Customer Reviews

Laid Bare

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I loved this book for its brutal honesty. This story confronts many stereotypes from peoples prejudice against pierced and tattooed rock stars to "deviant sexuality". Dane captured the struggle many people feel about their interest in BDSM, the shame and confusion it can bring as well as showing the wonderful possibilities that can occur when it's overcome, as well as the pain of trying to stifle that side of yourself. She comprehends the difference between an abusive relationship and the love and trust that can come from a true partnership.
This story also tackles a m/m/f menage in a situation where none of the players intended. In most m/m/f stories the men have a history of sharing, or have already determined they are looking for a female to complete them. The hesitancy and growing feelings, as well as fears and doubts of all three involved is insightful and touching.
Dane also shows an amazing ability to understand the fear that can live on in someones life after a tragic life altering event. Many people do not understand true Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and how it can affect every facet of someones life. Often people expect you to move on and don't understand how fears can live on and never be truly vanquished.

I fell in love with artsy-fartsy little freak Erin, stoic and tough Todd, and arrogant and sensitive Ben. Lauren Dane did not write a story where every thing was perfect, while there is the happy ending we all love it wasn't perfect. Which is what the best writers do, because life is not perfect. There is joy and laughter as well as pain and tears.

This was a very long story. But wonderful, nonetheless. It spanned over a length of time and many events. It touched on so many subjects, I have to give author credit for her creativity and her commitment to the overall message in the book.

It seems the first half of the book was basically the love story between Erin and Todd. Then very eloquently, Ben was brought in to the relationship and it became a love story between all three of them. Through it all Erin was finding her way again after such a horrible time in her life. Lots of secondary characters. Lauren Dane is brilliant at bringing friends and family characters together to get us emotionally invested in all of them. I thought it was both realistic and unfortunate how things played out when their respective families found out about their triad relationship. It makes sense that not all of them would be okay with it. Its just sad that they lost some close relationships along the way because of their inability to accept it. And these men, wowza! They were fabulous. A perfect mix of alpha male potency and gentle tenderness and understanding. Side note: when it says "explicit sex scenes", it really means that! Hot hot hot!!!

I absolutely love LD's books. All of them. But I can honestly say I haven't loved the male characters this much since the Chase brothers. Fantastic men!! (no criticism to the other males in her books)....I just haven't felt the warm and fuzzies to this degree for the males since that other amazing series. Well done. Can't wait for Brody's story next!!

Lauren Dane did it again! Laid Bare just was released Aug 4th and I was sure to order it right away because I just love her writing and the characters she creates.

Okay enough pimpage on Lauren Dane the author and let me talk about her book Laid Bare. I love Rock Music and in this book the main female character, Erin Brown, is a rock star. This book features a lot of music and you really get the musician vibe. The book starts out when she is just young (24) and just beginning. The book jumps forward 10 years after solidifying the essence of the plot. She is uber cool, confident, has gorgeous tattoos and is an amazing bass guitarist. We are also introduced to the main male character, Todd Keenan at the beginning of the book. They are neighbours and they are crazy about each other. On the outside they appear very different. Her rock star image to his clean cut police officer. They break up as Todd can't admit to who he really is inside and she refuses to allow herself to apologize for who she is.

Todd has this image in his head of a good cop, pretty wife, 2.5 kids and the white picket fence thing.

10 years later, she has left the public view of the music industry and Todd is divorced from the woman that matched his criteria. They meet back up and are immediately drawn to each other. Now Todd is confident with who he is but Erin has changed. Something incredibly awful has happened to Erin and the main reason she left the public eye.

What I really liked about this story is that the couple got together almost right away and the involvement of the book was their growing together to overcome the nightmare that happened to Erin.

The book took a surprising twist as a third male came into the story. Ben Copeland is Todd's best friend and is a long time childhood buddy. He is now Todd's business partner in their security firm because Todd left the police force. Slowly but surely Ben becomes involved with them as a triage and the love that the three share is heart warming. I swear! It's not like sex sex sex and a there, we have a threesome.

I love how Lauren uses sex to enhance the story. If you looking for a dripping wet sex book on ménage, then this is not the book. Yes there are hot ménages, but they are meaningful, loving and even there is some fun. I love that Lauren even inserts arguements.

The book deals with alot of issues. Relationships, dominance/submissive, self esteem, family, sexuality, death, grief, fame, communication, sex...the list goes on because it is all here.

Warning: light BDSM, sex, ménage between M/F/M but it does have some light M/M

Erin is a tough, confident woman in all aspects of her life. Todd is confident except for his sexuality. Raw passionate connection develops between the two, scaring Todd and sending him running for the hills. Ten years later, a little growing up and soul deep scars later and they reconnect. This time fully committing to the relationship that feels all too right. Ben is Todds best friend and bisexual. Once Todd fully accepts his need for a D/s relationship and feels comfortable with trying new things and not feeling embarrassed or wrong for doing so. Ben admits to Todd that he use to be in a triad relationship and offers to be a third if they ever wanted it. I never understood how a man, a protective/possessive man, could allow another man to share with his female. This book made me understand it showed a triad relationship in a whole new light. Ben is Todds best friend since second grade he loves Todd and respects his love with Erin. Things develop from there, accepting eachother, everyone in love with eachother equally sharin one another. It was sexy, romantic and a sweet romance. Very touching romance, all the while settling into their new lives and dealing with past scars.

