FORBIDDEN PLEASURES

Author: Bertrice Small ISBN: 0451218507 7/2006 PARANORMAL Publisher: NAL

Replacing a social life with a career, bestselling romance novelist Emily Shann has gotten by on a vivid imagination, hiding a shocking secret that not even her publisher suspects—until she’s asked to write something that’s hotter, sexier, more explicit, and true to life. Emily has nowhere to turn for advice except to her new editor—tall, dark, and handsome Michael Devlin—who’s already stirring her fantasies. So is The Channel—a secret network designed to tutor women in the art of sensual delight. Now more willing than ever before, she must convince Devlin to teach her everything he knows...if her literary fantasies are finally to become unedited flesh-and-blood reality.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

This was the second novel in a series by Bertrice Small. The main component connecting this to the first novel is something called The Channel. It is a secret network that can only be used by women. After 9 p.m. any evening a woman wishes, she can enter the fantasy world of The Channel. The woman holds all the power in this fantasy world. She makes up the rules, the players, and whom and what she becomes when she goes there. Although during the fantasy everything happening feels quite realistic, in reality you can't get hurt, you can't hurt anyone from your real life, and what happens in The Channel stays in The Channel (to steal the new catchphrase for Las Vegas).

Emily Shann is a successful romance writer who has been told she needs to heat up the sensual aspect of her next novel. On top of this hurdle given to her, she must work with a new editor because her longtime editor is retiring. The biggest problem Emily seems to face is that at 31 years of age, she is still a virgin. When her sexy new editor Michael Devlin arrives, she discovers his skills will help her in more ways than just editing.

The chemistry between these two is hot and instantaneous, and Emily quickly acquires the many skills needed to heat up her novels. Devlin and Emily are both afraid their mutual love for each other is not reciprocated, so they both try and play it cool. When Devlin has to often be away for business reasons, Emily uses The Channel to help inspire her writing.

The storyline is good, if a tad confusing regarding The Channel, which may be in part due to the fact I did not read the first novel of the series. The characters are interesting, sweet, and funny, but extremely sexual. That is the only thing I can say turned me off (sorry, I couldn't help it) in this story. There is tons of graphic sex, including multiple partners and graphic dialogue; however, that is the genre this novel was written for. So, if that is not your cup of tea, you'll need to pass on this one.

The last two chapters, I have to say were my favorite. There was no more graphic sex or dialogue, and Devlin and Emily overcoming their collective fears was quite heartwarming. If you are a fan of the erotic genre, then FORBIDDEN PLEASURES is for you. It has tons of steamy and often raunchy sex scenes, intertwined with a cast of loveable characters and a good storyline. If multiple partnered sex is a tad much for your sensibilities, than look for another of Bertrice Smalls' tamer novels. Happy reading!

Deana Monteleone