Customer Reviews

Decadent

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Decadent stars Kimber Edgington as she's tracking down ex Army Ranger Deke Trenton and his cousin, Luc Traverson for help. She needs a crash course in menage so she can prove to her girlhood crush, Jesse McCall, that she's not afraid of his menage proclivities and can handle it. Since she was seventeen she's been fascinated by Deke and the rumors surrounding his love life and she hopes he can be the one to teach her. Luc is only too happy to step in as her sexual tutor but Deke has his reservations. He's wanted Kimber from the moment he saw her, but his own personal hangups prevented him from making a move, plus there was the added fact of her being underage at the time and her father threatened to cut off his balls if he so much as looked in her direction. At first he tries to scare her off, to show her how intense being with two men can be, but when he realizes she'll only go to someone else for lessons, he agrees to teach her. He agrees that he and Luc will play sexual tutor with their little houseguest for two weeks, with the understanding that there will be no emotion involved. Deke is trying to protect his heart and a secret that he's been hiding for twelve years and he's afraid Kimber is going to blast right through all his carefully erected barriers. Luc is also hiding behind a facade and has his own reasons for agreeing to Kimber's plan. He is putting all his hopes for a perfect life with the three of them and is going to use every manipulative, sensual weapon he has. While the fun and games begin, there is a dangerous stalker out to get Kimber's father through her and after a vicious attack the men snap into protective mode and hide her away for protection. This only isolates the three of them in close quarters where they are forced to confront past secrets and bitter jealousy to find the ultimate winner of Kimber's heart.

In the first part of the book, the sex in Decadent was as decadent as could be. I was fully enjoying everything until the emotions started running amok. For a man who had insisted on emotions playing no part in their menage, he's sure got a lot of inner turmoil. Deke is just one hot mess. His deep, dark secret from when he was sixteen has scarred him for life and he's carried those wounds ever since. At first it was nice to know that a great big Army Ranger can be hit by feelings of uncertainty, doubt and even fear, but this took it too far. He needed a shrink. Luc does too, but Deke far more than Luc. As if there wasn't enough emotional hysteria running around in this steaming pile, Shayla Black adds in Kimber's emotional train wreck of a boyfriend, Jesse McCall. Now there's a crash and burn if ever I saw one. Jesse latches onto Kimber with a pathetic, whiny, selfish need that thoroughly grates on the nerves and you almost wish she would put the boy out of his misery and just shoot him. The villain of the book is hardly mentioned, it's more alluded to that he gets caught, and there is also a surprise villain that leaves you feeling stunned stupid. Where the heck did that come from?

I didn't even have good hot, nekkid sex to get me through this book because it was too uncomfortable with all the angst. With menage I don't want any feelings of jealousy or bitterness. I want the guys to love being with the girl and to also love being with the guy. Not in a sexual way, but to be almost comforted by their presence, like they can feed off each others emotions making the whole experience that much more erotic. Right from the beginning Deke has proprietary feelings towards Kimber and resents Luc's presence and during the middle of the book, Kimber also resents Luc's presence and wishes it was just her and Deke. Well, it sucks to be Luc. I felt extremely uncomfortable knowing that three of them were having sex and wishing one of them was gone. Luc was very much the third wheel and I felt on edge reading the book, waiting for the shoe to drop on Luc's participation in the menage. All in all, some of the sex scenes were good but it focused too much on her butt. Since Kimber is saving her virginity for Jesse, that leaves that orifice out and so the men work with what they've got. I don't have a problem with anal, just thought there was too much of it. I'm also not going to mention the absurd rationale of saving your virginity by taking big, hard c**** up your butt and down your throat, because to do so would take up too much time and will probably end in me cursing, so I'm just going to stop while I'm ahead.

Read Decadent if you like lots of anal action, don't mind menage a trois, like a lot of angst and inner turmoil and don't mind if your heroines (and heroes) are slightly stupid.

I loved Shayla Black's "Wicked Ties" so I was sure I would also like "Decadent". I was wrong.

It plays too much on a particular feminine weakness. That we can "fix" or "heal" a "broken" man if we love them hard enough and take their abuse long enough.

Here's the story: Virginal girl goes to broken special ops friend (a self proclaimed broken and half a man) and cousin for sexual training. Special ops friend and cousin seduces her sexually and then emotionally and verbally abuses her. She runs away, Special ops friend goes after her. The sexual training starts in ernest and then more verbal and emotional abuse. She runs away and then comes back to them. A lot more sexual stuff goes on. Love is professed on all sides and then more verbal and emotional abuse. Secrets to Special ops torment are revealed. She runs away again. Special ops friend goes after her, again. Saves her life, professes love - again and this time devotion too. Shows her that she's "healed" him and all looks good for a happily ever after ending.

The irony of the story is the back story where virgin tells long time sweetheart that she can't heal him or fix his out of control life-He needs to do that for himself. Then she pursue Special ops guy in ernest and try to "heal" his broken soul and fix his own shallow existence of a life.

