Review: Passion for Vengeance by Patty G. Henderson

Passion for Vengeance

By Patty G. Henderson

March 2, 2013

Historical/ Lesbian/Gothic/Romance

192 pgs

Blanca Rose Publising

It's been a long time since Jane Havens, Mistress of Havenswood, felt the joy and promise of by-gone days when her family home, Havenswood, was a thriving and powerful farming estate. Together with her elder brother Cole, who drowns his sorrow in alcohol, Jane does what she can to lead the fading estate through the hard times that fell upon the family after their father, a Union Army Colonel, died shortly after the Civil War.

Jane and Cole try to raise their little brother, Henry, a wild young boy with no direction, no manners and no one to marshal his considerable natural abilities into a productive, young gentleman. But when his new governess, Emma Stiles, arrives, the whole household goes into shock as Henry shapes up, Cole doubles down on the amount of drink he consumes to drown his failures, and Jane Havens falls madly in love with her little brother's governess. Then the trouble begins.

Accidents begin to happen to the residents of Havenswood--incidents that increase in seriousness and danger. Some within the household point fingers at Emma Stiles. Jane will not believe her new lover has anything to do with the terrifying accidents until a chance visit by a new doctor in town raises the specter that Emma Stiles may not be quite who she seems. As the reality of Emma's tortured soul descends upon Havenswood and Jane, it is clear that the demons of vengeance can only be saved by love and forgiveness. Or is it too late for forgiveness and too late for love?

Set in the tumultuous decade after the Civil War, PASSION FOR VENGEANCE is a Gothic Romance tale of betrayal, revenge, love and forgiveness.

Basically the blurb for this book is spot on so I’ll go from there. I enjoy this particular genre of books but haven’t read one in a long time so this was fun for me to read. There was a definite Gothic feel to this story as romance and a dark mystery were entwined perfectly. What was particularly appealing was Emma Stiles as a character. But also the slow reveal and build up to the truth about Emma as well as the romantic angle.

I really got off on how this books starts and Emma’s personality. Emma comes across as confident but aloof as she enters the lives of Jane and her two brothers who are basically living on the edge of depression after many losses to their family and finances. She seems to be in touch with a part of some kind of knowingness of things outside of the normal realm and this intrigues the family.  Right away she takes control of things but in a subtle, indirect way and things start changing for the better. Everyone is affected by her, particularly Jane. However, the longtime family housekeeper and property caretaker are not that keen on her and feel she’s up to no good.

Emma is fairly quick and direct about coming on to Jane. She seems to know Jane will respond to her advances without any questions and she stays in control of how and when they interact to Jane’s dismay. However, what kept her appealing was the constant pull back or air of mystery around her. Something is up with her and Jane gets that on some level.

Jane who has been lonely for any kind of female friendship falls madly in love with Emma almost immediately. I mean that crazy, irrational, intense passionate kind of love. She is somewhat shocked that she’s falling for a woman, but her need and craving of any kind of attention from Emma is such that she cannot stop herself. On the surface though, she is aware that this will cause huge problems for her with her older brother and socially. She doesn’t care; she wants and needs Emma desperately. She even doesn’t care when Emma shares a huge secret that totally freaks her out.

One might think that Jane is a desperate loser type by how I’ve described her, but no, she’s not. The author kept her real. She didn’t just blindly follow after Emma, but she’s willing at every turn to ignore the growing evidence that Emma might not be the person she’s in love with and that Emma might actually be harboring something dark and evil as calamities besetting their household start piling up since she came there. Jane knows in her heart though that there must be some rational explanation that will exonerate Emma.

Outside of the drama going on in the household, the actual romance between Emma and Jane is rather erotic and sweet at the same time. They only have eyes for each other and truth be told, that’s really appealing. Even when the new local Dr. shows up and seems to have an interest in Emma, Emma makes it clear to Jane that she is the only person she’s interested in. One thing I liked is that both women, particularly Jane, don’t bother too much about hiding their relationship. While they do for a while, Jane is fairly adamant in her desire to tell her brother and eventually does without shame or worry about the consequences. They really don’t question too much about what they feel and how people will think about it.

The story itself, the mystery, unfolds at a perfect pace. I actually couldn’t stop thinking about it as I went about a huge gardening job and got straight back to it when done. What’s going on? Who is Emma really? What’s her story? So many hints along the way that kept me interested.

The only thing I will say negatively about this book is that one of Emma’s secrets has to do with a combination of spirituality, witchcraft and mysticism. Not to give away too much, but Emma is learned about nature and the effects of herbs and botanicals, which she uses for all sorts of reasons, including as an aphrodisiac in seducing Jane. While it added something erotic to their first sexual encounter, it seemed out of place for the rest of the story, which didn’t make use of this.

