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busdjur's review against another edition
2.0
The first book was better than this one but I'll finish the series.
mountie9's review against another edition
3.0
The Good Stuff
Love the female empowerment them and taking ownership of their sexuality
Some really good hot and steamy sex scenes. Man where was this organization when I was single. Hello mile high club scene - you know I like Captains. Hey Fillion, how about you, me and a cockpit ; mow chicka mow mow
Dauphine is a likeable character. She's realistic, likeable. Someone that you can understand and cheer for
Setting if fabulous - the perfect place for a mysterious mansion that helps women fulfill their deepest darkest sexual desires (Hmm wonder if Jeff will let me go for a trip alone to New Orleans LOL!)
The Not so Good Stuff
As mentioned in review for S.E.C.R.E.T, this doesn't really need to be classified as erotica, its just a steamy romance
Will is such a jack ass, I want to smack him upside the head and his actions at the end of the story - made me throw the book against the wall
Felt like a filler story.
Sex scenes were short with no build up. They could have been much sexier with a lot of build up to keep the tension going
Frustrated with Cassie at times as she is still such a pushover when it comes to Will and she strings Jesse along which is so not cool
Felt way too soap opersish - you knew what was going to happen and way too much over the top drama
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"The word slut, unless employed by iron-clad feminists or ironically by irony experts, has no business coming out of a woman's mouth, do you hear me. Not when she is describing her own sexual behavior and especially if she's describing another woman's. It's the kind of word that can scar, Cassie."
"Men do have it easier, I thought. He didn't need a preamble or assurances before taking in my proposition."
"Of course there were conditions. There are always conditions when it comes to men and women and love and sex."
3 Dewey's
I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest opinion - sorry guys I have to be honest
Love the female empowerment them and taking ownership of their sexuality
Some really good hot and steamy sex scenes. Man where was this organization when I was single. Hello mile high club scene - you know I like Captains. Hey Fillion, how about you, me and a cockpit ; mow chicka mow mow
Dauphine is a likeable character. She's realistic, likeable. Someone that you can understand and cheer for
Setting if fabulous - the perfect place for a mysterious mansion that helps women fulfill their deepest darkest sexual desires (Hmm wonder if Jeff will let me go for a trip alone to New Orleans LOL!)
The Not so Good Stuff
As mentioned in review for S.E.C.R.E.T, this doesn't really need to be classified as erotica, its just a steamy romance
Will is such a jack ass, I want to smack him upside the head and his actions at the end of the story - made me throw the book against the wall
Felt like a filler story.
Sex scenes were short with no build up. They could have been much sexier with a lot of build up to keep the tension going
Frustrated with Cassie at times as she is still such a pushover when it comes to Will and she strings Jesse along which is so not cool
Felt way too soap opersish - you knew what was going to happen and way too much over the top drama
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"The word slut, unless employed by iron-clad feminists or ironically by irony experts, has no business coming out of a woman's mouth, do you hear me. Not when she is describing her own sexual behavior and especially if she's describing another woman's. It's the kind of word that can scar, Cassie."
"Men do have it easier, I thought. He didn't need a preamble or assurances before taking in my proposition."
"Of course there were conditions. There are always conditions when it comes to men and women and love and sex."
3 Dewey's
I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest opinion - sorry guys I have to be honest
literarygeorge's review against another edition
5.0
Book two in the Secret series.
This book is gold. If you don't want to read a gushing review just go get it and read it NOW!
In SECRET shared we follow the story of Cassie and Dauphine in good ol' New Orleans. Cassie is a recent graduate from the SECRET ladies club that helps sexually liberate woman and Dauphine is the current initiate. While I've come across books with similar intentions, they haven't been ground breaking reads but with Adeline it works! There is no fluff about the power of men to make a woman into a real woman. Instead it is about ten steps (see end of review) that help women rediscover and believe in the power of themselves. Note that I said RE-discover, because it's not that women never had belief in themselves, it's that somehow, something convinced them that they were unworthy and powerless.
