Married To The Trillionaires by Ella Mansfield

        

Grade-D-

Hotness Level-Inferno

Kink Level-Mild Kink

Series-Menage For Mankind #1

Genre-Futuristic Menage

Reviewed by Kate

95 pages

*Warning: the following review contains spoilers*

In the future...April has been raised in a "religious" community, where things have continued much as they are today. Namely, women are giving birth to babies. Outside of these isolated religious communites, women are done with the pain of child birth. Eggs are painlessly harvested and fertilized. Unfortunately, no one realized that more boys would be born than girls and that the girls would be born frail and weak and worst of all-*gasp*-sterile. So it turns out that the girls from the religious communities are in high demand. And that their parents are greedy enough to auction the girls off to the highest bidders (yes, that's right, bidders-plural). After all, who else is going to repopulate the earth?

April's father is looking to get remarried and has decided that the best way to get the money he needs for his new life is to auction April off. Although he is kind enough to set some restrictions. She can only be sold to a group of four or less men (bless his heart, five men just might have been too overwhelming for the little virgin) and that she must actually be married to one of them.

Bill, John, David, and Steve decide to pool their money together so they can purchase April. Then they set up a very formal business arrangement, contract and all. April will live with Bill (since he is putting in more money to start with-at least I'm pretty sure that's why) and he will provide for her. Each of the other 3 men will get one hour with April every night. That's right, every night. Any daughters that are born will be sold at auction with the proceeds divided between the men.

They buy April and proceed to pass her around that first night. Bill is nice enough to hire a masseuse for April the next morning, because he wants her to be ready for the night. They send her from one room to the other, night after night. And April is completely okay with it. Mainly because Bill has a hired chef who serves her shrimp and lobster and other dishes that she's never had before.

They're all starting to fall for each other and everything goes well. The men decide to update their contract to say that they will not auction off their daughters and will let them choose who they wish to marry. But before the new contract is even signed, April hears that's it's not uncommon for the daughters of their kind of arrangement to be auctioned off and she discovers the original contract that the men had signed. So she runs away (what else is a heroine who, up to this point, has been spineless supposed to do?). Of course, she ends up pregnant and, of course, the men find her shortly before she delivers. And everybody is happy once again.

I really was looking forward to reading this one. I love futuristic menages. But this one went wrong for me right off the bat. April is so meek. She never complains when her dad tells her he's auctioning her off. And once the men buy her, there's not ever a period of time when she is upset about it. Then you have the men. I just couldn't get past the fact that they were so business about it. They started off as asses and never really changed throughout the story.

The sex scenes were plentiful. After all, the poor girl had 4 men to please each night. And I suppose they could be considered hot, although for me the formulaic approach that April had to take (first Bill, then John, then David, then Steve, and finally back to Bill) made everything feel so cold. Nothing was ever spontaneous.

The only positive I can give this one is that it is short. But if I were you, I wouldn't waste my time.

Beyond Jealousy by Kit Rocha

Grade: B

Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Moderate Kink
Genre: Dystopian, Menage
Series: Beyond #4

Published: 3/16/14

Reviewed by Anne

262 ebook pages

Note: These Beyond books really need to be read in order.  I think you'd be pretty lost trying to jump in at this point, but don't worry, they're worth your reading time!

Rachel has had a thing for Ace since she first met him, but when he kept pushing her away, she fell for Cruz.  When she and Cruz broke up, she found herself with feelings for both Ace and Cruz.  To top it off, she watches Ace and Cruz circling their attraction for each other.  So it seems inevitable that they'll see what happens when the three of them come together.

This was a very hot book.  It was also very intense.  It also turned out to be the kind of story that felt one way when I was reading it, and a different way.  When I was reading it I was totally absorbed and enjoyed it.  When I was done and thought back on it, I had some issues.

So here goes.  I loved the heat and intensity between the three of them.  I loved that it's a menage that goes every which way - the guys have a thing for each other as well as for Rachel.  The way their relationship develops and their individual issues all seemed very believable to me.  The O'Kanes just accepted their triad relationship with no qualms, and that was very cool.  I really enjoyed their story!

