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Sex Rites by Brandon Fox |
Rating: ***1/2
Review by Meg
Note: This book is part of a series including Apprenticed to Pleasure and Conjuring the Flesh. I have only read this one--so far.
The cover and title of this book are a little misleading. Yes, the book is about explicit sex, and there is lots of it, but until you read it you are under the impression that is hot, crazy sex maybe with some ritualistic sacrifice and s&m. On the contrary this is a book about gentle, caring, loving sex between sometimes several men at once. The characters are the usual romantic archetypes and the story is pure fantasy, but it has a warmth that makes it soooo delicious. This is a book that is like your favorite dessert, say a hot fudge sundae with nuts and whipped cream and cherries served up to you in a crystal glass. Then someone adds a dash of flaming cherry brandy and the world is suddenly all young and very cuddly.
There is a plot. The good guys are magical and their magic lies in their tantric like approach to sex. They run away from the evil king's henchmen and end up in a magic labyrinth of a cave with secrets to be uncovered that will enhance their abilities to do good and bring love to the world. The plot works along at it's own pace; I never felt like the writer was hurrying the plot to get to the sex scenes. He manages to both tell an tale and turn you on at the same time.
One word of advice. Read the sexy parts s...l...o...w...l...y. There are often several people having sex together and you will get all their body parts mixed up if you get excited and try to read too fast. Not that it isn't fun to go back and read them over again, it's just that I found it nice to know who was doing what to who, who was on top, to the side, on the bottom, upside down, right side up, etc.
This is a nice read in front of the fireplace on a winter's evening, or in the tub anytime--with lots of candles and incense.
Note to writers: This book as part of it's caring approach, emphasizes lubrication. There are some wonderful examples of its use as part of foreplay.
