Cassandra is seamstress to the ton. She also makes sex toys for their husbands and lovers. Nathan Manning comes back from India and her past. His anger at her for leaving him waiting at their elopement causes him to blackmail her into a sexual relationship as he looks for a bride.

I loved these characters. I wanted to knock Nathan upside the head for his obstinacy and anger against Cassandra. I loved Cassandra's patience. She knows why she did not show up but refuses to tell him for several reasons. The sex was hot! I loved how Cassandra's toys were used between them. The feelings behind that hotness remained true through the years they were apart. On Cassandra's part the love had deepened. Nathan had to learn what real love was. He also had to learn that all is not what he thought and that he had much to learn.

I plan on reading more of Jess Michaels. I enjoy her stories. I also loved the cover on Taboo. ( )

I’ve had this book on my bookshelf to read for a long time. A while back I was interested in reading some erotica that actually had a storyline and this looked like it would fit the bill. Then I got distracted by other review books and this sat on my shelf for years. I picked it up to read something fluffy, sexy, and short. It was a very well done book; had a good story line, great characters, and very well done sex scenes.

Cassandra Willows is a self-made woman in an era when that is unheard of; she’s made a name for herself as one of the most sought after Seamstresses in London. She has a secret though, she has side business making sensual toys for the aristocracy. Nathan Manning is the Earl Blackhearth and is still devastated over how Cassandra betrayed him when they were younger. She promised to run away with him and then never showed. Now he is determined to make her pay and has decided to blackmail her; she will be his mistress or Nathan will expose her secret side business.

This was a fun and quick historical erotica read. Additionally there is an excellent back story and a bit of a mystery to be solved as well. The mystery involves Cassandra and Nathan’s history and what really happened on the night Cassandra didn’t show up. The mystery is slowly and expertly revealed a piece at a time.

I enjoyed the characters and like that there was a decent story to support the relationship the two main characters developed. These two characters have a lot of history to support the relationship they end up in. They have excellent chemistry together and it was fun to read about them.

Cassandra is a wonderful heroine. She is strong, confident, and not afraid to pursue her own interests and pleasures. Still at points in the story she is tired and confused and vulnerable...it was a wonderful combination. Nathan was a wonderful male lead; right from the beginning you can see he loves Cassandra but is confused, hurt and angry at her for what he sees as her betrayal of him.

Despite the whole blackmail thing going on the sex scenes are all consensual. There are lots and lots of sex scenes in this book. I expected this to be a bit of a drag and slow the story down but it didn’t. The sex scenes were very creative and very well done. There is actual character development going on during the sex scenes, which kind of surprised me. There is a wide breadth of types of sex in here; all of it is male/female and monogamous. It spans bondage, toy usage, food usage, you name it. They were all tastefully done though and very sensual.

Overall this was an excellent historical erotica. I liked that there was a plot that drove the story and it was an integral part of the book (not just an excuse for more sex scenes). The characters were interesting and very well done; they had great chemistry. The sex scenes were creative and well done, they didn’t come off as repetitive or boring. I haven’t read a lot of erotica, but I would definitely recommend this for some interested in the genre. ( )

Cassandra Willows, a common tailor's daughter, is a now a prominent seamstress. Four years ago, she failed to show for an elopement to Gretna Green with Nathan Manning, Earl of Blackhearth. When Nathan returns from India, he is determined to punish Cassandra for what he believes is her betrayal. And he is not above using blackmail regarding her 'secret' side business in erotic toys to force her to become his mistress. However, in this work of erotic romance by a local author, the truth hides in the shadows created by a parent's determined to keep the social classes from mixing.

A LOT of very explicit sex: female masturbation; anal intercourse ( )