Review: The Prince by Tiffany Reisz (Original Sinners #3)

Publisher - Mills and Boon
Publication Date - 20th November 2012
Paperback - 416 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating -  4.5 out of 5:It was amazing!

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...preferably in bed. That's always been Kingsley Edge's strategy with his associate, the notorious New York dominatrix Nora Sutherlin. But with Nora away in Kentucky, now it's Kingsley's chance to take her place at the feet of the only man he's ever wanted - Søren, Nora's on-again, off-again lover - until a new threat from an old enemy forces him to confront his past.

Wes Railey is still the object of Nora's tamest yet most maddening fantasies, and the one man she can't forget. He's young. He's wonderful. He's also thoroughbred royalty and she's in "his" world now. But Nora is no simpering Southern belle, and her dream of fitting into Wesley's world is perpetually at odds with her dear Søren's relentlessly seductive pull.

Two worlds of wealth and passion call to her and whichever one Nora chooses, it will be the hardest decision she will ever have to make... unless someone makes it for her....

My Thoughts - Well, if you have been following my reviews you will already know how I feel about this series so far and to recap for those of you who don't know... I am loving these books. And The Prince was no exception. I was literally hooked from page one, unable to put the book down to get on with my ordinary and mundane life because I wanted to stay in the world created by the author. I just didn't want to leave Nora, Soren and Kingsley behind and am loving these characters more and more as the series progresses. I'm sorry, I warn you now that this may be a gushing kind of review. Also, there may be some spoilers for the first two books in the series so if you haven't read them yet you should probably stop reading this review now... and head on down to the bookshop/library/Amazon/wherever to pick up  copies of The Siren and The Angel.

The Prince tells three different stories alongside each other, that all weave together and form a stunning conclusion, although I will admit that I did see where it was all heading with regards to who was behind the threats being made towards Nora and the gang. The chapters alternate between these three stories and this helped make the book even more compelling as I found I was always wanting to know what was going on with each of the other characters. The first was the tale of Soren and Kingsley's past and how they met and ended up falling in love with each other, which was beautiful and heart-breaking all at the same time. This again gave more of an insight into Soren and who he really is, as well as making me fall a little bit in love with Kingsley. Up until this book I've never really felt one way or the other towards Kingsley, he was simply there but I didn't really care much for him. But now, after seeing the way he felt (and still does feel) about Soren, he is a much more likeable and real character. This book shows the true depth of emotion that he is capable of feeling rather than him just being the King of the Underground who everybody fears.

The second tale was that of Kingsley in the present day as he is investigating who is making the threats towards Nora, Soren and himself. This part of the story was intriguing but as I have already said, I was able to work out from the stories of the past who was behind the threats way before Kingsley did himself. But what I loved about these chapters was the insight into Kingsley's complicated love/hate relationship with Soren.

The third part of the tale was about Nora herself. She has travelled south to stay with Wesley, the man who was her intern in the first book of the series and who is the third part of the love triangle with Nora and Soren. He is young (twenty I believe) a virgin still at the start of this novel and very, very vanilla. He is basically the complete opposite of Nora, but it is obvious that they love each other a great deal. And although these two are very sweet together, these chapters were probably the least favourite of mine in the book. In the first two books of the series, Nora is vibrant and loud and just leaps out at you from the page. I loved her, both as a Dominatrix and as Soren's submissive because she was never apologetic for who she was. She loved her kinky lifestyle and knew that it was a big part of who she is as a person so she made no excuses for the way she lived her life. In The Prince, she is staying with Wesley and his family, and she just seemed to lose a lot of her edginess as she tried too hard to fit in with her new surroundings. Don't get me wrong, there are a few glimpses of the sassy Nora that the reader has come to know and love within these pages, but because of the strength of the other characters and their stories within this novel, Nora seemed to take a bit of a backseat in this one. But I do still love Nora and she is one of my favourite characters from a series that I have come across in a long time.

