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2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.
New-To-Me Authors
2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe
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Showing posts with label Ann Mayburn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ann Mayburn. Show all posts
Friday, June 7, 2013
Review: My Wicked Devil by Ann Mayburn
My Wicked Devil
Author: Ann Mayburn
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Publisher: Loose ID
Club Wicked #3
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary Romance
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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After a motorcycle accident left her with a fractured pelvis, former dare devil and actress Kira Harmony cannot have sex without pain. Unwilling to give up on her dreams of someday having a normal love life, she has come to Club Wicked to find a Dom. And not just any Dom. Kira is looking for the best sadist she can find, a Master who can help her learn how to turn her pain into pleasure and help her escape the prison her body has become.
Lord Bryan Sutherland has always had a taste for meeting the needs of masochistic submissives. When Kira contacts him, her plea for his help intrigues him. He's always loved curvy redheads, and they certainly have an explosive chemistry together, but he doesn't know if it is possible to establish the kind of trust needed in order to train her mind to convert agony into ecstasy. That trust is sorely tested when Kira continually pushes herself too far and refuses to safeword out.
Bryan must make a decision; continue to train Kira and run the risk of seriously hurting her, or walk away from the uncontrollable woman who holds the key to his heart.
What I’m talking about:
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Kira, former Hollywood actress and friend of Master Hawk, is a new member at Club Wicked. Injured performing a motorcycle stunt on a movie shoot, she cannot have intercourse without experiencing a lot of pain. Now a size 16 and uncertain of her own appeal and sensuality, Kira hopes that she can find a Master who will help teach her how to derive pleasure from pain.
Lord Bryan is THE Master sadist at Club Wicked. When Kira witnesses him performing a scene, she is immediately taken with his raw sexuality and dominance, and she realizes he is the Master for her training. Masters Hawk and Jesse help put the pair together for a “get to know you meeting,” and their fierce attraction is instantaneous. Yet Brian is cautious, knowing the skeletons from his past may end up harming Kira.
Ms. Mayburn returns to her Club Wicked series with another intense and deeply romantic tale. Although it can be read stand alone, this series is fabulous, and I recommend starting at the beginning. For those that have read the previous books, My Wicked Devil overlaps in time with My Wicked Nanny during the period Anya is in Paris.
Mmmm... I just love how wicked Lord Bryan is. The man enjoys driving a willing submissive to the point of extreme pleasure and exquisite pain. What makes him so sexy is the fact that he is completely shaken by Kira's presence. He wants her with a need even he can't explain, and because of this, he is so very cautious with her. There is a gentle lion underneath the tiger exterior, and that is so sexy.
Kira is the most spirited submissive of the series to date. She's got a mind of her own and doesn't like to be told she's wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed her strong will and watching her learn to love submitting to her Lord. However, she is sometimes stubborn to absurdity and she doesn’t even realize it. She reminded me of a teenager.
One of the things I love most about this story is the open honesty that both partners model. For example, Lord Bryan has a pretty dark secret that drove him from his British estate to the US. When Kira discovers the secret, she is honest about what she found out and how it makes her feel. This is so much better than letting it linger and having a horrible misunderstanding over it later in the book. (However, Kira’s sister also knows the truth, and having that out there added a nice bit of tension to the mix.)
Although Kira is honest, she has a lot of growing up to do before Bryan can completely commit. Bryan’s struggles over his lust and desire for Kira versus his need for her to be safe, are so raw and moving. I love how honest Bryan is with Kira when he tells her he can’t leave her but can't live with the fear of hurting her. He is very mature, but Kira gets so defensive when he tries to discuss the truth of her adrenaline junkie behavior.
My Wicked Devil is filled with tremendously sexy and naughty scenes. Once again, Ms. Mayburn pushes boundaries and explores kink in the arena of pleasure and romance. Sex is not used to shock or punish, but is one aspect of a healthy relationship.
