Brazen by Cara McKenna

Story: 7.5

Presentation: 8

Total: 15.5

Publisher: Ellora's cave

Erotica

To Purchase

Blurb: The rules are simple. Be quiet, look sexy, follow orders.

Caroline’s plans for maintaining a harem of eager young men are going as smooth as could be, until a troublesome newcomer arrives and throws her tidy kingdom into disorder. He seems perfect at first. Breathtaking eyes, gorgeous face, a body custom-made to keep a greedy woman up nights.

But Sean’s got something else too—the will and the power to get under Caroline’s skin in a way she can’t stand. And can’t stay away from. He’s too disobedient to work out as a disposable toy in her harem, but it’d be a shame to waste a willing body as fine as his… Perhaps all the man needs is a little discipline.

Review: I absolutely loved this story. The premise, the hero, and Caroline was a wickedly deviant heroine in the most wonderful way. Erotically described encounters, witty dialog and narrative that doesn’t bog down the action. So you’re probably wondering why I didn’t give this story a higher score. Sadly, I hated the way it was written. While I read the characters, I couldn’t connect to them. They never became real. Which was sad really, because everything is there and the author is enormously talented. I don’t mind stories written in first person, but because it was written in present tense, I never did slip deep into the story. I wanted to…I ached to. So yes, I can tell you that Ms. McKenna is a fresh and naughty voice to erotic fiction. She’s one to watch. I will definitely pick up her next story. But fans of traditional first and third person, past tense storytelling might find it hard to adjust to this “real-time” writing.