This is the 17th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Since early in the series, I have been waiting for a happy ever after for Layla. Layla is not a kick ass heroine. She is kind, nurturing, and self-sacrificing. She was raised to serve the needs of others and have the children of the Primale.  When  Phury, the Primale, releases all of the Chosen from this duty, Layla lost the main purpose of her life. But she continue to serve and feed members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Then she is tricked into feeding and nourishing a rebel, who plans to overthrow the King. Xcor, deformed from birth with a harelip, is immediately enchanted by Layla. He feels unworthy of her. He even blackmails her into keeping company with him.

In the meanwhile, Layla goes into her time of need. Her friend, Qhuinn, has sex with her and she becomes pregnant with his children. Qhuinn is happy about the children.  Layla intends to raise the children with Qhuinn and his husband, Blay.

All of this action has occurred over a series of novels in the series and before this novel begins.

This novel begins with Xcor,   a prisoner of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Layla is distraught over his inevitable execution. When it is discovered that Layla had fed Xcor and then had spent time with him, she is threaten with banishment and the loss of her infant children.

Layla deserved a happy ending and she gets it in this novel. Xcor adores her. He will willingly sacrifice himself for her and her happiness. Layla fights for her children and her happiness.

The most concerning part of the novel is Qhuinn.  Qhuinn is a domestic abuser. This behavior first became apparent in Lover At Last.  In Lover At Last, Qhuinn engaged in emotional abuse toward Blay. In this novel, Qhuinn is emotionally abusive toward both Layla and Blay. Then the emotional abuse bleeds into violence. He points a gun at both Blay and Layla. He threatens to shoot Layla. Contrary to what I read in other reviews, none of this behavior is justified. It is abuse, pure and simple.

Which made the happy ever after and the all too easy reconciliation between Qhuinn, Blay and Layla at the end hard to swallow.  But JR Ward is an extremely smart writer. Qhuinn has engaged in this behavior in two novels. In this novel, Blay confronts him on his behavior and makes an ultimatum. I fully expect her to confront this issue in a future novel. When she does, I will happily buy it.

** spoiler alert ** Acck, Acck, I am trying to get rid of the nasty artificial taste of saccharin left by the epilogue of this book.

I had some trepidation over this book and the “hot gay sex scenes” to quote one reader. But the gay sex scenes were a non-issue for me. On the other hand, I could have done without the skanky sex scenes between heterosexuals. The only sex scenes between heterosexuals were between vampire males and women for whom they had no respect. Which bothers me. Considering the vampire prostitute provided much needed sustenance to the outlaw vampires, you think that they would be more respectful.

The problem with this book was the lack of romances. While Blay and Qhuinn were having hot sex everywhere, the friendship and love were missing. The nice thing about Blay and Qhuinn has been their friendship and love for each other. While Blay may have been his usual kind caring persona with other characters, it was lacking in his interactions with Qhuinn. Yes, there were hot sex scenes. But I did not like Qhuinn abasing himself, by offering himself sexual as his only means to be with Blay. In fact, Qhuinn had to spend too much time demeaning himself in this book, including his confession that his out of control promiscuity was just his way of denying his homosexuality. Too much sex, not enough sexual tension and meaningful connection, left this romance wanting. Which made the surprise mating ceremony in the epilogue just too much.

One of the huge draws of this series is the anticipation of the growing romances of other characters. Unfortunately, Layla is the only character who I want to have a romance. The new character Assail is yet another drug dealing vampire. Trez and his love interest, the chosen, Selma,( or is she a princess in disguise) does not really interest me. All of the Brotherhood has found a mate. The new characters introduced are not as interesting. Honestly, I was disappointed that Qhuinn did not get a cool brotherhood name like Rhage in his induction. I think that J.R. Ward needs to find some more members of the Brotherhood to save this series. So I am happy to see that the next story involves Wrath and Beth. The Black Dagger Brotherhood is my favorite guilty pleasure. But it needs great characters like Rhage and Zsadist. Assail and Trez just are not as interesting. Also, I would like to see some more bad ass females.

(This review was first published on Goodreads.

In the previous books in this  erotic romance series, Tiffany Edwards was introduced as a young mother with three children and an abusive husband. In this novel, she has managed to get away from her abusive husband. It was done at the expense of her pride. She took a bribe from her brother-in-law by agreeing to never contact her husband’s family.

When her abusive husband locates her new apartment, she and her children must flee in the night. Her only hope is her former trailer park neighbor, Annie. At Annie’s home, she runs into the condemning, controlling Blake Daniel, her brother-in-law.

This novel is a departure from the previous novels in this book. In those books, there was an emphasis on the erotic. In this novel, there is an emphasis on the romance. Which is perfect. Tiffany has been emotionally, physically, and financially abused. It is critical that she regain her personal power.

This book is plenty hot. There is chemistry between the heroine and hero.  But the relationship building between Tiffany and Blake took center stage. It was a wonderful romance.

