Jo Carlisle (2)

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Sensually wicked paranormal romance going above and beyond the boundaries of erotica.

Opening Sentence: Kassandra’s day started pleasantly enough.

The Review:

I actually received Desire After Dark prior to purchasing Temptation at Twilight. I had already read the first page before I realized it was a second in the series. And, wow, did the first page grab you. Fans of erotic romance will gravitate towards this book just from that page alone. Jo Carlisle does not hold back, and it is very evident just from what she wrote on the first page. There were a lot of shocking things said in this book, some that were pleasant to read, and some, at least for me, were borderline disturbing. But don’t let that reflect on your opinions of Desire After Dark. Most of the latter were from my reading insecurities and comforts. Carlisle promises sex, and does she deliver.

Desire After Dark continues with the Fontaine brothers and their life in La Petite Mort. This time, Carlisle follows the life of Luc, picking up the story somewhat near the end of the storyline of Temptation at Twilight. Luc was hunted, per Leila Doucet’s orders, blindsided by a werewolf, and sending him to his death. Kassandra is a Valkyrie, a fierce temptress serving Odin, following the Fates and guiding souls to the afterlife. Kassandra is tasked to guide Luc’s soul, but upon her arrival where Luc is dying, she realizes he is her mate. Kassandra disobeys orders and saves him, and brings Luc to her palace in Valhalla. She must face her consequences and own up to her actions. Kassandra must now face the reality that she may lose Luc after all.

Luc Fontaine is a sexual being, not afraid of anything and always up for some fun. From Temptation at Twilight, I know a little bit about his personality. But in Desire After Dark, we get to know him a little more. He is an alpha and knows what he wants. He is instantly attracted to Kassandra, despite being submissive to her very dominant nature. Luc’s submissive behaviors carry on towards other partners, while under Kassandra’s watch. Luc shocked me, a lot. He originally shown alpha traits, but gave in so easily to his submissive tendencies.

Kassandra the Valkyrie is a fierce female. She is very strong and full of pride. She is one of the best Valkyries, out of her sisters, and one of Odin’s favorites. Along with that strength, she has a lot of issues. After two hundred years, finding Kassandra’s mate has thrown her whole world off balance. Once favoring to watch two men play, she has become jealous when it comes to Luc. She is protective, in and out of the bedroom.

Carlisle’s world changed in Desire After Dark. Most of the story doesn’t take place in La Petite Mort, nor do the characters from Temptation at Twilight show up. We are introduced to many other characters, some who have history with existing characters. It’s interesting to see how Carlisle unveils each piece of the puzzle. I felt that Desire After Dark could have been a stand-alone book.

I must say, there were a few scenes that made me uncomfortable, resulting in skipping scenes and pages. While Desire After Dark had more of a storyline than Temptation at Twilight, I still longed for more story. There were many questions left unanswered, and I’m dying to know what happens.

Notable Scene:

Luc awake to lips, nibbling his skin. Two sets of lips, to be exact.

He was lying on his back, arms out from his sies, legs spread. Letting himself drift, he relished the dual sensation of one nipple being licked and teased, his abdomen receiving the same treatment while his lovers’ attention moved steadily south. Their long hair brushed over his torso and thighs like the threads of a spiderweb, making him shiver.

“If this is a dream, let me stay asleep.”

“Oh, you’ll want to be awake for this,” Kassandra said in a throaty voice.

FTC Advisory: Penguin/NAL provided me with a copy of Desire After Dark. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.… (altro)

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A potentially great and interesting world falls short and is filled with sexual scenes.

Opening Sentence: Above nearly all else, Soren Fontaine loved playing with his food.

The Review:

I have been on a roll with reading books more geared towards the adult crowd. One of my next books was actually Jo Carlisle’s Desire After Dark, which is the second book in the Lord of Pleasures series. Once I realized that it was a second book, I quickly purchased Temptation at Twilight. As the first book in the series, Temptation at Twilight is a mix between urban and sexual fantasies. There are many different sexual scenarios and most involving three partners at a time.

Temptation at Twilight follows the story of a specific brother, Soren Fontaine. The Fontaine brothers are a part of vampire royalty. They are Lords of their own right, famous as the warriors of the paranormal realm. Together, brothers Aldric, Soren, and Luc serve to protect and serve to please. They have focused their attentions towards La Petite Mort, an adult resort that fulfills every fantasy and desire that their patrons have. Soren enjoys the pleasures and benefits of La Petite Mort, catering to their guests needs. But deep inside, Soren longs for his mate, Helena, who was killed over a century ago in a very brutal way. He has been searching for a way to get back Helena, and in his desperation, he has sought out the voodoo priestess, Leila Doucet.

Leila’s reputation precedes her, and she is as evil as they say she is. She has an ulterior motive, implanting an evil being into Soren. But she does deliver in her promise, and she does bring Soren to her mate. Harley Vaughn is a sexual being, with very similar traits as to Soren’s late Helena. But she differs in her self-confidence and sexual prowess. Soren hires Harley as one of his personal Chosen. Now Soren needs to get out of his agreement with Leila before she kills him and he loses his mate all over again.

Soren Fontaine was a likeable protagonist, but I felt disconnected from him. It could be his lifestyle or his dialogue. I felt like he lacked something and I couldn’t like him as much as I should have. His story is tragic, and given the history and culture that Carlisle presented in Temptation at Twilight, no one should ever lose his mate. I disliked him when he was Leila, always giving in to her sexual wants and desires. He has a mate that he finally found again, and he sleeps with another woman! I understand the rules of sexuality, within the boundaries of this book, but I just didn’t understand that concept.

Harley Vaughn seemed like a lost soul looking to discover who she really was. She is an orphan, not having a living relative left in this lifetime. She gives in easily to her desires and becomes this unadulterated woman, ready to fulfill the fantasies of demons and vampires.

There was a lot going on, and at times all I wanted to read was about the story. But maybe I missed the whole point behind Temptation at Twilight. Maybe the previous books that I’ve read had me looking for more than just sex and pleasure. I felt that everyone was having sex with everyone, and no one cared about what was going on outside of these sexy times. It became a little too much for me, at times forcing myself to just skim through those scenes.

Notable Scene:

“We don’t own slaves,” Soren said shortly. “Though it’s perfectly legal and even economical, Aldric doesn’t believe in the caste system, and, frankly, neither do I.”

“Really?” She arched a brow. “That will soon change.”

With that cryptic statement, she went to gather her things, leaving him to scowl after her and wonder exactly what he’d gotten himself into. Already, he felt . . . different. The blood he’d drawn from her still tingled on his tongue, coursed through his veins like an illicit drug.

He craved more of it. Of her. And that need within him frightened him more than any dangerous enemy he’d ever faced. He couldn’t let it overwhelm him, couldn’t allow dark desire to obliterate his purpose.

Somewhere his true love waited. Soon he’d have her back. Even if the price was far higher than he’d dreamed.

FTC Advisory: I purchased this copy of Temptation at Twilight. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.… (altro)