Cassie is currently struggling with life after SECRET and the fact that the man she loves is having a baby with another woman. Cassie was going to leave SECRET to start a relationship with said love of life but with the baby on the way she turns to SECRET as a way of coping. Through an accidental encounter she meets Dauphine who has never been able to come back from her cheating boyfriend and best friend. I'm not surprised because her boyfriend sounds like a self absorbed prick and her best friend a lying selfish cow, she's better off without them. The hard part is the fact that idiot boyfriend becomes famous and using Dauphine as fodder in a book, causing her to hyper analyse herself. (If I could get my hands on that son of a-)
Cassie with the help of her mentor Matilda invite Dauphine to SECRET and Dauphine recognizing that she wants to make a change accepts. Dauphine is then on a roller coaster ride of self-discovery and sexual adventures. The scenes feels so real, the emotion is almost tangible. I admit to being a little jealous that imaginary Dauphine gets all of these wonderful experiences! She of course is much stronger than she believes and makes a wonderful discovery in her final step. Get it girl! Cassie, despite being the graduate, is struggling. She has no idea how to handle her situation and it doesn't help that she works for the guy. After a brief fling she tries her hand at recruiting and requests the return of a previous man from her ten steps (stepman?). It's refreshing to see that Adeline is not going to push twee happy endings. She shows Cassie's life after SECRET as still having problems, doubts and insecurities. SECRET is not a one stop, boom, you're fixed shop, it's a beginning. How Cassie's life continues you'll have to read to find out but I am definitely anxious for the next book!!!
What I loved most about SECRET shared is that Adeline keeps this strength of discovery and rediscovery in woman's hands and while the steps are often achieved with men it is not the presence of the man that enables the woman's transformation. Adeline is all about power to the women as you can see in one of my favourite quotes in the book:
"The word slut, unless employed by iron-clad feminists or ironically by irony experts, has no business coming out of a woman's mouth, do you hear me? Not when she is describing her own sexual behaviour and especially if she's describing another woman's. It's the kind of word that can scar, Cassie... That word has been used as a weapon against women all around the world, since the beginning of time, to keep us feeling unworthy and separate." (pg. 80/197)
It's the combination of empowerment and fantasy that is the key to SECRET but also to Adeline's novel. It's not just a fiction novel that makes you feel happy it relates to real life issues like female struggles and empowerment, it's not just a fantasy situation in SECRET but how it affects a woman's view of herself in reality. That is the secret to SECRET and the magic of this book.
xxx
George
A HUGE thank you to NetGalley, L. Marie Adeline and Crown Publishing/Broadway Books for the advanced copy!!!
jay_mack9712's review against another edition
5.0
Being taken back into the world of S.E.C.R.E.T and its delicious plot was a joy to read again! Perhaps these are the read in public kind of book ! But hey when its a good book it doesn't matter !! I really enjoyed have two female point of views who were at different stages in their lives and their journey through S.E.C.R.E.T. Once again I read it in one sitting, so that just tells me its a good book!
writerjholland's review against another edition
Read the full review on http://www.talesbetweenthepages.com
I don't regret this being my first erotica read. I read this book very quickly. The premise sucked me in from the get-go. Taking control of your sexuality with a group of women who don't judge, shame, or place limits on your fantasies? That's feminist AF. Also liked: explicit contraception use that proves that putting a condom on doesn't "kill the mood." Especially liked: Cassie has to verbally accept the each step. Nothing is sexier than consent. This is also not a mood killer.
The scenes were well-written and give enough detail to let your mind do the rest. I think I expected each step (steps = fantasies) to be spicier than the last, but Cassie's fantasies were pretty vanilla, and that's okay. I think her fantasies mirror the fantasies of many middle-aged women. I know that sounds like I'm throwing shade, but I'm really not. I'm trying to point out that a lot of women will relate to the character. Maybe I should have just said that to begin with. Lol.
Verdict: Definitely read it. I think it's a good entrance to erotica for beginners (like me) and a good read for seasoned veterans of the genre.
