WOOT! I've Been Published! (sorta)

At Love's Command, Brothers in Arms book 4 by Samantha Kane

NOW IN PRINT.

Go Buy... er... Go ORDER, cuz it's already temporarily sold out at Amazon.


And while you're at it, go ahead and get books 1 through 3 (book 3 is available only as an Ellora's Cave ebook)

A quick glimpse at my index will show how much I ADORE this Crème Brûlée series. So why am I bringing it up again? Well, I have been honored and thrilled every time an author links to and/or quotes one of my reviews on their site. But Samantha Kane recently informed me...

"Btw, did you know my publisher used a quote from your review in the front of the print version of AT LOVE'S COMMAND? I've been meaning to tell you that. . ."

MY FIRST TIME IN PRINT!! What an HONOR this is!

Sam didn't say, so I'm assuming it's the same one she's now quoting on her site:

Samantha Kane is a shining example of the gems offered by ePubs at their very best...At Love’s Command deserves to be front and center on the mass market new releases display at every major bookstore...I can summarize this book, indeed this entire series, in one word… exquisite. The Good, the Bad, the Unread and Cubie's Confections

UPDATE: In the comments for this post, Sam left the actual quote used:

When I first read the previous books in this series, they immediately landed on my all time favorites list. [...]But as much as I loved those previous books, they almost pale in comparison to At Love's Command. [...]Samantha Kane is a shining example of the gems offered by ePubs at their very best. [...]I assert that At Love's Command deserves to be front and center on the mass market new releases display at every major bookstore. I can summarize this book, indeed this entire series, in one word...exquisite.

See my index for the full review and reviews of all the Brothers in Arms series.

What makes this even more of a thrill is that I know a lot of reviewers try to write in a way that makes it easier for authors and publishers to grab short quotes. I'd make myself crazy trying to do that--- I have enough trouble just trying to express my thoughts in a semi-coherent way, not to mention trying to keep my review shorter than the book itself! So the fact that both Sam and Ellora's Cave found something worthy in something I wrote makes me all kinds of happy.

BTW, check out the latest Ellora's Cave release by Samantha Kane-- Oh Yum!- A Lady in Waiting. Regency Cougar! RAWR! You go girl!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


And a huge THANK YOU to Lisabea-- I won a copy of My Fair Captain by J.L. Langley (available at Samhain, Fictionwise, or in print at Amazon)

Fairy Dust by Tielle St. Clare

Fairy Dust by Tielle St Clare
Erotic fantasy released by Ellora’s Cave



Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 8.5" out of 9"


Read my review at The Good, the Bad, the Unread

Challenge Protocol by Dawn Ryder

Challenge Protocol by Dawn Ryder


See index for previous books.




Category: Dark Chocolate - loved by some, just "meh" to me (C-,D+)
Flame Height: 6.5" out of 9"


Read my review at The Good, the Bad, the Unread

Ensnared by Innocence by Larissa Lyons

Ensnared by Innocence by Larissa Lyons
Paranormal Historical eNovella published 23 Jan 2008 by Ellora's Cave







Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 6.5" out of 9"

Head over to The Good, the Bad, and the Unread to read my review.

The Perfect Cover by Claire Thompson

Teddypig and Bev(QB)’s review of The Perfect Cover by Claire Thompson
Contemporary gay romance ebook released by Ellora’s Cave 26 Dec 07




Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 7" out of 9"

So what happens when an opinionated, Big City Gay Man with a deliciously wicked sense of humor teams up with an opinionated, pervy, suburban Ohio soccer Mom to dish about a Gay Romance written by a female author?

Head over to The Good, the Bad, and the Unread to read the words of wisdom (*snort*) imparted by Teddypig and I in our Dual Review.

uh... do I need to point out that neither one of us has a reliable "V-Chip"?

At Love's Command by Samantha Kane

Samantha Kane - Brothers in Arms series
(Ellora's Cave)

Series Category: Crème Brûlée - My All-Time Moan-Out-Loud Favorites. (A+)
Flame Height: 9" out of 9"

1. The Courage to Love - Jason, Tony, Kate (see previous commentary)
2. Love Under Siege - Phillip, Jonathan, Maggie (see previous commentary)
3. Love's Strategy - Valentine, Kurt, Leah (see previous commentary)


4. At Love's Command - Ian, Derek, Sophie

Book Category: Crème Brûlée - My All-Time Moan-Out-Loud Favorites. (A+)
Flame Height: 9" out of 9"

To read my "official" The Good, the Bad, the Unread condensed review of At Love's Command, click here. (Just be warned that it was the innocent victim of TGTBTU's recent template and server changes, so it's a bit wonky and the comments have disappeared. Hopefully, everything at TGTBTU will be working smoothly soon.)

