Customer Reviews

Anchor and Storm

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Emily Sinclair doesn't know what she is going to do. As a governess, she is at the mercy of her employer and Emily's has just decided to put his children in boarding school. Her options are limited, especially when she is told by her employer that they might be able to come to an "agreement". Rescue comes in the form of Edgar Armstrong, her employer's uncle and the Earl of Callander. When he asks her to travel with him, Emily reluctantly agrees thinking that he will want more than what she is willing to give. She doesn't realize that soon she will want forever.

Edgar Armstrong knows that the disease he has is progressing and when he meets Emily at his nephew's home, realizing what his nephew is resorting to, Edgar makes a proposition to Emily. In return for his protection, Edgar will make Emily his companion while he travels and visits the world. When she quietly agrees, Edgar's heart is full of joy at the thought of spending what time he has left with her by his side. Only one thing threatens their happiness, one thing both Emily and Edgar desire very much; children.

Angus MacNeill is the groom for the Earl of Callander. When he sees and realizes who Emily is, arousal hits him and then he becomes angry. Because of a huge wrench of fate, this once laird of a Scottish clan was now reduced to serving another. When Edgar comes to Angus with a plan, Angus agrees but only because of Emily. He has no way of knowing the strength and fortitude of the love both he and Edgar will feel for the woman that is Emily.

When I read the blurb for Anchor and Storm, I had no idea how poignant it would be. It said, "Ménage" and I wanted to read this story. I began to read. My heart pounded, my palms sweated and tears fell down my face. Anchor and Storm is without a doubt one of the most beautiful stories I have read in a very long time. Emily's love for Edgar was innocent, yet steamy. Her love for Angus was passionate and oftentimes forceful. Both men loved her and I could feel their love for her on each page that I read. I truly did not want Anchor and Storm to end and when it did, I made sure I had enough tissue. It was just that emotional. This book was powerful and I am still thinking about it hours after having finished. I have no choice but to joyfully recommend Anchor and Storm. It should not be missed.

Natalie S.

I just finished this book and felt it deserved a great rating. (Once I find a story that piques my interest, the reviews/ratings are the next factor in my decision to purchase the book.) This was a wonderful story of love, trust and sacrifice between two men and the woman who held their hearts and the villains who would go to any length to pull them apart. The development of the characters was very good and the emotions I experienced while reading this book took me from one end of the scale to the other. I felt this was quite a feat considering the story was just under 210 pages. To put this review in a nutshell, you'll love the heroine/heroes, hate the villains, need an ice cold something for those very sensuous, hot, erotic love scenes and a box of tissues for those heartbreaking moments. I hope Kate Poole has more books come into print for I have definitely added her to my favorite author list!

STORY BRIEF:
Emily lost her father and brothers in battles with the English. She found a job as a governess for Raymond's children. Raymond's wealthy uncle Edgar is visiting. Raymond informs Emily that they no longer need her services since they are sending the children to boarding schools. Raymond threatens to ruin Emily's chances for other employment unless she has sex with him. She refuses. Edgar hears this and chastises Raymond. Edgar offers an escape for Emily as his traveling companion - no sex involved. She agrees. Edgar walks with a cane due to an inherited disease. Edgar and Emily fall in love. They want children but Edgar doesn't want a child to suffer by inheriting his disease. So they ask another man to get Emily pregnant with the resulting children to be claimed as Edgar's. A second motivation for the pregnancy is that if they don't have a child, Raymond would inherit Edgar's property upon Edgar's death. Raymond would then force Emily into poverty unless she submitted to his demands.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
A requirement of romance novels is a happy ending. This book straddles that fence. The ending is sad for one of the main characters - causing tears for some readers. It didn't bother me that much because that character did experience a lot of happiness. But some readers won't like it.

Based on the cover picture and being an Ellora's Cave publication I was expecting strong erotic scenes, but the sex scenes were more of a passionate and loving nature. There was more emphasis on story than sex. It was a sweet, lovely, romantic story. It was typical romance, with typical characters, good guys and whining, obnoxious, bad guys. It's not a must read, but if you're in the mood for light pleasant reading, this is good. It's shorter than typical novels. Sex scenes include ménage a trios (two men and one woman).

DATA:
Story length: 201 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 10. Total number of sex scene pages: 29. Setting: 1750 and 1756 mostly Scotland. Copyright: 2007. Genre: erotic historical romance.

Great read with an unusual historical setting, it takes place several years after the Battle Culloden. One of the heroes is Angus, who was indentured for participating and the second is an English earl who is dying of a wasting disease. The heroine is the daughter of laird who fell at Culloden. Very engaging story and fascinating characters. The author managed to deliver a three-hankie ending AND a happily-ever-after. No mean feat! I will look for more from her.

Almost four years after Culloden and proud but defeated highland laird Angus is made an indentured servant to the kindly but crippled Edgar while Emily is governess to Edgar's evil and lecherous nephew, Raymond. Edgar walks in on Emily getting attacked by Raymond and offers to take her with him as his platonic companion to save her the indignity of becoming his nephew's mistress. Edgar tours her around Europe and as they travel the both fall in love and quickly marry. On return to his home in the lowlands of Scotland Emily finally meets Angus who is working as Edgar's groom and whom Edgar hopes will look after Emily after he is gone.

