Rating: 
Summary: HOT Stuff
Review: Merry Vance was something of a hellion, spoiled, with a mind of her own. Being the daughter of a powerful Duke she was also expected to obey and marry. Determined that she would not lose control of her destiny to a mere husband not of her own choosing she would take matters into her own hands - she would do something so scandalous as to ruin herself in the eyes of the ton. Having met the scandalous and most sought after artist Nicolas Craven who just happened to have rescued her form being accosted one night, she thought he might be just what she needed. He thought her a servant, and as such, offered her his card wishing she would come and model for him. Working out an elaborate ruse with her best friend so that her family thought she was away in Scotland, she approached Nicolas as the servant he thought her to be, saying she had just been tossed from her position. Nicolas was not immune to a woman's charms - he'd had several models and affairs, none ever lasting longer than a month or so or until the painting was done - quite a lover but never in love. Divine sexual satisfaction would be all they would get from him - but nothing more. Merry knew this, but the feelings he stirred in her were also something she would have no control over - and for that matter, she had no intention of ever marrying anyhow so... The nude painting of her was done, the centerpiece of Nicolas' exhibition. Merry's original intent was to scandalize herself in the eyes of the ton but when it came right down to it she was a coward to face her parents. She ran again, still not telling Nicolas who she was, she took him up on an offer to see Venice. Her brothers finally caught up with her and dragged her home. Leaving Nicolas feeling bitter and betrayed. Both Nicolas and Merry had secrets they hid from one another - their true identities were one, Nicolas' son another, as well as the love they both began to feel towards one another. They both gained from the relationship as well, Merry, finally realizing that she was beautiful when seen through Nicolas' eyes, and Nicolas, opening up to finally tell her the truth about his son and, knowing he loved her, the strength to admit who he truly was and to try to live up to be the person Merry deserved. I really liked this story. I love the fact that both of these people grew so much. It took a bitter parting and time, but they needed the time to discover hidden strengths within themselves. The sex in this story was really, really hot - more so I think than the first novel - but tastefully done. It was a very good story, again, not for the faint hearted but one I would definitely recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: Beyond the Norm
Review: Merry Vance, daughter of the Duke of Monmouth, is being forced to marry against her will. Then she realizes a way out: she offers to pose for talented artist and notorious rake Nicholas Craven. No gentleman would ever take to wife a female who has posed nude!
Merry makes it clear to Nic that she will only pose for him; she is not offering any other services. Nevertheless, the flames of desire smoulder between the two from the very beginning. Merry knows that Nic rarely keeps a woman for long and has no heart to give, but she can't help but taste the luscious forbidden fruit.
BEYOND SEDUCTION lives up to its title by going beyond the norm for romance. It's the most wicked and daring romances I've read in a long time. Ms. Holly's style is not one of milk-and-water-miss euphemism,but seriously earthy erotica. As steamy and hot as it gets, however, the characters are never overshadowed by the lusty scenes -- the reader feels for Merry and her plight, and sees to the depths of Nic's artist's soul. Twists and turns of both plot and pulchritude make BEYOND SEDUCTION a standout.
Kimberly Borrowdale, Under the Covers Book Reviews
Rating:
Summary: My new favorite romance author
Review: Everything about this novel was great, from the characters to the descriptive settings (I could see Venice!) to the intense romance and erotica - this is exactly the kind of romance novel I've been looking for, for decades. Loved it!! If you want explicit, steamy, inspiring romance than this is definitely for you.