The Brothers in Arms series centers around a group of men who fought together in the Peninsular War. In pairs, they protected each other and saved each other many times over. They love each other but, for some of them, they never considered how much they needed to also physically love each other and could only fulfill that unspoken need by sharing one woman. Once they find a woman they can both love, it also frees them to explore their love for each other.

At Love’s Command is the story of two of the men, Ian and Derek, who have already discovered how much they need each other in every way. But Ian dreams of a “new start with someone not associated with the war and all that happened there… Finally they could put the past behind them and live fully in the present, planning for a future. Ian wanted a family. He wanted children. And he wanted to give those things to Derek, too.” Unfortunately, Derek neither needs nor wants any part of it. He is convinced that a wife will destroy his life with Ian.

“A child when they were betrothed, Sophia Middleton has been waiting twelve years for Ian Witherspoon to return and marry her. Preyed upon by her vicious father and older brother, Sophie longs for Ian to rescue her.”

In this series, Samantha Kane shows us another reality within the Regency era ton… woman had no rights and were at the mercy and whim of the men in their lives. They either accepted their lot in life or held out hope that yet another man would change their circumstances. From the vantage point of our modern times, it is hard to comprehend that women had so little personal power. And as romance readers, we are accustomed to seeing women of the ton treated as pampered, protected pets or, at worst, neglected and ignored by indifferent parents/guardians.

In At Love's Command, it is truly horrifying to learn what Sophia has endured at the hands of her father and brother, made more so by the fact that she really had no choice but to survive it or take her own life… until Ian sends for her. It was heart wrenching to watch her fear of Ian’s rejection and her willing debasement of herself as she grasped at the only hope she would ever have in her life. From her POV, the fact that Ian already had Derek in his life (I assume her brother told her about them) meant that he would make few demands on her sexually and she would feel some measure of freedom and control for the first time.

When I first read the previous books in this series, they immediately landed on my all time favorites list. It still amazes me that, even with this fourth book, Kane’s mastery of erotic scenes somehow allows us to perceive each erotic act to be unique to that set of participants. But as much as I loved those previous books, they almost pale in comparison to At Love’s Command.

Kane’s writing has matured exponentially with this rich, exquisite, multi-dimensional story. Each of the men reminisces about their history together which makes their bond all the more believable and allows us to see their current situation from both viewpoints. And watching Sophie bloom and discover her true personality and sexuality is a delightful journey. Kane weaves Ian’s dreams of a loving triad, Sophie’s dreams of freedom from men’s cruelty, and Derek’s cynicism together and gradually a pattern of mutual respect and caring starts to appear.

I think At Love’s Command could probably be read as a standalone, but I recommend you read them all just for the enjoyment. Most of the characters from the previous books appear but I don’t think it would be difficult to catch the gist of their stories in relation to Ian, Derek, and Sophie’s story. In fact, Kate, her friend Kitty, and her niece Very (all of whom we meet in book 1, The Courage to Love) play important roles in At Love’s Command, but just enough of their back story is mentioned that their presence would make sense to those who haven't read the previous books. FYI: the Majors Richards and Randall who appear in Derek’s and Ian’s Peninsular War reminiscences are the Tony and Jason from The Courage to Love who also appear here in At Love’s Command.

Kane wisely brings an end to a continuing subplot from the previous books that had run its course, although I feel it was a bit out of place and unnecessary here—Sophie’s family member provided more than enough villainy without the need for the additional villain. Thankfully this subplot makes a relatively brief appearance. And I have to admit to a bit of selfish disappointment that this story ends before the ball. I hope the next story opens there.

A note regarding Kate’s niece Very... Very (Veronica) is extremely likeable and a welcome contrast to the other women in the series who have suffered at the mercy of various men. Considering the circumstances in which we meet her and Kate in The Courage to Love, I will concede that Very might be more worldly than the average teen girl within the ton. But in At Love’s Command, I think her precocious adult insight and sexual knowledge strained credulity.

On a more personal note, her erotic scene with Michael and Wolf had me metaphorically cringing behind my hands and peeking out between my fingers to zip through it (FYI: heavy petting, no intercourse). Yes, I realize that it would not be unheard of for a teenager of that era to be married, but since the adults in the story relate to Very as a child, that is how I relate to her too. So the scene had my squick-o-meter alarms clanging and I fervently hope that Kane allows a few years to pass in Very’s life before the triad consummates their relationship.

You know, one of the joys of having a voice in Romancelandia is that I have a platform which allows me to champion authors and books that I consider “MY” squee-worthy discoveries (I bet you have some you feel the same way about). Samantha Kane is a shining example of the gems offered by ePubs at their very best. As it stands now, NY would never touch her bisexual storylines, yet I assert that At Love’s Command deserves to be front and center on the mass market new releases display at every major bookstore.

I can summarize this book, indeed this entire series, in one word… exquisite.

Read an excerpt.