And the ending. Wow, what an ending it was, although it is quite a cliffhanger so please make sure you have the fourth book, The Mistress, to hand before finishing this one as, like me, I'm sure you will need to pick up the next book straight away to see what happens to Nora.

Summary - An amazing series that is giving a very close look at the relationships between Nora, Soren, Kingsley and Wesley. What I love most is that the author doesn't shy away from raw emotions to deal simply with the kink element of BDSM. She also explores the deep emotional and psychological connections between Dominants and submissives. This series is a must-read for all fans of novels focusing on BDSM.

Other books in this series:
1. The Siren
2. The Angel
3. The Prince
4. The Mistress

Review: The Angel by Tiffany Reisz (Original Sinners #2)

Publisher - Mills and Boon
Publication Date - 5th October 2012
Paperback - 416 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it!

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - She wanted him...

Nora Sutherlin is hiding. On paper, she's following her master's orders - and her flesh is willing.

More deeply, more strongly than she'd wanted anyone.

But her mind is wandering to a man from her past, whose hold on her heart is less bruising, but whose absence is no less painful. Instead of letting him make love to her, she'd let him go.

This is the story of a summer that proves that love hurts.

My thoughts - I absolutely loved the first book in this series (you can read my review of The Siren here) so I couldn't wait to read this one. And, although I felt that this book took a little longer to get into than The Siren, the second half was amazing and I had a lot of trouble putting it down.

What I loved the most about the first book was the complex relationships between Nora and the men around her. Unsurprisingly, all the men who meet Nora end up falling in love with her. And Nora can't help loving them all back in her own way. She seems to have a love for everybody and everything and, even though she can end up hurting the people around her, her joy is contagious and it's so easy to see why everybody feels the way that they do about her.

There is Soren, her master, who she has been in love with since she was just fifteen. They have had a rocky past and they finally reunite after a long separation at the end of The Siren. The Angel starts up again a year after their reunion and they are happy and strong together as a couple. They both know what the other needs without a word needing to be spoken and their bond is something that is very special. Then there is Wesley, who was Nora's live-in intern in The Siren, and he is the complete opposite of Soren in almost every way. He is sweet and funny and kind, and innocent... he is still a virgin. He loves Nora and Nora loves him. Where the love between Nora and Soren is dark and passionate, Wesley's love for her is pure and innocent. But my one reservation about Wesley is that because of his innocence, both when it comes to sex and life, he can't understand or accept Nora's need for pain and domination, which is a large part of the person that she is. To deny her that would be to change her completely, but he doesn't seem to understand that. Whereas Soren accepts her and loves her unconditionally. But, although I can't see things ending between Soren and Nora, I am very interested to know where this love triangle is heading... especially after the cliffhanger at the end of The Siren!

The reader gets to find out a lot more about Soren in this book as he is being investigated by a journalist and so much comes out about his past, which I found completely fascinating. It's no wonder he's such a complex character. And I felt that this new information added a whole new depth to him as, even though the reader doesn't get to spend much time with him during the events of The Siren, I found him to be rather one dimensional in the first book.

Also in this book, we get to read the story of a secondary couple... Michael and Griffin. Michael is a seventeen year old boy who the reader first meets in The Siren. He has had a troubled life up until now, including a suicide attempt where Soren found him and got him to a hospital therefore saving his life. He is a submissive and is incredibly shy. Soren sends Michael away for the summer with Nora so that she can train him as a submissive and they go to stay with a friend of Nora's called Griffin, who happens to be a dominant. It is pretty much a story of love at first sight for Griffin and Michael but nothing happens between them for a long time as Michael battles to come to terms with the fact that he is bi-sexual. But, for me, this romance was my favourite part of the novel. To see Michael blossoming under the care and adoration from Griffin was just beautiful. I can't put into words just how special the relationship is between these two and I am looking forward to reading more about them as the series progresses. I may have cried a happy tear or two over Griffin and Michael over the course of The Angel.

Summary - An amazing novel that, as well as focusing on the kink of BDSM, also takes a close look at a range of complex and often confusing relationships... between lovers, between friends, between family. I am absolutely loving this series and can't wait to read book three... which judging by the title is all about Wesley so I'm very excited to see what happens!