But then after I finished and thought back on it... there were things that bothered me some.  Probably the biggest one is that their triad relationship is the first one ever mentioned in the series.  They were the first, but no one blinked an eye.  It seemed like there would have been some blowback about it.  I mean, these are the O'Kanes, so obviously they're down with pretty much anything.  It would have made more sense to me to either mention that this had been done before or to have to do a little more groundbreaking work.  I also felt like the ending was a little rushed.  I would have liked a HFN rather than a HEA in this situation, because they all had a lot of issues to work through and not much time together.

However, I think all of this is colored by where the series is going.  It's become a bit more complicated and political.  This absolutely make sense, and it's clearly where the series was headed from the beginning, but I liked the simpler days of the first few books better.  This is definitely a personal issue for me.  I love a good series, but I generally enjoy the first books better because they are simpler.  Because the politics and details are getting more complicated as the series goes on - which they need to do, from a world building perspective - the books now have more of a suspense aspect to them.  There's danger.  The characters' safety is not a for sure thing.  I know that's always been the case, but I saw that more in this book.  In fact, it's getting unrealistic that no one gets killed.  And there's my dilemma.  It's part of why i don't read romantic suspense.  I want things to feel realistic, and when a world is built and I have to worry about everyone's safety, it's not as fun a read for me any more.

All of that is a personal issue for me, and it reflects how I read the book and how I felt about it.  Still, I can say it was a good read and I'll keep reading the series.  There are some teaser chapters building up to future books that leave me wanting to know more!  In fact, I hate cliff hangers, so I'm just pretending like I didn't read the last chapter altogether!  (No worries, the last chapter isn't about Rachel, Cruz, and Ace, it's a cliffie about other characters in the series.)

A final word about what I like.  I will keep reading this series, despite the increased suspense, because I love the strong female characters and the O'Kane society that accepts each person for who they are.  The O'Kanes remind me of an MC (Motorcycle Club) except that their women are valued members of the gang.  I love that!

And now a final, final word... Kit Rocha does self-publishing right!  The book is really well formatted.  The ARC I received was darn near perfect and easily readable on my Bluefire reader app.  They've laid out a pricing plan that benefits the reader who buys in the first month.  So you can buy the book and not worry that next week it will be 99c.  I always know I'm getting a quality product with Kit Rocha!

Throwback Thursday-Holiday In Death by J.D. Robb

Grade-A
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-In Death #7
Genre-Futuristic Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
308 pages

Eve Dallas' latest case involves dating services, ritualistic murders and Santa Claus. Yes, I said Santa Claus. The city's latest killer dresses as Santa to gain entrance to his victims' homes. When he gets into their homes, he rapes, sodomizes, murders, cleans, does their make-up and poses them. He also leaves a piece of jewelry in the "12 Days of Christmas theme with the victims.

Eve and her team, Roark, Feeney, Peabody and McNabb find out that all the victims used a dating servicce called Personally Yours. As they try to track down this killer, Eve has to deal with Christmas shopping, a horrible fight with not only Roark but also with Peabody. As the clock winds down, the intensity of the case takes a toll on Eve both mentally and physically.

This was my favorite of the series so far. I loved everything about it. The bantering and pulse pounding suspense were fantastic. This series still manages to not only hold my interest but keep me fully engaged. A lot of emotions took place in this book. Eve had to face a lot of things that she wasn't necessarily ready for. Now, me, I'm ready for the next book.

Marked by Lauren Dane, Vivian Arend, and Kit Rocha

Marked - Kit Rocha book by 2/10/14 blog

Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Moderate Kink
Published: 2/10/14

Reviewed by Anne

305 ebook pages

I'm going to break this down into the 3 stories and review them separately.  As a whole I give the anthology an A.  It's rare to have all the stories in a collection work for me like these did!  I highly recommend it, and the authors' note in my ARC says that the ebook will be on sale for $2.99 until the end of February, when the price will go up to $4.99.  This book is a steal at $2.99!   I came away with 2 new series I want to follow and a great installment to Beyond, which I already loved.

Beyond Temptation by Kit Rocha

Grade: B+

Genre: Dystopian
Series: Beyond 3.5

Note: I really think you need to read this series in order to get the most out of it.  If you haven't read it yet, go back to the start and read Beyond Shame - you won't regret it!

So, Noah is not from Sector Four, but he's doing some work that brings him under Dallas' radar and he's being brought into the gang.  He's also looking forward to and dreading seeing Emma, little sister to his best friend.  They haven't seen or talked to each other in years, and there's some history between them.  Emma always had a crush on him, and he had feelings for her, but he's got some secrets hidden that he doesn't want her to know about.  He's also having some issues seeing her as the strong and independent woman she is now, since his memories are full of her as a naive and innocent girl.