Thanks to Kindle Unlimited, I have access to all sorts of erotica. Since S.E.C.R.E.T. was a little vanilla, I wanted to explore something a little more taboo. I came across Shared while I browsed. I'd heard of Lily Harlem before (on various "read these" erotica listicles I consulted before reading my first book), so I downloaded it. And read it in one sitting.
The premise is convenient. Woman on the run answers too-good-to-be-true ad in the newspaper. Two rich, hard-bodied men share a luxury apartment and need a roommate "to share." I wonder what THAT means. Wink wink.
The thinly veiled plot is just a way to connect the sex scenes together. Which is one legit path that erotica can take. S.E.C.R.E.T. takes the other path---the one where the novel focuses more on the story and character growth than the sex. So basically, Shared is more sex than story. Which is fine. Remember, I read it one sitting. It was two-ish hours of blissful, uninterrupted reading time. If I enjoyed taking baths (gross), I probably would have read this in the bath.
There were some cringe-worthy moments though. Like that the three of them never use protection. Ever. And they just met. Also, there's surprise anal. And she asks him to stop in the middle. And they don't stop. Both of them chime in with something like, "This is for us. Don't you want that?" and then they keep going. No thanks.
Disliked this moment for a few reasons. 1. Anal should never be surprise. They needed to watch this video and this video from Dr. Lindsey Doe's YouTube channel, Sexplanations (I highly recommend the channel for some no fear and no-nonsense sex ed). 2. Stop means stop. It was especially infuriating because they make a big deal out of, "we won't do anything you don't want to do" at the beginning. Then when she actually says stop, they ignore her. Automatic star reduction from me.
Verdict: A solid sex-focused erotica story with a few cringe-worthy problems. Go ahead and read it.This review was originally posted on Tales Between the Pages
Summary of S.E.C.R.E.T.
Cassie Robichaud is thirty-five and widowed. After a life filled with disappointments, her days are dull and gray: she waits tables at a rundown café in New Orleans, and every night she heads home to a one-bedroom apartment alone. But when she discovers a notebook left behind by a mysterious woman, Cassie's world will never be the same. The notebook's shocking and scandalous contents lead her to S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T, an underground society dedicated to helping women realize their wildest, darkest, and most intimate sexual fantasies. The S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T motto: No judgment. No limits. No shame. Cassie soon embarks on a tantalizing and unpredictable erotic journey, completing ten fantasy-steps toward sexual fulfillment--discovering acceptance, courage, surrender, and more--with gorgeous men in rapturous scenarios beyond her imagination. As she is set free from her inhibitions, the satisfaction and bliss she experiences bring her a new confidence that transforms her forever. Equal parts scintillating, liberating, and emotionally powerful, S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T is a world where fantasy becomes reality.
Mini-Review
I don't regret this being my first erotica read. I read this book very quickly. The premise sucked me in from the get-go. Taking control of your sexuality with a group of women who don't judge, shame, or place limits on your fantasies? That's feminist AF. Also liked: explicit contraception use that proves that putting a condom on doesn't "kill the mood." Especially liked: Cassie has to verbally accept the each step. Nothing is sexier than consent. This is also not a mood killer.
The scenes were well-written and give enough detail to let your mind do the rest. I think I expected each step (steps = fantasies) to be spicier than the last, but Cassie's fantasies were pretty vanilla, and that's okay. I think her fantasies mirror the fantasies of many middle-aged women. I know that sounds like I'm throwing shade, but I'm really not. I'm trying to point out that a lot of women will relate to the character. Maybe I should have just said that to begin with. Lol.
Verdict: Definitely read it. I think it's a good entrance to erotica for beginners (like me) and a good read for seasoned veterans of the genre.