Other books in this series:
1. The Siren
2. The Angel
3. The Prince
4. The Mistress

Review: The Siren by Tiffany Reisz (Original Sinners #1)

Publisher - Mills & Boon
Publication Date - 1st September 2012
Paperback - 432 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4.5 out of 5: I really liked it!

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Some love stories you never forget.

She tore herself from the man she adored, who transformed her, who possessed her...who would have destroyed her. Now she is adored by a man she must not have.

Some books will change your world.

She thinks she knows what it means to be pushed to her limits. She's wrong.

Be prepared...this is one of them.

My Thoughts - I had been wanting to try this series for quite some time, so when the publishers asked if I'd like review copies I jumped at the chance. And I have to say that the first book was even better than I was expecting, if somewhat different from what I thought it would be.

Nora is an erotica author by day and Dominatrix by night. She is working on her latest novel and is having to work hard to prove herself as a real writer to her new editor, Zach. I absolutely loved the grit and determination that Nora showed throughout the whole novel when it came to her writing. She knows she is good and she is determined to make Zach see just how really good her writing is. Of course, it doesn't take Zach long to fall under her spell... both as a writer and as a woman. But they have to keep things professional until the contract for the new book has been signed so there is a lot of chemistry and fireworks between them throughout the novel as they have to try incredibly hard to keep their hands off each other.

Zach was an okay character, but I found I had trouble really connecting with him. I'm not sure if it was because next to the vivacious and bubbly Nora he just looked bland... but then who wouldn't next to Nora! It wasn't until later in the novel when he started to loosen up a little that I began to like him more.

Nora is surrounded by men who are in love with her. There's Zach, as I've already mentioned. Soren, her ex-Dom who she still loves but can't be with for reasons that I won't go into for fear of giving away spoilers. And Wesley, her 19 year old live-in intern who is still a virgin. They are all drawn to her like moths to a flame, and it was the intensity and complexity of these relationships that really helped to draw me into this book until I was unable to put it down. Of course, with one woman and three men, it was obvious that not all of the characters were going to get their happy ending and the need to know how it would all end for everybody was one of the things that made me speed through this book. Although I will admit to feeling a little frustrated with Nora at times. There is no doubt in my mind that she had feelings of some kind for each of these three men but because of her need to feel loved she kept them all around her despite the fact that it could only have disastrous consequences for everybody involved.

I loved the fact that the novel had real substance and storyline to it and wasn't just about the sex. It was about complex matters of the heart that really make the reader think. There are even a few deep conversations about literature and religion and the like that all helped to build the book up into something well worth reading. Although I will admit that the sex that was there was very hot and I enjoyed reading those elements a lot. I will warn you though that the sex is very BDSM orientated and rough at times so may not be for the faint hearted.

Summary - A great, although at times heart-breaking, start to the series. I can't wait to get started on book two!

Other books in this series:
1. The Siren
2. The Angel
3. The Prince
4. The Mistress

Series Spotlight: Long Shots Series by Christine D'Abo

Series Spotlight is a new weekly feature here on Once Upon a Series, where I will be highlighting a series that I would either like to read if I get a chance to, or would like to finish reading at some point. Hopefully it will give you all some ideas for other series to read... or if you've read something similar that you think other fans of the series featured would like, then please do mention it in the comments.

Today I've chosen the Long Shots series by Christine D'Abo. A long time ago I read book four of the series, Calling the Shots, and I absolutely loved it. Yes, I know... I started at the end of the series which is a very backwards way of doing things, but I saw it available for review on NetGalley and I couldn't resist. Also, on a side note, my review for Calling the Shots is the most viewed post on Once Upon a Series by a long shot... See what I did there? By a long shot lol. Well, at least I crack myself up! But one day, I will go back and read the rest of this series, and this is a little reminder to myself that I need to do that.

