Copied Blurb:
Book 1 in the series Men of August
Marly's love for Cade has spanned her teenage years, and survived strong and intact into womanhood. Her fantasies and daydreams have sustained her, but she's no longer content with merely imagining the touch of his hands, the taste of his kiss. It's time to seduce the tough, sexy cowboy.
She's heard the rumors for years, the tales of his sexual preferences. She's prepared herself to accept his desires. Prepared her body for his touch. But she wasn't prepared for the choice to come...
Cade's dark desires, his sexual excesses are based in the past. In a time when pain, shame, and blood stains his very soul. He carries a secret shared only with his brothers. A secret that has scarred the bond, the ability to be a brother or to accept the love of the men he was raised with. He knows the only way to prove his loyalty, his love for those brothers and Marly will be the key.
She has a choice. She can surrender to Cade's needs, his soul deep desires, or she can walk away. A choice only Marly can make. A choice that will change her life forever.
My Review:
Whew! Excuse me while I drink a cup of Ice water here....or perhaps I should just poor it over my head!
What an erotic, addictive tale this one was, very, very spicy. But I can't say I wasn't warned! Every single chapter in this book had some form of spiciness. And not always just one man and one woman. But man, oh, man, did Lora Leigh do a fantastic job of it. I reaaly enjoyed Marly's journey. And the August men??....they are hot, hot, hot. But do be warned, this book is not for the faint of heart. I am looking forward to reading about the other two brothers, Sam and Brock.
My Rating: 4+
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen
oh NO
it's only the third month and there are sooooo many books being added to the want pile
Christa ~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Challenge Blog
My Shelfari Page
Glad you enjoyed this one ....
not everyone can be open minded with the very explicit sex and the menage aspect, and see the love story ... I think LL does a great job keeping the tension taunt, not only the sexual tension but the stalker aspect as well
the battle within Cade is so heartfelt ... he's such a tortured character .... as the oldest he feels responsible for keeping his family together ....
I found this one to be rather raw in the writing ... you'll find the Brock's story to be much more polished as if the editor spent more time with it, and perhaps not quite as intense because of it ...... and you have to read Sam's story to get to the last to the mystery to the August brothers ...
I look forward to your reviews for Brock and Sam!
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Lora Leigh is for sure good
Lora Leigh is for sure good at making addicting stories. This looks really good I just want to go and buy every book of hers especially the Breeds series. I may do that this summer. And yes they are quite steamy! Steamy covers too.
People who look down on others are the real freaks of this world.
Lora Leigh
Hey Christa!
Heehee, I know exactly what you mean! And I am not supposed to buy any books right now. I have to wait until we buy our plane tickets to go and visit my folks in the summer. So far I have been really good; I have only bought one unplanned book.
Hey Katherine!
I found the ménage aspect very different from other books I have read that have that type of sexuality in. Usually it is more fantasy based, like science fiction, or a paranormal world. Marly's Choice was contemporary, and could happen in real-life. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Seeing Cade overcome some of his own fears through the story was beautiful. I think I fell in love with him most during the scene in the limo. He had to fight an inner battle to prove to Marly he meant his words.
There were a ton of typos, errors, and sentences left incomplete....as well as new paragraphs starting in the middle of sentences. I decided not to include that in my review above, since I think it reflected the publisher, rather than Lora Leigh. I am glad to hear that Brocks story is better edited.
Did you happen to read the short story that is included in the 12 Quickies of Christmas(I think it is called August Heat)? I understand that is ties the three books together.
Hey Sarah!
Steamy covers too, yes!! I have the first Breeds book in front of me now, and it is H.O.T.!! I have 6 full length novels of hers and an anthology with a story by her in it, all lent to me from a friend. I am lucky they were lent to me, as they are all Elloras Cave, and those books can be quite expensive. I think the rest of her Breed books came out as Berkeley Heat, (is that right??), which would make them cheaper, as they are mass market paperback.
Take Care,
Tammy
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen
Yes .... it was more of an editing thing ....
esp. on the typos etc ...... I did find her writing style though in this first book to be more intense or raw ... in Brock and Sam's stories, she's more refined, polished .. though still very much LL
yes, it was actually the novella in the 12 Quickies of Christmas Vol 1, that introduced me to the August Men ... it does a very nice wrap up of the trilogy ..... gives a look to the future and how their relationship evolves ...... reading that novella is what sparked my need to read from the beginning to see just how they all came to be together and why they were the way they were ..... very compelling .... the other five novellas in this book are also pretty good too ... nice bonus :)
so if you can find a copy of it (they run high even on eBay) grab it .... you won't regret it .... though Sam's story ends the trilogy very nicely, the novella gives you a fuller sense of satisfaction in their HEA
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Hey Katherine!
