Helpful Score: 3
"Masquerade"
I got annoyed with this one early because its plot was just lame. I guess I like a little believability in my fiction (call me crazy) and one where a woman believes a straight man to be her best friend just didn't bite. In addition to the cheezy plot there were a lot of other story-stereotypes I found. I guess from the blurb, I was expecting to the woman to be swept off her feet by some stranger and instead she was tricked by something a child could see through. The whole Bruce Wayne/Batman mask thing is so pathetic when a woman can't recognize a man who is supposed to be her best friend. Also, the constant whining about her past just put me off on the female lead altogether: Pity Party, Table for One... I ended up skimming through it since the sex scenes weren't too bad.
"Ancient Pleasures"
In addition to being a better story than the previous one, it was set in one of my favorite areas. I kept thinking this story was like an erotic Amelia Peabody. Well told with steamy scenes.
"Manhunt"
This is one of those stories that start out by making you want to get abducted by a hunky piece of man (as unlikely as it is that he wouldn't be a psycho), but then nosedived into the overly used plot where the guy figures that running from the law will prove his innocence. Anyone with a thought process will find things wrong with this story from the start and be annoyed at how easily they realize who the bad guy is, if they are able to finish it. I skimmed to see if I was right and then got out while I could.
"Wake Me"
The best story in the book. Really liked the paranormal theme and appreciated how the author worked in believable plot twists.
I got annoyed with this one early because its plot was just lame. I guess I like a little believability in my fiction (call me crazy) and one where a woman believes a straight man to be her best friend just didn't bite. In addition to the cheezy plot there were a lot of other story-stereotypes I found. I guess from the blurb, I was expecting to the woman to be swept off her feet by some stranger and instead she was tricked by something a child could see through. The whole Bruce Wayne/Batman mask thing is so pathetic when a woman can't recognize a man who is supposed to be her best friend. Also, the constant whining about her past just put me off on the female lead altogether: Pity Party, Table for One... I ended up skimming through it since the sex scenes weren't too bad.
"Ancient Pleasures"
In addition to being a better story than the previous one, it was set in one of my favorite areas. I kept thinking this story was like an erotic Amelia Peabody. Well told with steamy scenes.
"Manhunt"
This is one of those stories that start out by making you want to get abducted by a hunky piece of man (as unlikely as it is that he wouldn't be a psycho), but then nosedived into the overly used plot where the guy figures that running from the law will prove his innocence. Anyone with a thought process will find things wrong with this story from the start and be annoyed at how easily they realize who the bad guy is, if they are able to finish it. I skimmed to see if I was right and then got out while I could.
"Wake Me"
The best story in the book. Really liked the paranormal theme and appreciated how the author worked in believable plot twists.
