PLEASURES OF THE FORBIDDEN VALLEY - Diana Mercury
Avon Red
ISBN: 978-0-06-145095-2
March 2009
 Erotic Contemporary Fiction

Asia - Present Day

Diandra is a cultural anthropologist and, as a recent graduate, she is determined to make a name for herself in the academic community by finding and studying the people of The Lost Valley. This hidden village is thought to be myth, but is supposedly located somewhere high in the Himalayas. After searching for some time, Diandra meets Hama, who is a political figure of some stature in the Lost Valley. After much sexual tension and scorching flirtations they make a bargain: marriage in exchange for entrance to the Lost Valley.

But Hama’s offer to Diandra might be more than she can handle. He is extremely secretive of her role as his wife and all of his arduous flirtations abruptly stop once she agrees to the marriage. With no explanations to reassure her doubts and injured pride, she is left floundering in sexual frustration throughout the journey to the valley.

PLEASURES OF THE FORBIDDEN VALLEY is a very intriguing and sexy tale of a place where sensuality and pleasure challenge most traditional beliefs about intimacy. The narrative focuses on the cultural shock of meeting a new sexual tradition while chronicling a would-be culture of a sensual community from an anthropological perspective.  This story will satisfy readers’ needs for intellectual thought as well entertain their imaginations.

When Diandra arrives at the Valley in time for her wedding, she learns that Hama has four brothers. Each of the brothers is expecting her to be a wife to them all, but the fourth brother has other plans. Yeshi was not consulted about the choice of bride and he seeks to punish Diandra and his brothers for their choice. The women of the lost Valley add another mysterious element to the story. Gaja is an unpleasant sister-in-law and Shani appears on the surface to be a friend, but who can really tell what is in the minds of these culturally different people?

Diana Mercury is a fabulous author who is talented in writing delightfully sensual scenes and entwining them with threads of passion, mystery, jealousy and comedy. Readers will find their sexual fantasies stimulated and challenged. This book is not for the immature reader as its nature is very sexual in content, but I highly recommend PLEASURES OF THE FORBIDDEN VALLEY to those readers who love a good erotic fantasy.

Mel Mason