Hey Katherine!
Oh, I see what you are saying...as it was my first Lora Leigh book, I didn't have any of her other stories to compare it to.
I do have a copy of The 12 Quickies of Christmas, lent to me. So I will be able to read it, thank goodness!! I know one Anne Stuart book I read didn't really give much of an HEA. But ElleJay pointed me in the direction of an on-line wrap up to the story that gave the readers a little more into the future of the couple. It was really nice to see that, as I like my HEA's!!
Have you read LL's Breed series? I don't recall seeing them in your reviews. I am thinking I haven't seen many paranormals in your reviews either. I guess I am just curious if The August brothers were a springboard for you to read more of Lora Leigh's books. As I know I am an instant fan!!
Take Care,
Tammy
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen
paranormals and more LL .....
I have LL's "Bound Hearts" series .... it's about a "gentleman's club", actually not about the club but the men who are members .... I haven't read any yet, as it took awhile to get the first in the series .... I'm saving these for my next reading slump .... LL has a way of draging you into a story whether you want to go there or not! LOL
I've not really been much of a paranormal fan when it comes to my romance .... though I do have several books in my TBR that were recommended here on the blogs ..... I've never read a vamp, were, or shapeshifter story, so wouldn't know where to begin ...... but I have and do enjoy the ESP type ....
I hope to get into a few Nocturnes this month as part of the mini-challenge "new-to-me" ... I should be able to fit in at least two Nocturnes in ... one for the series, and I'm sure for an author
I listened to the eHarl podcast interviewing Susan Grant and Susan Krinard ... the editor for Nocturne also had a brief spot, and the descriptions she gave on some of the Nocturnes has really peaked my interest ... so I'm going to relisten to the podcast today and pick out some of her recommendatons .... I'm looking forward to seeing how a "romance" fits in to the series ..... at this stage in my reading, I'm very much looking for that romance and HEA ....
LOL ... lately I've had the strongest urge to pull out some of my John D. MacDonald's and seeing what dear Travis McGee is up to! .... he is such a 60's man!
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Lora Leigh's covers:)
Hey Katherine!
I have seen the covers for the bound hearts series. They look very erotic, and have my curiosity piqued! I posted the first three above.
Lol, yes, she does pull you into the book, right away!! I look forward to seeing your thoughts when you read them!
I think I have been quite a fan a paranormal books for a while. It’s the Urban Fantasy books that are written in first person that I have avoided….until last year that is.
There were so many reviews of Keri Arthur books that I just had to try them, and found myself really liking the kick-arse heroine. Pretty much, I guess I like everything…romance related….hence my lovely TBR pile.
I would probably recommend Karen Whiddons Nocturnes to you…if you are looking for good ones. The characters are believable and contemporary. I have a feeling if you were to like any of the Nocturnes; she is a good starting point.
I haven’t listened to the podcast w/Susan Grant yet…but I do have it on my google homepage, waiting for the right time to listen.
Do you have an idea yet of which Nocturnes you might try??
Heehee, I don’t think I have heard of Mr. McGee, am I missing out???
Take Care,
Tammy
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen
Nocturnes
Hi Tammy .....
In the podcast, Tara Gaven the Editor of Nocturne mentioned a few of the trilogies/series ... Raintree & Dark Enchantments ...... I remember last year on the blogs the Raintree had mixed reviews .... I can't remember how Dark Enchantments was recieved, but Tara described that the series was about the members of a special cadre in England, and the members had unique gifts ... the books sounded like they had a bit of intrigue / suspense to them .... so I thought I'd at least read the first in the series by Michelle Hauf
Tara also raved about Lori Devoti's Unbound, the first in her series ... and Rhyannon Byrd's Bloodrunner series ...
the Karen Whiddon Nocturnes .... they are the Pack series? ... I have them though I think that series starts with a SIM/SRS .... thanks for the recommendation, I'll be sure to pull those out to read soon .....
