Mini-Reviews: Nice and Naughty Novellas

I spent most of December trying to catch up on the backlog of holiday reads I had on my Kindle.  The quickest way to separate Wendy from her money?  Put the word "Christmas" in the title.  The irony being that most of the "Christmas" books I read prior to the holiday were pretty light on the "holiday stuff."  Figures I'd read Christmas at Evergreen Inn by Donna Alward immediately post-Christmas and it would turn out to the holiday-iest holiday read I read this year.  My timing, as usual, is terrible.

This is a short novella (just under 100 pages) and is part of Alward's small town Jewell Cove series set in Maine.  There is some series baggage in play, but I'm behind in the series and had no problem keeping up.

Lainey Price is a hometown girl who runs the local B&B.  A nor'easter blows into town, filling up all her available rooms, spare cots and sofas.  Local cop Todd Ricker brings a stranded motorist to Lainey's inn, only to get a call from dispatch.  Where ever you are Todd, stay there for the night.  With the inn full up, that means Todd is bunking on Lainey's sofa in her cottage behind the inn.  And since these two have a long-standing crush?  Sparks fly.  Conflict enters in the way of Lainey's broken heart (her fiance dumped her two years ago right before their Christmas wedding) and Todd's reputation as "a player."

This was a completely nice, cozy read.  It's pleasant.  It's cozy.  Did I say it was cozy?  It's the sort of book I wish I had read by my lit Christmas tree on Christmas Eve after the kids (um, I don't have kids - minor detail that) were nestled all snug in their beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads.  There was a "jumping to conclusions" moment at the end that I found a little jarring, but otherwise this was a perfectly, pleasant and cozy read (did I say that already?).  If you're a fan of the series you'll definitely want to add this one to the pile.

Final Grade = B-

Let's get this out of the way up front.  Warlord's Captive by Lisa Cach is the fourth installment in her 1001 Erotic Nights serial - which means that it does not stand alone.  You really need to be familiar with the previous installments.  I've read them, but it's been a while, so luckily Cach dropped enough breadcrumbs during this novella for my memory to get suitably jogged.

Former sex slave, Nimia, and her BFF, Terix have fled Gaul for Britannia.  Nimia is hoping to uncover her past and to do that she needs to find a druid named Merlin (yes, that Merlin).  Of course, as happens wherever Nimia seems to go, complications ensue.  They get lost, get captured by a warlord named Mordred, and eventually hook up with Merlin and his half-brother Arthur (yes, that Arthur).

This series has been described as Fifty Shades meets Game of Thrones.  The best way I can describe it is Old School Erotic Romance.  It reminds me of the kind of thing Kensington Brava would have published back in the day.  That's either going to work for you...or it won't.  I'll admit it - it works for me.  I love this kind of thing.  I just do.  It also helps that Cach has a way with sly humor, and trashy sexual shenanigans liberally sprinkled with paranormal elements.

Wine, a prison cell, and an angry, lusting warlord.  What woman wouldn't be swooning with delight?

I'll be honest - you pretty much read this installment for the end when Nimia goes all badass Domme on Mordred.  That alone was worth the price of admission for me.  But alas, once again, just as Nimia takes a step forward in agency and power - she ends up falling prey to a scheming man she should have been more wary of.  But hell, who am I kidding?  This series is ticking off all my nostalgia boxes.  I'm not sure how widely read this series has been, but if you go for that sudsy, soapy, old school erotic vibe (surely I'm not the only one?) - start at the beginning.  There's at least two more installments after this one, and I've kind of lost track of the number of sexual partners Nimia's had.  At some point I'm thinking Cach will end this serialization with a "oh, that's the guy she ends up with" revelation - but we're not quite at that point yet.  Like I said - Old School.

