Both men in this novella were very sexy and caring. I enjoyed the fact that Jake, though willing to fulfill his wife's fantasy, wasn't casual about sharing her with another man. And Patrick showed concern that the threesome might cause trouble with his relationship with Jake, or with Jake's relationship with Amanda. Those things really made the characters human and real to me. Once Jake got used to the idea, he thought of the threesome as highly erotic, so he wasn't completely self-sacrificing. Needless to say, Amanda very much enjoyed Jake's gift. This particular story in the anthology was very hot, definitely up to Ellora's Cave standards, and well-written.

It's in the Cards
Catherine is picking over birthday cards to find the right two for her sister when she comes across a card with the picture of her fantasy man, the one in and of her dreams. She buys the card, takes it home, and can't stop thinking about it, or touching it. She leaves the card in her kitchen, but before she leaves the room, she rubs her thumb over the picture and wishes her fantasy man was real. Her actions release Kane, who immediately seduces her, determined to make all her dreams and fantasies come true. She is his mate, the only one who could release him from the sorceress's spell that put him in the card. Now they have to cope with the rest of the spell's consequences.

Kane was a touching and sexy hero, the perfect match for Catherine. Both characters were comfortable with each other and I could definitely feel the heat and love between them as the story progressed. The writer showed a slightly different style with this story, which is always refreshing in a one-author anthology. The tone of this story was quite a bit sweeter than the first one. One Thing to Give
Lindsay is celebrating, if you could call it that, her thirtieth birthday. She doesn't have a man in her life and is slightly upset over that fact, as she always thought she'd fall in love and get married. After celebrating with her friends at a restaurant, then being dropped off at her home, Lindsay decides to go back alone to the bar that was above the restaurant because she saw a very handsome man working there. She watches Sam, the bartender, for some time before she gets the impulsive idea to end her birthday by making love to him, something she'd never done before. Both Sam and Lindsay see something in each other besides sex but Lindsay is unwilling to dig any further after being burned twice. It's up to Sam to persuade her to give it a chance.

This story seemed much more like a mainstream romance than a sweet romance or an erotic romance. It was definitely hot, as are most Ellora's Cave books, but the storyline reminded me of some popular mainstream romances. Sam was a generous lover with Lindsay, caring, and very determined to show it to her, all of which are definite positives in any romance.

Unexpected
Linc is on his way home when he sees a light zip past his vehicle and into the trees. He goes to look for it, finding a very heavy box with a purple glow to it. He takes it to his cabin, and when he opens it, finds a fifteen-inch, purple, female alien inside. The next day, the alien transforms into a beautiful, human-like woman who then proceeds to seduce Link out of sheer pleasure. Chandra, the alien, has no idea what sex is, though she knows she enjoys it with her new human body. She slowly learns Linc's language and ways. While Linc is teaching her about Earth, making love to her, and repairing her ship, several men are searching for the ship. Chandra and Linc must deal with those men when they show up, and with Chandra's eventual departure.

This story was very sensual and romantic. I liked how Linc taught Chandra what she needed to know patiently, and how he helped repair her ship, even while wanting her to stay. Their emotions seemed genuine and the story, though quick, was a good read.

This anthology has four different stories, all with a slightly different style and tone to the writing. The first story was more erotic than romantic, but the last three were heavy on the romance. Both erotic romance readers and mainstream romance readers would likely enjoy this anthology.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Tara Black
January 26, 2004