3 1/2 stars. Surprised by this one, in a good way.I didn't know what to expect of this book. It had F/M/F and a bit of M/F/M. But really the story revolved around two couples with their own relationships and challenges. A variety of steamy scenes would firmly place this in the erotic category.

too hot!

Was anticipating this book, the bitchy mother, the younger husband...the ugly duckling daughter kind of story...but it was not quite what i expected...the story was hijacked by the ugly ducklings best friend in the middle and then back to the couple i wanted to read about as almost a after thought. LOve the author...not so much this book

I just love Emma Holly's books. I can't describe how her books got me hooked, but if any of you read In The Flesh, Menage & Cooking Up Storm you'll understand. Her novels are interesting bcoz there's always a story behind every character. She's the only ero-rom author I can't give better reviews bcoz -- she's Emma Holly!!! (sorry, if my English is bad)

Nicee!!

My eyes hurt from all the casual sex. An okay read - not my cup of tea, though.

3.5 Stars

Wow! Emma Holly knows how to do racy! This novel intertwines two stories about insecure women finding themselves and their perfect partners through sexual experimentation.

Bea thinks she’s unattractive. After hearing her Parisian mother tell her so for so many years it’s not surprising. Add to that the humiliation of being in love with her handsome stepfather who her mother misused, she’s a girl who has somewhat lost her way. Following her mother’s death though, Bea’s passions and confidence can be unleashed, and Philip is suddenly awakened to her charms.

Meanwhile her best friend Lela is fed up of being the good-time-girl and is looking to find a career to take seriously. But as she works towards a management role in a high class New York boutique, in walks a powerful, sexy guy who she’s not sure she can resist.

Holly has tried hard to mix up the sex scenes in this book, so they don’t become to samey – which is a problem I find with erotica. With kind Philip, domineering Simon and cheeky Andrew we have a mix of men willing to satisfy our heroines’ wants. They’re also taken to (and in) some of the most exquisite and the most run down city scenes, so there’s something in here for every fantasy. Most endearingly, there are some quite sweet love stories hiding beneath all that explicit lust, though I would, perhaps, have liked a little more subtle character development along the way.

review by Nikki Mason on behalf of Bestchicklit.com

This book falls into the erotica category - so it's quite a bit steamier than an everyday romance novel. This is NOT my usual paranormal romance fare. Main characters include the heiress of a Paris fashion house (Bea), her orphan best friend (Lela), the widowed stepfather of the same fashion house (Philip, who happens to be only a few years older than the heiress), and a corporate mogel who owns a department store chain (Simon). The plot involves scandal and corporate takeover, and everybody ends up happily ever after by the end.

When you hear that a book is erotica, it's easy to imagine that it's just a bunch of sex scenes with a weakly connected story holding them together. In all likelyhood, there probably is a lot of erotica that fits that description. Thankfully, Emma Holly is a much more talented writer than that. This is the second book I've read by Ms. Holly, both at the recommendation of Laura Stamps (Goodreads), and I'm very impressed by Ms. Holly's ability to tell a great story and believably include sex scenes in most chapters. I'm not much of a writer, so I really don't know what the process is to write a novel, but that seems rather hard to do! My suggestion is to not get hung up on the label and instead think of Emma Holly novels as the "advanced level" for romances.

I was crying during a particularly emotional scene near the end of this novel. If it can pluck my heartstrings that well, it doesn't matter what label you give a book; I like it.

Didn't write review of this book.

Not really my thing. Mostly PWP until it became a silly romance.

Haven't read a Holly in a long time...
I wouldn't say this is one of her best. I enjoyed parts of it, and her characters are interestingly complex, but the whole ends with a bit of a fizzle (at least, I think I finished it... seems there were no more pages...).
The whole plot of the savage takeover and business world ruthlessness just doesn't cut it with the main characters going all starry-eyed over each other. And in the end they all lived happily ever after, which is fine with me, but either I don't need the dramatic build-up which collapses, or I need a more impressive resolution.