Final Grade = B-

Digital Review: Siren of Gaul

Unlike some romance readers I've never really been offended by the term "bodice ripper."  Why?  Because I truly believe that "bodice rippers" do exist as a genre.  That being said?  I do get massively annoyed when ignorant folks throw the term around free and easy.  Oh, like use the term to describe the romance genre as we know it today.  There may be very, very faint echoes, but the vast majority of the genre today has moved on from that earlier era (for good or ill depending on your point of view).

Which is probably why I'm enjoying Lisa Cach's 1001 Erotic Nights serial as much as I am.  No, it's not perfect.  And, oh yes, I've had my issues with it.  But it's such a throwback, gleefully so, to a bygone era of ripping bodices, heroines overcome with lust, barely housebroken heroes, and general over-the-topness - well, how can I be expected to not have fun with any of this?

Siren of Gaul is the third part of the serial and finds our former sex slave Nimia giving birth to a son.  The fly in the ointment?  She's not quite sure who the Baby Daddy is.  Gah, don't you hate it when that happens?  Even though she came very close to dying in childbirth, and even though she's got a newborn to fret over, Nimia isn't allowed to rest of her laurels.  Clovis, now a king, is worried about Nimia's former master, Sygarius, who managed to escape capture in the last installment and is now taking refuge with the Visigoth king, Alaric.  Clovis devises a plan to send Nimia - thinking that the wrongs done to her by Sygarius will sway the pious-minded Alaric.  And if that doesn't work?  Alaric, now widowed, and sexually repressed thanks to his religious beliefs has no prayer of withstanding Nimia - whose lady parts are, essentially, the most magical of ho-has.

So, once again, Nimia is being used by Clovis who, for reasons that escape me, she fancies herself in love with.  What going to Alaric does for her is to show her another side of men.  Clovis is all ambition, war, and screwing her brains out hoping for one of her "visions."  Alaric, while sexually repressed to the point where I want to pat him on the head and murmur "Oh, you poor lad," is a kind man.  And like most men, once he gets a taste of Nimia and the freedom of her sensuality, our boy is all in (in more ways than one).

What's getting troublesome here is that Nimia seems to be a very slow learner.  I would think that her experiences in the first two installments would have helped her catch somewhat of a clue, but she seems a bit thick at times.  Also, she's easily overruled by her lady parts.  One of those heroines who can't seem to control herself.  I don't know, maybe it's just me, but if Sygarius treated me the way he treated her in the last installment?  I would not get turned on when I saw him again.  Maybe that's just me though.

But, it does get better towards the end.  Mostly because I finally feel  like Nimia is waking up.  Making a choice that will better herself, and not being enslaved by her passion for Clovis.

I was no longer a slave, but neither was I free and in control of my own fate.  Perhaps no one was.  But surely some were more free than this.

That said, it's an ending I don't see everybody being wild about - mostly because that choice Nimia makes doesn't paint her in the best light as a maternal figure.  But, bother that.  I know that Pocket has agreed to publish the next three installments of this serial after the first of the year.  Which means Nimia's saga is not yet finished, and is possibly just beginning.  Because like any halfway decent bodice-ripping yarn?  There are more travels, and presumably more men, in her future.

Final Grade = C

Digital Review: Barbarian's Concubine

But what I'd told Clovis was the truth: for good or ill, I had chosen him.  I was on his side, whether or not I agreed with his decisions, and I knew that I would have to prove my loyalty to him...no matter how distasteful I found the tasks he set me.

That is everything you need to know to judge whether or not Barbarian's Concubine, the second installment in Lisa Cach's 1001 Erotic Nights serial, is your sort of read.  I'm not going to lie, this is turning out to be a problematic serial for me to review, and here we are only on the second installment.  I probably shouldn't like it.  I probably should be offended.  I could very well see how other readers would look at me and question my sanity.  But enjoy this I did, caveats and all.  Why?  Because Cach has gone gleefully, cheerfully, Old School with her story.  So far this serial is reading like a Bodice Ripper that has been dismantled and delivered in serial format, as opposed to a door-stopping 500 page novel.  That is obviously going to work better for some readers than others.

