Cuffed by Candlelight: An Erotic Romance Anthology

This cheeky trilogy features three romance writers who have taken a slight detour into the blue. Beverly Jenkins, Katherine Johnson, and Gwyneth Bolton have collaborated on an erotic anthology in 3 stand-alone stories, 1 historical and 2 contemporary. It begins with Beverly Jenkins' Prisoner. Elizabeth Franklin needs a helping hand around her farm, and not being satisfied with any of the local community prospects, she takes a gamble on a tall drink of water, Jordan Yancy. Jordan has two choices, hanging by a wedding band or a rope--he chooses the wedding, and in a matter of minutes he is switched and hitched. Although he is actually a law enforcement officer, he is ready and willing to break the rules to get to the gem of Elizabeth underneath her prim exterior. In Katherine Jones' Guns and Roses, All business Corrections Officer Stephanie Gunn wears a mask of professionalism that hides erotic fantasies about one of her prisoners' frequent visitors. Bryant Wilson smolders every time he thinks about her. They both engage in an unspoken, and unbeknownst to each other, mutual attraction to each other. They cross paths when Bryant's baby brother tries to warn Stephanie about illegalities in the prison, but not soon enough to keep himself alive. Driven by guilt, Stephanie reaches out to Bryant to solve the mysterious death, and in so doing, finds that the man of her dreams is very real. Gwyneth Bolton's Handcuffs Mean Never Having to Say You're Sorry is the last installment. Tamara "Lil Bit" Downing is a tough undercover officer, whose exterior hides the insecurities of a foster child grown to adulthood. Lance King is her foster brother, 1st love and 1st lover. Ten years later finds them crossing paths, mostly by Lance's design as a DEA Agent. When Lance intrudes on Tamara's latest assignment, Tamara vows revenge, only to find herself held against her ever-weakening will and Lance's determination to win her heart. Tamara finally gives in to the love she's buried in her heart for 10 years. Erotica is one of the newest and fastest growing genres in romance, and as such, new submissions are being added constantly. Within the genre, there are extremes, from mild to nearly gynecological. Personally, I prefer a happy medium. Ms. Jenkins has written a strong story which focuses on newfound intimacy driven by emotion. Her story is solid, her writing poignant, and her characters well developed. Ms. Johnson's story is designed to scorch the reader (pleasantly), which it does. Although there is some back-story, it more or less fades as the author focuses on the two main characters. The writing is sharp, crisp, and descriptive, and the passion practically jumps off of the page. The final story, as seems appropriate, has the most erotic tilt. Although definitely not an "X" rating, it certainly leans towards a steamy NC-17. While I though the writing was superb, I found the characters a little inconsistent, and the background story

Cuffs, candlelight and cuddling are essentials for an erotic tale. Imagine intimate time with your lover with a pair of handcuffs, the mood lights of candles and unmasked sexual energy. Jenkins, Jones, and Bolton will ignite your passion with their unique storylines and unbridled sex. PRISONER BY BEVERLY JENKINS is a historical erotic story set in the late 1800's that recounts the life of Elizabeth Franklin. Her first husband, William, left her for a younger woman by sending a letter to demand a divorce. Elizabeth spent the next year tormented by the disrespect of her husband, tolling long days preparing, planting and caring for the animals on the farm. Then the sheriff made her a proposition - by marrying a convicted felon she could have free help on the farm. Jordan Yancy would rock her world in more ways then she ever imagined possible. After marrying Jordan she was ostracized by the community and William threatens to return and reclaim what is rightfully his. GUNS & ROSES BY KATHERINE D. JONES centers on Stephanie Guinn and Bryant Wilson. Stephanie dreaded her dead end job as a correctional officer. Bryant Wilson was a successful businessman that loved his brother, Macklin. That is where their lives intertwine - Macklin was serving time on drug trafficking charges in the prison where Stephanie worked. Stephanie and Bryant had two things in common - both loathed Palo Vista Correctional Center and neither could stop daydreaming about the other. When Mackin turns up dead in his cell Stephanie and Bryant join forces to uncover the real deal. Their working together may turn their sexual daydreams into romantic realities. HANDCUFFS MEAN NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY BY GWYNETH BOLTON introduces Tamara Downing. Tamara has worked hard to overcome her difficult childhood without the love and support of her mother. Tamara is a Newark Police Detective working undercover to build a case against Tommy Cole, CEO of Murder Row Records. That is until Lance King used his DEA clout to override her authority and force her off the case. But Lance and Tamara have history - they grew up in the same home and 10 years ago had a brief sexual relationship. Lance is determined to put meaning on what has occurred and what could develop between them. Recounting the past could bind them together forever. Have you ever had a sexual interlude with handcuffs? Made steamy passionate love by candlelight? Rekindled the flame of a long lost lover? If you answered no to any of these questions then CUFFED BY CANDLELIGHT is a must read for you. Throw caution to the wind, get relaxed and be ready to experience erotic romance loaded with action and excitement. CUFFED BY CANDLELIGHT is a collection of sensual stories that will engage all of your senses turning the pages of this tastefully written plot driven erotic romance. Reviewed By - Deltareviewer For Real Page Turners

Being a die hard Beverly Jenkins fan, I didn't think twice about purchasing this book, and her stepping outside the box did not disappoint me at all. Her story was in true Bev Jenkins fashion one word-Great!!. It also introduced me to 2 new authors that I had never considered reading in Gweneth Bolton and Katherine D Jones. All of the stories were filled with intense characters, Hot romantic love scenes, and lots of dramatic suspense. It was a good read and I will definitely be adding these 2 authors to my bookshelf.

