Customer Reviews

Taming Samantha [Sea Island Wolves 2]

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

 

 

I'm all for dominant/submissive erotica, or werewolf erotica, or menage. I've read a lot of really good stuff in those genres (Maya Banks, Lora Leigh should be checked out), but this was not among them.

There's being dominant, and then there's just being a jerk. The two male leads, JD and Caleb, definitely fall into the latter. Basically, JD runs into "feisty" heroine Samantha, bullies her around a little (in all seriousness, it was a while before I realized that this was actually not an introduction to the villain of the book) then realizes that she is his mate. Then he starts producing a musk that basically overrules all of her very well-founded dislike of him, and within five minutes (literally) they are having sex against his car. He tosses her into his car, drives her home, and there he and his twin brother proceed to screw her left right and sideways for the entire weekend. Once they've chained her to the bed and left for work on Monday morning, the musk (which has worked to get her hot, bothered, and completely pliant) wears off and she runs.

See, here's the part where I think that Jenny Penn expected me to be all, "That idiot, why run from two such awesome studs!" when actually I was still a little grossed out that over the course of this weekend, neither had actually stopped humping long enough to tell the heroine HIS FIRST NAME. And then there was a lot of whining about being in love with the heroine, but it still left the problem that they hadn't exactly been engaging in really any conversation. And the entire fixation on her comes from the fact that she can give birth to their children -- but there was very little actual recognition of her as a person that it stopped being sexy very quickly, and mostly just became unfortunate.

Here's the thing -- Lora Leigh has an entire series (The Breeds) based around the concept of an overwhelming physical draw, requiring sex, between two strangers. But it's more then just continuous sex -- they also talk, share who they are as people, and eventually fall in love. I'm not saying that all erotica needs a romantic element (I've read plenty of good stuff that doesn't have it, or even want it), but if Penn wants to write romantic erotica, then there needs to be more to it. As it was, I really wanted poor Samantha to get a restraining order. I also got excessively tired of the Neanderthal male leads barking things like, "Woman! How dare you defy me!" I mean, good grief. Bottom line -- better stuff out there.

Childhood abandonment by a father and an alcoholic mother who died when Samantha Hark was a teenager left her responsible for two younger siblings. Sam dropped out of school and took on multiple jobs to support their little family. Even with the odds stacked against her, Sam has turned into a decent, loving person who recently inherited a lot of money because of her kindness to another.

Sheriff JD McBane and his twin Caleb are alphas to the local pack. Their particular branch of werewolves comprise ménage a trios relationships with twin brothers and a lone female mate. Even more pertinent is the fact that they can only breed with their true mate, no other can give them children but then again they only have eyes for their mate once she is discovered.

The moment JD meets Sam he knows that she is meant for the brothers and nothing Sam says will stop JD from taking her to their home with the clear plan of keeping her permanently. There are of course a few obstacles in JD and Caleb's path such as Sam's ex fiancée who wants her and her money or the man who feels he should have inherited his father's money and then there's Sam who has little to no trust in any man. Sam has no intention of taking on two gorgeous, lusty Neanderthals who insist that she belongs to them. Both sides intend on claiming victory but the problem is only one can win this war of the sexes.

Taming Samantha is an addictive pleasure! Captivating characters in a lusty story with so many carnal moments' readers will be sore before Taming Samantha is finished. Alpha heroes, the brothers McBane will either enthrall you or irritate you or both with their domineering attitudes but they offer no apologies or excuses for who they are. It takes a strong heroine to see through their gruff exteriors making Sam the perfect fit. Second in a series and easily a stand alone tale, Taming Samantha has a multi layered plotline with a packed cast and twists and turns throughout. Taming Samantha is raw, raunchy and intense at times giving readers exactly what they want, a good, hot story. I Joyfully Recommend Taming Samantha, it's not for everyone but if you dare it will leave you needing a cold shower or a lucky partner!

Lisa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I LOVED this book! It has everything that I enjoy in a book. The heroine is strong and likeable. The hero is super sexy and alpha (plus Bonus, there is ANOTHER sexy man. Talk about double the pleasure!!) who has to have her and makes her see how good they are together. WOW! Plus there are enough supernatural/paranormal aspects and background stories to make it an interesting story and keep me satisfied.

Samantha is trying to live her life and stay away from extremely attractive men. She has been hurt before and doesn't want to experience it again. She will not be used again. But it doesn't help when a hunk comes onto her suddenly she is irrationally overcome with lust. He drags her to his home. The he and his brother give her the wildest night of sex she has ever had. And if that isn't enough she find herself hand cuffed to his bed when she wakes up! Samantha knows something is going on and she is determined to stay away.

JD and Caleb have been searching for their one mate. When JD finds Samantha he knows she is the only one for them and the only woman who can bear their children. He can tell she is attracted to him but when his usual moves don't work he gives the mating musk a special musk that drives women into a sexual frenzy. One that he will have to `help' her with. JD knows it is a bit unfair but once Samantha realizes how good he and his brother are for her she will be sure to forgive him, won't she?

Jenny Penn has written a story that flows easily and makes you want to know more. This is one book where I had to literally fight myself. I really wanted to know what was going to happen so I keep trying to read faster, but the other part of me was trying to hold back to savor it! This is a book NOT to be missed. Taming Samantha is the second of her Wolf series. The other book, mating Claire was also AWESOME. If you love the paranormal and super HOT men then you cannot go wrong with this book. It kept my heart racing and my temperature rising!