Nimia, our former sexual slave, has escaped King Sygarius.  She had no choice but to escape, having been betrayed by her lover, Clovis.  She's looking for a way to escape Gaul but when that option dries up, she's determined to find Clovis.  Yes, he did betray her, forcing her to this life on the run. Sygarius has, naturally, offered a healthy reward for her return.  But Clovis seems to know something about her people, and having no knowledge of who she is, where she came from, this is information that Nimia wants badly.  Once reunited with Clovis, things get complicated.  Nimia has paranormal abilities, visions, that seem to foretell the future, and naturally (this being an erotic serial after all) she gets these visions while, um.....being pleasured.  Clovis discovers this quickly, and now a King, he is determined to use Nimia's gifts to win a bigger prize - taking down Sygarius.

I'll be honest, right up front - Nimia is not the sharpest tool in the shed.  However I'm willing to cut her some slack, mostly because she doesn't have a lot of options.  If she weren't so desperate to find answers about where she came from, she probably could have just set sail for Britania - but then where would our story be?  However her fancying herself "in love" with Clovis strains considerably.  He's obviously using her, but she's too messed up in the head (and let's not forget horny) to get a clue.

And let's talk about horny for a moment.  This is an erotic serial, so yes - sex.  But like the bodice rippers that I suspect inspired this tale (I could be wrong here - it's not like the author and I have had lengthy chats on the subject), the sex is....not always consensual.  Is it rape?  I didn't necessarily think so.  Not all the time at any rate.  But there's no denying that there is a very lop-sided power dynamic to the sex.  Nimia doesn't have any power in this story - other than her visions.  Clovis or Sygarius are unlikely to truly "harm" her because her visions are useful to them.  But does she always want to have sex with them?  Is that sex sometimes played out in a manner that Nimia might not always "want" it?  Yes.  Especially with a development at the end of this installment.  Is Nimia beaten, bloodied and bruised?  No.  Is she subjected to sex against her will?  Some readers will probably say yes - and I'm not necessarily going to say that they're wrong.

Consider that your trigger warning.

It really does remind me of an Old School erotic romance.  Think, harem story - but with no harem and you'll get an idea of what we're dealing with here.  I am just going to admit it - I'm hooked.  Maybe I should be ashamed of being hooked, but I am.  I'm hoping I'm right when I say I think I know where this story is heading.  I'm hoping over the course of the story that Nimia will come into her own.  Gain power.  Gain agency.  As the mystery of who Nimia is, of what her powers entail, come to fruition, I'm hoping we get a serialization of a warrior goddess.  But time will tell.

It's a bodice ripping soap opera saga delivered in bite-size pieces.  Is it any wonder I'm hooked?

Final Grade = C

Digital Review: 1001 Erotic Nights Part I: Slave Girl

It has been several years since Lisa Cach last released a book with a traditional publisher, and Slave Girl marks the first novella in an erotic trilogy set at the end of the Roman Empire.  I'll admit that this was an instance where the author's name is what persuaded me to give this one a go as the plot description didn't exactly light my world on fire.  In the end, I'm glad I read this - if only because it is filled with great promise of things to come.

Nimia is a slave of King Sygarius.  She was taken as a child when he raided her tribal village and so taken with her lush beauty, he has schooled her in the sensual arts.  Basically what that entails is Sygarius doing years of endless teasing, working Nimia up into a frenzy until finally, ripe and ready as an adult, he will deflower her.  Needless to say, Nimia is just about ready to have a go at it, and the endless teasing, the endless schooling in carnal delights, most of which are done through voyeurism, means Nimia is one frustrated girl.  Then one of Sygarius' allies rides into town.  A group of barbarians.  That king's son, Clovis, has completely twisted Nimia inside out - to the point where she foolishly gives away the one thing meant for Sygarius.  The one thing that will surely get her killed.  Her virginity.

I've been reading erotic romance for a long time, even before it really existed and I sated my own desire by reading "romantic" erotica.  So I feel fairly confident in saying that Slave Girl read Old School for me.  The style, the voice, the choice of language and words that Cach used to tell her story.  It's not the purplest of purple prose I've ever read (hardly), but I wouldn't say it's as frank as some of the language employed by newcomers to the sub genre.  I also think that the time period, setting, and plot of the story has a lot to do with this Old School vibe.  It's not a harem story, per se, but it's pretty close to it.

As a romance, this story alone isn't going to cut it.  The author is setting her stage, plus the added duplicitous nature of all the characters (yes, we have politics!) certainly doesn't instill a lot of trust in the reader for any of them.  It's a soap opera, with more sex and a few light paranormal elements thrown in for added flavor.  Which makes this a hard story to judge on it's own.  Really it's sole purpose is to whet the reader's appetite to keep going, to continue on with the serial.  And this story did leave me with that, mostly because of the promise that Nimia gives to the reader.

This is a heroine who is a slave.  Who has no control of her own person.  She's not allowed to have free will.  But over the course of this story you see her yearning for it, plotting for it, thinking that maybe Clovis is her ticket to finding her people.  Maybe she can escape.  Maybe her life can be more than being some king's sexual plaything.  Where I hope this trilogy will eventually lead is to a heroine who takes control over her own life.  A heroine who takes control over her own sexual desires.  A heroine who, after years of not being her own person, becomes one.

But this is only Part I and it's too soon to tell.  It's the promise of those things though that will keep me going.  As a stand-alone romance, this story doesn't entirely work.  As the set-up to a bigger picture?  The jury is still out.

Final Grade = C+

Retro Review: Dream Of Me

This review of Dream of Me by Lisa Cach was first published at The Romance Reader in 2004.  I rated it 4-Hearts (B rating) with an MPAA content rating of "R."

+++++

Cach has never been an author to be tied down by conventions. Her stories have crossed time periods and sub genres, making her one of the rare romance authors who never writes the same thing twice. She continues that trend with Dream Of Me, the companion book to Come To Me. The setting, time period, and story elements are essentially same with this second book, but Cach throws the reader a slight curve ball. Dream Of Me is notably darker than her other works, and lacks the humor that has largely been her trademark. In a nutshell, Dream Of Me is pretty darn intriguing.

Readers met the incubus Theron in Come To Me and learned he’s a character with questionable morals and strong ambitions. He strikes a deal with Vlad Draco of Wallachia – Theron will get Prince Dragosh of neighboring Maramures to break the engagement of his younger sister, Lucia, and Prince Nicolae of Moldavia. Vlad will then concur Moldavia, marry Lucia – which aligns him with Maramures – and he will be ruler of three territories. In exchange, Theron will be allowed to inhabit Vlad’s body for three days – three days where the dream demon will learn what it’s like to be a mortal King.

There’s just one catch though – it’s been six years since Theron’s succubus counterpart delivered a disturbing dream to Dragosh and set a war in motion. Vlad is on the eve of victory and yet he still has not held up his end of the bargain! When it finally dawns on Theron that Vlad has no intention of delivering on their deal – Theron makes good on a threat. He vows to Vlad that he will visit his virginally, naively pure Lucia and corrupt her to the point that she’s as knowledgeable as a tavern whore.

Lucia has spent six long years in total isolation. Her only companions are a senile nun and a lady’s maid who thinks of her with contempt. Lucia is pampered, sheltered and intensely curious about married life. It’s 1423; she’s 20 and an old maid. She’s ready for a husband and children – even if she has absolutely no clue when it comes to love and sex. For you see, Vlad wants his betrothed to be perversely sheltered and ignorant for his own twisted appetites.