The ending of the book is ushered in with a twist that I, for one, did see coming much earlier in the book. However, it works for the story and this couple, even if it wasn’t the shock perhaps it was intended to be. I enjoyed that Bryan and Kira worked out their issues and are both willing to compromise. They will have a bumpy road, but as long as they talk to each other, they will make it.
Overall, My Wicked Devil is another excellent addition to Ms. Mayburn’s Club Wicked series. I appreciate that each book in the series tells a different story, each with unique characters, styles and issues. Lord Bryan and Kira are a fiery, passionate pair that warmed my heart. I look forward to reading many more wicked tales in this series.
My Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Reviews in the Series:
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Saturday Conversations 05/25/2013
New-to-me Authors...
When my dear friend Mama Kitty asked if I'd like to help celebrate her 30th birthday, I said "YES!" So I wrote a post, complete with a giveaway, about reading "new-to-me authors." These are authors that I've not read before.
I’ve made it a personal challenge to read new-to-me authors. This is my second year of doing my own mini-reading challenge at my blog. Last year I read over 20 new-to-me authors. Some are relatively big names like Shiloh Walker and Jennifer Estep, who had been on my TBR list for a while. While others like Rebecca Royce and DL Jackson, I picked up because their work captured my eye. I’ve also picked up new-to-me authors via gifted books and freebies from book conventions. It’s fun to try a new author, especially when you find one that becomes your next auto-buy author!
So in celebration of Mama Kitty’s birthday, I’m offering one (1) lucky person an e-copy (Nook or Kindle) of My Wicked Valentine by Ann Mayburn, a new-to-me author I read earlier this year. This is the first book in her Club Wicked series, a contemporary BSDM romance series. For more information, please see my review HERE.The contest is happening at MamaKitty's site (NOT HERE). So if you'd like to read more about new-to-me authors and enter the contest, please visit her site MK REVIEWS.
Do you like to read new-to-you authors? Stop by MK REVIEWS and tell me about it!
Thanks for stopping to chat!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Review: Still by Ann Mayburn
Still
Author: Ann Mayburn
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Honey Mountain Publishing
Long Slow Tease Book 1
Genre: BDSM Contemporary Romance, FemDom elements
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Dr. Michelle Sapphire and Gunnery Sergeant Wyatt Callahan formed an unbreakable bond and an unacknowledged, forbidden attraction to each other while serving together in Afghanistan. Their lives are forever changed when a mortar attack grievously wounds Wyatt and Michelle brings him back from the brink of death. But when they both return to the civilian world, Michelle discovers that her rock-solid Marine is suffering from severe PTSD and may even be suicidal.
Wyatt Callahan fell hard for the aristocratic blonde doctor the moment he laid eyes on her. After reentering civilian life in his hometown near Austin, Texas, Wyatt is plagued by nightmares of the death and suffering he witnessed during the war. He’d love to reach out to Michelle, but — Michelle is a Dominatrix, and she has made it very clear to Wyatt she isn’t interested in a relationship with anyone who doesn’t accept her lifestyle. An Alpha male to the core, he can't imagine the appeal of being submissive. At the same time, the idea of serving Michelle, of being everything she wants and needs, rings true in his wounded soul.
Michelle has dark secrets of her own, and together with Wyatt she will have to battle her personal demons during their emotional journey of healing, redemption, and love.
What B is talking about:
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Firstly, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this new novel by Ms. Mayburn, as I’ve read quite a few of her stories and have yet to find one I didn’t like. Secondly, this story encompasses two topics I tend to be very greedy about reading, in no small part because both deserve far more attention than they generally get: the effects of PTSD in the brave men and women in uniform who fight for our country, and the BDSM lifestyle, which certainly hasn’t always gotten a fair shake in popular media and literature. I think it’s wonderful that Ms. Mayburn is tackling these subjects, and I was pleased to see both in such good hands.
One of the things that works best about this story is that both of the main characters’ PTSD appears as independent problems which are established on opposite ends of the path they’re both navigating, while the idea of the BDSM lifestyle as a means of healing and relief lies in the middle. Both Michelle and Wyatt have been shouldering their burdens for a long time by themselves, but it’s not until each learns to redefine what it means to let go that they are able to see that a better future lies ahead of them. It’s an intriguing idea, and, in Michelle and Wyatt’s case, it works extremely well.
