Pleasure Exchange by Cathryn Fox

Who better than Sam York—a super-brain blessed with the body of an Adonis—to head up the research team entrusted with developing the greatest scientific breakthrough since Viagra? His experiments with female libido enhancers need one more crucial test: on a willing human subject. And when ace reporter Cathleen Nichols, the sexy, nosy neighbor Sam's been lusting for, exposes the lab's provocative work in a revealing article, the genius stud knows he's found the perfect participant.

Though Cat has kept her feelings hidden, Sam has been secretly stoking her inner fires for months. Now, with Sam's "wonder formula" tossed into the mix, their unleashed passion is off the charts, rocketing them together into the stratosphere of erotic ecstasy, no emotional strings attached.

In the name of science and journalistic investigation, suddenly nothing is taboo. But what happens when Sam and Cat's sizzling, sensual pleasure game starts to turn into the real thing?

            This book is the third in the Pleasure series. Cathryn Fox does an excellent job with mixing science and romance. I was looking forward to reading this book by the end of the second one! That being said it is a story about a scientist working on a formula to enhance a woman’s libido and Cat agree to help out because she caused problems for Sam with her article.

            Even though this book is centered around sex, the other thing this book focuses on is self discovery. Cat wants to be a down and dirty ‘real’ reporter. But only because that’s what her father wanted for her. Sam helps her discover that she can be a great reporter doing something she loves. Sam also realizes that he can love someone without getting hurt. It makes for a perfect ending.

            Now we cannot ignore the sex any longer! Cathryn Fox knows how to bring the emotions and romance to a sex scene. Also the men are great lovers! I would love to ‘experiment’ with Sam any time. *wink* However, he is now taken by Cat. *sigh* Oh well, at least I’m able to get a glimpse of their bedroom life!

            I finally decided to rate this one a 4. I like the characters, setting, emotions, and, of course, the sex. This was a great book to read and something I would definitely recommend to friends.

Publisher: Harper Collins Publisher

ASIN: B00134XETQ

Price:$13.95 (Amazon)

www.cathrynfox.com

Pleasure Prolonged by Cathryn Fox

The name of the game is pleasure...Pleasure Games

THE LONGER, THE BETTER!

Once a mere lab assistant, Erin Shay is thrilled over her new promotion. The curvaceous, brainy, somewhat straight-laced lady has been placed in charge of an important new research project: testing a serum specially designed to substantially prolong a couple's lovemaking. With scientists Jay and Laura off on their honeymoon, Erin's been left alone in the lab with her hard-bodied new assistant, Kale Alexander, a sexy stud who has "playboy" written all over him.

Erin's never even had a one-night stand--but the project's success depends upon her playing the wild, wanton bad girl to red-hot Casanova Kale. Since she's already learned the perils of leaving her heart too open to heartbreak, this time she'll be the one calling the shots. Her bad boy partner is going to know from the get-go that this will be a brief sex-only affair--hot, torrid, steamy love in the interests of science with absolutely no strings attached.

But when the loving is this deliciously hot, who in her right mind wouldn't want to prolong the pleasure...

            This story is about Erin and Kale. They are not supposed to like each other because they are working together as lab partners. However, EVERYBODY knows that they like each other. She is determined to keep it casual because she’s been hurt before. Kale wants more but knows that he can’t demand that from her yet. So in the meantime, he’ll take what he can get.

            I like the idea behind this book. It’s straightforward attraction and lust. Man oh man is there lust! *wink* The sex in this book is really good. The idea that they can create a serum to prolong lovemaking would be great. I was glad that in this book they didn’t test it out on each other. It would seem too close to the last book, Pleasure Control. Not that testing serums out on each other is a bad plot but it shouldn’t be the same each time.

            In the end I am giving this book 3.25 stars.

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

ASIN: B000N2HCWE

Price: $5.58 (Amazon)

www.cathrynfox.com

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

            The City of Bones was a good start to the series. There were elements that made it seem like it was leading to a romance teen novel but then it was just a teen novel. Almost like a mystery sometimes, which is not a bad thing for mystery novels.

            I had wanted to read this book for a very long time. I think perhaps I built it up too much in my head to really enjoy it. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t the epic book I thought it could be. I do plan to reread it and I hope it will change my mind. If I read more of the series it could change my mind too.

            The plot of the story works well for this genre. She more or less had a quest that she needed to partake of. The friends and side characters were described really well and made them seem more important to the overall plot of the story. This is a good thing, because so many books don’t have that ability.

            There was a major twist at the end of the book that I was not happy with. I will not spoil it but for those of you who have read it, the twist with Jace was not nice. I was thinking ‘Happy Ever After’ but no. Still it makes a better plot line in the long run. Perhaps after reading book 2 I will be happier with this twist.

            Overall I was generally happy, even if I was disappointed, so I am rating this book 3.5 stars.  

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

ISBN: 978-1-4424-9306-3

Price: $12.99 (Cover)

www.cassandraclare.com

Pleasure Control by Cathryn Fox

A dedicated scientist, Laura Manning has an I.Q. that's off the charts. But beneath her pristine white lab coat is a curvaceous body that craves satisfaction. She finds it hard keeping her mind on the experiment and off what's under the lab coat of her bad boy research partner, Jay Cutler, whom she's working with to develop a libido suppressant, an "antidote" for a society gone sex-mad, pumped up and over-stimulated by the miracle of Viagra.

With time running out, Jay offers to act as a human guinea pig, injecting himself with the libido suppressant. Laura's role requires lingerie, soft music and candlelight. Her job is to entice him, to determine if the suppressant tamps down his desires. Rather than cooling the flames of lust engulfing them, their "antidote" only heats them up . . . and there's only one scandalous way to deal with it!

Suddenly long days of laboratory work are giving way to sizzling nights of sensual experimentation—and a different kind of "chemistry" that leaves Jay and Laura breathless and gasping for more! Their professional careers may depend upon a successful climax—and there are dangerous competitors determined to steal their research. And maybe their pleasure games have gotten a bit out of control.

But who in her right mind would want to pull the plug on her man's libido when the loving is this deliciously hot?

            I wasn’t sure what to think about this book. I’m not big into medical sciency books but this one did not really focus on the science part. It’s a straight up romance that just happens to have science in it. Works for me.

            The story line is about two scientists working together to create a male libido suppressant to help make men last longer. They have to hurry because their funding is about to be up. So they decide to test the serum on themselves. What they didn’t know was that somebody had switched the vials, so that the suppressant was really an enhancer. However (and I thought this was great) the way that they feel about each other had nothing to do with the enhancer. They would have had great sex either way.

            There were some funny moments. I especially liked the boss. As a side character, he’s not really involved in the plot but it was still funny when he called them out for having sex in his bathroom. I could just imagine the look on their faces.

            Speaking of sex, the sex in this book was great. There wasn’t any overt kinkiness but the descriptions were almost kinky because they were so well done. I liked the different locations and the variety of the sex scenes. Cathryn Fox definitely has a sense of what people like to read in terms of sex. I definitely like her writing style.

            In the end I am rating this book 3.75 stars. I like the characters and the way they interact with each other. I look forward to the next book.

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

ASIN: B000MAH736

Price: $5.58 (Amazon)

www.cathrynfox.com