about dominating Bryce, not really. It’s only when he meets people who know about Bryce and his submissive tendencies that the idea presents itself to him. So really, it isn’t so much a story about Bryce submitting to Carlton and his fantasies as it is about Carlton trying to be the Dom Bryce needs because he’s figured out he might want his best friend.
The sex is very hot, and I enjoyed every single word of it because Ms. Dare writes it beautifully. We feel Carlton’s hesitance, the way he comes into the power he’s given by Bryce, and we get to see Bryce’s reactions and how he steers Carlton in the right direction when the scene is not unfolding as he wishes. There are definitely a few surprises during their play which were a pleasure to read about, and I have to admit I don’t envy Carlton trying to pull Bryce’s desires out of him, because that is one stone-faced, rebellious submissive who doesn’t give an inch.
I adored Bryce. I loved how much of a stubborn hard ass he was, especially in the way he interacted with Carlton, the way he understands what he wants and how he wants it, and how he makes no apologies for it. Carlton fumbling to try and be what Bryce wants is, for lack of a better word, cute, and both characters are quite well-defined and three-dimensional for such a short story.
The story is well written and the layout is great for a large screen, okay for a small one (in the case of the PDF version).
All in all, this is a very satisfying short story if you don’t mind the fact that it isn’t exactly what is advertised. But it’s short, hot and somewhat, slightly sweet: definitely worth reading!
Rated 4 Ravens by Pomme!
FTC Disclaimer:
In accordance with FTC guidelines, it’s important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said…
Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.
The Blackraven
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July 22nd, 2010
 Wings of Equity by Sean Kennedy
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: M/M, Fantasy, Paranormal, Erotic, GLBT
Length: 252 pages
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary:
The truth is that those who make a difference usually get martyred. What good are you dead?
Ezra Kneebone is most at home in the skies, piloting his airship with his best friend Jazz, even if it doesn’t quite pay the bills or warm Ezra’s empty bed. Those same skies are also the territory of a man known as Icarus, who uses his metal wings to steal from the rich and feed the poor. Icarus and Ezra could be soul mates but for one thing: Icarus has a bounty on his head, and Ezra is desperate for money.
Against the wishes of Jazz and her partner, the formidable Lady Bart, Ezra is determined to get his man… in more ways than one. But when Icarus saves Ezra’s life, Ezra realizes he would be betraying a hero—and his heart—if he turned Icarus in. Unfortunately, the bounty is tempting more than one hunter, and Ezra will find that loving a fugitive may mean becoming one too.
Pomme’s Review:
This sci-fi fantasy from one of my favourite authors is very different from what I expected. It’s a completely different flavour from anything else that I’ve read by Sean Kennedy, and that’s a great thing.
Told from the third person limited point of view of Ezra, the book quickly introduced me to the eclectic steampunk characteristic of the universe Ezra lives in. The descriptions of his ship, the way it works, and the way the secondary character Jazz pilots it are vivid and incisive, and neither was I ever bored nor drowning completely in technical terms explaining what was going on. In addition, the characters themselves are written around and shaped by their specific experiences in this particular universe, which makes it essential to the story. The second protagonist, Icarus, is deftly introduced at the beginning of the book with a dramatic action sequence. He immediately comes across as cheeky and inventive and a little bit of a Robin Hood genius. He jumped out the pages to me because he’s fresh and an idealistic god-like character seen through Ezra’s eyes, while Ezra himself is flawed, somewhat cynical, and very stubborn. I greatly enjoyed the evolution of Icarus’ character seen through Ezra. We start with a reckless god and end up with a flawed man just as stubborn as Ezra, if not more, and both are utterly lovable.
The book itself is very fast-paced, with plot-driven action prompting character development. I always found it exciting and loved all the action rife with ship battles as well as Ezra’s multiple forays into the red light district. Mr Kennedy’s prose is very picturesque and I could almost taste everything that was going on. I did think the pace of the book was slightly brutal in some places though, especially when feelings mattered and there was character development taking place when bam! plot again.
I think what struck me the most was the immediate attraction between Icarus and Ezra. It’s really well portrayed, and while I liked the way it evolved during the book, there was nothing as strong as the first few chapters where Ezra and Icarus meet. Their banter is gold. As a small quibble, I didn’t really understand why Ezra decided to hunt down Icarus anyways after he was saved by the latter. I think Ezra’s reasons might have been implicitly stated but they were not truly discussed, definitely not as much as Icarus’ motivation and drive, and I felt that was a bit of a shame. That is definitely made up by the awesome knee-jerking action and irresistible attraction, though! In addition, when they finally get together it’s gloriously kind-of-romantic-but-not, which made my day.
