Romance Books

The realistic fiction book Rumors, by Anna Godlbersen, is a well written sequel in this series, about New York's high society woman and the ongoing drama between a group of them. I don't think this book is as good as the first in the series, maybe because it seemed to lack a little drama. The first was packed with drama and though Rumors did have quite a bit, it just didn't seem to be enough. It did however leave me in suspense and I can't wait to pick up the third one and continue the series. The cover picture of both this book and the previous one was neat looking and it is the cover that made me stop and take a second look at the books. The titles are interesting too and fit very well with the theme of the stories. Over all I enjoyed this book very much just not as much as its previous one.

I got about 2/3 of the way through this book and couldn't sustain any interest at all in any of the characters. Penelope is a conniving, desperate, and quite despicable person. The murder of Elizabeth's lover Will was stupid. Diana Holland was a foolish young woman to chase after her sister's ex-boyfriend Henry Schoonmaker. He was clearly not worth the trouble. Lina was perhaps the most interesting character in the story. She took risks, tried to make herself into someone she aspired to be. Beyond that, I skipped ahead to the the ending and it was every bit as predictable as the rest of the story. Sorry. This book reminds me too much of Gossip Girls on TV. Basically, it is a teenager story and definitely not happening for me.

I love Anna's writing style. I really enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting, the story is gripping. Anna has a wonderful way of describing detail, like the fashion, that makes it easy for you to imagine the scene from the book perfectly. While reading it I couldn't help but think this is a more literate, Victorian version of the TV show Gossip Girl, to give people out there an idea of what they'll be getting themselves into if they purchase this book. This tome is great for people who enjoy historical stories and people who like catty, gossipy girls and women.

Had I realized at the time that was a young adult book I never would have selected it for a vine pick. But I did, so I read it. Or tried too. In the end I have to say that there is very little in this book that appeals to a mature reader, though I do encourage the growing adolescent historical fiction market and hope that young readers do read this and others to gain an appreciation for history and a solid ground work for more complex tails in later life.

If I was an adolescent however, I suspect I would have enjoyed this very much. If I had read the first in the series that is.

Three stars from my twenty year old self, four my ten year old self.

I referred to this book as a "guilty pleasure," but that's only partly true. With her historical setting, plot intrigue (a faked death), and class issues, Godbersen elevates this juicy YA novel, the sequel to The Luxe, above the standard Gossip Girl-type fare (though I'm a Gossip Girl fan too). The same drama is here - sex, seduction, wealth, gossip, scandal - but it's done in a less lurid way. The New York setting gives me, as a New Yorker, a new way of looking at my surroundings. Godbersen's created compelling characters, each looking for something - love, wealth, acceptance. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Envy, and would recommend this to teens as well as adults looking for something fun and juicy, but with a touch of class as well. It's also a good deal longer than the standard YA book, which is a nice change of pace and Godbersen keeps the plot exciting enough to make it a page-turner.

I think that the language in this book was beautiful. She did a fantastic job of creating a picturesque scene of her island setting. I loved the voice of the main character and her emotional ride. I thought the story was a bit unbelieveable at parts and the ending was a bit forced. But I really enjoyed it and would read again.

This book is like one of those movies you go see where you stay until the end just to see if it will get any better and ultimately you realize you've wasted your time and money. I could not connect with any of the characters in the book and the main character I really did not like at all. She is selfish, uninteresting and really does not even come across as a talented artist (which is what we are to suppose she would have become had she not married and raised a child). This book is supposed to explore how a woman finds herself. I don't quite get how she finds herself by leaving her husband only to fall into bed with another man? It's unclear why she felt so lost in her marriage to begin with. Her husband is loving, devoted as both a husband and a father and has a wonderful career; what's to complain about? Jesse, the main character is the one that seems to be lacking in both ambition and personality. How many woman are married, raise children, have a career and a life outside of their marriage that includes a wonderful circle of friends. Besides all that, the love story between Jessie and Whit (the monk) is just lacking. There's no build-up, no longing to see them together and I really couldn't feel the connection or the sparks between them. Boring.

