Customer Reviews

Menage (Cheek)

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I read a lot of erotica, sadly, a lot of it is just lame. The sex is not interesting, the characters are stilted, the story is flimsy and just exists to jump from one sex scene to the next and the dialog makes me cringe.

Thank goodness for writers like Emma Holly who know how to write sexy books - as in books with well written and hot sex in them but are literate and stand out as more than just a series of sexual encounters.

Kate Winthrop lives with two young men, Joe and Sean who are in a relationship. Kate comes home to find them having sex in her bedroom and when Sean teasingly invites her, she jumps at the chance and the three of them begin a relationship.

I can't say that I've really sought out a book with homoerotica in it, this book changed my perspective and although I've since read other books with gay (male) scenes, none of them have been as sexy as the ones Holly wrote in Menage.

So thanks Emma! Keep em comin! (no pun intended)

This book was my first stroll into the erotica section of the bookstore, and what an introduction! I read the whole thing in about one night.
Not only was the sex between Joe, Sean, and Katy hot, but I really liked them as characters. In the space of a few hundred pages Ms. Holly manages to create characters with amazing depth and dynamic. So not only was I rooting for them during the intense loves scenes, but also for them to all be happy in the end.
I loved the ending too. I kept trying to figure out how this menage could possibly end for the three, and I must say not only was I suprised by the turn of events, I was delighted.
I think that I'll trip over to the bookstore now and look at the other books in the Black Lace line.

When Kate Winthrop discovers her two male boarders in a romantic tryst in her bedroom, she accepts their offer to join them and thus begins an adventure for all three. Kate, a successful bookstore owner, finds herself attracted to the dominating, masterful Sean, who takes liberties with her body, but from whom Kate keeps her heart and soul at a safe distance. With Joe, Kate finds a sensitive, giving partner, one who cares for her needs and works to heal her from the wounds of her miserable marriage and divorce. This was my first Black Lace book, and I can see why they have such a following. The sex is hot - definitely some of the best written - but not at the expense of a good plot and character development. Kate is a character we all can identify with - smart, sexy, but emotionally gun-shy from a bad relationship. Both Joe and Sean are truly likeable characters, and appealing to me for different reasons. The combination is a one-two punch.

I can not imagine, page for page, packing more sex into a book and still maintain some semblance of a story line, but, I guess I should have expected this from one of the USA's best and hottest 'erotic' lit writers today.

I have to qualify 'erotic' since this book is not really eortic in the classic sense but rather an 'in your face' marathon sex race. The amazing thing is that it's so well written and scrumptious that you will not put it down. Definitely it's written from a strong woman's point of view as our heroine gets to squeeze her way into a sexual relationship with her two young hunk boarders. Note that I didn't use that 'homo' word, cause these two guys are probably what women would dream that homosexuals are like.

Real life ain't like that, but, who cares we buy these books to get a look at real life ... I think NOT.

OK so I loved the book and I think that Kate, Sean and Joe have to get gold medals if they ever make sex part of the Olympics.

This was my first contemporary erotic romance book, and my, my, my, thank you Ms. Holly! I would categorize this as learning a little something about foreplay or bedplay for men versus the usual sensual focal point, after finding true love, being for the woman's gratification and arousal in a romance novel.

This was an unconventional way I learned a lot about sensitive, poignant hot spots for men other than the obvious - being that I gained my insight through a ménage trio (two men and a woman) romance book. I was so intrigued; I actually researched a lot of what Emma Holly described as sexually arousing for men and surprisingly found several of her `procedures' confirmed by well known, reputable sex/relationship advisors. There was one scene with an additional couple (male and female), but they were more so involved with setting the ambiance for the trio and being onlookers rather than participants in a ménage cinq (five) with everyone having sex with each other - an orgy. Although the three main characters quickly jump into bed together, they immediately make a commitment to each other; to only have sex amongst them until the relationship dissolves - when Joe follows his acting career to New York.

Believe it or not, this is a very good romantic story in which three people unrepentantly and expectantly fall in with each other; an older woman, Kate (who prefers masturbation to meaningless relationships with men she doesn't really desire) and two dynamic younger men (one aggressive dominant bi-sexual who prefers men (Sean) and the other a gentler considerate bi-sexual (Joe) who prefers one woman - Kate). Given the number of sex scenes, their stamina was incredible; while the scenes themselves were quite ingenious and erotic.

