Tag: 3½-star review

Taking a Chance at Love by Kesha Pride

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Publisher/Date:  Pride Books, Oct. 2010
Genre(s):  Romance, Drama
Pages: 216
Website:  http://www.keshapride.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

“Aren’t doctors supposed to be refined? Classy?”

Drs. Tori Becker and Kenya Jackson are both those things, but they are also full of romantic frenzy as seen in Kesha Pride’s debut novel, TAKING A CHANCE AT LOVE, a black lesbian-Grey’s Anatomy tinged love story.

At 29, Tori has her to-do list covered. Graduate medical school. Finish residency. Become a partner in a medical practice. The partnership she accepts relocates her from Houston to Atlanta, and into a swanky new condo, where she runs into a gorgeous woman in her elevator. At her first day of work, that beauty turns out to be Kenya, who has to be Tori’s trainee for the next three months.

That makes things awkward, but they know to keep a level of strict professionalism. It’s hard, though, when Kenya is extremely attracted to how smart, sexy and intellectual Tori is. Kenya has had her share of liaisons – a long term and a few NSAs* – but can envision settling down with Tori.

Meanwhile, Tori and Kenya console themselves with other women, and that’s where the commotion comes in. Jealous lovers, ex-girlfriend entanglements, and criminal mayhem threaten what they don’t “officially” have.  And the more they date, the more they know true love is right in front of them; they’re just afraid of the repercussions if their fraternization is found out.

Taking a Chance at Love is a good, quick read. There are a couple things you’ll shake your head at, but other than that, the drama is plentiful. I enjoyed the medical setting, which Pride writes with realism. Every workplace has its own excitement, and Tori and Kenya’s Atlanta General Hospital is no different.

* no strings attached

Reviewed February 2011

Erotic Escapes: Two Erotic Vignettes featuring Kenya from Intimate Chaos by Cheril N. Clarke

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Publisher/Date:  Dodi Press, Feb. 2010
Genre:  Erotica
Website:  http://www.cherilnclarke.com 

Illusions of Love –

Rating: ★★★★☆ 


Ecstasy –

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Quickies have become Cheril N. Clarke’s forte as of late, with two-part e-book series for your pleasure, EROTIC ESCAPES: TWO EROTIC VIGNETTES FEATURING KENYA. The e-book includes Illusions of Love and Ecstasy, both starring the sexual debaucheries of the infamous homewrecker who stirred up things between Sadira and Jessie. She’s still up to her old tricks, this time manipulating unsuspecting women with her sensual charms and cunning.

In the first installment, Illusions of Love, readers are treated to Kenya seducing Angela, an older woman with money and a body that rivals young girls. Kenya has told the Ivy League professor what she wants to hear to be taken care of in her usual spoiled fashion and lands on a Caribbean cruise. Yet, vacations aren’t enough for the lesbian vixen, and while on the way home, she’s already searching for her next score. She finds it with, Deb, but will it give her what she truly needs?

Ecstasy, the second round of Kenya’s games, continues where Illusions left off and is only a little naughtier than the first. Deb is sexually adventurous and introduces her to a new kind of high. The pair is wrapped up in their sensual cocktail – beginning with a swinging escapade in Illusions – and Kenya almost forgets what she came here for. Has she finally met her match?

Clarke’s down-and-dirty mission was accomplished with these e-books. There’s few flowery phrases, no professions of love — just romps with a woman who’s hedonism rivals that of Karrine Steffans (well, not that bad). Take it for what it is: a one-night stand you might want more of.

Reviewed August 2010

Strapped by Sharon D. Smith

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Publisher/Date:  Lulu.com, June 2010
Genre:  Romance
Pages:  126
Website(s):  http://www.strapped2009.ning.com, http://7stagespublishing.com/

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

If you’re a stud, you’re not supposed to fall in love with another stud – right?

Who says? This is the premise of Sharon D. Smith’s STRAPPED, a fast-paced novel following the attraction between masculine-appearing women, Silk and Taz. The pair have well-worn identities as dominant females, and typically date feminine women accordingly. This stud-femme dynamic is turned on its head when Silk – rocking baggy jeans and a Black and Mild between her lips – moves into Taz’s neighborhood.

Taz notices her next-door neighbor’s swagger, and they quickly become hanging buddies. While they watch sports and hit the clubs, their friendship grows despite not knowing that much about each other’s pasts. It all comes out in a game of basketball when Silk reveals her true feelings. Taz is taken aback by this admission of affection. She can’t believe her homeboy is attracted to her. Silk knows she has a girlfriend — a curvaceous beauty at that — and that their friendship is simply platonic.