It's a short story, so the main source of conflict is Noah's big secret.  I don't enjoy secrets.  The best thing about this one was the way Emma handled it when she found out.  She's a strong woman and one who is offended at people trying to protect her by keeping secrets.  That was awesome!  Sector Four women in general are awesome, though!  

In other good news, Noah is a red head and likes dirty sex.  It turns out Emma does, too, and we get a lot of it.  This wasn't my favorite in the Beyond series, but it still rates a B+.  They are all just so good!

Rocky Ride by Vivan Arend

Grade: B+

Genre: Contemporary, small town
Series: Thompson & Sons #1

Anna is a straitlaced cop with a good reputation.  Mitch is a mechanic with a biker look to him.  They've been meeting on the down low for sex, but he wants to push her for an actual relationship.  Their small town has some small minds that see biker and think criminal.  Mitch has to convince Anna to give their relationship a chance.

This story starts out with one of the hottest opening scenes I've read in a long time.  It's a great start to a solid story.  Watching Anna relax and let her guard down made for a good read.  I got very frustrated at the choices Mitch was making toward the end of the story, but then Arend redeemed herself by having Anna really call Mitch out for his choices!  

The weak point in the story was the prejudice against bikers, or rough looking tattooed guys.  I haven't ever really considered that as a big deal - but maybe I just don't understand?  In any case, I just went with it and it worked.

The sex was hot, the heroine was independent and strong.  I loved it!

All That Remains by Lauren Dane

Grade: A

Genre: Dystopian, Triad*, futuristic
Series: Metamorphosis #1

Set in a post-plague future, which Dane describes on her website as not dystopian (and I agree) Summer meets a new man in her village, Charlie.  Summer isn't too surprised when Charlie mentions he has a partner (in the physical sense) but she's shocked when she meets him and it's Hatch, her first love.  Summer and Hatch may still have feelings for each other, but there's a lot of history between them and it's not all good.  The three of them have a lot to work through if they want to make a commitment to each other.

This story was all the best of the Lauren Dane Brown Siblings/Delicious books I love, set in an interesting future where women are only a small portion of the population and very valued.  Summer is another strong woman who is sure of herself and doesn't need a man (or men) to complete her.  She's not ashamed of her sexuality - that was refreshing to read!  

Really my only complaint about this story was the overuse of the phrase "raining honey" which pulled me out of the story every time it came up.  Other than that, everything worked for me and I can't wait to read more!

*Note - I used to mark any book with a 3 person (or more scene) as a "ménage" book.  I'm now using ménage for an uncommitted encounter(s) and triad for a story about the committed relationship between 3 people.

Throwback Thursday-Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-In Death #6
Genre-Romantic Suspense, Futuristic
Reviewed by Kay

Eve and Roark were at it again. They were tracking a sadistic killer that had ties to Roark in his youth. The bad guy was a total whack job complete with a God complex. Or maybe he thought he was a messenger of God. Either way, he was a major creeper. Eve had her hands full skirting the lines of legality in this one. She had to trust McNabb who was covering for Feeney when he was on vacation. Trying herself to cover Somerset to protect Roark. Uncovering more of Roark's checkered past and attempts on her life.

I really enjoyed this story because it was fast paced and they even went to Ireland. I enjoyed all the accents when they were in Roark's homeland. I like that maybe in the future there will be some sort of a truce between Eve and Somerset.

 As usual, I enjoyed the on going love story of Eve and Roark, Peabody and the rest of the gang. Still a good series and I will continue on after a short break.

Throwback Thursday- Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-In Death #5
Genre-Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
327 pages

It amazes me that this series hasn't lost any luster for me yet. The build up of all the characters is slow but steady. I always enjoy these books and anticipate what will come next. Honestly, when I started this I was apprehensive and even had to call one of my blog partners to make sure there wouldn't be demonic happenings in this story.

Eve's latest case involves witchcraft and of course, murder. Ritualistic killings that are chilling in detail. Eve has to clear a deceased colleague which puts her at odds with Feeney, her mentor. Their big blow up scene left me in tears. Pain and anger are horrible feelings that evoke even more horrible responses. Guilt eats at Eve, to her very soul. She has to investigate a colleague, murders and fear for her very life. People are falsely accused and reputations left in tatters. The bad guys in this story are very bad and crazed. With the help of her usual cohorts she cracks this case where nothing is as it seems.

