Playing Easy to Get (Immortals After Dark 1) [Paperback]

TURN UP THE HEAT by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Kenyon gives steamy and exciting story with a Cinderella heorine meets a ‘bad boy’ on a fantasy island. Allison is the winner of a ‘live the novel’ romance contest that lands her on a dream island, complete with major ‘stud muffins’ and one darkly dangerous hunk who is hiding out from the mob. Attraction between the two sizzles and between bedroom gymnastics and dodging bullets these two create spontaneous combustion! HOT!

HUNTERS OATH by Jaid Black - Inconsolable over the loss of her brother Sofia didn’t pay much attention to the roads the cab driver took while plowing thru the snow to catch a plane back to Tampa. Too late she discovered that she’d been kidnapped and brought to a secret underground ‘otherworld’ where she is auctioned off on the marriage block. Having been given a powerful aphrodisiac by the guardian of the ‘outsider brides’, Sofia couldn’t help the ‘itch’ that her new husband, the seven foot warrior Johen is only too willing to take care of. Once the drug wore off, Johen himself becomes the aphrodisiac that convinces Sofia to stay. Romantic and sizzling!

THE WARLORD WANTS FOREVER by Kresley Cole – ‘Myst the Coveted’ is an immortal Valkyrie who considers vampires and other such ghouls her mortal enemy. Nikolai Wroth, a warlord general is a vampire who recognizes Myst as someone special. At first he didn’t know just what exactly she was until just before he’d lost her. It then took him another five years to capture this very special Valkyrie. Their battles would be ferocious and their lovemaking exquisite as Wroth fought to convince Myst that she was fated to be his ‘forever bride’.

I’ve read Kenyon before and she definitely knows how to heat things up with her BAD boy series; Jaid Black was brand new for me and my,oh my, I do plan plan to look her up in the future. I’ve read great historical fiction from Ms Cole before and with this debut effort into the paranormal genre she has proven herself equal to the task. The reader won’t be disappointed in availing themselves of this exceptional trio of short but extremely titillating stories. These are ‘smoking’!

Turn Up The Heat by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Allison George's life sucks; working in her dead end job she dreams of escape. Bumping into her old high school buddy Maggie May, now a successful editor in New York, she is aware her friend pulls a few strings to ensure she wins the "Hideaway Heroine Sweepstakes", a competition allowing you to live the life of your favourite fictional heroine. Allison pretends to be Robin Daniels, the girlfriend of a macho biker; however after arriving on Fantasy Island she finds herself attracted to the wrong character, a dark and sexy biker more realistic than the other actors who surround her.
Vince Cappelleti is in hiding after attempting to sever his ties with the Mafia, who now very much want him dead. Holded up on Fantasy Island, he is asked by the island's owner and friend to blend in with the latest fantasy to make up numbers in a biker gang. He is immediately smitten by the wholesome Allison; however a man of his past can only dream of holding a woman like her. As Vince's dreams come true, his and Allison's lives are threatened by old enemies - Allison's response is impressive to say the least. As the situation appears bleak, they head towards the other side of the island, a training area for BAD agents.
A fantastic story and I love the fact that Allsion ends up with far more than her dream man. 5 stars

Hunter's Oath by Jaid Black
Sofia is left devestated by the death of her younger brother, her only family. Arriving in Alaska to officially identify his body, she is kidnapped by a Bride-hunter and taken to the underground world of New Sewden to be sold at the marriage auction block. Terrified by the unknown, Sofia gladly accepts the alcohol given to calm her nerves, unaware it contains a potent aphrodisiac.
Lord Johen Stefsson knows that a rebellion is imminent; the time is certainly not right to buy a wife, regardless of the urgings of his parents to continue his family line. Despite his resolve, his fascination with Outsiders draws him to the bride auction. One Outsider snags his attention immediately,with her blue green eyes, abundant golden curls and lush figure. No matter what he adamantly tells himself he won't buy her and fall in love. When his friend starts bidding on her, Johen gladly parts with his many coins without thought. He is now determined to gently introduce Sofia to an underground viking life and hopes to slowly earn her love. Instead he faces a woman caught in a sexual frenzy, too concerned about easing her passions to contemplate escape for the moment.
As always, sizzling hot stuff from JB. 5 stars.

The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole
When vampire warrior Nikolai Wroth finds Myst the Coveted held captive by Ivo, the vampire which turned him and to whom he owes his allegiance, he has no idea she is a valkyrie, a dying female warrior resurrected by the Gods. Sparing his life from her sisters, Myst intentionally awakens Wroth's body to her touch, marking her as his Bride.
For over 300 years Wroth has inhabited an unfeeling body, a vampire waiting to be awakened to sensations by the touch of his Bride. When raging desire consumes him, Myst leaves him unfulfilled, and as his Bride, she is the only being able to bring his body release.
Myst is sick of being used as bait, but talks of Ivo the Cruel making dark alliances prove worrying enough for the valkyries to investigate. Attracted to Wroth, she bloodies herself on him before fleeing, allowing him access to her memories through her blood. 5 very frustrating years later, Wroth manages to locate Myst, and by sheer accident gains complete control over his elusive wife.
A brilliant introduction to a new author. 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon and Jaid Black and have to admire any writer collaborating with one of these authors, let alone both. If this anthology was supposed to showcase the talents of a less established writer, it certainly worked. Compared to SK's 90 pages and JB's 75 pages, Ms Coles lengthy offering of more than 150 pages allowed deeper character development and a more complex storyline. I have to say that she more than held her own against my favourite authors, to such a degree that I have already pre-ordered her full length sequel "A Hunger Like No Other" due for publication in April 2006. This is a great anthology; not only did SK and JB maintain their wonderful high standards, I was introduced to a fantastic new author.

First story being Sherrilyn Kenyon's Turn Up The Heat with the ever sexy character Vince Cappelleti, a guy on the run from the "mafia" family. This story is one of many of the B.A.D series, the Bureau of American Defense. If any of you have read any of the current series you won't be dissappointed with this one. Vince has been taken to an island, by his loyal friend who has taken him out of the family life from New York, but unfortunately this island is also a host for the Heroine Hidaway contest winners in which a lucky reader gets to live out her fantasies from a book of her choice. This months "winner" Allison is taken onto the island where she finds the ever sexy Vince, but trouble unfortunately follows Vince like a bread trail. Will Allison and Vince get what they want to most, happiness?

Second story is by Jaid Black, Hunters Oath. Needing closure, Sofia heads to the Arctic Circle where her only relative, her beloved brother died in a military helicopter crash. However, she is kidnapped and taken underground where she is put on the marriage auction block. Viking warrior Johen buys her, but now must persuade the Outsider that they belong together.

The third story is from Kresley Cole, The Warlord Wants Forever. I must admit I had to read the beginning a couple of times to fully understand this world as it takes vampires and Gods a bit extreme and a little hard to follow at first. Basically Nikolai the vampire chief and Myst the Coveted Valkyrie are in love with one another. However, vampires and valkyrie are natural enemies so the two duel for superiority in their taboo relationship. Myst's character is very independant and having Nikolai laying down his law on her isn't going to go down well, will they get what they both want?

All in all I give this book a big thumbs up, it took me only a day to read. I mainly book the book plainly for the Sherrilyn Kenyon story as I follow all her books but the other two stories did not dissapoint me!!