The stories in this series ~ I've read the first six ~ are not for the faint of heart... or those who don't enjoy erotic romance.
Lora Leigh writes a LOT of romances with an eroticism almost unparalleled and everytime I start a new LL story I'm reminded of this.
Her stories in the Bound Hearts series are almost extreme ~ at least to my untutored palate ~ but in each one there is an emotional committment between the H and h that really gets to my heart.
The basis of the series is a group of men who belong to the Trojan Club. These men are extremely and highly sexual; their sexuality demands that they give their women ~ to whom they are totally and completely committed ~ all the pleasure they can. This includes ménage, light bondage, anal sex, spanking and liberal use of sex toys.
Now first off, this is not anywhere near to anything in my own life, but I sure do love to read these stories. Yes, the titillation factor is high, but what keeps me coming back are the romances, each and every time.
Each story is very much character driven; it's the people that take these stories to where they go. But in the last two that I've read ~ Sacrifice and Embraced ~ there is an extra element added.
In Bound Hearts 5: Sacrifice, Kimberly Madison is the beneficiary of a long-term family trust:
"(The Trust) was established generations ago. It states that she must marry a man her father approves of and that she must be a virgin to inherit Briar Cliff, the estate that has passed down in her mother’s family for generations." (page 20, Sacrifice by Lora Leigh)
The Trust has been going for generations and Briar Cliff is an extremely valuable estate; in each generation the oldest female has to follow the rules outlined or the entire thing will revert to her father or other male heir. In five years the conditions of the Trust become null and void, and Kimberly could inherit the whole thing... but only is she holds to the rules:
She is to remain a virgin, submitting to a tri-monthly physical exams ordered by her father, until she marries as he dictates.
However once the five years is up, the Trust will no longer exist.
Enter Jared Raddington. His father was one of the foundering members of the Club; his mother has fairly recently married Kimber's Senator father; Jared has been chasing her for the last year with no success. He finally realizes the reason she runs from him is that he is her weakness.
And oh boy, the story rockets from here. I was entranced and very emotionally involved in Kimberly's dilemma. But Jared was a wonderful man for her and the story was very nicely done.
In Bound Hearts 6: Embraced, Marey Dumont has been very attracted to Saxton Brogan for many years. But her very violent ex-husband has had her running from her attraction knowing very well that Vince would have no qualms at all committing murder.
Certainly a darker story and; for a fair bit of it I was pretty ticked with Marey and her vacillation, but it all worked out ~ eventually. Not my favourite of the six stories I've read to date, but I did enjoy it. Especially Sax's committment and love for Marey; he was perfect!
In the series I have one more ebook ~ Shameless ~ to read and then two print books to follow. The 7th book is Forbidden Pleasure, the 8th is Wicked Pleasure: I definitely have my reading cut out for me... but I think that I'll be taking a break.... *whew*
Now first off, this is not anywhere near to anything in my own life, but I sure do love to read these stories.
ReplyDeleteProlly why you like to read them. ;)
It states that she must marry a man her father approves of and that she must be a virgin to inherit Briar Cliff
See, this is something like Tanner's Scheme a breed book, and Hidden Agenda a seal hero book, the only two books of her's I've read. Both have a controlling father with a virgin daughter heroine type character. What is THAT about?
Yes, the titillation factor is high, but what keeps me coming back are the romances, each and every time.
This is true. Lora Leigh really knows how to ratchet up the sexual tension between the heroine and hero. Sometimes to the point of frustration, like just stop already. But it can be like crack, I know. :D
But what annoys me about her books, again, it has to do with the sex. I really hate spanking. It's just not my thing. I don't mind it here and there, or if it's the whole focus like in "real" BDSM. Then I like to read it because the sexual dynamics in that is very interesting to me.
But in Tanner's Scheme the hero kept spanking the heropine and it felt more like putting her in her place or chiding her like a little girl kind of spanking and not, oh yeah, I want to be spanked, kind of thing coming from her.
And that's just off-putting to me, so I haven't read any more of her books.
Shocking considering how much erotica and erotic romance I read, but give me straight up vanilla and I'm good.
... but give me straight up vanilla and I'm good.
ReplyDeleteStraight up vanilla erotica... sounds... uh, dichtomous? LOL..
Sorry that just struck me as funny.. probably that weird-sense-of-humour thing.
And you're right as to why I like to read these stories...DUH!
Same as how I love to read thrillers and romantic suspense, but you sure wouldn't catch me anywhere near anything like that in RL... quite the opposite.
Funny how I never noticed that before.... *sigh*
As I said... DUH!
Straight up vanilla erotica... sounds... uh, dichtomous? LOL..
ReplyDeleteLOL, yes it does.
I just think really hawt graphic sex (erotica or not) can be a turn on without all the kinky stuff. And there are some writers who really turn up the heat with just plain old vanilla. I've read much erotica with just vanilla which did more for me than all the kink.
But then again, I don't think you need to add kink to turn up the heat factor.
Lora Leigh writes really hawt sexual tension and romance between her characters without the kink factor, so why she adds it, I don't know. It ruins it for me when an author does that because it's so hard to find good sexual tension in romance books.
And there are some writers who really turn up the heat with just plain old vanilla.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Leah... in fact I read a story just... yesterday? It was a Silhouette Desire I think and even though there really wasn't a lot talked about, Tessa Radley sure added a LOT of sizzle. *whew*
I'm not a huge fan of the *punishment* kink, but if the characters work, that's okay.
Although I don't get near as into the action, as it were, with spanking involved... and I think I better shut it. *blush*