Customer Reviews

BLAZE-Midnight Fantasies: Mystery Lover/After Hours/Show and Tell (3 Novels in 1)

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4 star:		(2)
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Because Amazon.com cross-references reviews for books by authors with the same name, other reviews for this book that are displayed here imply that this is a time-travel book by Kimberly Raye called "Midnight Fantasies." Rather, this one (the one with atmospherically-lit embracing unclothed figures on the cover) is a compilation featuring novellas by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Stephanie Bond, and Kimberly Raye.

Writing a novella is an art form all its own, and one I think is more difficult and demanding than writing a novel. In a novel, an author has time to develop characters and plot -- to make the characters and the developing relationship between them believable. In a novella, the author somehow has to establish decent characters and a believable romantic conclusion in a much shorter time.

This is a superior collection of novellas, because all three authors manage to meet the demands of the novella. The characters and relationships are believable and well-developed, and (as the title implies) all three are incredibly erotic, with well-done love scenes.

MYSTERY LOVER - Vicki Lewis Thompson - "When an unexpected storm hits, rancher Jonas Garfield takes cover in a nearby cave . . . and finds himself seduced senseless by an enigmatic temptress who refuses to tell him her name. All he knows is that this sexy woman wants him. And for Jonas, that's enough - for now . . ." The writing was smooth, the characters believable, and the love scenes were not only hot and well-done, but also unbelievably imaginative and adventurous.

AFTER HOURS - Stephanie Bond - "Michael Pierce has always considered costume shop owner Rebecca Valentine no more than an associate - until he drops by her shop one night and witnesses the mousy wallflower's transformation into a seductive siren. Suddenly, he's desperate to know her much better. But which woman is the real Rebecca?" This was the weakest of the three stories, although it's still above-average for a novella. The Michael character was, I think, better drawn than the Rebecca character. The writing is good, the love scenes erotic, and the story itself was very atmospheric. But I think the characters were less well-developed than in the other two stories, and the relationship between them wasn't quite as believable.

SHOW AND TELL - Kimberly Raye - "A naughty lingerie party. A forbidden fantasy. When Texas bad boy Dallas Jericho finds a slip of paper left over from the party, he is surprised - and aroused - to discover that he is good girl Laney Merriweather's wildest fantasy. So what can he do but show the lady what she's been missing . . ." The characters of this story were particularly well-developed, with good explanation of their motivations. The theme of the story (two long-time adversaries fight secret attraction) is an old and popular one, but it's handled well. The love scenes are well-done and imaginative and the writing is smooth.

All in all, this particular compilation was of better-than-average quality. It's unusual to find one of these compilations with stories of relatively consistent quality. It's an enjoyable and interesting read!

Harlequin's new series debuts with MIDNIGHT FANTASIES, a collection of three novellas designed to whet the reader's imagination. Smoothly written, well-developed plots provide a solid basis for these sensual romances. "Mystery Lover" by Vicki Lewis Thompson: A sudden storm allows B.J. to take advantage of the dark to seduce the lover of her fantasies. One of the most daring fantasies, anonymous sex, releases her inhibitions when she becomes the temptress. Blindfolds, whipped cream and leather chaps all combine in mind-blowing sex between B.J. and Noah. But the question remains if she can maintain her anonymity or if Noah will realize that she's his life long friend. Wildly sexy! "After Hours" by Stephanie Bond: Harry, the anatomically correct blowup doll arrives promising Rebecca Valentine true love. She's the proprietor of Any Time Costumes where she indulges her fantasies after hours when she dresses in her own sultry creations. When the man of her fantasies unexpectedly catches her dressed as a vampire complete with black garters, the object of her desire can't help his own newborn fantasies. A perfect mix of tenderness and erotic enthusiasm. "Show and Tell" by Kimberly Raye: A naughty lingerie party inspires the very staid Lney Merriweather to write her fantasy on a slip of paper, which the object of her fantasy Dallas Jericho later finds. Encouraged by the words, Dallas begins his pursuit of his fantasy woman. The town's bad boy, Dallas must overcome his legacy to convince Judge Merriweather's prim daughter that he's the man to indulge her every fantasy. Heated and sensual. For those seeking a touch of the risqué, this new series with satisfy even the most discerning reader with bold, sensual romance. This new series allows women to luxuriate in their sexuality with sexy, sensual reads that indulge the wildest fantasies with a strong storyline and a beautiful romantic backdrop. Irresistible for the modern woman, this collection comes very highly recommended and promises great things for this new series.

Three really hot stories! I am often disappointed in these more sensuous books because they are overly crude or the story is too far-fetched, but these are neither. I normally read the Silhoutte Intimate Moments series when I'm in the mood for sizzle but I think I may change to this series.

For those of you who don't like explicit sex scenes, this book is not for you. I say no holds barred is the way to go and I loved this book and have become an avid Blaze reader. The first of the three short stories, Mystery Lover, is my favorite. B.J. and Jonas are the happily ever after kind of romance that melts your heart. The idea that someone could have a steamy affair with one of their closest friends without the man knowing the identity of the woman seems far fetched, but Vicki Lewis Thompson managed to make it beleivable. She's one of my favorite autors and although she's mostly known for her "Nerd" series, this short story shoundn't be overlooked. I've also read the follow up to this story "Notorious" and wasn't disappointed. The other two stories in this book were aslo enjoyable but Jonas and B.J. will forever hold a special place in my heart. They couldn't have picked a better author to kick off this naughty new series. Blaze is the the best!

All three of these stories got my attention and had me turning the pages for more. Definitely kept my interest and contains hot, lusty story scenarios that can only happen in books! I highly recommend this book and guarantee you won't want to put it down!!!

This is the kid of romace novel that is not for the timid. I enjoy the love scenes in this novella. A prequel to the Blaze series. I like the first one, Mystery Lover. But the third one, Show and Tell, really stood out. Especially the part when the main female character,Laney, is masturbating right in front of Dallas. Defintely intense!

This is not a reveiw but a notice to any who might read the three previous reviews, this is NOT the book by RAYE, this is a three in one from Harlequin romances. the first is Mystery Lover by Vicki Lewis Thompson, the second is After Hours by Stephanie Bond, and the third is Show and Tell by Kimberly Raye, none of which are time travel stories. Just thought I would give you all a heads up.

i read show and tell by kimberly raye.

favorite scene with laney-
when she lets that girl work for her dad. she was turning her away because of how she dressed, and suddenly realized she can't judge someone by their dress.

favorite scene with dallas-
finally stands up for himself about the tiles. i hope that guy divorces his wife. :)

favorite scene with laney and dallas together-
in the dark auditorium when he asks her to show him. that was hot. i was afraid someone would walk in. damn punch. :)

order of favorite of the whole anthology:
show and tell
mystery lover
after hours