Cuffed by Candlelight by Beverly Jenkins, Gwyneth Bolton and Katherine D. Jones is a compilation of three romantically, erotic short stories with the connecting theme being an involvement in law enforcement. Otherwise the stories could not be more diverse. Beverly Jenkins' Prisoner is set in Kansas in 1884. The heroine, Elizabeth Franklin, found herself abandoned by her husband, William. Six-months after his departure, she finds herself agreeing to marry prisoner Jordan Yancey. The marriage would allow him to be released from prison, while providing her with assistance on her sixty-acre farm. What she does not realize is Jordan will awaken desires in her she did not know existed and their marriage will become more than an arrangement. Ms. Jenkins pens a believable romantic tale with a few unexpected twists. Prisoner will let you know passion is not just a 21st Century phenomenon. In Katherine Jones' Gunns and Roses the setting is more contemporary. Stephanie Gunns is a corrections officer who finds herself attracted to Bryant Wilson. Bryant has his own fantasies about Stephanie. The problem is Bryant's brother, Mac, is an inmate at the facility where Stephanie works. She forces herself to stay away from Bryant because she assumes he and Mac must be the same type. However, fate intervenes, Mac ends up dead. Bryant is determined to find out the truth, with Stephanie's help. What follows is a fast-paced, erotically-charged connection between the two. Handcuffs Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry by Gwyneth Bolton is a hip-hop influenced wild ride of a story. Police Officer Tamara Downing is working undercover to bring down Murder Row music's Tommy Coles. Coles' music business is a front for drug activity and prostitution. Just when she is about to close the case, DEA Officer Lance King intervenes. Lance and Tamara's lives have been linked since childhood and he feels a need to protect her. Tamara is not interested because what she wants from Lance has nothing to do with protection. What she is going to find out is Lance has his own plans where she is concerned. I recommend this anthology to anyone interested in romantic heat and diversity in stories. Prisoner is a historical, romantic adventure. Gunns and Roses boasts contemporary flavor, while Handcuffs is cutting-edge and hip-hop influenced. What they all have in common is unbridled heat. Angelia Menchan APOOO BookClub

PRISONER by Beverly Jenkins Elizabeth is a homesteader. In order for her to receive the title to her land she must turn a profit by the third year. Her husband asked for a divorce in favor of another woman and now it looks like turning a profit alone is a seemingly impossible task. Fortunately the local sheriff has a solution - take advantage of a law that allows her to marry a man facing the gallows. Convicted felon Jordan Yancy has two choices - the gallows or marriage. He chooses marriage. He's a big man who's not afraid of hard work, especially once he discovers that Elizabeth is an excellent cook. He's actually in awe of everything she's managed to accomplish on her land by herself. What he really likes is the fiery spirit she possesses and her sexual innocence despite her former marriage. Elizabeth and Jordan are determined to make their marriage work but it won't be easy. Will they be able to withstand the negative vibes and backlash from some members of the community? Beverly Jenkins writes fantastic historical novels so I was thrilled to see her as a contributing author to this anthology. In PRISONER she tells an exciting tale of a woman who boldly does what she has to in order to save what is important to her and finds love at the same time. Jordan is a great character with a fascinating background. Oh my goodness does he ever teach Elizabeth a thing or two about intimacy. GUNS AND ROSES by Katherine D. Jones Stephanie Gunn works as an officer at Palo Vista Corrections Facility. She zealously abides by all the institution's rules and codes and remains professional at all times during working hours. The only threat to her calm, cool persona is her desire for Bryant Wilson. Going to the corrections facility to visit his brother is not high on Bryant's list of favored things to do. The only upside to the visits is that Bryant's developed a crush on Officer Gunn. Unfortunately, she won't acknowledge him as any more than a visitor to one of the inmates. Bryant's brother Mac has six more months on his sentence and then Bryant fully intends to see about getting to know Officer Gunn in a more personal manner. Plans change when Mac dies under suspicious circumstances. The warden claims it was a suicide but Stephanie and Bryant don't believe that to be true. Just yesterday Mac had tried to get them to help him. Neither one of them took him seriously. It's up to them to uncover the truth, and if they find comfort in each other's arms . . . well who can blame them for that? I was pleasantly surprised with this tale. I had all sorts of wicked preconceived ideas involving love behind bars, but Katherine D. Jones delivers a well thought out emotional story full of heat, heart, passion and intrigue. Stephanie and Bryant are genuinely likeable characters whom readers will adore and find themselves anticipating each red hot scene between the two. HANDCUFFS MEAN NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY by Gwyneth Bolton Tamara Down