The Submissive by Tara Sue Me

The Submissive (The Submissive Trilogy, # 1)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate Kink
Series-The Submissive Trilogy #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
304 pages

This is a story about a woman who wants to submit to a man and a Dom who is willing to test her. Abby researched Nathaniel, a known Dom because she wanted to experience her own submissiveness. And Nathaniel had the reputation to be very good at teaching submissives. He gave her his requirements that went as far as an exercise plan and diet guidelines. Abby was thrilled with most of it. The relationship that unfolds is kind of a roller coaster ride between which Nathaniel she gets at which time. Cold and detached or tender and sweet Nathaniel.

I have read other reviews and this is said to be fan-fiction. I really don’t care because I enjoyed the book just like I did with the 50 Shades books. It was a story about two people who just might end up being exactly what the other needs and that’s enough for me. I liked the characters and the sex was HOT! I will definitely read more of this series.

The Demon Lovers Boxed Set by Kate Douglas

Demon Lovers Boxed Set (Demon Lovers, #1-5)

Grade: D
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Moderate Kink (sex with a demon, rape)
Genre: Paranormal, menage, polyamory
Series: Demon Lovers #1-5
Reviewed by Anne
238 pages (5 stand alone novellas about the same characters)
Addie was a normal human being until a bite on the neck turned into one part of a three part demon hunting team.  Along with Locan and Jett Addie will take on demons intent on hurting humans.  
So, this was part wack-a-doodle fun and part WFT? Ultimately this read a lot more like erotica than it did erotic romance.  I enjoy erotic romance (with a story and character development) more than erotica (sex for the sake of sex).  This was my second time reading a Kate Douglas book. I liked the first one I read (Dark Wolf) enough to read her again, but this set of novellas didn’t work for me.

I think I could have handled the over the top wackiness, but the relationship just wasn’t really there.  There were also some inconsistencies of plot that bugged me.  By then end there were other elements (infidelity, kidnapping, rape, addition of a fourth to the relationship and team with absolutely no discussion about it) that just were too much for me.

I’ll read more Kate Douglas, but I’ll probably stick to her full length stories.

Menage Monday – The Merry Widow of Tanner’s Ford by Reece Butler

The Merry Widow of Tanner's Ford
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild/Moderate Kink
Genre-Retro Contemporary
Reviewed by Kate

The year is 1988 and it’s well known that ménage marriages are the norm in the town of Climax, Montana (the old Tanner’s Ford for all of you of the Bride Train series). Marci lost her tyrant of a husband in a house fire that left her with the clothes on her back, a scar on her face, and a fear that the law is after her for murdering her husband. She heads to Climax to live with the only family she has left, her sister Nikki, the town’s doctor. Marci is enjoying her new freedom, although she is leery of strangers seeing her scarred face. She’s also looking forward to exploring her sexual side since her marriage included only dreaded scheduled interludes.

Simon inherited the family ranch and works it along with his twin brother Lance. Lance is down in Texas doing some extra work, so Simon is alone on the ranch when he breaks his leg. When his leg ends up in a cast, Dr. Nikki arranges for Marci to head out to the ranch to take care of stubborn Simon, but doesn’t tell Simon that Marci is her sister. Marci is excited to take care of Simon, and she’s hoping that Simon will “take care” of her too.

Simon and Lance had a fiance a while back who turned out to be a gold digger, so they’ve decided to leave their wife up to fate. Once Simon has Marci on the ranch, he realizes she may just be the one. Now he just has to wait for Lance to come home and hope that Marci is on board with a triad relationship as well.

I admit to falling for Simon a bit myself. Between the twins, he’s the quieter and more studious of the two and there were a few times I found myself just wanting to sigh contentedly. Lance is a force to be reckoned with, as Marci finds out when she finally meets him. He has a forceful and dominant personality that Marci struggles with a bit because of the domineering side of her dead husband. Marci is a rare heroine who actually manages to think with both her head and her heart. So despite the fact that Lance is so dominant, she is able to recognize the differences between Lance and her husband. I  actually enjoyed her character a lot.

Initially I was a little surprised by the 1988 setting of the book. It just isn’t a common period for a romance to take place. I didn’t know what genre to classify the book as. Not really contemporary, but I hesitated to call it historical(because I like most of you, was alive in 1988-and I don’t consider myself ancient yet). So I’m going with retro contemporary (thanks to Kay for that suggestion). I loved running across little things that reminded me of the time frame. Corded phones, valley-girl talk and Highway to Heaven. The references made me smile. At first, I couldn’t figure out what was romantic about 1988, but Reece Butler has shown me in this first book of what promises to be a good series. I anxiously await the next installment.