Customer Reviews

Captivated: Ecstasy/ Bound and Determined/ Dark Desires/ A Lady's Preference

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Do yourself a favor. Buy this book, but save Robin Schone's "A Lady's Pleasure" for last. If only it were a full-length novel! "Captivated" by Beatrice Small seems to suggest that erotica is best served in a fantasy setting. It didn't take long before the incessant focus on the Prince's manhood became laughable. The "hero" of Susan Johnson's "Bound and Determined" was so vulgar at the beginning of the story that I never came to care for him. If you like lots of bondage and what amounts to mental abuse, you may enjoy Thea Devine's "Dark Desires." Too bad the "hero" couldn't figure out a more romantic way than keeping his unwilling wife naked and in a thrall collar to make her love him. I won't deny that the first three stories lack in plenty of sex. They're just completely devoid of heart. Robin Schone proves time and again that erotic tales can have emotional depth, that the two people involved can truly care for each other and increase the depth of that caring even as they satisfy each other sexually. In "A Lady's Pleasure," Robert Coally is a true hero and Abigail a true heroine. Their happy ending was the only one that brought me a sense of joy. Thank you, Robin.

While the cover of this book announces it as "Tales of Erotic Romance" I found "romance" in only one of the four stories, "A Lady's Pleasure" by Robin Schone. While the other three stories were erotic and titillating there was no feeling of romance or real emotional connection between the characters where love or relationships are concerned - bondage and degredation to be sure - but not romance.

"A Lady's Pleasure" is the true definition of "Erotic Romance". It combines tenderness between two people, emotion, the bonding of two souls and beautifully written erotic sex, as well as some great subtle humor and dialogue. I do not think I have ever seen the act of sex (in all it's forms) described so graphically and in such a beautiful way. This story truly touched my soul.

The first time I read this story I loved it, the second time I savored it and felt it. It will satisfy your erotic pleasures, make you laugh and make you cry too.

Robin Schone is an exquisite writer as witnessed in "Awaken My Love" and her latest, "The Lady's Tutor", but to just describe her writing as erotic would be to do her an injustice for she is truly the reigning queen of ROMANTIC erotica. I believe that even women who love romance reading but do not particularly like erotica would adore this story as well as Ms. Schone's other work. It is tender, loving, and the sex, while EXTREMELY HOT and erotic is written in a way as to be appropriate to a loving and sexual relationship.

The hardest thing about describing Ms. Schone's writing is that it is INdescribable! Her honesty, uninhibited, and loving views on romance and sex are truly a breath of fresh air in the romance genra. Do yourself a favor, buy this book and get to know ROBIN SCHONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

CAPTIVATED is a collection of four short stories written individually by four female writers who are at the erotic, passion-writing forefront.

ECSTACY, by Bertrice Smalls, is a fantasy of a magical land where female domination and male servitude are the rule. It's truly unbelievable, but just as erotic.

BOUND AND DETERMINED, by Susan Johnson, presents a situation where a princess is married to a homosexual husband, but she must produce an heir. So she kidnaps a very reluctant Marquis who is known for his sexual prowess and fertility.

DARK DESIRES, by Thea Devine, is the story of a resistant bride entering into a marriage with a man who will not be resisted. Neither is what he or she seems.

In A LADY'S PLEASURE, by Robin Schone, a woman on a month-long, isolated holiday takes in a traveler who is seeking shelter from a storm. They spend two days together that change their lives.

I can't wait to read FASCINATED by these same four women.

It would have been more accurate for the editors to call this book "romantic erotic" instead of "an erotic romance." Erotica is the emphasis here, so strict romance readers should be forewarned that this is more than your average steamy romance novel. If that's OK with you, you're going to enjoy this book.

Beatrice Small's story has elements of both the romanance and the fantasy genres. Her premise - a female dominated society where men are little more than sex slaves - is not particularly original, but she has fun with it and it's an entertaining quick read. As for the Susan Johnson story, all of her standard bits are here, but they don't add up to much of a story. In fact, I never could understand why the characters were doing whatever they were doing. In a book like this I'm willing to cut the authors some slack, but this one just didn't make sense. The offering from Thea Devine didn't appeal to me, but others may like it. The true gem of this book is Robin Schone's contribution. There's not much plot here, but that's OK. The emphasis is solely on the characters, and Schone makes it work. Despite the length constraints of the novella format, she creates two of the best written characters you are likely to see in any romance. I've read other pieces by Schone, and this is her best work.

I loved this book. I, unlike the other viewers loved all the novellas in their own right. I actually read the two backwards, i read Fascinated and then i got Captivated. I enjoyed them both. Four different stories.......all very interesting.

First of is Ecstasy: Bertrice Small. This is wicked little tale about a man, Dagon, Prince of Aramis, who has been betrayed. He ends up being sold as a slave to the women of "Kava", the fabled and ancient city, ruled by women. In Kava, men are subsurvient, catering to all a women's needs, and if they don't they are punished. The queen of Kava, is Kelida, who has never really been pleasured by the joining of a man and a woman, Dagon unleashes her wild, uninhibited passions. While i enjoyed this tale, i'm not fond of alternative orifice intercourse, as was presented here.

