Reader Views

Anatomy of A Cheater: Book 1: The Early Years

Article first published as Book Review: Anatomy of A Cheater: Book 1: The Early Years by Hurchel Williams, MBA on Blogcritics.
 
In this first book of the “Anatomy of a Cheater” series by Hurchel Williams, the author takes us from his childhood through young adulthood to discuss his experiences with women.  As early as age five, Mr. Williams knew that he had a strong attraction to females.  As he goes into his teens, his sexual experiences frequently involve him being in multiple relationships or having relationships with older married women. These early experiences sent the tone for his future relationships, including issues with fidelity. As Mr. Williams tells his story, he offers ‘Keypoints’ to illustrate his thought processes. Some of these thoughts involve how men think about relationships in general and others explain the mentality that leads one to cheat. 

As he enters adulthood and joins the military his travels take him to other states and another country which gives him the opportunity to spread his wings with new relationships.  While he assumes a masculine role, he encounters a variety of women that teach him some lessons. What amazed me was how many women, whom he describes as beautiful, knowingly engaged in relationships with him, while they were aware that he was either unfaithful or uncommitted.  They willingly lower their self-worth to settle for less than a fully committed relationship.  I have personally known women who allow themselves to settle for less, and this book helped me gain a greater insight into why they engage in these relationships.
 Reading “Anatomy of a Cheater” by Hurchel Williams not only gave me insight into why men cheat, but it also gave me a lot of ideas about how to try to keep this from happening in my current relationship. While there are no guarantees, I definitely have some ideas that I think will benefit us both.  I highly recommend this book for all women, not just ones that have been cheated on.  I also look forward to future books in this series as we will read more about Mr. Williams’ future relationships and share in the wisdom that he freely gives as we read his stories.  Readers should be aware that “Anatomy of a Cheater” contains many descriptive erotic scenes and be prepared for this. This is not a dry text book!


Anatomy of A Cheater: Book 1: The Early Years
Hurchel Williams, MBA
AuthorHouse (2012)
ISBN 9781477254042
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (10/12)

Incubus Moon

Article first published as Book Review: Incubus Moon by Andrew Cheney-Feid on Blogcritics.
 
In “Incubus Moon,” by Andrew Cheney-Feid, we meet Austin Iverson who is thirty-years-old and in the prime of his life.  Living a hedonistic life that involves erotic pleasure with both men and women, he never lacks finding a willing partner.  His world is rocked shortly after the death of his beloved mother when he discovers that he was adopted. An inner voice encourages him to seek out his birth parents.  He finds little time to do so because his sexual needs constantly need to be sated.  He soon discovers that not only is he an incubus, but he is one of the few remaining ones that hasn’t been wiped out of existence.  Feeling the presence of darkness within him, Austin feels very threatened.
            
Not only does this put him in danger, but also those around him whom he cares deeply about.  After he meets an enigmatic man named Dimitri, he starts finding out the truth about his existence and his heritage.  Dimitri has reasons for wanting to destroy Austin, however, he finds himself unable to do so. As the two become more connected, their relationship remains tenuous because neither can be sure if they can truly trust the other.  Austin’s powers as an incubus are becoming more powerful.  He has very little time to learn how to use his gifts so that he can protect himself from powers that are greater than his.
            
Austin’s tale is incredible.  In spite of his demonic heritage, his ability to care for others helps him hold on to his humanity. As he is trying to learn about who he is, he is also awakened to the fact that there are otherworldly creatures out there with a great deal of power. They also have a desire to harness his abilities. Not being quite sure whom he can trust and then suffering from horrible betrayal plays a role in changing how he views others in this world.  In the end, one man has the ability to help him hold on to what is left of his humanity.  Austin travels through portals between different dimensions as he fights for his life and battles to save his powers.  These dimensions open his eyes to the enormity of the battle that is being waged over him.
            