An important and well-made point that Wyatt learns in Still is that submitting does not equate to weakness or loss of control. Alpha through and through, he’s been trained to keep his troubles to himself and be the rock that others can depend on in their own time of need. But, Wyatt’s PTSD manifests in a variety of symptoms, most notably debilitating flashbacks which leave him feeling alone and scrambling for solid ground where there is none. Michelle’s understanding of what he’s going through, combined with their mutual attraction and shared combat experience, plus her inherent strength as a Dominatrix, makes her the perfect person to lead Wyatt towards the peace he so desperately needs. In turn, Wyatt comes to accept that Michelle’s pleasure makes him happy (and why not—he’s been attracted to her for years), and by pleasing her through his submission, he finds inner strength and true happiness of his own.
It is a parallel lesson that, fittingly, Michelle must learn for herself in her role as Wyatt’s Domina. As a Lieutenant and surgeon in Afghanistan, she was the epitome of control. Unswervingly determined and often overbearing, there was nothing she wouldn’t do to save the lives of those brought to her, broken and dying, from the front lines. In her life as a Dominatrix, she’s become an expert at hiding her own pain in order to be strong for her sub. Her desire for Wyatt, combined with her resolve to help him find some sense of optimism through purpose and reward that only a sub, specifically her sub, can understand, blinds her to the fact that she can’t be the Domme he needs her to be if she’s trapped by her own past. Eventually, she realizes that by allowing him to help carry some of her pain, she’s allowing him to be the sub he truly needs to be.
In the forward to the story, along with other important details and information, Ms. Mayburn tells how the idea for Still came to be, and it’s definitely not something to overlook. In the effort to explore every possible avenue available to assist servicemen and servicewomen suffering from PTSD, and specifically in the case of Michelle and Wyatt, the BDSM lifestyle makes perfect sense. Based on trust and control, the dynamics of these relationships aren’t what they’ve often been made out to be, as Ms. Mayburn takes great care to show. Coming home may be a blessing for those who serve in the Armed Forces, but very often it simply isn’t enough to keep the nightmares from following, and our returning heroes deserve nothing short of the very best help that is available. I am extremely excited that there will be more of Michelle and Wyatt’s story yet to come, and can’t wait to see how the two of them will fair in the future.
B’s Rating:
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Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Purchase Info:
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Review: My Wicked Nanny by Ann Mayburn
My Wicked Nanny
Author: Ann Mayburn
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Loose ID
Club Wicked #2
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, BDSM
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Young nanny Anya Kozlov takes a job at the elite BDSM club, Wicked, in order to pay for her upcoming trip to Paris. Donning a mask to disguise herself she uses the fake name of Dove. On her first night she is shocked when she finds out that the man she is a nanny for and has an enormous crush on, Jesse Shaw, is also a member of Wicked. When Jesse expresses his interest in teaching her about the dark pleasures of Dominance and submission Anya is helpless to resist, even though she is lying to him about who she is.
Jesse can't seem to get Dove, out of his mind. It's been five years since his wife passed and for the first time he feels something beyond physical lust or friendship for a woman. He is angry and hurt when he finds out that Dove is really Anya, his meek and mousy nanny. With only a few weeks left before Anya leaves for Paris, Jesse is determined to get her to not only tell the truth, but also mark her heart and soul so that she doesn't forget him when they are an ocean apart.
What I’m talking about:
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Anya Kozlov has dreams to travel to Paris to become a fashion designer, and her salary as a nanny isn’t going to get her there soon enough. Her design mentor recommended Anya take a job as a server at a private, exclusive BDSM club so she can earn the cash needed to get to Paris. After passing their extensive background checks and training, Anya is ready to start her new job. She takes the name Dove and dons a mask, keeping the “real” Anya private. However, on her first night when she sees her boss (father of the children she cares for), she’s worried her cover will be blown.