I think it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that all of Lauren Dane's covers are amazing. I love it when a cover actually reflects the characters described in the book and they got it right on this one for sure. The hair, the tat--perfect. That is definitely my Erin and the lovely gentleman with her could be my Todd or Ben.

I loved the well developed characters and relationships in this story but Erin, by far, was my favorite. She is bold, self assured and completely comfortable in her skin. Although vulnerable and emotionally fragile after a heartbreaking loss that might have ruined some women, Erin is a survivor. She is strong, and not so foolish as to think she can recover from her loss alone. She embraces her relationships and calls on their strength to support her through the delicate process of healing and reconciliation.

It took me a little longer to read this book than usual. Not because it was a particularly long book, but mostly because I felt like I needed to let my eyebrows grow back between reading sessions. Yes, it was that hot! But beyond a highly erotic read this was a story about love, relationships, raw emotion and sexuality, grief and reconciliation. I think one of the things I liked best was the strong family relationships. So many times we see broken heroes or heroines with little or no family ties forced to turn to their romantic relationships for support. It was refreshing to read about good strong supportive families dealing with the unexpected curve balls life inevitably throws.

Erin Brown makes no apologies for her wild, rocker appearance or her devil may care attitude. She loves making music and the magical feeling she gets just by stepping onto a stage. If the group never makes it beyond small, local rock clubs she'd still be happy. She's free-spirited with a love for life and a passion for neighbor Todd that can't be denied.

Todd Keenan is equally attracted to Erin but she's not even remotely the type of woman he'd normally go for - besides they're worlds apart. He's a cop and likes country music; she's a rocker with tattoos. He has no doubt the sex between them would be explosive but doesn't believe they have anything more substantial that could bring them together.

Erin and Todd come together with a passion so intense that it seems like nothing could come between them. However, their differences prove to be too much to overcome and they go their separate ways and travel down different life paths.

It's been ten years since Erin and Todd last saw each other and he's forced to admit that he made a mistake breaking things off with Erin. The feelings between them are as strong as ever but Erin's suffered a personal tragedy and has erected a self protective barrier to protect herself from more heartache. Todd is determined to win Erin's trust - along with her heart, but is he prepared for everything that being with Erin will entail? Erin's never been one to live life according to what society deems acceptable so her Dom/sub relationship with Todd doesn't faze her a bit. However, when Todd's best friend, Ben, is welcomed into their bed they embark on a relationship which none of them is willing to attempt to define but all find mutually satisfying.

Lauren Dane's LAID BARE is a uniquely satisfying read that touches the reader's heart through the characters plights. Erin's appearance is outlandish but that's definitely part of her charm. Todd is your typical clean cut man who's trying to fit into what's expected of him, but he enjoys being dominant with his sexual partner and isn't comfortable with this side of himself at first. Erin's tragedy broke my heart and left me with tears in my eyes but at the same time you can see the strength and determination that she possesses. What I especially love about LAID BARE is how Ms. Dane brings each character to life with distinctive personalities and problems yet she's able to mesh them so that you can care about them as individuals. LAID BARE is a fantastic read on many different levels but it's the way the story speaks to your heart that cements it as a `must read' title.

COMING UNDONE, the sequel to LAID BARE, is due for release in January 2010. I can hardly wait to find out what happens next and which characters will be involved. I have to confess I adored them all but I'm really hoping for a story for Brody, Erin's older brother and a tattoo artist, and his on-again-off-again girlfriend Raven.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

I have never written a review before, but I loved this book so much that I just had to say something. The book had me from the get-go, as a younger Todd left something behind because he couldn't accept a part of himself. Erin was comfortable in her own skin and walked away. Later the dynamic shifts, after each deals with life experiences I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. They love in both an emotionally satisfying way and in a very sexy, hot-read way. I was very drawn to Ben as well. It would have been easy for Ms. Dane to leave his character a bit flat. But she comes through with a man loveable in his own right. This book will stay in the permanent collection. Thanks, Ms. Dane!

This is a story of submissive rocker bassist Erin, who has a brief relationship with closet dom cop Todd. They reconnect a decade later after failed marriages and life-altering events. Then they invite friend Ben into their relationship.

Pros: The first half of this book focused on the Todd/Erin relationship was really good. The characterization of Todd and Erin were great. They were well-developed, and thoughtfully and emotionally portrayed. I loved the 10-year jump in time and the differences in personalities from past to present. The physical descriptions, especially of Erin, were very good. I liked the post-traumatic stress thread used throughout the book. I liked reading about Todd's self-discovery. The sex scenes were well done and varied. The m/f, the m/m and m/m/f were all fabulous. Also this has the best cover art I've seen in a long time; the artist really paid attention to the character descriptions.