Along the same lines is that Emma has been doing something that she feels will condemn her to hell. She states she was forced by circumstances to do so, but what it is she’s been doing --- don’t want to give it away--- seems so out of place for the general tone of the rest of the story. Sure, Emma has an interesting and dark past, but this seemed to be something thrown in that felt disconnected to the rest of the story.  

Even so, Passion for Vengeance is an excellent, intriguing read. If you’re at all into  the Gothic romance genre this book will definitely hit the spot.

Heat level: 1-2. Sexual scenarios sensually, not graphically written.

Grade: Loved it!

Review: The Seduction of Moxy by Colette Moody

The Seduction of Moxie

By Colette MoodySeptember 21,2009Lesbian/Romance/Retro 1930’s era

69.6K words

Publisher: Bold Strokes Books

When Hollywood-bound actress Violet London meets speakeasy singer Moxie Valette, her trip takes an unexpected turn toward love.

New York City, 1931: When wry Broadway actress Violet London and her hard-drinking cohorts venture into a speakeasy the night before she is to board a train for Hollywood, she is floored by sassy blond singer Moxie Valette. As Violet introduces Moxie to an assortment of bootleg liquor, cross-dressers, and sex shows, she vows to find a way to see her again. Moxie is fascinated by Violet in a thrilling and unfamiliar way, and the ensuing evening of bon mots, shameless flirtation, and illicit revelry is unlike anything she has ever experienced.

From Manhattan to Los Angeles, both women’s lives are turned upside-down by separation, unscrupulous motion picture studio executives, self-serving agents, eccentric celebrities, and the collection of hedonistic reprobates that are their closest friends.

I’ve been jonsen to read some lesbian stories set in the early 20^th century lately and this one was recommended. I’ve read Colette Moody’s The Sublime and Spirited Voyage of Original Sin and really liked it so I jumped on reading this one.

This story started out great. Loved the characters; Violet, Moxie and the group of colorful  secondary characters. Loved the setting; the world of entertainers in speakeasies in NYC and Hollywood movie industry during the 30’s. Loved the biting, sarcastic humor. But most of all loved the slow sexual tension build-up between Violet and Moxie. That said, there were some minor issues.

Violet is one of those female characters I get off on. She pulls no punches, goes for what she wants in a direct but patient way, and is very confident in who she is. She doesn’t really care what people think of her, especially that she’s a lesbian. She doesn’t go flaunting it but she doesn’t hide it either. She sets her eyes on Moxie and goes for it not caring what Moxie’s sexual orientation might be.

Moxie is the perfect complimentary character to Violet. She’s not as straight forward, but is honest in a more down to earth way. She’s not totally naïve but is innocent and curious enough to be persuaded by Violet’s seductive energy towards her. In the beginning she’s portrayed as a rather aloof, keeping to herself off stage, but seductive on. She works in a speakeasy as a singer and something about her quiet intensity, looks, voice and unassuming character totally grabs Violet.

From the get-go Violet pursues Moxie in a direct but non pushy way. Actually one of the best parts of this book is how perfectly the author built up the sexual tension and attraction between these two women. That’s something that I often find not well developed in many romance stories. Just enough time and pacing was given so that it’s totally believable that Moxie would reach the point of wanting Violet as much as Violet wants her.

Outside of the love story there are lots of things going on with this book and the gaggle of characters. One of the main foils to Violet and Moxie actually consummating their attraction and getting together is Moxie’s agent, Cotton. He’s hip to what’s going on between them and he does whatever he can to keep them apart both to keep Moxie focused on her career and to keep her from becoming a scandal due the lesbian relationship, which could kill her career if it came out.

Wil, a secondary character who takes up lots of book real-estate, is Violet’s bff. She has no filter really and comes across as nympho alcoholic who seems to enjoy flaunting it. She’s recruited to keep Cotton occupied to help give Violet and Moxie some private time so that can finally have a chance at consummating their attraction.

While overall I enjoyed this book, I had a few issues; par for the course in any book. One of the main issues was the humor. In thinking about it, I feel maybe the author was trying to mimic some of those classic screwball comedies of the 30’s in the whole way the book was written, the pacing of story and the antics of each of the characters.

For the most part, the dialogue, double entendres, and sarcasm were funny. Laugh out loud funny. However, sometimes the sarcasm crossed the line into meanness for me. Particularly Violet steps over the line and I didn’t get why; she didn’t need to. Wil I could see because in many ways she’s a one dimensional character—not much is offered in the way of how she’s affected emotionally about anything-- and doesn’t care how she comes across. But Violet has more depth and soul.

