Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Welcome to the club Bloodrose, a place for the creatures of the night to mix, mingle, and get up to no good. This collection features three short stories in the world of vampires and werewolves, begun in books such as An Itch to Scratch and Belling the Cat. Vampire club owner Jonny and his friends Kasey and Deke feature in Fireworks and Harder Than it Looks, while club manager Duke and his new lover Jamison star in Learning to Wag. Blood Rose also contains new content, featuring club favorites Cady and Jonah, in a special vignette.

Book Review

This collection contains four highly entertaining, funny, and very hot stories about some of the characters who work and play at Club Bloodrose. I read the three previously published ones a long time ago and am happy to say that I liked them as much on the second reading as I did the first time around. Full of snark, hot and tender moments, and flat-out hilarious situations, these stories work best once you get to know the characters of Deke and Kasey in the two first books of the series. ‘String Art’ was new to me (and is exclusive to this collection), and despite its shortness, I think it is a worthy addition.

Fireworks (Bloodrose 3)
Ah, werewolf Deke and vampire Kasey are back! The two private investigators are not working a case though, instead this is a look at their celebration of the Fourth of July. Deke blames his werewolf genes for his jumpiness around fireworks, even though he and Kasey are watching from their penthouse. Deke’s comments and reactions every time one goes off outside are hilarious: “the bang, bang, bang” and “sparkly-assed little bombs” are just two of the thoughts that pop into Deke’s mind. But then Kasey suggests a distraction, and the real fireworks are suddenly the good kind, involve silk scarves and a crop, and take place right inside their bedroom.

If you like paranormal stories with lots of humor, if two men who are celebrating a holiday in a very different (and somewhat kinky) way from anyone else pique your interest, and if you’re looking for a read that is as funny as it is hot, then you will probably like this short story.

Harder than It Looks (Bloodrose 5)
In this story, I got to see Deke and Kasey fight – for reasons as ridiculous as those for most fights in real life. Kasey is doing yoga and claiming to be more evolved than Deke, and this just pisses the hot-headed werewolf off to no end. He leaves to cool off, and when he returns both lovers are ready to prove some “primal urges” are more fun than others. The location is their shower – highly civilized and a guarantor for some hot fun of the wet and slippery kind.

If you’re looking for an example of how hot makeup sex can be, if you want to see Deke and Kasey deal with a disagreement, and if you’re looking for a read that is as hot as it is entertaining, then you will probably love this short story.

NOTE: This story takes place after ‘Belling the Cat’, and a few characters from that book are mentioned, but it can be read independently.

Learning to Wag (Bloodrose 6)
In this story, I got to meet two new characters: Bloodrose’s werewolf floor manager Duke and vampire Jamison, a friend of club owner Jonny. Jonny sets up the two of them since neither of them would admit they are in need of a partner. Jamison, a Dom, is a little more open to the idea, and he is the one who initiates a half hour “trial” period with Duke – set up as a bet. It’s a great way to pull in Duke, who does not believe being a sub is even close to what he would enjoy. If Jamison wins, he gets the rest of the evening with Duke, and if Duke wins, Jamison will buy a year’s club membership on Duke’s commission, which means a month’s pay for the floor manager. Who could resist that? Not Duke!

What follows is one of the hottest introductions to D/s play I have ever read. Jamison pulls out all the stops and Duke tries to resist so hard, but ultimately it becomes clear to both of them there is no denying they are meant for each other. Between Duke’s discovery that he enjoys being a little erotically tortured and Jamison’s revelation about shifter blood, there is no doubt in either’s mind that more exploration is warranted.

If you’re looking for short, hot, and kinky, you will probably like this short story.

NOTE: This story takes place after ‘Belling the Cat’, and a few characters from that book are mentioned, but it can be read independently.

String Art
Cady, a warlock, and Jonah, a werewolf, were mentioned in the previous short story, and this snippet is a very hot scene between the two of them as they enjoy some Shibari. A very nice little bonus!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Collection/3 shorts, 43 pages/11000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	09-April-2014
Price	$2.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=4164