All the secondary characters are fantastic: I have to mention Jazz and her lover, Lady Bart, because they embody Mr. Kennedy’s steampunk universe so very uniquely. I got a glimpse of the fashion, the culture and the social norms just through their exchanges, and that was invaluable in truly getting a picture of the world Mr. Kennedy created. I must say Jazz grew on me. At first it was difficult to really understand her, her mood swings, and her relationship with Lady Bart seeing as how we don’t have their back story, but they are both awesomely fierce. The secondary character I truly adored, though, was Icarus’ sister, who appears briefly but leaped off the pages just as much as Icarus himself. I very much wished the villain Harding was given more of an explanation as to his motivations because he came across as quite two-dimensional. I also wished I had gotten a better picture of the government, because I’m quite certain Ezra and Icarus’ points of view are biased.
The sex itself, when there is some (which is not often), is implicit for Lady Bart and Jazz whereas, it is very steampunk in style when it is explicit and involving Ezra. It’s a little strange, with a mix of slightly outdated words with more modern ones. That makes it weirdly enjoyable, especially seeing as it is well-written. Very much non-conventional, but still explosive when it happens. There’s also nothing gratuitous about any sex scene, which I thought was great.
Wings of Equity is edited well and the .PDF layout can be enjoyed on both large and small screens.
In summary, this is a very well-written steampunk adventure with a slow building romance, and if you like engines and flying and heroics you’ll definitely want to pick this up for your shelves.
Rated 4 Ravens by Pomme!
FTC Disclaimer:
In accordance with FTC guidelines, it’s important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said…
Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.
The Blackraven
Posted in 4 Ravens, Author Review, Dreamspinner Press, Erotic Paranormal, Erotic Romance, Fantasy, GLBT, m/m, Paranormal Romance, Pomme, Raven Divas, Sean Kennedy, Wings of Equity | No Comments »
July 22nd, 2010
 Litha’s Constant Whim by Amy Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: M/M, Fantasy, GLBT
Length: 108 pages
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary
Whim believes himself to be the least powerful sidhe at Green’s Hill: he is as constant as a bumblebee in a hurricane and as faithful as a stray breeze. Whim’s prince believes there is more to him than that and on Litha, the night of the summer solstice, sends Whim into the mortal world where he strives to give a piece of himself to others.
It is on Litha that Whim meets Charlie, a young, desperate human who steals a kiss. Whim steals one back and, in turn, craves another taste of this extraordinary man. Their vows to return next Litha and finish what they started launch a thirteen-year tradition of celebration between the mortal and the immortal, between love and patience, that is sustained by Whim’s driving, faithful compulsion to love and keep his human close to his heart.
Pomme’s Review:
At 108 pages, Lithat’s Constant Whim by Amy Lane has a very enjoyable fairy tale like quality while not being totally divorced from reality.
Because the novella is part of a much wider and well-developed arc, the first chapter is very much an exposition chapter where the reader is introduced to the main players of Green Hill, a place where different magical and shape-shifting species live. I could definitely feel the wider arc here and did not really enjoy the information dump the reader is treated to, even though some characters definitely play a part in the story later. The book gets much better after that first chapter or so, and once I met the two main characters the novella morphed into a fantastically smooth ride.
Both Whim the sidhe and Charlie the mortal are wonderful characters. They’re cute and I especially enjoyed the way Whim was described, with his idiosyncrasies and his bluntness, while Charlie’s evolution from boy to man and inexperienced to experienced lover is fantastic. Ms. Lane has great prose and even greater dialogue, and I could relate to both the characters. The use of the summer solstice, or Litha, as the recurrent theme in the plot was very well managed and never boring, with the author mixing a fairy tale quality of time passing by with a less fairy tale like quality of modern times and modern contraptions and conventions.
I loved the subtle evolution of Whim, where he goes from flighty to sober and determined, first with his yearly commitment to Charlie and then with the toys he starts making. The man Charlie becomes is responsible and serious, but when they meet he never loses that amazed quality he has when with Whim. I truly enjoyed reading about them, and I really wanted to enjoy the secondary characters as well, but I couldn’t because there are too many of them, and they are too intricately linked between each other. This glimpse into the wider Green Hill arc can either whet your appetite or frustrate you if it doesn’t push your buttons, and for me it was the latter. In addition, there is a man who comes into Charlie’s life towards the end of the story, and I felt he was slightly unnecessary. He added to the drama and made the crux of the story slightly faster and theatrical, which it didn’t truly need to be. His introduction allowed the ending to be slightly bittersweet, though, which I very much enjoyed.