Summary of Shared
Struggling artist Ariane Arlington flees the Welsh valleys after exposing her corrupt boss. But when the sun rises she finds herself jobless and homeless in Cardiff city with barely a penny to her name. She responds to an advert in the local paper-Room to let, wanted, girl to share. What she doesn't realize is that the two insanely gorgeous guys who live in the penthouse apartment really do want a girl to share, in every sense of the word. Fortunately for Ariane, rent is the last thing on their minds. She discovers the men are bound together by a turbulent past. Liam, a computer whiz, keeps a painful secret hidden beneath his buff exterior, whilst Quinn, a pioneering neurosurgeon, wonders if he'll ever meet a woman who can live with his controlling ways. They admit the one thing missing from their lives is a woman just like Ariane, who can handle them both in and out of the bedroom and who, together, they can keep satisfied, loved and most of all, safe.
Mini-Review
Thanks to Kindle Unlimited, I have access to all sorts of erotica. Since S.E.C.R.E.T. was a little vanilla, I wanted to explore something a little more taboo. I came across Shared while I browsed. I'd heard of Lily Harlem before (on various "read these" erotica listicles I consulted before reading my first book), so I downloaded it. And read it in one sitting.
The premise is convenient. Woman on the run answers too-good-to-be-true ad in the newspaper. Two rich, hard-bodied men share a luxury apartment and need a roommate "to share." I wonder what THAT means. Wink wink.
The thinly veiled plot is just a way to connect the sex scenes together. Which is one legit path that erotica can take. S.E.C.R.E.T. takes the other path---the one where the novel focuses more on the story and character growth than the sex. So basically, Shared is more sex than story. Which is fine. Remember, I read it one sitting. It was two-ish hours of blissful, uninterrupted reading time. If I enjoyed taking baths (gross), I probably would have read this in the bath.
There were some cringe-worthy moments though. Like that the three of them never use protection. Ever. And they just met. Also, there's surprise anal. And she asks him to stop in the middle. And they don't stop. Both of them chime in with something like, "This is for us. Don't you want that?" and then they keep going. No thanks.
Disliked this moment for a few reasons. 1. Anal should never be surprise. They needed to watch this video and this video from Dr. Lindsey Doe's YouTube channel, Sexplanations (I highly recommend the channel for some no fear and no-nonsense sex ed). 2. Stop means stop. It was especially infuriating because they make a big deal out of, "we won't do anything you don't want to do" at the beginning. Then when she actually says stop, they ignore her. Automatic star reduction from me.
Verdict: A solid sex-focused erotica story with a few cringe-worthy problems. Go ahead and read it.This review was originally posted on Tales Between the Pages
emmaemmaa's review against another edition
3.0
Not even a strong 3 star-rating (keep in mind I gave #1 a solid five stars)
What happened to the amazing writing, story and characters from the first book? Did they all get kidnapped and replaced with something worse?
I loved the first book because how it explored sexuality in a very interesting way, AND THIS BOOK HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND YET FELL SO FLAT!! The whole drama at the end was an amazing opportunity to discuss why there is so much shame reading female sexuality, how come exploring is regarded as "slutty" in woman but normal in men. The "slut" thing was even discussed in the beginning, that could have come back in the end to make an outstanding point but no, no. One man's hurt feeling an opinion got the represent everything and no more discussion.
And also, the characters! They where so much less complex in this book. Pierre did not even feel as a human being to me, he was just the bad guy there to move the book forward.
For the fantasies, they felt pretty much the same as the last book. Just in different places. I'm sure there could have been interesting things to explore, especially since Dauphine did have some issues regarding control in the beginning and then BAM, some sex and all her problems where gone. Umm, okay.
While the first book felt very feministic this one just felt... Meh. To be honest. In the first book we had a character who developed herself BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE DID. Yes, she had help but it was up to her, there where no man that came along and changed her. She took decision with regard to what she felt was best for her and her needs. While in this book we have, as I said, a character with issues disappearing as soon as she get som sex. Oh. And also insta love.
What happened to the amazing writing, story and characters from the first book? Did they all get kidnapped and replaced with something worse?