“Incubus Moon,” by Andrew Cheney-Feid, held me completely spellbound while I read it.  I loved that the author kept the story fast paced and constantly changing. I never had time to figure out what was going to happen next, because the scenes kept moving.  Incorporating incubi and vampire legend into the plot also made for more interesting reading.  The incubus aspects of the main character involve a great deal of intensely erotic scenes that make this story for adults only.  I highly recommend “Incubus Moon”for readers who think that they can handle it!


Incubus Moon
Andrew Cheney-Feid
CreateSpace (2011)
ISBN 9781463674069
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/12)

Lido Key

Article first published as Book Review: Lido Key by Tim Smith on Blogcritics.
 
With “Lido Key” by Tim Smith, the second mystery in the Vic Fallon series takes us to Siesta Key, Florida. As readers we go willingly, but for private Detective Vic Fallon, his visit is a surprise.  When Vic leaves his home in Ohio to follow up on a lead in Atlanta, Georgia, he is stunned when he wakes up in a bungalow in the Florida Keys.  When he finds out the reason for his visit is to help former lover Ariel Weston deal with a blackmailer, he feels mixed emotions. Part of him is still angry at her for disappearing on him three years ago, and another part of him still feels a huge attraction towards her.

As the mystery unfolds, Ariel has to reveal a great deal of her past to Vic.  It appears that there is a link between people who might have known her in her former life before she became the socialite wife of a wealthy man.  There are also several sleazy characters from the present that seem to have an interest in Ariel.  The most troubling aspect of this case is that the blackmailer isn’t asking for money, he is asking for an erotic night with Ariel. As Vic continues with his investigation, he discovers that somebody has taken a great deal of interest in him, and is out to get him. He needs to solve this case before he or Ariel become victims themselves.  He also has to decide what to do about his feelings for Ariel.
 
I totally enjoyed reading “Lido Key.” Having read the first book in the Vic Fallon series, I was pleased to see that the author Tim Smith continues to write quality detective stories. He also has a great deal of talent for writing erotic scenes.  Combining the mystery with erotica made “Lido Key” a book that was impossible to put down.  I highly recommend “Lido Key” to readers who enjoy mystery and sizzling erotic scenes.  I also look forward to see what adventures the private investigator has in store for him in future books of the Vic Fallon series.


Lido Key
Tim Smith
eXtasy Books (2012)
ISBN 9781771111881
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/12)

Between the Cracks (eBook)

Article first published as Book Review: Between the Cracks (eBook) by Kim McDougall on Blogcritics.
“Between the Cracks” contains an odd assortment of short stories and poetry. While the author’s creations tend to “fall through the cracks” of being able to be labeled under a specific genre, many of them have a touch of fantasy in them. The fantasy ranges from folklore to horror. Within each story I also found themes involving humanity or inhumanity. The author does an excellent job of conveying the emotions of each character in her stories. Most of them also had a great deal of descriptions involving nature. I felt that this touch allowed me to “feel” what was happening. For example, when she describes cold winter weather, I felt like I was sitting right in the middle of it. When other worldly creatures interact in natural settings, it also makes them seem more real.
Within the stories, I found touches of humor, fantasy, folklore and eroticism. Having such a variety present in one small book is a real treat. Each story or poem stands alone on its own and is not dependent upon the others. This enables you to either read it in one sitting, or if you are short on time, you can go back to it as your time allows. I would love to read other works by this author, including her young adult stories, however, due to the adult themes in several of the stories, I suggest that this particular book be limited to adults. While I might not recommend this for a high school summer reading list, I highly recommend it for an adult reading group. The stories will be enjoyed as they are read and then enjoyed again as they are discussed. “Between the Cracks” is a keeper!


Between the Cracks (eBook)
Kim McDougall
Kim McDougall (2011)
ASIN B0050JK0NI
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (11/11)

Wicked Allure (eBook)

Article first published as eBook Review: Wicked Allure by Leslie C. Ferdinand on Blogcritics.

