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Geared For Pleasure (2012)

by Rachel Grace(Favorite Author)

3.55 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0425245667 (ISBN13: 9780425245668)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Berkley Heat

series

Elemental Steam

review 1: Reading this book must be what having schizophrenia feels like.In a statement: This book is so confusing. Maybe I'm not bright enough? Whatever... But I was constantly scratching my head going: Wait, who's this? How does that work? Hold on, when did they get to this place? How long have they been here? As a writing style, action first, explanation later works well, but only after one's overly complicated world has had some cursory explanation -- or at least a defined objective. Example: From the very beginning it was understood, thanks to a cursory explanation of Oz from a village of little people, that no matter what weird shit happened to Dorothy, she needed to pick herself up, dust herself off, step back onto that damn yellow brick road and go in search of the Wizard. T... moreiny people, stupid scarecrows, frightened lions, flying monkeys, water-phobic witches, it all soaked right into the story because, the reader could always return to that yellow brick road. But there's no Yellow Brick Road in this story. Or a Wizard...(Well, there's one, called the Khephi, but no one's trying to get to him, and we're not sure if he's a bad guy or a good guy in the end.) Anyway... The characters of Geared for Pleasure, i.e. Theorrey, are living day-by-day, each one holding on tightly to their piece of the puzzle. One or two of them may have some objective, that's unclear, BUT they sure as shit aren't going to tell you. Because Ms. Grace's plot is to us what Russia was to Churchill: a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.NOW! Add to that: rushed story lines, time shifts and -- the greatest sin of all -- POV changes that occur mid chapter. (and without the little double carriage returns, mind you.) AND WELCOME to the land of Theorrey. It's a very, very.....very, complicated little world run by a benevolent ever-young Queen Idony and a host of corrupt nobility called Thoerrean Raj, secured by an army of militant blue-hair beings called the Wode and supplied by an enslaved race of feline humanoids called the Felidae. And that's just scratching the surface.BUT! This could be pulled together, the makings of a great series are here. I can taste it...I promise, the elements are muddled by horrific writing. But they are there! Also, since this is defined as erotica, I would be remiss in not clapping Ms. Grace on the back for some badass sex scenes. They're hot! They don't really add much in the way of story, in fact a couple were ill placed at best. But it's a nice side diversion to the chore of reading this story.There are a thousand other sins in this book too. (Mainly that her characters, as likable and complicated as they may be, all suffer from schizophrenia too. What motivates these characters is less defined than the wind.) But I thought I would dismiss critiquing those and cut strait to the tumor that's killing this series - the writing.
review 2: 4 1/2 stars!“Geared For Pleasure” by Rachel Grace (R.G. Alexander) is a delightful set of linked novellas. “Earthly Desires” introduces Dare (Demeter) who is the Queen’s Chalice known as the Senedal. She is a key member of the elite shield guard of the queen despite her shorter than normal stature and lack of personal ties to anyone other than her queen and her counterpart, Cyrus, the Queen’s Sword known as the Arendal. An assignment from her monarch causes her to embark on a fantastical adventure that will utilize her hidden ability to sense the true emotions of those around her while introducing her to an amazing array of individuals. Bodhan is not quite sure what to make of the feisty female whose indigo eyes and hair proclaims her as one of the elite and despised Wode but whose stature reflects her half-breed status. His ship, the Siren, is a unique brothel that is able to travel under the water and is populated with intriguing females who provide pleasure for the right price but Dare doesn’t want to join their ranks. A remarkable Felid named Seraphina becomes a questionable ally as Dare tries to cope with her intense and unexpected attraction to the charismatic Bodhan even as she strives to complete her mission to find the ship Defiant and complete the mission for her queen. The fascinating saga continues with the novella “Fiery Temptations” and highlights Seraphina, plus Dare’s missing counterpart, Cyrus, as well as the mysterious Captain Nerida Amaranthe and a remarkable airship. There are more magical mechanical marvels revealed as a mysterious individual named Khepri continues to guide the disparate individuals who have a common goal of aiding Queen Idony. Seraphina and Cyrus have a tortuous past which includes a searingly carnal relationship which ended badly but must find a way to work together to fulfill their respective commissions. Their passion for their quests is more than equaled by their passion for each other but circumstances may prevent them from ever reaching a comfortable relationship. This was a wonderfully entertaining read combining the magical marvels of steampunk with the author’s facility for penning wonderfully spicy scenes. The heat is a little milder than readers are used to with this author but this is more than compensated for by the sweeps of imagination that are displayed in this intriguing tale. The scenes are described vividly with such great imagery that one can visualize the intriguing world of gears and magic. The tension between the primary couples in each novella is a believable counterpoint to the overall quest and a nice blend of romance and sensuality. The villains are a bit two-dimensional but that is probably because they are still primarily shadowy figures at this point. A great start to the series, can’t wait for the sequel.(submitted to Seductive Musings blog) less

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