Customer Reviews

Fairyville (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

What's a girl to do when the man she has loved for years doesn't return her feelings? Especially when the man she loved years ago returns to town and both he and his best friend seem all too interested in her...

Zoe has worked with Magnus for years, and seeing him day in and day out hasn't exactly helped her terminal case of unrequited love. Or is it lust? When her high school flame comes home, she finds herself once more caught in his sexual lure, in spite of the heartbreak he dealt her years ago amidst a scandal the likes of which Fairyville had never before seen. Seeing Zoe with Alex spurs jealousy in Magnus, forcing him to face his feelings for her, even while he knows he can never be with her - not if he truly loves her.

But neither man is what he seems, nor is the town of Fairyville. No surprise to Zoe, who has long counted fairies, spirits, and angels amongst her friends.

OK, first off, I am just going to say it. The publisher made a mistake not placing a warning on Fairyville concerning the M/M and M/M/F content. While established fans of this author are most likely already aware that Emma Holly's stories often contain such content, new fans that will pick up the book in their local bookstore will have no way of knowing by looking at the book. If they don't care for this kind of material, then the surprise may turn them off of Holly's work for good, even those titles that are strictly M/F. That's it, that's my only negative comment here, and it is less a concern for myself than for unsuspecting new fans. Personally, it is my opinion that Holly writes some phenomenal M/M scenes, and while I don't go out of my way to pick stories with M/M content, I don't shy away from it when the story is good and the author is talented. I can say without hesitation that Fairyville qualifies in both areas!

This is really a love story between two different couples, as well as the story of the four main characters' friendship together. Each of the four main characters has an obstacle they struggle to overcome in the story - for two, it is a case of seemingly unrequited love. For the other two, it is the secret of their very existence.

What I love about Emma Holly's M/M scenes is that she writes the male characters in a very `manly' way. While they may be homosexual or bisexual, they are definitely not effeminate in any way. No, these are men that I could be attracted to myself, men that I could desire, and the love between them is as powerful as you might read in a standard heterosexual romance.

And that is what Fairyville is all about - not the titillation of forbidden sex, but the love between these couples and between the four friends. The steamy sex scenes are just the icing on the cake! J

To top it all off, Holly revisits the story by offering a bonus epilogue sold as an Amazon.com Short story - And Then There Were Four. Fans of Fairyville will most definitely want to check this story out - especially at only forty-nine cents!

FAIRYVILLE is Emma Holly's latest addition to her cache of contemporary erotic romance. Its paranormal premise is refreshingly original, playful, and compelling. While unapologetically erotic, this imaginative story is sure to please readers.

Generally speaking, I find erotic romance to be a hit-and-miss genre. So many authors sacrifice a genuine emotional connection in favor of blistering, yet romantically unfulfilling, sexcapades. Not so with FAIRYVILLE! I enjoy Emma's books because of the warmth and depth she adds to her characters. Once again, she has come through with a story that is both mouthwateringly sexy and intensely emotional.

Emma's latest winner is set in fictitious Fairyville, Arizona, a town where supernatural phenomena is the norm. Zoe Clare is one of Fairyville's more colorful residents. A successful medium, occasional ghostbuster and friend to fairy-kind, Zoe has everything she's ever wanted. Except her sexy business manager/landlord between the sheets. She's watched him bed just about every woman in town but her. Fed up, Zoe has decided the time has come to make her move.

Despite appearances, the mysterious Magnus Monroe is not immune to Zoe's charms. He has lusted after her for three long years. Hell, for her sake he's even confined his sexual liaisons to once every full moon. A sacrifice that Zoe can't quite appreciate. And as much as he'd love to make her his, Magnus must resist. He knows all too well that if he gives in he will lose her forever.

Further complicating matters is the unexpected return of Zoe's high school boyfriend. Now a successful private investigator, Alex Goodbody has worked hard to put behind him the scandal that turned Zoe and her fellow Fairyvillers against him. However, a compelling case has him back in town with his incredibly handsome partner in tow. It doesn't take Zoe long to realize that her desire for him has never completely cooled. And Magnus' maddening rejection has her wondering if a little competition might not be just the thing to gain his attention.

Having devoured Emma's previous books, I have to admit that my standards for this book were high. FAIRYVILLE did not disappoint. I simply couldn't put it down. The characters were extremely likable, the plot highly creative and perfectly paced. The author's spectacular brand of sensuality had me on edge the entire time. And when it was finished I started it all over again. One thing is for certain: Emma Holly's unconventional approach to romance is guaranteed to have readers breathing heavily. I think I still am! In a market that seems to be flooded with predictable paranormals, this book is sure to stand out. I also recommend that readers download the electronic-only epilogue that is available from amazon.com. It's a fantastic ending to a wonderful story.