As usual, J.D Robb spins a great mystery and the ever growing love of Roarke for Eve. He is a great romantic lead male. I've already started the next book and look forward to the latest mystery unfolding before me.

A Boy and A Girl by Jamie S. Rich

Grade: B-
Hotness Level: Spark
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: futuristic, graphic novel
Reviewed by Kate

186 pages

When I ran across this one, I knew I had to read it. Comic and romance? Seriously, I was geeking out a bit. I'm sure there are other romance graphic novels out there, but this was the first I'd run across.

Travis is a crashing a party with his friend when he meets Charley, who is attending the party with her friend. The party they are attending is a welcoming party for Charley's friend's new robot mother (meaning his mother had died, so he ordered a robot made to look and act like her, and they're having a party). Back to Charley and Travis though. Shortly after meeting, they sneak off to the host's bedroom to get it on, and end up getting caught. After separating, Travis finally finds Charley again on the night before she is leaving town. The two set out on a sweet journey, determined to spend every last minute together.

I enjoyed the story of Travis of Charley. I was floored by Charley's reveal about a 1/4 of the way in (I won't ruin the surprise for any future readers). But it was the Scooby-Doo ending (not a mask-pulling-off-reveal, but more of a that-came-out-of-left-field) that shocked me speechless. Although, honestly, I probably wouldn't have been as shocked had I read the description more closely-but again I was geeking out at finding a romance graphic novel. I'm not a fan of non-HEA romances, and you should know that Travis and Charley do not end up together. But it works in this story.

I enjoyed this unique storytelling format a lot and I look forward to enjoying more of this kind of platform.  Have you ever read any romance graphic novels?  Are you excited to try one out?  Any recommendations?

Throwback Thursday-Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-In Death #4
Genre-Contemporary/Futuristic
Reviewed by Kay

Eve and Roarke's latest adventure has to do with virtual reality machines and subliminal messaging. They find themselves in the thick of it when a worker at Roarke's resort supposedly commits suicide. His autopsy shows an abnormality and Eve wants to discover its cause. When more suicides start happening, they don't set well with Eve any more than the first one did. Meanwhile, Mavis has her career start to take off with the help of a well known musician/musicologist. Eve enlists the help of Roarke, Pheeney, Peabody and Dr. Mira to crack the case.

I honestly didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the first three in the series. It was just a little too far fetched for me. I always enjoy the cast of characters. Roarke is as dreamy and perfect as ever. His love for Eve never fails to astonish or disappoint me. I will definitely read more in this series even though this wasn't my favorite.

Throwback Thursday- Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-In Death #3
Genre-Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
322 pages

Eve Dallas' latest case hits a little too close to home. Her best friend, Mavis is accused of murdering a top fashion model who used to date Mavis' current boyfriend, Leonardo. Mavis had a few physical altercations with Pandora (the model), so when Pandora ends up dead, naturally Mavis is in trouble. Eve has to prove Mavis is innocent, she has to. So she enlists the help of Feeney (spell), Peabody, a illegals cop named Casto and Roark of course.

She goes into the most seedy clubs and meets sketchy characters all in her quest to prove Mavis' innocence. And all the while getting ready for upcoming wedding to Roark. What she doesn't realize is that proving her friend's innocence is just the beginning of this mystery.

I really do like this series more and more as I go on. I love the characters and the relationships that take place here. Eve is a tough bitch, Peabody, a straight laced, no nonsense cop, Feeney, comic relief and Roark is sigh worthy, as always. I have already started book four and look forward to the next mystery to be solved.

Throw Back Thursday-Glory in Death by J.D. Robb

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-In Death #2
Genre-Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
296 pages

Wow! So much went on in this book for me. Roarke and Eve's relationship evolving, I got to meet Peabody, more Pheeney (spelling?), a new commissioner of police, a good whodunnit and a little Mavis thrown in for fun.

I really am enjoying this series and am still grateful for Anne, Doris, Anna and Holy's suggestions to read this series. I really liked the mystery, wondering who the killer was. Was the elder Angelini or the younger one? Or possibly the future son- in- law? This world that Robb has created is very interesting and entertaining. It got me heart pumping with the suspense and is surprisingly at times, terrifying with it's scene descriptions.

