6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Something Missing, May 25, 2007
This review is from: Gotta Have It (Paperback)
Gotta Have It by Renee Alexis is a collection of three short stories. In each story, the women are in control. Caroline meets Marc after last seeing the love of her life in high school. Marliss owns a massage parlor (so to speak) and meets Commander Carrington when he comes in to her establishment to be serviced by one of her employees . Finally, Arlene, a college student, meets her soon to be college professor by accident and the sparks fly.
Although the sex scenes were steamy, I found the storyline in each of these short stories to be a little unrealistic. For instance, several years after high school, Caroline is still pining for Marc. Although they only had one sexual encounter in high school, her body is still hot for Marc even though she is a grown woman in her thirties. In the second story, although the main character, Marliss is a massage parlor owner/prostitute, the Base Commander takes one look at her and instantly falls in love. Because he was portrayed as this nice, level-headed and polite brother, it was difficult to believe that he would instantly make a prostitute his wife. Since the story lacked the development to make this relationship believable, it made storyline completely unrealistic for me.
With plots that are a little more believable, Alexis has the makings of an excellent erotic writer. Despite my opinion on her lack of plot development, I look forward to reading other works from her in the future.
T. RHYTHM KNIGHT
APOOO BookClub
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lacked emotion, February 20, 2006
This review is from: Gotta Have It (Paperback)
Reacquainted
No one looks forward to a four hour delay, but modeling agency owner Caroline Pierce finds a way to liven up her airport wait. While wondering what to do, Caroline unexpectedly spies former high school sweetheart turned Major League Baseball star, Marc Brown. He is definitely something to do! In high school things didn't work out for brainy Caroline and jock Marc. Now, they are older, wiser, and have a second chance. Both are eager to see what takes flight when their passionate fire rekindles.
Of the three stories, Reacquainted is the best. Caroline and Marc are both engaging. More than just sexual heat, the pair share a true emotional connection rooted in the past. With real feeling and blazing hot sex, Reacquainted is a quick, satisfying read.
Atten-tion!
Located near Fort Benning Army Base, Marliss Tanner's massage parlor provides some much needed stress relief to countless GI's. Indeed, the women of the Sensation Station always deliver a happy ending! At the top of her game, Marliss knows how to work it. That is, until she meets the new Base Commander, David Allen Carrington. Smooth talking and drop dead gorgeous, David causes Marliss to forget the golden rule: never fall for a client. David's pursuit and sexual prowess are more than Marliss can handle. Will David lead her down a path to ruin that she has traveled before, or can he show her a new path to happiness?
Atten-tion! gave me some problems. Although told in first person, I had trouble relating to Marliss. While I felt her attraction to David, I never felt their emotional connection. David was hot and commanding, but little else. It struck me as odd that he continued his appointments with another working girl as he pursued Marliss. David's tale, for the most part, remains untold. A good hooker-john love story needs more complexity and exploration of the inherent issues than Atten-tion! offers.
A Note to Mr. Fine
Professor Aaron Ford is known among his female students as Mr. Fine. His Penn State writing and performing seminars are a hot ticket and have given starts to numerous talented young writers. On the way to their first Mr. Fine class, sophomore Arlene Cannon and her best friend are caught in a downpour. Much to the ladies' delight, they find a scrumptious man with a cab to share. Instantly attracted, Arlene has no idea the delicious Aaron Ford is in fact Mr. Fine. Aware of the conflict of interest, Aaron is powerless to resist the beautiful Arlene. She's not really his student yet, right? With the seminar postponed a day, Aaron and Arlene explore their mutual desire. Once classes begin, though, Aaron firmly draws the line between teacher and student. How can Aaron ignore the temptation that Arlene provokes?
A Note to Mr. Fine was my least favorite story. Arlene, only interested in a man's bank account, is immature and unappealing. She is downright mean to her best friend. She never displayed any personal growth or anything else to make her more likable. I didn't think she deserved a happy ending. Arlene simply stumbles upon a hot guy with money who is also hot for her. There was very little emotional depth in the couple's relationship. There were a couple of hot scenes, but they only provide some titillation. Without a compelling story, those erotic moments provide no real satisfaction.
Gotta Have It is like too many anthologies. There is one decent story, but unfortunately not much more. Any sensual heat was dampened by a distinct lack of emotion, thus leaving these sexually explicit tales wooden, perfunctory, and unbelievable.
Cheryl
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
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