Anya has had a crush on Jesse ever since he hired her. So when he doesn’t realize who Dove truly is, Anya takes up his offer of pleasure. Although Anya wants to come clean about who Dove is, she is too afraid he’ll fire her and hate her. She struggles between her growing feelings and her desire to do what’s right.
I absolutely LOVED reading My Wicked Nanny! The combination of the couple’s budding romance, innocent love and deliciously naughty sex made this story one of my favorites. Right from the start, I was enamored with Jesse and Anya and couldn’t help but get wrapped up in their mutual attraction. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves a sweet romance with a healthy dash of smuttiness.
My Wicked Nanny shifts the point-of-view between both Anya and Jesse, allowing the reader insight to both characters innermost feelings. This enhanced every interaction, allowing me to understand both the characters’ desires and fears, creating a deeper connection.
Anya is written perfectly. I adore her mixed emotions when at first she struggles with the knowledge that Jesse doesn't recognize her and then later when she weighs her options of how to “come clean” with Jesse. I absolutely loved her first “morning after tirade” over getting intimate with Jesse yet not revealing who she was. Her warring emotions are well detailed with a pinch of sarcasm and wit to make it incredibly entertaining.
Again, I also love the mixed feelings of Jesse when he discovered the truth about Dove. He is angry and feels betrayed, but realizes he cares for her and wants more. Then he feels she needs to be free and not tied to him and a little ashamed he didn't see it sooner. The details Ms. Mayburn pours into the characters feelings is sublime.
There is one particularly intense scene when Jesse confronts Anya over her true identity. I admire that rather than drawing out the secrecy, the couple must deal with their situation head-on. The scene had me in tears, and my heart ached for them both. It is a very well-written exchange.
In addition to the beautifully detailed emotional journey, the story is filled with intense and erotic sex scenes. This story is not for those that prefer fade to dark and behind closed doors lovemaking. This is a BDSM story and the pair learn to enjoy each other and the joys of a Master/sub relationship. They engage in rough, kinky sex because it's what they like… it's not a tool used to punish or get over any messed-up past. This quote, stolen from Jesse’s thoughts, sums it up perfectly:
Sometimes his girl was in the mood for it rough and nasty-well, most of the time-but he also liked to make love to her.
Except he liked to make love with ropes and clamps.
In the end, I was just head-over-heels happy for Jesse and Anya. I adored their budding romance and friendship set along side their developing Master/submissive relationship. The romance is simple and sweet, and although there are a few minor complications, they are dealt with quickly, leaving any contrived drama behind. Their sex is mind-blowingly hot and kinky, but it’s the sharing of their inner-most feelings that makes My Wicked Nanny such a great story.
My Rating:
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Personal favorite - a must read (A+)
and has also earned the title of one of...
Reviews in the Series:
Author Guest Post: Ann Mayburn
Hello Readers! Today I bring you one of my favorite people, erotic romance author Ann Mayburn. Ann is Queen of the Castle to her wonderful husband and three sons in the mountains of West Virginia. In her past lives she's been an Import Broker, a Communications Specialist, a US Navy Civilian Contractor, a Bartender/Waitress, and an actor at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. She also spent a summer touring with the Grateful Dead-though she will deny to her children that it ever happened.
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| Ann & me at AADNOLA 2012 |
Now Ann spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get into her 'sexy space' and has learned to type one handed while soothing a cranky baby.
Ann is here today to tell us about a fun new game she’s bring to events this year. Please help me welcome Ann to That’s What I’m Talking About.
BDSM Bingo
One of my favorite games growing up was Bingo. See, my best friend’s mom and all her aunts played Bingo every Friday night at some small town hall thing. I can’t remember its name but it reeked of coffee and cigarette smoke. I’d often go help out and serve the coffee to the ladies for a tip…usually 10 cents. :P Cheap old bitches. Anyways, I got kinda good at Bingo after watching all these women dominate like ten cards at a time.
