This was a series that started out really good in the begining but slowly went downhill from there. I started to feel like the author was writing sex, not romance. The characters had no chemistry and just seem to be thrown together to keep the series moving along. I have to admit that I am looking forward to the 5th book since the hero, who is appears in this book, seems to be a nasty piece of work. Marguerite Lockwood, daughter of the infamous owner of Madame Helene's House of Pleasure is now a recluse and a widow. Anthony Sokorvsky was raped years before and now gets his pleasure on the dark side with sexual punishment and pain, usually at the hands of Lord Minshom. Determined to change and leave the sexual violence behind him, he leaves Minshom and the world of bondage and dominance. When he is asked to act as social escort to Marguerite, he sees it as a distraction from a lifestyle that is destroying him. Marguerite misses her husband who was killed in a duel and has no intention of re-entering society, until her brother introduces her to the handsome and dark Anthony Sokorvsky. Minshom wont be disgarded by anyone and wants Anthony back. Anthony and Marguerite vow to be friends but lust soon rears its head followed by love. I kinda felt sorry for Anthony that he felt nobody had any confidence in him and he was worthless, he was so lonely even when surrounded by people. I read a book with the Dom/Sub theme a while back and found it disturbing as the Dom/Sub was more about complete control rather than just sexual dominance. This book is much better done, the Dom/Sub is kept sexually .I felt the submission with Minshom was like a kind of addiction for Anthony? When David Gray was in the room at the end with the H/H, just like in book 3 he left the bloody room again! I nearly wept, I so wanted him to stay. Weirdly enough I loved Minshom, He was arrogant, selfish, and a dark evil sadist and made no excuses or apologys for it. I loved when he was trying to punish Anthony and Marg and stormed out cause he thought they were pathetic and beyond help. LOL, brilliant. Great characters with Hot steamy sex but as usual not for the fainthearted. Im hooked to this series now and cant wait to read Mad Minshom next.
What do You think about Simply Wicked (House Of Pleasure, #4) (2000)?
Whatever it is I'm not satisfied with the end.
—Zohura