Secondly, Bound And Determined: Susan Johnson. This story begins with a man, Hugh Dalsany, swearing off sex, it bores him, or so he says. So Hugh decides to go to his country estate and relax, away from the "ton" and societies belles who constantly want him. He ends up being kidnapped, inside the carriage, by Princess Marko. She needs an heir, and her elderly husband like boys. So her husband forces her to this extreme. At one or two points, Hugh is tied to the bed, trying not to be aroused by a naked female body, that as described is almost perfection. This one is funny, and wicked too. I truly liked the first time they had sex, gave me shivers. ENJOY!

Third, Dark Desires: Thea Devine. I can sum this story up in one word....... Temptation. Poor little Drue,(yes thats a girl), is forced to marry against her will, to Court. Against her will meaning she honestly thinks she loves another, but her father forces her. Court takes her as his bride and brings her to his home, only to begin to lessons. He teachs her, to obey, and then to enjoy, and then to demand, and along the way to know the difference between what she thinks she wants and what she does want. Finding the truth along the way, she goes on this wild, tempting ride. I throughly enjoyed this one, especially the office part, very, very, hot!

Lastly, Robin Schone: A Lady's Pleasure. This one starts with a woman, Abigail, who is sitting in a storm in a cottage, alone, reading erotic literature, when suddendly there is a man, at the window, pounding the door down, seeking shelter. She is hesitant about letting him in, but she does and then, they start to share secrets, and she tells him that she wants a man to touch her,and kiss her, as she is a virgin and has never felt either. The man, Colonel Robert Coally, listens and then shows her all that she wants and more. They read some of her erotic literature together, and they learn and heal from past hurts and memories. I enjoyed the part about the her reading from the literature the most in this story, but like i said before, there was alternative orifice intercourse, and i'm not a fan of that. Thats the only complaint i have about all of Robin Schone's book, i truly don't enjoy that thought, so i just sits wrong with me.

Well thats all, I enjoyed all of these stories to some extent, I think the two middle ones were my favorites and i will defintely read them again. Go and get this book just so you can see for yourself how each writer pushs themselves to the limit of being creative and especially with word usage. It's defintely worth it for all four authors, and four wonderful, different, fantasies.

Readers DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!!!

I bought this book because i have been following the work of great new author ROBIN SCHONE and once again i wasn't disappointed. I have not even had a chance to read the other 3 stories yet, but even if you don't follow their works,,buy it for Ms. Schones contribution. Ladies,,this is what we have been missing in our historical romances lately. i've already read "The Lady's Pleasure" three times.

In "The Lady's Pleasure" Ms. Schone introduces us to 2 characters. Abagail, a virgin spinster, has dreams of finding a man that she can share all her secret fantasies. She secretly collects "erotic" writing, which is considered completely taboo for a lady of her time. Approaching her 30th birthday, Abagail faces the fact that she may have to settle and marry a well to do,staid, upstanding friend of the family or die a virgin spinster.

Abagail decides to retreat to a cottage in the countryside for a week and spend time saying goodbye to her favorite pasttime, knowing that once married to that type of man, she will have to give up her dreams. She brings with her a trunk filled with her treasures, "journal upon journals of erotic writings. Bitterly facing the change she is going to have to make in her life, she takes her journals out one by one and begins reading them for the last time.

Colonel Robert Coally, a man that has spent his whole life in the british military, war after war, is convalesing nearby. Robert, tired of war, pain, and bitterly cynical about how he has spent his life, decides to take a ride on his horse about the countryside in search of whore to lose himself in. To take away the pain of thought even for a while. He is thrown from his horse and suddenly is caught in a violent night storm, forcing him to seek immediate shelter. he stumbles upon Abagails cottage just as she is reading her journals and forces himself into her cottage for shelter.

Without giving too much of the storyline away, what follows is a wonderfully erotic meeting of two people who, even facing the bitter regret of the current turn of their lives, see in each other, abet even for one night, a chance to reach out and take and share for once something they both have always desired in life. Robert becomes the man for abagail who will introduce her first hand to the type of erotic love she has only read about. Abagail becomes for Robert, the woman, a lady untouched by type of life he has lived so far, someone he can share and give pleasure to, instead of death and pain. Until the storm ends, they live out their most secret desires and share their souls.

Ms. Schone gives us once again, not just your typical erotic read. She shares with us a wonderfully steamy story that combines our erotic fantasies with the romance of falling in love. And ultimately, how two very lost and bitter souls can come together and heal each other by sharing their bodies and minds.

For a "short" story, this one packs a powerful punch. I thouroughly enjoyed "The Lady's Pleasure" and can't wait until Ms. Schones next book. KUDOS ONCE AGAIN ROBIN SCHONE!!!!

NEW BERN NC

Most of the stories in this book are a total waste, trying to use S&M (which I usually have no objection to unless it's gratuitous and emotionless as presented here) instead of good writing and logical plots to carry the story.