Tall, dark and sexy, Zachary Steele has a reputation for being a “faithless womanizer.” His history has proven this to be true.  When his exotically beautiful ex-girlfriend Madigan is coerced back into his life, by her mother, things get very complicated.  Zachary once pushed Madigan away because he was afraid of the depth of his feelings for her. Now that she is back in town and in business with him, he is very confused.  Incredibly drawn to her, he fears he did too much damage to be able to salvage their relationship.  Still, they find themselves unable to avoid the physical attraction that they still have for each other.

Sharing her exotic beauty with her two other sisters, Madigan has suffered a great deal throughout her whole life because of the damage caused by her two selfish manipulative parents.  Her sisters have also been affected by their obvious need to control them, and their lack of loving parenting skills.  Madigan’s mother uses the guise of reuniting with her daughter to get her to come back into their lives.  Having the majority of shares in Zachary’s business, her mom can pretty much do what she wants, or so she thinks. Hoping to gain some peace in her relationship with her mother, Madigan agrees to return. She is a bit surprised to learn that her mother wants her to be involved with “Wicked Allure.” Advertised to be a spa, “Wicked Allure” also offers special SPA services. SPA stands for Sensual Pleasure Anonymously.  The SPA services are offered to wealthy patrons with a taste for the exotic.

Working in a sexually charged environment makes things even more difficult for Madigan and Zachary.  It makes it impossible for them to avoid the needs that they have for each other.  It also brings some people into the picture who desire to create havoc for the both of them.  On the other hand, Madigan’s return to town gives her the opportunity to get closer to her sisters and hopefully right some of the wrongs from their pasts.  As she is working on this, there are some surprises that could directly affect her reunion with Zachary.  Now it is his turn to prove himself.

“Wicked Allure” offers the perfect blend of erotic romance and drama.  The sensual scenes that are played throughout the story are very well written and will definitely draw the reader into an incredible escape from their mundane world. The characters are both complex and sexy, and some of the bad ones are truly bad to the bone, which allows for an incredible amount of turmoil in the story.

I really enjoyed reading “Wicked Allure” by Leslie C. Ferdinand and feel that because it offers the perfect blend of sensuality and drama it has a lot more to offer than some of the typical erotic romances.


Wicked Allure (eBook)
Leslie C. Ferdinand
Smashwords (2012)
ISBN 9781475010800
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/12)

Desperate Desires (A Sweet and Spicy Novella)

In London, England, in 1796, beautiful and feisty Lucinda is about to become a widow. Her much older wealthy husband is in ill health.  Fearing that his devious relatives will try to step in and take everything from her, because there is no heir, Lucinda has hatched a plan to solve this dilemma.  Enlisting the aid of her loyal servants and her giant brother, she sets out to kidnap the Duke Lucien Douglas IV.  The success of this mission is critical to all who are involved because the estate of the Lucinda’s husband is home to all of them.

Wise to the ways of the world, Lucien is extremely surprised to discover himself so easily kidnapped.  Initially he is angry and resistant to the idea of helping Lucinda, especially when he learns her criteria for choosing him.  When he finds himself unable to resist her charms, he quickly changes his mind.  Caught up in their desire for each other, they seem to forget all else.  When Lucinda’s allies step in to help bring them back to reality, they find themselves lost to each other.  It is now Lucien’s mission to find Lucinda.

“Desperate Desires” perfectly blends erotica, romance and humor.  I found the whole eccentric cast of characters to be endearing.  The sensual scenes are beautifully written and extremely erotic.  I think most readers will find themselves wishing that they could be in Lucinda’s shoes.  I guess I shouldn’t say “shoes” because she certainly wasn’t wearing any in the most intense scenes.  Terri Wolffe definitely managed to capture my attention with this tale.  I highly recommend "Desperate Desires" to readers who enjoy erotic romances.