This is very different from any other book I've read. It is a manage book, but the love for both men is so deep and true that I wouldn't describe it as erotica at all. It is a straight romance, or would be with slight alterations to a few scenes, and one of the best romances I've read in a long while.

The only negative that I could said is I strongly disliked Angus' behavior on two occasions, I know he is supposed to be the "storm" but his behavior was very demeaning, or I would feel that way if I was treated that way. Also her love her Angus could have used more depth. It was easy to see the love she had with Edgar, and also with Angus too, but the love with Angus could have used more to really show how it progressed from getting to know you to love.

Nothing in the book was stupid or seemed forced. All the emotions were real and given what they knew at the time Edgar wanting Emily to have a child with Angus made a fair bit of sense, based on Edgar's genetic wasting disease. Given the subject matter it could have easily become trite, stupid or cliched but it never happened.

The beginning was a little weak and stiff, but where this story really took off was the middle and the funny part was there were no sex scenes at all in the middle, also to me at least none of the sex was titillating it was all sweet and loving (well except for one scene). This is a complicated romance about three damaged people who some how find love in a most unexpected place. I really hope this author reworks this a bit and tries to get it published by a more mainstream publisher, but who knows maybe the threesome angle would just be too much but this book really deserves to have more people read it and it wouldn't take much at all to have it be a mainstream romance . . . well with two heroes. No offense to Elloras Cave but this is too good for that publication.

5 stars.

When I first read reviews on this book, I thought pish posh, a menage erotica/romance that has a deep love story and not to mention it is an historical erotica/romance which I am usually not a fan of. Well do not confuse this book with your basic menage erotica, there was a real story of love, anguish, selflisness, greed, lust, grief and any other human emotion you can think of. The historical story was easy to follow and was not so filled with historical facts that I wanted to pull my hair out. It was one of the best erotica/romance I have read this year. I would have given it a perfect 5 star if I had not cried at the ending, it made me feel so many emotions for the leads in this book that I will never forgett their story or them and the reason I buy fiction/erotica is so I don't cry at an ending. Great, great, great book. A definate keeper and will look for other books by this author!

I really love this heartfelt story of three people caught up in tradegy. This is definetly must read book. If you are into full menage a trois but not raunchy side of menage a trois, this is the book for you. A total menage a trois love story to the point it was almost boring. I like my menage a trois raunchy,no hold bars, but I did enjoy this book to the fullest.

This book wasn't what I expected at all. I was expecting to read a sizzling menage book, what I got instead was a great love story. This book was so good that I couldn't put it down. The relationship between Emily and Edgar was very touching. But for Edgar to love his wife so much he encourages her to consider another man to father their children because he could not risk passing on his disease blew me away. Not only does he encourages her, he tells her that the man has to be someone she chooses.

I love the way that relationship with Emily and Angus developed, as well as the respect for Edgar that he showed. I must admit however, that at the beginning I didn't care for Angus very much. I thought he was unfair to Emily for blaming her because her DA promised her to him when the fought together. I was so happy he finally came around. This book made me laugh and caused me some tears at the end, but to me that's what a good book does.

In my opinion, this really isn't a true menage book because it was either Emily and Edgar, or Emily and Angus. But I don't care because the story was so good. I think of this as an erotic historical romance, not menage a tois.

This is one of the best love stories I have ever read. Emily Sinclair is very fortunate to be loved by two men. Her husband, Edgar, an older man with a degenerating disease who has such unconditional love for Emily (and faith in her love for him) that he would put himself in a position to endure watching her make love with another man. Angus, a Scottish lad of the same heritage as Emily, who is passionately in love with Emily and unbeknownst to her was promised to him by her father before the battle of Culloden which changed all of their lives. The three form a menage a' trois that is not raunchy but filled with respect and caring. This book will take you through a myriad of emotions. The characters were very believable and the story flowed to an ending which evoked both sadness and happiness. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by Ms. Poole.

I'm not usually a big fan of menage stories for anything more than a dirty diversion. But Anchor and Storm is more than just a sexy romp. It's a love story. --I know, I know, I've seen the cover too. But I promise, there is more to this book than meets the eye.

Emily was governess to Edgar's nephew's children when he met her. Even though he was older and in poor health, the two of them fell for each other and married. To an outsider, it may have looked like Em married him for his money and title, but her love for him was very real.

Edgar quickly realizes that he needs to get Emily pregnant. An heir would secure her future in the event of his death. But conception proves to be elusive. Soon, Edgar determines that the illness wasting his legs is a genetic one. He refuses to pass the illness on to a child, but he desperately wants Emily to have a baby. Enter Angus. He is the Highland horse groom of Edgar's household. He's crazy for Emily, and though the feeling is mutual, she is fiercely loyal to her husband. She figures it's an attraction she will never act on, until Edgar makes a bold suggestion: let Angus get her pregnant to provide the needed heir.

Like I said before, this really is a love story. Edgar and Emily love each other deeply and completely. It's also clear that Angus and Emily grow to love each other as well. But it's all laid out in a way that I never felt Em betrayed her husband for even a moment. When the book progresses to a point that they're all in bed together, it was far more believable than the premise for many m/f/m's that I have read. There's some steamy sex, but nothing over the top or really dirty. There is no m/m vibe at all... just two men, who hold a mutual respect for one another, head over heels in love with same woman. 4 1/2 stars.