romantica

     It took me a loooonnggg time to get this book read ~ in fact, I started it a number of months ago and didn't get very far in.  I'm not sure if it's because I was afraid of what was going to happen, or if there was something else going on, but I just couldn't get through it.  When I did start re-reading it again... July 1, I had to go back to the beginning 'cause I sure as heck didn't absorb any of what I'd read previously.  But hoo boy, this book was in no way to blame!
    As taut and tense a thrilling story as any that LL has written:  following Ian and Kira through the minefields of juggling leadership of a major drug Cartel and trying to hold off being taken over by the renowned, and much-hated, French terrorist Sorrell, kept me pinned to my seat.  Putting the book down was a hardship, because I had the feeling that I would miss something if I looked away for an instant.  How Lora Leigh does it I'll never know, but the action keeps going and all the while the incendiary attraction between Kira and Ian singe the very pages.  Fabulous read ~ and wonderful continuation of LL's Tempting SEALs saga.... VERY, VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent+ ~ 4.5 stars
Steaminess: Sensual to Yummy

     As soon as I read about this book on Lauren Dane's group I knew that it would be mine... and now it is.  I really enjoyed it and three of the stories are 4.0 to 4.5 stars.  The one that I rated 2.5 stars is that it came across far more as erotica rather than erotic romance; personally I'm not a fan of just erotica ~ I need an emotional connection with any very sexual story.  Otherwise, the story was good... just not my cup of tea.
   What I find amusing is that I read a review that was exactly the opposite of mine:  the reviewer didn't like romance with her erotica so three of the stories didn't do it for her and the other was the best... funny how different people can see the same thing so differently.  But that's what makes the whole reading thing so much fun, IMHO.

RATING:
Excellence:  Overall, EXCELLENT!!
Steaminess: Inferno

Two novellas: “Wicked Intent” and “Sacrifice”

Erotic fiction, or hardcore romantica. Take your pick. I didn’t realize it was quite so, er, steamy when I requested it from another library. I hate to use the word ‘definitely’ (no, really, I do), but….definitely not for the squeamish.

     I got this book because it was one of Angela Knight's that I hadn't read before... was I ever in for a treat!  Whichever way you look at it, this is vintage Angela Knight taken to a outer space and some very erotic encounters ~ all tamed by sizzling romances~ and I love it!  She writes extremely sexy and H-O-T!! heroes and feisty, sexy and strong heroines that are more than a match for the men.  The action is top-notch... and the sex?... WHEW!  Air conditioning would be a bonus when reading this... I had to make do with an electric fan.     
     Once again, Angela Knight creates characters that take on a life of their own... and if she ever decides to do a look back at Trinity and Nathan, Zaria and Sebastian and Cassidy and Rune, I'll be in line as quick as I can!  Fun, sexy and a great read.  VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

RATING:
Excellence: Excllent ~ 4.0 stars
Steaminess: Heat Wave

     This book was good ~ I enjoyed it, but there were times that I wasn't sure... not sure of what exactly I can't say, but I was either annoyed at Lily's constant putting-herself-down or gape-mouthed at the abrupt turnaround in either her or Travis's actions.  But as the story progressed, it began to feel more that they were two people working their way towards something ~ something BIG ~ and such journeys are rarely direct and easy; especially when you're dealing with self-protecting behaviours learned over years and years.  Both Travis and Lily were dealing with this; striving to make their feelings and attitudes mesh with what was happening between them.
   Overall, this story left me with a good feeling.  Not necessarily the smoothest of journeys ~ or stories ~ but this was Bella's first full-length print novel (she had three shorter ebooks released between 2003 and 2005).  And I did love Travis's desire and love for Lily; he turned out to be one of the really good guys. 

RATING:
Excellence: Very Good to Excellent ~ 3.5 stars
Steaminess: Heat Wave

Will she bring the gift of acceptance, or will she break the bonds that have been forged throught he firest of hell?

     The two stories here are both ebooks and both by authors that I really enjoy. I turned to these books when I was having reading problems… I needed something that I knew was going to hold my interest and both Amanda Young and Megan Hart can do that without even trying.
     Amanda Young was my introduction to gay romance and, regardless of the genre that she writes, she’s a wonderful author who really brings her characters to life and they, very often reluctantly, find it hard to give themselves over to love.
     Megan Hart’s stories are just as absorbing, but different. She writes extremely well about the complexities inherent in human relationships ~ her characters are always facing having to learn more about themselves and about the person with whom they have a relationship ~ and never a dull moment anywhere to be found.
     As to Excellence, both stories are individually rated, but the steaminess rating ~ Inferno ~ is the same for both ~ they are, after all, romantica (aka erotic romances).

Overall RATING:
Excellence: Great to Excellent
Steaminess: Inferno

I really enjoyed the Briefs I read this time around, and I'm again very impressed by the courage and quality of the writing. I love the variety in this line.

No Apologies by Tracy Wolff

Rating: Good

I didn't really like the heroine in this one, and it took me a while to warm up to the relationship. However, the writing was strong and I liked the longer length (a little over 50 pages).

I'd read another by Wolff but wouldn't call this a favourite.

     The two ebooks reviewed here are by new-to-me author Shayla Kersten… actually the next five books (reviewed as two in total) are all by this author and after I had read the first story I was hooked. Her stories are gay romances, but all emotionally stirring tales of love and, in each story, a man coming to terms with his sexuality. Her story-telling is rich in detail and, while sexually explicit, very much stories of romance. The stories reviewed here are related, and while the second, The Remediu, could be read on its own, the publishers added this:
     Reader Advisory: While a stand-alone, for greatest reader enjoyment, it is recommended The Cost of Eternity be read first. 

  The main characters in the first story are a part of the second and the main male character in the second story plays a part in the first. I really enjoy Ms. Kersten’s characters and story-telling and I’ll be getting more of her stories as they’re written and released.

RATING:
Excellence: Great to Excellent ~ 3.5 stars (both)
Steaminess: Inferno (male-male and ménage sex)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

     When I first heard about Lora Leigh's Bound Heart series I was quite skeptical... how could something that sounded so much like erotica have romantic elements to it?  This was, of course, before I had much experience with this marvelous author's writing.  I'm not sure how she does it, but she can take the most sexually explicit material and transform it into the telling of a love story... every...single...time.  No longer a doubter, I'm now a fan of this series as well as any other of her works that I've had the enjoyment of reading.  Yes, the sex is very explicit and, to many, very likely of the forbidden variety... there's really not much that she doesn't delve into.  But it's always, Always, part of an expression of love that the characters have for each other.  And as I've read the first three 'books' of the series, I'm discovering more and more that, while I'm still in my personal life very much a white bread person, that people are different and expressions of love vary as much as the individuals involved.  Beautiful and emotional while also very, very steamy and sexy stories.

RATING:
Excellence: Very Good to Excellent ~ 3.5 to 4.0 stars
Steaminess: Inferno {ménage, graphic sexuality and language}