EIGHT ARMS TO HOLD YOU - Ally Blue

The Collector, Book 4

Loose Id - www.loose-id.com

ISBN: 978-1-59632-386-5

February 2007

Erotic Paranormal Gay Romance

Gulf of Mexico - Present Day

1977 - Zanzibar

Carson Cordova craves two things - money and power. While searching for a fortune in diamonds said to have gone down on a ship off the coast of Zanzibar, his crew is attacked by large white octopi and Carson's best friend is killed. But Carson has observed the octopi and knows something no one else on the crew does.  These are not ordinary octopi, but shapeshifters and they make their home on a nearby island. Carson is determined to find the diamonds and in his greed destroys the island and all its inhabitants.  When he retrieves the diamonds he also "rescues" a young boy.   Only Carson knows that Luke is more than a simple orphan -- and he plans to use that knowledge, and Luke, to increase his power.

2006 - Mississippi Coast

While watching a storm blow in from the Gulf,  Austin Bell, an out of work dive instructor, finds a man unconscious and bleeding on the beach.   He takes the naked man to his boat and hopes he can beat the storm to the mainland and get help for the injured stranger. But when the man awakens briefly he begs Austin not to take to him to the hospital. Not knowing what else to do Austin takes him home.  The man he saved is Luke Cordova and his healing abilities seem almost supernatural.  Austin is fascinated by and strongly attracted to the man and Luke seems to feel the same.  After a brief but satisfying sexual encounter, Austin wakes the next morning to find Luke gone.

Luke has never met a man like Austin, and if his life were his own he would have stayed to explore the feelings Austin caused him to feel.   But Carson Cordova is not a man to cross and Luke fears he can never have a future with Austin.  Luke has lived with Carson's cruelty all his life and can't imagine escaping, but the possibility of a life with Austin makes him willing to risk anything, even his life, if it means he can be free to be with Austin.   Now Luke just has to find a way to contact The Collector and offer the idol Carson is searching for to him in exchange for protection from Carson.

Austin is hired by Carson as a diver, an unknown to Carson, a part of the plan to free Luke. While Luke and Austin's acquaintance hasn't been long, both men feel they are meant to get together and will risk it all for a chance at that future.

EIGHT ARMS TO HOLD YOU is an unusual title and at first I wasn't sure how I would feel about a shapeshifter whose alternate form is an octopus.   However, I quickly got beyond that and became immersed in a tale that is passionate and filled with danger and suspense.  From the well developed characters, both main and secondary, to the passionate stolen moments between Luke and Austin, the reader is caught up in the fight the two men face to escape a madman and be free to love each other.   The action is non-stop and the plot unique and intriguing.  Having not read the previous books in The Collector series, I can only surmise that Martin, the Collector, is the only recurring character.  EIGHT ARMS TO HOLD YOU stands completely on its own and readers will not need to read the previous books to fully appreciate it.   However, I'm curious about The Collector myself and fully intend to read the previous titles as soon as possible.

Entertaining and filled with suspense and burning passion as well as emotional intensity, EIGHT ARMS TO HOLD YOU is a book I fully recommend.

Isabelle Spencer