AS THE LADY WISHES - Anna J. Evans and December Quinn
Torrid Tarot: Nine of Cups
Ellora's Cave - www.ellorascave.com
ISBN: 978-1-41991-213-9
November 2007
Erotic Paranormal Suspense
Rating: E-rotic

Burlin, Missouri - Present Day

For almost two-thousand years, Artwr of Sefyll has been cursed. He is stuck in a painting waiting for someone to make a wish so he can be free. But he will never truly be free. He is basically a slave to his new master’s every desire. Most of his masters want him always in sexual ways and he must give them pleasure whenever they want.

Lila is finally free to live her life the way she wants to ever since she ran away from her abusive husband. She has come to a backwater town in rural Missouri and will live low in her little cabin in the woods doing all things she couldn’t do while being married, such as eating junk food and getting drunk. There is also a painting of a man in her house she nicknames “The Portrait Man” and she can’t help but make him the star of her fantasies. As she is enjoying her vibrator and screams out her release, she wishes her “Portrait Man” was there. The next thing she knows is that he is standing in her bedroom and wants to make her fantasies a real thing!

Artwr, now calling himself Arthur, is beyond thrilled to have Lila as his new master. He has been watching her pleasure herself for days and there is something about her that is so sweet and innocent that makes him feel whole. Even though Lila is shocked, she decides Arthur is the perfect man for her, and as the days fly by, they become lost in their own sensual love fest. But evil comes looking for Lila, and Arthur must protect her. Arthur is not the only man who wants to be Lila’s savior and new bedmate. Sheriff Sam Walker comes to Lila’s rescue, and soon they are bouncing on the same sheets that Lila and Arthur have been on. But Sam has untapped power that makes Arthur more powerful as long as Sam and Lila have sex.

Arthur wants Sam and Lila to continue their sexual relationship as long as he can join in. Lila doesn’t mind this in the least. But as someone from her past comes looking for her and will kill her to get what he wants, it is up to Arthur and Sam to work together to keep their precious Lila safe and have a future of incredible bed play among the three of them.

Talk about a loopy and at times confusing tale! AS THE LADY WISHES starts out with great results with Arthur, a wonderful hero, and his enjoyment at making sure Lila is happy and pleased with him. But since sex between these two cannot sustain this story for too long; we also have horrible magical shadows trying to kill Lila, an old friend of her devious husband trying to do the same, and then Sam comes into the picture. His first introduction to Lila is finding her naked in the woods as she seems to be talking to herself. For some reason, Sam can’t help himself and basically attacks her because he suddenly feels really horny.

I am all for a woman like Lila having the best of both worlds with that of Arthur and Sam, but towards the end, the story loses focus as to whether this is a paranormal, erotic romance or murder mystery. The sex scenes are nicely written and there were times I was chuckling, especially at the internal thoughts of Lila. Anna J. Evans and December Quinn can sure write great sex and some wonderful heroes, but I wish they had a better sense of direction. I personally would have preferred Lila and Arthur to be the only couple, because when Sam enters the pictures, it is quite sudden and he really doesn’t add much to the story; well, at least he does in one area.

Even though I have some issues with AS THE LADY WISHES, Evans and Quinn have written a woman’s ultimate fantasy with two incredible men and their great techniques when it comes to the bedroom. Plus how can you not love the fact that Arthur and Sam are heavy on the protection for the one woman they feel makes them whole and alive?

Kate Garrabrant