Desperate Desires (A Sweet and Spicy Novella)
Terri Wolffe
Amazon Digital Services (2011)
ASIN: B004MME1HA
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/11)

The Sweet Distraction

“The Sweet Distraction” is a book that covers all the bases. Want a story about a down-on-his-luck writer in need of a comeback? Got it. Looking for a mobster with a good heart? You’ll find it here. How about sex? In the mood for some steamy, erotic, romantic, kinky, rockin’-your-world sex? This book delivers.

Tim Smith brings us a simple story of a guy (George) meeting a girl (Cookie), with both of them immediately falling head over heels for each other. The story takes a twist because Cookie isn’t your everyday girl. Daddy happens to be a mobster, but more than that, he’s THE mobster - The Boss of Bosses.

Understandably, George is a little slowed down by this, but Cookie knows what she wants and George’s willpower (and fear of Daddy) can’t compete with the sultry woman’s passions. Soon, the two of them are meeting up, and heating up. The sex scenes are well written, with just the right amount of description to let you feel like you’re there. If you don’t feel their heat, then you might want to check your pulse. You could be dead.

I was pleasantly surprised to find George and Cookie written as real-life people. No shallow stereotypes just going through the paces here. Both of them have personality, and a history explaining why each is the way they are. Cookie’s dad, Don Vito, might have a passing resemblance to a certain Godfather depicted on the big screen, but the similarities seem to diminish as his own personality is revealed. More businessman than Mafioso, Don Vito provides a light comedic touch even as he shares his wisdom with two people who desperately need it.

The story is well paced and the erotic scenes are written in a realistic way. The sex is frequent but not gratuitous, and it’s established early on that George has some old-fashioned values, even explaining to Cookie at one point that she might know how to screw but he’s going to show her how to make love. After the initial heat slows to a low boil, they’re even able to plan, and enjoy, a few outings that don’t end up in the sack.

I suppose every silver lining has a cloud, and the cloud in this book has to be Special Agent Monday of the FBI. I can understand the feds showing up in a book that has a mafia Don as a main character, but I can’t figure out why it’s Agent Monday. He appears to be a caricature of Joe Friday from the old Dragnet television show. The similarity is so profound that I soon found myself picturing Dan Akroyd as the character because he portrayed a caricature of Joe Friday in the Dragnet movie. If you’ve seen that movie, then you have met Special Agent Monday. The caricature has a partner, Agent Phelps, who says exactly one word in the story.

Monday isn’t actually a bad character, just in irritating one. I believe the author wanted to provide a little comic relief in the story, and the character falls flat because no comic relief is needed. The story functions just fine without him and, thankfully, his appearances are brief.

“The Sweet Distraction” is the perfect ‘distraction’ if you’re looking for a good story with some great sex. As Cookie would say, “It’s a sweet treat?”

The Sweet Distraction
Tim Smith
Extasy Books (2010)
ISBN 9781554875771
Reviewed by Marty Shaw for Reader Views (06/10)

Anywhere the Heart Goes

Burned out on relationships and on being hurt, Sam Diamond is only interested in playing the field. When his close friend, Ron, asks to set him up, at first he isn’t interested, but finally he does change his mind. Married to Wanda, Ron frequently espouses the benefits of being in a committed relationship. Sam doesn’t quite buy it, but he does listen. Ron of course, is not always 100% content in his relationship with Wanda, yet he does love her and feels that being with her is worth making compromises. Wanda, of course, is the one pushing Ron into convincing Sam to meet her friend Rachel.

Rachel has also been very hurt in relationships. She is extremely cautious, however, based upon what Wanda has told her, she is also intrigued about meeting Sam. On their first date, both feel a major physical connection to each other, however, as their relationship progresses; they continue to allow their fears to hold them back emotionally. It is these fears that they have to work through in order to really be able to succeed with each other. Meanwhile, as they are working through their “stuff,” Rachel and Sam enjoy some incredibly fulfilling and erotic moments.

