Customer Reviews

The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid

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The title of this book may lead you to all kinds of wildly erotic thoughts, but that's not really what's inside this book. It's a rather different story with an often dysfunctional relationship. Interesting, but I daresay not for everyone.

Emma Mayson is a recent grad with a degree in architecture. But apparently it's tough to get into a good architectural firm. Rather than divert her attention with a regular office job, she decides to hire herself out as a maid so that she has a flexible schedule to fit in interviews for a real job. One of her clients decides to hire Emma to clean house for her brother and so Emma finds herself in the home of software entrepreneur Russell Carrick.

Russell is a wealthy, handsome and rather stoic man and, at heart, a bit of a geek - albeit a very sexy geek! One look at his fabulous, pristine, lacking the "lived-in" look house and Emma wonders what she's doing there. This guy doesn't need a maid at all. But a job's a job and so she begins to work for him fully knowing as the days pass, that he must be cleaning BEFORE she gets there!

Russell is a man adrift since the death of his older brother six months prior. He and his free spirited brother started their company together and when his brother died, Russell's sense of fun and spontaneity seemed to die with him. But Emma is a breath of fresh air and Russell finds himself seeking her out. He enjoys her company and knows she enjoys his. When Emma proposes that she perform other services for him in a convoluted conversation, the end result is a serious miscommunication. Russell believes he's hired her to cook for him a couple of nights a week and Emma believes he's asked her to become his mistress. Russell quickly figures out her misunderstanding, but cannot seem to bring himself to correct her.

Yes, the whole thing is based on the classic Big Misunderstanding, but on a certain level it works here. Emma and Russell embark on a rather dysfunctional and at times awkward sexual relationship that some readers may not enjoy. Emma's idea of a mistress involves props, costumes and role playing (a French maid) that Russell could do without. And Emma has issues that keep her from fully enjoying herself (if you know what I mean). Their time together out of bed is much more satisfying as Emma's blythe spirit slowly pulls Russell under it's spell. He begins to come to life, but wonders if they have any future. Emma is several years younger and just starting her career and he's stuck in a slump. Can they be together or have they simply met at the wrong time in each other's lives?

On the whole a pretty good read and I did like both Emma and Russell. One could tell that these two people really liked one another and that was nice. Some of the issues between them were realistic and I wanted to see them together in the end. Though at times these two did not communicate all that well and when the "I love you"s popped out it kind of seemed out of the blue. Ms Cach has a rather breezy style that likely appeals to twenty-somethings perhaps more than older readers. A good read but perhaps not worth paying the trade paperback price tag.

Though she has a masters degree in architecture, 26-year-old Emma Mayson is having a hard time finding a position in her field. In the interim, she decides to work as a maid to support herself. In Emma's mind the position is ideal, since it will allow her to see the interiors of a lot of homes and get design ideas from them, and since she knows it's not a career path with a future, she won't get sidetracked from her real aspirations of becoming a successful architect. In fact, she's put so much focus on her career that she really hasn't had any time for a love life. Emma finds herself confessing to one of her clients that it might not be so bad to be a rich man's mistress, because then she would have her bills taken care of, she'd have the sex she's been missing, and she could still make her career her first priority.

The client to whom she makes this alarming confession is Russell Carrick, a handsome, successful older man to whom Emma is instinctively drawn. She finds herself offering to do his grocery shopping and cooking, even though she doesn't offer this service to her other clients. Russ doesn't need her services, but when he finds out her background and the hardships she's having (her roommate is moving out, her car needs work, and she has bills to pay), he wants to do something to help her. Instinctively, he offers to let her stay at his empty former apartment in exchange for her cooking and shopping services. Emma however, after her recent confession, thinks he's making her another offer entirely.

The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid is indeed a misnomer. There are no hidden tricks of the trade in the pages, and Emma is in no way French. In fact, the only mention of a French maid comes with a costume Emma dons for one of her interludes with Russ. Still, the book was as a whole pretty enjoyable. It's definitely a romance novel, though at times it borders on erotica. The sex scenes with Emma and Russ are steamy and the passion they feel for one another is evident. But their sexual relationship isn't the entire focus of the book. It's also about how Emma finds herself falling for Russ when it's the last thing in the world that she wants. She's put so much focus on becoming a successful architect that she's left all hopes of a successful relationship behind her. When she finds love rearing its head, she doesn't know how to react. The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid was amusing and entertaining, and I'd definitely recommend it for a night in with a glass of wine.

This book was a MAGNIFICENT surprise. I actually laughed out loud while reading this book, that is how much I was " sucked" into the story. The author did an excellent job.

The Erotic Secrets of A French Maid by Lisa Cach is her best book yet. Seductively erotic, delightfully sensuous and get the depends laugh out loud funny, this is a book not to miss.

