Customer Reviews

Sexy Beast III (Aphrodisia) (No. 3)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Chanku Journey" by Kate Douglas

Shannon, Jake and Baylor have bonded as Chanku. They decide to take a motorcycle trip cross-country for their friend Lucien's wedding in San Francisco. Along the way, they will clarify and define their relationship. As well as, help some old and new friends.

Chanku Journey was a well-constructed tale of shapeshifters and their loves. It is, however, a story that jumps around as you are reading it. There are three stories intertwined and it does detract from the main relationship between Shannon, Jake and Baylor. The myriad of characters goes from one story to another with all parties ending up at the same wedding. Ms. Douglas does give plenty of background on all relationships and characters. As well, Chanku Journey is chock full of interesting sex. I enjoyed Chanku Journey, but ended with a feeling that there were three stories in one and I wanted to read each separately.

"Kiss of the Dragon" by Lacy Danes

Chester Shields is a sexy 300-year-old dragon shifter. He is more than the cute guy working in the next cubicle. While on assignment from the Royals, he finds Nora, his first mate in over 200 years. It is lust at first sight for both of them. Now all Chester has to do is finish his assignment and help Nora realize she is his or die.

Kiss of the Dragon is a different, steamy look at sex with a dragon shifter. Ms. Danes has written about a society that is fighting to survive in the world while still maintaining its own identity in the process. Both Nora and Chester want the same goal but have to get over past regrets to make their relationship work. An entertaining tale of two soul mates finding each other.

"Winter's Kiss" by Morgan Hawke

Kasi Stewart is a big game photographer going to visit her grandma who lives in Japan, a place where she met a mysterious tiger during a snowstorm as a child. A tiger she pledged to marry when she grew up and a tiger she dreams of.

Yuki Shirotara is one of the nearly extinct white tigers. A tiger shapeshifter who is gorgeous, sexy and mated for life with Kasi. He has waited ten years for Kasi to return so he can claim her and claim her he does.

Kasi does not make Yuki's task easy and the hunter becomes the hunted.

Winter's Kiss is a stimulating, refreshing shapeshifter tale. Ms. Hawke not only kept me enraptured with this story but lusting after tiger shifters and salads. Winter's Kiss is a story of finding true love, waiting for it, and having it reignite. A true pleasure to read.

Sexy Beast III was a book that was almost impossible to put down. All three authors have written wonderful characters and refreshing looks at shifters.

Emma
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

All of these writers do a 'good' job but in the case of the third story, I found it a bit weaker than the other two authored by Douglas and Danes. Lacy Danes story of a dragon is amusing and moves along at a fast clip. I'd give her 4 stars for originality. If you like a fantasy type romance and you can put aside disbelief for a while (I'm a cynic and I managed) then you'll enjoy these stories. I'll look for the rest of the series but I'll be cautious in my purchase. At $10 for a large bound volume, I'm not quite sure it isn't worth waiting for on the used market.

If you haven't read Sexy Beast 1 or 2, then do not start here. The first story "Chanku Journey" is very confusing, piecing together bits of other stories and jumping back and forth between 4 or 5 major couples (or groups). Honestly, not well written, confusing, no plot to speak of and no way to connect with any of the characters because it jumps around too much. The 2nd story "Kiss of the Dragon" is one of the worst I have ever read, and the 3rd story (while the best of the 3 by far) is an extremely shallow treatment of a decent story line. I think this could be flushed out for a great stand-alone novel, but as a short story there things are a bit too pat, too quick, to easy to really allow the reader time to become involved. Very disappointed.

All of the stories in this series are fantastic, but Kate Douglas out scorches them every time.

I loved this book. The series is great. It is a book and series to get.

CHANKU JOURNEY----
After finding out what happened to Tia's mother and everything that has happened to her father, she has finally found the perfect mate. Her mother told her that she would marry Luc and would have many babies. The wedding is just a couple of weeks away....
Shannon, Jake and Baylor decided to ride their bikes cross country to the wedding in California from Maine. As promised by the men, she would definitely have plenty of pampering and loving.
Tala, Mik and AJ are driving from a mission hoping to arrive several days in advance before the wedding.

Keisha, Xandi, Stefan and Anton will be flying in Anton's private jet. Anton doesn't think it is wise because of Keisha being in her late pregancy-due any time. She assures him things will be fine. Only the bad dreams keeps his nerves on end. His pilot is unavailable for flight but a past co-pilot is. They are all on the plane and drinking water. Sleepy from the last nights sexual encounters and packing, they all fall asleep or so they thought. Keisha awakens sensing they are flying in the wrong direction. She immediately tries to link with everyone. Who responds?

The plane crashes-----

Several of them are hurt and wouldn't you know it during all the wreckage, Keisha goes into labor. A mental call was put out from Stefan to anyone who could possibly hear him. AJ, Mik and Tala were, of course, hot in a menage sexual encounter when upon the moment of climax, they sense something is wrong. This is when it all comes together.

All of the Chanku packs come together. Although through all of the bad events that happen, they still have something to look forward to-all packs together at one time and the wedding, as well as something else. One other person shows up that was not expected that lets Anton and Tia know that everything will be alright and life right now for everyone is pretty good.

From the moment I started reading, first the anxiety of Tia, then what happens to all of the other packs, I could not put this novella down. I loved it and cannot wait to start reading Wolf Tales V (Wolf Tales). This is the only story I read from the book. Once I finish all of the Chanku books, I will be coming back to all of the novellas and reading the remainder stories.

I bought this book, along with the other Sexy Beast anthologies, for the Chanku stories, but have enjoyed most of the others as well.

Of course, Chanku Journey was my favorite, since it reunited all 3 packs. The wedding was great, and a new Chanku was most welcomed!

Kiss of the Dragon was the story that I found most difficult to read. Dragons just aren't my thing, making the story a bit much for my tastes.

Winter's Kiss was a joy to read, with extremely likable characters. I love the idea of the tigers!

A good read. I bought this for the Morgan Hawke story "Winter's Kiss", but they were all very good. A keeper.

This is a very good book. it is hot and sexy. It keeps you wanting more.

"Chanku Journey" by Kate Douglas. At the wedding of bonded mates Tia and Luc, their pack compatriots of the Chanku like Jacob, Baylor, and Shannon begin the motorbike drive to San Francisco for the gala. To pass time they share tales of erotica and danger as only shapeshifters understand as they deal with the aftermath of a plane crash.

"Kiss of the Dragon" by Lacy Danes. The Royals send weredragon Chester on an assignment where he meets his soul mate. Somewhat distracted by his erotic desires and his efforts to persuade her they belong together, he soon needs Nora to save his life.

"Winter's Kiss" by Morgan Hawke. Animal photographer Kasi travels to mountains in Japan seeking a special tiger, who saved her life when she was a child lost in a blizzard here. Instead she finds Yuki, who knew she was his mate when he saved her life as a young weretiger years ago

These three well written paranormal erotic romances will bring out the SEXY BEAST III in readers as each is exciting, heated, and entertaining.

Harriet Klausner