I'm not very good when it comes to first person point of view .... I read Stephanie Feagan's first Bombshell about Pink, and I loved the book but it took me forever to get around the first person POV ... it's a huge compliment to Stephanie's writing that she was able to pull me in to the story ..... I don't live in my stories, so first person POV usually puts me off a book ... Megan Hart has a wonderful talent, and I was finally able to read Dirty, though there again it took me a couple of chapters and several times putting the book down to be able to read it .... but I'm glad I did because it's an awesome book
ahhh, Travis McGee .... he's a charmer .... he a 60's - 70's PI like Mickey Spillane's Mick Hammer ... or Maddox, Matt Helm ..... Travis always gets the girl and more trouble then he counts on LOL ..... and gets himself involved in cases that rarely pay the bills .... he lives on his boat and is a sucker for the underdog ..... yet he's the kinda guy you really feel good having around ... though he's a bit of a rogue, he's got a code of honour that gets tested quite a lot but he never wavers too long in sticking to it ..... great fun reads! ...... lots of shooting sometimes .... and did I say he always gets the girl? LOL
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Oh I'm so glad that you're liking LL's books Tammy!
She's definitely one of those authors that, as Katherine said, can drag you out of any kind of slump! I've also found that to be true of Shiloh Walker's stories.
As for the Bound Hearts series, I decided to go the eBook route... I've got Surrender which is, I believe, the first in the series. Of course a big part of the reason I went the electronic route was because, Hey! Surrender isn't available in any other format... unless you're willing to wait for ever and / or paying outrageous prices. And, of course, I got it right away.
Now I'm just going to have to read it... but I have a feeling that it's going to be sometime when I don't have any outside distractions.
Tammy I really like the way that you described Cade and what was going on in his life. And I think you'll find that Brock and Sam have the same painful journey. Lora Leigh definitely handled an extremely difficult situation very, very well. I still, even after all this time, can't get over the stories. They really do stick with me ~ but in a good way!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
kalyko ~ Reading: One of life's little joys and a much needed reward!
Lora Leigh
is one of my favorite authors. It is my goal to have her entire backlist read by the end of this year. And it's a huge backlist. I highly recommend reading the "quickie". It is wonderful closure for the brothers and their wives.
Hey Ladies!
Hey Katherine!
Oh, I have really enjoyed The Dark Enchantments series! Michele Hauf did a terrific job in the first installment. I am curious to see what you think of the end of her book. She created quite a twist. I still have the last book to read of that series. I did like the Raintree trilogy as well. Or at least the two books I have read. I still have the last one to read. I am so bad at finishing series, as all these authors/publishers are throwing new books in my face, and well, I just can't resist.
I think the Raintree had its mixed reviews, because the first book had a very controlling alpha male. I think you might enjoy the book, though.
I still need to get to Devoti's series.
Karen Whiddons Nocturnes are the Pack series that started with the SIM books. That's why I requested on the Backlist thread last year for them to release an ebook bundle, and they did. So if you need the earlier books, they are available n the ebook Boutique.
I don't exactly live in the stories I read either, but the first person POV does not seem to bother me at all(not anymore, that is). I can still read the book as if I was watching a movie, except with a book, I know the emotions and feelings of the character, whether its first person POV or third person. I loved Dirty as well! I don't think I have read any of Feagans books yet.
Heehee, Travis McGee sounds like a fun guy to have around. Hmm, I may have to hunt a book or two down. I bet my library would have something. Need to add it to the list. We will be heading there tomorrow.
Oh, and btw, I am several chapters into the next LL book, Sarah's Seduction, and loving it!! I do see what you are saying about it being more polished than Marly's choice.
Hey Kalyko!
I am definitely enjoying LL. And thanks to you....I won't be running out of LL books for a while. I am currently reading Sarah's Seduction, and it is awesome! Looking forward to reading Shilohs books too.
Yep, I believe Surrender is the first one as well. Sometimes it is not clear at the Elloras cave website...or maybe I just haven't totally figured the navigation out yet. I am looking forward to hearing what you think of it! The Bound Hearts series will likely be one I try out in the future.
Brock's story so far is just amazing. And the part I am at right now?? Let's just say I don't need the heater on! I am very curious about a few things, but I sure they will be answered either in this book or the next.
Hey Jillyan!
How many more books of hers do you have to go? It is a pretty large backlist, isn't it? I will definitely be reading the Quickie, but thank you for the heads up!! It sounds as if I really wouldn't want to miss it.
Take Care ladies!
Tammy
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen
LL's backlist is rather large.
I still have 20+ books to read. And being the book geek that I am I have a list.
Breeds
Bound Hearts
The Legacies
Wizard Twins
Unrelated
And then random shorts in anthologies. I think the hardest part is going to be tracking all of them down. Since her popularity has increased some of her older books have become scarce. Thank God for eBay.
Hey Jillyann!
Wow! That is quite a list!!
I am especially interested in the Bound Hearts series. But I know I can get them in ebook eventually.
Do you know what the Wizard Twins books are about?
I wish you good luck on finding all the ones you need!!
Take Care,
Tammy
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen