RAINA'S FANTASY

Review

RAINA’S FANTASY - Jo Carlisle

ISBN: 978-1-41991-330-3

August 2007

Erotic Paranormal Romance - Ménage, M/M interaction, BDSM

Rated: E-rotic

St. Louis, Missouri - Present day

It’s Raina Zharov’s birthday, and as a special treat for herself, she buys a pair of slaves, Johan Stone and Zane Ramsey. After all, it isn’t every day a Vampire Queen reaches the millennium mark. Buying the two men out from under the nose of her enemy, Demon King Drakkon, just adds a little bit of spice to the deal. Johan and Zane are far too delicious to suffer the consequences of Drakkon’s ruthless brand of ownership. While Raina may not have found her mate, she has found two men that stir her in ways she never imagined.

Johan and Zane are former warriors of Exodus, betrayed and banished to the streets to fight for their survival where Zane has succumbed to illness. Zane won’t survive another night in the cold, and as his friend and companion since boyhood, Johan will do anything to keep him alive, including selling them both into slavery. At first relieved to be claimed by Raina, who quickly heals Zane of his illness, Johan can’t help but be enraged that he has been brought to this pass, a toy to be played with and discarded at will. Zane, on the other hand, finds out that being a “possession” brings out hidden desires and dreams that only make him yearn for more, more sex, more discipline, more of the special brand of love he’s coming to recognize as essential to his nature.

Can this trio thrive within their newly found relationship, or will Johan’s steely will and Raina’s stubborn disbelief that he could be her equal, destroy them all?

RAINA’S FANTASY is about far more than just hot sex, with political intrigue, mystery, danger and characters whose emotions run deep, both in their loves and in their hatreds, this book will stir all of your senses. Raina at first appears to be loyal, incredibly strong and brave beyond words. While she is all those things, she’s also a vulnerable woman who still suffers under the burden of a tragic past. Johan is dark, serious, and a true warrior. Willing to fight for those he loves, this is a man who could make any woman feel cherished and secure. Can you imagine having the devotion of a man willing to sell himself into slavery to save a friend? Zane is charming and playful, he’s devoted to Johan and knows how hard this is for his friend. Despite the knowledge that he’s found his place in life, he’ll follow Johan if he’s determined to leave, even knowing that the blood bond that binds the pair to Raina would destroy them both. Each of these characters will find a special place in your heart, compelling you to read as quickly as possible to discover if they’ll find the happy ending they so richly deserve.

When you have such extraordinary main characters, they deserve stellar secondary characters to support their story, and Jo Carlisle has provided them in spades. Drakkon is evil beyond words, a given in a villain, but he also has elements of seductive skill that give him appeal. Powerful, intelligent and scheming, he plays out his role in bloody, spectacular color. His right hand man, er, demon, is Charon. He’s not quite as willing as Drakkon to go to any lengths to achieve his desires, a trait that could get him killed. Raina’s only coven member and loyal friend, Alexi, is a vampire with grace, style and a bit of flair. He’s protective of Raina, and a bit jealous of her two new toys, even as she assures him that he’ll never lose his place in her affections. Raina’s best friend is Delilah, a petite vampire with elements of both good and evil threaded throughout her being, she fights a constant battle to maintain a position in the middle. Raina isn’t stupid, she knows Delilah is a wild card, but despite this knowledge, she keeps Delilah close.

A spectacular story, RAINA’S FANTASY will intrigue, entice and drag you willingly in its grasp to the final, breathtaking scenes. There’s a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, leading this reviewer to hope for more from Raina, Johan, Zane and the rest. Perusal of the author’s website revealed no clues, but I’ll be watching closely for the slightest hint that another book is on its way. For now, I think I’ll just re-read RAINA’S FANTASY and imagine the possibilities. Won’t you join me? Go to Ellora’s Cave today and get your copy.

Lori Ann