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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Collection of hot romantic vignettes, November 4, 2008
Connected Stories:
Alluring Tales 1: Awaken the Fantasy
More than a year and a half ago, seven talented authors teamed together to create a memorable collection of erotic stories in ALLURING TALES 1: AWAKEN THE FANTASY. That collaboration worked so well that this group of authors decided to do it again, following up their first book together with a new release for Fall 2008 - ALLURING TALES 2: HOT HOLIDAY NIGHTS.
The stories run the gamut from contemporary romance to paranormal romance to science fiction, but one essential element in each is a heaping helping of eroticism. Each tale is a sort of vignette in the day of these characters lives, although some do actually span a little longer than a day.
Although the stories are brief, the authors manage to immerse you completely in their individual worlds while they last, and each tale is sure to capture the hearts and imaginations of readers.
~PEACHES AND CREAM by Cathryn Fox~
Jennifer is a smart girl - too smart to let a prime opportunity pass her by. So when she finds her chance to live out her sexually fantasies with her oh-so-yummy and more than willing blind date, she lets herself go completely.
Fans of Cathryn Fox's Pleasure Games series first met Jennifer in the third book of that series, PLEASURE EXCHANGE, where Jennifer was that heroine's neighbor. With her snappy wit and lively personality, she made a memorable appearance. That wit is back in PEACHES AND CREAM, where Ms. Fox once again delivers a story that manages to be both funny and ultra-hot at the same time.
Series Order:
Pleasure Control (Pleasure Games)
Pleasure Prolonged (Avon Red)
Pleasure Exchange (Avon Red)
~INDECENT EXPOSURE by Delilah Devlin~
Once upon a time, Harmony Wilkins had the crush of all crushes on the hottest guy in high school - Dalton McDonough. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do in hopes of catching his attention. Fate moved Harmony far away, but now she is back, and even twelve years later, old habits seem to die hard. This time, however, her sexy hijinks meet with much more success than they did before...
Who of us hasn't that one high school crush we never forgot? Wouldn't you just love to meet up with that person again now and see what might have been? In INDECENT EXPOSURE, we get to live that fantasy right along with the story's heroine, Harmony. This vicarious thrill is ultimately satisfying in some much deeper ways as we find that sometimes love just needs the right place and right time to blossom fully.
~FORBIDDEN FRUIT by Lisa Renee Jones~
Laura Cameron has a problem. She's in love with her brother's best friend. Always has been, probably always will be. It was easier to ignore it when the object of her affection was constantly out of town, in service with the Army. Now Blake Alexander is back for good, and she's not sure she can hide it any longer, no matter how much her brother might frown on the pairing.
I am always a sucker for romances where the lead characters have long loved each other from afar but for whatever reason could never be together before. Add to that the fact that I am a big fan of Lisa Renee Jones' work, and FORBIDDEN FRUIT was bound to be a winner for me. Ms. Jones did not let me down.
This is one of the few stories in the anthology that actually takes place over a few days, rather than just one. The author packs a lot of momentum into a few pages, never sacrificing the story or the relationship. Of course, the fact that Laura and Blake have known each other for years gives us a head start on the relationship part - they already have the friendship part down, but have simply never given in and consummated that attraction - until now. When they do, you can just feel the love flowing between these characters, and you know they are bound for a happy ending.
~BILLBOARD BABE by Myla Jackson~
It's tough to work day in and day out with a man you've secretly fallen in love with - especially when he doesn't see you as a woman, just a co-worker. That's the position A.J. is in. When her boss tasks her and Daniel with coming up with an attention-getting campaign to bring more business into their advertising agency, she finds a way to kill two birds with one stone. She undergoes a makeover to pose for one traffic-stopping billboard, positioned in full view of Daniel's office window. Once she's sure she has his attention, she shows up in full BILLBOARD BABE guise to experience one mad, passionate night of anonymous sex with the man of her dreams. Having had a taste, however, she realizes that one night will never be enough.