Granted, this book is easy to read, but do we really want to? Yes, it examines the human heart, it's yearnings, failings, frailties, but there are other books out there that can get you to examine these issues in a more intelligent way. Her mother cutting off her fingers for what it turns out to be a RIDICULOUS reason. The RIDICULOUS conspiracy between a few old ladies and a respected monk? Oh My GOD! I was shocked once the story wrapped up and these revelations were made. What a waste of my time. Not to mention the dreaded AFFAIR WITH A MONK! Oh, please. Despite all my misgivings, I have still given the book 3 stars, because it did lure me in, which in itself is an accomplishment. But, being lured in, and ending up satisfied are two different things. Don't waste your time. Read the great philosophers if you want to examine human nature and your own inner workings.

This is a great book. 5 stars. It makes you look inside yourself and think about your life's goals, destiny, the destination where your life's flow is taking you, are you on a right track, are you in charge of your own life, what makes you happy and unhappy, mother-daughter relationship, etc.

The ending is a positive one, it gives hope, but at the same time it's not a typical Hollywood-style "happy end".

This book is the most generic of Beach Books. Light and fluffy, with some Made For TV Movie drama thrown in (should she leave her husband? Why is her mother crazy?), it's engaging enough to be able to finish but I found it impossible to really like. The characters are standard (Crazy Mom, Sexy Other Guy, Hip Collegiate Daughter and the protagonist, while obviously supposed to be sympathetic and "deep," comes off as too beige, self-important and indecisive to respect.

If this book is lying around and you need to kill a few hours, go for it. But don't look for anything of intellectual value or moral character.

My 7th grader got a hold of this book in her Advanced Language Arts class in school. Since it was the beginning of the year, I thought I'd go ahead and read it to see what kind of books the teacher had in her classroom library. Boy was I in for a shocker! This book would be a rated R film with it's language and sex alone. But what bothered me most was the flashback to a rape -- it was truly unnecessary to the story. I get that it was a catalyst for Remy's promiscuity, but a Jr. HS reader would not understand that.

Remy is really very funny in a dark, cynical way. And Dexter is a fun, lovable character. I just do not see how this scene, or the constant drinking and strong language are necessary to make this a good book. My daughter was shocked. Unfortunately, she had to learn how a girl can be hurt by sex when she is just learning what sex is and why she gets a period. It could be a good first romance without the rape scene.

She won't be reading any more of Sarah's books any time soon -- and that is what SHE said. I just happen to like her decision!

Remy doesn't believe in love. After all, if your mom has divorced and remarried about five times, how could she? And why does her mom suddenly think this new guy is "the one?" Remy's got all her relationship rules all laid out. After she gets too close to a guy, she dumps him.

But then she meets Dexter, and something about him is different. He just won't let her push him away, and soon a real relationship develops between them. Of course, there are always the complications: Remy is only looking for a summer relationship before heading off to college, Dexter isn't.

This Lullaby follows Remy through her ups and downs in her relationships with her friends, her mom, Dexter, and the song her dead father wrote. Remy's struggles are very realistic and easy to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, like I enjoyed Sarah Dessen's other books, and I am eagerly awaiting the release of Lock and Key, another novel by Sarah Dessen. I would highly recommend this book and Sarah Dessen's other books to everyone, especially fans of Dab Caletti.

Sarah Dessen just keeps getting better and better with each novel I read by her. The characters are so gripping and wonderful that you want to find out what happens to them, but you never want the book to end. It was no different with This Lullaby.

Remy knows relationships. Each time they begin to get too serious, she gives him "the talk". And she's given that talk many times. But one day she meets Dexter, clumsy, sweet, and-not-willing-to-give-up Dexter. They soon begin to grow closer and finally they start dating. But Remy can't figure out why she doesn't feel the need to dump him. Is it possible that she's finally figuring out what love really means?

This book was impossible to put down. I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen with Remy and Dexter. What's so great about this book (and all of Sarah's books, for that matter) is that they have to do with real life. Her books are real and true, and they will leave an impression on you. If you're looking for a book about a real teenage girl's life and the happiness, heartache, sorrow, joy, and drama that goes along with it, then pick up this one. You will love it.

