Colorful Reviews - Back Again For The First Time

Dear Ms. Havlir,

I’ll keep this short and sour.

The title for your new release at EC has been mislabeled. I’d rename it: Predictable. I knew the plot before the end of the first chapter, and I have to admit, I continued reading it because I wanted to see how steamy the sex scenes could get. My verdict: they were pretty steamy! However, I found your dialogue trite, your characters one dimensional and your plot uninventive. I know you can do better.

Here is the general plot as I interpreted it:

Synopsis: Boy and girl meet, instant attraction, quick marriage, quicker divorce spurred by girl catching boy in a passionate embrace with another woman, long separation, snowstorm brings boy and girl back together again, boy and girl live happily ever after.

Conflict: Girl has bitter mother who has brainwashed her into believing that all men are lying cheaters and girl’s marriage is doomed because boy will cheat on her.

Boy’s response to conflict: Get mad at girl for not believing him, vow never to see girl again because if “she loves him she’d believe him”, make pithy and immature remarks to girl about her naivete and mistrust of him and thereby consent to a divorce.

How boy and girl overcome conflict: Boy fucks girl’s brains out while they are secluded in a cabin during a snowstorm. Girl then realizes that she made a rash decision in divorcing boy, and they live HEA.

It’s clear what makes this story erotic. Your sex scenes are good, and your characters’ chemistry is palpable. In fact, their quirky sex fetishes make them more interesting in bed than out of. However, I’m still looking for the romantic part of this story.

I was confused at how a newlywed couple, so passionately in love and lust that they rushed into a passionate marriage, wouldn’t sit down and begin to talk about a very tricky situation. They both ran, and a snow storm brought them back together again? I understand that many stories are fantasies, but this one seemed more like a contemporary novel to me. In contemporaries I expect some reality-like scenarios.

For instance, I had hoped that your hero would actually fight for the heroine instead of implying that she’s a ditsy bitch who can’t see beyond her childish insecurities. I have to admit that I agreed with him 100%, the quick way that Maddie was able to cut Gavin to the side was annoying and made it harder to sympathize with her, but I’m not the one who loved her and couldn’t imagine my life without her, Gavin is. And as her loving husband, it wouldn’t have killed him to show a little bit of romance before giving up. In fact, I wrote him off as a prick after he punished her by eating her out and stopping before she climaxed. For shame!

I haven’t given up on your titles, Ms. Havlir because I actually like your style of writing sex scenes. I’m just saying that I like a little romance with my erotic.

Regards, Solaine

Dear Readers,

Ann Vremont, one of my favorite authors because of her colorful writing, has a very neat site up called The Reluctant Nude: Celebrating Plus Size Beauty. Nearly each month, she sponsors a Book Of The Month contest where you can nominate and vote for selected stories that you enjoy.

Prizes include a GC to Amazon.com, and a pdf version of Eva Gale’s steamy debut 101 Degrees Fahrenheit.

Go give the site a peek, support democracy and vote!

Regards, Solaine

Dear Ms. Hill,

Mirror of My Soul took me on a powerful emotional journey. I’d read Ice Queen and anxiously awaited the sequel. I was not disappointed.

Marguerite is a strong character, one who knows how to take care of herself, and she does so often and loudly. She’s my kind of heroine – fierce and honest. Marguerite is forthright about all her feelings – even the ones that embarrass her. If she needs space, she’ll take it. If she’s uncomfortable with affection, she’s quick to tell someone to leave her the fuck alone. She is the master of her own domain, the captain of her ship, and Tyler rocks her world because he is just as viscerally honest with his emotions. Tyler’s determination to share in Marguerite’s world is just as fierce as her determination to remain alone.

What follows is a passionate battle, one where Tyler and Marguerite are getting to know each other in ways that will shock them both. The beauty of their discoveries is the love that grows with each new secret revealed. They meet each other head strong and work to accelerate each other’s self-actualization through acceptance. Tyler and Marguerite bring out the best in each other because they allow each other to be weak, and in that process they give each other strength. They are each other’s important half.

Ms Hill, you have taught me a very important lesson. As adults, we only become more adept at hiding our childhood scars and insecurities. It is through a blessed union with another who dares to love us more than we love ourselves that gives us the strength to move from our childlike spaces of hiding, into an adult world of overcoming.

I do not expect many erotic romance novels, especially ebooks, to be full of literary depth or to leave a lasting impression. Many are fluffy tales, a quick candy fix that I enjoy to leisurely pass the time or take a break from life responsibilities. Mirror of My Soul goes beyond a superficial “Romantica” read and is a rare gem among erotic romances both in print and ebook. It engages all senses, providing more than a quick stroke story. It is sexy and passionate written with the seductive quality of a poet’s voice. Your beautiful way with words, impressive plot and evocative characters managed to reach inside my heart and draw out tears of redemption and healing. In your story you managed to take us full circle, showing us the most evil and beautiful of humankind. Thank you for sharing your vision and talent in Mirror of My Soul.

Sincerely, Solaine

Dear readers,

Colorful Reviews is a young, fresh perspective on (mostly) erotic romances, from a young fresh reader of color. A former reviewer for many prominent online review sites, I’ve decided to branch out and bring a new voice to the blog/reviewer community. Sometimes I’ll also review music and movies, if the urge strikes me. Because, really, don’t you need one more site to surf in the name of procrastination inspiration?

Welcome to all things Colorful.

Regards, Solaine