1. Double Shot
Coffee shop owner Sadie Long has been lusting after her good friend Paul Williams for years. So she's more than a little intrigued when he invites her to a business meeting at Mavericks, the sex club where he works. While catering an event at the club is not quite the proposition she was hoping for, her business could use the boost. And she can't resist the chance to work closely with Paul in such a sexually charged atmosphere. Enter the club's hot owner, Josh, and suddenly Sadie's fantasizing about being part of a threesome.

Paul has always wanted Sadie, but never thought she'd see him as anything more than a friend. On the night of the party, he and Josh tempt Sadie to reveal her deepest desire--a desire both men are eager to help fulfil.

Giving in to her sensual side, Sadie enjoys a night of mind-blowing sex. But in the light of day, will she lose Paul as a friend, or gain him as a lover?

2. A Shot in the Dark
Carter is one of the hottest men ever to walk into Paige Long's coffee shop. The attraction is mutual, and when Carter reveals himself to be a Dom, the submissive in Paige is aroused. Yet she brushes him off—her last relationship was abusive and she's unwilling to get involved with another Dom.

But when Carter returns the next day—in his firefighter uniform—Paige's fantasies really heat up. She can't resist his offer to get to know him over a drink at Mavericks, a local sex club. Their conversation quickly escalates to a session in one of the private rooms, and Paige is both thoroughly satisfied by Carter's skills in domination, and impressed with his selflessness as a lover.

Paige is ready to move on with her life. But can she trust in herself and submit to happiness?

3. Pulled Long
For months, coffee shop owner Ian Long has fantasized about a customer he knows only as "Blue Eyes." Until he learns Blue Eyes is in the midst of a divorce—the last thing Ian wants is to be the rebound experiment of a straight guy. Giving in to lust, he invites the man into the cafe after hours and they indulge in a little exhibitionist play, but Ian is unwilling to get involved.

But when he’s forced to see Jeff again to return his briefcase, Ian finally agrees to go out on a date. Dinner quickly becomes an erotic encounter in a special room at the sex club Mavericks, and Ian realizes Jeff satisfies desires he didn’t even know he had. The more he gets to know Jeff as a person, the harder it is to resist falling for him.

Jeff makes it clear he’s interested in more than just sex. He wants to go public with their relationship in more ways than one. But can Ian open his heart, when he fears it will be broken?

4. Calling the Shots
He's had a wild ride, and now sex club owner Josh Scott is looking for a change of scene. But first, he's determined to bring two friends together, and he's willing to be a third wheel to move things along...


Beth Norris is eager to be set up with hot bartender Oliver Stephenson, but she's equally attracted to matchmaker Josh. Soon she's fantasizing about both men at once—and about being the one to call the shots in the encounter...

Ready to move on with his life post-divorce, Oliver is conflicted by the realization that he's attracted to women and men. Or more specifically, to Beth and Josh. He tries to keep his distance, but it's not long before the chemistry between the trio combusts in a night of mind-blowing sex.

In the light of day, it's clear something deeper than desire is growing between Josh, Beth and Oliver. But though Josh has helped others find love in unconventional relationships, is he willing to take a chance on one himself?
 

Review: Hostile Takeover by Joey W. Hill (Knights of the Boardroom #5)

Publisher - Ellora's Cave
Publication Date - 27th January 2012
Genre - Erotic Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review via NetGalley

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Ben is the last unattached member of the five-man executive team of K&A Associates. The other four, all Masters, have found the submissives of their dreams. That's fine. The sharp-edged lawyer knows he's the most hardcore of them all, with extreme tastes as a Master he satisfies physically through experienced club submissives. He doesn't really need anything more.

Marcie has loved Ben since she was sixteen. He's never behaved as anything more than a protective big brother, a family friend. But now she's twenty-three and starting her career as a corporate investigator. She may be a blood-and-bone-deep submissive, but she won't hesitate to use her aggressive talents to prove she's meant to be his. With a Master as tough as Ben, she'll have to take whatever measures are needed-even if her deepest desire isn't a hostile takeover of his heart, but an unconditional surrender to it.