To this day, yelling BINGO has to be one of the best things to do. I wanted to recreate this experience for women at the Author’s After Dark conference in Savannah, GA and Ellora’s Caves Romanticon in Oct. I wanted to do BINGO, but I wanted it to be kinky. And from the weird whirlpool of my imagination I pulled out the idea for BDSM Bingo.
And oh let me tell ya, this is not your grandma’s Bingo. There will be swearing, there will be shocked laughter, and there will be a panel of BDSM authors that are going to blow your mind. ;)
AAD 2013 BDSM Bingo Panel- Eliza Gayle, Joey W. Hill, Yvette Hines, Ann Jacobs, Annabel Joseph, Kallypso Masters, Cherise Sinclair, and Sasha White. Oh and me. :D
Romanticon 2013 BDSM Bingo Panel- Joey W. Hill, Desiree Holt, Ann Jacobs, Samantha Cayto, and me again.
What are the prizes? Every author is filling a basket with BDSM and aftercare gifts. And they are craaazzzyyyy good. For example in my basket I had a rabbit fur flogger made. It is so awesome for sensation play. :D I know the other authors are also having items custom made as well. If we run out of time and there are left over baskets, we’re going to give them away ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ style. Meaning that if I yell out, “I need a rubber duck” the first person in the audience to give me a rubber duck wins that basket.
I hope to see a lot of you there and if you’re in the mood for steamy, sweet, and all together yummy BDSM Romance, may I recommend my current release My Wicked Nanny. And if you would really love some quality FemDom, check out Still. :D
My Wicked Nanny
Book 2 of the Club Wicked Series
Loose ID publishing
Young nanny Anya Kozlov takes a job at the elite BDSM club, Wicked, in order to pay for her upcoming trip to Paris. Donning a mask to disguise herself she uses the fake name of Dove. On her first night she is shocked when she finds out that the man she is a nanny for and has an enormous crush on, Jesse Shaw, is also a member of Wicked. When Jesse expresses his interest in teaching her about the dark pleasures of Dominance and submission Anya is helpless to resist, even though she is lying to him about who she is.
Jesse can't seem to get Dove, out of his mind. It's been five years since his wife passed and for the first time he feels something beyond physical lust or friendship for a woman. He is angry and hurt when he finds out that Dove is really Anya, his meek and mousy nanny. With only a few weeks left before Anya leaves for Paris, Jesse is determined to get her to not only tell the truth, but also mark her heart and soul so that she doesn't forget him when they are an ocean apart.
I have to tell you all that I absolutely LOVED My Wicked Nanny, and my review will be on the blog later today.
Thank you so much, Ann, for stopping by and tell us about your new favorite game! I cannot wait to see you again in Savannah for some BDSM bingo!
Find Ann online ...
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Review: My Wicked Valentine by Ann Mayburn
My Wicked Valentine
Author: Ann Mayburn
Release Date: Feb. 12, 2013
Publisher: Loose ID
Club Wicked #1
ISBN: #978-1623002541
Genre: Contemporary Romance, BDSM, erotica
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Lucia Roa needs a miracle to keep her fledgeling event planning business from going under. When she gets word about the opportunity of a lifetime to do a Valentine's Day party for an elite club in Washington D.C. she jumps at the chance, only finding out that the party isn't for just any club, it is for the premier private BDSM club, Wicked. Desperate for a chance to make the social and professional connections that this job would offer, she agrees to a most unconventional business arrangement with the handsomest man she's ever met.
CEO Isaac O'Keefe swore off relationships years ago after having his heart broken and his bank account emptied by his gold digging first wife. He thought he'd managed to keep his heart under lock and key, but when Lucia walks into his office he is instantly drawn to the fiery beauty in a way he's never felt before. He convinces Lucia to take the position as event planner for Wicked's Valentine's Day Party, but in order to make the event a success, something he needs to happen to secure his place on the board at Wicked, he must give her a crash course at all the dark pleasures BDSM has to offer. What starts out as a business partnership quickly turns into something more as Lucia breaks down every wall around his heart without even trying. Isaac must then make a choice, push Lucia away and continue to live a safe, but lonely life, or open himself up again to the greatest pain and pleasure in the world. Love.
