Crave (Avon Red) [Kindle Edition]

Cathy Yardley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

When a woman is ripe for the picking . . .

Beth Cordova's life is no fairy tale. Having barely escaped the evil grasp of her wicked stepmother, this “missing princess” seeks refuge in a strict commune where carnal pleasures are forbidden.

Sometimes just one bite of the apple . . .

Her world is lonely and void of intimacy, until the charming Stephen Trent arrives at the commune. Suddenly Beth yearns for a man's touch, the feel of his lips on hers . . . and Stephen is eager to show this pure-as-snow princess that she can still be the sensual woman she was once upon a time.

Is all it takes to unleash her desires...

But all is not what it seems, and the stunning beauty finds herself again in danger, her stepmother hot on her trail. The commune's founders will not tolerate the pair, yet fleeing its walls could prove fatal. Trapped in a world where passion is outlawed, can Beth live happily ever after?

About the Author

Cathy Yardley has always been entranced by fairy tales and now spends her time giving them her extra special touch. This multi-published author enjoys movies, video games, cooking, and plotting world domination (just kidding, she hates to cook). When not writing, she spends time in her beautiful San Diego home with her husband and son.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 273 KB
• Print Length: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins e-books (October 13, 2009)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001A16X5O
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,383 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

A few random facts about me:

I am a fiction addict.

I love J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts, Jim Butcher, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter, Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, Stephen King, Jennifer Crusie, Marian Keyes, J.K. Rowling, and a slew of other authors.

I have been known to stay up all night to finish a new novel. I don't so much read as devour.

I am an out of the closet foodie.

People who follow me on Facebook can attest: I am a foodie-blog whore. Love Smitten Kitchen. Adore Pioneer Woman Cooks. Bake my own bread on a weekly basis (because the recipe is so frickin' easy, a chimp could do it -- and it tastes phenomenal. I am a walking infomercial for this bread. ) Total Top Chef freak.

I am a geekgirl.

I love the San Diego Comic-con, or "The Con" as they call it.

I was part of the SCA -- The Society for Creative Anachronism -- and briefly sponsored my own mini army. I learned to speak some Japanese from anime.

I have a near encyclopedic knowledge of character actors and obscure movies. I have been called to settle bar bets.

I have a more-flirtatious-than-appropriate relationship with Excel spreadsheets. When I used to work at a day job, if I wore lipstick they assumed I was going on an interview. To this day, an entire marketing department lives in fear of my memory.

I love being an author.

Love writing. Love promoting. Love everything about it. And I love hearing from readers. Email me, anytime, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great adaptation, June 17, 2008

By 

Jessie Potts "Book Taster" (Terre d'Ange) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Crave: The Seduction of Snow White (Avon Red) (Paperback)

Crave is a new twist on the age old Snow White fairy tale.

Princess Bianca feared her evil stepmother to the point of running away. No place was safe however, except for the impenetrable Penitent compound. To enjoy the safety of the cult though Bianca must follow the cult rules, which include the prohibition of all things intimate.

Bianca has always frowned on the rules but has never been tempted to break them as badly as when she meets a man named Stephen who recognizes her as the run-a-way princess. Her step mother is getting closer and she must choose; safety and loneliness in the compound or capture and companionship out of it.

This is a dark, erotic and fascinating adaptation. Cathy Yardley has created a twisted plot and characters that aren't your typical Eros style. I hope Cathy remakes many more fairy tales. If you liked the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy this will blow you away.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as intense as I'd hoped..., November 14, 2009

By 

365andMe - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crave: The Seduction of Snow White (Avon Red) (Paperback)

CRAVE is a modern-day story, loosely patterned after the classic tale of Snow White, only this one is adult rated. Beth Cordova barely escaped her stepmother who intended to killer her. She found refuge under another name with a group of people called the Penitents in rural Pennsylvania. They were shut off from the outside world, which is why Beth felt safe until a new arrival came to the compound.

Stephen Trent is an investigative reporter. His boss sent him undercover in order to dig up dirt on the Penitents, but he knew this was punishment over his last assignment. Two things he didn't expect from this assignment. One was to find a princess who had disappeared and rumored to be dead. Two, he'd never expected to fall so deeply in love.

The cult leaders aren't what they appear. Beth finds out that her stepmother isn't the only evil person intent on killing her. Stephen tries to get Beth out, but places himself in the middle of danger as well. This assignment might just be his last.

While the story is creative in the location and set-up, I had a difficult time connecting with the hero and heroine. I also didn't feel the intensity of the story. Of course, that might be my inability to bond with the main characters. This is the first book I've read by Cathy Yardley. I'd like to give her other book, RAVISH, a go before making up my mind.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crave- A Joyfully Recommended Title, August 7, 2008

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crave: The Seduction of Snow White (Avon Red) (Paperback)

Stephen Trent was sure of it. His editor was punishing him. What could there be for him to investigate at the Penitent Compound in Pennsylvania? The residents live a very simple life of abstinence and strict gender separation. And he is really having a hard taking the whole assignment seriously. But when he spots (and can't take his eyes off of) a young woman in the dining hall, he decides this assignment might not be so bad. Why does she seem so familiar to him?



Beth Cordova has been hiding a very big secret for ten years--herself. The world thinks she's dead and that's exactly what she wants them to think. If she is ever found, her stepmother will kill her. The Penitent Compound has been the perfect place for her. The seven Founders of the Compound have been more than happy to have her there. One of them even more so than the others.



Beth's identity is in danger of being revealed by the man she can't stay away from. Stephen discovers more than just Beth's identity, there is more to the Penitents than meets the eye. He has to get Beth out before it's too late because banishment is not what it sounds like. And it seems that her stepmother knows where to find her.



As soon as I got CRAVE: The Seduction of Snow White I started reading and I couldn't put it down. I have always loved fairy tales and would read them over and over when I was a kid. I was always delighted when I found a new story or a new version of a fairy tale that I loved. That hasn't changed. CRAVE: The Seduction of Snow White is an amazing twist to the story of Snow White. Ms. Yardley's imagination is so brilliant that this adult version is hard to put down. It's all here, the 7 men who take Snow White in, a jealous stepmother who wants to kill her and her Prince--okay, so he's a reporter--who sweeps her off her feet. And did I mention the really hot sex? You've never seen Snow White like this!

Willow
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed