Reviews- "Share" & "Share Some More" by Leigh Ellwood

Share
by Leigh Ellwood
Nov 17, 2009
Contemporary/ Bisexual/ f/f
4.5K- $.99
Ebook

Buy it ARe, Amazon (Kindle), Smashwords, DLP books ($.79)

Desperate to achieve release with a little help from her trusty toy, Marissa tries to be discreet and not disturb her roommate. Nell, however, is quick to convince Marissa to change her plans...and to share more than her battery-operated pet.

I’ve decided to review both Share and Share Some More at the same time because both books were short—readable in one sitting together—and they’re connected.

First I’d like to say that I’ve read a few of Leigh Ellwood’s books and have never been disappointed. They’ve all been rather cute and full of heart and warmth. And in the f/f genre, often they are stories of friends who become lovers in uncomplicated and natural ways, which I rather like.

In Share, it’s the same situation between friends. Nell and Marissa are roommates who have a normal platonic roommate relationship. While Marissa is focused on getting through school, not having a sex or romantic life, Nell seems to have a revolving door of men. Nell’s not too interested in settling down with anyone and likes to keep things on a purely superficial, sexual level with the men she's with.

The story basically starts with Marissa coming home and hearing sounds of sex from Nell’s room, assumes there’s a guy there. Marissa feels a bit lonely and fed up with her lack of a sex life, so she decides to take care of business on her own with her trusty dolphin vibrator. Right in the middle of her excursion into self pleasuring, Nell walks in. Of course Marissa is humiliated, but Nell hops into bed with her and things go in a whole new direction, one that Marissa finds herself turned on by and shocked at the same time.

Since Share is such a short book, it’s mostly the story of Nell and Marissa’s first night together with a leave off of an HFN. They both easily slip into a comfortable sexual relationship, although they both agree that it’s just a friends with benefits situation. Nell finally shares with Marissa that she’s really bisexual and doesn’t want to let go of having cock once in a while. And Marissa identifies as straight but is just enjoying what's going on with Nell for the moment.

I like the easy going dynamics of these two. There’s no big drama and they’ve worked things out for now.

The sex is graphic but not hard core and a sweetness--- although not too sugary-- comes through in how they interact. It’s kind of my perfect scenario between two women, although I do prefer it when they form a more permanent bond. For what it is, it's a hot little quickie.

Heat level- 4 – graphic but not over the top sexual scenario. f/f. Masturbation, toys.

Grade: B

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Share Some More
by Leigh Ellwood
April 7, 2010
Contemporary/ Bi/ f/f
10.2K- $.99
Ebook

Buy it ARe, Amazon (Kindle), Smashwords, DLP books ($.79)

The sequel to Share. Marissa enjoys her friends with benefits arrangement with roommate Nell, but lately the twinge of jealousy makes it difficult to have fun. Between a professor persistent on employing her for dubious acts and her jealousy toward the latest object of Nell's affection, Marissa wonders how much longer she can share herself. Will she stop?

The blurb is pretty much what this story is about, so I’ll just comment about it.

The main thing about this story was that I went from being leery about the direction the book seemed to be going, to being very satisfied. Leigh Ellwood threw in a few curves and changed direction a few times, hinting at other scenarios. But luckily it all came together in a good way in the end.

The book starts out with Marissa walking in on her professor humping a fellow student and her uncomfortable feelings about it. The prof then asks Marissa if she would secretly watch while he’s having sex and he will pay her. The prof is married to a very sick wife with whom he says he has an agreement to screw around, which he takes full advantage of. Marissa has a visceral reaction against all this, but she could really use the money, which would be substantial. I have to admit that I was a bit worried about where the book was heading right off due to this. It turns out this isn’t the only story line that had me wondering if I will dislike this book or love it.

The story then shifts to Nell and Marissa. They’ve been having a nice light sexual thing going, while staying commitment free friends. They have an unwritten agreement that bringing over men is fine, but if one would want another woman, it might be uncomfortable. They've been carrying on like this for a few months and it's all been good. That is, until Nell mentions that she’s met someone she’s interested in, someone who’s not a man. Suddenly Marissa realizes that what she feels for Nell might be more than friends with bennys, which she’s surprised at.

There are lots of implications of several scenarios going on, two of which I didn’t feel I wanted to read and which would have been against my current experience with the type of stories that I like from Ms. Ellwood. But she created an ending that I could get on board with and which left things off on a much stronger HEA for both Nell and Marissa.

All along, in both Share and this book, the POV is mostly Marissa’s. I liked Marissa as a character and was glad that she stuck to her guns even though she’s tempted on several levels to go against her nature. She’s a quality person who catalyzes Nell’s superficial nature to something more likable for me in the end.

Share Some More is a bit longer than Share, however, there’s not as much sex in the book, it’s more plot and story, which actually fit perfectly. And once again, Ms Ellwood delivered the warmth mixed with sexual hotness typical to her characters and scenarios.

Heat level- 4- there was one or two graphic scenes. Masturbation, voyeurism.

Grade: B