When I think of author Myla Jackson, I tend to think of her paranormal romances. After reading BILLBOARD BABE, however, I am here to say she gives good contemporary romance too!
You have to love a story where the leading lady finally takes her life into her own hands and effects a change for the better. Instead of moping around for Daniel, that's what A.J. does. Well, sorta... It's one thing to be a vivacious sexpot when she is in her `Babe' persona, but years of being a wallflower make it difficult for her to break out of that shell when she is being herself, plain old A.J. Lucky for both her and us, Daniel is the kind of guy who is more than willing to meet the woman he loves halfway. *grin*
~WISH UPON A STAR by Sasha White~
As a professional Dominatrix, Mistress Sarah is rarely without male companionship, but those encounters are fleeting and meaningless in the grand scheme of her life. She gives each man what he needs, but the sessions leave her hollow inside. When she wishes upon a falling star one night, the man of her dreams lands in her life, all hunky, growly six-and-a-half feet of him. Commander Nealon Graves is nothing she expected, but everything she could ever want, and promises a romance that is truly out of this world.
Sasha White is one of my favorite authors of BDSM romances. She knows just how far to go with the BDSM scenes to inspire new fantasies for her readers, and she always does a splendid job of building a believable romantic connection between the Dom or Dominatrix and their submissive.
In WISH UPON A STAR, we witness a professional Dominatrix at work, along with her soul mate as he plays voyeur to one of her sessions. Nealon isn't sure what his mission on earth is at first, but once he sees Sarah with her submissive client, he recognizes his soul mate immediately. The beauty of this is that Nealon isn't himself a submissive - he simply desires a woman who can match his own strength, meeting him as an equal both in and out of the bedroom - something Sarah is more than capable of.
~THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC by Sylvia Day~
Max and Victoria mean more to each other than anything else. Max has vowed not only to protect Victoria, but also to wreak revenge on The Triumvirate, the trio of evil brothers who are responsible for her first master's untimely demise. If they are to stand a chance, Max and Victoria must combine all their powers. Even then, it may not be enough.
Sylvia Day's story, THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC, continues the story she began in ALLURING TALES, VOLUME 1. In A FAMILIAR KIND OF MAGIC, Max was tasked with collaring the beautiful familiar, Victoria. He succeeded in taming the feline fatale, and found his true love in the process.
This pair faces threats from all sides - from the Council who wishes them both dead to the minions of The Source of All Evil, who delight in destroying everything good.
The odds are definitely against Max and Victoria as they battle their foes together. But they have the power of love on their side, and each is willing to sacrifice everything to save the other. With love like that, they simply can't lose.
~SILVER WATERS by Vivi Anna~
A year after their escape from the nefarious First Lady Maxine Madison, Sangria had just started to believe that she and Vance were safe in their Caribbean paradise. Their idyllic existence is shattered when Maxine's goon catches up with them. Soon they are back in her diabolical clutches with only their wits to save them.
Vivi Anna also continues her story from ALLURING TALES, VOLUME 1. In QUICK SILVER, Sangria and Vance met for the first time. Sangria had a mission to transport a mysterious cargo - cargo that turned out to be an abused and unwilling Vance. When she helped him escape, she became a target herself. But the pair fell in love, and could weather any trial as long as they were together.
SILVER WATERS finds the couple in hiding, but settled a year after their narrow escape. We enjoy a few moments of the bliss they have found together in their tropical hideout before their enemies burst onto the scene. The situation looks dire, but Sangria once again proves herself cunning and resourceful as she finds a way to save both herself and the man she loves from certain death.
**Courtesy of Wild on Books**
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
an anthology that promises to hold your attention, November 5, 2008
PEACHES & CREAM by Cathryn Fox
Working as a bartender at Risque, a members-only erotic club has left Jennifer Angel with certain fantasies which she hasn't indulged in yet. She's been set up on a blind date and her best friend, Cat, suggests she Google him. She also Googles herself and discovers that she shares her namesake with a striper who goes by the name of Peaches. Dare she make her fantasies a reality with her unsuspecting date? After all, he has no idea she isn't really Peaches.
