3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Four scintillating erotic short stories..., December 1, 2008
This review is from: Secrets, Vol. 25: Wicked Delights (Paperback)
It is no secret that Red Sage Publishing consistently nabs some very talented romance authors for their popular series of SECRETS anthologies. SECRETS VOLUME 25 continues that trend admirably, with four wonderful novellas by some great writers.
~BLOOD HUNT by Cynthia Eden~
Take one bad boy bounty hunter who is down on his luck and turn him loose on one irresistible vampiress with an insatiable hunger. The combination makes for one dangerously sexy story that is sure to please lovers of paranormal romance.
Slade was hired to track and capture a serial killer by the name of Nema. He is more than willing to bring the murderess down. Then he meets her. Suddenly, everything isn't quite so clear cut, and his gut tells him this woman is no killer. He begins to suspect that he is being set up.
Nema was turned only six months ago, then abandoned by the vampire who made her. Since then her `life' has been a struggle to keep her blood hunger at bay, stay one step ahead of the evil scientists trying to capture her, and figure out how to navigate her new life as a vampire.
When Slade enters her life, she finds he stirs both her blood hunger and her sexual lust, and she can't resist him. But can she trust him, or will he betray her at first opportunity?
Cynthia Eden has become a name that I look for on a book cover, and I knew I wanted this anthology the moment I saw she had a story in it. BLOOD HUNT will undoubtedly build her reputation as a talented author of paranormal romance even further.
I felt the chemistry between Nema and Slade from the very beginning, and ached for them to consummate their attraction as soon as possible. I didn't have to wait too long - that's the beauty of a short story - and the passion this pair experienced together was more than satisfying.
Even more satisfying was the connection they made outside of the physical. The moment they meet, they both feel the pull, and the growing bond is more than sexual. Neither of them hesitates to protect the other when the situation calls for it, and each is willing to sacrifice for the other.
~SCANDALOUS BEHAVIOR by Anne Rainey~
Tess is a butterfly waiting to break free from her cocoon. Her secret lust for her boss Kevin finally reaches critical mass, and she resolves to finally spread her wings and take a chance on the man who never seems to notice her the way a man does a woman.
Kevin has more than noticed Tess. In fact, he tries hard not to. Even with those drab wool suits, he can't seem to stop thinking about what she is hiding under those boring clothes. But his position as her boss prevents him from acting on that attraction.
When she shows up in his office dressed to kill and intent on seduction, he is powerless to resist her allure. One short tryst will never be enough, but can this confirmed bachelor convince Tess that he wants more with her?
Anne Rainey is another author I follow, and the other reason I snatched this anthology up as soon as possible. I would recommend any of her stories so far, and SCANDALOUS BEHAVIOR is at the top of my list of favorites from Ms. Rainey.
When the story begins, Tess presents herself as a dowdy, no-nonsense professional, hiding behind ugly, shapeless clothes. She admires Kevin from afar, even while working closely with him day in and day out. Her growing attraction for him finally reaches a point where she must make a change. Being a take-charge person, she opts for a make-over.
This reaction makes Tess a woman we can look up to. She isn't the sort to wallow in her own self-doubt. Instead she works to effect a major change for the better in her own life, a wonderful example for us all. It is no wonder Kevin falls for her...
As for Kevin, I have to say it was absolutely delicious watching this man fall under Tess's spell so completely. Yeah, he tried to deny that he was in love, but it is definitely a losing battle. Oh how the mighty do fall, and how we do enjoy reading it!
~ENTER THE HERO by Sedonia Guillone~
Kass and Lian have lived their lives in captivity under the new government regime. They fell in love when they were still children, and every plan they've made since then has been with the intention of staying together. An attempted escape lands them in sexual slavery, forced to perform at any time, for anyone, and with anyone.
Be it Fate or Luck, somehow they manage to stay together even in this den of iniquity, finally able to consummate their love physically, even while they must hide the fact that they actually have feelings for each other. As their sexual performances together gain them popularity, they soon have another chance to escape to Paradise, outside the clutches of their captors. But if they don't succeed in escaping, the sentence will surely be fatal...
Sedonia Guillone paints a gloomy picture of a futuristic world in which one diabolical pair has somehow seized power and reshaped society to suit their own depraved desires. This new world caters to the wealthy even more than before, and those without money are quite literally slaves to those who do have it.
You would think that such a life would erode any hope that the lower citizens might have for a better life, but love truly does conquer all. With the bond that forms between Kass and Lian in early childhood, they both find someone to live for, to make a better life with. That love pushes them each to persevere where they may have given up had they only themselves to consider.
No matter what obstacles are thrown in their path, this pair forge on - always together. They fight so hard for their love and freedom that you become fully invested in their plight. When they finally do reach that happy ending, it as satisfying as if it were your own.
~UP TO NO GOOD by Natasha Moore~
Allie came to town with one goal in mind - find and interview the elusive Simon MacKenzie, the writer who abandoned a highly successful and influential career to disappear into anonymity.
A hot lead on his current whereabouts land her in the middle of the Jolly Roger, a neighborhood bar owned by the sexy `Mac', with whom she clashes from the get-go. But their banter is a thin disguise for the attraction simmering between them.
But Mac turns out to be none other than THE Simon MacKenzie, the subject of Allie's article. Will they give in to their mutual desire? Can Allie convince Simon to divulge the secret that made him abandon his writing? Will Allie's pursuit of his secrets drive Simon away for good?
Until this anthology, I had never read Natasha Moore, but she is an author I will definitely be reading more of soon! I was very impressed with her novella, UP TO NO GOOD. The title itself intrigued me, and the story was just wonderful.
The banter between Allie and Mac is fantastic - I couldn't get enough of it. This pair will certainly keep each other on their toes for the rest of their lives.
Allie is delightfully irrepressible - a fact that simultaneously intrigues and worries Mac. He can't wait to see what she comes up with next, but he also fears she will not rest until she exposes his dark secret. Her penchant for ordering sexy bar drinks from him wreaks havoc on his libido, and leaves the reader laughing with each double entendre exchanged.
Mac is simply a great guy. Misguided, sure, but a really stand-up friend. He lets his past rule his present, and tries to keep himself apart from others, afraid he will be betrayed again, or worse, they'll discover his secret and know the truth about who he is. Of course, Mac, like many of us, is much harder on himself than anyone else would be. It takes Allie's unique perspective to help him overcome that past.
UP TO NO GOOD is a fun little romance whose lightness compliments the real depth of the story. I would bet that Natasha Moore finds herself with quite a few new fans after this gem releases.
**Courtesy of Wild on Books**
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