Piquant Opines: Ecataromance, RJ, Teddy Pig, Euro-Reviews,

Riding the Wolf by Carol Lynne

Riding the Wolf by Carol Lynne
Paranormal gay romance short story ebook published 31 Oct 2007 by Ellora's Cave

Head over to The Good, the Bad and the Unread to read my review.

QB's Quickies

"So, read any good books lately?"
"What did you think of...?"

Here's the Quickie answers to those questions. Click on the Links for more info.



Jaci Burton and C.J. Burton - Out of the Darkness (Ellora's Cave)

Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. Most books fall in this category. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 7" out of 9"

Werewolf and Vampire clans versus the human government. A government shrink that helps interrogate captured paranormal beings. She doesn't know she's the first werewolf/vampire hybrid. And last but not least, a werewolf/vampire (m/f/m) menage!

This book was written a couple of years ago and the world building and timeline could use a little tightening up, but that doesn't stop the flow of the story. The basic premise is intriguing with the added strength of interesting characters (even the secondary ones were well developed), and sizzling erotic scenes.

I sure hope that one day soon Charlie (Jaci's husband) and Jaci's muses nudge one another and say "So, ya wanna canoodle again?" because I would really like to read more stories set in this world.
Piquant Opines: RT, JERR, RJ,


Pepper Espinoza - Surrender's Edge (also Amber Quill Press and Amazon)

Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 8" out of 9"

This stands out because it gives us a little something different from most M/M/F menages. Geoff is devastated when he discovers that the two people he loves most in this world, his friend and business partner, Nash and their receptionist, Sunny, are secretly in a relationship. Turns out they each had their reasons for keeping it a secret- Sunny knew Geoff was in love with Nash and Nash knew Geoff was in love with Sunny and neither wanted to hurt him. What Geoff doesn't realize is that they are both in love with him in addition to each other. What ensues is Nash and Sunny seducing Geoff and convincing him they CAN have a triad relationship.
Piquant Opines:




Sabrina Jeffries - Beware a Scott's Revenge - School for Heiresses 3


Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. Most books fall in this category. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 6" out of 9"

A Regency AND a Highland Romance combined! *swoon* Has a twist I never saw coming. I never read the rest of the series, yet had NO problems reading this as a standalone. And the inside cover pic? YUM!
Piquant Opines: RT, RJ,

Hunter's Salvation by Shiloh Walker

Shiloh Walker - The Hunters series - listed in suggested reading order:

Ellora’s Cave (although most are now available in print. Check Shiloh's website for what forms and sources all the books are available in):
1. The Hunters: Declan & Tori
2. The Hunters: Eli & Sarel
3. The Hunters: Byron & Kit
4. The Hunters: Jonathan & Lori
5. The Hunters: Ben & Shadoe
6. The Hunters: Rafe & Sheila
7. The Hunters: I’ll Be Hunting You - Declan & Tori's sequel

Amazon, etc. (Berkley):
Hunting the Hunter - Kane & Kendall
The Blood Kiss - Hot Spell anthology with Holly, Leigh, and Brook - Roman & Julianna

Samhain and Amazon:
Legends: Hunters and Heroes - Matthew & Rachel (Hunter’s prequel part 1); Duncan & Kennedy; Malachi (Part I, prequel part 2)
Hunters: Heart and Soul - Mike and Leandra; Malachi (Part II) and Kelsey

Amazon, etc. (Berkley):
Hunter's Salvation - Vax & Jess

Series Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. Most books fall in this category. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 7” out of 9”

Book Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. Most books fall in this category. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 6” out of 9”

Hunter’s Salvation can probably be read as a standalone, just understand that there are a couple of scenes that involve Hunters from previous books that you will get the gist of, but you won’t know those characters' full back story. But, as I said in my previous commentary, since I KNOW you won’t be able to stop at just one, you might as well read them all anyway. And I’m not even going to try and comment further on this book as a standalone, I’ll leave that to the “real” reviewers. I’m a fangirl of the series and that’s the only way I can discuss it.

Right about now, Karen Scott would use the phrase “I love them like a fat kid loves cake” but that phrase just doesn‘t REALLY convey the scope of their appeal. Nope, I love this series like a menopausal woman loves Peanut M&Ms. Trust me, most days, they are all that stands between me and complete hormonal meltdown. A handful of those little life savers and all is right in my world again. Really, they should throw out all those medical studies and just prescribe Peanut M&Ms. *headslap* Oops...Okay, back to the Hunters- did I mention that Hunter‘s Salvation is VAX‘s story?! *swoon*.

