Book Review: The Lovers

Author: Eden Bradley
Title: The Lovers
Publisher: Spice
Publish Date: November 1, 2010
Rating: 2 stars
Book Blurb: THE LOVERS was a very different kind of story for me. Not only does Bettina embark on a journey of healing and self-discovery, but she does it by exploring a part of herself previously unrecognized: her desire for another woman. This leads to a number of conflicts for her, one of which is her equally stunning attraction to Jack.
Bettina is one of my most complex characters to date, and that sort of deep psychology-who are we? Why do we do the things we do, crave the things we crave?-is absolutely fascinating to me.
Audrey, the other woman in the story, ended up with a lot more page time than I'd originally intended. But she has that sort of irresistible charm. Bettina, Audrey and Jack together are a force to be reckoned with. Their combined sensuality made for some of the hottest sex scenes I've ever written-hot for me, at least. The ensemble cast of characters and the beautiful setting on the California coast, just north of Santa Barbara, made this a very visual experience for me. I feel this is some of my best work to date, and I hope readers will agree.

Review: The Lovers was a totally different story from what I expected. Bettina is a writer with a lot of psychological issues. At the retreat she meets Audrey who she is attracted too. This is something new for her, having never had a relationship with another woman. However Audrey isn't really much of a character except when it comes to the lovemaking scenes, which Ms. Bradley wrote perfectly.

The three characters in the love triangle just didn't seem to fit. You kind of expected them to break apart, but you are never sure why they'd want to. Only Bettina seems to have any real feelings. Audrey and Jack just hint at them, just as they hint at the problems they've faced that have made them the way they are. I give Jack brownie points because he really tried towards the end to be what Bettina wanted him to be. Audrey however gets left behind by both of them. She was like a flame that burned hot and fast, but when the other two found each other no matter how hot that flame was, it faded and died.

I think that's what disappointed me the most with this story. The menage a tois didn't last. There were a few really hot scenes, that left you clamoring for a glass of water, but all to soon it was just hot sex between Bettina and Jack and her issues with Jack not wanting to try a relationship.

I would have loved to really get to know Audrey better and even Jack, both main characters that just didn't feel anything other than one dimensional. I felt closer to some of the secondary characters, especially Vivienne who I would have enjoyed getting to know more about, especially of her initial relationship with Jack. There were so many people on this writer's retreat and it would have been nice to really see them as people, just as it would have been nice to really understand why Bettina was attrached to Audrey and Jack.  Being pretty and handsome doesn't really cut it.

If you are reading this book for the steam factor, it will appeal to you, but if you want more than that, sadly it doesn't deliver.

~ Ebook provided by Net Galley

Book Review: Naked

Author: Megan Hart

Title: Naked

Publisher: Spice

Publish Date: August 1, 2010

Rating: 3 Stars

Book Blurb: No strings. No regrets. And no going back.

I didn't think he wanted me. And I wasn't about to get involved with him, not after what I'd heard. Sure, Alex Kennedy was tall, dark and unbearably hot, but I've been burned before. When I solicited him to model for my erotic photography book, I didn't expect such a heated, passionate photo session. And now that we've crossed that line, our bodies aren't the only things that have been exposed.

But I can't give my heart to a man who's so… unconventional. His last sexual relationship was with a married couple. It's enough that my ex-fiancé preferred men, I can't take that chance again no matter how much my body thrives on Alex's touch. I can't risk it, but I can't resist it, either.

Alex can be very convincing when he wants something.

And he wants me.

Review: Megan Hart really writes great stories about unique relationships. That said, as a work of erotic fiction, the book falls flat. Not to mention Naked is a sequel to her 2008 book Tempted and the Spice Brief Everything Changes. Having read Naked without the benefit of reading the other stories didn't really affect my perception of the story, but I think it would have made it easier to understand Alex, who you really don't get to know well, even though he's the hero of the book.

Then there's Olivia, a stronger than usual heroine, with more problems with life than anyonce can imagine.

1. Her ex-boyfriend is gay, and for the first part of the book, she was still in love with him, even though he was with another guy.

2. Her adoptive parents are Catholic (Dad) and Jewish (Mom) and both long for her to embrace their faith. It doesn't help that they divorced when she was young either.

3. She has a daughter she gave up for adoption after a post breakup fling and that choice has caused her problems with her family too.

4. Alex is the guy, her ex doesn't want her to have...and he has some issues too, he likes girls and boys.

So yeah, Olivia has some issues and yet she remains strong and very open-minded, even when things are really shitty for her, however some of the shitty things in her life are of her own making. I mean, staying BFFs with the guy that broke you heart and is now screwing half the male population? WTF is up with that?

Then there's Alex Kennedy. His door swings both ways. Does she not learn? They hook up so quickly that it just seems odd, and other than sex, the book doesn't illustrate why these two should be engaged? And the hot sex? Well it doesn't come off as erotic or spicey. Truth be told, I've read Harlequin Blaze that had better sex scenes. Yet the book was compelling, more for Olivia's story than for the sex. This story would probably be a whole lot better if the sex weren't so in your face especially in a story that was really dramatic.

But of all Olivia's problems Alex is the one that really stands out. He's just not likable and during some points of the story he's almost as big of a jerk as her ex-fiance, Patrick. He really makes it hard for the reader to feel much empathy for him, and you really hope Olivia wises up and dumps him, but who dumps a guy that gives you a huge rock and a $5000.00 camera?

This story had such potential, but it really ended up being a let down.

~ Readers Note: I absolutely loved that the story was set in Central Pennsylvania and that Alex's family was from Sandusky, Ohio, two parts of the country that I know and love!

* This book was provided by Net Galley and the Publisher

When Did This Happen To Me

I'm sitting around reading Nancy Warren's Under The Influence. Its a Harlequin Blaze and I started to think, when did I start loving these kinds of books. In the past few months I haven't touched much that wouldn't be described as smut or trashy, not that I have any problem with either kind of books, but I used to grab something different every now and then. Right now I'm all over Silhouette Desires, Harlequin Blaze and Harlequin Presents, and I have to tell you, I've never ever been a fan of the Presents line.

What has happened to me?

Has my brain turned to much and my hormones kicked in?

I'm not sure, but I've read and re-read some pretty great books from those lines lately. I'm even venturing into the Spice line, which is really smutty aka erotic right now. I have the new Jina Bacarr novel on my nightstand. It's not a book I want to carry around with me ya know, but I really am enjoying it when I get the time to read a few chapters.

I haven't read when I like to call a "brain" book in over a month. You know, the kind of book that you read and actually have some thoughts about other than "OMG is it getting hot in here."

I plan to rectify that soon. I can't have my brain going to mush now. The big decision will be what book to read, to get those brain cells working again.