Incubi are dream demons who bring erotic dreams to frustrated mortal women. When Theron begins visiting Lucia, he has nothing more in mind than revenge on Vlad. However Lucia is a special girl, and it appears she has inherited her grandmother’s gift of “sight.” Lucia can see Theron. She talks to Theron. And worse yet, she still exhibits some measure of control over herself in her dream world.
Dream Of Me reads very much like a companion to Come To Me, with both stories essentially taking place over the same period of time. In fact, some scenes repeat themselves in both books, albeit they are told from different perspectives. While Dream Of Me does stand alone, and can be read separately, there are certain elements of back story in Come To Me that make this book that much more compelling.

Theron is a morally ambiguous hero if ever there was one. His motives are highly questionable, and he’s equally as power-hungry as Vlad. In the beginning, Lucia is merely a means to an end – and she stays that way for over half of the book. It’s as Theron spends more time in her dreams that he begins to change. He learns what his selfishness has wrought.

Lucia is one of these hyper-virginal heroines. Normally this type of character goes down about as smooth as razor blades for this reviewer, but Cach does an excellent job of creating her. She has literally been locked away like a fairy princess, surrounded by people who are terrified of what Vlad will do to them should she become even the slightest bit corrupted. It’s a joy to watch Lucia grow over the course of the story – from literally a naïve child to a woman who must learn to make her own choices.

There are a few light-hearted moments towards the end of the story, mostly revolving around the demise of one of the villains. However Cach never really abandons the dark atmosphere she creates. Even the ending has a slightly creepy edge to it, throwing the reader a surprise that still has me pondering the possibilities. It’s a classic dark fairy tale.

Lisa Cach has already amply proven herself to be one of the freshest voices in the romance genre. Dream Of Me merely reinforces it. With intense, dream-like love scenes, dark atmosphere, and complex characters, this two-book series is easily one of the highlights for romance in 2004. Don’t let these unique books pass you by, take a walk on the wild side and lose yourself in Cach’s world.

+++++

Wendy Looks Back: I remember being completely captivated by Theron in Come to Me, so reading his book was really a no-brainer.  Upon investigation, it appears that this book has not been re-released digitally ::sad face::.  Here's hoping that is eventually rectified.

Retro Review: Come To Me

This review of Come to Me by Lisa Cach was first published at The Romance Reader in 2004.  I rated it 4-Hearts (B rating) with an MPAA content rating of "R."

+++++

In the five years I’ve been reviewing, I’ve had the pleasure of being assigned three novels by Lisa Cach. Upon diving into Come To Me, one question kept tickling at the back of my brain – why oh why isn’t this woman a huge star? Whether she’s writing about a woman posing as a mermaid (The Mermaid of Penperro), a pro wrestler who travels back in time to slay a dragon (George and the Virgin) or a succubus who becomes a mortal woman to help a scarred man (Come To Me) – readers can always count on Cach to deliver creative plots and interesting characters.

Samira is a succubus, a low ranking creature of the Night World. It is Samira’s job to bring erotic dreams to sleeping men. She’s seen a lot in her several hundred years of existence, and figures she has mortal men figured out. So when she is asked to do a favor for Theron, her incubus counterpart who delivers erotic dreams to women, she handily agrees. She delivers a disturbing dream to Prince Dragosh, the ruling prince of Maramures. Little does she know that the dream she delivers sets off a bloody chain of events.

Dragosh’s dream causes him to break the engagement between his younger sister and Prince Nicolae. A war ensues, and Nicolae ends up a scarred, bitter man hiding out in a crumbling monastery. He’s taken to reading books on black magic, hoping to use the dark arts as a way to regain his father’s respect, and get revenge against Dragosh. It’s while dabbling in this magic that he discovers Samira, and decides to use her to achieve his goals.