The plot itself is slow-paced but perfect for a fairy tale. The story is told from a third person point of view which alternated between the two main characters and a few secondary ones, so I had a pretty good grasp on what everyone was feeling. I definitely suspended my disbelief when Charlie and Whim first met, but… It’s a fairy tale! For these characters it works, and never did I feel pulled out of the story at any moment. The prose is very well-written, as mentioned previously and extremely enjoyable. There is sex but the story isn’t chock full of it. When there is sex, it’s also quite meaningful to both the characters, making Charlie and Whim so adorable.
Overall this is a great short little fairy tale-like novella with very lovable characters. However, it does come across as more of a side story to a much wider arc, which personally frustrated me.
Rated 3.5 Ravens by Pomme!
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In accordance with FTC guidelines, it’s important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said…
Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.
The Blackraven
Posted in 3 1/2 Ravens, Amy Lane, Author Review, Dreamspinner Press, Fantasy, GLBT, Litha's Constant Whim, m/m, Pomme, Raven Divas | No Comments »
July 1st, 2010
 Having Patience by Debra Glass
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Genre: Historical, Erotic Romance
Length: Short Novel
Review Copy Received from Publisher
Summary:
Throughout their long engagement, James Camplyon, Earl of Somerset, has fantasized about Patience Hadley Mims’ silken skin and voluptuous curves. He expects his witty, beautiful bride to be timid on their wedding night. But Patience is far more than shy. She’s terrified.
James presents his reluctant bride with a box of risqué novels, ordering her to choose a passage each night for them to act out. Despite her fears, Patience thinks being bound and blindfolded will undo the hard-learned lessons of a lifetime. But she doesn’t count on her husband’s patient resolve to strip away the dark secrets threatening to prevent her from giving herself to him completely.
Pomme’s Review:
At 115 pages, Having Patience is a scorching read set in 19th century England. It’s distinctly BDSM flavoured such that the difference between the outside world and what goes on in the bedroom is made even more prominent.
The story is told in a third person limited point of view alternating between Patience and her new husband, James. Their relationship starts off stilted and the author quickly delves into the meat of the matter: Patience refuses to even let herself enjoy sex. What follows is a very hot journey both she and her husband undertake in order to figure out how to surmount the problem. I felt Patience’s difficulties with sexual intercourse were very well portrayed, as were her conflicting desires. Her husband James alternates between being understanding and being firm to suit Patience’s needs, as he’s the driving force behind her budding sexuality. The power dynamic between the main characters is fascinating, because Patience holds the reins but wants nothing more than to let go of them. The way her psyche is described by Ms. Glass is wonderful, and I definitely enjoyed every moment of her figuring out herself and figuring out her desires while coming to terms with them. The role James plays in her finally accepting herself gives a sweet tone to an overall sexual discovery type story.
The sex is so hot it burned my eyebrows: all the scenes are varied and serve a purpose, and nothing is gratuitous. The plot continually advances through the sex, and each scene reveals a little bit more about both characters. There’s a lot of kink and I don’t even think missionary position occurs until maybe at the very end!
I had a few quibbles: the way James gets the idea for the books is from another gentleman, and the way they broached and treated the subject didn’t feel authentic to me. Sometimes the language slipped as well and sounded more modern that I thought it would have been for the times. Finally, I have to admit that while I related and felt with Patience in her distaste of sex, I didn’t truly understand how it tied in with the childhood trauma that is revealed to us in the beginning of the book.
Overall, Having Patience is a great erotic read, mixing explicit sex scenes with a light touch of BDSM and sweeter moments between its characters. Having Patience is definitely the book to pick up if you enjoy some angst-flavoured sweetness with your kink.
Rated 4 Ravens by Pomme!
FTC Disclaimer:
In accordance with FTC guidelines, it’s important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said…
Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.
The Blackraven
Posted in 4 Ravens, Author Review, Debra Glass, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Erotic Romance, Having Patience, Historical Romance, Pomme, Raven Divas | No Comments »
June 21st, 2010
 Bound by Nature by Cooper Davis
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: GLBT, Paranormal, Erotic Romance
Length: 122 Pages
Review Copy Purchased by Review Site
Summary:
The mind may forget, but the heart remembers…
A Forces of Nature novel.
It doesn’t take Hayden Garrett’s college degree to figure out why Officer Josh Peterson is the last man alive he wants to face. Not because of the council’s harebrained idea to broker peace between their clans.