What I’m talking about:
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Lucia Roa is excited, but extremely nervous, for her interview to plan a major party for the rich and powerful Isaac O’Keefe. She is going in blind, at the urging of her mentor, Mrs. Florentine, not knowing who or what the party is for. So when Isaac tells Lucia that the party is at a BDSM club and that she’s too young and inexperienced, Lucia is determined to prove he’s wrong. And within a few pages, Isaac is determined to bring Lucia into the fold - with him showing her the ropes (pun intended).
The pair set up an unconventional business arrangement where they work on the party together, and Isaac teaches Lucia about the BDSM lifestyle. He pretends to be her Master in the club, and she is to do as he asks so that she will better understand the clientele at the club.
My Wicked Valentine is a delightful, sexy romance. Lucia is fresh, young and full of positive energy; I couldn’t help but get wrapped up in her charisma. She brings both an innocence and perceived life experience into the picture, which balances Isaac’s jaded heart perfectly.
The beginning of the story felt a little jumbled to me. The interview at the start was confusing because one minute Isaac was trying to talk Lucia out of the job, and the next moment he was doing everything he could to keep her. In addition, I felt their initial “arrangement” was a little too unconventional to work, plus their first two forays into Club Wicked felt stiff and awkward. And although I loved that Isaac was upfront that Mrs. Florentine (a friend from the club) was trying to set him up with Lucia, I felt there were too many personal issues going on to make the business aspects of the relationship successful. It just felt odd to me.
However, as the story progressed it really began to gel for me. Isaac goes off to run his company, which leaves Lucia to do her job as an event planner. I liked seeing them both do their respect jobs and give one another space. I also enjoyed getting POV from both characters, keeping me in the loop as to their budding feelings for the other. But it was when someone attempts to blackmail Lucia into leaving the job that I really began to connect with the couple. Isaac steps in and works hard to make things right - including meeting up with her parents. One of the best scenes occurs between Isaac and Lucia’s dad, who knows Isaac’s reputation with the ladies. Scenes such as this allow for deeper understanding of the characters, therefore increasing my connection with them.
Of course the couple has issues, mostly because Isaac creates distance. Whether it is because he feels Lucia deserves better or he’s scared of getting hurt, he turns his feelings off and on like a kitchen faucet. I admire that Lucia stands up for herself and doesn’t let Isaac get away with dragging around his emotional baggage.
Overall, My Wicked Valentine is a enjoyable little romantic story. The characters are likable and easy going. I love that there isn't any major drama. Sure, Isaac is jaded from his wife, but he's not messed up. And Lucia is happy. I simply adore her. She learns what it means to be a submissive while discovering why it is appealing for her and how it turns her on, but she never gives up her inner fire or changes herself. I love that Isaac respects and fosters that in her. Plus the mystery of who is blackmailing Lucia adds just enough tension to the story without overshadowing the love story.
Anyone new to the current BDSM “erotica” trend and wanting to try it out, My Wicked Valentine is the perfect choice. The sex is steamy but still fairly tame. The romance is real, light and fun. And as Isaac introduces the young Lucia to the lifestyle, a new-to-the-genre reader will get an education as well.
My Rating:
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Enjoyed - recommend (A-)
Monday, December 24, 2012
Quickie Review: Adore by Ann Mayburn
Adore
Author: Ann Mayburn
Release Date: Nov. 20, 2012
Publisher: Decadent
Sam & Cody #3
Genre: GLBT, m/m, Contemporary Romance, Novella, holiday
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Sam and Cody have settled into married life, live in their dream house, and are more in love than ever. There is just one thing missing from their lives to make their home complete. A baby to share their love with. Adoption is hard enough, but the struggles and hardship of trying to adopt as a gay couple may be too much for the men to handle. When a series of setbacks leave both men with broken hearts and wounded souls, it will take a Christmas miracle to give Sam and Cody the strength to give adoption one more try.