It ended with a marriage proposal and I'm very interested to see how Eve handles this. I have the third audio book on reserve at the library and hoping it comes in today so I can get it and start it!

             

Throw Back Thursday- Naked In Death by J.D. Robb

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-In Death #1
Genre-Romantic Suspense/Mystery
Reviewed by Kay
294 pages

Eve Dallas is police officer in the year 2058 and also a childhood sexual abuse survivor. She has a couple of good friends and rarely dates. Her work is her life pretty much. She is fresh off of a case that has scarred her emotionally when she inherits a mess of a case. It involves the death of a Senator's granddaughter, who was a licensed companion. In this future you can be a prostitute as long as you're licensed to do so. What makes the case more interesting is that the victim was shot with a gun from our current time period. Guns are outlawed in the future. Only serious collectors have them, which leads her to Roarke as a suspect.

Roarke is a very wealthy man with a collection of 20th century guns and he is friends with family of the deceased. But the death of the prostitute is only the first victim and the beginning of this mystery. As Eve gets sexually involved with Roarke, she endangers not only her career but her life as they work together to find this killer that has scared the community.

This was an audio read for me and the first In Death book for me. I enjoyed it and am headed to the library for the second one in audio form. Anyone who likes romantic suspense and a good whodunnit, this is a good start to what I hope is an exciting series. My only complaint as a romance reader is that it could've been hotter. Thank you to Anne and my friend Wendy for suggesting this series to me.

M/M Monday: In His Command Review by Rie Warren

Grade: D-
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Mild Kink
Genre: Futuristic

Series: Don't Tell #1
Reviewed by Kate

368 pages 

The year is 2070 and the world has barely survived a plague that has wiped out a huge portion of the population.  Leadership has been handed to the rich (collectively referred to as the Company) and procreation is the order of the day.  To that end, any homosexual or deviant behavior is punishable by death.  Following a rebellion, Commander Casper Cannon (in the Company's military called the Corps) is put in charge of transporting Nathaniel Rice (a big wig in the Company) to a safe place.  And so we have 7 weeks of Casper and Nathaniel alone together in the wilderness.  And there is plenty of attraction between the two-enough to keep them warm on a cold night, if you catch my drift.

 

I have been on quite a m/m reading kick lately, and I really like the idea of a m/m with a dystopian spin to it.  Unfortunately, I felt like the idea was the only good thing about it.  It seemed to me that whenever Casper and Nathaniel appeared on the same page, it was an excuse for sex.  Casper didn't trust Nathaniel for most of he story and as a reader only hearing from Casper's side of things, we didn't trust Nathaniel either.  However, Nathaniel's sexual prowess must have been the stuff legends were made of or maybe he had one of those mythical swords of mightiness, because Casper kept going back to him.  It was kind of like "I don't trust you at all, but do you want come back to the caravan with me?"   I just didn't fall for it.  And while the sex scenes were plentiful and descriptive (and were they), most of the time they just felt really out of place.

 

I also felt like the world building and the story were disjointed.  It seemed like there were pages upon pages of the author building the world (history and politics all rolled into one), and then pages of the character/plot building.  I would have liked to see them interwoven a bit more smoothly.

 

I think this pretty much sums up the plot for you: sex, politics, politics, sex, sex, sex, sex, politics, politics, stunning reveal, sex, sex, politics, sex, sex, jaw dropping betrayal, suspenseful rescue, sex, sex, sex, happily ever after.  Yep, there you have it.

I really felt like the best part of the book was Casper's friend Liz.  Who disappears in the very beginning of the book and we don't see again until the very end.

 

Unfortunately this one came no where close to joining my "best of 2013" list.  I don't think I could honestly recommend this book to anyone.

Beyond Pain by Kit Rocha

We generally only put up one review each day, but I loved this book so much (and I don't want to shuffle the rest of our reviews!) so I'm putting it up as a second review today!  One of my favorite reads of the year so far!  ~Anne

Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno+
Kink Level: Moderate Kink (menage, flogger)
Genre: Dystopian, Futuristic
Series: Beyond #3

Reviewed by Anne

247 pages

Six was abused and discarded by the former leader of Sector 3. Bren has been looking after her since she first arrived. He's gets her like no one else in the O'Kane gang does. And because he gets her, he knows he can't make a move until *she* is ready. She's got to heal some and find the parts of herself she lost in Sector 3. This book is the story of what happens when Six is ready, and it's awesome!

