Customer Reviews

Four Play

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just finished reading Four Play and all I can say is Wowza! Those ladies know how to write a hot story.

Pillow Talk by Maya Banks was amazing. Incredibly sexy and erotic. When a couple embarks on acting out their fantasies it makes for an emotional read which is always a great thing. The three men in this story were all incredibly sexy,strong alpha males who really cared about Zoe. I always enjoy a great menage story but this one was incredibly well done. Maya Banks did a fantastic job of exploring the jealousy and emotions that can arise in a multiple partner situation.

Her Fantasy Men by Shayla Black was a steamy read. It was a slightly different take on the foursome idea and it made for a compelling story. Emotions ran high, the sex was hot. I really enjoyed the story.

Both Maya Banks and Shayla Black write fantastic erotica and Four Play is not exception. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Multi author anthology - themed if you think the fact that both stories consist of 3 guys and 1 girl counts as a theme... Let's be honest, it's a sexfest. If that's what you're looking for, it delivers.

Pillow Talk by Maya Banks starts out with the h/h [committed relationship] discussing their fantasies such as voyeurism and multiple partner sex. Each decides to give the other their fantasies - which leads to some unforeseen complications; especially when they draw in other players... WARNING: this story contains fulfillment of a kidnap/forced sex fantasy - if this is an issue for you, stay away! On the other hand, if you have hot firemen fantasies, this story is for you!

Her Fantasy Men by Shayla Black has the 3 heroes conspiring to get the heroine's attention - so she can choose them! Most interesting to me was them trying to resolve their different loving styles - from the 'kisses and cuddles' guy to the 'tie them up and spank them' dominant.

Neither story contains male/male contact.

i have never read any maya banks before but i am a steady follower of shayla black. i was very pleased and surprised with the banks novel portion of the book but was a little disappointed in the shayla black portion of the book. i am looking forward to purchasing and reading more maya banks books.

Pillow Talk Maya Banks

Chase and Zoe are a seriously hot couple that loves to tell each other their sexual fantasies. So for Chase's birthday, Zoe decides to make his fantasy a reality. It all starts with one fantasy come reality to change things between them.

Hot, hot sex abounds in Pillow Talk. When it comes to writing hot sex, no one does it better than Maya Banks. Chase invites Brody and Tate into his and Zoe's be to bring her fantasy to life. This is when things start to get sticky. Brody and Tate are not just Zoe and Chase's roommates, but their very best friends. Which Zoe starts to feel more than friendship for.

I really loved Chase and Zoe together as a couple. I felt they had a strong relationship on their own without all the fantasies. The introduction of Tate and Brody into the picture with their own individual relationship with Zoe, took away from my overall enjoyment of Pillow Talk. If sex with Brody and Tate had just a two or three time thing, that would have been fine. It was the whole aspect of them making it a permanent arrangement between the four of them that I didn't really care for.

But overall the story doesn't disappoint, especially on the heat factor.

Her Fantasy Men Shayla Black

Kelsey is in love with three different men. Her best friend Tucker, her boss Jeremy, and her neighbor Rhys. She can't choose just one of them so she refuses to act on her feelings for any of them. Until one Labor Day she gives into Rhys and then the two others all within the same week.

Kelsey's relationship with all three men was different and unique in its own way. Although at times I didn't really see the need for Rhys to be involved. Their relationship seemed to be the most lacking of the three.

All four of them struggled with the aspects of a sharing relationship, especially Jeremy. He is a Dominant and wanted to claim Kelsey as his own, whereas Tucker could not seem to understand Jeremy's need to spank, or as Tucker saw it, hurt Kelsey.

I found myself wanting her to choose one of the men. At least choose one for a legal marriage and still continue on with the others. So most of my time reading this book, I was rooting for Tucker.

I enjoyed the fact that all three men did seem to genuinely care about Kelsey. That they were all struggling with the concept of sharing Kelsey made it seem more believable. It didn't come across as sex for sex's sake.

In Maya Bank's Pillow Talk firefighter Chase lives with his girlfriend Zoe and coworker buddies Brody and Tate. One night, Zoe and Chase exchange erotic fantasies and when Zoe fulfills Chase's fantasy for his birthday, he turns the tables and starts fulfilling hers.

I've long been a fan of Maya Banks and I really tried to like Pillow Talk. I did. But I just couldn't suspend disbelief for this novella. Zoe's fantasies were almost violent, and while my own fantasies could be considered risqué this was a little much, even for me. I found it difficult to like Chase. He didn't get even a little bit jealous of Zoe having sex with other men, or have internal dialogue of how this would affect his relationship with her or his friendship with his roommates. There was one part of the story where Zoe runs to Chase, because she had sex with her roommates without him present, and is worried how he'll react. Her worry prevented me from disliking her altogether, but his lack of concern made me like him less.