Another issue I had, and this is really minor, was that several times real actresses from the time period were thrown in. For some reason I found this distracting. Maybe it’s more of personal thing since I’m an old movie buff. I’ve read many star biographies and movie industry nonfiction from this time period. So knowing a lot about some of the stars mentioned it felt weird since their personalities were generic except for the name. Although, the author did get Bette Davis down fairly accurately. Would have been better for me if the author used real names for studio heads since they were less in the limelight.

Even so, I felt the author created an accurate feel of the time period. Part of the humor I enjoyed was the slang used. I started recently watching old movies again on TCM and was shocked really at the colorful slang, some of it still used today, that was used back then. Often it’s far more witty actually then of today. The type of light, humorous banter in the dialogue of movies from that time is captured nicely as well.

I also felt the essence of sexual mores and licentiousness of that time is integrated and expressed accurately. Movies from this time period do show that that this was a time of sexual revolution and to some degree decadence, even if censuring was strict. (Mae West anyone?) There was a lot of sexual experimentation. While the studio heads kept actors on tight leashes as far as keeping anything other than straight and married relationships out of the papers, all kinds of things went on outside of that as we all know now,  which was also accurately portrayed in this book.

I thought the author showed the ramifications of Moxie and Violet’s relationship if found out by the public in a true way. Maybe IRL Moxie and Violet might have kept their relationship and orientation hidden, but I enjoyed that in this story they had the guts to just be who they are and that they found a business they could be free in.

All in all, The Seduction of Moxie is a delicious, fun read. And my desire to read stories from this time period was very satisfied.

Heat Level: 2-3 Some sexual situations that were sensuously written but not in a very graphic way.

Grade: Really liked

Review: A Lady Never Tells by Marie-Elise Bassett

A Lady Never Tells (Songs of Sappho #7)

By Marie-Elise Bassett

December 13, 2012

Historical/ f/f / erotic romance

48 pgs, 13.6 K words

Musa Publishing

When Avis Lambert is robbed--then kissed!--by a notorious Scottish highwayman, she learns several important lessons.

First: her fiancé, Edmund, is a sniveling coward.

Second: the highwayman is neither Scottish nor a man.

Avis recognizes quickly that Edmund's lovely cousin, Olivia, is posing as the dashing outlaw...and for very good reason. Desperate to replenish the family coffers, now empty because of Edmund’s thievery, Olivia has turned to a life of crime herself. Can Avis convince Olivia to let her help? And above all--will Avis receive more of those devastating kisses?

This is the 7^th book I’ve read by Marie-Elise Bassett. I love her style of writing and the fact that her books are quick, light, erotic reads. This one, although not my favorite, is still worth reading.

I enjoy stories in which women dress as men. How Avis and Olivia meet is a great setup so I was hoping for one of the author’s usual fun reads.

Avis is about to be married to Edmund, an agreement between her father and him. On the way to Edmund’s estate, they are robbed by a bandit they call the Laddie lay. In the process, the robber kisses Avis then dashes away into the night. Edmund seems to know all about this robber and thinks it’s his charge Harry, Olivia’s younger brother.

Even though Olivia keeps denying that she is the one who robbed Edmund and kissed Avis in the process, Avis doesn’t let up in letting Olivia know that she knows it was her and that she’s interested in connecting with her in a closer way. She has no attachment to Edmund and knows that Edmond is only marrying her to get legitimacy in order to take over Olivia’s and Harry’s inheritance

Of course, after getting to know each other better and Olivia seeing that Avis is an ally, both women sort of find themselves attracted to each other and a sexual relationship starts.

This is where the story, while sexually erotic in its own way, started to lose me. There’s really not that much history on why these two women would be attracted to women. Not that that usually needs an explanation, however, there is almost no background info on Avis other than she was coerced into Marrying Edmund by her father. Not really much of a hint on why she so easily gets sexual with Olivia without questioning it.

Olivia is shown to have an independent spirit but there’s nothing about why she would be open to a sexual relationship with Avis other than, again, they are allies. Well and she’s been reading some Sapphic books in the family library. This story is more like a snapshot of this moment in time for them without a past.

On the one hand, I kind of like that there is no drama about two women getting romantic or sexual with each other. It’s nice that it just is. On the other hand, neither women question it really, which seems a bit odd for the time period and how quickly they get together.

While this story is par for Marie-Elise Bassett’s style and form, I felt this, out of all her stories, was lacking in detail and development that would have made this book pop for me. This is not bad, but the story started out so interestingly that I was hoping for a bit more build-up in energy and emotion between the women.

Also, how the book ended was just a bit too pat and easy for me.

That said, I will still be all over Marie-Elise Bassett’s next book. They are like yummy candy to me.

Heat level: 2-3- sensual but not overly graphic sexual scenarios

Grade – Was Ok to Liked it .

