The Top of her Game

This was the 1st Emma Holly book I read, back when it was a black lace title. While I'm not usually into the dominatrix novels, this one has a really nice love story to go along with all the steamy sex scenes. I recommend all the Emma Holly erotica - though I really HATE the new "chick lit" covers on these reissues. I bet some people are going to get a real eye opener if they think they're buying your typical light love story!

Emma Holly amanages to balance plot, characterization and seriously hot erotic sex, all without dropping the ball on a single one. The author manages to show the growth of Julia, a life-time dominatrix and the growth of the other characters, none of which remains static. Everyone changes, everyone moves. Julia's cowboy is a complicated man, who shows Julia the power of sex not from a dom/sub view, but as equal partners. Definiately read this one.

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I read it all in one sitting. I haven't read that much erotica but I can tell this is one of the best, I'd recommend it to anybody.

What makes this novel so much fun is the cast of five characters (three men, two women), all with varying degrees of horniness. Imagine the combinations when they start trading beds! As promised in Black Lace books, every chapter delivers a sexy encounter, but Ms. Holly's skill with characters makes each encounter different, each scene essential to the tale. The main female character was easy for me to identify with, and her male counterpart -- well, let's just say that he was MORE than appealing! Lots of light BDSM, so if you'd like to dabble in darker fantasies, but without getting too deep or violent, then you'll find this book a very enjoyable read. I sure did!

I've read 3 of Emma Holly's books now ("Menage" first, followed by "Cooking Up a Storm") and loved all 3. And while I agree with another reviewer that Menage was my favorite, this one is definitely different and VERY hot! The domination/submission storyline is explored in a very interesting way -- somewhat reminiscent of Anne Rice's "Sleeping Beauty" books, though not as hard-core, and with a better story line! Both Julie and Zach are exactly stereotypes -- Julie's a bit larger than the usual beauty with the perfect figure, and Zach -- well, he has a "quirk" that sets him apart from the usual stud with superhuman sexual capacity and the ability to have an unlimited number of orgasms per encounter. Can't wait to read more from this writer!