What B is talking about:
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Four years into their marriage, Cody McPherson and Sam Dunham have decided that their little family needs just one more thing to be absolutely perfect: a baby to share their loving home. But when the birth mother of their son changes her mind at the last minute, everything they hold dear is threatened as the grief and prejudice they face as a homosexual couple trying to adopt nearly tears them apart. Fortunately, things often happen for a reason, and Cody and Sam discover that one closed door could lead them to more happiness then they’d ever dared to hope for.
I thought this was a very sweet story that makes some exceptionally valid points about the intolerance still faced by homosexuals in our society. Cody and Sam are capable, understanding, loving men who would be great fathers, if only they received the same consideration in the system as heterosexual couples. I was very happy for them in the end, though, and agree with them that things turned out better than they could have imagined. Of course, one of my favorite things about Ms. Mayburn’s stories are the scorching hot sex scenes she writes for her characters, and Sam and Cody get their share. These two are not only great guys, but they’re really, really hot. Adore is sweet, sexy goodness all around, and I’ll be rereading it again very soon.
B’s Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
4 stars,
Ann Mayburn,
Bs-review,
contemporary romance,
Decadent Publishing,
GLBT,
holidays,
m/m romance,
novella,
Sam-Cody
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comments
Friday, December 21, 2012
Review: Princess of Lust by Ann Mayburn
Princess of Lust
Author: Ann Mayburn
Release Date: Nov. 7, 2012
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
For the Love of Evil #2
Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance, m/f, f/f, m/m/f
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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The drums of war are beating in both Heaven and Hell and only the love of a half-demon Princess, Natalia, can stop the oncoming slaughter. Unfortunately, Princess Natalia has her hands full trying to keep her human concubine from killing her demon lovers, in addition to learning how to survive the deadly pleasures and politics of the Court of Lust.
With the abuse of opium increasing in the mortal world, High Prince Belal, ruler of the Deadly Sin Sloth, is gaining power by the day and threatens to soon rule all of Hell. In a desperate attempt to curb Belal’s powers, Natalia is sent to mortal earth to stop what has been prophesied to be a major turning point in the war. Cut off from her men in Hell, Natalia soon realizes that all is not as it seems.
What may have at first been a blessing has become a curse.
What B is talking about:
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Continuing where the last story, Daughter of Lust, ended, Natalia has assumed her place as the daughter of Asmodeus, High Prince of Hell and keeper of the sin of Lust. War has broken out, and patches of Chaos, the energies used by God to create the universe, are taking over portions of Hell as opium use continues to spread on earth. With King Satan still suffering in the seclusion of his heartache, all of Hell could fall to Belal, High Prince and keeper of the sin of Sloth, if Natalia can’t find a way to free mortals of their addictions and restore the balance.
In a reversal of the first novel in the series, Princess of Lust begins with Natalia trying to fulfill her duties in Hell as the daughter of the High Prince of Lust. And if having just found out that she’s half-demon and heir to a throne under attack wasn’t enough, she’s got three males competing for her affections, two of whom aren’t willing to share. Since she draws her own power from the lust of others, this poses a few complications. Although, the making up process was highly enjoyable to read about.
One of my favorite things in this story, as well as the first one, involves the politicking and courtly rigors that exist in Hell. Even with war on his doorstep and spies among his own people, Asmodeus, and his court, are bound by formal procedures and an intricate code of conduct that his enemies seem perfectly content to ignore when out of the public eye. It is a dance, quite literally in this story, performed openly, while crucial pieces are put into motion behind the scenes. Watching Natalia (and Gregor) fighting their instincts in order to play the game gave the story some additional, and welcome, intrigue.
Natalia has her hands full with her bonded males, all carrying a piece of her soul within them as she carries a piece of theirs. Gregor is a human concubine living in Hell, and the son of Asmodeus’ enemy. He is unsure and jealous, yet his loyalty to Natalia is unwavering. Then, there’s Raum, General of the army, and his concubine, Kirin, and finally, leader of her personal guard, Eline. Finding a balance that satisfies them all has proved impossible, and the tension between her lovers is almost more than she can take.