I think if there was any emotional depth to the characters, their behavior, even as hedonistic as what was present here, would have made more sense or even be arousing, but as it was, there was no emotional investment in the main characters, for me.

The other two men, Tate and Brody, were much more likable characters. When Chase brought another into their play, they were aloof and protective of Zoe, something that should have been Chase's mentality. For the entire story, Zoe has casual sex with Tate and Brody. At the end of the story, they decide to all have a relationship together because they all confess to loving Zoe. This HEA makes Pillow Talk an erotic romance. However, the story was all about fantasy fulfillment and casual sex and all of a sudden, a relationship is mentioned and they all live happily ever after together. This story just didn't work for me. But I'll continue to read works by this author as she's produced such stellar stories in the past.

In Her Fantasy Men by Shayla Black, Kelsey has three men in her life: gentle, long-time friend Tucker, sexy firefighter neighbor Rhys and her boss, dominant Jeremy. Each has tried to further their friendship with Kels, but hasn't succeeded. What none know is that she has vivid fantasies of all of them and can't fathom choosing! So what's an enamored guy to do? Go along for the ride and share her with the other two.

This story had so many laugh-out-loud moments, I couldn't keep track. Kels has grown so close to all three men in her life that she winds up fantasizing about all of them at the same time. During one self pleasure moment, she says "I love you...you...you..." I almost choked on my glass of wine! All three men are chatting at the beginning of the story, speculating about whom she was with and then plot together to find out, wanting it to be them, individually. So while they consider each other competition, they're not above seeking out the other for assistance.

Once the men realize she desires each one of them, each figures she'll profess love to one "winner", never understanding that because her bond with them is so strong, she'll never choose. She would, in fact, rather move away from them than be required to choose and break the other two men's hearts. Each man has such endearing traits. Tucker is so gentle, so loving and is the friend she an always rely on. Rhys is able to fix anything in her home and will be there at her beck and call. Not to mention their movie nights at each other's homes. Jeremy is the dark, brooding Dominant who is a bit possessive during the story. He made me want to smack him a few times, as he just didn't get it, but eventually he came around and actually made me the most emotional in the end. I could see how Kels couldn't possibly choose one from among them and I'm sure the way Ms. Black concluded the story, readers will be satisfied with the ending as well. For a sexy, funny, romping good read, this novella is thoroughly recommended.

Courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews ([...])

FOUR PLAY is an erotic novel about ménage relationship's and living out your deepest fantasies.

Pillow Talk by Maya Banks resolves around Chase, a firefighter, and Zoe an ER nurse. Chase and Zoe are dating and live together in a home with his two friends. One night after sex Chase and Zoe discuss their secret fantasies. With Chase's birthday approaching Zoe decides to live out Chase's fantasy of dancing for him and his friends in a strip club. When Chase returns the favor and indulges in Zoe's fantasies he enlists the aid of his two best friends who always cared for Zoe. When sex enters the picture, Tate and Brody find that they can no longer ignore the feelings that they've pushed back regarding Zoe all these years. What once started out as a wild fling gets very complicated.

I am a big fan of Maya Banks writing; she's my guilty pleasure. However, she often pushes the emotional and sexual envelope and I often read her books with my eyes popping out of my sockets, but I keep reading. Even being a Maya Banks fan girl, I just couldn't buy into her entry into the FOUR PLAY anthology. It is a given with a Maya Banks novel that Pillow Talk would be a well-written novella with compelling and three-dimensional characters and interesting plot turns. However, I was uncomfortable with some of the plot twists. I bought into Chase and Zoe's pillow talk and how they each wanted to bring the other's deepest fantasies into reality, so I really bought into Pillow Talk and the sexy situations that the characters found themselves in. Where Pillow Talk lost me (and I'm trying to tell this without giving away too many spoilers so forgive me for my vagueness) is when an additional element was brought into the fantasy, which appeared with the whole sex with strangers introduction (you'll have to read the book to understand what I am talking about). To me that whole plot seemed to be tacked on and didn't fit with the flow of the story and because of the situations, I lost respect for one of the characters and stopped caring. I didn't think that person deserved a happily ever after at that point.

Of course, that is my own personal opinion and does not reflect the strength of the writing and the characters. Maybe it enhances it because I did have a strong physical reaction to the behavior of one of Ms. Banks characters; it just so happens that reaction caused me extreme anger and annoyance with that person. LOL!

In Her Fantasy Men Kelsey is the type of girl who finds it easier hanging out with men than woman and her three closest friends are, her best friend from childhood, her neighbor, and her boss. She doesn't dare reveal to them that she wants to be more than just friends, because she cannot decide what man she'd prefer as she wants them all. When the men suspect that Kelsey may have a boyfriend they decide to do some undercover work and what they find surprises them. They decide to fight for her affections, and to prove to her that they are what she needs.

