by Nicole
| Title: | Erotic Amusements |
| Author: | Justine Elyot |
| Publication Date: | August 2011 |
| Publisher's Description | In Goldsands, there are many amusements to be had for those willing to give in to their deepest desires...
The seaside resort town of Goldsands is a place of dreamers and transients who wash in and out like the tide. But its picture-postcard prettiness conceals some sinister realities. Coldhearted mogul Charles Cordwainer owns most of the local businesses, both legitimate and illicit, and more than a few of its residents.
Michelle, Cordwainer's submissive: despite her loyalty, he plans to turn her over to another man. Flipp, the new girl in town: she has a dark past and a penchant for bondage. Rocky, Cordwainer's right-hand man: a sexy biker with eyes for Flipp. Laura, Goldsands's carnival queen: an über-bitch with her sights fixed on Rocky.
Secrets, betrayals, lovers all become intertwined-and when someone starts digging up the dirt on Cordwainer's empire, nothing will ever be the same... |
| My rating: | ** |
This book was nearly incomprehensible to me. Too much happened in it, and while trying to provide decent erotic romance and compelling mystery, Ms. Elyot really provided neither. What was the deal with Flip and Rocky? I get that they liked to have sex with one another, but I never really believed in their romance. I read this entire book, and didn’t come out of it liking even one character. Well, maybe Flip. Rocky seemed irredeemable. He was the enforcer for a thug, and we’re to understand that he did some awful things in the name of work, so how was he better than any other crook in this novel? I don’t believe in love as redemptive, so to me, he’s just the same scum, only with somebody who knows and (possibly) loves that scumminess. Um, yay?
Also, regardless of how much I didn’t like this book, I do not see how this title was chosen for it. There was an amusement area in the town, but I wouldn’t say that it really factored hugely into what happened in this book. And what happened in other parts of this book is so far away from my idea of amusing that I’m having trouble reconciling the discrepancy. A woman with low self-esteem who allows herself to be owned and traded by men is not something that I find erotic or amusing. So why the title? This may be the only mystery related to this book that I would like to have solved.
Ugh.
2 Star Books Book Reviews Erotic Romance Netgalley
by Nicole
| Title: | IOU Sex |
| Author: | Calista Fox |
| Publication Date: | August 2011 |
| Publisher's Description | Fiona Carlisle didn't think anything could hurt as much as finding her fiancé in bed with her sister. But receiving an invitation to the happy couple's engagement party comes a close second. Determined to prove to her family and herself that she's moved on, Fiona has every intention of attending, looking red-hot and with an even hotter man on her arm. And there's only one man who will do: renowned photographer and reputed playboy Michael Houston.
Fiona's rebound fling with Michael was a brief but erotic romp. Michael has made no secret of the fact that he's still interested. So when Fiona asks him to escort her to the engagement party, he agrees, with one condition: she must spend a sensual weekend with him picking up where they left off.
Intensely attracted to Michael, Fiona can't resist his offer for long. But when the weekend is over, will she be able to resist giving him her heart? |
| My rating: | ***.5 |
First of all, way to undersell a book by saddling it with an inappopriate title. I don’t mean that the implication that one person owes another sex is inappropriate, although I wouldn’t be the hugest fan of such an arrangement. No, my objection is that the title simply doesn’t fit the story. It’s hard to review such a short story without being completely spoileriffic, but I can safely say that sex isn’t really used as a bargaining chip in this story.
Now that I’ve said what this book wasn’t, let me tell you what it was: a really cute short story. IOU Sex (see? ridiculous) was more tender than the faux-racy title might lead one to believe. I thought that Ms. Fox did a great job of conveying to us how deep Fiona and Michael’s feelings were for one another, especially considering that they had quite a history together that predated the story’s opening. Although the majority of their interactions took place before the story began, I never felt like we the audience were playing catch-up. Ms. Fox is an expert at giving exposition without sacrificing the flow of what is happening in the present.
Fiona’s family was a little too vile to be completely belieavable, but it was nice to see her stand up for herself. Ms. Fox packed a lot of relatable feeling and growth into a relatively small amount of space, but I never felt like events were rushed or thoughtlessly tacked on. I think that this length worked fine for ths story, although I personally wouldn’t mind reading more about Fiona and Michael…and possibly Seth and Lizzie, since I get the feeling that that relationship is going to implode in some deliciously awful way.
3.5 Star Books Book Reviews Erotic Romance Netgalley Romance
