Lots of Submission and Sex but barely Romance
355598
This book is all about domination and sex. In my opinion there was not a good development during the story to actually get the message that Patience and Matt might have fallen in love; thats the why of the 2 stars instead of a 3 a 4 or 5. The whole book is about Matt trying to submit patience to his own desires. I felt that Matt was a selfish hero and the whole submission thing was his way of dealing with his own problems and frustrations. This whole theme is a little more believable in a contemporary romance not in a historical one.
I even feel that this book in some way degrades women. The book refers to Matt enjoying "Patience" tears.  My God how cruel is that! It felt painful to me to read some of the sex's scenes where fellatio took place. I had to skip many pages to make it through the end.  There is never a book that I start that I don't finished but I almost did it with this one. By the end of the book I ended hating Matt instead of falling for him too. The ending was sweet but it didn't make up for the whole book. The book was sold as a historical romance but the context was more appropriate for Ellora's Cave. I paid for one thing and got another. I don't understand what is happening nowadays that sex has to overtake the whole romance. In my opinion a few good sex scenes filled with romances does it better than a whole bunch of cold sex scenes. This book has been a big disappointment to me. I did enjoy the previous book "Passion" very much. I highly do recommend that book to people who enjoyed spicy historical romances.
I also enjoy the secondary characters such as Aunt "Matty" and the few appearances that Passion made.
Even though this book did not meet my expectations I am planning on buying the next book if it ever get published and I keep my hopes that can be as good as "Passion."
The way I feel is that a not so good book does not defined the whole carrier for a writer.  Lisa Valdez has potential and I have to give her that.
If you are into Submission this might be a reading that you enjoy.
3402704
Megan Hart is now one of my writers to watch, and to read regularly, courtesy of the Vine program.  I finished "Lovely Wild" recently, and happily discovered this book available in the program so I had to get it.  This book attempts to address many subjects-anonymous sex and its consequences, finding love again, grief issues and custodial issues in divorced parents.  The description on the back does not do it justice, it merely suggests that this is a romance/erotically charged romance.  Which it also is.  Again, many issues are dealt with in this book, at times that it is just confusing, and one does not understand the point the author overall is trying to make with the book.

Stella is a woman with a past that becomes apparent halfway through the book. Stella goes flying, on her ex-husband's privilege, various places and picks up men, to have fun anonymous, no strings flings.  The sex scenes in this book are fabulous if conventional and there are a lot of them, if you like that kind of thing.  She kinda/sorta has a thing/not a thing with a guy named Craig, whom she flirted with while she was married, wanted to be with when she left her hubby and he turned her down.  She meets Matthew, a handsome, intriguing man with a past of his own.  Due to his baby momma dramas and his ex's manipulation of their children to use him as what can be called "an ex-husband husband," and Stella's own grief issues they stop seeing one another.  Various interesting scenes and flashbacks are given to round out the characters in the course of the book until the end.

As much as I love Hart's writing style, this book was disjointed, and I could not understand the point to it.  What was the overall theme? Romance/drama/grief stuff? Erotica/relationship commentary/unresolved parenting issues? I could not figure it out.  All of the characters were interesting but seemed to fly nowhere-with the exception of the character Craig, who seems to have no purpose.  The one thing Stella does not do, which she should do in between great rounds of sex, and her relationships with her ex, friends and son is to figure out her purpose in life.  Perhaps the author is attempting to say she is dealing with her grief issues, or attempting to find herself through these nights of anonymous sex, but I couldn't figure it out.  The flashbacks of the unresolved death of one of the characters are never really rounded out, leaving the reader frustrated and wondering why Stella is so upset over this death.  The instant attraction to Matthew is never really explained either, making this reader want to shake Stella and go "Why?" again and again.  At times, Stella has the maturity of her 16 year old son Tristan in dealing with Matthew-again, maybe this is important, but I just didn't get why.  Overall, the themes are put out there, but are never resolved to any satisfaction.

If possible I would give this book 3.5 stars.  I did enjoy it, and it was read in one sitting. I was just left at the sudden end, which felt too quick and too hurried, that there was not enough to this story.
4923245
I am a little torn about how to rate Tempting the Marquess.  Parts of it were really lovely and then others, due mostly to the heroine, were less than stellar.  Overall this rates 3  stars.

Olivia Weston (Livvy) has decided to save a man from himself.  She arrives at Lord Jason Traherne's Welsh home in the company of her aunt; Jason is her aunt's stepson.  Livvy feels she almost knows Jason through a diary left behind by his deceased wife that she discovered when she was organizing an estate library.  Livvy read the diary and came to the decision that Jason needed her.

Jason on the other hand believes he does not need anyone and he is more than put out that Livvy has invited herself to his home.  He is reclusive and not welcoming.  Moreover, he is sparring quickly with Livvy as she has a tendency to forget that she is a guest in his house and engages in a verbal match with him within a day.

Jason can be chauvinistic but that is a malady most peers possessed in his time period.  What distinguishes him from other peers is his deep love and affection for his son and his appreciation for a woman's quick wit.  He has a teasing nature with no malicious intent.