Reader Advisory: Marcie's sexual journey contains a group scene of female/female sexual exploration. The Masters also share her in a brief group scene. Both these beautifully erotic moments are essential to deepening Marcie's bond with Ben.

My Thoughts - When I saw Hostile Takeover on Netgalley I was very intrigued by both the blurb and the cover. And luckily, I was not at all disappointed by this book.

I have read a few books recently focusing on BDSM - it seems to be difficult to avoid the topic these days in erotic romance ever since the popularity of Fifty Shades - but this definitely seems to be one of the better ones in my opinion. What I liked most about it was that it didn't just focus on the sexual side of BDSM, but gave a lot of insight into the psychological aspects of being both a submissive and a dominant. I found this absolutely fascinating and it's not something I've come across much in this genre. This is the fifth book in the series so I've come to this party very late but, according to the little hints the reader gets about the previous couples from the series, they all seem to have very different types of relationships and I'll be going back to the beginning of the series to see how the author describes the psychological aspects of these relationships.

The sexual aspects of the book were pretty hot but, as Ben is a sadist and hardcore Master, there were some elements that made me feel a little uncomfortable. But this is just a personal thing and I still enjoyed the book as a whole.

I really liked Marcie as a main character. Although this might sound contradictory considering the fact that she is a submissive, she is a very strong and feisty character who knows exactly what she wants in life and will stop at nothing to get it. She challenges Ben a lot and I loved seeing the chemistry and change in dynamics between the two of them that this brings about.

I did like Ben, although not quite as much as I liked Marcie. His background is explained, therefore detailing why he is reluctant to give up his heart to anybody, but this information seemed to mostly be given by others and I didn't really feel as though I got into Ben's head as much as I would have liked to when it came to his past. This meant that I didn't really connect with him as well as I did Marcie. Plus, he does something to Marcie that is pretty unforgivable (I won't go into any more detail than that though so as to avoid spoilers) and this made me like him a little less too. Although he was very sorry for what he did and he did willingly atone for his sins so it didn't make me completely hate him. I can see that this event was pretty essential to the development of the plot though so that made it slightly easier to forgive him.

Summary - An enjoyable Erotic Romance that gives a very detailed and interesting look into the dynamics of a BDSM relationship. A great read!

Other books in the series:
1. Board Resolution
2. Controlled Response
3. Honor Bound
4. Afterlife
5. Hostile Takeover

Review: Haven of Obedience by Marina Anderson

Publisher - Sphere
Publication Date - 28th June 2012
Paperback - 336 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Book Info - Twenty-something Londoner Natalie Bowen is envied by many, but her personal life is a disaster. Men can't cope with her career success and Natalie thinks she'll never find real happiness.

Then she hears about an exclusive weekend retreat called The Haven, a place that specialises in introducing you to pleasures you could never have imagined. Shocked at the idea, but unable to resist finding out more, Natalie decides it's time to put her fears behind her.

Once at The Haven, Natalie meets the enigmatic and disciplined Simon, a man who is used to getting what he wants. And Natalie may very well have met her match...

My Thoughts - I saw a lot of hype surrounding this book on Twitter around its release date so I was very excited to read this book. Unfortunately though, it did not live up to my expectations at all.

Natalie has booked herself into The Haven as she is fed up of having one failed relationship after the other. The purpose of The Haven is to teach people to completely surrender their control in the bedroom in order to find happiness. Along the way, there are some incredibly hot sex scenes involving pretty much anything you can think of: group sex, exhibitionism, bondage and so on. I will admit to enjoying some of these parts a lot. Also, the authors style of writing was so quick and easy to read I was able to finish this book all in one sitting, even though it was over 300 pages long - something I am never normally able to do.

Well, that's the good part of the review done. Now onto the not-so-good part. The characterisation is severely lacking in this novel. What little we learn about Natalie is all introduced in the first couple of chapters in the book and, to be honest, she comes across as pretty unlikeable. She is spoiled and looks down upon others. Plus, I didn't really feel as though her character grew at all during the course of the book - she just learns how to have great sex whilst still managing to be the same unpleasant person that she was before.