As I read “Anywhere the Heart Goes” I was really impressed by the author’s inclusion of the doubts and fears that both Sam and Rachel were experiencing. He really tapped into what a lot of 40-something women are feeling. The fears and frustrations were perfectly expressed in Wanda’s character. I also liked that he took us into Sam’s heart and showed us what he was experiencing. Sam was portrayed as a real man, with real fears and insecurities. As in many real relationships, the characters weren’t saying much to each other about them. Instead they were holding them in, which in turn held them back from experiencing true happiness. We also got a realistic look at Wanda and Ron’s married relationship. Again things weren’t perfect for them; however, they knew that they would be happier with each other than anyone else. So they both work at it.

Reading “Anywhere the Heart Goes” by Tim Smith was a really nice surprise for me. This was a book that I, as a 40-something divorcee, could really relate to. Plus the author does an excellent job in creating his sensual scenes.

Anywhere the Heart Goes
Tim Smith
eXtasy Books (2009)
ASIN B002GPVBSC
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/09)

Death’s Courtship: Torrid Tarot

After centuries of not taking a vacation, Death decides it is time. Since things are relatively calm right now, he figures this is a good time to go. Leaving his brothers to cover for him, he takes on the name Atticus Denali and hits the road in his classic Aston Marten. Conveniently, ghost exorcist, Bryn DePalo meets Death accidentally when he hits her in his car. As soon as Atticus sees Bryn, he knows that she is meant to be his wife. He just needs to convince her of that.

In repayment for denting his car with her body, Atticus asks Bryn to take him along on her ghost hosting expeditions. He finds what she does very interesting and since he is in the business, he has an understanding of what happens. Ironically, Atticus’s brothers feel that they need to liven things up a little bit, in their role as Death. They take on different roles to suit the situations. They also leave behind Tarot cards that happen to be from Atticus’s personal collection.

Bryn also has her own fatal attraction chasing her. His name is Mark and he hasn’t quite gotten over his mother’s death. Neither has his mother. She is sticking around to stay in Mark’s life. Fearing that Bryn will send her away, she makes a pest of herself. Mark is also a nuisance who is less than happy to see Atticus pursuing Bryn.

In between ghost exorcising, Atticus and Bryn finds themselves exercising each other, quite frequently in fact. The sex is incredible. The scenes are incredibly written and sensual. They both have fallen for each other. As Bryn starts figuring out who Atticus really is, Mark’s erratic behavior escalates. Death has to figure out what will be best for the both of them.

“Death’s Courtship” is a fun, erotic tale. Death is actually a pretty good guy. The antics of his brothers make the story really fun to read. So do the sensual scenes. Jory Strong has written a winner in her Torrid Tarot series. I definitely would not want to miss out on this one!

Death’s Courtship: Torrid Tarot
Jory Strong
Ellora’s Cave (2007)
ISBN 9781419912870
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (11/07)

Dragon Shift

Eve is a Maivorian who has been enslaved by her Master for years. The Master collects unusual aliens and enslaves them. He orders Eve to use her powers to help him enslave Terrell who is part human and part dragon. Terrell is a shape-shifter who resides on earth. Shape-shifters are not welcome there, so they are at war with humans.

When Eve arrives on earth, she and Terrell are immediately attracted to each other. Knowing that she does not have a choice in capturing him, she hopes that in time he will forgive her and learn to love her. She is tired of being on the ship alone. Eve and Terrell discover that they can create some beautiful magic together. Eve realizes that it is wrong to try to trap him so she gives up. The Master tricks Terrell into submission.

Eve and Terrell work together to try to overcome the Master. He is an evil man who forces people into doing evil things to get them to submit. Eve and Terrell must discover the true strength of their combined magic to overcome him.

“Dragon Shift” is really a good story, especially for such a short one. A.J. Cove successfully blends a great romance story with a great science fiction story in less than seventy-five pages. I don’t think that this was an easy task, but the end result is very good. The erotic scenes are also really enjoyable. I really like that the hero and heroine find that together they are more powerful than apart. I wish more real relationships were like this.

Dragon Shift
A.J. Cove
Amira Press (2007)
ISBN 9781934475270
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (10/07)