Payton's Book Reveiw
This Lullaby, by Sarah Dessen, is about a girl named Remy and her life after high school graduation. It begins by Remy's mother getting married to a guy named Don. Remy forgot to tell Don something about the wedding, so she goes back to tell him, but she has to wait because he is busy trying to sell a car. While Remy is waiting in the waiting room at the car dealer shop, a guy comes over and starts saying that she is going to be the next girlfriend he will have. She already has a boyfriend, so she tries to get away, but he grabs her by the hand and writes his phone number and his name, then runs off. The next week Remy and her friends (Jess, Lissa and Chloe) are going to a party, but Lissa is going to see her boyfriend first, so she is going to catch up. Apparently someone at the party invited the guy (Dexter, from the car dealer shop), because he is in a band to play at the party. Remy grabs her friend and tries to get away from him, but she losses her breath, and because of it he catch's up to her. Her friends are wondering what is going on, so Dexter tells them how they met. After Dexter left, Remy's boyfriend (Jonathan) comes up and grabs her by the waist with his arm. He has to go to his trailer and Remy goes along with him. While she is waiting for him Remy finds something that doesn't belong to him or her, and because of it she breaks up with him, but she was going to break up with him anyway, so it didn't matter. When Remy finds her friends Jess said, "We have a problem." When they get to the car, Remy finds Lissa curled up crying. Apparently Lissa's Boyfriend broke up with her. The next chapter is the wedding day. Lissa is better, but she got easily drunk. Chloe also got drunk, but not as bad as Lissa. Jess came late which wasn't like her. Usually Chloe was the one who is late trying to get ready. Dexter is the music person singing for Don and Remy's mother dance song together that Remy didn't know about, so she goes outside and smoked (she was also trying to stop smoking).
This book has a gookmeaning to it because it tells how maybe some people life is after their graduation. It also tells how it is when you lose someone you love a long time ago, and how it feels when you have a mother that wants to have a real family. This is for people who like romance, crushes and break ups (Romantic Books). It would be apparently to a girl in middle school and up.

the synopsis of the story at first spiked my interest. however, my opinion of it got slowly lower, and lower, first with all the drinking, smoking and sex mentioned in the book. but that didn't bother me as much as how BORING it was. the story progressed so slowly, i had to put down the book at almost every chapter to occupy myself with something else more interesting. also, i kept waiting for some good substance to make up for the slow wait, but it never came and though the ending was predictable, it was extremely dissatisfying. overall, slow and boring, though i do have to say Dexter was my favorite character, i liked his personality very much.

This was an enjoyable read for me but I thought it could have been great with a little more polish. I felt as though there were some parts that were disjointed and other parts not fully explained - e.g. why bring up the countess if there's no storyline associated with her? - seemed pointless - or the connection of Robert to whichever criminal - or the ending. The ending was just not tied in well to the happenings of the story. I don't want to give away a spoiler to explain but I just didn't understand all of the motives of all those involved in the crime and tying them into the storyline and how it had progressed - the murder just seemed thrown in there too. It was just a bit jumbled for me. The h/h were likable and the romance good, but I just can't put my finger on it exactly except to say it needed more polish. Maybe less focus on descriptive details and more on explanations...just simply tell the story, clearly and concisely.
Mayber a better editor would have hepled with the polish. Note to editor - p. 2! - "...he had just became aware."

Another good book - sit back and enjoy from first page to the last, it kept my interest, well written and, well, other reviewers gave the story line, I will only repeat it was worth the purchase, worth the read

This read deserved much more than 5 stars. Rory Jameson is about as sexy a hero in a historical romance novel as I've ever read and Winter Ashburn is extremely likeable. From the moment of their very first encounter on the first few pages of the book, I was completely wrapped up in this story. I enjoyed the dialogue and the wit between these two. I enjoyed the conflicts they each faced throughout the story and within themselves. But most of all, I loved the way he loved her. I think I fell a little bit in love with him myself. He is dark, he is dangerous, he is incredibly sexy and he is passionate about Winter. I also enjoy the way Melody Thomas writes a story. She weaves it so well that you can't help but feel as if you're there too. She does not bore with descriptive details but what little she does offer, and the way she does it, makes everything come alive. I have yet to read one of her books that I didn't love but this is my favorite. A very well written story. Don't start it unless you have lots of time.