I’m fairly certain that Shiloh Walker brought home kindergarten report cards with comments on them like “colors outside the lines” and “runs with scissors”. Now she has apparently decided to toss out entire sections of the Paranormal Romance Rulebook. Through most of the Hunters series, she only broke the “Heroines must be LESS kick-butt than the heroes” Rule and merely BENT a few of the other rules. And we, her Readers, let her get away with it. This only seemed to encourage her though and, with the last few books, she has now flatly refused to do what is expected of a Paranormal Romance Author! Oh, she stills follows a few of the most important rules- heroines must have strong voices, heroes must be swoon worthy, sex must be sizzling’, and you absolutely MUST give the story an HEA. But those are apparently the ONLY Rules that Shiloh seems to think she needs to follow. Here’s just a few of her infractions…

In The Hunter’s: I’ll Be Hunting You, she killed off one of my favorite heroes, Declan (from book 1), right at the beginning of the book. That’s not in the Rules, Shiloh! Then, she refused to let me know where she was going with the rest of the story until the final ending and HEA! What’s up with that? No way has she read the Rulebook!

Oh, and let’s discuss the way she’s tossed out the entire Genre Standards section of the Rules! Paranormal Romances have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Urban Fantasies have continuing story arcs that span multiple books. You can’t do both, Shiloh- it says so right in the Rules, if you’d ever bother to read them! But, Nooooo, not Shiloh. She gives us the first part of Malachi’s story in Legends: Hunter’s and Heroes and makes sure that, instead of merely waiting for Mal to find a heroine who will bring him to his knees, we yearn for Mal to find peace, happiness and healing, too.

Then she doesn’t give us the rest of Malachi's story until the second novella in Hunters: Heart and Soul! And, in THAT book, her flagrant disregard of the Rules is just shocking! First of all, novellas should each contain only one story- the hero and heroine’s. The Rules clearly state that you should NOT start a secondary story in one novella and continue it into the next. And they CERTAINLY do not allow this secondary story to start off completely innocuous and gradually develop into a brilliant, series changing climax by the end of the second novella! RULES, Shiloh, they exist for a reason! How are we supposed to concentrate on the hero and heroine’s story when you insist on involving them in secondary stories that keep us just as engrossed as the main story?!

Which brings us to Vax (*swoon*). The Rules state that the hero must be the most swoon worthy male in a story. And they most emphatically state that, when your hero is an uber powerful, mysterious alpha like Malachi, the heroine must be the ONLY character not intimidated by him. Yet, in Hunters: Heart and Soul, Shiloh involves Vax in Mal and Kelsey’s story and ignores BOTH those Rules! Therefore, the Reader develops conflicting hero lust and is even more unsettled when the “Only the hero can save the heroine’’ Rule gets tossed out, too! Shouldn't someone try to stop Shiloh's insurrection?!

In Hunter’s Salvation, we learn why Vax, a powerful witch and one of the best Hunters, left the Hunters decades ago. As I recall, the Rulebook states that heroes walk away from their previous life ONLY for angst filled, drama queen reasons. There is no mention in the Rules that the hero walks away because his honor and duty force him to commit a horrifying and heart shattering act!

And now, he doesn’t even WANT to rush in and save the day, he‘d rather someone else did it. He’s a hero, dammit, he’s not supposed to be reluctant! Then, Shiloh has the audacity to pair Vax with Jess, a heroine whose will to live is sustained only by her need for revenge and who WANTS to die once she has that revenge. The Rules clearly state that only ONE of the main characters’ souls must need saving, Shiloh, not BOTH of them!

But there’s one thing that Jess is absolutely right about- the psychopathic villains in Hunter’s Salvation just plain need killing. And Shiloh doesn’t spare the Reader the horrors of their heinous acts. In fact, Jess’s younger sister is one of their victims and we learn all the gut wrenching details of what they did to her and the other women. It even becomes UNDERSTANDABLE that Jess would not want to live because she’s so haunted by that knowledge. No, Shiloh doesn’t spare us. We are horrified by the villains’ sanguinary attitudes toward torture, rape and death.

Shiloh is not done with her Rule breaking, though. We ALL know what the Rules say about HEAs between a human and non-human. There is an entire section of the Rulebook devoted to the accepted scenarios for an HEA in these relationships. Shiloh, of course, can’t let a little thing like Rules dictate the ending to Vax and Jess’s story. Listen, I’ve read the Rules, and I knew the whole way through the book how it would end. In fact, as the story unfolded, I was sure EXACTLY HOW she would bring about that ending. But Ms. Shiloh “I don’t need no stinking rules” Walker just couldn’t be bothered to do what I expected. And to top it all off, she broke that “Only the hero can save the heroine” Rule AGAIN! Heroine’s are NOT supposed to rescue the heroes, dammit!

By the way, Shiloh, the Paranormal Romance Rulebook has very clear guidelines about world building. Authors must either stick with their original world rules, or else change them on a whim to fit their current storyline. NOWHERE in those guidelines does it say anything about creating believable, logical secondary storylines that expand the world you created. So, what did you do? Well, first you came up with both legitimate and clandestine scientific studies that may eventually lead to an explanation for non-human magic. THEN you give us a heroine who is part of a human family that possesses non-magical mental powers similar to your magic-based non-humans’ powers! And, if that’s not enough, the human family knows about the Hunters, but you don’t tell us how or why!! Authors have been slapped upside the head with mackerels for doing less!