Livvy can be trying.  I believe she is eighteen or nineteen and she acts like it.  This was a bit of a surprise as her inner thoughts are of a much more mature young woman, her actions, though do not match.  She is idealistic to the point of being a perfectionist, love has to be perfect with a perfect hero in a perfect setting, and she expects this even though she is far from perfect herself.  Livvy is supposed to be rational and a planner yet there is very little forethought in some of her actions.

What is really admirable in this novel is the basic story of a man carrying a heavy load from his past who needs the affection, love and patience of a strong woman to help him release weighty issues.  In this regard, the novel works well; it's just that heroine Livvy gets in the way of this a little too much with immature conversations and plans.
2365519
WHAT I LIKED
-------------
- The three main characters develop a healthy polyamorous relationship (for erotic fiction).
- There's a real plot, it's not just a setup for sexual opportunities.
- The female lead's ability to adjust physiology was a really intriguing power I haven't seen before.
- The sex scenes are sexy.
- The author actually uses the word vagina, which was a breath of fresh air for me. Because that's what it is folks, a vagina.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
-----------------
- The mystery of the plot felt anti-climactic to me; it went a direction too many paranormal novels go.
- I enjoyed the loving relationship developing between the three characters for the first half of the book, but then things started to feel a little too dramatic for my tastes.
- The thing where the female lead's hair grows longer with the more satisfying sex she has is just plain weird.

This book is decent erotic fiction, especially if you're interested in some polyamory and bisexual male relationships.
1639442
2 1/2 - 3 stars
This was a complete middle of the road for me. It's basically a love story with light kink, but there just wasn't enough emotion or kink (one of the other) for it to be great for me. Gareth is a Dom - looks the part, acts the part and is as solid as they come - at least as far as outward appearances go. He's hurting after the loss of his wife several years age and is just coming back to the scene. Liz wants to explore and find out if she is truly a submissive. Liz buys Master Gareth for the night at a Dom auction for charity. They have instant chemistry, but their relationship progression was a little awkward. They play in the club that first night, he leaves and wishes her luck finding a nice Dom. She then surprises him at work and convinces him to go get a coffee. and their odd relationship begins. They scene several times together, but never back at the club. While he's a good guy and they're compatible, this rubbed me the wrong way. Their relationship progresses (mostly behind the scenes).  The next thing you know, she's playing Domme to him for one night so he can experience experience it and during this night he somewhat comes to terms with some of his grief and guilt. However, he freaks out when she lets those 3 little words slip out, and they don't speak for weeks. He reappears out of nowhere, stakes his claim and professes his love. I thought that it would end there, but Liz starts having doubts if she should be participating in the lifestyle and wants a "normal" relationship. Gareth is pathetic in this role and they can't even make a decision as to where to have lunch. This part was painful to watch for me as he was trying to give up who he was for her insecurities. The sex is disastrous for both parties and then there's another separation before a mutual meeting at the club in order to resolve their relationship - if it moves forward or terminates. The story had a lot of promise, but it just missed the mark for me
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2384247
Antonio was hot, and he and Serena went at it like wild rabbits.  There were a lot of sex scenes in this book, I think almost too much.  I would like to have seen less sex scenes, but with better quality.  It was almost like there were so many written just to make the book extra sexy.  Serena turned out to be the opposite of what I though she would be, and how she would react in certain situations which was a pleasant surprise.  Overall I liked this book, and would recommend.
549563
2.75-3 STARS 

This book was a bit out of my comfort zone. I honestly felt as though I was reading a porn script. I'm not opposed to graphic/erotic love scenes but this book was all about the sex. And some hardcore sex at that.
Personally, I prefer more story and less sex. I want a romance and more of a build up. I want more of a connection to the characters. I'm sure this book appeals to others more than it did to me, and I do think that those looking for this type of book would enjoy it.

I did like the writing style. There were however a lot of flashbacks in the beginning that quickly became annoying. I give props to some realistic and truthful parts that I don't always find in passionate scenes. Although other parts were overdramatized too.