In 1877, now thirty-two, which is old age in his profession compounded by his enjoyment of all types of vices, Rory Jameson has spent years bringing thieves to justice. However, outside of London he stops his work temporarily at the request of his sister to visit his estranged dying grandfather to make a final peace. On the trek to his family home someone attacks and wounds Rory. Former toast of the Ton Winter Ashburn takes the wounded aristocrat to a cottage so he can heal.

Winter remembers Rory as the rake who thought she was a fallen woman. Still she is attracted to her patient and him to her. As they fall in love, Winter worries her actions could cost her mother and brother plenty as the family patriarch her odious Uncle wants the half gypsy dead.

This is an engaging Victorian romantic suspense, which readers will enjoy from the first stolen kiss until the final kiss with a bit of a mystery and a lot of romance in between. The story line is character driven with a strong lead couple and a deep support cast. Fans will enjoy PASSION AND PLEASURE IN LONDON (and outside too) as neither Winter or Rory are ready for love yet both welcome it even as they hide it from their beloved.

Harriet Klausner

I bought this book because I love the "Immortals after Dark" series by K. Cole and the very first story she did in the series is in this anthology. I was not disappointed. Myst a Valkyrie (Granddaughter of Norse Gods)is known for her stunning beauty and her Vampire killing ability. Her fellow Valkyrie sisters basically use her as bait to attract bad guys they want to kill. She meets her match when the vampire hoarde castle she is imprisoned in is taken over by the Forebearer good guy vampires. They do not drink blood from people unless it is their bride unlike the bad guy vampires who drink and kill from everyone.

The warrior vampire, General Worth, who is in charge sees her in the prison and is ordered to get information on the various types of immortals from her. Even if he has to torture her to get it. It turns out she is his one and only predestined vampire bride. The one woman who gets his heart beating again and gets other parts of his anatomy working again too. She is very attracted to him but he makes the mistake of underappreciating her brains and powers. She escapes him. He finds her. Eventually they have a happy ending when she decides he is the one man she will always run to inorder to be held in his arms. She gets the General and the Valkyrie sisters nickname her "Mysty the Vampire Layer."

I also read the story by Jaid Black in the anthology. It is part of her series about the Vikings that live under ground in the Alaskan wilderness. They live there because of an old prophecy telling them that the world is going to be almost destroyed and if they want to survive with women they have to lived under ground for several centuries. They kidnap women sometimes for brides and this is the story on one of them. Hot sex and a happy ending.

I did not read the Kenyon story so I cannot review it. I believe the book is worth the price.

I bought this book for the story of Kresley Cole's "The Warlord wants Forever". This is from her "Immortals after dark series" and tells the story of Nikolai Wroth and Myst the Coveted. As with all of the books in this series I absolutely loved this story. I highly recommend reading all of the Immortals after Dark books.

I did not like Sherrilyn Kenyon's "Turn up the Heat. It was boring and predictable. Jaid Black's "Hunter's Oath" was very good, I never heard of Jaid Black, so I am willing to try other of her novels. Kresley Cole's debut paranormal read "The Warlord Wants Forever" was fantastic!! I have read all of the Immortal series, but it was good to read the one that started it all. Too bad it was not full length.

I purchased this book for the last story in it, but the other two stories were captivating as well.
I would recommend this book.

Playing Easy to Get
2006
Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jaid Black, Kresley Cole

This anthology of three erotic romance tales brings together some of the most well-known names in romance -- Sherrilyn Kenyon, author of paranormal "Dark Hunter" series­ (among others); Jaid Black, founder of popular "Ellora's Cave Publishing"; and Kresley Cole, who made her debut into the supernatural with the first installment of "Immortals After Dark".

Turn Up the Heat
Sherrilyn Kenyon

"Playing Easy to Get" opens with a fun, if slightly convoluted, entry into Sherrilyn Kenyon's wickedly-acronymed "BAD" (Bureau of American Defense) series.