Fantasy is the name of the game with this story. Cathryn Fox allows readers to visualize Jennifer and Jack's first meeting in startling clarity and even a bit of wistfulness and envy. This is a sinfully wicked tale that delights the
senses.
INDECENT EXPOSURE by Delilah Devlin
Harmony has harbored an infatuation with Dalton since her teenage years. Back then she'd watched him at his most intimate moments and has fantasized about him ever since. What better way to garner Dalton's attention now that he's a very sexy sheriff than skinny dipping in the very pool where she was busted years ago - by his father?
Remember that high school `hero' that stared in all your fantasies? Delilah Devlin expands on that idea and gives readers a chance to imagine what could have happened - if only that boy had noticed you. Of course she puts a very naughty twist to the tale.
FORBIDDEN FRUIT by Lisa Renee Jones
Laura's been infatuated with her brother's friend Blake since her early teenage years. She's come home for her brother's Super Bowl party and as soon as they see each other again the sparks start flying. Blake's not about to risk the friendship and closeness he shares with her family by getting involved with her but what if she devises a way for them to be together without anyone else knowing?
What a fun story! Lisa Renee Jones masterfully brings Laura and Blake's long denied desires to light in a big way. What makes this story is so sinfully delightful is Laura's spunky personality and determination to `win her man.'
BILLBOARD BABE by Myla Jackson
Advertising Executive Angie, a.k.a. A.J., has taken a huge risk by posing as the woman on the billboard. Granted no one would ever realize that the traffic stopping babe is her but that doesn't stop her from being nervous about the whole thing. She's most nervous about Daniel's reaction to the billboard. They were supposed to come up with an advertising campaign together and he has no knowledge of what she's done. A.J.'s secretly been in love with Daniel for years, could she seduce him using her `alter ego'?
Myla Jackson puts a modern spin on the Plain Jane to Belle of the Ball with absolutely delightful results - and of course plenty of sexual high jinks. A.J. is a character many readers will be able to relate to and that alone makes her highly memorable.
WISH UPON A STAR by Sasha White
Sarah loves the BDSM lifestyle but she's become a little disillusioned since she began taking in clients who enjoy being spanked. While taking a few minutes to herself she notices a falling star and makes a wish for a good man. She wants a soul mate but retains very little hope of ever finding one. She doesn't need to worry though, the perfect man finds her. All she has to do is turn around and he's right there - and he certainly isn't happy about being sent to earth to fulfill whatever mission it is this woman requires.
Who hasn't dreamed of finally finding their significant other? Sasha White surprised me with this storyline because of how involved I became in the characters relationship. Sarah and Nealon definitely heat things up quickly and leave readers wanting more.
THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC by Sylvia Day
Max and Victoria have been extremely happy together since they defied Council's orders and chose to remain together. When Max claimed Victoria as his familiar he vowed to destroy the Triumvirate. She needs closure from the death of her last master and Max is determined to give it to her. The council won't help them in their quest; will they be able to defeat the Triumvirate? What they be willing to accept the consequences if they lose?
We first met and fell in love with Max and Victoria in the first ALLURING TALES anthology. Sylvia Day delivers an emotionally charged story full of passion, adventure, and even a bit of heartbreak. I was thrilled to revisit this couple and loved the unexpected twist to the plot.
SILVER WATERS by Vivi Anna
Sangria and Vance have been on the run from the First Lady Maxine Madison and her sadistic plans for Vance for the past two years. They've happily been residing in a small Oceanside beach cottage. However time has run out. Leon's found them and does what he has to in order to take them to Maxine. The situation is already complicated but it's about to become even more tenuous because Leon's feelings for Vance may just be what saves all their lives.
Here's another couple we first met in the first ALLURING TALES anthology. Vivi Anna brings an element of suspense to this book with delightful results. Sangria and Vance are such a unique couple that you can't help but be captivated by them. They're definitely a couple I enjoyed revisiting.
