Taken By Surprise [Paperback]

Susan Johnson tones down her usual vulgar sex with a poignant passionate story of the resilient Tatiana who is dictated by Ivan The Terrible to marry the ogre Prince Shuisky to strengthen their alliance in Russia 1570. She meets the suave Stavr Biron who campaigns for Ukraine while being sequestered in Livonia with her child Zoe and falls in love. The danger arrives when Prince Shuisky is consumed with jealousy when his "possession" is taken by his enemy. Erotic and sensual with tender affections, Susan Johnson explores a forbidden passion with empathy and masterful narration.

The second tale by Thea Devine is an immediate turn-off with the unconscionable Earl of Wick taking a fancy to deflower virgin. Jenise, upon seeing her sister Julia being cruelly casted away by Wick decides to teach him a lesson, only to indulge in the rapturous surrender of sex. The sex marathon soon becomes gratuitous, monotonous as the romance element is stripped away by the explicit and crude manhandling, inducing more of a nasty shock for readers.

Katherine O' Neal's tale is cluttered with numerous blatant sex scenes but is starkly original with its surreal realm and a surprising twist. Celia Wybourne, the scandalous erotic romance author travels to Gibraltar and finds that her destiny entwined with a mysterious stranger Royce - in several past-lifes - with tragic consequences. The attraction to the story is not immediate but on a progressive mode.

With excellent predecessors such as Captivated and Fascinated, Taken By Surprise falls short with the romance diminished by debauchery and lack of character development. It is fortunate that Susan Johnson and Katherine O' Neal dishes out enough surprises to neutralise Thea Devine's shockingly bad tale.

Susan Johnson has definitely found her muse again. The last two stories (this one and Force of Nature) she has written have been outstanding. This reminds me of her earlier works. There is passion, understanding and love. A young Russian princess is married to a cruel and evil prince by Ivan the Terrible. When she becomes pregnant the evil prince sends her back to her family's estate. She has a daughter and as punishment her husband leaves her exiled in the country. Tatiana is more than happy to stay on her estate.

While out on a ride she meets a young Count that has been given the neighboring estate for services rendered to the court. Stavr Biron is her husbands enemy, but Tatiana cannot help feeling attracted to the Count.

stavr never thought that he would meet such an enchanting young women. He knows that she is virtuous, but she raiss a fierce desire. He finally decides to make a play for her.

This story will make you cheer and cry and wish the evil prince to Hades.

Erotic Deja Vu will leave you breathless and wanting to turn the next page. The story revolves around an ancient curse and the solution that will free the lovers for all time. The journey to that end is explosively passionate and senuous. Celia and Royce are destined to be together, but can it be forever. This story has an Arabian Nights and Scheherazade feel to it.

After losing her parents, Tatiana was made to marry the tsars' man, Prince Igor Skuisky. The couple met for the first time at the altar and we are told that the prince brutality did his duty and shipped her back home as soon as she became pregnant since she was so too frail for one who preferred buxom women. While in exile, Tatiana meets her neighbor, Count Starv Biron and they eventually indulge in a summer affair. The hero is refrained and the heroine is weak, not the usual rake and strong, independent female. There was no in depth supporting characters.

I was definitely taken by surprise when I read this story. It does not belong in a tales of erotic romance anthology; Ms. Johnson has many historical romance books that have more erotica then this story. The title is a warning that this is not the usual Susan Johnson. Having read so many of her other books and being used to that style of writing, well this story just does not live up to her standard.

Her Lord & Master by Thea Devine****

The Earl of Wick who has ravished every woman in London has become bored and is being pressured to marry. Being the rake that he is, he must have only a virgin wife who has to be chosen/tested by his fellow rakish friends. Once the top three are chosen they must then allow certain liberties - sometimes in private, sometimes not, kind of like.... ah.... what's the word? oh yeah, orgies. The things these women do to win an Earl. For this heroine though, she'll do whatever it takes to get revenge, yeah it's payback time.

Erotic Déjá Vu by Katherine O'Neal**

Reincarnation taken to a new level. To be cursed repeat the same disastrous lifetime over and over just because your man did not tell you that he loves you before you turned him in to be murdered. The author actually tells a story within this story.

Summing things up this book is not worth $, save yourself some money. If you want to read it, then get it from the Library.