I've only read a few of Emma Holly's short stories and two of her novels prior to this, so maybe I didn't realize what's usual for her. I liked "All U Can Eat" and it had a preview of "Fairyville" at the end, so I preordered it. While I really enjoyed the plot and liked the characters for the most part, the erotic scenes were very heavily male-male. Nicely written, but not my cup of tea. I'm not slamming the book, but I wish I'd realized the direction Fairyville was headed in before buying it...so a fair warning to others.

I love Emma Holly. I think hers were the first true erotic novels I read with romantic elements. I've remained a fan as she transitioned into steampunk and paranormals but I've always loved her erotics best. I think this may be why I wasn't shocked by the level of sexuality in the book, given her backlist, I assumed the book would have a lot of sexual content.

Fairyville is a great mix of paranormal and erotic. And make no mistake, Fairyville is an erotic with an HEA. I'll say up front there is about 60% of the sexual interaction in the book that is male/male but IMO, few people write it as well as Holly and I thought she did a bang up job (um, no pun intended)

I want to say I think of many authors out there in the erotic romance/erotica genre, Emma Holly is a prime example of how it's not about the specific combination of body parts but about the connection and emotion in the scene. When I read Fairyville, much as when I read Menage (the first Holly book I read and the book that changed my perspective on MM romance many years ago) - what caught me was the people, not their gender.

Zoe is a wonderfully likeable character who is unusual for a romance heroine (I'll let you read it to see why). Magnus is a fabulous hero. The other cast of characters from an evil Fairy queen to the Alex (the changeling PI) and Bryan, his human lover are all flawed and interesting.

I wanted more of the little fairies and of the fairy realm and I hope Holly takes us back there soon.

A fun, sexy read.

The author gives us an interesting view of fairies living in the human world both by choice and also as changelings (babies switched at birth). The story and characters were ok, but I wasn't drawn to them the way I would have liked. One should read this for the sex, not for the story.

Story brief: Zoe is human and loves Magnus. She doesn't know he is a fairy. He must have frequent sex with other women to stay in the human world, but Zoe doesn't know this. She just sees him with others and is hurt by it.

CAUTION SPOILER: Magnus did not tell his secret to Zoe because he feared his fairy mother would harm her if Zoe knew about Magnus. However, after his mother tried to kill Zoe and planned to try again, Magnus still didn't tell her. I did not care for that method of conflict. I also didn't like to see her suffering for two years, watching him with other women. He loved her but stayed away from her, and he didn't tell her he was a fairy.

Sexual language: erotic. Number of sex scenes: more than nineteen. Setting: current day Fairyville, Arizona. Copyright: 2007. Genre: erotic paranormal romance with homosexuality.

To me, good erotica includes feelings, deep feelings. I don't like to read about a bunch of people just going at it, which this book could have been, given the number of characters in it, and the combinations they employ. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of sex in this book, but there is emotion too, even love, and that is required for me to enjoy a book. I felt what the characters did, it rang true for me, and wow, was it hot.

If you don't like m/m, you will not like this book. But if you do, it's well-written. I'll be checking out more of Emma Holly's stuff, that's for sure.

There were even some gems of ideas in it for me, sort of philosophical ideas about self-worth and faith that I will be mulling over. So glad I bought this book, it's a keeper.

In Fairyville, Arizona resident Zoe Clare communicates with the dead and with the living fairy population. Zoe also has the hots for her landlord Magnus Monroe, who every eligible female in town except her can claim they tasted his magic.

Alexander Goodbody of Goodbody & McCallum investigators leaves Scottsdale to come home to Fairyville on a case. Alex left town after high school breaking the heart of Zoe when he did. He never forgot her and wonders if she forgave him for the scandal he caused and left behind for her to suffer. Zoe has moved on as she wants Magnus, but decides to have fun with Alex, wondering how her unrequited beloved will react.

Emma Holly is incredible as she combines erotica (male-female, male-male and ménage a trois, etc.), fantasy, and romance into a whimsical contemporary tale that grips the audience from the onset and never slows down until the final coda as Bryan McCallum looks back in awe and forward in greater trepidation. The two prime subplots tie together nicely through the cast especially Zoe, the link between everyone and everything. Readers will want to travel to the renowned "fairy-spotting capital of the world", Fairyville, Arizona where heated eccentricity is the norm.

Harriet Klausner

Zoe lives in Fairyville, Arizona, a town ripe with paranormal activity and fairies. She can communicate with ghosts and is often called in by townspeople to get them to vacate. Nursing an unrequited crush on Magnus, she watches as he beds one woman after another. What she doesn't realize is that Magnus is a fairy prince and must continue to have meaningless relations in order to remain in the human world. When Zoe is called to a local inn to get rid of a poltergeist, she runs into Alex, the boy who broke her teen heart and left town after a scandalous affair with his football coach. PI Alex is in town with his partner and lover Bryan investigating a possible baby swapping ring. Old habits die hard and Zoe and Alex begin to spend more time together but don't leave Bryan out in the cold. Will Magnus ever level with Zoe about his true identity?