Before delving into FOUR PLAY I had seen several reviews about this book and I dived into the reviews despite knowing that I was going to receive the book and review it as well. In those reviews a lot of people who didn't like Her Fantasy Men and preferred Ms. Banks story. I figured that I would be the same since I'm a Maya Banks fan girl. I was wrong. I actually preferred Ms. Black's entry inside FOUR PLAY. What can I say, I'm a rebel.

To me Kelsey is a great character. Her reactions, fears, concerns about her desires and the reality of those desires were very realistic. I also loved the fact that the men were resistant and fought against Kelsey's needs and wanted what they wanted and darn anyone else. Umm . . . that was so MALE of them. LOL! It was so totally believable that three Alpha males would balk at a ménage relationship and try to out maneuver each other to prove to Kelsey that THEY were the one she should be with. That realism as well as the Kelsey's response to that realism made the story for me and I enjoyed it immensely. My only issue with the story was the ending and how they decided to deal with the pregnancy and marriage issue.

Overall, I thought FOUR PLAY had some sexy situations, awesome writing, and compelling characters. I would definitely pick up these two authors again and again.

Review courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritques

"Pillow Talk" by Maya Banks is about Zoe, Chase, Tate and Brody. Zoe is an ER nurse living with the guys who are firefighters, one of which Chase is her boyfriend. My fave is Brody so protective, quiet fierceness and just something about him draws me to his character. Zoe and Chase share some good fantasies and end up putting some of them into motion for each other in real life. Brody and Tate both have feelings for Zoe and their feelings are shared by Zoe as well which comes to the forefront later in the story. It was fun to hear about Mike Sanders from "Seducing Simon" he's still good ol' Mike. I personally love the idea of the 4 of them in a relationship and Maya does a really good job as usual balancing the action, emotions and pace of the story to make it a great read.

"Her Fantasy Men" by Shayla Black is about Kelsey, Rhys, Tucker and Jeremy.

"You've seen her masturbate?" Jeremy nearly came out of his chair.

Tucker nearly came, period.

HAHAHA makes me laugh everytime.

Okay back to business. Rhys is her Mr Fix-It, firefighter neighbor. Tucker is her childhood, always there for her friend. Jeremy is her Dominant, intense Boss. They all want her and that's where the free for all starts.

I do love Tucker and was so glad as the book progressed that he was skilled and ummm well endowed cuz yeah part of loving his character was the Southern Gentleman persona and all that, oh and when he gets his Dominant side out good lord is that HOT! This story pulls you, pushes you and then sets itself to rights.

These two authors made a great team and this book is HOT ;)

These novellas read like the winners of a writing contest with very specific parameters: must be one woman with three men, must have 90% of the pages be sex acts of one-on-one and ménage, and there must be emotional angst. Oh, and all the hot guys and stunning women must be single, uninvolved, and live happily ever after in a committed quartet.

These stories are so far removed from reality that I really wanted them to be campier or at least have some funny lines. But both stories took themselves sooo seriously.

So what can you review? Not plot, really only writing style, characterizations, and whether the sex scenes floated your boat or sank it, which is of course personal.

(2.5 stars) "Pillow Talk" by Maya Banks

Plot Summary:

Zoe and her boyfriend Chase share their sex fantasies one night, after sex. Zoe gifts Chase with fulfilling his fantasy for his birthday. Chase returns the favor, only Zoe's fantasies involve multiple partners. Chase conveniently turns to their friends and roommates Brody and Tate to help fulfill Zoe's fantasy unwittingly adding complications to their living arrangement.

My Opinion:

Banks is edgy and there's something here to please everyone. I found the strip club scene seriously hot. But when you have so much you please everyone with something, you're also going to turn people off with something else. I personally don't care for sex scenarios that read like they could be in police reports. The van and the massage table scenes bothered me. I find the repeated "she loved every minute of it" line to be a writing cheat akin to a guy saying, "she wanted it." Banks doesn't show us why Zoe liked this, just tells us she did.

Having read lots of Banks's books, I was surprised there wasn't any Dom/sub stuff in any of her scenarios, like she does so well in her "Sweet" series. This novella reads more like her "Colters' Woman" books, and might appeal to fans of that series.

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(3.5 stars) "Her Fantasy Men" by Shayla Black

Plot Summary:

Kelsey throws a patio party where her boss Jeremy, her neighbor Rhys and her childhood friend Tucker scheme to seduce her. After a long dry spell--so long the condoms must have expired and been tossed--Kelsey is hot-to-trot and has a fling with each of them. They've loved Kelsey forever, so the awesome sex prompts each to propose marriage, of course. Kelsey can't decide between the three so it has to be all or nothing. They agree to share her rather than lose her, or so they say....