Novellas are always tricky for me to review -- and Kenyon does manage to pack a lot into less than a hundred pages (especially in regard to her hero), but the characters' evolution on the whole and the evolution of their relationship is so fast that I had trouble swallowing it. I'm all for reading about realistic, no-strings-attached physical intimacy -- and I think it makes for more believable dimensions in fiction -- but there was very little bridge from sex to "true love".

Vince Cappelletti is ex-mafia-turned-good-guy who gets signed up to work undercover as security on what amounts to be Fantasy Island. Allison George is lucky Georgia girl who wins a trip to said Fantasy Island. Needless to say, things go to hell in a handbasket quickly when Vince's past catches up to him, and Allison ends up caught in the crossfire. The two end up on the run, and romance grows.

Not too bad, overall, and entertaining to take up an hour or so -- Kenyon's usual romp of violence and hotness.

6.5/10

Hunter's Oath
Jaid Black

I'm usually not a fan of Nordic settings, but Black offers enough twists on the usual tales to keep her offering fresh.

Sofia Rowley, after losing her brother and with him the last member of her family, is taken captive by neo-Viking warriors and auctioned off at the block. As she soon learns, she is no slave, but rather the bride of a warrior whose nearly-instant love for her starts to warm even her own frozen heart.

As mentioned already, this novella has a neat concept, and in a longer length and with a bit more fleshing out, it wouldn't be too bad. It has a little too much of a male-centric feel, though certainly not misogynistic, and the development between characters happens far, far too easily. Take a read if you're already buying the anthology.

5.5/10

The Warlord Wants Forever
Kresley Cole

The longest, last, and by-and-far best tale in the book is penned by then-newcomer to the paranormal scene, Kresley Cole. "Immortals After Dark" was not yet one of the best-selling series on the market, but this is without a doubt still worthy of the same accolades.Cole introduces -- and does a remarkable job of -- creating an entire paranormal realm in under two-hundred pages, while fleshing out a believable, hot romance.

Varying factions within the "Lore" -- the supernatural side of our world -- are battling for power, even amongst their own species. Nikolai Wroth, soldier in a "good guys" vampire army bent on destroying the killers of their kind, stumbles across a conundrum of a female who just might be his predestined mate.

Unfortunately for him, Myst, a Valkyrie and immortal warrior, has other plans for the vampires she finds, and it takes all of Wroth's resources and strength to even keep her around long enough to seduce.

I loved this story, and while all of Cole's following books are good, this little tale which introduces it all is one of the best nuggets in the series. Whether or not you liked the full-length novels, this is an exercise in "how, properly, to write romance" -- not to mention "how, properly, to write erotica". The tale's hot as hell (with all puns intended), with hints at D/s and fiery power-play -- this is not to be missed.

8.8/10

This book takes you back through the years to 16th century Florence seen through the eyes of a young girl. It also provides an interesting insight into Italian politics and art of the time. Alessandra Cecchi is forced into an early marriage with a much older man who is homosexual but wants a son, while her true love is a young destitute painter that her father brings home to decorate their private chapel. The experiences she goes through make this book impossible to put down. A must read for lovers of historical fiction.

I thought this was the best book I have ever read. I have never read a novel by Sarah Dunant before, and was quite surprised at the depth of her writing. She is ingenious in her descriptions of the Rennaissance period, and the life of Alessandra. It was thrilling, deceptive, and told the story perfectly. I have now picked up several more of Sarah Dunant's novels, and I look foreward to reading more of her work. Fabulous book, couldn't put it down!!

I picked up this book a few years ago, and just last week reread a few chapters to see if I still liked the novel as much as I did when I first bought it. I'm happy to say that it is just as good the second time around, and even though I had had read the book before, I couldn't stop myself from reading beyond chapter three. I finished it again, and I think the reason I loved this book was the vivid descriptions of Renaissance Italy. Few historical fictions I've come across evoke the Italian Renaissance with such beauty.

The protagonist is an artist, and the author depicts her setting with a true artist's eye.