Princess of Lust is a wonderful addition to the Love of Evil series. Natalia has a sense of loyalty and a resolve to save her father’s people that makes her immediately likable. No flighty, spoiled brat, she is young and imperfect, yet resolute in her determination to learn. With a cliffhanger ending so unexpected and abrupt I had to check to make sure my e-reader hadn’t had a glitch, Princess of Lust left me extremely anxious to know Natalia’s fate. Ms. Mayburn has fashioned a complex and dangerous world for Natalia and her lovers to navigate, but she closes the book with the promise of a “Happily Ever After” which is good enough for me.
B’s Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Daughter of Lust (For the Love of Evil 1) http://www.twimom227.com/2012/02/review-daughter-of-lust.html
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Review: Amethyst Moon by Ann Mayburn
Author: Ann Mayburn
Release Date: Dec. 27, 2011
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Prides of the Moon #5
1 Night Stand Series
ISBN: 978-1613331828
Genre: GLBT, Paranormal Erotic Romance, m/m/m, Novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Noah Braxton's world has been turned inside out and upside down ever since the fateful moment six months ago when he was turned into a shifter by a dying college girl. She made him promise to look after her sister, Giselle, and in an effort to sooth the dying girl he promised her that he would, not realizing the sacrifices he would have to make to keep that promise. Bound by his oath, Noah struggles to fulfill his role of beta to Giselle, an Alpha female, but he can't be everything she needs. He's gay and in order to bond properly with his Alpha female they would have to have sex. Without that bond with an Alpha he is slowly going crazy but he can't force himself to be attracted to a woman. His last hope at saving his mind and his soul lies with Madame Eve of the 1 Night Stand matchmaking service being able to find him a male Alpha that can bridge the gap between himself and Giselle.
Marcus and Vashan have come to Morgantown, WV in the hopes of finding an Alpha female to complete their Pride. Instead they find Noah, a man on the edge of insanity who is also a natural dominant. Despite this both men are instantly drawn to Noah and decide to help him. Marcus will have to use all his strength as an Alpha to dominate Noah and show him that submission to his Alpha doesn't make him weak.
What B is talking about:
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Noah has a problem. As a newly-turned werepuma, a rarity in the shifter world, he has a lot to learn, but the human that he was and the beta he’s expected to be are warring within him. His Alpha, Giselle, has tried to help him, but there’s only so much she can do without a full bond with Noah, and he’s becoming increasingly unstable. With the help of the 1 Night Stand dating service, they finally have a chance at a bond through Markus and Vashan that would lead to Noah’s salvation as well.
As a fan of Ms. Mayburn’s Prides of the Moon series, I was very excited to be able to read Noah’s story. Markus and Vashan are two of my favorites from the series so far, and the glimpse I got of Noah when reading Giselle’s story in Opal Moon made me even more eager to find out about him. As always, the omniscience of Madame Eve is right on target, and she sends Noah exactly what he needs, not only for his Alpha, but also for himself.
Finally understanding Noah’s origins and the resulting precarious situation he and his Alpha find themselves in was very satisfying. The sexual interplay between the three shifters, however, was even more so. There was one potentially disturbing moment when Noah fought his status within their threesome, but it was brief, and was a reminder of the dynamics present in the idea of “pack.” Ms. Mayburn’s characters seek out and fulfill a true hierarchy, as pack animals do, and in the case of Markus, Noah, and Vashan, the need to find the place where they belong takes quite a bit of exploration. Which I ended up enjoying a good deal.
Although it’s fairly concise, Amethyst Moon has a lot going for it. Even knowing that Noah would be all right, reading about his history still made me feel hopeful that his connection with Markus and Vashan would work out. These three men are gorgeous together, and Ms. Mayburn’s explicit scenes are successfully descriptive without being weighed down by flowery prose. Amethyst Moon is a strong, extremely sexy addition to the Prides of the Moon series, and I very much hope there are more to come.
B’s Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Books in the Series:
Amethyst Moon #5
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