Silk feels differently, though. She has always had a thing for butch women. And while Taz tries to understand her friend’s seemingly-odd attraction, she eventually succumbs to it when the pair is thrown into a crisis situation.

Taz and Silk find themselves in love and in trouble. Taz believes she’s losing her edge and doesn’t  know if she can handle the type of love that dare not speak its name in the lesbian community, while Silk’s past comes back to haunt her new relationship with Taz.

Smith’s Strapped shows the conflict some black lesbians experience with labels. Femme, stud, stem, bisexual – it all means nothing when it comes to how one feels inside.  Taz and Silk had to leave the pressures of sexual roles behind to discover a comfortable home in each other. Their affair is unpeeled layer by layer, realistically so. With that being said, while Strapped does a good job getting in Taz’s head, but doesn’t delve enough into why Silk loves studs. I guess that will be explained further in Smith’s next novel.

So get ready because Strapped will challenge all your perceptions of what love and labels really mean.

Reviewed August 2010

The Wrong Valentine by Dana Littlejohn

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Publisher/Date:  Phaze Books, Feb. 2009
Genre(s):  Erotica, Romance
Pages:  17
Website:  http://www.danalittlejohn.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

When you’re faced with spending Valentine’s Day alone, what’s a girl to do? If you’re Shaunte in THE WRONG VALENTINE, you’ll cook a nice dinner, take a long shower and pamper your body in an effort to feel special.

That’s Shaunte’s plan in this diminutive e-book written by romance author Dana Littlejohn portraying a woman’s night alone on lover’s day. But Shante isn’t too pressed about it. She’s had her share of heartache, and a recent relocation to New York helped her get through the hurt.

However, in the midst of Shaunte’s date with herself, she receives a womanly surprise that changes the course of her night and allows her to truly enjoy the holiday.

As a character, Shaunte’s past could have been fleshed out a more, but Littlejohn, who has about 20 erotic titles under her skirt, err belt, creates a short-but-sweet novelette that’s appetizing all the same.

Reviewed February 2010

Diary of a Sex Addict by Shalona L. Amos

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Publisher/Date:  Soul on Fire Publishing, Jan. 2009
Genre(s):  Bisexual, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 236
Website:  http://www.soulonfirepublishing.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Protagonist Tiffany Love’s life is a testament to the fact that sex is a powerful thing, one that can distort your mind, body and soul if you let it. Her experiences are chronicled in DIARY OF A SEX ADDICT, based on a true story written by Shalona L. Amos.

Tiffany’s descent into sexual addiction began when she was a child. While her mother would go out with friends, she was left at home to her own devices. Masturbation, in all sorts of ways, became the addiction of choice for Tiffany – so much so that she couldn’t go a night without pleasuring herself. As a young girl, watching porn was a hobby, allowing her fantasies to extend to being with women. Tiffany knew full well what she was doing was wrong, keeping it a secret from her mother and new overbearing stepfather, Vincent, yet she couldn’t stop.

As a result, Tiffany’s sexual urges grew from sex of the five-finger kind to chatting with men online. There, she could explore her hidden desires and get lost in the anonymity of the Internet. But even cybersex wasn’t enough, and she begins meeting these men for the real thing. After losing her virginity to someone she hardly knew, most nights were a different dude and more sex. It eventually proves unfulfilling for Tiffany, because while she felt valued for the moment, she craved real love. And she couldn’t seem to get it at home, with her mother allowing Vincent to belittle Tiffany at every turn, and it paved the way for her to be mistreated and used by men.

Then comes the day when Tiffany ends all dealings with men, and enters a relationship with a woman. It finally gave her the chance to love and be loved, and things are terrific. Tiffany’s addiction resurfaces when it falls apart, along with all the old feelings of abandonment. It takes control of her life again and causes her realize she needs help.

Yes, Diary of a Sex Addict is hardcore, but it’s also very sad and realistic for a lot of young girls who confuse sex with love. Amos does a good job taking you inside Tiffany’s head. The writing could have been a bit sharper, as parts of it were monotonous, but fortunately the story is fast-paced and easy to get through.

Reviewed June 2009

Kiss! Kiss! Keep It Wet! by Ms. Erotica

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Publisher/Date:  Xlibris Corporation, Nov. 2006
Genre(s):  Erotica, Short Story
Pages:  68

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

These women are doing a lot more than kissing in author Ms. Erotica’s KISS! KISS! KEEP IT WET!

This collection of illicit encounters involves ladies and studs droppin’ like it’s hot and tastin’ it like it’s sweet. The nice-naughty storytelling from Ms. Erotica (aka Anita Brown) is sure to make you spend some time with your lover or with yourself, if you follow my drift. All – and I mean all – of the pieces from Kiss go straight for the gusto and don’t hold anything back.

