Burning Up: Four Novellas of Erotic Romance

Well It did start off kinda slow but once I got through that I cannot put it down until I finished it. Great read

"Burning Up" is a collection of four stories by four different authors. The first story, "The Flame" by Nina Bangs was my least favorite of the four. The lead character, Serenity So-Fine, has traveled back in time from the year 2700 to the year 2005 or so she thinks. She comes from a time when emotions are contained within. She is the curator of the Galactic Museum of Erotic Art and lives for her art and her job. She has come to find and buy a piece of art called The Flame by a man named Justin Hill. Not much is known about him except he is 78 years old. Somehow she ends up in the year 2003 instead before the piece has even been done and Justin is not 78 but in his early 30s. Justin not only hasn't done the piece but hasn't planned on ever letting it exit his mind. Serenity's job is to get him "in the mood" to create this masterpiece in three days before she has to return to her time, but how can she when she has never experienced any of the emotions that the piece has inspired? The rest of the story came off more like a porn movie to me. The house has various rooms decorated to excite but only Justin's bedroom and attic where he practices for his job as a wrestler does the trick. The second story, "The Wedding Night," by Cheryl Holt was the reason I bought the book to begin with. I love all of her books including this one. Stephen St. John, Viscount Banbury, eventually to be Earl of Stafford had just married a complete stranger, Ellen Foster, only for the money she would bring to the marriage. He had been cut off by his father because of his wicked lifestyle of gambling and women. She was an American whose father had made a fortune in America but wanted his daughter to be titled. The agreement was a marriage in name only. To the public they would be the perfect couple but at home they would have two different rooms and two different lives and certainly no children. Ellen had other ideas. The story leaves you wanting more. The third story, "Burn, Inc.," by Kimberly Raye is about a woman, Gerry Baxter, and her partnership in a company that produces women's erotic videos. Her partner, Roxeanne, has just gotten married in Las Vegas to Stan, a complete stranger, and left on her honeymoon leaving Gerry to finish the final film by herself or lose everything including her house. She isn't the creative one in the partnership so everything starts to fall apart. She decides to call a friend of Roxeanne's for help, Dr. Love, L.A.'s most renowned relationship therapist, but when his voice mail answers she leaves an urgent message to meet her that afternoon in the film studio. She waits until the man she thinks is Dr. Love shows up but instead it's Stan's brother, Logan, coming to look for answers to why his brother had married so quickly. Because of the misunderstaning Logan begins right there in the film studio to show Gerry how to make her last video the best of them all. Both consider the time spent as business and just a one tim

Authors Nina Bangs, Cheryl Holt, Kimberly Raye, AND Patricia Ryan combine their talented pens for a sizzling collection of novellas. These powerful tales of seduction and pleasure will keep the blood simmering with their intimate detail and erotic possibility. As sexual intensity increases, so also do the demands of the heart. In this volume spanning time and distance, these authors will leave the reader BURNING UP."The Flame" by Nina Bangs: Serenity So-Fine time travels from the year 2700 to 2003 seeking an erotic work of art called the Flame. As curator for the Galactic Museum of Erotic Art, Serenity has added many erotic works to the collection, but none has called to her so much as this one. In a time when sexual attraction has been reduced to negotiation and necessity, the Flame speaks to her a way almost primal. When she arrives, Serenity learns that sculptor Justin Hill exudes the very primal heat her world has lost. Unfortunately, she arrives a bit early and the Flame has not yet been created; indeed, Serenity will become the focus of inspiration for the sculpture. "The Wedding Night" by Cheryl Holt: In 1815, Ellen Foster agrees to a platonic marriage with Lord Stephen Banbury, exchanging her wealth for his title. Little does he suspect that she very carefully chooses him to be her husband, or that her virginal exterior conceals a passion driven woman determined to lure her new husband into their wedding bed. Certainly Stephen's reputation for lewd behavior and a fabulous ass promise a bad-girl want-to-be a wild night if he will only abandon his determination to keep his distance. "Burn, Inc" by Kimberly Raye: Determined to prove her abilities to her family, Gerry Baxter is producer for an erotic movie company called Women on Top. Production is complete on the first nine films of a ten part series for HBO, but their contract hinges on completing the entire series. Unfortunately, the woman who usually serves as the driving creative force for the company has defected to marriage and a honeymoon, leaving Gerry to complete the project. Ragweed and poor inspiration threaten disaster so Gerry calls Logan, believing he is Dr. Love and can inspire a few ideas for the final shoot. Mistaken identity and sensual promise lead to an unexpected encounter filled with eroticism. "Possessing Julia" by Patricia Ryan: Widow Julia Hughes needs to loose her virginity within the next two weeks, or her secret will be discovered. Everyone assumes that her son was fathered by her first husband. Now she plans to marry a man just to provide him with an heir. Concerned for her son's well-being, Julia finds a unique solution. Her aunt makes a deal with Clay to show Julia the ways of love making, including how to enjoy and how to please a man. But after such a marvelous intense interlude, both Julia and Clay will face great difficulty to return to their previous lives and plans.