I know it's all fantasy but "REALLY!?". This is a story a women would write to entertain women? "Really??" By the last couple of chapters even the sex couldn't save it. I was just skimming past the sexual parts to get to the finish.

Despite the fact that Deke and Luc definitely had their share of hangups, "Decadent" was a pretty good read. There were some moments that felt unrealistic or awkward or uncomfortable so I didn't give it 5 stars.

SPOILERS

1. Why would Kimber even consider a relationship with Jesse if she didn't think she'd care for his sexual practices? That didn't make sense.

2. As Deke and Kimber began to realize their feelings for one another, the menage was really uncomfortable for me to read. I felt so bad for Luc. It was almost like he was a voyeur or something. It was just weird.

3. I didn't totally buy the extent of Deke's psychological trauma. Yes, his past was troubling, but it just seemed more like a plot device on the author's part to include menage in the book.

4. The second book in Ms. Black's series had yet another stalker? Nope, that didn't really work for me. I realize the author was trying to create drama and suspense but this was too repetitive.

END SPOILERS

Positives: Deke and Kimber were great together. This big, gruff, ex-military guy who wouldn't take anything off anybody was total putty in her hands. He allowed himself to be vulnerable to her. For her part, Kimber was an admirable character. I liked her intelligence, her resilience and her patience with Deke. "Decadent" had a very sweet, believable and ultimately satisfying ending.

Kimber Edgington has a favor to ask. She learns that the love of her life, pop star Jesse McCall, is into ménage a trois and while he cares for Kimber, he's afraid his lifestyle would shock her. She's bound and determined to learn about his proclivities so she can prove to him she's what he needs. So, she turns to Deke Trenton, former employee of her father, to give her some much needed education.

Deke can't believe what he's hearing! After not seeing her for several years, little Kimber waltzes back into his life and asks him to teach her about ménage a trois, so she can go back to Jesse, pathetic-excuse-for-a-male McCall. Only she's not so little anymore, and if the rock in his pants is any indication, time hasn't settled his libido when it comes to the colonel's daughter.

Luc Traverson, Deke's cousin and roommate is more than happy to teach Kimber whatever she wants to learn. In fact, he hopes she stays longer than for just a few romping lessons. But Deke's got a secret, and while he's madly attracted to her, he also wants her gone, as soon as possible. And yet, he can't bear to imagine her being with anyone but him.

Shayla Black has done it again! Decadent was a scorching, roller coaster read. The action starts in Chapter One and doesn't let up until the very last word. Jam packed full of sexual tension, interpersonal conflict, inner turmoil and suspense, Ms. Black takes the reader through a mélange of emotions, from sadness to joy, from anger to arousal.

The characters are so vivid, so real, that you just know you can reach out and touch them, right in front of you. And touch them you'd love to do. Decadent is such an apropos title, because Deke and Luc ARE Decadent and much more. Deke's push-pull relationship with Kimber will leave you yearning, and his sensuality fairly sizzles off the page. Luc is as delicious as the mouth-watering dishes he creates in the kitchen and you'll crave more of Luc by the time all's said and done.

Reviewed by: Bella from Fallen Angel Reviews

**This was my Recommended Read for September 2007!**

Virginal Kimber Edgington needs some rather unorthodox lessons fast - in the art of ménage á trois! She is determined to prove to her long-time friend and crush Jesse that she can handle his rock-star lifestyle and sexual eccentricities and be the woman he needs. Who better to ask for help than a man known for his preference to share his women with other men? Never mind that she and Deke never quite got along when he worked for her father while she was in her teens. With Deke's cousin, the delicious Luc Traverson, rounding out the threesome, she figures she can handle anything Deke throws at her during her `training' - especially when the sexy chef makes it clear he is more than willing to accommodate her needs, with or without Deke's help...

Bodyguard Deke Trenton could barely stand to be around Kimber when she was a teen-ager. It wasn't that he didn't like her - he liked her TOO much! But she was jailbait for him and he knew it, prompting him to leave her father's employ before he found himself in more trouble than he knew what to do with. Finding her literally on his doorstep all these years later was unexpected enough, but he never could have imagined the grown-up Kimber would come asking him to introduce her into the world of threesomes! His body is more than willing to teach her everything she wants and more, but once he has a taste of her considerable charms, his heart can't seem to accept the idea of letting her go when her tutoring is finished even though his mind fights these new feelings every step of the way...

When an unseen menace threatens Kimber's life, Deke and Luc pull out all the stops to keep her safe and under their wing - and none of their lives will ever be the same again!

Fans of Shayla Black's book Wicked Ties will be high as a kite when they finally get their hands on their very own copy of its sequel, Decadent, in October 2007! There is not a single person I have spoken with who has read Wicked Ties and done anything but loved it and I know the same will be true of this follow-up story.

