Customer Reviews

By Desire Bound

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you're new to Thea Devine's erotic romance, don't let this book be your introduction. I'm a big fan of hers, but this one novel met the old definition of a "pot boiler." (Written fast to make a quick buck or meet a contract requirement?) By Desire Bound tries to be two things - an Indiana Jones-type adventure, and an erotic romance - and it doesn't succeed at either one. As a global adventure (the quest for a diamond with mystical powers) the book covers too much ground, too quickly, bouncing from one exotic locale to another without giving the reader time to truly "experience" any one of them; you lose track of whether you're in Russia or Morocco, and end up feeling like you never left Tulsa. As a romance...well, there is no romance. These two people don't know or like each other. That doesn't usually bother me - Thea Devine usually creates great erotic tension between protananists who are hostile or distrustful toward each other. But in this instance, the sex is so repetitive that it becomes downright dull. I put this book down twice to read other novels, and finished it out of boredom. PLEASE READ Thea Devine's Secret Pleasures, Desire Me Only and other works of erotic romance before you read By Desire Bound. This could almost have been written by a different author, and it doesn't do her justice.

Very interesting storyline. Thea Devine pulls the reader in and keeps you turning the pages. This bodice-ripper certainly made my partner happy! He reaped the benefits of my reading these very Hot and very Steamy love scenes.

Thea Devine used to write sexy psychologically interesting novels that introduced some unusual characters with fantastical plots and settings. Although I certainly believe in willing suspension of disbelief Ms. Devine has gone too far and provided too little plot to back up her wild wanderings. Pengellis is found naked in a brothel with no sight and no memory. He regains and loses his sight for seemingly arbitrary and ill explained reasons. Darcie strikes me as a poorly formed character. Her relationship with her husband is bizarre and only barely alluded to. The elements of fantasy and horror that permeate this story are not what turn me off. She has successfully used them in other books, but not this one! They are wildly overblown here.

The sex in this book is the steamiest I've ever seen. . . and I've read Bertrice Small and Susan Johnson! But the word "love" is only mentioned on the last page; the rest of the book is pervaded by a desire by both parties to enslave the other with lust (the title is an apt one). The characters are admitted adventurers, both USING the other--she needs him to find the priceless diamond, he needs her for eyes when he is mysteriously blind. The plot is thinly devised to bind the sex scenes together. . . I found myself skipping through from sex scene to sex scene to see what new perversion comes to light. . . like an adolescent reading a dirty book! Needless to say, this book is NOT a keeper!

This book was insanely hot! Thea Devine has a different way of writing romance novels compared to other historical romance authors...and I read many different people, such as Amanda Quick, Beatrice Small, Teresa Medeiros, etc, and honestly I read Thea Devine, not for romance or love, but for the sex scenes. I won't lie, she does an excellent job portraying them. What she tends to lack in her novels (and I expect it) is a progression of love and romance.

The biggest reason that people have given this book a negative review is because they felt that is what this story lacked, though if you have read any of her earlier work she did not have a great deal of romance and love in them - read Tempted by Fire, love is never mentioned in that book at all! I was a bit surprised that love and romance happened at the end. This is just not her style of writing, she does not write her stories in the manner of most romance novels where romance is flourishing, this book is exactly as the title states, By Desire Bound, lust is what binds these two together, not love (though there is implication of love on the heroine's part).

The only reason I give the book 4 stars is because I have to agree with other reviewers, the story line itself is lacking...and the plot bounced around quite a bit that I had to re-read certain sections to fully understand what was going on. Even having done so, one gets the gist of the "plot", but really what it boils down to is two people who desire one another.

I am a major Devine fan although that doesn't mean that some of her books are better then others. I liked this one in particular because it actually ended with the characters in love. A few of her books are all sex and no romance. This one had romance, and whooo-weee the sex sceens were HOT! I am starting to reads some of Devine's earlier books, when I can find them, and this one was way better the Tempted by Fire. At least it has a romantic ending. The sexual tension in this book was palpable, and the journey made the book even better. It has good against evil, it has love, the search for diamonds. Who could want more?

This was the first book I've read by Ms. Devine. I was intrigued by it although you definitely have to suspend belief and be able to constantly switch your train of thought to keep up. I plan to read others by her to compare. I enjoyed the erotic portion, felt it was originally done in parts although excessive to the point of ridiculous in places. I felt like telling the herione to "take a (real) bath already". The supernatural element quality was mixed and confusing although promising in sections.

One Word : Amazing. Hot, sizzeling, and naughty!

While I understand that the book sould have some parts with sex this book was full of it. At times when I thought that the book was getting very good, She would throw in more sex and take away what ever surprise I was expecting and therefore kill it for me.

I have read many historical romances and this is one I wouldn't recommend. I picked it up just because of the name Thea Devine, but was disappointed. I had a hard time finishing it. It could have been good, their "adventure" spans the middle east, including India and Russia but it felt empty. The "adventure" was stupid. The characters were empty also. Lots of "love making" but the scenes were written poorly, usually rushed and without sensuality. Try another Thea Devine book is all I really have to say.