menage

Beyond Jealousy by Kit Rocha

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne
Beyond Jealousy (Beyond, #4)
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!

Up In Knots by Gillian Archer

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne
Up In Knots (Pleasure Code, #2)
Grade-B-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate Kink
Series-Pleasure Code #2
Genre-BDSM/ Menage
Reviewed by Kate
216 pages
 
Kyla is finally ready to get back into the BDSM scene after her Dom passed away 2 years ago. She’s not looking for a commitment, so she knows just who she wants to top her for her first time. Sawyer is a Dom well known for his rope work. It’s at one of his seminars that Kyla first approaches him. Because neither Sawyer nor Kyla is looking for anything long term, Sawyer agrees to top Kyla and help her ease back into things while at the same time introducing her to other Doms. But, being a romance, we all know that Kyla and Sawyer are destined to be together. The chemistry between the pair is a like a supernova and continues to burn brightly throughout the story.
 
I enjoyed this book. A lot. Usually by the time I am done reading a book, it is filled with tons of highlights and notes, but this one kept me turning pages so quickly that I only managed to make 5 notes. I was that engrossed in the story.
 
I have not read the first book in this series and had no trouble understanding this one. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I have added the first book to my TBR pile, as well as adding Gillian Archer to my list of authors to watch. I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

A Convenient Husband by Reece Butler

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

A Convenient Husband (Bride Train, #4)

 

Grade-B+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild Kink
Series-Bride Train #4
Genre-Historical/Menage
Reviewed by Kate
326 pages

Ben was finishing law school out East. Ben had made a promise to his older twin Ranger though. He promised his gruff brother that he would bring a bride home for Ranger to marry. Leaving things to the last minute, Ben purchases a ticket on the bride train heading to Montana, sure he’ll be able to find a willing bride for Ranger. What he finds instead is Florence, a well educated, out spoken woman with 2 small children in tow. Everything that Ranger doesn’t want in a wife. When one of the children is threatened, Ben marries Florence himself to save the little girl.

So. This book is written by Reece Butler. Right away that’s a point in the plus column. I’ve read every book she’s written and continue to wait anxiously for the next release. And it’s a marriage of convenience, has children, a menage. Plus, plus, plus. At the same time, this book is screwed up in so many ways, I really shouldn’t like it as much as I do (*facepalm* I’ve reread the thing 4 times already).
 
How is it messed up you ask? Well…Ben is moving to Tanner’s Ford Valley, where a menage lifestyle with three men and one woman is quickly becoming the norm. And despite his 3 brothers (book #1) and his sister (book #3) living in menage relationships, Ben knows nothing about it. Next we have the whole thing with Ranger being so grumpy and crotchety and particular that he’d never be able to find his own wife. Then there’s Ben, who feels so obligated to his brother that he decides to let Ranger take Florence’s virginity rather than doing the deed himself. Yep. You heard me right. Ben and Florence haven’t yet consumated their marriage by the time they reach the ranch, so Ben tells Ranger to go ahead and take care of her the first time (he’s apparently much more experienced with women than Ben is). Of course, Florence has 2 children with her (who aren’t hers by the way). These kids are the perfect soap opera children. Present when they are needed to advance the story.
 
 Conveniently absent (read: away staying with relatives) when they would be in the way otherwise. And let’s not forget Patrick. Poor Patrick. Who really seems to be an addition to the story simply to keep the 3:1 ratio of men to women that seems to be required in this series. Patrick is the youngest brother and just feels like an add on throughout the entire read.
 
All that being said, you will notice that I gave the story a B+ rating. Simply because I absolutely am in love with it. Despite all it’s WTFery, I have read this book 5 times (the first time, plus 4 rereads). It is one of my favorites in the series, although numbers 1 and 2 are very close.
If you like your historical menages to be filled with strong heroines, hot cowboys, and even hotter sex, (and can forgive the hot mess that sometimes comes with it), give this one a crack.