Unfortunately, Nicolae’s dabbling resorts in Samira becoming a mortal woman. Banished from the Night World by the Queen of the Night, Nyx, Samira’s task is to help Nicolae and undo the damage her dream to Dragosh caused. There’s just a small catch however – she has 30 days in which to accomplish this mission, at which time Nyx will show up with none other than Death himself.
Come To Me is something of a dark fairy tale. The author sets her tale in 15th century Transylvania, and the story has gritty medieval overtones. The dream that Samira delivers to Dragosh is disturbing in nature, and given that she is a purveyor of erotic dreams, the story is full of steamy dream-like moments.

Adding to the dark atmosphere is Nicolae, who is severely scarred and bent on revenge against Dragosh. Here’s a guy seeking to use black magic in order to achieve that revenge. He’s not a nice guy in the beginning. However, Cach writes him with an underlying vulnerability that is sexy and appealing. As he spends time with Samira, he begins to question his motives, and his early distrust of her.
And really that’s where this story works – Nicolae has trust issues. Given he has a 15th century attitude, he isn’t going to readily embrace a succubus – a demon – when she offers her help. He’s also not happy that she offers this help in her human state – what use is a demon if she’s no longer one?

The story loses some grit and momentum immediately following Samira’s transformation, but the author recovers quickly. As a bit of comic relief, some time is spent on Samira getting acquainted with the human body and all of its functions – most notably eating and using the latrine. While the author tries to write Samira as an innocent during these scenes, she comes off with shades of too-stupid-to-live. Luckily, these moments are brief, with later scenes focusing on Samira’s physical innocence versus her mental experience in regards to the desires of men.

I see a lot of grumblings online that Romance Novel Land has turned into humongous Regency Historical Land. There may be some truth to that, but the fact remains that interesting, creative stories do continue to seek their way to bookstore shelves for readers who take the time, and the risk, to seek them out. Lisa Cach is one such author who continues to bend boundaries and write stories that are not “safe bets.” Come To Me is innovative, dark without being depressing, and the most original story this reviewer has come across in ages. Don’t miss it.

+++++

Wendy Looks Back: I obviously read this one before my well-documented Paranormal Burn-Out set in and inhaled it.  What I especially loved was that it was "different" at the time.  Cach gave us a succubus heroine instead of another retread of a vampire or werewolf story.

Retro Review: George And The Virgin

This review of George and the Virgin by Lisa Cach was first published at The Romance Reader in 2002.  I rated it 4-Hearts (B rating) with an MPAA content rating of "R."

+++++

Being a librarian, I’m a firm believer in intellectual freedom and the first amendment - but honestly, even I think any book with the word virgin in the title has to go. I’m not sure if it’s been just my luck lately, or if the romance publishing industry is out to get me, but I’ve read more books with moronic titles in the last couple of weeks than I have in the last couple of years. I can’t help but feel that more than few readers will avert their eyes and walk hurriedly from the romance section of their favorite bookstore upon seeing Lisa Cach’s latest. A shame really, since it’s a delightfully fun read - and probably the most unique book to cross my path in some time.

Alizon is a desperate young girl living in medieval Markesew on the southwest coast of England. What could a 14-year-old possibly be desperate about? Why her virginity of course! Alizon has no wish for a husband - she just wants to be rid of her maidenhead before the next lottery. Only virginal women need apply, and instead of coin or jewels, the winner is fed to the town’s resident dragon. Alizon, having failed to succeed in deflowering herself, is chosen to be the next sacrifice.

George is a professional wrestler living in the present day, who is also having a bit of a crisis. Two young boys in Missouri decided to emulate his trademark moves and got themselves seriously hurt. Now concerned mothers are out for his blood. His sister, Athena, a New Age practitioner, convinces George to let her hypnotize him. The theory is that while in the state of hypnosis he will find a way around his current doubts.

Instead, George wakes up on Markesew and quickly learns he is to slay the dragon. Thinking he is hypnotized, George figures that “slaying the dragon” is symbolic of his current professional crisis. However, once he makes his way up to Devil’s Mount, he finds a surly gatekeeper, a mysterious crone, and the ghosts of dead virgins standing in his way.