Rating:
Summary: This is a Very Erotic Story
Review: I read Beyond Innocence when it first came out and waited with bated breath for the next Emma Holly book. This is a much better sotry than the first book. I think that Ms Holly was found her writer's voice for regency erotica. This another story of an emotionally scared Hero and Heroine. Neither feel comfortable in society. Merry has always been ridiculed because she is not the beauty that her mother is. Her Mother is trying to force into marriage because she is being blackmailed. Merry doesn't love the young man her mother is forcing on her, so she comes up with a scheme to ruin herself. Enter Nic Craven, a man scared by the deeds of his father. He can not forgive his past and lives in the shadows of society. He nevers wants to love as it is too painful. When Merry is attack one evening on the streets of London, Nic saves her and is instantly attracted to her. Merry sees this as her opportunity to ruin herself. She agrees to live with Nic while he paints her portrait. Ms Holly writes a story of redemption and the power of true love to over the obstacles of betrayal and deception. A definite recommend
Rating:
Summary: Beyond Seduction
Review: This is a very sexy read. The hero is a hunk. I also thought Merry was a strong woman and didn'd let men push her around. She also walked away from him and went out on her own knowing she was ruined. I won't tell the ending and spoil it for someone else. Just be sure it's a must read.
'
Rating: 
Summary: There's a fine line between erotica and porn...
Review: and this book is teetering on the fence. I enjoyed Ms. Holly's first novel Beyond Innocence, so I was very much looking forward to reading this book. I was sympathetic to Merry Vance's plight in the first book...unrequited love...but her plunge into the hedonistic world of Nic Craven actually disappointed and disgusted me. I too was rather appalled at the homo-erotic aspects of Nic's relationship with Sebastien and actually felt a little repelled by Nic as a hero. I also found all the modern sex talk jarring, since this novel was set smack in the middle of the Victorian era. I just don't think men said the "f-word" all that often back then, and surely "ladies" never said it at all. However, if you like nasty, this is the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Really turned off by Nicolas' past same sex encounter
Review: I was really enjoying this book until it was disclosed that Nicolas had been intimate with Sebastian. It just left me wondering is he bisexual? I am just not into same sex encounters in my romance novels. I love my romance novels steamy and erotic but please don't leave my guessing as to the hero/heroines sexual orientation. And if it was just experimentation at a younger age it still bothers me-I just don't want to read about it. Now Robin Schone's "Gabriels Women" kind of deals with this too but it was done in a way(hero was forced at a young age to be a prostitute)that you KNEW he was forced by circumstances. I found that much more understandable. Beyond Sedection was nicely written and I loved the heroin but much preferred her earlier book Beyond Innocence. This book also dealt with same sex somewhat but it was NOT with the main characters and merely showed an example of tolerance and acceptance. Acceptance is great but I don't want my hero/herion to be anything but strictly heterosexual. If you feel this way too you may want to skip this one and try her earlier "Beyond Innocence".
Rating:
Summary: YOU GO, GIRL!
Review: Emma Holly writes a good story and peppers it with sizzling sex. One of the best touches in this book was how Holly portrayed Merry Vance's flawed mother. No neat happy ending there. In fact, most of the secondary characters were flawed, even the ones we were supposed to care about. Refreshing.
Rating:
Summary: I dare you to skip a page!
Review: If you believe people buy Playboy for the articles, then you'll be happy to learn that Emma Holly provides some excellent literary excuses to enjoy "Beyond Seduction." The characters are finely developed. The plot is just believable enough so that you don't feel like an idiot. In hero Nic, Holly has managed to create a multi-dimensional male who actually likes women, but mutates at the right moments into the "dominant male" we secretly want starring in our politically incorrect, fantasy sex scenes. Like Robin Schone, Holly is not afraid to push some boundaries here. We get more than a hint that Nic's sexual history has been, shall we say, well rounded. (He's an artist, so it's okay, right?) But unlike the angst-ridden antihero of Gabriel's Woman (as much as I loved the sex scenes, i wanted to slap Gabriel and tell him to get over himself) Nic is fully accepting of his sexuality, spends zero time agonizing over his past experiments and current urges, and leaves little doubt that he prefers girls - especially the one he's with right now. So if you read Gabriel's Woman feeling slightly left out on behalf of females, and thinking you'd have to grow a male organ to get this guy's full attention, you won't have that problem with this book. Holly gets an A this time for steamy sex scenes, a likeable heroine, and a loveable hero whose moods go beyond the usual "brooding" and "sardonic."
Rating:
Summary: Sinfully delicious.
Review: Ooooh. So hot it burnt my fingers. Erotica in the best sort of way. Can highly recommend The Color of Revenge. Written in same genre but only in present day.
| 