I never got the feeling of a deep love between Zoe and Magnus. However, Alex and Bryan are very sensitively portrayed and their love for each other comes alive throughout the story. Anyone who reads Holly's contemporary novels knows that there is going to be some MM action in the storyline. "Fairyville" has more than most; in fact MM couplings are more abundant than MF. For me, the story was just okay; not something I would be interest in picking up again. I'm not a fan of paranormal or fairies and found most of the storyline to be somewhat stupid. But I don't read Holly for her plots; it's a good thing since this is a scorching read with a minimal plot.

© Tracy Vest, September 2008

Fairyville is clearly an unusual place - not only are there several wacky residents (notably Zoe who is a medium but who also sees fairies) but some people whose children are born in Fairyville hospital are wondering if their child was somehow switched with another child; surely their natural children shouldn't be able to levitate objects?

The book 'Fairyville' follows two couples as they try to get to the bottom of the swapped children whilst learning about themselves and each other. Zoe Clare the medium has been in love with Magnus Monroe, her landlord and manager, for two years. He seems to like her very much and yet every full moon he spends the night with another woman, although that's a one-off and he doesn't see the woman again. Zoe decides to seduce him but he seems strangely resistant; she doesn't know why but the reader is told that Magnus is a fairy prince and he is only allowed to stay on Earth if he gives the women with whom he makes love their hearts back afterwards so that they don't love him any more. He feels too strongly for Zoe and so isn't willing to have her indifferent to him after a night of sex, and thus holds back.

However, Magnus's plans aren't working too well when Zoe tries to seduce him, especially as almost immediately afterwards her old flame Alex Goodbody returns. Alex is a private investigator who has been hired to look into whether a young boy, Oscar, isn't actually Mrs Pruitt's son but was swapped when she gave birth in Fairyville. Alex left Fairyville under a cloud when discovered having sex with his football coach but Zoe still loves him and his arrival in town rekindles some of the feelings.

To add to the complication, Alex is visiting with his fellow private investigator, Bryan McCallum, with whom he's just started a sexual relationship. Bryan and Alex have worked together for ten years and Bryan is very deeply in love - his character is written very well as a gentle, kindly and thoughtful man and yet also a very masculine and strong one. Bryan not only can see the interest between Alex and Zoe but he also finds himself attracted to Zoe as well. Much of the sex in this book is gay sex between Bryan and Alex, and also between Bryan and Magnus, but there is also a three-in-a-bed session including Zoe and other sexual practices that some might find distasteful so this is definitely a book for those who know what to expect in erotic romance and feel comfortable with it.

As soon as Alex and Bryan arrive in Fairyville strange things begin to happen to them, such as rocks showering on them in a hotel room, angels being summoned by Zoe to rescue them and a relative of Alex's speaking to him from beyond the grave. As soon as Zoe meets Alex again some of their feelings come back which leads to jealousy on Magnus's part and insecurity for Bryan. These elements are wrapped up fairly well by the end of the book but the tension between the four main characters, and their interactions (usually sexual) are the main thrust of the story. As the story continues Alex finds out more about his own past, Magnus's fairy status causes him more problems and the relationships between the four become more complicated, especially when Alex travels to Fairy with the young boy, Oscar.

This book is described as an erotic paranormal romance; it's certainly erotic with lots of sex scenes including gay sex, three in a bed and other stuff; it's paranormal with fairies, ghosts, angels and fairy wars; however it wasn't particularly romantic as the relationships between the four main characters were more based on lust and friendship rather than romance. However, Emma Holly is an excellent writer in this genre and she kept the story moving along well, it wasn't always clear what was going to happen, all the threads were resolved (although some in a manner the more traditional reader might not entirely find comfortable) and her portrayal of the world of Fairyville was interesting. The worldbuilding wasn't as good as in some of her other books (such as 'The Demon's Daughter') and there was a higher ratio of sex to plot in this novel but it was still well written and will reward those who like this genre.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

I read Fairyville by Ms. Holly this week. I loved it. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. There are 4 main people, one woman and three men so just think of the combinations. I loved all of the different combos but it's not for everyone.

While some people may not be comfortable with the m/m sex scenes (which I love) you can't say she isn't a wonderful writer. The scenes are sexy, intimate, hot and as always wonderfully written. Ms Holly writes several different genres, I would consider Prince of Ice and Demon's Daughter erotic romance while I would consider Fairyville erotica. She writes both wonderfully as well as historicals and paras. I think for me the different classifications for her books would be her erotica pushes the sexual boundaries more but that would be the only difference, she always has a romance.

That's one of the great things about Ms Holly's books is the fact that besides an incredibly hot and erotic story she writes a wonderful romance to go with it. You care about the characters and want to know what's going to happen next. Her novels pack an emotional depth that most eroticas don't.

And don't forget, there's an extra epilogue that you can buy on amazon for some ridiculously low price. Nobody does erotica like Ms Holly. I have been a fan since her first book and will continue to read anything with her name on it.