Hot Spell

I think this book has one of the coolest covers of the year.



That, in combination with a desire to read books by two of the authors in this anthology, made me snatch it up when I saw it in the store. I'm pleased to say that it was well worth the money spent: 4.5 out of 5.

Emma Holly's "The Countess's Pleasure" is the first story in the book. I actually read it last. Based on comments on other blogs about Holly's books, I wasn't sure what to expect or what I would think. People seem to really like or really dislike her work. I ended up really liking "The Countess's Pleasure."

A countess named Georgiana goes to a sex club of sorts where she sees a man she finds appealing. He turns out to be an indentured servant who is working off a family debt. Georgiana offers him money for a night of pleasure. Although Iyan has not sold his services before, he agrees.

As I mentioned, I wasn't sure what to expect from Holly's story, and I was a little surprised that the hero was introduced as a stage performer. Not surprised enough to stop reading, though. Once I started this story, I read it in one sitting. The characters are very vivid and interesting. This story reminded me of Robin Schone's The Lady's Tutor. It isn't an exact parallel, but the initial approach of the heroine and the intense sexuality are similar. This was a terrific story, especially for its length: 4.5 out of 5.

The second story is "The Breed Next Door," by Lora Leigh. Tarek is a Breed, a race that was created rather than born. He has been attracted to his neighbor, Lyra, since moving in. When a man breaks into Lyra's house and she is forced to stay with Tarek, Tarek learns that she is his mate.

I was intrigued by this story and the Breed world. I got a kick out of Tarek's reaction when he was told that Lyra was his mate. The length of the story is its main drawback; it could have used another 15 or so pages so that the shift from lust to love wasn't so quick. I also wanted to see more about how Lyra and Tarek would merge their lives when outside the bedroom. Still, it's a solid novella: 4 out of 5.

"Falling for Anthony" by Meljean Brook is the third and longest story. Spoilers ahead (click and scroll over the white space if you want to read them): When Michael leaves England and is attacked and killed by a strange creature, he is given a choice--die or become a guardian. He becomes a guardian and is soon assigned to a task involving the woman he loves.

I was impressed with the complexity of the world Brook creates in so few pages. It's fairly complex. My summary doesn't begin to explain it, and it's really better to read it for yourself. I did have a quibble with the heroine. I thought her reaction to learning of her father's infidelity was extreme. I don't require a heroine to be perfect for me to like her, but I couldn't relate to this particular element. However, I like how Emily accepts her past and doesn't beat herself up over it. As for the hero, Anthony is just beautiful. The love scenes are hot and compelling. "Falling for Anthony": 4.5 out of 5.

Completing this collection is "The Blood Kiss," by Shiloh Walker. When his brother is kidnapped by a vampire leader, Roman retaliates by saving his brother and taking the vampire's daughter, Julianna. While Julianna has no particular affection for her father, she doesn't appreciate being kidnapped after she helps Roman rescue his brother.

I've read one other book by Walker, Her Best Friend's Lover, which I enjoyed, but I liked this one even more. The attraction between Julianna and Roman was immediate and believable, and the conflicts were interesting. I liked one of the twists at the end, when one character ends up being different than he/she appeared earlier in the story.

I'm very glad I bought Hot Spell. Now I have some research to do about the authors' upcoming and/or connecting books.