The old crone happens to be a poorly disguised Alizon. She escaped the dragon’s clutches 12 years earlier, and is now exacting her revenge on the townspeople who tossed her aside. In the process, she takes in each new, sacrificed girl, teaches her the art of tapestry making, and continues to build the wall around her heart even higher. She’s none too happy to see “St. George,” who not only threatens the life she has built up on Devil’s Mount, but her heart as well.

What makes Cach’s latest a gem is George. How can one not love a hero who is macho and manly, but also reads Goodnight Moon to his 5-year-old niece? He talks like a guy, acts like a guy, but had enough of a feminine side to make this reader’s heart skip a beat. It is also terribly amusing as he walks around Devil’s Mount trying to find symbolic meaning in all that is happening to him.

It took me considerably longer to warm up to Alizon - even though I felt she had good reason for being the way she was. She scorns the townspeople for their cowardice - for sending helpless young girls to their death instead of finding a way to be rid of the dragon. She is angry, bitter, and just plain disgusted. It takes her some time to work through this - and she doesn’t exactly aid George in his quest to kill Belch the dragon. Instead, she thwarts his efforts, and stalls him at every turn. For his part, George is not only patient with her, but there’s a wonderful dialogue towards the end when he makes her see the error of her ways.

While I found Alizon frustrating at times, I’m recommending Cach’s latest on the strength of the unique storyline and the hero. Readers who are tired of picking up the same European historicals, Westerns, or category romances featuring amnesiac cowboy sheik babies will likely find George and the Virgin to be a refreshing departure from the norm.

+++++

Wendy Looks Back: I am so glad I had read The Mermaid of Penperro before this book arrived in a review shipment.  I remember audibly groaning when I saw the title.  Seriously, I'm going to have to haul a book out in public, to my office to read on my lunch break, with THIS title?!?!?!?  What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be!  And the start of me learning to overlook moronic titles.

Retro Review: The Mermaid Of Penperro

This review of The Mermaid of Penperro by Lisa Cach was first published at The Romance Reader in 2001.  I rated it 4-Hearts (B range) with a MPAA content rating of "R."

+++++

Konstanze can no longer stomach her existence as wife to the odious, perverted, and much older John Bugg. However, the girl is not a total idiot, and knows that she will have to come up with a solid plan to obtain her freedom - 1804 England is not exactly helpful to women who wish to leave their husbands. Luckily for Konstanze, her great uncle left her his cottage near Penperro in Cornwall when he died. Therefore, when Bugg takes off on a business trip, Konstanze takes her trusted maid, Hilde, some items for the pawnshops of London and takes off.

Tom Trewella is a businessman in Penperro with big problems. Like the majority of Cornwall’s residents, Tom makes a hefty portion of his living off illegal smuggling. However, now that England is at war with France, the Crown is scrounging around for all the funds it can lay its hands on. Their answer to the smuggling problem is to send the Preventive Water Guard Service to thwart the practice. Unfortunately the head man, Robert Foweather, while a bit dimwitted, is persistent. If only there was a way to get the man out of their hair.

A solution quickly presents itself. Konstanze, while taking a break from settling the cottage, decides to go for a swim in what she believes is a secluded cove - a nude swim. Foweather sneaks up on her, and upon hearing her sing, believes he has seen a mermaid. Seeing a way to distract the man, Tom decides to ask Konstanze for help. The plan is for her to play the part of mermaid and keep Foweather occupied while the smugglers have a chance to move their goods.

Konstanze is not exactly keen on the idea, as smuggling is illegal, and the whole nude swimming episode mightily embarrasses her. Nevertheless, when Tom offers her compensation for her troubles, she knows she would be a fool to pass. That and she finds herself strangely attracted to the man. But how long can they carry on this mermaid charade? Moreover, what will happen when Konstanze’s stepson, John Bugg II, decides to come looking for her?

