Review: Unbreak Me by Lex Valentine

Title: Unbreak Me

Author: Lex Valentine

Publisher: Pink Petal Books

Publication Date: December 2010

ISBN: 978-0-9830904-5-8

Genre: Futuristic Erotic Romance

Length: Novella

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Rating: 4/5

Heat Level: Jalapeno Martini

Blurb:

Two magic wielding warriors (M/F) are torn apart by betrayal, imprisonment, and torture. When a magical heart that formerly belonged to them comes up on the auction block, both fight to win it. Major Marcus (Ren) Renniger was betrayed on a mission and became a POW. All fingers point to the woman he loved. Captain Tait Boland was told Ren had died. Unable to believe it, she set out to find the truth and exact revenge on the man who stole Ren from her. Her revenge comes at the cost of her freedom and her spirit.

Six years later, Ren and Tait have both escaped imprisonment. When they meet at Spellbound Treasure because of the heart, their passions explode. For Tait, knowing that her lover is alive fills her with bittersweet elation. Broken in body and spirit, she knows she has nothing left to give him. Seeing Tait so changed strikes fear in Ren’s heart. He sets out to unravel the mystery surrounding his capture and Tait’s imprisonment. To give her back her future and regain their life together, Ren must figure out how to unbreak Tait’s heart, soul, and spirit.

Review:

In Unbreak Me, Lex Valentine transports the readers to a furturistic realm where magic is real and portals to other worlds exist. She immediately sucked me in with a strong opening, where the character of Tait enters the Crossroads and is stripped of her powers. The character has experienced this before, under force and you instantly want to know what happened.

Rather than weave a tale of wam--bam—thank you ma’am, Valentine uses her words with precision, to tell a story of past mistakes and regrets that have transformed a once fiery woman to stone. Her former flame, Ren (a likeable male character) is an equally well drawn character. His motives and regrets are clear, his actions defined, and the result is two characters you root for. Oh and the sex—it was good.

Unbreak Me is a captivating tale and a worthy read. Its short, and though I would’ve liked it to be a bit longer, I couldn’t put it down.

Cheers!

*Book provided by author for review

Review: Poof! by Carlene Rae Dater

Title: Poof!

Author: Carlene Rae Dater

Publisher: Cobblestone Press

Publication Date: April 2011

ISBN: 978-1-60088-642-3

Genre: Erotic Romance

Length: Novella

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Rating: 2/5

Heat Level: Jalapeno Martini

Other:  Contains graphic sex and some language

Blurb:

When Jordan Kerr goes looking for her absent-minded and largely absent from her life scientist father, she accidently blows up his lab with interesting consequences. With the help of her father’s lab assistant, Gavin Price, she’s determined to solve her problem without having to give up sex or licorice.

While researching her affliction, the two have mind-blowing sex and both enjoy the effort to resolve Jordan’s problem.

Review:

While the premise of girl goes invisible was interesting, the rest of the story, including the sex was a bit dull.

In novellas, there’s not much time to get through the story and it’s a challenge for character development, but in reading this book it felt like there was definitely some things lacking.

Dater attempts to give the character of Jordan some depth by mentioning the fact that her father was absentee for most of her life, she fails to explore the feelings this might arouse in the character and how this relates to the choices she’s made in her life. 

When the hero and heroine, Gavin and Jordan jump into bed, it seems unnatural and almost forced, especially since the two have known each other for a matter of hours. Almost immediately after sex, the two characters jump into relationship mode, however, the relationship didn’t feel like a new one. It read like two people who’d been dating each other for months, with time to develop affectionate terms for one another.

A more natural progression into the sex and relationship would’ve been nice. That, along with ramping up the steam and doing some deeper character development would make a cool premise turn into an awesome tale. 

Bottom's Up

*Book provided by author for review

Review: Kaydana and the Pool of the Gods

Title: Kaydana and the Pool of the Gods

Author: Nyki Blatchley

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Publication Date: October 2010

ISBN: 978-1-61650-197-6

Genre: Erotic Fantasy

Length: Novella

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Rating: 4/5

Heat Level: Dirty Martini w/ half a twist

Other:  Explicit sex – m/f, f/f, f/f/f, ménage, older/younger, human/fantasy creature, graphic language.

Blurb:

Kaydana takes on the strangest quest yet.

Kaydana the Sorceress has a problem. Frustrated without her lover, she’s used the powerful Staff of Ishlun for relief and is now too explosive for any partner. Venjei, an older sorceress, also has a problem. She desires her young colleague, but doesn’t feel she has a chance – not to mention the hazards if she did get her way.

In an attempt to break the magical spell, Venjei accompanies Kaydana telepathically to the Netherworld in search of the fabled Pool of the Gods.

Will Kaydana survive the strange, surreal Netherworld and its sexual snares or will she perish on her quest? And, even if she does succeed, what price must she pay to be free of her curse?

Review:

In the fifth installment in the Kaydana series, Blatchley delivers a sizzling erotic tale that takes the heroine, Kaydana through a series of increasingly difficult temptations and seductions. 

Though reading this tale is part of a series, it is not necessary to read the other books to enjoy this tale (reading the others would probably enhance the experience though). This tale, on its own, was a spellbinding read full of magick and hot sex. I recommend it.

*Book provided by author for review

Review: Secrets of the

 Title: Secrets of the Lotus

Author: Michelle Garren Flye

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Publication Date: July 2010

ISBN: 978-1-61650-169-3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: Novel

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Rating: 3/5

Heat Level: Chocolate Martini

Blurb:

What would you trade for the story of a lifetime -- a lifetime of love?

Society reporter Josie Stewart is all too familiar with billionaire Dan Mason, who recently took over the reins of his ailing father's business. He has no intention of allowing anything, even his own conscience, to get in his way.

When Josie accidentally uncovers one of the family secrets, she glimpses a side of Dan that most people never get to see. Drawn to him, she puts her own career and reputation in jeopardy to keep his secrets. But some of those secrets are darker than she knew. Neither Dan nor Josie expects the danger lurking in their future -- or the passion.

 

Review:

Michelle Garren Flye has successfully woven a modern day fairytale in her novel, Secrets of the Lotus. In a tale of girl meets boy, she draws on elements from familiar sources. In fact, it’s probably no coincidence that our heroine, Josie Stewart, meets her prince-charming, Dan Mason, at a birthday party that could easily be compared to the ball where Cinderella meets her prince.

True to modern romance form, Josie Stewart is self-reliant and worlds apart from the devastatingly handsome and ultra-wealthy Dan Mason. Still, the two are able to get down to basics, forming a sultry friendship that at times was frustrating, because all you wanted them to do was admit how they felt—stop with all the introspection and kiss already.

Though the novel was slow out of the gate, it was worth the continued read. Around ten or so pages in, you really start to become charmed by Dan and by page twenty, Josie had equally charmed me. Despite the slow start, it was still an entertaining read. 

3 Martinis...Cheers!

 *Book provided by author for review