Once again the Allure Authors deliver an anthology that promises to hold your attention through each and every one of the stories. Each story delivers a delightful array of erotic ventures along with memorable characters and storylines that speak to the romantics in each of us. ALLURING TALES 2: HOT HOLIDAY NIGHTS is the perfect book to heat up those cold winter nights.
Also be sure to pick up a copy of these authors first collaboration :)
Alluring Tales 1: Awaken the Fantasy
Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Alluring Tales 2: Hot Holiday Nights, May 13, 2009
"Peaches and Cream" by Cathryn Fox
Jennifer Angel, a psychology student and bartender for an exclusive erotic club, agrees to be set up on a blind date with Jack Miller. When her best friend suggests she Google® Jack, Jennifer decides to look up herself as well. And when she discovers there's a stripper Jennifer Angel, aka Peaches, Jennifer decides to take a chance and act out her wildest fantasies.
The premise of "Peaches and Cream" is a delightful one. A sassy heroine gets to act out her deepest fantasies with a gorgeous hero and, for part of the tale, his best friend. Yet while the plot sounds fun, I never really got into the story itself. Cathryn Fox piles one erotic encounter after another, which would be fine if I had any emotional connection with the either Jack or Jennifer, which I didn't. While the sex scenes were hot, the way in which they were presented seemed to me a bit awkward at times. In particular, the ménage scene seemed a bit forced, as if it were included for the sake of having a ménage scene. The story indicated there was a romantic connection between Jennifer and Jack, but it strained credulity that I was supposed to believe the two had such a connection purely because Ms. Fox told me so; in other words, I didn't feel it. I have read another of Ms. Fox's stories before and enjoyed it, but "Peaches and Cream" was just not for me.
"Indecent Exposure" by Delilah Devlin
Trouble has come back into town in the form of Harmony Wilkins. She's had a crush on Sheriff Dalton McDonough since they were in high school and she's returned home, determined to get her man. Even if she has to risk arrest to do it.
There's something fun about a heroine brazen enough to strip down and skinny-dip in strangers pools in order to catch her dream man's attention. "Indecent Exposure" has the potential to be a sexy, fun story. Dalton is the archetypal alpha male who will take charge of his hellion heroine when needed. Harmony starts out as entertaining, but her boldness quickly becomes trying. I felt that I should like Harmony, since she's the heroine of the story, but she seemed to lack depth. Though it fizzled out, "Indecent Exposure" definitely appeals to the sense of "what if" when thinking about that elusive high school crush so many of us had.
"Forbidden Fruit" by Lisa Renee Jones
When her brother's sexy best friend moves back into town, Laura Cameron decides it's time to make her move. For years sexual tension has built between her and Blake Alexander, but fear of her brother's reaction has kept Laura and Blake apart. But now Matt has roped Blake into participating in a charity bachelor auction - a masked charity auction - and Laura's not letting a good opportunity pass her by.
"Forbidden Fruit" sizzles with the hero and heroine's previously unrequited passion finally being fulfilled. Lisa Renee Jones definitely turned up the heat between the very likeable Blake and Laura. The only problem I had with the story is that it seemed to heavily rely on the protagonists' fear of Matt's reaction to their relationship. Given Matt's character, this fear seemed unfounded and therefore it came across as an obvious plot point. Yet, all in all I enjoyed "Forbidden Fruit." The characters were endearing, the sex hot, and Ms. Jones's writing style fluid, making for a satisfying read.
"Billboard Babe" by Myla Jackson
Angie Jordan can't believe what she's just done. She and Daniel Adams have been tasked with creating an ad to bring up their advertising agency's sales during Christmas. Taking a risk, A.J. comes up with an ad on her own featuring an alluring woman in a sexy, traffic-stopping red dress. When Daniel, the man A.J.'s secretly in love with, sees the giant ad, he's struck by the gorgeous "Billboard Babe." To A.J., Daniel's reaction to the model is the sign she needs to seduce the man of her dreams. Because "Billboard Babe" is her.