I suppose that I held a bit more of an expectation for this novel than usual because of the time it sat on my bookshelf until I found the opportunity to read it...and perhaps that added to my slight disappointment in it. Although Dunant writes with a mostly smart and rather seductive language, I found myself a bit tired of all the "modern" twistings and soap-opera antics by midway through the book. At times, the main character Alessandra speaks as if dictating passages of a sexually repressed sixteen year old's diary, and being wrapped up in her thoughts took me away from the whole feel and magic of the Italian Renaissance. I enjoyed the story, but I could not immerse myself in the true history, beauty and the art of the era, which I had hoped would be a large part of the novel's intrigue.

I read this book for a book club and it was really, really hard finishing it. I think I knew it was drivel at the very beginning but I like these women and wanted to go to bookclub. Does historical fiction just have a lower bar? We've also read Geraldine Brooks and the quality is just way below that of most of the other novels I generally read.

There is a very good negative review already here (last one with one star - Simone) so please read that one for a detailed look at all the inanities in this book. My biggest general gripe is that like many other "women's" books, I believe it has an anachronistic feminist slant. "The Color Purple" is another example of this genre.

This book should inspire me to write my own historical novel. Pick a picturesque setting, throw in some sex and lurid details - torture, dimemberment, plague, and rake in the dough.

What a tangled web we weave when we endeavor through deceit!
Victory Christopher Murray, best selling author of A Sin and A Shame, gets my nod for Too Little Too Late. Her main character, Jasmine Larson, is back with the man of her dreams in tow. The novel is fast paced and very entertaining.
Jasmine and her husband, Reverend Hosea Bush, made it through the fact that Jasmine became pregnant with another man's child. However, Jasmine's got a few more bones in her throat, that are ready to pop out: Natasia Redding, a blast from Hosea's past who still has the "hots" for him; Brian Lewis, the good doctor who is also her "baby's daddy", has
discovered through "therapy" that he is a sex addict and in order to save his marriage he must tell all to his wife and convince her that Jasmine and the baby were part of his "illness", which won't be easy considering the sordid history between Jasmine and his wife Alexis.
Will Hosea be able to fight the feelings that he still has for Natasia? Will Jasmine get one more chance to bare her soul and be redeemed once and for all? Will Brian be able to save his marriage and be cured of his addiction? It may all be too little, too late. I recommend that you read and find out!

Excellent storytelling and familiar characters from the past. This was a great novel but I'm wondering will Jasmine ever stop with the lies and will Alexis and Brian find happiness with or without each other. There was one part of the story where I was rooting for Hosea and Natasia, thank goodness I came to my senses! Mae Frances I missed ya. Ms. Murray you have a gift continue to embrace it.

What a wonderful book this was to read! I first heard about this book from the "Girls with Grace" book club at my church. It was our second book to read and I enjoyed it so much. I couldn't put it down. I finished reading the almost 400 page book in 2 days. I would recommend this book to anyone. The end was very touching. Even if you hadn't read the previous books in the series, you won't be lost. 2 thumbs up on this one.

Jasmine Larson Bush is back and she still has secrets. Although the paternity of her daughter Jacqueline is know by her husband to be an ex lover Brian Lewis this couple encounters road blocks of an old flame. No, not Jasmine's old flame. How about the ex-girlfriend of Hosea for a change?

Jasmine has to deal with Natasia, playing the game she knows all too well when yet another obstacle is thrown into her path. Brian Lewis and his wife Alexis are having trouble with their marriage when Alexis is convinced her husband is having an affair. Will their secrets come out finally and when they do will it be too late for either of them to make their relationships work?

Awesome continuation of A Sin and A Shame! I recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. What happens in the dark always come out in the light and this book proved that. Natasia was a trip and Jasmine finally met her match. I love this author-Keep up the good work!!!

I think I liked the book... You see I am not quite sure. Several weeks have passed since I finished it and I swear it took me this long to figure out how I felt about it. WHY YOU ASK?! Well, the plusses are that I think the author went out of her way to set up her storyline. I mean really out of the way. and in most cases that's a good thing. However, the darn thing was just too intricate and the names and other stuff just wore my out.

I could not pronounce Eidolon's name from page to page (is it E-dolon, I-dolon). Then, how the hell to pronounce the "change" E was facing s'genesis? Do I say it like a sssnake or is the "s" silent. WTH!! Then the almost comical names of the other creatures (Shade & Wraith for example). IT WAS ALL TOO BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER FOR ME.

