Rosemary Laurey

Two stories in one. The first story is Hand of a Master. Helen is hired by Luc to catalog his library. On her first night, Luc and Branko, his secretary, stage a BDSM scene in the garden outside her window. She is aroused. Luc and Branko know she watched them. Luc and Helen then proceed to engage an affair. Helen's contract is coming to an end when there is a break-in and the cook is murdered. Who did it? What were they looking for? Will Helen stay with Luc?

The second story is Touch of a Dom. Adele is hired as a cook to replace the murdered cook from Hand of a Master. She is also looking for her father, so the position makes it possible to look for him since it was where her father supposedly went when he left Adele and her mother. Helen and Branko set up a scene for Adele's first night. Unlike Helen, Adele interrupts the scene and wants Branko. The two of them begin an affair. Will Adele find her father? Will she and Branko continue their affair if she stays?

I enjoyed these stories. I liked that they were part of a series. I liked how these characters were in tune with each other. Their relationships were open. They were made for each other. I liked the graphicness of the scenes. They were hot! There were secrets that slowly made their ways out.

I look forward to reading more of this author.… (meer)

This book is one of the first adult romance books I read.

It's based on a popular guy in literary history named Christopher Marlowe and of coarse, he's a vampire. He meets this human girl and they (against the rules) fall in love. In that sense, this book is a bit run-of-the-mill vampire romance, but it's so much more than that when you actually get into it.

The conflict in this book is very intriguing and the premise kept me on my toes. The characters are fantastic and realistic. The love in this story isn't entirely cheesy like most other paranormal romance I've read. The major events in the plot don't feel forced or cheesy either.

Over-all I think this book is pretty solid. I rate 3/5… (meer)

Reviewed by Victoria
Book provided by Ellora’s Cave
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

Hand of the Master by Madeleine Oh is not part of a series but it could be. I would love to know what happens next with these characters. I chose this book because after reading the summery it stuck with me. I had to know what happens.

Helen is a recent widow making a fresh start at a job in the south of France cataloging a private library. It seems the perfect way to see a different part of the world. She wants to move on from her past.

Luc has a collection he wants cataloged and from the tons of applicants he picked Helen because he knew about her interest in bondage. His partner and personals secretary Branko both think Helen is a perfect person to complete them.

The chemistry between Helen, Luc and Blanko is sizzling hot. The sex scenes were sweltering hot. I am not just sure how these three would work long term because Luc seemed not too happy when Helen spent time with Blanko without him.

This book moved at such a fast pace I would have loved it if the author slowed the pace down and flushed the book out a bit. It seemed rushed in places especially the end. Overall, I enjoyed reading the story. This story pulled me in and did not let go until the very end.… (meer)