Secrets, Volume 9: The Best in Women's Erotic Romance Book

Bought this for the Lisa Marie Rice story, but all four were longer short stories than typically found in this type of anthology. All were modern and erotic:

1. Wild for You by Kathryn Anne Dubois was set in Africa. A college professor and a few of his students were living in a village to study the plant and animal life when a very spoiled and pampered Georgie wonders off and gets lost in the jungle.

Georgia encounters poachers meant to harm her when she gets rescued by a very hunky "Tarzan." "Tarzan" was lost from his family when he was 3-ish, barely spoke, but did comprehend English. He had a strong desire to mate and chose Georgie as his mating partner.

The beginning and ending were good, but the middle bothered me. "Things" transpired that took the romance out of the story for This Reader. That's all I can say without posting spoiler alerts.

4 Stars

2. "Wanted" by Kimberly Dean was about a hot computer programmer accused (framed) of selling defense secrets and was on the run (for 6 months) from an equally hot FBI agent, Jeff Reno. They exchange nightly e-mails…

I like to go with a little fluff in a story, but this one pushed my limits in many ways. Just too unrealistic. They both had the hots for each other after one brief moment of Danielle being accused of treason and she ran.

3 Stars

3. "Secluded" by Lisa Marie Rice was pretty good. Although why the story began the way it did has me questioning what was cut to condense it for a short novella…

Two neat characters, Nicholas Lee and Isabella, spend an incredible 2 weeks together while hiding from a very dangerous mafia-type man who has been after Nicholas for years. Some parts of the story contradicted things (he never killed?), but it was very good, very steamy, and romantic. Almost (ALMOST) hit the danger zone on the difference between loving and possession…

4 Stars

4. "Flights of Fantasy" by Bonnie Hamre was a stinker for me. :-( The control, weirdness, menage scene, sex with other people before the menage scene...this was so not romantic, imo.

Yancy (and what a stupid name for an American Indian) sat in the back of a college class that Chloe attended many years ago and fell in love with her. He followed her career, lovers, etc all this time. He wanted to become wealthy and supposedly did it all for "her." He coerces her boss (photo-journalism) to force Chloe to go on this fantasy yacht vacation or loose her job.

Yancy owns the Fantasy yacht and has regular cruises to fulfill peoples fantasies. There are other guests and Yancy has two of Chloe's former lovers there, too. She has sex with one of them (who gets mad at her), then the other (who claims he now owns her), then all three.

All this time, Yancy is very possessive. Telling her she's "his." Hogwash. He was too controlling and the whole situation was weird. Blech!

2 Stars