But I think I’m onto you now, Shiloh. You have a guileful plan to bring that storyline into play in the future, don’t you? In fact, since Vax and Jess’ HEA gives them little reason to be involved in future books, the mystery of her family will bring them back to us again, won’t it? I can't even GUESS where that cunning muse of yours will take us with THAT story arc! And knowing you, you’ll just use that as a blatant excuse to break MORE Rules and expand the boundaries of the Hunters’ world even further!

Geesh! The Paranormal Romance Rulebook exists for a reason, Shiloh. What will the industry come to if authors start making willy-nilly decisions to create sizzling, genre-crossing, complex, multi-dimensional paranormal storylines with non-conventional heroes and kick-butt heroines that refuse to do what is expected of them?! Do you honestly think Readers are going to want unique, unpredictable stories like THAT?!


Oh, hell yeah!

Piquant Opines: RJ, RT, Gwen,

QB's Quickies

"So, read any good books lately?"
"What did you think of...?"

Here's the Quickie answers to those questions. Click on the Links for more info.


Stephanie Rowe - Immortally Sexy series
1. Date Me , Baby, One More Time - Justine and Derek
2. Must Love Dragons - Theresa and Zeke
3. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot - Becca and Nick

Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 5" out of 9"

Look, this oh-so-zany paranormal series is lighter than air, silly as can be, AND I HAVEN'T MET THESE CHARACTERS IN 9,999 OTHER PARANORMAL BOOKS! So it's staying on my auto-buy list... mainly because Becca and Nick's story (the best so far) had a bit more "weight" to it than the first two.
Piquant Opines: RT, RT, RT, CK2S

Lara Adrian (aka Tina St. John)- Kiss of Midnight - Midnight Breeds 1

Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 6" out of 9"

Here's the thing- I barely remembered this Paranormal Romance just a couple of days after reading it. It's not that I DIDN'T like it, I DID, because it was a good, solid story. It's just that I've read it before, by other authors, over and over again. This book didn't bring me engaging characters I've never seen, fresh new world building, or an edge-of-my-seat storyline. It DID give me a cover that screamed "This is an IMPORTANT RELEASE! You MUST buy it!"

Five years ago, maybe even 2 or 3 years ago, I would have been singing this book's praises, but I've been hanging out way too long in the Paranormal Romance section, I guess. A book has to have at least one of the traits I mentioned above to survive in this overcrowded market. Or else market it to Paranormal Romance virgins. As for me, I'll probably buy the next one, but it will hang out in my 2nd or 3rd tier TBR pile.
Piquant Opines: RT, RJ

Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, Alyssa Day, Meljean Brook - Wild Thing

Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 5" out of 9"

Maggie Shayne's Animal Magnetism kicked butt- when did Maggie start writing such pant-out-loud scenes, anyway? But the other stories were just "alright" to me. Although, to be fair, I think they are part of series that I have not read. Oh, and it has a lickable cover, too! *g*
Piquant Opines: RT,

Alexa and Patrick Silver - Animal Attraction - Ellora's Cave

Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 6" out of 9"

This is an EC Valentine Quickie, so I expected, and RECEIVED, nothing more or less than a short, light, entertaining read. The fact that the three characters happened to be feline shifters just added to the fun. Although, I wouldn't mind a more in depth glimpse someday into the shifter hierarchy these two first time authors have created.
Piquant Opines: RT, RRTE,

The Brothers in Arms Series by Samantha Kane

Samantha Kane - Brothers in Arms

1. The Courage to Love - Jason, Tony, Kate

Category: Crème Brûlée - My All-Time Moan-Out-Loud Favorites. (A+)
Flame Height: 9" out of 9"
+2006 Passionate Plume Finalist+




~
2. Love Under Siege - Phillip, Jonathan, Maggie

Category: Crème Brûlée - My All-Time Moan-Out-Loud Favorites. (A+)
Flame Height: 9" out of 9"




Add Samantha Kane's name to the list of Masters (Mistresses?) of Romantica. Even though I’ve already got ridiculously long TBP/TBR queues, once I read The Courage to Love, I had to immediately go back to EC and buy the rest. These stories are quivering, pant-out-loud, can’t-read-them-in-public erotic!

The basic storyline of these historicals is about a group of men who fought together in the Peninsular War. In pairs, they protected each other and saved each other many times over. They love each other but, for most of them, they never considered how much they needed to also physically love each other and could only fulfill that unspoken need by sharing one woman. Once they find a woman they can both love, it also frees them to explore their love for each other.

Samantha describes the erotic scenes (and these are truly erotic scenes, not just sex) in excruciatingly exquisite, drawn out detail. Not just a description of each physical touch/act, but what each one FELT like physically and LOOKED like from each character’s POV. And, proving her mastery at writing erotic romance, she somehow makes each scene in each book completely different! Let’s face it, there’s only so many Tab A’s and Slot B’s on human bodies, but Samantha manages to make each scene feel completely unique to each triad.

