Voyeur

Mystery writer Laura Watkins has writer's block. So she jumps at the chance to spend some time in a secluded mountain cabin belonging to a friend of a friend. Late the first night, she's still blocked, and decides to spend some time alone with her fantasies. She knows the owner has set up a webcam to keep an eye on the house, but decides he wouldn't be watching that late, anyway. And even if he is.... well, just the thought of it is tantalizing. The next morning, she gets an IM from Flyboy, and sure enough, the cabin's owner, corporate raider Braden Stone, had seen her last night. She's simultaneously embarrassed, intrigued, and turned-on, and they begin a cyber-affair. Laura's getting squicked by the whole thing, but she's also hooked and very aroused, and her writing is flowing faster than ever before. Still, her sensible side tells her it's time to either stop or move on to the next level--in person. Which ratchets up the heat even more. Braden pushes the edges of Laura's comfort envelope, but never crosses the line into coercion. What made Voyeur really stand out wasn't the sexual acts themselves--it was the emotions and how it changed Laura's, and to a lesser extent, Braden's lives. I appreciated Laura's realistic reactions, and particularly the notion that the affair could only go so far online and that to progress, they had to meet in person. The mystery novel was also a nice part--the events in the novel Laura was writing echoed the events in her life, and illuminated them. Very nicely done. As for the not-my-kink issue--it takes skill to write sex scenes that will be hot to someone who doesn't share the fantasy. I think the key here is that Laura's character is written so clearly that we know how everything makes her feel, and those emotions and sensations are passed on to the reader. I'll be looking for more Lacey Alexander books, as well as those by her alter-ego, Toni Blake. ETA: Oh! I have read a story by Toni Blake. I gave it "points for inventiveness in the sex scenes." Heh.

Getting away seems to be just what the doctor ordered when Laura finds herself saddled with a worrisome case of writer's block, but her budget argues otherwise. When her best friend offers a cousin's remote Colorado cabin as a destination, Laura jumps at the chance. Once there, however, the words still aren't flowing, and she is at her wit's end. To relieve some of her tension, she gives in to a secret fantasy when she discovers the webcam set up in the living room. Pretending someone might be watching, she indulges the long-denied exhibitionist within her, playing to the camera with no real belief that she has an audience. Then the instant messages start. His name is Flyboy and he more than liked what he saw. In fact, he wants more. He pushes her limits, and takes her further than she ever dreamed she would be willing to go. Strangely enough, the experiences serve to release her block, and her story starts to unravel itself, albeit in ways she never expected. But when Flyboy wants to take things to the next level and actually meet, Laura's world tilts on its axis and her life will never be the same again! I am not usually drawn to stories with voyeurism and exhibitionism as a theme, but something about Voyeur by Lacey Alexander intrigued me. I have not read Ms. Alexander's work before, but I was captivated from page one! Her characters felt like friends from the very beginning, and I was easily caught up in their lives, reading as fast as I could turn the pages. Laura Watkins is a character I identified with - a woman who has reached a point in her life where she feels stale, needs a change, but does not know exactly what kind of change. When an opportunity to break her own boundaries arises, she seizes it, even if she harbors a little trepidation along the way. Flyboy, aka Braden, is - in a word - HOT. Decidedly dominant, yet with a smooth gentleness that seduces far more effectively than any command would. It is no wonder that Laura so easily submits to his sexual whims, even before she has met him. He is the kind of man that recognizes what a woman needs, what her secret desires are, and knows exactly how to make them a reality for her. When Laura's own needs coincide so well with his own, the results are combustible! The sex in Voyeur was undeniably scorching, but through it all, Alexander weaves a tender yet unconventional romantic tale that is guaranteed to sweep readers off their feet as easily as Braden did Laura!

