Indiscretions by Madelynne Ellis

Story: 10
Presentation: 10
Total: 20
Publisher: Ai Press
Historical Erotic Menage
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Blurb: Eighteen months into a delicate ménage à trois relationship, Lucerne, Viscount Marlinscar is feeling the strain. He’s engaged in a constant tug o’ war as both his lovers compete to win his affections. Only, Lucerne’s not so eager to choose. Matter of fact, he’s beginning to wonder if he’s not the one that’s being left out, considering the effort Vaughan and Bella pour into tormenting one another.

When the three lovers attend a society music recital, jealousy again rears its head, which convinces Lucerne that it’s time to take matters into his own hands. The decision doesn’t go down at all well, particularly with Vaughan, who shows his displeasure by dishing out erotic punishments to both Lucerne and Bella. However, the tug o’war isn’t over until there’s a winner, that is, unless the lovers can put aside their differences and decide that all three can have the passion and satisfaction they derive only from each other, no matter which one of them is in the middle!

Review: Indiscretions is one of the prequels to Phantasmorgia, which was published a few years ago. I read the latter because I love Regency historicals and erotica. Combine the two and I’m in love. However, I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters. That’s certainly NOT the case with Indiscretions. I wish it had been released first, then I might have felt different about Phantasmorgia.

Ms. Ellis does an excellent job of showing the conflict each individual in this volatile menage. She explains Vaughn’s unwillingness to relinquish control, Lucerne’s need for escape from the middle and Bella’s reluctance to accept her feelings for Vaughn. I found myself rooting for the three to find happiness together.

And, let’s not forget the steamy sex! Wow!

Meant For Each Other by DH Starr

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: Ai Press
M/M Contemporary Erotic Romance
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Blurb: Sometimes your first love is the one that was meant to be.

Craig Harper and Jeremy Finn were best friends growing up. They attended the same school, spent all of their time together, and hung out with the same group of people. It wasn’t until the day before Jeremy and his family moved across the country that they discovered their attraction to one another.

Fifteen years later, they reunite by chance in New York City. Both are in relationships and have established a routine in their lives. But routines and relationships are shaken as they begin to spend time together once again. Old feelings and connections are still strong and the passion that pulls them together is a powerful, soul-searing call neither man can deny.

As each deals with the issues in their own relationships, they begin to question whether the comfort of what they know is more powerful than the pull of what they could have been…and what they might become. Struggling to find the answer, only their hearts can reveal if they are meant for each other.

Review: I finished reading Meant For Each Other this afternoon, and I’m still thinking about the story. It’s just one of those books that will seep into your psyche slowly. You read it and as the characters are making choices, you’re experiencing the emotions right along with them. So many times I wanted to smack Craig up side the head. Both he and Jeremy needed to be hit by a Mack truck to realize what I, the reader, already knew. (The brilliance of getting the POV of the four main characters) But had the ending come easy, the journey to be together wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying. And at the end of this story, you’ll have lived and breathed each character because DH Starr does a wonderful job of taking you into each of their lives. Four characters, four sets of dreams and aspirations, four characters you’ll love or hate, but in the end, this is Jeremy and Craig’s story.

Meant For Each Other is a complex story and the layers are peeled away slowly. No one is jumping in and out of bed, (Oh, except Craig’s boyfriend who I really did hate by the end of the story). That isn’t to say there isn’t smoking hot sex in this book, because there is. But the sex has purpose, taking me deeper into their thoughts and motivations. I’ve never been to New York, but I felt like I walked the streets with them. I could hear their voices, and see them so clearly. A lot of story happens before Jeremy and Craig are reunited, but that didn’t detract from the romance. I needed to know where they came from and how they were each missing something intangible in their lives. It was after seeing each other again, that they realize they were meant for each other. But both already have complicated lives. Could happiness be as easy as loving each other? No, because then we wouldn’t have this wonderful story of risk and reward, trust and forgiveness and knowing when to move on when what you have isn’t working. Even if it means moving on alone. Oh, just writing this review is making me ache all over again.