I loved the first book because how it explored sexuality in a very interesting way, AND THIS BOOK HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND YET FELL SO FLAT!! The whole drama at the end was an amazing opportunity to discuss why there is so much shame reading female sexuality, how come exploring is regarded as "slutty" in woman but normal in men. The "slut" thing was even discussed in the beginning, that could have come back in the end to make an outstanding point but no, no. One man's hurt feeling an opinion got the represent everything and no more discussion.
And also, the characters! They where so much less complex in this book. Pierre did not even feel as a human being to me, he was just the bad guy there to move the book forward.
For the fantasies, they felt pretty much the same as the last book. Just in different places. I'm sure there could have been interesting things to explore, especially since Dauphine did have some issues regarding control in the beginning and then BAM, some sex and all her problems where gone. Umm, okay.
While the first book felt very feministic this one just felt... Meh. To be honest. In the first book we had a character who developed herself BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE DID. Yes, she had help but it was up to her, there where no man that came along and changed her. She took decision with regard to what she felt was best for her and her needs. While in this book we have, as I said, a character with issues disappearing as soon as she get som sex. Oh. And also insta love.
emmaemmaa's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, so this book has really mixed reviews. But this is why I liked it:
- I liked the characters, they felt real and I felt a connection to them
- The plot is unique, at least to me
- I got really drawn in to the book and finished it in about 24 hours
- It's actually about the sex, the sex is not thrown in there "just because", it is crucial to the plot
- THE SEX IS BETWEEN CONSENSUAL ADULTS THAT RESPECT EACH OTHER AND USE PROTECTION
I haven't read that many erotic books, but sex is something we should be able to talk about, it's a part of our society and I believe that this is a book that affects people's sexuality in a positive way. This is an "adult book" for sure. But honestly, for a younger person curious about sex, I'm sure this book is one of the better alternative. At lease if the alternative is googling, porn or asking your friends that know just as little as you. Especially because sex ed in schools is often focused about being safe, pregnancy, STD's and the other more boring parts (but important, don't get me wrong!). But what about the fun parts? Isn't a book like this a fantastic, safe way to explore without any of the risks?
- I liked the characters, they felt real and I felt a connection to them
- The plot is unique, at least to me
- I got really drawn in to the book and finished it in about 24 hours
- It's actually about the sex, the sex is not thrown in there "just because", it is crucial to the plot
- THE SEX IS BETWEEN CONSENSUAL ADULTS THAT RESPECT EACH OTHER AND USE PROTECTION
I haven't read that many erotic books, but sex is something we should be able to talk about, it's a part of our society and I believe that this is a book that affects people's sexuality in a positive way. This is an "adult book" for sure. But honestly, for a younger person curious about sex, I'm sure this book is one of the better alternative. At lease if the alternative is googling, porn or asking your friends that know just as little as you. Especially because sex ed in schools is often focused about being safe, pregnancy, STD's and the other more boring parts (but important, don't get me wrong!). But what about the fun parts? Isn't a book like this a fantastic, safe way to explore without any of the risks?
carmensreading's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great read. I liked Will but if he doesn't except Cassie as she is she shouldn't end up with him but if he ends up accepting her after he has to process everything then that fine. I really like Jesse though but I feel bad for him because he will always be second for Cassie. But he should be first because he accepts all of her but he knew her secret from the start so it's different.
jennegg's review against another edition
3.0
Seriously, WTF?
The ending made me mad and has me doubting that Cassie really loved Will. I'm all for women empowerment ... but banging the pain away is not going to help matters --just saying.
I am enjoying the reads but no, it's not erotica. Not to me.
I am glad Dauphine had a happy ending at least.
This installment was just ok.
The ending made me mad and has me doubting that Cassie really loved Will. I'm all for women empowerment ... but banging the pain away is not going to help matters --just saying.
I am enjoying the reads but no, it's not erotica. Not to me.
I am glad Dauphine had a happy ending at least.
This installment was just ok.
librarianryan's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful sequel to the original. The first chapter was a little odd since it started in the middle of the next lady’s story, but overall, a fully enjoyable read. Admittedly, I had the plot generally pegged from the ending of book one, but that did not stop the joyride of reading book 2.