Sean and Joe's creative role playing was very entertaining at times. I'm not into spankings / whips and bondage; however, Kate's quick wit and spontaneity in even this one instance really turned the tables on bad boy, always needing to be in control Sean and added extra depth to the success of their remaining "fantasies" in the long run. Kate's maturity and ability to read into her roles during various scenes, helped Sean and Joe confront deeper emotional weaknesses and disappointments from their pasts.

All and all, this is NOT for the squeamish, nor the politically correct, traditionally descriptive sexual encounters between lovers. It IS for those who are open-minded and ready for a romantic read on the realistic wild side - forbidden sex.

It is impossible to pick up Menage and not immediatly fall in love with the characters. Kate is smart, sexy and adventurous, Joe is sensitive, caring, and creative, and Sean is your typical misunderstood badboy. Te sex was some of the hottest I had ever read but it was seamlessly immeshed with a tender love-triangle story. Every person will be rooting for a different character but in the end you want it to successfuly work out for all of them. If you have never read a black lace book I strongly urge you to begin with this one. This book has made Emma Holly my favorite black lace author! P.S. also catch Cooking up a Storm and The Top of Her Game!

Granted I had not been reading erotica for long when I bought this book, but I was immediately intrigued and could not put the book down. Since that time, I have lent it to three people who were each compelled to read it in one sitting. Somehow, Holly manages to create well-defined characters with great dialog while still having a lot of fantasically great sex. Her characters, scenes, etc. are all quite believable and yet her book moves you into this almost dreamlike erotica. It is your fantasies made real and tangible. Her sex scenes are very stimulating without being overdone and the reader is not made to feel bombarded with "meaningless" or even too much sex (like in Rice's Sleeping Beauty series). Because of this, the reader stays actively engaged in the book throughout the story and has a vested interest in the outcome of the characters. I loved this book and went out to buy all the rest of her erotica. Unfortunately, some is hard to find or out of print but I keep hoping they will be re-released. I have also read Cooking Up a Storm and Personal Assets as was just as satisfied with those books. I am an avid reader of romance and romance erotica and Holly has been put on the favorite author list with the likes of Robin Schone, Jennifer Crusie, Laura Kinsale, Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Judith Ivory, Julie Garwood, etc. My husband has read her books as well (he reads mystery, adventure and fantasy) and he enjoyed them as much as I did (wink, wink). Thanks Emma and keep the books coming. Also, she has a great website for anyone who is considering writing erotica or even wants great reading recommendations.

Emma Holly's Menage is my first Black Lace book and I'm hooked! This book grabbed me from the first page and wouldn't let go until I turned the last page. Menage is very well written, wonderfully erotic with plenty of HOT sex. Bad boy Sean, sweet sensitive Joe and the sexy Kate are all very likeable characters and I found myself rooting for them all to win in this threesome that Kate felt was doomed to fail from the start. But why not enjoy it while it lasts Kate wonders, and pray no one gets hurt in the process? If you have not read this book, do yourself a favor and find it!

This is the first Black Lace book I bought. Because it was so good, I've bought more, but none measure up to this one. It is incredibly erotic, the characters are likeable, and the sex scenes are by turns fun, sweet, sweaty and varied. I've read other Emma Holly books, but none of them have the same combination of uninhibited sex with characters that you actually care about, although Cooking Up a Storm comes closest. Although unrealistic (of course!), there were actual emotional and psychological ramifications to the characters actions. And you won't be able to put this down if you've ever had a secret fantasy about your sexy gay friends suddenly looking at you and deciding to be a bit experimental....

Wow. First off, if you're a little bent, like me, and you like the idea of m/f/m scenes, and m/m scenes as much as f/m scenes, as well as a little D/s then this is the book for you.

Kate is a little older and wiser after a marriage which saw her husband eloping with her best friend's daughter. She's building a book store aimed at romance lovers with this friend and is letting two rooms in her giant house to Joe and Sean, college students and "gay" lovers.

Kate has the hots for Joe, tall, dark and beta, and he is attracted to her, but only short, blonde and alpha Sean can see it and gets them together, with him directing the hot action.

They live as a threesome and honestly deal with jealousy issues as well as love and emotional needs. It follws the characters through many life phases and you find yourself really emotionally invested in all three.

The sex scenes are really hot and Holly, as usual, knows how to build the anticipation before every encounter.

Holly is one of the best writers I have ever seen, in any genre, and her erotica is so well done you will want to read her romance and sci/fi romance novels.

We see the three characters all come of age in very different ways, as Kate learns that love is not something you can force, Joe learns love is something that doesn't consume you, and Sean learns love is found where you least expect it.

It reads like a romance novel, even ending with a wedding, but the triumverate remains and you'll root for it.

Enjoy!