It’s the sweaty palms that prove Hayden never got over his embarrassing attraction to his alpha rival. Mate with him? Nothing fills Hayden with more desire—or dread. Josh doesn’t have a gay hair in his fur. At least not one he owns up to.
Despite Josh’s reputation for being a connoisseur of female flesh, he’s always cared about Hayden. In a different world, they might have been friends. Now, face to face after five years, the bitterness in Hayden’s eyes fills Josh with regret for what could have been—should have been.
As Hayden and Josh journey through rituals—and intimacies—that will knit their souls for life, passion and anger flares, revealing a powerful secret. The truth about a long-ago sharing of hearts, bodies and souls that ended in tragedy…
Warning: Steamy love between two rival alpha werewolves, a pregnant moon that inspires mating urges, and one shy guy who knows exactly what he wants.
Pomme’s Review:
A true novel even though the page count stands at 122, Bound by Nature is an enjoyable werewolf read with some interesting main characters and an intriguing plot that is nicely woven.
Written in a limited third person point of view alternating between Hayden and Josh, the story starts quickly and the scene is set right away. We are immediately introduced to both Hayden and Josh, two alpha werewolves, and because we’re seeing most of everything from Hayden’s point of view, we have an image of Josh that is slowly stripped away as the events of the book unfolds and we get to truly understand him as Hayden gets to better know him. The characters themselves are slightly… slippery. We can relate to them and their dilemma, but not their body, mind and soul. Maybe because the power dynamics are slightly confusing: we’re told they’re both powerful alphas, we’re told Josh is a womanizer… but we really don’t get to see any of it. What we are shown are two men who act differently from the author’s description, which is a little puzzling.
The story in itself, though, is very interesting. Mr. Davis’ structure alternates between the present time and a fateful night five years ago, and the shifts in time build up the suspense masterfully. We’re never quite told what has happened between Josh and Hayden, or what has ruined Hayden’s life to what it has become, yet, the want and need to find out what truly happened will definitely keep you reading the same way it kept me glued to my screen. I had a few quibbles with the plot, mainly that I truly didn’t quite get why it took Josh so long to resolve the situation with Hayden, and what prompted him to do what he did to drive a wedge between them. It’s a key point in the drama, but Josh’s reasons didn’t seem sound to me, which dampened my enjoyment of the crux of the book after the awesome suspense build-up.
In addition, I didn’t quite get the whole ‘werewolf’ thing: Hayden and Josh don’t seem to be truly tied to the moon or dependent on it and they can shift at will. They’re more ‘shifters’ than werewolves. This is really just semantics, though. The bond they’re supposed to forge was also slightly confusing in that it’s supposed to be a bond for life but it doesn’t come across that way. The way the author approached it was fantastic, though. Mr. Davis made scent an inherent part of the bond, and I found his descriptions particularly inspiring, especially during the sex scenes.
The sex itself is hot, well-written, and definitely romantic even when it’s frenzied. The fact that Josh and Hayden care about each other comes across very strongly and echoes the rest of the book. Their dynamic in the bedroom is not what you’d expect and that makes it even better.
I would have loved to see a little more power play between Hayden and Josh, especially considering both are meant to be strong alpha wolves and they’re not supposed to want each other but they do. The sex, though, doesn’t reflect any of that. They immediately agree on who tops and who bottoms and it’s all sunshine and daisies. It’s all very romantic and I enjoyed every single scene, but I feel addressing this alpha issue would have greatly enriched the story and made it even more enjoyable.
One thing to note is that the formatting by the publisher is poor: while there weren’t any editing errors, there were random italics strewn all over the place which I personally found very irritating, especially if you’re used to italics having a purpose like emphasis. The font in the PDF is also small, so you’ll need a decent computer screen to read it.
Overall, Bound by Nature feels longer than it is at 122 pages, which gives you more romance than you’d expect for the length! The story has a few snags but it is well-built and enjoyable. The author’s approach to the mating bond is the story’s selling point, so definitely pick this up for smoldering sex scenes with a mating twist and a twinge of desperation because the main characters have a heavy history.
Rated 3.5 Ravens by Pomme!
FTC Disclaimer:
In accordance with FTC guidelines, it’s important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said…
Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.
The Blackraven
Posted in 3 1/2 Ravens, Author Review, Bound By Nature, Cooper Davis, Erotic Paranormal, Erotic Romance, GLBT, Paranormal Romance, Pomme, Raven Divas, Samhain Publishing | No Comments »
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