The Mermaid of Penperro is a fun romance, the perfect cure for when you have had a bad day. Konstanze and Tom have a wonderful, bantering relationship, with plenty of sexual tension to boot. Konstanze is like a bird that has just left the nest, testing her wings, poised for flight, and discovering her true self in her newfound freedom. Tom is an intelligent man, with a ready charm and mischievous streak. They make a good couple, and their time together had me smiling on more than one occasion.

I was less satisfied with Robert Foweather, for no fault of his character, but for the way he is treated. Both John Buggs are suitable villains, worthy of contempt and just plain nasty. Foweather, on the other hand, is like the shy, dull kid in school who everybody made fun of. I felt sorry for the guy. Here he is just trying to do his job, and the romantic couple, along with the entire town, is laughing at him behind his back. It was a little hard for me to swallow. However, the author provides a nice ending for Foweather, one that I was happy to see included.

Also enjoyable was the fact that Cach has written a book about “the little people.” It is 19th century England and there is nary a Duke, Earl or Baron in sight. I like the aristocrats as much as the next girl, but honestly, it is nice to have a pint at the local pub with the common folk every now and again.

Historical purists may have issues with a woman swimming nude and pretending to be a mermaid in 1804 England. Admittedly, I did find myself holding back at first, but there was so much for me to like in The Mermaid of Penperro, that I quickly let go of my reservations. Konstanze, Tom, the mermaid angle, the Buggs, and no aristocrats kept me glued to my seat, and easily turning the pages.

+++++

Wendy Looks Back: I remember being suitably charmed by this story, despite myself.  Yes, it is definitely of the "light and fluffy" school of historicals, but it was the kind of book that made me feel "happy" while I was reading it.  My first read by Cach during my TRR tenure, but not my last.

Lisa Cach Week!

Once upon a time in Romancelandia there was a publisher named Dorchester.  After years of rumors detailing financial troubles and not paying author royalties, the death knell firmly rang in 2012 when Amazon bought up the rights to roughly 1000 of their titles.

This was a sad day for Wendy, as Dorchester was one of the very few publishers left standing that still would spit out a historical western romance on occasion.  There's also the minor detail that Dorchester was one of the very few "name" publishers that had a reputation for risk taking.  They published paranormal romances back when nobody supposedly wanted to read them.  They still published traditional westerns, even though, supposedly, nobody wanted to read them anymore.  And they were one of the very few houses that seemed to not pressure their authors to pigeon-hole themselves.

Case in point, Lisa Cach.

During my tenure with TRR (The Romance Reader) I read and reviewed four books by Cach, all of them different.  She never regurgitated the same book twice for her readers.  Keep in mind this was during an era when the longer Regency historical was king.  Countless writers were jumping ship and writing Regencies.  Authors were told they had to "brand" themselves.  And honestly, you can't possibly brand yourself if you're not writing in the same time period, the same type of story (be that light and fluffy or angst-up-to-your-eyeballs) every time out of the gate.  The goal was that readers should see your name and know exactly what they were going to get.  Authors that once wrote books in a variety of historical time periods went All Regency All The Time.  Authors that once wrote historical romances jumped ship to romantic suspense, or straight contemporary.  And once paranormal came back into fashion?  Everyone seemed to be dusting off old manuscripts - and let me tell you, I have deep reviewer scars to show for that folly.

Which is what made Lisa Cach so exciting for me as a reader, and a reviewer.  I never knew what the heck I was going to get.  Ever.  Every book was a new adventure.

So it was with a sense of nostalgia and glee when I went trolling on Netgalley one day to discover that she had written a serial (a novella trilogy) for Pocket Star.  And sure enough, it sounded absolutely nothing like any of the four books I read by her during my TRR tenure.  So in honor of those reviews, and the start of her new 1001 Erotic Nights trilogy, I am declaring this next week Lisa Cach Week here at the Bat Cave.  Stay tuned for those four retro reviews from my TRR days, along with a review of her latest release, Slave Girl.