And as for Simon, he was a complete and utter mystery! All we learn about him is that he is a freelance journalist during his working week and that he considers himself to be such an expert in the bedroom that he feels he needs to teach others how to have amazing sex. I would really have liked to get to know him a lot better, to get a better understanding of him, but as the story was told from Natalie's point of view the reader doesn't get to find out much about him.

The romance between the two of them felt rushed and unsatisfactory. As I've already said, Natalie knows very little about Simon so it is difficult to tell why she falls so deeply in love with him so quickly. They spend very little time getting to know each other so, as a consequence, their relationship feels as though it really does all revolve around sex. As Simon gets to have amazing sex with women every weekend at The Haven, and because the story is all told from Natalie's point of view, the reader never gets to see why Natalie is the one woman out of the many that he's met at The Haven to capture his heart.

Summary - If you are looking for a book that will leave you feeling hot under the collar then this is the one for you. However, if you are looking for a believable romance, likeable characters and plot or character development then you may be better off looking elsewhere.

Review: Calling the Shots by Christine D'Abo (Long Shots #4)

Publisher - Carina Press
Publication Date - 8th October 2012
Genre - Erotic Romance/BDSM/Menage

Source - Received from publisher for review via NetGalley

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!

Book Info - He's had a wild ride, and now sex club owner Josh Scott is looking for a change of scene. But first, he's determined to bring two friends together, and he's willing to be a third wheel to move things along...

Beth Norris is eager to be set up with hot bartender Oliver Stephenson, but she's equally attracted to matchmaker Josh. Soon she's fantasizing about both men at once—and about being the one to call the shots in the encounter...

Ready to move on with his life post-divorce, Oliver is conflicted by the realization that he's attracted to women and men. Or more specifically, to Beth and Josh. He tries to keep his distance, but it's not long before the chemistry between the trio combusts in a night of mind-blowing sex.

In the light of day, it's clear something deeper than desire is growing between Josh, Beth and Oliver. But though Josh has helped others find love in unconventional relationships, is he willing to take a chance on one himself?

My Thoughts - Whilst browsing around NetGalley a few days ago the seriously hot cover of this book caught my eye straight away, so I was very happy when I got approved to review Calling the Shots. And luckily for me, I loved the book just as much as I loved the cover!

I loved the dynamics between the three main characters: Josh, Oliver and Beth. They have all been hurt in the past and have a few issues surrounding relationships and commitment, but when they get together it all just somehow works. They all complement each other so well and have grown so close working together over the last few months that they help each other to work past their issues. It is obvious right from the start that they all care about each other a great deal.

And when the three of them get into the bedroom the temperature increases dramatically! I must admit that I am fairly new to the erotic romance genre and this one was probably a bit more hardcore than any of the others I'd read before and I wasn't sure how I'd feel about some of the content, but it didn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, I ended up loving it a lot more than some of the others I've read from the same genre.

There is a lot of interaction between Josh and Oliver and never having read any books before containing m/m sex scenes I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. But the author wrote the scenes so well and, having Beth there with them, it all worked really well and I enjoyed the sex scenes a lot! Also, all the other BDSM books I've read in the past have had a male dominant/female submissive theme. But in Calling the Shots, both Josh and Beth are dominants and I loved watching how they both used this dominance to help each other realise their fantasies and to overcome some of their issues.

As well as the romance between the three characters in this book, there is also some suspense thrown in in the form of escalating vandalism in the sex club where they all work. This part was written very well and, without taking away from the romance elements, added real depth to the storyline. It was not at all obvious who was behind the vandalism and the twists in the storyline kept me turning the pages until late in the night.

Summary - I absolutely loved the characters and the romance between them.  Calling the Shots is the first book I've read by Christine D'Abo but it most definitely will not be my last.

Other books in the series:
1. Double Shot
2. A Shot in the Dark
3. Pulled Long
4. Calling the Shots