Was the book hot, yes it was, but some of the intimacies in the beginning to middle of the book felt like they were just thrown in the book and it was like driving around a piece of road kill. And Tayla. Tayla, Tayla, Tayla. It was hard to like someone who just did not seem to like herself. The ferretting out that she had to do bad things to survive sort of derailed my connection with her character a bit and by more than mid way through this exhausting book, I was sort of wishing E could find another woman to be his life mate instead of her. But once the book got going and she faced that she was in part a demon she became more interesting to me.

Yes, every demon is having sex or wishing they could (or sniffing around for it...literally). A bit too animalistic for me and I was soo over the glowing tatoo that I kept wishing that for pete sake would someone laser that thing off of these two already. And yes all of us have (at one time or another) had difficulty accepting who out parents are but Tayla watching her mother being (shall we say) violated and knowing she was getting off on it just sort of pushed me over the edge and I kept muttering to myself that small word... EEWW! The other little squirmy part that was (for me) unnecessary was Eidolon's explanation of how Demon religion works. At that point I was rolling my eyes and feeling like I was back in college with my old World Religions Professor.

I think I could read the next in the series, in fact the 3 stars comes because I see promise in this author's take on paranormal. I just hope that things smooth out and the candy store names take a breather and the writer just chill in bringing 30 arcing characters and stories on to the scene.

Pleasure Unbound introduces us to the Demonica world. In the good guys corner we have Tayla Mancuso - Aegis Demon Slayer. In the bad guys corner we have Eidolon - Seminus Demon and emergency room surgeon. Hmmm...maybe he's not such a bad guy after all. Unfortunately Tayla isn't as easily convinced and she soon finds herself torn between the world she depends on and the world that Eidolon could show her if only she'd believe in him. To make matters more complicated a group of bodysnatchers known as Ghouls are kidnapping demons and harvesting them for bodyparts. The Ghouls are playing the Aegi and the Demons off against each other and it's going to be down to Tayla, Eidolon and their friends to sort the mess out.

Pleasure Unbound is not perfect but I'll start with the good stuff of which there is plenty. I thought the idea of a demon hospital - Underground General - was original and not something I'd seen before. I also liked the fact that there are demonic demons - they aren't all good and misunderstood, but they aren't all bad flesh eaters either.

The world Larissa Ione takes us to, is painted in shades of grey, which I always find more interesting to read about. It is a very real book in that respect. Larissa Ione doesn't flinch away from the realities of the world she has set up. Eidolon has to make difficult decisions and he's one of these characters that does the right thing, even when it's the harder thing to do.

Other characters are not so noble and it's easy to see why Tayla ends up so confused about who is telling her the truth and what is the right thing for her to do.

Having said that I'm not as keen on the character of Tayla, I didn't feel her as much. She seemed a little immature to me but you could also attribute that to how she was raised, and essentially the Aegi appear a little cult-like. So far though I'm liking the male characters more than the female. This book is hot - quite a lot of sex, which on the whole is organic to the storyline. It didn't feel overly gratuitous, after all, Eidolon is an incubus.

On the quibble front. There is a slight tendency to melodrama at some points. Tayla in particular is a bit of a drama queen. Now there's nothing wrong with a bit of dramatics, but it's very easy to do too much and get a little silly.

Quibbles aside, this has been one of my favourite books of the year and I can't wait to read more.

Book 2 - Desire Unchanged - March 2009
Book 3 - Passion Unleashed - April 2009

What a fantabulous book I could not put it down, bought it and read it in one night, cannot wait for the next one to get to me grrrrr (need more money for books)

Others have already given a breakdown of the story so this will be quick.

At first there were too many characters and things going on for it all to "click" so I read the first few chapters a little slower than normal. Once I did have all the characters and what exactly they were down, I was hooked.

No down time, all action and well... *action* that kept me reading. I didn't skim pages for fear I might miss something important.

As tormented as most heroines seem to be, I didn't find Tayla frustating. You know, that whole "I can't do this... oh no, stop..." mentioned at least once on every page. Tayla knows it's wrong but does it anyway. That's my kind of girl.

I am looking forward to the next one that comes out Feb 2009.

