Unmasqued: An Erotic Novel of The Phantom of the Opera

If you love the Phantom of the Opera and you like spicy, this is absolutely the book for you!

The author sure loves nipple play... otherwise I had a lot of fun reading this. I wish there was more like this!

i honestly thought that this book was going to be the original novel with sex thrown in. But it is much more then that, in fact, its amazing, not only the totally seducing sex scenes, but the intelligent plot which is excellently carried out to a beautiful ending. I honestly can say i COULDN'T put this book down once i started.

Colette Gale "Unmasks" the true underlying sensuality of the Phantom of the Opera story in this splendid erotic version of the beloved classic. It was not until the most recent movie release that the sensuality of the story slightly came through. Now with Ms. Gale's erotic version, fans of the classic story can now move past the basic love story of Christine Daae's struggle with her "puppy love-type" attraction to Raoul, Viscomte De Chagny and her "sensual love" for Erik, her Angel of Music. Ms. Gale's newest erotic version is a delight which steams with passion and many erotic scenes. It is not a version to be read by those who enjoy the story clean and sweet and are a bit squeamish about reading erotica. For the fan who has fantasized about the reality of what would have truly happened if Christine really followed her heart and sensual nature, those fans and readers will find this version to be more reality based and will thoroughly enjoy the sensuality that was felt to be left behind in other versions. Ms. Gale's beginning biographer's notes and afterward explains how much of the historical research for this book came from Christine Daae's personal diaries. Earlier versions of the story seem to skim the true reality of the time, as ladies of the theatre and opera lost their virginity at young ages and many had protectors. Men of the aristocratic classes during the historical era, in which the story takes place, were not known to marry an opera star or actor, but rather those women who could bring money, lands, and prestige to the family name. "An Erotic Novel of The Phantom of the Opera" is a unique and spellbinding book that should not be missed by those who are fans of historical erotic romance. Well-written and researched, I look forward to Ms. Gale's next erotic work on The Count of Monte Cristo.

Well, the first thing I learned reading this book -- which was something I wondered -- was that I do not write erotica! As I had never read anything labeled "erotica", I didn't know. Now I do. I have written some fairly graphic sex scenes but they are interspersed throughout my (unpublished) novels and I don't think they come anywhere close to what would be called erotica. I am glad to know this because I always wondered exactly what erotica was -- I think it's one of those things you really have to read in order to know. Definitions just don't cut it! Having said that, I wasn't at all shocked by this book, though I think some folks would be. Honestly, erotica is not something I'd want to read every day. Occasionally, though, I can deal with it! I'd definitely read her next book (her erotic take on THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO) and I picked up a vampire book the other day which is obviously in the erotic genre because it says so (several times) on the cover! By the way, anyone who reads UNMASQUED and doesn't notice that it says "An erotic novel of The Phantom of the Opera" needs to have their eyes examined. It really couldn't be more obvious. Also, I'm sure there are folks who take issue with a writer turning a classic story into erotica -- well, the way I feel about that is, if you don't like it, don't read it. Don't buy it -- or, if you do, put it down if it drives you crazy. There's a whole world out there of books and life is too short to read what you don't like. I think, for me personally, I would be unlikely to pick up an erotic book unless there was something about it that interested me otherwise -- i.e, the Phantom, vampires, something medieval. In other words, a book set in modern times about people having continuous sex, would hold very little interest for me. Would I recommend this? Well, yes and no. If you like erotica and/or you like the phantom, then by all means (and remember her "muse" for this phantom was Gerry Butler!!). If explicit sex on nearly every other page turns you off, then keep away. Let me repeat...this book is very explicit!! A real eye-opener for me, as a reader and as a writer. I'm glad I read it.

I'm not incredibly familiar with the original Phantom of the Opera, so I'm not going to give you some kind of comparison. At any rate, I'm the kind of person who, for example, prefers to take a movie made from a novel as being a totally separate entity from that novel, so I also prefer to take "re-imaginings" and stories told from a different point of view than their originals on their own merits. If it wasn't obvious just from the subtitle of the book, I'll make it perfectly clear now: this is an erotic romance. It isn't for children, and it isn't for prudes. It's quite explicit, with some BDSM, some scenes of coercion, and an attempted rape. (Some people like to enjoy or avoid specific things in their erotica, so I think it's best to be clear about this kind of thing up front.) The story and characters are wonderful. For all that some folk still think romance and erotica tend to have sub-par writing or sacrifice story for sex, this book easily disproves that. The characters are absolutely delightful, from the lusty and cheeky Madame Giry to the controlling and scheming La Carlotta, from the haunted Phantom, Erik, to the obsessed Vicomte, Raoul. The story is tense and engaging, and I flew through the last chapter or two, turning pages just as quickly as I could read them, far more entranced by finding out what was going to happen than I was when I read the last few novels I read, even though several of those were supposedly 'thrillers'. The pacing is perfect, giving us comic-yet-salacious interludes courtesy of Madame Giry to lighten the mood now and then, bringing references and characters full-circle as appropriate, and providing a wide array of sexual moods and scenarios to keep things from ever getting boring or feeling rehashed. The sex and romance never feel tacked-on or contrived, but always work as part of the story. The lush settings come alive with detail, and it's easy to lose yourself in the world that Colette Gale presents. In short, if the premise of this book in any way interests you, then I highly recommend that you give it a try. It's an incredibly delightful read on any level. And yes, the sex sizzles!