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 Reviewed on Goodreads Nov 2012-- but decided to include here as well

Sophie's Lament (Songs of Sappho #6)

by Marie-Elise Bassett

Nov 9, 2012

Historical/ f/f/ Erotic romance

12.2K words

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Can the daughters of a vicar and an earl find love despite their parents' meddling?

Everyone is unhappy with Sophie, but it really isn’t her fault. Her father can’t understand why she wants to reject the brilliant match he’s arranged with the squire’s son. Her sister thinks Sophie has stolen her beau. Her fiancé thinks Sophie has schemed behind his back. And Sophie’s true love, Juliet, thinks Sophie has been dishonest about her intentions. Can Sophie untangle this lovers’ knot before she loses Juliet? Perhaps—but only if her family stops meddling.

  

 I read the first 5 books of this author at the beginning of the year and really fell in love with the writer's style, the flow of the stories and simply how entertaining they were. I've been waiting for the next books for a long time and scooped this one up as soon as it came out.

Like the other stories, this one features a sweet romantic love story between two women who are caught up in a time when their choices are not their own.

Sophie is a rather strong willed girl and is not happy about being betrothed to the brother of her best friend whom she grew up with and insists that she will not marry him even though no one will listen to her.

Juliet was sent away for a while to Bath for schooling and then to London. When she comes back, she and Sophie click again even though their lives have taken different paths.

Sophie starts noticing that her feelings for her friend are becoming something more than just a friendship. Juliet secretly shares her feeling and how they go about expressing this new type of love is sweet and tentative-- a trademark of Marie-Elise Basset's style of romance development.

Of course things can't go that smoothly and Juliet becomes distrustful when Sophie's father announces Sophie is to marry Juliet's brother. 

Both girls and Juliet's aunt, who gets the type of relationship the girls have, do some conniving to convince Juliet's father that the marriage is all wrong so the Sophie's father will have to let it go as well.

Naturally, things all work out for everyone involved without too much ado.

Like the other books this one is fairly short and without too much depth in plot or characterization. However it's a good read like the others and a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Heat level: 3- sex scenes sensually but not too graphically written.

Grade: Really Liked it

Review: Pearl by Kelly Rand

Pearl

By Kelly Rand

April 26, 2012

Transgender/Period Historical 20's/Erotica (semi)/Romance

36 pgs- 9.6K words

Storm Moon Press

Edith sleepwalks through a life so normal as to be boring. She lives with her mother, works a mundane job to support them, and makes no waves among the ladies of her sleepy 1920's Canadian town. Secretly, though, she watches the flappers and so-called "loose women" with envy, dreaming of what glamorous lives they must have. And that's before Clark walks into her life.

Clark embodies the world that Edith wishes she could be a part of. He's slick and dangerous and sexy in a way Edith has never experienced. So when Clark offers her a window into his world, she dives through without thinking. On the other side, though, her black and white world explodes into shades of gray, challenging Edith in ways she never imagined.

I saw that this author has an f/f book coming out. I thought it’s out already so I went searching and didn’t see it on Amazon. In the meantime, I’ve discovered it’s not actually out yet. But that search led me to this book. The blurb really grabbed me and I was excited to read it.

There are already so many great reviews of this book on both Goodreads and Amazon, so I don’t need to say much.

I loved, loved this book. Kelly Rand managed to get in a short amount of space a great story with just the perfect dance between these two unlikely characters. She created an authentic 20’s era atmosphere and offered just enough hint of who these two people are to get a good feel for them.

What I liked especially about this story is the lack of conflict-- as it were. I guess in many stories that would make it boring, but in this case, these two societal outcasts—in their own way—hook up in an almost easy, dreamy way that brings out something better in both of them.

I loved both of them. Edith just goes along with the status quo in every sense except after she meets Clark. She’s not sticking with the status quo due to a lack of an adventurous spirit though, it’s more that she seems a bit naïve about how to allow herself expression of that part of her. When she discovers the truth about Clark, there is no judgment, or fear, or angsting or even thrill about being rebellious about her attraction to him. She simply opens up and goes with it as if he was the person she should be with all along and she wasn't trapped in mundane life all along.

Clark, for his part, is not ashamed at all about the fact that he moves through the world as someone who society would never accept if they knew. He’s found his way through life and is rather content and confident actually. I loved that somehow he sees something in Edith that will respond positively to him coming on to her and that he isn't shy about going for it with her.

Their interactions are very sweet and highly erotic at the same time, even if not written in the graphically sexual language.

Being that it’s such a short book, I was rather surprised at how fleshed out and fulfilling this story was to read. It’s just an all-around heartful and emotionally pleasing read.

I’ll be getting Kelly Rand’s upcoming f/f Portrait of a Crossroads and hoping it’s just as good!

Heat Level: 0-2 – I felt the one sex scene was very erotic, but the language is more sensual than graphic.

Grade: Loved!!!