Tag: Lynn LaFleur

Guest Review: Soft Focus by Lynn LaFleur

Posted September 10, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 0 Comments

Judith‘s review of Soft Focus by Lynn LaFleur.

Daphne Kemp is trying to get her life and finances back in order after her ex-husband left her with a huge debt. When her friend suggests she answer an ad to model for famous photographer Gerard Lynch, the lure of paying off some of that debt is too strong to resist.

One look at Gerard lures Daphne into more than modeling. She breaks her rules about on-night stands and younger men and spends a sex-filled evening with the handsome photographer.

Gerard never gets involved with his models, yet he is immediately drawn to Daphne. He has to find a way to break down the walls she has erected around her heart to give them a chance at forever.

This is another delightful “quickie” for Ellora’s Cave and what I like to call a “literary snack.” Written by Lynn LaFleur who is a well-known author in the world of romance fiction, it features an older woman/younger man scenario that is troublesome to many in our culture. I particularly like such a configuration as it seems to me that those kinds of cultural taboos are just tommy rot and should never be the basis for approving or disapproving a relationship between thinking adults.

Thus you have a woman who is careful in her life, responsible in trying to meet her obligations and is a woman who seems content. That is not to say that she wouldn’t be open to some romance in her life; after all, she is certainly not dead yet. She definitely catches the eye of this world famous photographer in a way that breaches his personal rules about becoming involved with his models or those with whom he works.

I think this story is really about two people have have come to a personal impasse in their lives. Hers, because of the divorce and the almost overwhelming burden of financial baggage left her by a selfish ex-spouse. His, because of his dedication to his art, the demands of his work, and the transient nature of his life as he seeks to share the real world in an artistic way. Both are caught in situations that don’t make it easy to find romantic diversion. Thus, their encounter as photographer and model bring them together. It is obvious that Daphne’s charm is sufficient to ensnare the interest of a younger man. Consider the wide-eyed wonder in the response to her by her male model co-worker. However, her response to Gerard is based not only on the fact that he is a splendid speciman of maleness, but the professionalism that causes him to treat her with respect, never putting her in an embarrassing position, even though the photos he is shooting are erotic in nature.

This short story a delightful literary diversion. It is a story that is not, in my opinion, designed to teach a deeper lesson. Rather it is just one of those love stories that pleases the heart and entices a reader into the world of “warm fuzzies of the emotions.” The story is told with grace, the characters are developed with an economy of words, the story line moves carefully through a short number of pages and its end may or may not surprise. It really doesn’t matter. It is just an enjoyable read from start to finish, one that a true romance fan will find satisfying. I know my impromptu comment when I finished reading it was: “Now that’s a really nice love story.” What more could we ever want from a romance tale? I give this short story a rating of 3.75 out of 5.

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

You can read more from Judith at Dr. J’s Book Place.

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Guest Review Two Lovers for Molly by Lynn LaFleur

Posted August 20, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 1 Comment

Kris‘ review of Two Lovers for Molly (Lavender Lace, Book 3) by Lynn LaFleur



Third in the Lavender Lace series.


A chance meeting with Julian Forrest changes author Molly Ross’ mind about her bad luck with men. Julian is not only gorgeous, but intelligent and charming.


Julian loves Molly’s sexy underwear. It makes his mouth water every time they make love. In less than a week, he knows he’s falling in love with her. Then Lane Edison comes back into Julian’s life. Despite being apart for a year, one kiss from the handsome man and Julian tumbles. He wants both Molly and Lane, but doesn’t know how that can happen…until he reads a threesome scene in the book Molly is writing.


Molly loves Julian, yet feels an instant attraction when she meets Lane. Discovering the two men were once lovers is a huge turn-on. When Julian suggests a ménage à trois, she’s more than willing to let the two men fulfill her fantasy.

This was a very cute short story. The synopsis above says pretty much everything well. Molly meets Julian at the coffee shop that her and her friends meet at most mornings. They go on a date and are very attracted to one another. Things progress and they start to fall in love. Then Lane comes home from the military and it upsets the balance they have found. Because he and Julian were in a relationship before he left and realize they still have feelings for one another.

I had a very fun time reading this story. The characters were entertaining and sweet. There was the emotion and tension as to what they were going to do now that Lane was back. Plus I love when one of the main characters is a writer. There was also kind of a side story with a couple that, I am guessing is in the other stories too. She runs the lingerie store that connects the series and they were cute as well. I have not read the other stories in the series but i had no trouble following what was going on. I cannot think of a single thing I did not like about this story. It was a great short, light menage story.
I give it a 5 out of 5

Read more from Kris at The Reading Spot. 

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

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Guest Review: Whispered Surrender by Lynn LaFleur & Randi Monroe

Posted July 7, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 1 Comment


Judith’s review of Whispered Surrender by Lynn LaFleur and Randi Monroe.

Abby Horton finds herself manipulated into managing her aunt’s upscale flower shop the week of Valentine’s Day. A Manhattan office manager by day and playwright by night, Abby knows nothing about the floral trade.

Retired NFL superstar Brett Kincade stops by to order his Valentine’s flowers and catches the gorgeous new gal in town reading an underground review of Whispers by the Sea–a five-star resort specializing in providing adult sensual dining and the guests’ wildest fantasies come true. Their attraction is instant. With a little coaxing from Brett’s famous “soft hands,” Abby eagerly accepts his invitation to Whispers the next night.
Dressed from head to toe in gifts Brett sends throughout the day, Abby can barely breathe wondering what is in store for her at Whispers. The reality tops her fantasy, but is this the start of something she’s dreamed of since her first visit to Seaside as a skinny, mouth-full-of-metal fifteen-year-old? Or just another one-night stand for an ex-jock who has everything?