My Opinion:

This is my first Shayla Black and I'm impressed. For a novella with a sex page quota, she did a exceptional job at delineating the personalities of each of the four characters. Each seemed real with his own kinks, way of speaking, and physical and personality traits.

I enjoyed the one-on-one scenes and each was well done. I've always had a problem with a scenario where a boss seduces an employee, especially in the workplace, but that's just me. I didn't get the appeal of the rear-door with Tucker. Pain isn't my thing, but some might like this.

I was a little disappointed that there were lots of opportunities for humor, but nothing was funny. In one scenario the Dom Jeremy is teaching Tucker how to be dominant, That's a gimme for a funny line. But nothin'. You get straight how to enter the rear door instructions. A lost opportunity imho.

I like Black's writing style and characterizations and would seek out one of her novels to see how she writes outside of the stiff parameters of these short stories.

There are two stories in this book. Both stories had a lot of heat and sex and i can see that the stories can turn you on, but in the end they are definitely more fantasy stories, not reality. These women to me sounded like easy desperate women, having sex with three guys in one session. That is just too many penises in the room. I can see maybe a 3 some, but then two of the characters loving each other in end, not having them all love each other.

The second story i thought the woman was stupid and how she loved all the men (3 men) equally. I don't know i just don't see it. And i don't see how this could just go on for the fact that eventually jealously and all of that will come to affect the relationship more and more. Men are usually predatory and they usually want their woman to themselves, they don't want to know that all of their buddies have tapped that. I think these two writers need to start thinking about the male perspective and not just some warped woman's fantasy.

They were interesting reads, but they really didn't turn me on to the one woman and three guys scenario, the stories might have been better if it was more of a swingers story, two couples who are bored and want to spice up their relationship. That would be more believable and fun.

Four Play by Maya Banks and Shayla Black

* I received this ARC free from the author in exchange for an honest review*

This was a great pairing of two fantastic authors of erotic fiction. Both stories center around a group of four friends, 3 male and 1 female and their exploration into the unknown.

In Pillow Talk Zoe and Chase share their secret fantasies with each other. As they embark on a quest to fulfill each other's fantasies, one will take it too far and jeopardize the budding relationship that has begun.

Zoe and Chase have been together for several years and each is secure in their relationship. They live with their best friends Brody and Tate, who are also secretly in love with Zoe. Zoe is comfortable with her body and wants to please Chase so she enlists the help of their roommates to fulfill Chase's fantasy. He is stunned to realize that his girlfriend would actually consider his fantasy and wants to give her something in return. Zoe is excited when she realizes her most secret fantasy is about to come true.

Zoe is extremely worried about how their roommates will react the next day though, but things seem normal, even better. Things get complicated when another is added to the mix and feelings get hurt. Chase realizes that some things are better left in the bedroom between him and Zoe.

Zoe loves Chase and knows that their relationship is secure but she also cares very deeply for their roommates, Brody and Tate. Their situation is complex because it's not the standard relationship. They have needs that can only be met when the four of them come together. The story flows well and the build up to the fantasy is well worth the wait. I think the scenes with the four of them were beautifully written and extremely HOT. I enjoyed this story a lot.

In Her Fantasy Men Kelsey has been enjoying a nightly fantasy featuring her best friend, her boss and her neighbor. When she has the opportunity to make that fantasy a reality she doesn't know what to think, she knows her men and worries that she is making the biggest mistake of her life. She can't turn down the chance of being with all three of them at once but she knows her men and knows they don't share well. She loves them all and can't choose between them.

Tucker is her best friend and confident. They have been friends forever and she has loved him since they were kids. Jeremy is her boss and is a dominant. When he dominates her at work, it makes her Hot. She never knew she needed to be dominated before she met Jeremy. Rhys is her neighbor and savior when something breaks. They watch football together and he makes her laugh. She has fallen in love with each one of them and when she realizes they love her, she knows that she can't choose between them.

They come up with a plan to try and make things work but all it does is make everyone miserable. Kelsey can't stand hurting any of them so she takes off. Everyone is miserable, including her. She finds out something that could shatter their world and plans to see them once last time to share her news. They surprise her with a solution to the problem that will make everyone happy.

Kelsey is a strong character that has taken care of herself. She is not used to bouts of crying and that's all she's done since she slept with her men. She wants them all badly and she wants them all at the same time, this is her ultimate fantasy. Once that happens, she can never go back.

This is a story about discovering who you are and learning give and take when the issue is important. Rhys, Jeremy and Tucker have to learn to check their egos at the door where Kelsey is concerned. She needs something from each of them to make her complete.

Overall I enjoyed this book and give it 4 flaming hearts.