Especially when you read these saucy tales of temptation. The club seems to be a popular spot to get your freak on, at least in Kiss. It has a woman in the backseat in “I’m Going Out,” and a newbie getting turned out in “Missing in My Life.” T-Pain has nothing on the women in “I’m Love With a Stripper,” the story that has two friends spending all their money on dancers more erotic than exotic.

The book also has others finding passion in the most ironic of places. Like “The Desk,” where the term “head nigga in charge” takes on a whole new meaning in the  office. Then on “The Train Ride,” a company trip allows two employees to work more a lot more closely than they would have ever imagined.

Even with all the licking and sucking going, Kiss does have its tender moments. “Our Anniversary” has a woman giving her lover of four years a present she’s always desired, and makes her fantasies come true. And after a long day of work, all Lexi wants to do is have “A Relaxing Night at Home” – until she realizes her brother has invited friends over to her apartment, but it may be an even better night after she meets one of his beautiful homegirls.

Ms. Erotica knows how to turn you on with the power of her pen. She’s been writing erotica for two years now, and already has the no-holds-barred style of Zane, one of  her favorite authors. What does turn you off are the excessive grammatical errors throughout the book. Once she has that under control, she could become the next  lesbian Zane. It’s only a matter of time.

Because her storytelling is on point – and off the chain.

Reviewed December 2008

Turned Out by Angel M. Hunter

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Publisher/Date:  Urban Books, June 2007
Genre(s):  Romance, Bisexual
Pages:  262
Website:  http://www.angelmhunter.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

The saying goes, “Once you go black, you never go back.”

But in TURNED OUT, the tantalizing novel from Angel M. Hunter, the saying should go, “Once you go clit, you can’t get enough of it.”

That’s the situation with Champagne Rose, a publicist in a long-term relationship with Zyair, a man who would do anything to marry her. They’ve been shacking up for five years, and while they love each other dearly, their love life has become more than mundane. Their routine is the same, the sex is the same – both are clamoring for something exciting to spice up their bedroom boom.

They figure a vacation at an exotic locale is just the ticket. Champagne and Zyair get more than they booked for when a late-night rendezvous for two on the beach ends in a threesome. The addition of an anonymous woman adds just the spark they need, and they return home with a refreshed attitude toward their relationship.

Except Champagne is still thinking about that night. A lot. She wants to know if the pseudo-lesbian fling was just that, or if she really has an attraction to women. It’s something she’s toyed with before, but only in her wildest desires.

Soon Champagne is consumed with thoughts of making love to a woman again — to taste her, please her, to experience the softness and amazing orgasm she had on the beach. When she gets Zyair, who’s more than willing of course, to let her try it again, she’s knows it will be better than before.

But whom will she select to make her fantasy come true?

Hunter’s Turned Out is a pleasurable novel, where the reader can follow a woman’s bi-curious journey. It’s an easy read. Though I was left hanging by the book’s end, I know it’s just a set-up for the sequel to Champagne’s continuing adventures.

And I’ll go along for the ride.

Reviewed December 2008

The Highest Price for Passion by Laurinda D. Brown (Oct. 2008 Pick of the Month)

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Publisher/Date:  Strebor, Aug. 2008
Genre(s):  Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages:  272
Website:  http://www.ldbrownbooks.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

The past comes back to haunt in Laurinda D. Brown’s fifth solo title, THE HIGHEST PRICE FOR PASSION. Beginning in the volatile pre-Civil War era, her latest novel follows illicit exploits of slaves and masters as their lives intersect in the most perilous ways. Several characters narrate the story filled with infatuations and horrors that arise during a time when blacks were no more than tortured servants for white masters.

The fiery tale begins from the eyes of Amelia, a slave who recounts her life and the terror she endured escaping her master. Amelia, born from a white mother and slave, grew up knowing she wasn’t like the other workers around her. Yet because of the time and place she inhabited, she had to keep the appearance of being like the other black folks around her. One night her lineage is discovered, and it eventually leads to her disappearance.

But Amelia’s roots trace back far before her birth, tied to a shaky family tree with unspeakable secrets. Passion explores her heritage from her descendents and to a host of other characters from three generations ago – ones whose desires lead them to destructive behavior. There’s Massa Gray, who after years of rumors, can’t deny his attraction to the male form, including his own slaves; McKinley Wellsworth, whose notoriety as a hard-nosed master, is essentially a product of his tortured upbringing; and then there’s her own father, Josiah, whose attraction for Amelia’s mother couldn’t be contained and produced a love child he had to abandon.

