Review of Hour of The Lion by Cherise Sinclair

I actually finished this book a while ago, but this is the first time I’ve gotten the chance to actually sit down and write down my thoughts on it. Hope you enjoy the review, ’cause I know you’re gonna love the book!

*dragging feet* As for me, time to get back to work.

Blurb:

As a dedicated covert ops agent, Victoria Morgan follows two rules: accomplish the mission and protect the innocent. When bitten by a werecat—yeah, that was a sucky day—she must investigate beings that shouldn’t exist and are hard as hell to identify. Just how can she tell if a person is human–or an animal-shifter who enjoys Bambi-sized snacks?

During her investigation, she finds a real home and friends for the first time. Sweet, right? But there’s a flip-side: the bad guys are waiting for her to turn into something four-legged with a tail, the shifters suspect her of spying, and she has fallen in love with a pair of Thumper-eating werecougar brothers.

Her duty is to expose their existence. Or she could follow her heart and protect them with all of her deadly skills.

I give Hour of the Lion 5 strong shots…

…and I’m very tempted to throw in the whole bottle. *takes a few chugs while
admiring vodka boy’s goods on review page*

Here you go Ms. Sinclair. Bottoms up!

As a fan of Ms. Sinclair’s writing, I was prepared for a well written, smoking hot story—but then I started reading and all my expectations were smashed to bits.

After the one ménage scene in Cherise Sinclair’s last Shadowlands book, I was cautiously optimistic about reading her take on a polyamory. I tend to be very, very picky when it comes to multipartner relationship because, as far as I’m concerned, it’s still a relationship. A threesome can be a nice little thrill for a couple, but often I find the feelings of the third person are neglected. Or someone gets jealous and of course, that means the fun’s over.

I was very, very happy to see that wasn’t even an issue in this book. The three-way relationship develops at a nice pace, beginning with a good dose of sexual tension which gave way to passion and romance. Fans of erotica—and Cherise Sinclair—may get impatient for the sex, so this is what I suggest:

If you’ve picked up this book to spice up your night, put it down. Find your favourite sex scene from one of the Shadowland books—or maybe one of the Dark Havens. This is not a stroker by any stretch of the imagination.

You back? Okay, give me a minute…<g>

If you really want an idea of what this book is like, think Laurel K. Hamilton (her earlier stuff), Kim Harrison, and Jennifer Armintrout. The heroine, Victoria Morgan, is a kick-ass spy. From the very first page you get an idea of her strength and can’t help but root for her as you’re thrown right into the action. I love nothing more than a story that hits the ground running, so this was a special treat. The first chapter had me holding my breath and scooting up to the edge of my seat—I had to know what was going to happen to this woman. Part of me was sad because…well, I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say the lump in my throat dimmed the excitement. Not in a bad way, I was just that into the story.

What follows is constant struggles for the heroine, and the introduction of not one but two sexy, dominant men. Alec and Calum. As always, Sinclair’s men are easy to fall in love with. Alec is a bit more playful and easy-going, while Calum is serious and intense, and their differences make it easy to understand why Vic would fall for them both. But you just know Vic’s secrets are gonna be an issue. While you soak in every wonderful moment, part of you remains tense; hoping for the best, knowing the heroine will lose everything once the truth comes out.

And that’s just the romance part. What really got me was the paranormal elements and the action. Usually, when I read romance, I accept that the actual plot will be overshadowed by the relationship. But this story didn’t lack for anything. Rather than get a morsel of the same old, recycled legends, you’re given a full helping of something fresh. Yes, shifter stories have been done before, but never quite like this.

In the end, all I really want is for a book to make me forget that I’m reading—that’s not too much to ask, is it? Being a writer myself getting my damn inner editor to shut up while I’m trying to enjoy a story is hard. So far, every one of Cherise Sinclair’s books has gagged that inner critic. Hour of the Lion is no different.

This is going up on my shelf—virtual and real (soon as I can get it in print)—of favourites to be read again and again when I need a break from reality. This is a world I could get lost in for a long time—I really hope Ms. Sinclair brings us here again.

To read an excerpt or buy this book, click on the book cover.

Sex Toys and Ménage

As a few of you might know, I’m going to the Lori Foster 7th Annual Reader and Author Get Together in June. As you might imagine, I’m stoked! And to make it even more exciting–’cause yes, that’s possible–I’ll be bringing print copies of both my books, swag bags full of not only my goodies, but goodies from other amazing authors. And best of all, I’m going to be bringing a nice big basket to give away as a prize. The basket will include several gifts from Eden Fantasys, including:

 

Isn’t it gorgeous? I’m so excited to show it off. And I’m so grateful to Eden Fantasys for their generousity.

So today, in their honor, I’ve decided to talk about two of my favorite topics: Sex toys and Menage

As an erotic author, I find myself a little obsessed with writing ménage (in case you hadn’t noticed ). Not an easy topic if you want a good story, what with so many different personalities to work with, so many body parts to get tangled and sucked. And the possibilities for penetration . . .

Still, I can’t help living out fantasies of having all kinds of men fixating on pleasuring one special woman. These men are never perfect, but why would you want them to be? There’s a thrill in holding on to something that will always be wild, but chooses to walk beside you. There’s a reason shifter stories are so popular, and even though I don’t write them, I can appreciate the appeal. Wolves who become men, a pack mindset, a powerful alpha. Savage fun, what more could a woman want?

But back to sex toys and ménage. Why in the world would you need a toy, no matter what it does, if you have all the hands, and mouths, and dicks you could ever want?

Well, it’s pretty simple. No matter how many men you’ve got (okay, let’s limit to a number that can fit around a bed . . . let’s say seven) you’ll can come more often than they can keep up with. Don’t believe me?

Picture it, the hottest men you’ve ever seen, surrounding you. They’re all determined to get you off. The first time, getting your shirt unbuttoned will probably reduce you to a dripping, quivering, boneless mass. Very nice, I’ll be you’ve never felt so sated.

Sad thing is, you’ll eventually adapt to all that smokin’ hot male attention. You might disagree, but try it for a week or two, then come back and we’ll talk. Don’t mind if I take notes.

Anyway, since these men are devoted to you, since pleasing you gets them off almost as much as wetting their cocks in your nice, tight (yes, still tight—Kegel anyone?) pussy, they’re going to get creative.

Which is awesome, if a little bit lazy. A vibrating egg inside you, anal beads, a bit of kissing and touching, and you’re half way over the edge. One thrust and you’re done.

This is when the numbers start to count. You’re in for a long, bumpy ride. ‘specially if they strap on one of those butterflies. Imagine how sore and swollen you’ll be. And how happy that you’ve got more than one man. Half will roll over—possibly onto the floor—and start snoring, but at least one will want to snuggle.

And when you adapt to that, there’s some rough stuff you can add for spice. Bit of bondage? Spanking?

In case you’re wondering, this has been on my mind a lot since I published Rosemary Entwined. Thinking about a sequel, I had to seriously consider how Rosemary’s sexual relationships would evolve.

But I’ve got it covered now, don’t you think?

 This post was sponsored by EdenFantasys.com.