SWING - Opal Carew
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 978-0-312-36780-0
January 2008
Erotic Contemporary Romance

St. Haven, British West Indies - Present Day

When her best friend, Shane Mason, asks her to accompany him to a swinger's club posing as his wife, Melissa Woods is stunned speechless. Shane has long been a secret fantasy of hers and while she was hoping he might try to take their relationship to the next level, Melissa never expected anything like this. When he explains that it will be a business trip to purchase the Sweet Surrender Resort, and she finds out that her married sister will be visiting there with her husband in a few weeks, Melissa is quick to give her agreement. Not only will she be helping Shane check out an investment opportunity, she will be able to give her sister first-hand information in hopes of dissuading her from going to such a place. Melissa's fears about Sweet Surrender are quickly confirmed, and she is shocked by the flagrant sexuality of the other guests. Feeling out of place and conspicuous, she is rescued from an invitation she has no idea how to respond to by the one seemingly nice guy around, Ty Adams.

It seems that agreeing to accompany his friend and resort owner, Suzanne, to the island in order to make sure a potential buyer's time spent at Sweet Surrender runs smoothly may have more perks than Ty imagined. While on the lookout for the anonymous buyer, he spots Melissa and is sure she is the one. That look of jolted fear in her eyes gives her away. It also raises a strong protective instinct in him, and Ty finds himself more attracted to Melissa each time he rescues her from the sexual antics going on around the club. But as she acclimates to the sexual freedom she is subjected to almost constantly, Ty recognizes the curiosity, longing, and excitement building in her. When Melissa finally breaks free from her good girl constraints and lets loose, Ty makes sure he is with her every step of the way.

SWING is a hedonistic look at an alternative lifestyle. Overly responsible and slightly rigid, Melissa gets a lesson in the freedom of letting go. When her emotions start to grow for Ty, she is conflicted by the morality of falling for a married man and worried about maintaining her suddenly intimate relationship with Shane. Ty is convinced that love doesn't last after a disastrous marriage nearly devastated him. So how come he's harboring these unbridled feelings for a married woman? The constant and imaginative sexual situations keep the reader's interest along with likable characters who have emotional depth. Be prepared for all manner of couplings consistent with all that swinging implies, including groups, exhibitionism, voyeurism, and same sex unions. Strong writing and a sultry setting add to the allure. I recommend SWING for the adventuresome who don't mind singeing their senses.

Jennell