 

Gilded Cage
by Vic James

“Slavery is such an atrocious debasement of human nature, that its very extirpation, if not performed with solicitous care, may sometimes open a source of serious evils.”
Benjamin Franklin

In England, all power is held by the few, who have the power of magic. The rest of the populace is subject to seven years of slavery. Until the seven years of slavery are served, they lack full citizenship.

In hopes of better opportunities, 17-year-old Luke’s parents have decided the entire family would serve their seven years of slave days together at the estate of the powerful, magical Jardine family. Luke is angry and resentful of his parent’s decision. His resentment becomes fear and trepidation when he is sent to the dangerous environs of a slave town rather than the Jardine estate.

The Jardine family is powerful. The elder Jardine was the former Chancellor. But the family is a pit of snakes. It is a constant struggle for power and control. Magic is everything. The person with the most magic will rule.

The conditions of the Jardine are visibly better than the slave town. The work is not dangerous. But there are dangers. These dangers are more subtle.

This was my favorite book of 2016 as I had the opportunity to read an advance copy. The characterization was skillful. The characters are multi-dimensional. Even a unlikeable character, Gavar, a killer and rapist, could engender sympathy.

There is considerable action and intrigue involving many plots and subplots as the story moves between the Jardine estate to the slave town, from character to character. It is a powerful story and an emotional, searing condemnation of slavery. There is no such thing as a good master and slavery is demeaning to all involved. Reducing a person to chattel is an act of evil. Vic James has created a mesmerizing and satisfying fantasy.

From the very start, Tiffany lived her life with a raw honesty that is as rare as it is disconcerting. She had no filters. She spoke her own truth. Many people could not handle it.   Moreso since the her personal power was so disconcerting coming from such a tiny, California beach babe blonde.

She was a lifelong student. Her superior intelligence was aided by an enviable work ethic. Her dad tells about her first day of kindergarten. Tiffany came home and immediately sat down to do her homework. He never once had to tell her to do her homework. She always did it. Daily.

Tiffany loved animals.   She went to the University of Alaska to study biology. Some of her happiest days was working with musk oxen and caribou. She wanted to work in animal sciences.

Yet despite her intelligence, raw honesty, and hard work, Tiffany had a very tender heart. She was extremely protective of my daughter, Judith. She treated Judith as a little sister, giving her advice and defending her from bullies. Judith loved this cousin who was closer to her age than her own siblings.

Tiffany had spent several holidays and summers with our family in Idaho. We missed her last summer when she stated in Alaska to go to school. We have all been waiting for Tiffany to come home.

But Tiffany suffered from a terrible disease. She had clinical depression. On the day after Thanksgiving, she killed herself. Way too many people have posted that she is now at peace. Suicide is not a nice, tidy solution to depression. It is a huge, giant failure on the part of friends, family, and the community, especially the medical community. Depression should not be fatal. Tiffany should not be dead.

Her death is the most painful, devastating event of my life. Tiffany should not be dead. She was smart, beautiful, funny, and loving. She should be sharing this gifts with the world. But a person suffering suicidal depression cannot save themselves. But they want help. Suicidal persons want to live. They just need the proper support.  Tiffany made several cries for help prior to her death. Unfortunately, her friends were too overwhelmed or too ignorant to get her the help she needed. Personally, I shall always feel the burden of her death, the sick knowledge that I should have done more.

We are all grieving and missing Tiffany. Yet there are moments of complete denial. As Judith said to me, “In my heart, I am waiting for Tiffany to come home.” And I realize that I am also waiting for Tiffany to come home. Certainly she will always have a place in my heart. Love you Tiffany, Aunt flip

 

Erotica is a difficult genre for me. While I love the concept of female focused erotica and have loved sex scenes in romance novels ever since I read The Flower and the Flame as a thrilled thirteen year old, too many erotica novels focus on sex over plot and characterization. Even when written well, many times the sex scenes are just not to my taste. Up to this point, only one erotic author was a must buy for me, Cherrie Lynn. But now I have two. M. O’Keefe delivers a hot, suspenseful novel with great characters.

Burn Down the Night sizzles. The heroine is a former stripper, desperate to save her little sister from a cult. When her attempt to intimidate the drug dealing cult leader into surrendering her sister dissolves into complete chaos, she ends up fleeing the scene with the wounded leader of the motorcycle club. Joan is no quitter. She knows the cult leader uses the motorcycle club to distribute his drugs. So she kidnaps Max Daniels, president of the Skulls MC. She plans to use Max to get to the cult leader. Max is determined to escape the crazy woman, who fire bombed a car and set his strip joint on fire.

The sex is sizzling. But there is also emotional connection in the scenes. Sex is intimate and personal. It is not a performance. There is no shame.

The story has meat. There is a strong theme involving family connections. The plot involving rescuing the little sister from the cult is suspenseful. The development of the characters of Joan and Max is believable and heartfelt. Burn Down The Night is erotica at its best.