Customer Reviews

Dangerous Pleasures

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love the friendship between Renee & Mayson, these are two people who really know one another. I admit I wasn't too sure on how this would end, but I was very happy with it. Renee's personal journey led her to the only place that made sense. A great read from Ms. Zedde, I'm never disappointed with her novels.

Renee and Mayson have been best friends since grade school, they do everything together, talk to each other all the time and are always looking out for each other. Renee's ex-husband was verbally abusive and believed that Renee's relationship with Mayson was the demise of their relationship. Renee is straight and Mayson is gay and they both look out for each other and haven't found the right person to spend their life with. Renee decides that what she needs is uncomplicated sex on her terms and decides to walk a line of danger by placing an ad on the internet. Mayson fearful for her friend makes a dramatic choice to interfere with Renee's choice to make sure she stays safe. I'm not going to say more for fear of spoilers but I'm sure if you read it you can figure it out very quickly.

This book has very vivid descriptions of sensuality, sex and friendship and the fine line that divides it all. I loved that the main characters were both women of color and the descriptions of their bodies wasn't your cookie cutter skinny, no curves. There was a lot of straight sex in this book which made me wonder what I was reading a time or two and I think some of that could have been left to our imagination or not. I loved the two main characters and was left a little disappointed in the end when their union was so abruptly cut short by the end of the book. Since I haven't read any of her other books I have nothing to compare this one to but it seems her other books are much more focused on the lesbian relationship while this book seemed to focus more on the friendship and Renee's heterosexual trysts. I will have to point out that it would have been nice if the cover girl fit the genre of the book - since this is black lesbian fiction why is the girl on the cover so damn light?

When I first delved into this delicious read by writer Fiona Zedde, I was pleasantly surprised by her vibrant and descriptive language. She gave great, in-depth insight into the two main characters, Mayson and Renee, best friends from childhood both seeking pleasure in their own varying ways.

Fiona was able to maintain searing heat through passage after passage. Free from redundancy and predictability, I received what I didn't even know I was looking for - sheer, carefree satisfaction.

Renee, fresh out of a painful divorce, is convinced that detached, anonymous sex is just what the doctor while Mayson on the other hand feels that detached, but not necessarily anonymous sex is what will save her from any potential pain.

Both women walk the very fine line between pleasure and pain, and it is the pain that brings the ultimate pleasure, the breath-taking, eye-popping, twist of a climax to this fine novel.

I gave four stars only because I wanted/needed more of a "hint" of what would ultimately come at the end. It seemed too hurried to be believably authentic, but I was extremely impressed with the quality of the author's writing and the attention to detail. The story was tight and together. The scences were vivid and life-like, the situations believable.

I would absolutely recommend this fast-paced page-turner.

This book is very sexy and captures the intimacies of friendship and love. I love the storyline with Mayson and Renee but there is a lot of straight sex in this book. Fionna is a master of her craft and the scenes are done very well but I didnt buy a lesbian novel to read about two straight people getting it on. I think Fionna could've left some of the scenes with Renee up to our imaginations or at least shortened them. I feel like there was too much sex overall and not enough sex between the main characters, Renee and Mayson. Mayson's sex scenes were perfect.

I was left wanting more Mayson and Renee :( We get to read and enjoy their intimacy as friends but I wouldve like to have seen their romantic relationship flourish more. The end of the book seems a little abrupt and had more of what I was craving from this read. A little more insight to Renee's character would've rounded her out better. She had been with a woman before. Maybe one of her encounters could've been with a woman and not the young lesbian she ended up turning down. Even after that scene, some reflection or backflash to her college affair and some kind of mental struggle over Mayson could've easily fit in there giving a little more depth to Renee's journey.

In the end, I still love it. I just skipped some pages here and there with Renee. "But with Mayson's soft breath against her cheek, the beloved shape against hers, desire and love, lust and adoration clicked cleanly together. These elements mingled together into a bright flame that illuminated Mayson, her beloved, the woman she wanted to be her lover, for the first time" That is good stuff :)

I've read all but two of her books, and enjoyed them all. The first books of her that I didn't like. It was boring, and repetitious. I forced myself to finish the book, just to confirm how bad it was.

Her Yoga students and her lovers appreciate Mayson a lesbian. She enjoys her work as an instructor and relishes making love with various partners. Her best friend Renee a heterosexual struggles to move on beyond a divorce from her emotionally abusive husband. Her parents want her to date staid neighbor Grant who reflects his desire for her on his face (and other body parts), but she wants sex when she desires it with no strings. Mayson helps Renee arrange trysts with strangers until the latter finds the man who plays her like a violin virtuoso as she wants more from him.

Kendra meets Mayson and is instantly attracted to her. Mayson is somewhat curious about Kendra who openly displays her desire. Kendra pursues Mayson earnestly as she wants her. They begin a heated tryst that both enjoy. However, as Kendra sends her gifts and tries to take up her free time exclusively, Mayson realizes her lover demands more from her than she wants to give. While Mayson pushes back for some space, a hurt Kendra turns angry and jealous.

With a nod to the Douglas-Stone film Basic Instinct, aptly titled Dangerous Pleasures is a fabulous erotic relationship drama driven by the dysfunctional lead couple. How Kendra acts after feeling betrayed will stun readers but seems plausible. Though somewhat repetitive, Fiona Zedde provides an entreating contemporary cautionary tale warns the audience not to trifle with someone else's heart.

Harriet Klausner

good for Bisexuals seeing that there are not alot of books like this of this type...( Try Bliss her other book) is D Shiz nit.. this book was really good. Some parts were just like um ok what ever and the whole psycho chick thing. but other than that read it in 2 days when i had time in between my 12 hr shifts I recommend...

Overall a good book and a great read. However, there were a lot of straight sex scenes and only a few lesbian scenes. I would have liked to see more of a balance. I don't mind straight sex scenes, but a balance would have drawn me into the story even more. The Kendra twist was great! And it only got better as the story forged ahead. I was hoping for the ending the way it was and was glad to see what I was hoping for come true. Without spoiling the ending, I would have liked to see more between the two at the end. Or I would have liked to see it happen a bit sooner in the book.

I loved how Fiona got in depth with the characters from the book. It was definitely a page turner. I could not put it down, I felt as if I was right there in the book. Fiona did a amazing job and I can not wait until the next book.

Dangerous Pleasures was worth the wait. I couldn't put it down and read it in two days. The book went with me whenever I left my house so I could find how it ended. I'm hoping Fionna Zedde writes a part two!