CALDER

Review

CALDER - Allyson James

Tales of the Shareem, Book 5

ISBN: 978-1-4199-0888-0

September 2009

Erotic Futuristic Romance - light BDSM & ménage

Bor Narga - sometime in the future

The Shareem are genetically enhanced males who were created to provide women with sexual experiences like no other. They have since been outlawed and now live a life just above slavery. There are three levels of Shareem: one - sensual pleasure, two - fun and games and three - dangerous fantasies and bondage. Despite their low status and society’s current view of sex as unnecessary and somewhat distasteful, some women still seek out the Shareem for pleasure. One Shareem is in very high demand. Calder.

Calder is a level three through and through. He even makes other level threes wonder just how far he may go. Horribly scarred by an accident at the DNAmo labs (the Shareem’s creators) Calder is known by his clients as The Beast. He makes them sign a contract letting him do anything he wants, and in return he’ll fulfill their darkest fantasies, once, and once only. No matter how much a woman begs, he’ll never see her again and she’ll never really touch Calder, the Shareem. Until the day Dr. Katarina d’Arnal shows up for her appointment.

Katarina can’t believe her co-workers set her up with Calder. She was supposed to be treating a patient, not stumbling into a haven for sex. Then again, once Calder starts using his potent brand of “persuasion” she begins to believe they may be owed a big thank you. He’s undeniably fierce, but there’s something about the big man that makes her think he can be trusted, maybe even loved.

Unfortunately for Katarina and CALDER both, the scars he bears on his soul are far worse than those on his body. He doesn’t believe that he’ll ever have a woman of his own, after all, the ones he deals with just want the fantasy of The Beast, they don’t care how he feels, who he really is. Most women on Bor Narga have a distinct superiority complex, believing men to be weak and intellectually inept and Shareem are even less valuable to them, they’re not even humans. Katarina is nothing like that, despite her highborn status, she trained to be a medic and deliberately took a posting in a poor part of Bor Narga hoping to help those society looks down on. She’s compassionate, brilliant, and rather hopelessly naïve at times. Luckily she’s also extremely stubborn because it’ll take every bit of determination she possesses to make Calder see that scars don’t matter, only love does.

This is a love story that truly couldn’t have come to fruition without the aid of the secondary characters. In no particular order they are: Dr. Laas, the woman who saved Calder’s life after the accident; Braden, Calder’s closest Shareem friend; Aiden and Ky (Shareem) and their lifemate, Brianne; Rees (Shareem) and his lifemate Talan; and finally, Judith, owner of a bar where the Shareem like to hang out.

If you haven’t read the stories of the mated Shareem above or of the other couples not mentioned here, you’ve got to get them (see www.allysonjames.com for a complete listing). Each tale is dark, delicious and decadent. If you can read Allyson James’ fabulous Tales of the Shareem and not feel the heat, then my friend, I’d recommend you set an appointment with your physician stat, because something is obviously horribly wrong! Seriously though, the wait for Calder’s tale has been a long one, in fact, this is the first Shareem story since January 2007. I have to say it was worth every moment of the wait. CALDER is here and just like all the others, his tale is truly magnificent. One last thing, Allyson, if you’re reading this, I know you’re busy (I’ve been reading your other wonderful stories) but please, let us visit the Shareem again. Soon?!

Lori Ann