UNCOVERING SATISFACTION by Diane Leyne

Publisher:  Siren
Published:   03/17/2014
ISBN:  978 – 1 – 62741 - 4876
Genre:   Menage M/F/M
Book format:  E-Book
Obtained via:    Publisher
Reviewed by Helena Stone; helenastone63@gmail.com

Rating: 3.5

 

This book is the third title in the ‘Satisfaction, Texas’ series. I haven’t read the two previous titles but never felt as if I was missing vital information while reading this book. Having said that, there were clear references to previous books, story-lines and characters and it is possible that I would have gotten more out of this book if I had read it in order.

Nicola – Nick - Marlow is a top notch agent on extended leave after her last undercover operation ended in disaster leaving her feeling guilty and the victim of devastating nightmares. Going slowly crazy at home and with no chance of being redeployed in the near future, Nick jumps at the opportunity when her former partner offers her the chance to investigate a chain of incidents apparently aimed at the Whips and Spurs Saloon and BDSM club in Satisfaction, Texas.

Micah has thrown everything he is and owns into his public Saloon and private BDSM club. The acts of vandalism and string of incidents assaulting his business may close him down if they aren’t solved and stopped soon. His best friend Dace is the local Sherriff, but limited in what he can do. An official investigation into the incidents would reveal the true nature of the private club; something both men are determined to prevent.

When they’re offered Nick’s assistance they jump on the chance. They are surprised when Nick turns out to not only be a woman but also one they’re both attracted to. When Nick offers to become their submissive for the duration of the investigation they’re both shocked and delighted.

Nick takes to submission like a fish to water and what is more, all three of them soon develop feelings for each other they weren’t expecting. When Nicola sets herself up as an obvious target, danger becomes very real. And what will happen when the case is closed and Nick has to leave again?

Let me start with the things I really enjoyed in this book. I loved the idea of Satisfaction, Texas; a place where ménages are frequent and fully accepted. And I had great fun reading about Nicola’s journey into submission and the intricacies involved in a relationship between one sub and two Doms.

It was very nice to see Diane Leyne acknowledging other genre authors (Cherise Sinclair, Lexi Blake and Tymber Dalton) early on in this story. Naming those authors gave me a good idea of what Nicola’s level of (in)experience with BDSM was and made it easier to follow her thought processes.

And, finally, I really liked the idea behind the story. I loved that the person I thought was behind the attacks turned out to be innocent, although I wasn’t completely surprised by all the revelations when they came.

There were one or two things I was less happy about though. While I liked the idea behind the story I wasn’t completely happy with how it was executed. The writing felt choppy at times; the jumps from one scene to the next were occasionally too big and sudden. I would be fully engaged in the story only to be dragged out of it by a sudden change of scenery or perspective.

The erotic scenes between Nicola and her two men had the potential to be hot and fascinating but I couldn’t feel it. I read the descriptions but had a hard time engaging in what I was reading. In fact, I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters; they just never came completely alive for me.

To summarize I would say that this is a fun and borderline hot story. It was definitely a quick and easy read and a very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It just didn’t quite live up to my hopes and expectations.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

Home for the Holidays by Diane Leyne

Publisher: Siren Publishing

Date published: March 2013

ISBN: 978-1-62242-663-8

Genre: Contemporary erotic romance

Book format: E-book

Obtained via: Publisher

Reviewed by Keldon

 

Corporate attorney Nelly O’Malley is headed home for the Thanksgiving holiday, sans boyfriend due to her recent breakup; she anticipates receiving a major dose of flak when her family finds out their only unmarried member still has no prospects, but she can’t stand to confess her yet-again single status until she arrives.

Unattached garage owner Jack O’Dell carries a heavy load—the death of his family has left him alone for ten years. He’s planning on spending the Thanksgiving holiday at a friend’s cabin, by himself.

Jack had planned on closing early on the rainy Thanksgiving Eve, but when an attractive single woman pops in for gas after hours, he proceeds to fill her tank while she runs to the restroom. Their eyes meet, there’s instant attraction, and Nelly departs for the family homestead. Immediately thereafter, she loses control of the car and crashes into a tree; Jack fortuitously happens along. 

Without introducing themselves to each other by name, they stand in the rain having a prolonged and unrealistic personal conversation for two strangers, which ends in Jack offering Nelly a ride to her folks’ house and Nelly inviting Jack to join the family for dinner. Of course, the family assumes Jack is Nelly’s boyfriend, and the trope plays out from there.

The family puts Nelly and Jack together in the same bedroom. With barely more than twenty-four hours since they met, Jack bares all and cries in Nelly’s arms. Nelly in turn bares all and has unprotected sex with Jack.

The day after Thanksgiving, Jack receives a phone call from his mechanic, who informs Jack and Nelly that the car crash has a sinister cause and appears to be attempted murder. The police peg Jack as a suspect and haul him in, and he’s rescued by Nelly, who claims to be his attorney. The plot thereafter takes a sudden but brief foray into light BDSM before ending abruptly.

Although the story is written primarily in third person from Nelly’s point of view, Jack’s thoughts pop in at intervals in the form of distracting head hopping. The stranger-playing-boyfriend-for-the-family romance trope isn’t new and has been used successfully on many occasions, but fails here. In this case, their relationship goes from nodding acquaintances who fail to exchange names to intimacy at an alarming and unbelievable rate, even for erotic romance. There’s a lot of sex, but zero sexual tension. 

The attempt to introduce intrigue with the car accident feels contrived and exceeds the bounds of what is possible mechanically and historically. The novelette states Nelly drives an 80’s vintage Viper although the car wasn’t commercially available until 1992—and the source of the accident doesn’t wash either. The “murder case” is solved with such alacrity that any possible resulting conflict is negated.

Overall the read was heavy on sex, light on plot and characterization. A lackluster read, but at 22,000 words, mercifully short.

This is an objective review.

Home for the Holidays