Dark Designs (Black Lace) (Mass Market Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"'FEMALE FANTASY OFF THE LEASH.' NEW WOMAN"

Product Description

Remy Davies is the designer for an opulent gothic wedding and when she meets the best man, Silk, she has to have him.  But Silk is nobody's toy, and for all his androgyny, he's determinedly heterosexual.  Pity, since Remy's biggest fantasy is to see him making out with her Japanese biker, sometime boyfriend, Takeshi.

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Product Details Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages Publisher: Virgin Black Lace (December 26, 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 0352340754 ISBN-13: 978-0352340757 Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,223,177 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	34% buy A Gentleman's Wager (Black Lace) 4.1 out of 5 stars (14) $7.99
	20% buy the item featured on this page: Dark Designs (Black Lace) 4.8 out of 5 stars (4) $7.99
	18% buy Phantasmagoria (Black Lace) 4.3 out of 5 stars (3) $10.85
	16% buy The Captivation (Black Lace) 4.5 out of 5 stars (19) $7.99

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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.8 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Good, But . . ., April 7, 2008 By  Candice "Candy" (California) - See all my reviews When I think about all the disparate aspects of this novel, it seems like it was made for me. Male/male action, a Japanese guy (they're my weakness), bisexual m/m/f threesomes, a girl who gets off on that and likes yaoi, a Gothic aesthetic . . . and yet something's missing. The book starts off tremendously well, with a hot scene that introduces Remy and Takeshi, and you just a get a feel that they're going to be the pair that you root for. And that's just the way it is- Takeshi is a brilliantly well-drawn character who you feel like you instantly know from the beginning, with his cute little idiosyncracies (his Real Doll, for example), and you like watching Remy try and fail to combat his lovely charm. And then in comes the character of Silk. I'm sorry, but as a reader, nothing about Silk captivated me except for the description of his physical beauty. He's vain and shallow and there's not much in the way of character development that endears me to him. His cross-over to stalwart straight boy to totally-fine-with-gay-sex happens much too fast and easily. Takeshi's seduction of him is absolutely hot, but nothing about the ending of this transition felt all that realistic. I just couldn't understand why Remy was so head-over-heels in love with Silk, and thus couldn't relate to a good deal of the book. The side characters were pretty nice and funny and cute, in particular Takeshi's friend and the three Gorgon sisters . . . but Takeshi takes the cake. A good novel if you like the girl-boy-boy love story, another one to add to the collection rounded out by Emma Holly's "Menage" and "Strange Attractions" and Mandy Dickinson's "Out Of Bounds", but Takeshi is the shining grace of the novel- the guy I wish I could bring to life. 6 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Read it twice!, October 12, 2007 By  lakshmi450 - See all my reviews I loved this book so much I had to read it a second time - and it was even better then. First off, Madelynn Ellis is an incredible writer- her characterizations are so vivid, I just felt I was there with each character, experiencing his and her world every second. And I'm not only speaking of the erotic scenes of which there are many and are quite varied. The best part of the book for me is the character Takeshi. He is incredibly human and loveable, not to mention sexy as hell. He was the main reason I read the book a second time - I can't get enough of him. I highly recommend this book to readers who love m/m with yaoi elements, and menage a trois where the men get together as well as with the woman. My only grievance is that the book is too short! It's a category so I know that the author is limited in word count. The story left me craving more of the relationship between Takeshi, Silk (the other hero) and Remy, the heroine. This book is definitely a nice way to spend a few hours absorbed in a delicious guilty pleasure. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Goth boyz and Yaoi...what else is there?, May 19, 2009 By  Vixenne Victorienne "Kymberlyn Reed" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews    Amazon Verified Purchase Normally, Black Lace books tend to be very angst-heavy, almost trying for literary pretensions. That's not a bad thing, because erotica has a long and illustrious literary tradition, but sometimes one just wants to read something a lot less, well, full of tortured emotions. That's why Dark Designs completely threw me off base. It read more like the yaoi manga novels its author Madelyne Ellis obviously knows and loves. She's obviously in love with Cloud and Sephiroth from the Final Fantasy series of games. I was thrilled when she tossed in Gackt and Hyde and Visual Kei, my big loves. It's when the novel becomes too angsty and the characters overly obssessed, that it loses that spark which made it different, and certainly not as much fun. On the other hand, we are talking about goths, and well, we tend to love high drama. The most interesting characters by far are Takeshi and Silk, though clothing designer heroine Remy is definitely otaku in her love of m/m yaoi and wanting to see these two hot men do the horizontal manbo. Admittedly, Takeshi, the part-time former errand boy of the yakuza and now e-bay hotshot, is the most well-crafted of the trio. He's brash, tough, sexy, but with a sweetness that makes him wonderfully likable. From stealing Remy's priceless imported yaoi in a comic shop to a hot romp in a public men's loo, Takeshi steals the show. Note to authors - we need more hot Asian men as heroes! You don't know what you're missing! Silk is his exact opposite--a drop-dead androgynous gothic libertine who finally gets his comeuppance being seduced by the more secure in his masculinity Takeshi, and watching his denial of the other man's attractiveness to wanting him and finally getting what he's wanted was so worth it. Did it seem a little fast? Partially, but much like the bike Takeshi rides, Silk finds himself hurtling towards a realization that by all indications has been within him, yet dormant. Like her previous menage novels, Ellis doesn't resort to feminizing either male character (something that way too many female writers of m/m fiction tend to do and which drives me crazy). Even better is that she doesan't make the Japanese Takeshi into a submissive uke (bottom boy). Yes, both men are pretty, but that's in looks alone. Dark Designs is a delicious melange featuring a gothic nighttime wedding in a castle, three strange sisters called 'The Gorgons', a bride on the edge, a groom with a taste for absinthe and melodrama, a mother with a rampant libido, and a frustrated biker lesbian photographer in love with the heroine. Add the pretty boy lust-fest and stir well. My only complaint - oil (or in this case cooking-oil spray) and latex DO NOT MIX!!! Authors, if you cannot have your characters find some water-based lube somewhere, then skip the sex entirely or have them not use a condom.		Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Entirely too enjoyable... Dirty sex? Check. Hot guys? Check. Awesome female main character? Check. Oh lets not forget gothic, fashion, alternative clothing combined with wedding... Read more Published 13 months ago by S. Hanson Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Virgin Black Lace (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0352340754
• ISBN-13: 978-0352340757
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,223,177 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, But . . ., April 7, 2008