We initially met one of our lead characters, Deke Trenton, in the first book when he helped Jack and Morgan, going above and beyond the call of duty... LOL! Black whets our appetite but good for more of this rogue's story, and she has not disappointed her readers with Decadent. While intriguing and mischievous before, Deke turns out to be a very complex character for whom nothing is superfluous - there are reasons for everything he is today, and unraveling his multi-layered psyche proves as fascinating as his numerous sexual exploits... Completely Alpha, brash, confused, and wonderfully (dare I say it?) Decadent, Deke takes us on the ride of our lives as he struggles to come to grips with what he thinks he wants and what his heart demands. Deke is all at once maddening, sexy and frustrating as all get out, but regardless of how mad he makes you sometimes, you can't help but love him. Fighting himself is difficult enough, but fighting Kimber proves impossible - especially when his cousin Luc aligns his loyalties with her in the battle for Deke's love.

Deke has more than met his match in heroine Kimber Edgington! Raised by three military men - her father and two older brothers, she can take just about anything Deke can dish out. She has handled men like him her entire life, and refuses to be dissuaded by his reluctance to become involved with her. Of course, she has a bit of her own personal confusion to work through first - namely her relationship with the wayward rock star, Jesse. Having set her sights on a goal, Kimber attacks her mission in a very military fashion - with single-minded focus, and doesn't realize the end game has changed until it is too late... Or is it?

Luc Traverson balances out the ménage nicely with his smooth demeanor, maneuvering Kimber and Deke deftly, with benefit to all concerned. He provides the glue that binds the trio together, albeit precariously, but are his machinations purely altruistic, or is there more to Luc than meets the eye?

Sensitive readers should be warned: this book is smoldering hot, and contains numerous ménage á trois scenes, all M/F/M (no M/M is in this book). Of course, that is a selling point for many of us! LOL I have to say, both Wicked Ties and Decadent are enough to make you curious about things you have never been curious about before, but the two together - WOW! I am almost thankful for the wait between the two books' releases - I'm afraid I'd have had a nuclear meltdown if I had read them back to back! Who am I kidding? If they'd both been released before I'd read the first, I wouldn't have stopped reading until I finished them both.

Avid fans of this author know that she writes as both Shelley Bradley and Shayla Black, publishing her spicier novels under the Shayla Black moniker. No matter which pen name she is using, this author can always be relied on to spin a fascinating story with fully-fleshed characters that engage the reader from page one, and keep you turning the page until you finish the book! I know this book, like her others, kept me up way too late on a work night, but once I started it I knew I could never sleep until the story ended!

I look forward to many more stories in this series - between the first two books alone, there are at least four or five characters I would dearly love to see books for - and I have no doubt that each new book will spawn longing for still more!

Brimming with the most tantalizing love scenes and two undeniably mouth-watering heroes, Decadent is undoubtedly one of the hottest books this year! But underneath it all, Shayla Black has nestled one of the most touching stories of romantic love you will read this year. Decadent will sweep you up and run you through a gamut of emotions - frustration, desire, fear, love, and more - until it finally leaves you ultimately satisfied.

Series Order:
Wicked Ties
Decadent

Not her best work. The story line is kinda lame...with her being a virgin who wants to get some practice before being with a man she loves whos into 3somes. However, the "love" scences are good. And I would recommend this book to a friend.

The author started writing a menage story and then apparently decided to downplay one of the males and write him out of the relationship. I could have stopped reading halfway through the book and went away happy. Instead I read the entire story and was left disappointed.

** spoiler alert **

It was hot - super hot in fact and it would have gotten a much higher rating if Deke hadn't been a little bitch the entire book. "Oh, this thing happened 12 years ago and I was gullible enough to believe it was all my fault...blah, blah, blah." I just wanted him to get the hell over it already. I kind of wish the trio would have worked out between them and Luc - who I'd invite over any day if he'd show me his wild side. And Kimber sure didn't think she was worth very much if she thought giving up her virginity to a whoring, drugged up, alcoholic was a sign of true love with Jesse (who was a pansy BTW). Sex was good, BUT ex-squeeze me if I say I think thinking you're pregnant and taking a test a few days after is just silly. The danger with the father could have been focused on more, but it seemed more like decorative parsley on a plate of mediocre food.

Kimber Edgington fancies herself in love with Jesse McCall. They have known each other for years, but he won't take their relationship to the next level because he likes multiple partners, and doesn't feel Kimber can handle it. She is determined to get an education, and can think of no one better to provide it than Deke Trenton. He used to work special ops with her father, and although he treated her badly, she collects her courage and asks him for help.

Deke shares women with his cousin Luc Traverson, and together they promise Kimber an education she will never forget. Luc is sensual and charming while Deke is intense and demanding. After experiencing life-changing time with Deke and Luc, Kimber leaves to seek out Jesse. When Kimber's life and her father's life are threatened, it is Deke and Luc that come to the rescue.

I liked this story!! The erotic scenes were very hot and steamy, but there was a story to go along with it. That combination always makes for a good read.

I guess it depends what you like... Personally, i appreciate a believable plot. The reason for Deke to not want to bed a virgin is laughable, Kimber's reason for wanting a threesome is pretty lame (are 23 yo's really that naive??) and the reason for Luke to be in a threesome was just bad...

If you are just buying the book for the sex scenes, I guess it's OK (not great). But if you also enjoy a believable plot or at least something entertaining, then I would NOT recommend this book.