The one flaw for me was that the period appropriate speech (or at least what we in Romancelandia accept as period appropriate) was peppered with contemporary phrases that I found quite jarring. Although, by the second book I was used to them and they no longer made me pause as much.


3. Love's Strategy - Valentine, Kurt, Leah

Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. Most books fall in this category. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 7" out of 9"

Now, I held off reading the third book, Love’s Strategy, for a few days because I think I was getting dehydrated. Seriously. The first two were that absorbing. (pun intended*g*)

In this third one, Kurt and Valentine are already lovers. Yet their desire for children and a home sends them on a search for a woman who will agree to be their wife. If I had not already read the first two books in the series, I would have probably enjoyed this book more than I did. It’s a solid, albeit very short, story. On it’s own, it was damn good. Unfortunately, it just doesn‘t contain the riveting erotic scenes that the first two books did.

According to her website, Samantha is currently writing a fourth book- Ian and Derek‘s story. But, in that one, Derek is NOT happy about bringing a woman into their relationship. I hope Freddy and Brett’s story is ready to be told after that. Freddy’s a freakin’ DUKE so that should be VERY interesting and I think Brett has an intriguing story too.

Oh, and at some point I’d like to read the Rev. Stephen Matthews story. And when Kate’s niece, Very, gets older, I REALLY want to see her story since I doubt anyone is going to have to convince HER to be in a triad!
Piquant Opine: Jerr, RT, RT, TwoLips

UPDATE: Samantha is finished with the next book in the series, At Love's Command- Ian and Derek's story, and it's scheduled for a November 2007 release. I guess all shoe throwing should be aimed at Ellora's Cave for making us wait that long for it!
Next year, we'll get Freddy and Brett's story then Very, Michael and Wolf's story.

The Demon You Know by Christine Warren

Christine Warren - Novels of The Others

Ellora's Cave- The Fixed Series: set in the same world as The Others
1. Fantasy Fix - Regina and Dmitri
2. Fur Factor - Graham and Melissa
3. Faer Fetched - Danice and Mac
4. Fighting Faer - Corinne and Luc
5. Fur for All - Tess and Rafael
6. Fur Play - Honor and Logan


The Others - St. Martin's (MMP)
1. Wolf at the Door - Cassidy and Quinn
2. She's No Faery Princess - Fiona and Tobias
3. The Demon You Know - Abby and Rule


Series Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 6"-7" out of 9"

You could probably read any of these books on their own, but since so many previous characters show up from the Ellora's Cave Fixed series, I recommend you start there. Unfortunately, a quick check of Amazon and EC's ebay store revealed that the Fixed series is no longer available in print, only ebook.

This is a light, fun ENTERTAINING, series. It's populated with vampires, witches, shifters (of several varieties), fae, and demons (I think that covers them all). This series is on my auto-buy list and there's enough Romance, sex, alpha males, smartass humor, and HEAs to warm the cockles of any paranormal romance reader's... heart. *g*

Piquant Opines: Ck2S, RT, RT, RT, Jerr, Jerr,

Outside Protocol by Dawn Ryder

Dawn Ryder - Outside Protocol - Ellora's Cave

Category: Dark Chocolate - loved by some, just "meh" to me. (C-,D+)
Flame Height: 5” out of 9”

From EC "Rules surrounded her every day. It was just the way life was. Robyn didn't question it until she ran into Jace and Nash. It was hard to believe there were men who lived outside all the rules she'd been living under. One bite of forbidden fruit and she was hooked, unwilling to close her eyes to the temptation again. Not that anyone might blame her, one stunning male was enough to tempt a girl to sin…two was impossible to resist.

But it couldn't last. People just didn't fall in love in numbers of three. The sweet temptation of it haunted her though, as Jace and Nash refused to leave her. They pushed their way right into her life and took her with them when they faded back into the shadowy world they lived in. Special Forces, guns and betrayal should have turned her away but it only added more fascination to her growing addiction to remain with them. Without rules, the possibilities were endless and even love wasn't out of the question.

As long as you lived outside of protocol."

Outside Protocol was so highly recommended from several sources that I fully expected to enjoy it. Unfortunately, because of three problems, I never connected with the characters or story. I guess I can understand that a writer could be so close to her work that she can't step back and view it with an objective eye, but what surprises me is that Dawn’s beta-reader/writer’s group/editor apparently did not point these inconsistencies out to her. Bad beta, bad editor! No cookies!

But, rather than simply leave it at that, I am going to be presumptuous and critique this book in much the same way I would have done if I had been her beta reader (and, no, I’m not auditioning for the job). I have heard time and again that authors, while wishing that everyone loved their books (and I truly wish I DID love every single one of them), don’t mind a less than stellar review if the reviewer can convey WHY the book didn’t work for them.

