I've read a book by Ms. Soarde before, and while it was good, it wasn't nearly as good as this novella. I was quite surprised to see the quality of the writing, sex scenes and character interaction improved. In fact, in no time at all, I was finished with it. Dax and Clay were incredibly sexy together, and with Sidney. The only real problem I had with - was the lack of condoms during every scene and lack of lubrication use during all but one scene. My irritatingly logical mind pulled me out of what were very lovely sex scenes to debate the physical possibilities of certain acts. But besides that, Prism was just plain enjoyable. Dax and Clay felt like real lovers, and all three together had an air of close friendship that felt really genuine. And did I mention the hot sex?

Twilight by Anya Bast
Nico and Dai have been searching for the third of their Triad for years. It's not only necessary to prevent their world from descending into Twilight forever, but they feel need and love for her, without even knowing who she is. Years ago, she forced her magick from her, and they've been holding it inside them, with some difficulty. It had to have been a physically, and maybe mentally, damaging event...but they had no clue it was as bad as it is when they find Twyla.

Twilight dealt with Twyla's rape fairly well. No details were given to produce any images in my mind (which I'm thankful for) and her acceptance of sex came about in a realistic, if hurried, way. Nico and Dai as lovers was immediately overshadowed by the inclusion of Twyla. I was looking forward to reading the novella by Anya Bast in this anthology, but it fell just a little short of my expectations. The sex wasn't quite as hot as I expected, and while Nico and Dai aptly demonstrated their caring for Twyla, and she for them, I couldn't totally believe it. However, it was still a good ménage romance, and even though it didn't meet my expectations, who says expectations are always logical? The sensuality and character interaction kept my interest, as did wanting to know how Twyla would overcome her memories.

Pirate's Booty by Ashley Ladd
Princess Melena is on her way to her arranged marriage when her ship is attacked by pirates. The ship begins to self-destruct, forcing Melena to flee with two pirates in an escape pod. But the pod is hit by debris from Melena's ship, and crash lands on a planet with dangerous animals. With no sign of help in sight, the three begin making a home in a cave. But the pirates, Keir and Zarod, keep a secret from the princess, even after they come to respect her. They're lovers, and in love. And it's not too long before Melena unknowingly begins to cause friction between the pair.

Pirate's Booty relied more than a little on realism when it came to the relationship aspect of the story. Zarod and Keir were lovers before Melena came along, which meant jealousy flared up between them as their feelings changed to include Melena. I appreciated this being thrown into the mix. Even more, I liked the different personalities of each main character, especially Zarod, who was the epitome of rough pirate. He always had some clever retort ready. However, the writing sometimes left me momentarily confused, as it'd jump from one moment or thought to the next with little to no transition. Melena also left me a little confused, as her words and thoughts sometimes seemed just a little forced. But besides that, this was actually a pretty good novella. I enjoyed the quirky touches here and there, and really liked the two men.

Reviewer's Note: Each story in this anthology contains explicit m/m sexual interaction.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Tara Black
July 17, 2005