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39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely "FASCINATED" by this book, October 18, 2000
This review is from: Fascinated (Paperback)
Well, let me start off by saying that Small's and Johnson's novellas were a vast inprovement from their "Captivated" offerings. Schone's was just as beautiful and Devine's, well, sad to say, I was just incapable of finishing. It was way too kinky for me - I just couldn't get into it. I give the book three stars - one star for each story. And they were all sexy, exciting and beautiful in their own way. Small's "Mastering Lady Lucinda" had a plot that was intriguingly original and wickedly sensuous. I applaud the fact that Small eased up on the silly purple prose that littered her "Captivated" novella. It was only pale lavender this time. The story build-up made it a real page turner - I couldn't wait until the end to see Lucinda turn the tables on her 3 would-be suitors. My only complaint was the mention of incest - I don't care if this is erotica - incest is sick. PERIOD. Johnson's "Risking It All" centered around a story that was more character development and witty, sexy dialogue rather than an involved plot. It was a sweet story of two people getting to know each other over the course of a few days while locked in a luxurious hotel room while engaging in naughty, delicious sex. Unlike her hero from "Captivated" (and some of her other books) who spewed the "F" word like Mt. St. Helen and whined like a baby, the hero here was soft spoken, sultry and sensual. I liked the emotional connection that was growing between the h/h as a result of their lovemaking. As I mentioned earlier, I did not finish Devine's "The Pleasure Game" and have no intention (sorry, no gold star Thea). Robin Schone's "A Man and a Woman" was positively BEAUTIFUL. Who cares how old the h/h are! Once you get into the story, the ultra-sensual love scenes, hearing what the h/h are thinking and feeling with each word, each touch, each caress, you seem to forget how old they are. Here are two people who NEED each other - both for different reasons. Megan wanted to experience what she had and lost; Conner wanted to experience what he never had. I love Schone's choice of imperfect, slightly tortured characters - it makes their coming together with the one person who can make their pain go away a healing, loving experience. That's exactly what Megan did for Connor. This novella made me cry in several places - mainly because of what Connor went through as a child and as an adult and feeling as if no woman would ever want him, let alone love him. This is a perfect example of "there's someone for everyone" saying. What Schone seems to convey so perfectly is the power and intensity of what the character is thinking and feeling while they are making love. You almost feel their emotions, the heat of their skin, their rapid breathing, etc. Ms. Schone is definitely a master! I highly recommend this book. Please do not take my word alone on Devine's novella. If you like a high degree of kink, leather, fetishes, etc. then you may enjoy her novella. I wanted to be fair and give her story a chance but I just couldn't finish it. Then again, what might be a turn off for some may be a turn on for others.
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Use Oven Mitts When Handling Because This Book Burns!, October 7, 2000
This review is from: Fascinated (Paperback)
After thoroughly enjoying the first anthology from this quartet of romance novelists, I waited expectantly to see if there might be a follow-up anthology, which would rival the first in terms of sizzle factor. Let me just say, I was not disappointed in the least. If you buy this book expecting to read heartwarming stories about how the hero and heroine meet, fall in love, triumph over all the odds, and then live happily ever after, do not buy this anthology. However, if you want to read about a man and woman meeting, then engaging in all varieties of sometimes eyebrow raising sexual play, and then living happily ever after, then buy this anthology and buy it as quickly as possible. "Mastering Lady Lucinda" is set in England and the locale of the story does not change to an Arabian harem, as is often the case with Ms. Small's novels. However, it does involve a period of captivity in the English countryside. The reader is introduced to young, headstrong, recently widowed Lady Lucinda. She is expected to remarry, but has turned down numerous proposals from prospective suitors. Lady Lucinda is quickly taken into hand by The Master. After learning some interesting lessons, there is a happy conclusion for Lucinda and her "lord and master." Susan Johnson's "Risking It All" is set in Monte Carlo, where the hero and heroine meet each other in a casino at the roulette table. After their initial meeting, they quickly retire to a hotel suite and do not leave it until almost the end of the story. The characters engage in humorous banter, a sexual marathon, and an interesting role-playing game. My only complaint with this story was that it ended all too quickly. I would have been satisfied to read another 20 pages of this particular story. "The Pleasure Game" is a story about childhood neighbors who are all grown up and ready to play adult games with each other. Thea Devine's story quickly alternates between the matchmaking machinations of the London Season and Lady Regina Olney's bedchamber. The story concludes with one happy father and one well-pleasured bride-to-be. The premise of Robin Schone's "A Man and a Woman" was intriguing - a widow masquerading as a prostitute to provide herself and a stranger from another country a night of passion. What I have always enjoyed about Ms. Schone's earlier works is her willingness to portray main characters who are either not in the prime of their youth or have some sort of physical deformity as sexual beings. I was not disappointed with "A Man and a Woman" in that aspect, but my mind had some difficulty handling the fact that the hero of the story had been "gelded" when he was a boy. Although there was a happy conclusion to the final story in the anthology, the page limitations of a short story is not enough to do justice to Muhamed, the male character. A story such as his would be better suited for a full-length novel. It would allow for fuller development of his character and would provide a richer, historical context as to how he became an eunuch. All in all, this second anthology by Small, Johnson, Devine, and Schone is a 5 star read. Dare I hope for a third anthology from these ladies?
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Predicitable fare from romance's steamiest ladies., January 24, 2001
This review is from: Fascinated (Paperback)
If you are already a fan of Beatrice Small, Susan Johnson, Thea Devine or Robin Schone, this collection of novellas will be satisfying. If, however, you are not familiar with these authors, be forewarned that this is not tepid stuff. These ladies are known for their graphic portrayal of increasingly erotic sex, so this book is not for everyone. Unlike other reviewers, I thought that Robin Schone's novella was the highlight of the book. It was the only one that had fully developed characters with identifiable motives. Yes, it is an unusual and unconventional story - you don't read many romances with an eunuch for the hero - but Ms. Schone makes it work. In order to adapt an erotic romance into the novella format, the author must have a speedy means for getting the two main characters together. Ms. Schone's plot is simple: the heroine is a sexual frustrated widow who decides to pose as a prostitute for one night; the hero is a eunuch who wants to sample a taste of the erotic arts he has been denied all his life. From this simple premise Ms. Schone is able to craft a intense and complex relationship. In comparison, the other three novellas are rather shallow. Ms. Small's premise (an independent woman is turned over to a sexual "master" as punishment for rejecting various suitors) has promise, but the character's are sadly two-dimensional. Also, the overwrought purple prose can frequently be outright silly. Plot and character motivation are completely lacking in the other two stories. In both an attractive couple immediately jump into bed, have lots and lots of sex, and instantly decide that they are in love. No emotional build-up, no tension, no nothing. Despite my reservations about three out of the four novellas, I'm still giving this book four stars on the basis of Schone's strong contribution.
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