I had recently read another novella by Lynn LaFleur and so was excited to be able to read another for this review. I have to say that I was not disappointed in the cohesion I found in this work between a very interesting plot, a measured amount of tension and conflict, strong characters who seemed comfortable in their own skin, and some unexpected developments that added spice and charm to this story.

Brett’s fans may have been very excited about his football expertise, even seeing him in social situations following his retirement, but Brett himself was not at all excited when a best friend’s fiance managed to sort of rope him into a Tarot reading which claimed that he would soon find his soul mate and would be very happy. He thought all that psychic stuff was, as he put it, ” . . . a bunch of woowoo stuff.” Nevertheless, he kept fairly calm until he heard his friend’s fiance describing a scenario he recognized. Then he became nervous.

Abby was not necessarily happy about having to assume management of her Aunt Rosie’s flower shop, but she depended on the staff of floral arrangers to handle the massive amount of business the shop always had on Valentine’s Day. She was completely unprepared for the jolt to her insides when she met Brett–not only his drop-dead good looks, but his seeming sincerity in wanting to treat her to a night of fantasy-fulfillment at famed Whispers by the Sea. Eventually they do indeed have their night in paradise and Abby has to admit that as crazy as it sounds, she has fallen, and fallen hard!

This is truly a very fun, cute story. The dialogue sparkles, the descriptive language used draws some delightful word pictures and the characters are forceful on the one hand and very likeable on the other. There is a sizeable amount of sizzle in this novella and yet that is balanced with the awareness the reader has that Abby has come through a terrible ordeal from her first marriage to a cocaine addict, ultimately believing that she really is the “loser” her ex has painted her. Brett, too, is tired of the glitz and glamour, and is looking for permanence with his own special gal. There are some very surprising developments in this story, and it is such fun to watch Abby slowly change from a rather shy and careful woman to one who is willing to explore her own inner heart and her wild side with Brett. I think the ending is unexpected and great fun.

I liked this novella very much. Any true romantic will find this a enjoyable read and quite possibly hear themselves chuckle from time to time with the shear fun of it. I think LaFleur & Monroe have done a very fine job of giving readers a very entertaining book.

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

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Guest Review: And Best Friend Makes Three by Lynn LaFleur

Posted July 6, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 0 Comments


Judith‘s review of And Best Friend Makes Three by Lynn LaFleur

A teasing remark from his best friend sends Eric McFarland back to his college days when sex was wild and plentiful. Now he is engaged to Brenna West and he had no desire to be with any other woman. Now that best friend, Keith Dillard, is visiting and Eric decides to turn that remark into reality.

Brenna loves Eric with all her heart and doesn’t want to be with any other man. Yet when Eric and Keith say they want to give her one night of incredible passion and pleasure, Brenna is not going to turn down their generous offer.

In the world of erotic romance, menage de trois is certainly not out of the ordinary and probably occurs in real life far more often than most people realize. It is also my observation that in most erotic literary situations, there is not necessarily a threesome that is permanent, although such is not really unusual either. Such is the case with these three individuals. Eric and Brenna have been dating for a year and on during the celebration of their first year together, Eric proposes and Brenna is delighted to accept. They are, however, interrupted by Brenna’s boss who calls her away from her special weekend to travel for her company. So they really didn’t have any opportunity to discuss wedding, set a date, really do anything substantive regarding their future except agree that they would honeymoon in Athens.

During Brenna’s absence, Eric’s best friend shows up (they had previously agreed to the visit) as friend Keith was a foreign correspondant and needed some R & R. In discussing Keith’s long sexual “dry” spell, the two friends’ bantering led to a tease about sharing Brenna. At first Eric is essentially negative and let Keith know that he will introduce him to some of the women in his company. Later, he began to re-think his response. Brenna was an enthusiastic lover, creative and willing to try nearly anything. She was passionate and had never backed away from a sexual challenge. The more Eric thought about Keith’s idea, the more he desired to give his bride-to-be this innovative night which would be unlike anything they had shared together.

Brenna was surprised, somewhat bewildered, that Eric would bring Keith into their bed. Yet there was a secret fantasy she had kept hidden–being loved just once by two kind and generous lovers. This was her chance.

Now this is not necessarily a very long read–a novella, after all, and it is not necessarily including anything very kinky. Yet I think the one factor in this story is that Eric knew that Brenna was open to new experiences, and even though he knew in his heart that each was sexually enough for the other, he wanted to give her this one fantasy as his love gift to her. After her initial shock, Brenna saw this as Eric’s gift and accepted it as such.

I think my greatest impression of this couple was that they were completely secure in one another’s love. Nothing that happened on this wild night caused the world to shift on its axis nor did they waiver in their determination that they were a couple and that the menage experience was only a one night thing. I also think that they truly believed that not only was this a gift to Brenna, but it was also a gift to Keith–sharing their love and their bed.

This is, as I have already said, is not a long or complicated book. It’s plot is straight forward and is really about their one-night encounter. For fans of erotic romantic literature, this is as good as it gets. Eric is a gentle and kind person; Brenna is hard-working, intelligent, good at what she does, yet she has given her heart to Eric and there it will securely remain. I think the reader will also pick up on the fact that in the midst of his “glamorous” high-profile media job, Keith was tired to the bone, lonely, and needing roots in his life. A very brief but cogent commentary on the emptiness that success can never fill.

I like this story–I liked the characters and I liked their loyalty to one another. It is a fun fast read and I give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

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