I love me a good Alpha Male. But you can be an alpha male without being domineering and demeaning. I found this book demeaning not erotic. There was very little story and no chracter decelopment. Three days of wild sex with their destined mate because of a musk they emit but not even bothering to tell her there names or see to her comfort in any way. I would like to blame the heroine's lack of character on being overwhelemed by said musk that made her brainless and a living sex toy. But she was just not a well written or likeable character eiher.

Jenny Penn's second installment of her Sea Island Wolves is sure to please lovers of shape shifting romances. Samantha escaped one werewolf only to wind up as a mate to two werewolves. Something tells her that her life will never be the same.

Samantha Hark is trying to be as quiet and unassuming as possible. Having escaped a dangerous werewolf with her life, she wants no part of mating or falling in love. Her trust factor is at sub zero and she does not think she will ever be healed enough to love another man, not to mention two!

JD and Caleb McBane know that their mate Samantha is hiding something. While she is their mate, she fights the mating every step of the way. Using their mating musk on her is the last thing they want to do, but it is imperative that she learn and trust in them not to let her get hurt.

When her past comes back to haunt her and promises to get violent, will this brand new triad be able to overcome and see their mating through? Caleb and JD know that all it will take is TAMING SAMANTHA to their will, or so they think. Samantha might have a thing or two to say about it.

Samantha is a very strong heroine. Beautiful and intriguing, it is no wonder her men can't keep their hands off of her. Full of surprises, she doesn't give an inch where her men are concerned and while they ply her with their mating musk, deep down inside her heart of hearts she wants them without it. She just has to allow herself to trust them and that is the hard part.

TAMING SAMANTHA is very erotic. Gripping and gritty, it holds nothing back from the reading and the love scenes are explosive. I have a new author to read and am looking forward to Jenny Penn's next release!

Natalie S.

This starts out terrifyingly scary!

JD- the Town Sheriff, a muscle-bound, grunting, caveman- stops in to a new business to introduce himself, and is hit with his mate's scent. He proceeds to tackle a much smaller Samantha, over-power her with his "mating musk", and then kidnaps her right out the door while she's in the middle of painting a car for her business, with no one around to know how, or why she's disappeared. He claims he's bringing her in for questioning, but brings her to his home instead, and then proceeds to share her with his twin Caleb, her other mate, still under the influence of their mating musk. The next morning they handcuff her to their bed and go off to their different jobs!!! [I THINK NOT! Totally scary! The house could've been broken into and she ended up raped and killed, or the house could've burned down, anything could've happened to her!] Luckily, she's a smart cookie and pops the handcuffs, hot-wires a vehicle, and escapes back home. [Yay Samantha!] JD then goes right back to drag her out again, but luckily there's others there to deter his purpose and she's able to keep her senses and protect herself. Caleb, the charming twin breaks into her room in the middle of the night to reason with her, but she fights back here too. [Again, Yay Sam!] During the course of this beginning it comes out that she's inherited a huge fortune from a man she used to take care of, and his nephew is out to kill her to get the fortune back. At this point- JD and Caleb do end up coming in handy, by not asking, but deciding to protect, claim, and save their mate.

These men start out one step away from sexual predators! JD is the town sheriff and Caleb is some other law enforcement agent. It would've been her word against theirs if it had gone bad and she'd tried to press charges! I almost put this down after reading the beginning I was so upset, but if you can get past the truly scary beginning- the plot does get better, the men more loving and caring, and the sex is definitely HOT! This definitely is a book you read for the sex alone.

I really hate wasting money. This book was truly messed up. I thought Jenny Penn could write some good menage but this did nothing for me. I think the whole story line could have been better. Both JD and Caleb looked like they could have been fantastic Alpha Males/husband's. Instead we got two selfish men who thought of nothing else but sex. There was no relationship build up, no charaterization or explanation. Nothing but sex or should I say rape and abuse! I liked Caleb and I think Caleb should have met her first. On the other hand Samantha was a total pain but not that I blame her she was nothing but a sex toy to these men. If they loved her, I did not see that and if she loved them I did not see that either. As much as I like menage, I love the love story more! Lora Leigh, Shayla Black, Annemarie McKenna and Leah Brooke has proven to be the best menage author's thus far! If all you want is sex and no storyline, then this book is for you. What a waste, there could have been so much more! I will be more weary in purchasing Ms. Penn's books in the future! This was one of the most frustrating books I have ever read and believe me I have read allot of books!

i thought this book was very good. very funny i will read this again. i think the way jd acted was funny and sexy. the sex was good as well.

I first started reading some of the erotic romances that were coming out on ebook sites, because although lots of what was available was badly written, some were well written and offered something a little different from what was mostly available in romantic fiction. I don't mean just the erotic part; there seemed to be a lot more interesting variations in the stories. Lately it seems to be getting harder to find anything with much of a plot or characterization. The two "heroes" in this story act like stupid goons. They don't seem to have any real personality. They just treat the woman who is supposed to be their mate like a mindless sex slave. The mating musk concept would be more interesting if it didn't turn the female into an instant sex maniac. (I thought this was a male fantasy rather than a female one.) Kaitlyn O'Connor did a tremendously better job with this in "When Night Falls." Also, in that story the hero is very alpha and dominating, but he has a personality and intelligence.

What a great book. I was in love with all the characters from the start. I know a few of you didn't like the boys being such jerks but you have to realize that they're werewolves for goodness sakes (men who change into wolves and have the personality of the animals they are). This is their thing! I have purchased every one of Ms. Penn's books because of this one. She is a fantastic writer and I can't wait for the next.