Amelia, as she tells her life story, is aware of the passions that consume those around her, including her master and mistress. Both have strong connections to the beautiful slave, and she’s treated somewhat better than other blacks on the plantation. But Amelia knows her destiny and that there’s something more out there for her than a life of servitude.

Brown has a tackled a novel with historical significance with Passion, a book worlds apart from the contemporary novels she’s written such as Fire & Brimstone, UnderCover,Walk Like a Man and Strapped. The drama is still there, only from an earlier time and place. Brown has done her research with this story, and offers something different for black lesbian readers with Passion, a tale we should read not only for its compelling subject matter, but so that we can gain perspective with how far our race has come.

Reviewed October 2008

My Little Secret by Anna J.

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Publisher/Date:  Urban Books, Sept. 2008
Genre(s):  Romance, Erotica
Pages:  288
Website:  http://www.askannaj.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Anna J., known for her girl-on-girl, off-the-chain romps, is back yet again with another tale of lust, lies and lesbian action with MY LITTLE SECRET. The newest story from the author of My Woman His Wife and The Aftermath brings us Midori Hunter and Jayday B., two women whose secret affair goes from hot to dangerous very quickly.

The passion between the two is undeniable, despite the fact Midori is married to a top physician and has everything a wealthy wife could want. Jaydah, in her own right, is a highly successful author who has enough drama for several books. Their story begins when Jaydah encounters Midori at one her bookstore signings, and they realize their attraction is more than a storybook romance.

But after two years of being Midori’s little side dish, Jaydah is sick of the game. It doesn’t matter how many promises or “I love you’s” Midori comforts her with, Jaydah simply wants her all to herself. How can Midori deny how they feel, lie about her whereabouts, and share the things they share and not want to have something more?

Jaydah can’t get down with Midori’s fickle affection, and tries with great effort, to break it off – more than once. The back and forth of these two women is the meat of the story, who can’t seem to let go of one another, and at some points, even using desperate measures to get what they want. When Jaydah lets go, Midori worms her way back in. When Midori goes back to her neglectful, unfulfilling husband, Jaydah uses a calculated move to get her woman back. They can’t quite let go, but can never have each other as they wish.

What are two horny women to do?

In My Little Secret, Anna J . knows how to bring the lesbian action better than any “straight” woman can. The plot is a little sparse, other than the vacillating relationship between Midori and Jaydah, but the hot sex scenes somewhat make up for that. What’s really intriguing is the character Jaydah, who seems to be deliberately similar to Anna J.

Could there possibly be some truth to fiction?

Reviewed October 2008

The Lesbian’s Wife by Sidi

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Publisher/Date:  Harlem Book Center, Mar. 2006
Genre(s): Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Pages:  282

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Imagine being abducted from the life you knew and the woman you fell in love with…

That’s the predicament Aisha Kone finds herself in when a vacation to the motherland goes horribly wrong in THE LESBIAN’S WIFE. Aisha’s story begins in New York City, where she grew up the daughter of an African immigrant. Despite the worship of her father in the Islamic community, Aisha was being tortured at his hands, as well witnessing the mistreatment of her own mother. Being a woman in an Islamic household meant she had no power, and she vowed never to be tied down to religion if it means giving up being whom she is.

While seeing her case worker, Aisha meets Beyonce (no, not the singer), and they begin a romance, finding solace in helping each other overcome their tragic upbringings while falling in love. Once her father finds out, he is outraged. He figures he has to do something about his wayward daughter before it’s too late. So he arranges a trip for Aisha’s birthday, an African vacation to her homeland of the Ivory Coast.

Aisha naively accepts. She’s so excited, so much that she doesn’t realize the trap about to befall her. She makes it to her destination, and the trip begins with much excitement. She visits areas she’s only dreamed about and talked with people who paint her a colorful image of the land where her father grew up. When Aisha’s about to depart the beautiful country, however, she’s abducted.

Forced to be with an older Islamic preacher, Aisha becomes one of four wives of the Marabout, arranged through her dear old daddy, and and is forced to be with the older Islamic preacher. She’s held captive as a concubine and doesn’t know when she’ll see her family again, most importantly, her girlfriend Beyonce. How will she ever find her way back home?

Author Sidi has created a tale that could very well happen in this day and age. The Lesbian’s Wife has promise as an energetic, informative piece of work, but some details could have been a bit sharper. It’s too bad Aisha never followed her instincts – otherwise she might not have been in the situation she was, but she learns a valuable lesson that she shares with others. And in the end, it only makes her stronger.

I enjoyed the relationship between Aisha and Beyonce, which demonstrated that the power of love can survive even the direst of circumstances.

Reviewed February 2008