Pleasure Unbound is book one of a hot and sexy new erotic paranormal series by Larissa Ione. The story which is completely fascinating, takes place in a dark new world where the lines between good and evil blur. A place where your worst enemy might in fact turn out to be the love of your life.

You will find the world building to be superb and all of the characters, even the villains to be extremely interesting, so much so that I can't wait for the sequel Desire Unchained which is due to be released in Feb. 2009...

I've read them all I'm a big fan. Once you've read one book you have to read the rest, they feel like family and you will want to know what happen to them. Nora Roberts is number one.

I've been a fan of the Stanislaski clan since 1990, when the first volume appeared. But those old mass market issues are yellowed and cracking with age and re-readings, so I was thrilled when they were just released in a larger, easier-to-read format.

If you haven't met the Stanislaskis yet, you're in for a treat. The warm, loving clan enfolds all newcomers to its Ukrainian heart, and who can resist? This volume contains the 3rd and 4th installments of the family saga, though they can be read as stand-alones. "Falling for Rachel" has that crisp Public Defender giving her Ukrainian best to Nick LeBeck, a troubled teenager, and his fabulously sexy older step-brother, Zack Muldoon, a former sailor who runs a classy bar on the Lower East Side. Wanting what's best for the boy inevitably leads to what's best for these two stormy lovers. "Convincing Alex" has NYC's sexiest detective up against one of Nora Roberts's most wonderfully quirky heroines, a soap opera writer with a knack for trouble.

Once you meet a Stanislaski, you're going to want to meet them all - and you'll be well rewarded for doing so. These books are among Roberts's best, and since she's written almost 200 by now, that's saying a lot!

After the last one, I thought this book would be different. But, this will be the last Eloisa James that I buy. After the 1st Chapter, I was bored and really didn't care for the characters.
There were to many things going on at once and the main charcters in the story were boring.
I stopped midway and put the book away. This was a waste of money!

This is a good read and great fun. I'll be looking for the rest of her books soon.

I would absolutely have to agree with Queen Margo "Buttercup's" comment 100%, I couldn't say it any better. I painfully read the book hoping it'd get better and... oh my goodness, I just kept getting more disgusted with the book. I finally gave in and stopped on page 241. I did like the cover though, very pretty.

I had difficulty fully enjoying this book. First off it wasn't really clear why there was a need for the whole masquerade as a man set up when her friend went just as she is and was fine. Because it wasn't clear, I couldn't understand why Harriet kept it up for as long as she did. It was drawn out just too long. The chemistry between the two main characters was great though, you could really see the romance growing between them. However I found myself disliking Harriet as the story progressed. She claimed to be tired of the life as a duchess, how people treated her and how she was expected to treat others. Yet when the masquerade is over she goes right back to living and acting as a duchess as she did before. So then what was the whole point of living as a guy, which she enjoyed doing, if it changed nothing? Also I despised the ending, I could barely get through it. In my point of view they were both at fault, yet only the hero did the self-check on his life, decided to change his ways, and apologized. What was Harriet doing? Living the life of a duchess, she changed nothing. He got down on his knees and she continued to act the part of a snob. I don't think she deserved him at all and the fact that he was begging her to forgive him made me not like him for his lack of self-respect. The ending seemed rushed, what the hero figured out about himself in how he lived his life didn't make much sense. The body of the book was good, the ending however was too weak to make it feel there was closure.

I've read all of Ms. James' books, starting with Potent Pleasures, as soon as each was published. I made the switch to the very different Duchess series and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I did not love Duchess By Night, and I think this would have to be the first James book that I would not recommend - particularly to someone who has never read the author before. I did appreciate the lessened focus on chess, and readers who complained will also appreciate that this book pretty much just focuses on the two main characters (though I'm biding my time for Jemma's book!), but I found this book lacking in the spark I've come to expect from Ms. James. The plot was on the side of contrived, even for a historical romance (where contrived plots don't bother me as much), the first several chapters were boring, and the romance didn't--and couldn't, as the hero thought the heroine was male!--pick up until over halfway into the book. I'll keep it, because it goes with my collection, but unless you're a die-hard fan of the author, skip this for one of her better novels.