Let me preface this by saying that I am far less tolerant of problems in non-paranormal, non-sci-fi/fantasy contemporaries than I am of any other genre. Once a story is set in the contemporary real world then I automatically expect it to follow real world rules. So, having said that, here are the three roadblocks I encountered when trying to enjoy Outside Protocol:

* After meeting Jace and Nash and leaving them at their private club, The Play Yard, Robyn says to herself, “No way. She was not going to risk her health for anything. They could have AIDS or any number of sexually transmitted diseases, or beat her up or slit her throat or…” Yet for the next two nights she has unprotected sex with both men before suddenly becoming outraged that they didn’t use condoms.

If the subject had never been brought up, I might have wondered about it, but shrugged and accepted that this was fiction afterall. I would even have accepted the lame but often used “We’ve never had unprotected sex before in our lives and would never endanger you.” Considering the circumstances under which she met them and that this was meant to be a temporary sexual relationship, I would have considered Robyn TSTL if she took their word for it, but I still would have gone with the flow. However, once you brought up STD concerns, you needed to deal with them. To be honest, that first sexual encounter in the restaurant was a bit cold and emotionless so the excuse of being carried away by passion wouldn‘t have worked for me either.

* The double penetration shower scene should have been swoon worthy, but that scene lost all credibility as soon as I read, “A single finger found her back entrance as Jace used the water to penetrate her bottom.” If you had omitted that sentence, I would have assumed she was still lubed up enough from the brief insertion of the butt plug earlier in the evening. I could even have accepted an in-the-heat-of-the-moment improvisation with (owie) shampoo or soap, but water is absolutely NOT an anal lube, particularly for an anal virgin. All I could think of during the entire encounter was OUCH!

* Even though it seemed like forcing a Bengal tiger to be a Friskies loving house cat, I could swallow that these teams of former Marine Special Ops now worked for the assessment company of their team leader and former CO, Dack. They are a high priced firm that consults for “…businesses hiring private firms to assess and critique office procedure in order to reorganize and maximize profit.“ But, what I just could not wrap my mind around was, these men are in imminent danger from many enemies, so what’s to stop these enemies from seeing that they are hired by a company of the enemy’s choosing and wipe the team out when they show up? It is, after all, a well known and high priced firm as evidenced by the fact that Robyn’s boss was thrilled to get a firm of their caliber at such a low price.

Those three points took me right out of the story, but having said all that, I liked the basic premise of the book. These two uber alpha men, who ordinarily would also be uber possessive, depend on each other for survival- “[Nash] and Jace lived together or they’d be dead together. They never slept at the same time, never fucked at the same time. One always watched the other’s back.” These facts of their lives mean that they also need to share one woman. And they had accepted that their lives would never include love because they assumed that no woman could truly love them and accept their lifestyle. So Robyn's love and the love they felt for her was an unexpected gift for them.

I also find Dack Tyden and the story behind his dishonorable discharge and betrayal by a traitor VERY intriguing. He obviously earned great loyalty and respect from his team of warriors and I would love to read his story.

Now, since I want to be completely fair to Dawn, I want to point out that other readers apparently did not agree that my issues with Outside Protocol were a roadblack to their enjoyment of the book. Several people on Lora's board raved about it; Love Romances gave it 4.5 hearts

QB's Quickies

"So, read any good books lately?"
"What did you think of...?"

Here's the Quickie answers to those questions. Click on the Links for more info.

I'm trying a new feature in my Commentaries. Whenever possible, Piquant Opines will link to other reviews and commentaries for each book/series.


Vivi Anna - Blood Secrets
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Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 5” out of 9”
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Vivi Anna is a huge CSI fan and, in the forward to Blood Secrets, she writes, “Wouldn’t it be cool if Gil Grissam was a vampire… possessing all [his] intelligence, determination and patience and the darkly sexy allure of a 200-year-old vampire with washboard abs?”
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Although the world building in this one wasn't completely credible(a secret Otherworld mid-sized city disguised as a military base right outside of San Antonio), it was nonetheless an absorbing, entertaining read. As a fellow CSI fanatic, I’d like to see the Sci-Fi channel or Lifetime turn this into a TV series.
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Piquant Opines: CK2S, RT
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Cheyenne McCray - Chosen Prey

Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. Most books fall in this category. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 6” out of 9”
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WOW! I usually associate Chey with erotic fantasy, but this thriller kicked some Linda Howard-esque butt! Way to go, Chey!
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Piquant Opines: CK2S, RT
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Shiloh Walker - The Hunters series

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Ellora’s Cave (although most are now available in print. Check Shiloh's website for what forms and sources all the books are available in):

1. The Hunters: Declan & Tori
2. The Hunters: Eli & Sarel

3. The Hunters: Byron & Kit

4. The Hunters: Jonathan & Lori

5. The Hunters: Ben & Shadoe

6. The Hunters: Rafe & Sheila

7. The Hunters: I’ll Be Hunting You - Declan & Tori's sequel

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Amazon (Berkley):