Myla Jackson heats up the workplace with this sensual, charming story. A.J. is an endearing heroine who is easy to identify with. She and all those around her have gotten so used to her job and work attire that the woman she is beneath has gotten buried beneath the plain suits and pinned back hair. A.J. isn't magically changed by her "Billboard Babe" persona; it just gives her the confidence she needs to take what she wants. And what she wants is Daniel.
What I love about Daniel is that he isn't just attracted to the "Babe" side of A.J. Though she doesn't know it, Daniel had been fantasizing about A.J. long before she donned the slinky red dress. It made the connection between them feel more powerful, the love story more believable in that the ad just gave the pair the extra push they needed.
"Billboard Babe" is an utterly delightful story. It's both sexy and sweet and has two incredibly likeable protagonists whom I couldn't help but adore.
"Wish upon a Star" by Sasha White
Professional Dominatrix Sarah Williams excels at what she does, but lately her life has been a bit empty. When she wishes on a falling star for her soul mate, she doesn't actually expect for her wish to come true. Nor does she expect her soul mate to be an out-of-this-world commander.
"Wish upon a Star" combines D/s eroticism with a touch of science fiction for a story that should work. Yet, though all the elements are present and I enjoyed Sasha White's writing style, "Wish upon a Star" never truly captured my attention. Sarah certainly had potential, but when paired with the fairly one-dimensional Nealon, the spark I hoped to see in her never surfaced. I liked that Nealon appreciated Sarah's strength, but I never truly felt their connection as I should have.
"That Old Black Magic" by Sylvia Day
Once, warlock Max Westin had been charged by the Council to collar or kill Victoria St. John, a feline Familiar who had gone feral after the death of Darius, her warlock. Now, Max and Victoria have angered the Council by choosing their love for one another over the Council's dictates. Their bond is as strong as ever, Max and Victoria are determined to take down the Triumvirate, those that killed Darius, and the Council is refusing to help. But when facing an enemy that draws its power from the Source of All Evil, will one warlock and his Familiar be able to survive?
Love, lust, action, and danger - "That Old Black Magic" has it all. Sylvia Day has penned an erotic thrill-ride that captivates from start to finish.
Max and Victoria's story began in "A Familiar Kind of Magic" in the first Alluring Tales anthology. Though I haven't read the first story, Ms. Day provided enough information that I was able to follow along with ease. What drew me to "That Old Black Magic" is that I could not only feel the bond between the lovers, but as the story went on I could see their love for one another deepening. I was completely engaged in the tale because I felt connected to the characters, wanted to make sure they'd survive the seemingly impossible odds stacked against them. The trials and pain, both past and present, that Max and Victoria endure and overcome make "That Old Black Magic" both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Enchanting!
"Silver Waters" by Vivi Anna
It's been two years since Sangria Silver and Vance Verona were able to escape from First Lady Maxine Madison. But the lovers' luck has just run out - Maxine's man has found them. They escaped Maxine's clutches once. Will Sangria and Vance be able to do it again?
"Silver Waters" is a continuation of the story "Quick Silver" from the first Alluring Tales anthology. Though I was able to follow along with the tale, by not having read the first story I feel I missed the emotional component, which would make me connect with the characters. Sangria and Vance had the potential to be interesting, but fell short of that mark. Perhaps the story would have benefited from a longer format so the characters, villain and hero alike, would feel more three-dimensional. While "Silver Waters" did not appeal to me, fans of "Quick Silver" should enjoy it.
Overall, Alluring Tales: Hot Holiday Nights was not, for me, quite as tempting as the title suggests. All seven tales are erotic, to be sure, and fans of each of these authors will likely enjoy these vignettes. I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa Renee Jones, Myla Jackson, and Sylvia Day's contributions to this anthology and will be on the lookout for more of their work in the future.
Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
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