"Ecstasy" is just plain silly with a smirking "hero" who fakes submission in an implausible, female-dominated society. "Bound and Determined" had too many nasty moments where the two protagonists snipped and snarled at each other; I got tired of them both. "Dark Desires" had a few steamy moments but neither character was believable or likable.

However, the last one "A Lady's Pleasure" by Robin Schone was worth the price of admission - glorious, erotic sex with passionate characters you really care about and wish well. This one rates 5 stars, the others are just goofy trash.

Buy this book used or borrow it. It's mostly going to be a waste of your time, your money and your patience.

Okay where do I start. Oh Yeah again, Robin Schones story made this book of anthologies for me.

Ecstacy by Beatrice Small-I read one chapter of her story and skipped it. I don't know why just did.

Bound and Determined by Susan Johnson-This was a sad romance almost torture how she left him but a good story if you like bondage, voyuerism, kidnapping. A princess and an aritocratic libertine rake you can't go wrong except I felt so bad for him.

Dark Desires by Thea Devine-Romance with a twist and lots of frustating sex with definate SM undertones. Set in the South with Plantations and all. Very steamy I like Dru and Courtland.

A Lady's Pleasure by Robin Schone- by far the most romantic story and not a hint of SM. A lonely Spinster on her last holiday and a Colonel in the Millitary on convalescence both looking to forget. She wants to forget the future of having to marry for families reputation and he wants to forget his violent past in the millitary. Together they discover new people within them selves with the help of each other. And you won't believe what he does in the ending. Very daring for that time period. Oh yeah lots of great sex.

In reading other reviews of this book, I see a lot of people giving it five stars for Robin Schone's story alone. Me, I have to judge the ENTIRE book, and when I do that, I only get one star, which goes to Schone. Bertrice Small's prose is, I'm sorry to say, among the worst published writing I've ever read. This story COULD have been good with some polish and emotion, simply some better writing, but alas, it was not to be. Susan Johnson's story, for me, was neither here nor there - I didn't hate it, but also was not particularly compelled by it. Thea Divine's story was at once arousing yet offensive. I hope women have come farther than REALLY wanting to be treated as her character is this novella. I liked some of her ideas, some of the sexual situations, but could not get past the abusiveness in the relationship, or the paltry mention of love on the last page which did not ring at all true. Then finally, there is Robin Schone's story - the only story of the four with any true emotional depth. Both characters were real and worth caring about. I cared about their sex because I cared about THEM. Even in this story, however, I thought the ending dragged out a bit long and I did not care for the hero's way of resolving their issues in the end. Still, this story is the best of the bunch and worth reading. The greatest offense I find in this book is that it is labeled as "romantic erotica." All the stories besides Schone's are FAR from romantic in any sense of the word. Erotic, maybe. But then again, the word porn comes to mind, too. To me there is a huge difference, but the line was pretty thin in this collection of stories.

This is the first erotic anthology Kensington put out and It's pretty than lot of other anthologies (criteria: have to like 50 percent or more of the novellas) out there.
The first novella is "Ecstacy by Bertrice Small, which was hysterically funny. mmm I don't think that was the reaction the author was going for. Me. Hysterically. Laughing. With. Tears. Running. Yup this happened especially each time I encountered phrases or words like "on you back now, slave! I wanna to sheath you", "Now, my queen! Mount me", "her orifice", or "her hot humid love sheath", "love juices" and "rosy aperture" - these are only the ones I remember, there are probably more hilarious ones but my stomach hurts too much from mass laughter for me to go at it a second round by looking for more euphemisms. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't get stroke purple prose induced overload in these short 89 pages. Did i mention the 13 inch errr... endowment that the hero Dagon has? or that the Queen Kelida "fell in love" solely because of his ability to give her multiple orgasms? Oh well maybe the author is trying her hand from being a romance writer to a comedian? or perhaps she's trying to win a contest/bet on how much purple prose studded sex scenes she could cram into a few pages? I guess I could maybe excuse her if that is the case.
"Bound and Determinded" was ok, wasn't too impressed but way better than the first one. I got through this one, without laughing but still unfulfilled because the ending didn't explain much in the way of what political conflict Princess Marko was in, what happened to her cruel gay husband etc. I guess he just went away to frolick with his gay pals? who knows. I have to give Mrs. Johnson some credit though- there is some element of romance...
"Dark Desire" by Thea Devine is about a woman, Drue, who absolutely hates her new husband Courtland because of some financial issue/triangle with him, her father, and her (complicated). He is determined to seduce her into loving him and making her forget her old flame, Gerald. True, the bondage and domination parts was a bit on the dark side to say the least but hey look at the title, it is called "DARK desires" as opposed to "Normal Conventional Desires". If the desires were so normal and conventional I would be bored to tears, the whole bondage/dominatrix fantasy is a FANTASY only (isn't that what books are about-fantasy?) and appealed to me in a strange way.
As I'm sure everyone agrees, the gem of the anthology has to be "A Lady's Pleasure" by Robin Schone. Sex was great/excellent/marvelous and superbly done in a erotic way that leaves the readers feeling satisfied instead of disgusted. The emotional connection with the characters and between the characters were real too. Wow, Mrs. Schone, I'm impressed...bring it on!