Emma Mayson is a long tall drink of water that is beautiful in every way possible. Problem is is that she is insecure but doesn't realize just how deep that insecurity is embedded within her. She is extremely intelligent and quite creative when she puts her mind to it.

Russell Carrick is wealthy, handsome and more of a hermit workaholic than he realizes. He's athletic and sensitive, attentive to even the slightest detail, he's every woman's dream of the perfect mate.

What starts out so innocently when Emma shows up at Russ's house to be his house cleaner turns into one of the funniest shove your foot in your mouth scenes that I have had the pleasure of reading.

On the first day of the job cleaning Russell Carrick's home Emma finds out that he is as his sister has said. He's a workaholic slob that lives in only a few of the many rooms of his large home. Dirty dishes in the sink, dirty stinky laundry in the bathroom, and an office that looks like it was hit by a tornado, Russ is your typical bachelor.

It doesn't take long before life really starts taking a turn for the worse for Emma. Her best friend and room mate decides to move in with her boyfriend thus leaving Emma without help in paying the rent and other bills. She also can't find herself a job in her field as no one will hire someone without experience. All the balls seem to fall at one time and Emma thinking she is alone in Russ' house breaks down and cries.

Russ finds Emma crying and attempts to comfort her and then they start a conversation that will lead them to a league of misunderstandings that will make you laugh so hard that you really ought to have the bathroom close by because you're going to be laughing so hard that you are going to need tissues for the tears and the potty so you don't pee your pants.

This author has gone way above board to give us a novel of such off the wall, pee your pants hysterics, love, erotica and creativeness that this novel should be on every ones Sultry Summer reading list.

Lisa Cach did a great job in writting a very modern, humores, exotic romance novel. At times of reading this book..I laughed out loud. A great book to sit with and read on a quit rainy day. Making you laugh, smile, and get a little hot and bothered.

Emma Mayson has a master's degree in Architecture but until she finds a job in her chosen career, she will have to find a way to make ends meet. Working as a maid, Emma takes on a job cleaning the delectable Russell Carrick's home.

Russell is a total workaholic. When his new housekeeper mentions her fantasy of becoming a paid mistress, Russell is more than intrigued. He is interested enough to make an offer. Soon Emma is his kept woman. With Emma, Russell finds incredible pleasure. And Emma finds love. How will Emma make Russell see her as more than a sexual plaything?

I don't think I am alone in having just this fantasy. Being a mistress is so titillating. But it would be coldly erotic and static without love. My fantasy would not be complete without both the erotic elements and the romantic ones as well. In The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid, Lisa Cach delivers my fantasy on a silver platter! The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid is a naughty, arousing and romantic read.

Annmarie
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Ok, granted, whoever titled and wrote the backcover for this book was obviously reading something else... but frankly, I was glad, and very impressed. I was expecting some cheezy $4 romance (I got it from the bargain rack) while my mom did her shopping extravaganza... but it was a charming, funny, and quite endearing book. I found myself looking for other titles by her, even considering paying full price. (I'm poor, that's a huge compliment, the used bookstore and I are good friends) I would HIGHLY recommend this book, basic storyline is a gal goes to clean a man's house (he's geeky she's hot) as a CLEANING LADY, NOT A MAID... and they make a deal that neither of them quite expect leading to a giggling fest (for the reader) and a fun story. Great read! I had it done in a day, pages flew by.

Stephanie

If you want an easy read book that is both erotic and humorous in a modern setting, then this book needs to be on the top of your list. If you want a book that only hints that sex is going on, well, this isn't for you. I love how the author made me laugh and care about the characters while eagerly reading to see what happens next. The writing is smooth and flowing... I loved it and look forward to reading it again!

This was a sexy and funny read. I'm a big fan of Lisa Cach because she has a knack for writing scenes that are so darn funny they make you laugh out loud. This whole story started from a misunderstanding and kept going clear through until almost the very end. I loved the exploration of the question, "Can one have a sexual relationship without the fuss of a real relationship?" It was a little cliche for the heroine to be so insecure about her career abilities and then to suddenly become confident after "letting go" sexually. I was a little disappointed in the ending because everything settled into "traditionally normal and happy" after a far from normal sort of courtship. I was hoping for something more offbeat as far as the relationship was concerned. Still, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

This book in one word is cute. I was highly entertained by the two leads, Emma and Russ. Emma is a 26 year old architect with a masters and Russ is a rich CEO and they unwittingly fall in love after an agreement to have Emma as Russ' mistress. Its cute. Predictable. But fun. There is no erotica here. At all. SO I don't know who thought of the title but they were way off base. Similarly, the french maid bit doesn't come into play until the LAST two pages of the book so.... Its fun. Its harmless. Go read.