For all the action that happens and the continuing story arc of the politics in Eden and the sectors, this is a low conflict story (my favorite!) about the developing relationship between Six and Bren. And, oh, is that relationship sweet and hot!

I'll get this out of the way right away... sex between Bren and Six is scorching. There's one particular scene that involves the two of them watching Lex, Dallas, and Rachel... I have no words. There are also a lot of scenes between just Bren and Six and I love that you can see their relationship grow with each encounter.

As much as I liked the sex, I think my favorite part of the book was the strength shown by all the O'Kane women, but especially Six and Lex.

"There was a secret in these women that went deeper than the ink around their wrists, and sometimes she thought if she watched for long enough, she could unlock it for herself." (p.8)

Lex has been strong throughout the series. We get to watch Six come into her own. We get to see how the O'Kanes truly value each member for the assets they bring to the gang. So when Six figures out what she wants to do, even though it's not something an O'Kane woman has done before... well, they stand behind her because they recognize it's something she would excel at. And this happens more than once! Very cool.

When you take this gang and it's leadership that value women on an equal level with their men, and then you add in the sexual freedom and openness... well it's just awesome! Seriously , this is a world where it's ok for a woman to want sex, and to want as much of it as she'd like. No slut shaming. It's incredible! And the writing is so strong, it's easy to believe in it.

Another thing I loved in this story is that when one of them goofs up and things go bad between them, they both are hurt but strong, and it's not easy for them to get back together. Because the characters feel so real, their hurts feel real and it takes some work for them to repair their relationship.

This is book 3 in the series, and it would be best if the books were read in order. (Start with #1, Beyond Shame.) Each book is the story of the main couple, but there are several story arcs going on, and the book will be appreciated so much more if you've read the others.

If I have any disappointments in this book it's that there were a couple scenes I'd hoped to see in this book that weren't there. [ we didn't get to see Six's induction ceremony (drinking in) and we didn't get closure with Miller yet (hide spoiler)] I hold out hope that we'll see both these things in another book, though! I'm also excited to learn more about other characters. Emma and Noah, of course, along with the whole tangle of Rachel/Cruz/Ace. There's also a stripper in Sector 3 who Six pointed out as being really intelligent. I want more of her!

I highly recommend this series!!
 

Mercy Bound by Kele Moon

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level- Mild Kink
Genre-Sci-Fi/Futuristic
44 pages
Reviewed by Kate

In a futuristic world a doctor accidentally sends Dray into a mating heat and Mercy is the only female around. It's a good thing that Mercy has been in love with Dray for years, because it's literally a life and death situation.

I really enjoyed this quick, steamy read. Dray has been avoiding his feelings for Mercy for years, trying to be honorable. Mercy is determined to save Dray from his mating heat, not really understanding what she's getting herself into. I loved the strong characters that Kele Moon has created. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Rituals of Passion by Lacey Alexander

Grade: B-
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: High Kink
Genre: Futuristic
Series: Brides of Caralon #1
Reviewed by Kate

Taking place over 1500 years in the future, in a time when it is completely acceptable for the average citizen to have multiple casual encounters but royal daughters must remain pure until marriage, this story starts off with a bang (pun definitely intended). Maven, an aforementioned royal daughter, has finally reached marrying age. Her father gifts her to Dane of Rawley, a man who is known across the land for his brutal and aggressive nature.

Dane has worked hard to earn his reputation. However, he is determined to give this marriage a chance. He knows Maven is innocent and he is looking forward to introducing her to the joys of sex. But Maven is nothing like the shy, timid virgin he was expecting. Maven is very strong willed and though she knows it is the role of a wife to be submissive, she has no intention of submitting to Dane.

While there was a lot of talk of submitting this didn't really qualify as a BDSM read for me. There is no Dom/sub relationship between the two. No whips or chains. However, don't doubt the inferno rating I gave the book. There is enough exhibitionism, voyeurism, and multiple partners to satisfy even the highest of heat ratings.

Incredible. Lovely. Beautiful. Marvelous. Tremendous. Majestic (my personal fave). No, I am not describing a unicorn as my husband guessed. These are some of the adjectives used to describe Dane's *clearing throat* (as a romance reader you know what I mean). By the end of the book, I was so in awe I almost broke into song. "Oh say can you see, Dane's magnificent..." Well, you get the picture.