King of Hearts (Wonderland) [Paperback]

Cheyenne McCray (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wonderland | Publication Date: June 1, 2003

After being cheated on yet again, full-figured Alice O'Brien resolves to enjoy men sexually, refusing to involve her heart. When she tumbles down a rabbit hole, she lands in a beautiful, erotic world, surrounded by gorgeous men who relish her voluptuous curves. Men who want to tie her up and play sex games-talk about a dream come true! Only King Jarronn deliberately lured Alice to his kingdom to be his mate. He has every intention of capturing her for himself and making her his Queen of Hearts.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Romantic Times BOOKclub Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Erotic Romance/Erotica of 2003!

About the Author

Cheyenne McCray is a thirty-something wild thing at heart, with a passion for sensual romance and a happily-ever-after...but always with a twist. A University of Arizona alumnus, Chey has been writing ever since she can remember, back to her kindergarten days when she penned her first poem. She always knew that one day she would write novels, and with her love of fantasy and romance, combined with her passionate nature, erotic romance is a perfect genre for her. In addition to her adult work, Chey is also published in young adult literary fiction under another name. Chey enjoys spending time with her husband and three sons, traveling, working out at the health club, playing racquetball, and of course writing, writing, writing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Ellora's Cave (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843607514
• ISBN-13: 978-1843607519
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #474,685 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderland...where naughty things happen to those who beg for it, September 2, 2005

By 

TheSchemer "Scheme" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King of Hearts (Wonderland) (Paperback)

San Francisco native Alice O'Brien was having a crappy day...literally. After getting fired for refusing her boss's umpteenth sexual advance and being blessed by a pigeon, she comes home to find her fiancé in the midst of a ménage a trois with their landlady and another man. Fleeing to Golden Gate Park to contemplate her future, Alice decides that she's had it with men, even though she still secretly yearns for a strong, masterful man who will dominate her body and soul. But just as she is about to leave the park, Alice spots a flash of white beside a tree and, feeling a strong compulsion to investigate, finds a white, lop-eared rabbit. Just as she approaches the bunny, however, it morphs into a white tiger! (Holy Siegfried and Roy! Sorry, couldn't resist.) Reeling in shock, Alice stumbles backward, falls down a void and -- like any self-respecting heroine does in a fairy tale -- promptly passes out.

For almost two decades, King Jarronn and his brothers have sought to end the spell their evil sister Mikaela has cast on the women of Tarok, rendering them unable to conceive. Now, however, the sorceress Kalina decrees there is hope for the future -- if each of the four royal brothers chooses a bride from another world. As the Ruler of the Kingdom of Heart and High King of Tarok, Jarronn has chosen first, and now that the fair Alice has entered his realm, he looks forward to introducing her to the ways of his world.

From the moment her eyes open in this new land, Alice knows she's not in Kansas...er, San Francisco, anymore. Heck, she's not even on Earth! The clouds in the sky are green and blue, the fauna and flora are all different and, oh yeah, the natives run around naked, wearing chains and getting flogged. Then there's Jarronn, a man straight out of her wildest dream, who wants her to call him Milord as he trains her to be a good little Submissive. Trapped in a bondage fantasyland, Alice is about to fulfill every one of her innermost fantasies...and then some.

Take a dash of fairy tale, add a sprinkle of fantasy and pour on the kink and you end up in Cheyenne McCray's Wonderland, where naughty things happen to those who beg for it. The first of a series featuring the four kings of Tarok, THE KING OF HEARTS is an adult's bedtime story. A super alpha hero, a submissive-waiting-to-happen heroine and a BDSM inspired world all blend together to create a highly imaginative tale, complete with a whip-carrying dominatrix villainess. Definitely not for everyone, readers who like to explore the boundaries of eroticism (and have a high threshold for pleasure/pain) will enjoy the lush landscape and vivid sexual escapades that come to life in Ms. McCray's purple prose.

The Schemer

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Innovative and Award Winning - Should Not Be Missed!, February 21, 2004

By 

A Bookaholic "a1chick" (Clinton, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King of Hearts (Wonderland) (Paperback)

RT BOOKclub Best Erotic Romance & Erotica for 2003 says plenty, however, add to that the fact that McCray has a fantastic selection of offerings at Ellora's Cave and here on Amazon and is an inventive, creative and unique writer and you have yourself a true gem that should not be missed!

Wonderland: King of Hearts is the first book in a four part series [all complete] with possibilities of future stories that could spread out from this new world makes this edition a must have for your collection.

Alice is on the plump side, or so society says, the baggage that comes with not being model slim and you have yourself the heroine. Bring her over to a new world where she meets Jarronn, King of Hearts, who will do anything to make her see the woman he sees, appreciates, lusts after...well, you get the idea - this is McCray and a top Ellora's Cave author at their best.

Growth and the awareness of an individuals unique qualities and how wonderful those are feature well within the series - but Alice will speak for many with the challenges she faces, and wow, with Jarron at her side that route is quite a steamy read. Did I mention the magic, sexy weretigers, castles, special potions and, umm, a desire for being tied up and some fun sex games? Well, you will have to find those out for yourself - I refuse to give any of this unique endeavor away, it must be enjoyed by the reader!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but you have to..., April 11, 2006

By 

Jenn "jenncw" (SoCal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King of Hearts (Wonderland) (Paperback)

...understand/like/be intrigued by lifestyle BDSM. This isn't a nice fantasy with a little domination, a little spanking. What the heroine and the hero want is a Master/slave relationship in a complete lifestyle manner, and that means his absolute control of all aspects of her life, including eye contact, clothing, food, where she goes, what she does, everything. They aren't playing at anything, this is complete Domination and submission, and it is intense and emotional, even a bit draining. It is a lot harder core, not pornographically speaking, but in terms of the depth of Alice's submission, than I expected to find. The author obviously did her homework, and understands a bit about the psychology of relationships like this, so it is tastefully handled. It isn't my cup of tea, really, and I don't find it erotic, but many people do.

That said, I do feel that the author developed the world and the unusual (for a romance) relationship, but didn't spend quite enough time on the characters. The King of Hearts remained distant and unreachable, and I didn't get the feeling that he really loved Alice. While there was a deep emotional connection, related to the trust of a sucessful Dom/sub relationship, I didn't sense love or actual passion for each other, just for the roles that both had always wanted filled in their lives.