Hunting the Hunter - Kane & Kendall

The Blood Kiss - Hot Spell anthology with Holly, Leigh, and Brook - Roman & Julianna

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Samhain and Amazon:
Legends: Hunters and Heroes - Matthew & Rachel (Hunter’s prequel part 1); Duncan & Kennedy; Malachi (Part I, prequel part 2)
Hunters: Heart and Soul - Mike and Leandra; Malachi (Part II) and Kelsey

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Series Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. Most books fall in this category. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 7” out of 9”

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Vampires, werewolves, witches, and pant-out-loud erotic scenes. Permanently on my auto-buy list, this series really is as enjoyable as a gi-normous bag of Peanut M&Ms!

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I listed the series in published order rather than chronological order because I think the prequel has more impact AFTER we’ve gotten to know the Hunters. Having said that though, I think most of the Hunter’s books could be read as a stand alone (except book 7). But, since I KNOW you won’t be able to stop at just one, you might as well read them in order.

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I was thrilled that Malachi’s history was part of the prequel. His story continues in Heart and Soul. And the events surrounding Nessa- WOW! No, I won’t say what happens. If you’ve been reading the series, I want you to see it unfold as I did. And if you haven’t been reading the series (and, trust me, you should), then you won’t understand how important Nessa and Malachi are to the Hunters.
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I hope Shiloh’s muse has many more Hunters’ stories to share with us. Like maybe Vax’s story? (hint hint)

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Piquant Opines: RT, TwoLips, RJ

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Jory Strong - Carnival Tarot

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Category: M&Ms - a bit lighter and/or not quite as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms, but still Oh-So-Enjoyable! (B,B-,C+,C)
Flame Height: 7” out of 9”

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This is actually a print compilation of Jory’s Carnival Tarot series from Ellora's Cave. I had already read the second one, Kiziah’s Reading, but it was definitely worth a second read. Jory Strong ALWAYS delivers good, solid stories peppered with smoking’ hot erotic scenes.

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Piquant Opines: RRT, JERR

Anchor and Storm by Kate Poole

Kate Poole - Anchor and Storm - Ellora's Cave

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Category: Lava Cake - reads like warm Chocolate Lava Cake... à la Mode... sprinkled with nuts. (A,A-)

Flame Height: 6" out of 9"

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From EC: "Edgar Armstrong, Earl of Callander, had not given much thought to marrying and producing an heir…until he meets Emily Sinclair. When their easy companionship grows into love, they learn that Edgar's progressively debilitating disease could be passed on to his children. As their joy turns to despair Edgar finds a solution. If he can't get her with child he knows just the man who can. But will Emily agree to his plan?

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Angus MacNeill, Lord Callander's groom, thinks Emily married Edgar for his title, his money and the security he can give her. And when Edgar approaches him with a very unusual request Angus questions his master's motives. Still, it doesn't stop him from accepting Callander's terms — it's the only way he can be with Emily, even if only until she conceives.

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Deeply in love with Edgar, Emily will do anything he asks of her. But she never suspected he'd ask something like this! Despite Edgar's reassurances she worries that his plan could destroy their marriage rather than strengthen it. And when she makes her choice, Emily wonders if there's room enough for two men in her heart — and in her bed."

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I wish I could remember who recommended this book to me, because I want to thank them. I bought this book because it was historical and a menage, but it turned out that this was one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever read. Even the erotic scenes transcended sex and became some of the most emotionally exquisite scenes I've seen.

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Underlying all of this book was a sadness in each character. A great sense of loss. Edgar felt the betrayal of his body as it slowly gave away on him, then felt the loss of the years he longed to spend with his beloved Emily. Highlanders displaced after Culoden and the Jacobite uprising, both Angus and Emily felt the loss of their way of life, their freedom, and all that they held in their hearts. The love the three of them unexpectedly find, is their one shining prospect to gain peace for their souls.

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While Anchor and Storm does not end with a traditional HEA, the bittersweet ending left me with a feeling that their three lives had followed the course that was meant to be, they were fated to be together if only for a finite amount of time, that there could have been no other ending to their story.

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Thank you, Kate Poole. The chance to read a story as beautiful as Anchor and Storm is a major reason why I read Romances.

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(BTW, if anyone knows the address of Kate Poole's web site/blog, please let me know because I've been unable to find it)

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Update: In her response to the fangirl email I sent her, Kate says she is currently working on getting a website or blog up. She's also planning on attending next year's RT Con in Pittsburgh- I'm looking forward to meeting her.

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Update: It was Jess and Natalie who pimped this book on Lora's board right after it was released. Since then, a lot of us over there either have it on our TBP/TBR lists or have read it and love it as much as I do. I think we've now even convinced at least one non-historical reader to buy it!