They met via web cam and instant messaging, and soon after are experiencing every fantasy imaginable. Can losing their hearts be far behind? Lacey Alexander's VOYEUR has all of the makings of a memorable erotic romance. When novelist Laura Watkins is up against a serious case of writer's block, her best friend thoughtfully arranges for her to stay at another friend's mountain retreat, while insisting that sexual release is what Laura truly needs to get her creative juices flowing. Laura decides to let go of her inhibitions during a bout of insomnia one night, at which time she spots a web cam. Certain that the camera isn't turned on; she fantasizes about what it might be like to have the homeowner actually watching her. When an instant messaging conversation the following day with Braden Stone, the owner of the home, reveals that he was indeed watching, and that he wants to see more, Laura's conservative nature threatens to return. When Braden unexpectedly returns to his home and the two share untold fantasies, Laura's writer's block immediately lifts and she's soon producing page after page on her manuscript. Braden Stone doesn't know when he's been more turned on by a complete stranger. When he's no longer satisfied with continuing a long-distance electronic relationship, he shows up at the house and Laura's fantasies become reality. Spending time with Laura has brought unexpected emotions to the surface for Braden, totally unexpected and not wholly welcome to him. The end of Laura's week at his home arrives and Braden reluctantly allows her to leave without revealing the feelings that he has developed for her. Lacey Alexander has given readers an intensely sensual book with VOYEUR. Her trademark heat intensifies love scenes into a heated compilation of erotic sweetness. Laura's discovery of the real woman deep inside herself is intriguing and Braden's self-assuredness is just the right touch to keep Laura moving on the path of self-discovery. Laura's novel is a side story of sorts, and it too is very entertaining. If you like hot, erotic romance with no holds barred, yet sensual action, then this book is for you. Long-time Lacey Alexander readers as well as those who are new to her work will be thrilled with this latest release. COURTESY LAURIE/ROMANCE JUNKIES

Mystery novelist Laura Watkins is on a serious deadline, yet her Muse is completely M.I.A. When her best friend offers up an isolated retreat, Laura jumps at the chance to get away and concentrate on nothing but her writing. Only thing is, the writing is still not happening. Laura needs some inspiration, and she needs it fast. Maybe if she relaxed a little, let her guard down...She knows the owner has set up a webcam, but surely he wouldn't be watching her, not when she's alone with her most private thoughts... Corporate raider Braden Stone knows it's rather late but he's just checking in to see if his houseguest made it to his cabin safely. He has no idea that he's about to witness a beautiful woman captured in an intimate act, or that it would be so erotic to watch this conservative writer turn into a sex kitten before his very eyes. Now he can't stop thinking about her and decides the best thing to do is to let her know he's been watching, and see where it leads. Laura is mortified when she learns Braden had caught her in such a private moment, but soon admits that she likes having his eyes on her; it makes her feel unbelievably sexy. Having him watch her indulge in some of her most personal fantasies is thrilling; she can't seem to get enough of him or the way he makes her feel, and much to her surprise, the excitement of their nightly ritual brings a deeper, richer element to her writing that she's never experienced, and the words are just pouring out of her. But after awhile, acting out her fantasies just doesn't feel right anymore, so she decides that unless he's there with her, she's not going to continue to perform for him. Braden knows he's not ready to let these hot encounters come to an end, so he flies home, intent on indulging in a little one-on-one action with his lovely houseguest, more than willing to see how far she's willing to go with him. Braden can't remember the last time he's ever been so hot for a woman, and once they meet face-to-face, their passion is explosive, wild, incredible, and he doesn't want their sexual interludes to end. He's drawn to her innate sensuality, loves that she's so turned on by acting out his fantasies and that she trusts him enough to go wherever he wants to take her. But when her week at his cabin comes to an end, will either one of them be able to walk away? Whew! Turn up the fan, keep a pitcher of ice water nearby, and indulge in one HAWT and SEXY read! I think Lacey Alexander is my favorite erotic romance writer out there right now, and she continues to deliver fabulous stories that tap into the average woman's most tempting fantasies. One thing that made this book really work for me is how easy I found it to relate to Laura; while she's not a trembling virgin, she's also not a woman comfortable with casual encounters, and her hesitancy to continue down a blatantly sexual path with Braden is completely believable. He does have to work a bit to get her out of her comfort zone

Laura borrows a cabin to help with a bad case of writer's block, and notices the webcam the owner, Braden, has installed on the computer. Thinking about somebody watching her releases her inhibitions and frees her writer's block, and soon her voyeur, Braden, joins her at the cabin. Together, they explore each other's fantasies, and Laura finds herself falling for Braden, who is known for being a "confirmed bachelor". Voyeur is incredibly erotic while also giving the heroine a hint of vulnerablity that just makes the pages sizzle. Laura's catharsis from frustration to titillation keeps the pages turning until it's over and you want to reread immediately! Everybody has fantasies, and reading a Lacey book gives one the opportunity to realize it's OK to fantasize. I've been a Lacey fan ever since her Hot in the City series, and Voyeur is another hit for me. Definitely a must read, and you might want to sit in front of the fan for this one!