***ARC provided for honest review***
3795504
I like a good romance and this story had little romance with a whole lot of sex as page filler.  Not my style.
4956614
Five Weeks In December. Blue Kincaid
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
So, the link tags of Erotica and romance had me interested, and the description sounded fine, so I was pleased to get this book for review. It wasn't what I expected though, there's very little BDSM given that December is a professional Submissive and Harry a Dom, even if he's currently having problems. There are a couple of steamy sex scenes, but its not really what Id think of as an erotic novel, more a novel with erotic scenes in it. The romance too didn't really work for me. I liked both characters, but didn't really get a sense of who they were, what they were really like, and missed that beautiful sensuality that comes with a growing romance. Here it was straight in with the sex, and the romance grew from there  except I just didn't really feel it. There was nothing wrong with the writing, a good premise, and well executed, its just I lacked any real connection to the characters. Maybe that's because its quite a short novel, I don't have price or length info but my kindle tells me there's 2,701 locations, which added to the reading time Id guess is around 100 pages or so, not really enough for any in-depth characterisation. Its one of the reasons I prefer longer novels.
It does have a proper conclusion and is a stand alone, many shorts are just part novels with more to follow, another trend that doesn't work for me, but thankfully this is a complete novel. If you're looking for a quick, spicy easy read this may be what you want, for me I needed a bit more emotion, drama, character and depth.
Stars: two and a half.
 ARC supplied by Netgalley
153680
I generally enjoy Bertrice Small's novels because she delves further into romance and sexuality in her books than other romance novelist I've read and I can appreciate that she has written books set in the modern age however; this book was a bit much.  The kind of person who would fully enjoy this book would be a dominatrix...I am not a dominatrix.  I could not appreciate how the men, particularly the leading man (if you can call him that), had been stripped of their manliness by the women entering into The Channel.  I especially didn't like on one occasion how the leading female character put the leading male in an uncomfortable position by proposing he perform an intimate request that wasn't to his liking (or mine).  There were several times I wished the men in The Channel had have told these women to go to hell (If you read or will read the book, you'll get the implied joke stated here.) It is clear toward the end of the book why these men were subject to this type of treatment but I say let a man be a man, let him retain his masculinity.  I enjoyed the plot outside The Channel better than I did the romance aspects of the book because of the improprieties of the leading female character when she crossed over into her fantasy.  I suppose if you're the type of woman who wants to control a man and make him do what you want him to do than this is the novel for you.
404774
After reading all of the reviews I felt this was going to be a good book with minimal sex involved, one review said that the love scenes left plenty to the imagination. That isn't true there was one graphic sex scene after another. I like the writer she drew you into the story, but it would have been good without all the sex. I feel like the author should state that there is graphic sex or language in their bios, so we can make the choice ourselves.
4888490
Well written but I think it should have been classified under erotica, not romance.
2091393
A dark erotic with some alternative sex scenes and shape shifters. This story was heavy on the sex scenes and not so much on the plot/character development. I did enjoy it overall, but that was probably due to Sebastian the main hunk. Lily is descended from an ancient line of shape shifters called the Chanku and her father is the alpha of them all. The Chanku live in the public after an accident exposed them to mankind, but it isn't always a welcoming world. Lily is trying to help their public image and figure out who is mauling young women around their stomping grounds making the Chanku look like uncontrollable animals. When Lily finds herself face to face with Sebastian, the son of their most outspoken opponent, she is enthralled with him leading to an intense relationship and some even bigger revelations about Sebastian and his insane father. Love and sex are aplenty in this novel.
1484379
I enjoyed this book for its clever and original plot, and its smooth writing. I felt it was weak in terms of character development. In spite of the length of the book, I didn't feel like the characters were very well fleshed out. I liked them well enough but I wasn't able to get to know them very much. It wasn't until the last chapter and the epilogue that they felt like anything more than cardboard cutouts. By then it was too late for me.

I also didn't enjoy the erotic nature of the book. IMHO, explicit sex does not equal erotica. It's necessary for erotica but not sufficient. Where was the passion? Where was the heat? This was just page after page (after page after page) of boring boinking bunnies. There were only one or two scenes where the author achieved some actual heat and passion. They weren't all boring, just most of them.

I think this author has some great ideas and a nice style. She just needs to work on the character development and adding depth to the passion. Sometimes less is more. Fewer explicit scenes but each of them with some real passion would be better, IMHO.
4159288
Tries too much to be erotic, provocative but for me, fails.

 want real emotions, dialogues etc.

I don't just want dominant male and submissive female plot. I want there to be more, to see a couple build a relationship based on trust, which is a must.

The pace was too fast in that regard, and I couldn't buy into them falling so easily.
4427017
Got this free on Amazon after knowing about it from the bargain basement group. This review is quite ambiguous since I have mixed reactions.

There are different genres here such as contemporary erotica, romantic suspense, new adult, and mystery.

I was looking for something sexy and while I liked that there's about 80% sex and 20% story, some of the scenes were quite redundant. Ana and Jake just couldn't get enough of each other and they always do it wildly.

The mystery angle wasn't exactly impressive since the author left some obvious clues as to who the culprit is.

I know it's different for everyone, but I feel that there's really no solid foundation when it comes to Ana and Jake's love for each other. It's more of lust as portrayed here. I gave this 4 stars because I enjoyed the erotica. They're at it most of the time. I was thrown for a loop in the ending that's not quite the ending and while the author tried to do the cliffhanger, I'm not exactly eager to start on the next in the series.
4195507
I had a little trouble getting into this book. I usually prefer historical romance to futuristic stories, but I was kind of drawn in by the concept of genetic engineering of classes of people. In this world, there are normal women called fems, normal men called mems, submissive females called obedients and super warrior males called primales. The primale Theron is called upon by the High Council to guard the fem Nyssa from threats of death. Against both of their wills they are drawn to each other, but primales never mate with fems, only obedients. The only way Theron can keep Nyssa under his watch is by physically dominating her. She says she hates it, but secretly she loves it.

There is a lot of very graphic sex and BDSM scenes in this book, more so than plot. I think that if all the sex scenes were gone, the book would be half as long as it is now. What there is of a plot isn't bad, and the writer tries to show the difference in thinking between men (more than men) and women in dealing with conflict.

Heat factor hot.