Cons: Ben wasn't given a POV until very late, even though we'd seen him in many prior scenes. As a major character, it would have been nice to give him a POV on introduction--and introduce him a lot sooner. Ben definitely needed more development, in fact, I'm not really sure why Ben was added into the story except to be able to have the ménage scenes or lengthen the book. The Todd/Erin/Ben relationship needed a lot more development; I'm not sure why Todd and Erin liked Ben so much. I also think it needed more humor, there are lots of opportunities in a ménage for a laugh or two, but this was pretty serious throughout. The Caroline situation was interesting, but was dropped.

Nitpicky writing cons: A sloppy use of character names. "Bill" was the Copeland patriarch and another "Bill" was Ella's abuser. They showed up within a few pages of each other. "Ella" and "Erin" were used together frequently; each has an "E" and four letters, would have been better to change "Ella" to "Michelle" or something just to make it easier to read. The POVs shifted often and it could get confusing. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was saying what and I had to reread several conversations. Yeah, this is nitpicky and Dane can flip me the bird on her way to the bank, but I do notice these things and it slows down my reading.

I know my con list seems long, but overall this was a pretty good read, just a better first half pre-Ben, than second half. This is the only Dane I've read and I do recommend her collaborations with Megan Hart in "No Reservations" and especially "Taking Care of Business".

Laid Bare starts with it being 10 years ago. Erin is in a band with her brother. She has dreads, piercings and tattoos. Todd is the hot neighbor who can't keep his eyes off of her. They are complete opposites but are totally attracted to each other. Todd and Erin finally give into the attraction and start having a sexual relationship. But Todd's refusal to give in to what he really wants pushes Erin away. Fast forward 10 years later and Todd is back in Seattle, ready to reclaim Erin and be the man he always wanted to be.

Laid Bare is a sizzling, smokin hot love story with characters you believe in and are rooting for. I was drawn in from the first page and could not put it down. The writing is fantastic. The characters are realistic. The story of what Erin went through during the 10 years she wasn't with Todd will have your heart aching. She's relatable as a woman who experienced the worst loss possible and who is trying to continue on with her life with the help of her sexy brothers, Brody and Adrian.

There are a lot of sexy men in Erin's life and she is one lucky woman. Not only are they sexy but they are also supportive. When Todd and Erin decide to bring Todd's best friend, Ben, into their relationship, the book gets even steamier (if that's possible). Now that Todd has lifted the veil off of his sexuality, he starts to see Ben in a different light. Ben has always been bisexual but never made any moves towards his best bud. As they move forward in this unconventional relationship, Todd and Ben slowly start getting more intimate with each other, which Erin wholeheartedly encourages. I was hoping for more m/m action between Todd and Ben. Even though I wanted to see them take it to the next level, the progression of their relationship was real and believable.

I absolutely loved Laid Bare. It held my attention from start to finish. It is such a great book. If you want to read a book that has realistic characters, hot sex and threesomes, light m/m love and sexy protective brothers, then Laid Bare is the book for you.

After reading a couple of heavy hitting Urban Fantasy books I wanted some light sexy books, I looked through my library and settled on the Lauren Dane books I had been hoarding. FictionVixen loves herself some Lauren Dane and she hasn't steered me wrong yet, so it was settled. Of course I had some reading comprehension issues that day and mistakenly read Coming Undone before Laid Bare, but no harm was done as they stand on their own. Laid Bare and Coming Undone are not a series, but they are related as they are focused on a small group of friends and family. You can read one without the other, but why would you? They are too good to pass up on.

Laid Bare focuses on Erin Brown, a tough non nonsense sort of chick who has been put through hell and is somehow still standing. Erin struggles to get through each day pushing the loss she has suffered down and out of the way. The fates have plans for her tho and one day strong, sexy, dominant Todd Keenan walks back into her life after more than 10 years have passed. Todd Keenan has returned to his hometown after 10 years and a divorce, finally ready to be comfortable with who he is. When he walks into a small cafe to find the only woman to ever accept his dark desires sparks fly and the two embark on a wicked path of burning hot sex and unexpected emotional twists and turns. Things are only made more exciting, and complicated, when the couple find themselves intrigued and interested in adding Ben Copeland to their bed.

I absolutely loved Laid Bare. Words can not express exactly how much I loved this book. Lauren Dane blew my socks off and clear out of my house with the dominating and sexy Todd Keenan, and later Ben Copeland. To say that the sex scenes in this book were steamy is an understatement... they were an inferno unlike anything I have read so far. But Laid Bare is about more than just sex, Lauren Dane has a talent for creating endearing characters you wish you knew in real life. The sense of family and friendship she writes into this story compliment the plot perfectly and give the characters added dimension and depth. The emotional development between all three main characters was a joy to read.

My one complaint is that I felt the ending dragged on a smidge. I felt like I had my happy ending a good 50 pages before the end of the book and the rest could have been cut and I would have still been happy. Those last 50 pages do have value, i just wonder if they should have been rearranged to happen sooner.

I'm convinced Lauren Dane somehow downloaded all of the things that make me tingle from my head and put them into this book... Erin even has pink hair! If you like steamy sex scenes featuring dirty men and their dominating ways, you will not want to miss Laid Bare - just make sure you have a high speed fan nearby to cool you off.