I found this book to be a great hot summer read and was thrilled with the new authors that I read. I am a huge fan of Cheryl Holt and Kimberly Raye so Nina Bangs and Patricia Ryan were wonderful surprises for me. I felt that the love scenes in all four books were scorchers but not used as filler but were important parts of the stories, and yes they were erotic but not as erotic as other titles in other romance lines. Still these four short novelles were fast reads and well worth picking up.

"The Flame" by Nina Bangs. In 2700, Serenity, curator of the Galactic Museum of Erotic Art, believes one item would complete the collection, but needs to go to 2005 to buy The Flame from the sculptor Justin. He has not found the model to bring to life his mind's picture until the so-fine appearance of Serenity."The Wedding Night" by Cheryl Holt. In 1815 London, impoverish Lord Stephen weds wealthy American Ellen, who must persuade her spouse that she married him for the way he enflames her blood and not his title."Burn, Inc." by Kimberly Raye. When her partner eloped just before the tenth video is filmed, women's fantasy filmmaker Gerry finds her movie failing to heat the crew. Gerry asks Dr. Love to help her. Logan arrives to see the place where the porn moviemaker, who eloped with his brother, works. Gerry thinks this is Love and finds the inspiration to complete the series."Possessing Julia" by Patricia Ryan. In 1867 NYC, though she is a widow with a son, Julia remains a virgin worrying how her fiancé will react to that bit of news. She heeds the advice of Aunt Eunice to find a man to teach her how to make love. When her deceased spouse's cousin Clay arrives for the first time in six years, Julie sees it as a sign, especially when he agrees to tutor her.Though the four tales cross different sub-genres, each one will arouse the reader (timed for when my spouse was off) with fun story lines and great lead couples. Fans of erotic romantic anthologies will appreciate these sexcapade novellas.Harriet Klausner

Burning Up!Over the years I have read many steamy romances that have made my pulse race and my body glisten (sweat just doesn't sound as poetic). I've also had the opportunity to read women's erotica with the mistaken assumption that it would leave you as breathless as a well-written romance novel. Erotica, in general, gives readers the "shock and awe" of a sexual, often carnal exploit but show no true emotion between characters. Romantic erotica, on the other hand, gives romance readers the perfect combination of both, offering unbelievable sensuality along with a deep love and respect between the characters. In this new and powerfully titillating Novella collection, award winning authors Nina Bangs, Cheryl Holt, Kimberly Raye and my favorite, Patricia Ryan, treat readers to an erotic escape like no other. The stories are fresh, well written and exquisitely sensual filled with a deep abiding romance that will leave your senses reeling but thoroughly satisfied. Read it if you dare and discover a side of romance that will blow your mind!Ballston Book House Review