By	Candice "Candy" (California) - See all my reviews

When I think about all the disparate aspects of this novel, it seems like it was made for me. Male/male action, a Japanese guy (they're my weakness), bisexual m/m/f threesomes, a girl who gets off on that and likes yaoi, a Gothic aesthetic . . . and yet something's missing.

The book starts off tremendously well, with a hot scene that introduces Remy and Takeshi, and you just a get a feel that they're going to be the pair that you root for. And that's just the way it is- Takeshi is a brilliantly well-drawn character who you feel like you instantly know from the beginning, with his cute little idiosyncracies (his Real Doll, for example), and you like watching Remy try and fail to combat his lovely charm.

And then in comes the character of Silk. I'm sorry, but as a reader, nothing about Silk captivated me except for the description of his physical beauty. He's vain and shallow and there's not much in the way of character development that endears me to him. His cross-over to stalwart straight boy to totally-fine-with-gay-sex happens much too fast and easily. Takeshi's seduction of him is absolutely hot, but nothing about the ending of this transition felt all that realistic. I just couldn't understand why Remy was so head-over-heels in love with Silk, and thus couldn't relate to a good deal of the book.

The side characters were pretty nice and funny and cute, in particular Takeshi's friend and the three Gorgon sisters . . . but Takeshi takes the cake.

A good novel if you like the girl-boy-boy love story, another one to add to the collection rounded out by Emma Holly's "Menage" and "Strange Attractions" and Mandy Dickinson's "Out Of Bounds", but Takeshi is the shining grace of the novel- the guy I wish I could bring to life.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it twice!, October 12, 2007

By	lakshmi450 - See all my reviews

I loved this book so much I had to read it a second time - and it was even better then. First off, Madelynn Ellis is an incredible writer- her characterizations are so vivid, I just felt I was there with each character, experiencing his and her world every second. And I'm not only speaking of the erotic scenes of which there are many and are quite varied. The best part of the book for me is the character Takeshi. He is incredibly human and loveable, not to mention sexy as hell. He was the main reason I read the book a second time - I can't get enough of him. I highly recommend this book to readers who love m/m with yaoi elements, and menage a trois where the men get together as well as with the woman. My only grievance is that the book is too short! It's a category so I know that the author is limited in word count. The story left me craving more of the relationship between Takeshi, Silk (the other hero) and Remy, the heroine. This book is definitely a nice way to spend a few hours absorbed in a delicious guilty pleasure.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goth boyz and Yaoi...what else is there?, May 19, 2009

By	Vixenne Victorienne "Kymberlyn Reed" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Normally, Black Lace books tend to be very angst-heavy, almost trying for literary pretensions. That's not a bad thing, because erotica has a long and illustrious literary tradition, but sometimes one just wants to read something a lot less, well, full of tortured emotions.

That's why Dark Designs completely threw me off base. It read more like the yaoi manga novels its author Madelyne Ellis obviously knows and loves. She's obviously in love with Cloud and Sephiroth from the Final Fantasy series of games. I was thrilled when she tossed in Gackt and Hyde and Visual Kei, my big loves. It's when the novel becomes too angsty and the characters overly obssessed, that it loses that spark which made it different, and certainly not as much fun. On the other hand, we are talking about goths, and well, we tend to love high drama.

The most interesting characters by far are Takeshi and Silk, though clothing designer heroine Remy is definitely otaku in her love of m/m yaoi and wanting to see these two hot men do the horizontal manbo. Admittedly, Takeshi, the part-time former errand boy of the yakuza and now e-bay hotshot, is the most well-crafted of the trio. He's brash, tough, sexy, but with a sweetness that makes him wonderfully likable. From stealing Remy's priceless imported yaoi in a comic shop to a hot romp in a public men's loo, Takeshi steals the show.

Note to authors - we need more hot Asian men as heroes! You don't know what you're missing!

Silk is his exact opposite--a drop-dead androgynous gothic libertine who finally gets his comeuppance being seduced by the more secure in his masculinity Takeshi, and watching his denial of the other man's attractiveness to wanting him and finally getting what he's wanted was so worth it. Did it seem a little fast? Partially, but much like the bike Takeshi rides, Silk finds himself hurtling towards a realization that by all indications has been within him, yet dormant.

Like her previous menage novels, Ellis doesn't resort to feminizing either male character (something that way too many female writers of m/m fiction tend to do and which drives me crazy). Even better is that she doesan't make the Japanese Takeshi into a submissive uke (bottom boy). Yes, both men are pretty, but that's in looks alone.

Dark Designs is a delicious melange featuring a gothic nighttime wedding in a castle, three strange sisters called 'The Gorgons', a bride on the edge, a groom with a taste for absinthe and melodrama, a mother with a rampant libido, and a frustrated biker lesbian photographer in love with the heroine. Add the pretty boy lust-fest and stir well.

My only complaint - oil (or in this case cooking-oil spray) and latex DO NOT MIX!!! Authors, if you cannot have your characters find some water-based lube somewhere, then skip the sex entirely or have them not use a condom.