Here’s an example of a cover that’s subtle, yet it’s only subtle in a way that hitting somebody with a bat, then kicking them repeatedly in the face while they’re down, is subtle. I really like this cover, ’cause it doesn’t mess around, and yet there’s something really coy about it. I actually can’t wait to read this book, because… LOOK, there are 3 men waiting for her! I’ve read about menage a trois, but never about a menage a quatre! I sure would like to read about some polyamory action that’s just about the sexin’ and not because the heroine is just “building [her] power base,” Anita Blake! I’m a little concerned about Heather’s age, though. How old do you kids think she is? Her ass is perky like an 18 year old’s… but… Good Goddess, I hope Heather is at least 18. Also, I hope Heather’s gift is that she can on three dudes at the same time. I do believe they call that maneuver “air tight”. ‘Cause you know, one dude in the front, one dude in the back, and one dude… oh, look it up, whores! How much would it suck if Heather’s actual gift is a blistering, virulent form of syphchlamypampillogonorherpes? Oh, and wouldn’t it be funny if Heather’s gift was… oh, you know, a penis?
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August 1, 2006 at 10:35 am
OK, that IS chick porn! But, in a good way.
August 1, 2006 at 11:11 am
Maybe her gift is the three men in the background. She’s a virgin but her crazy rich aunt wants to help her change that so she sends over an assortment of studs the same way somebody else might send over a box of chocolates. Then sweet virginal Heather gets to try them all, uh, on for size. lol. Yup, sounds like an EC novel to me. And I should know, I written several of them, although none quite this blatant.
Evangeline
August 1, 2006 at 11:54 am
It is 3 brothers taking on their youngest brother’s girl, with the permission of the 2 future sister-in-laws. Kinda sick, but the scenes are pretty hawt.
This cover is better than the original on EC, though.
August 1, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Um, Eww, is that really what it’s about? Is there any reason for this kind of fling with the future in-laws? And don’t say hawt sex is it’s own reason–it’s not. I never wrie a menage a trois without a good reason behind it. ‘Let’s all have sex for the hell of it’ is the worst plot ever and should be strictly relegated to Penthouse Letters, IMO.
Evangeline
August 1, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Dude, all of the guys are grabbing their crotches like, “EEEEEEE!” Why? What did homegirl expose? Does she have a bad case of vagina dentata? THE WORLD MUST KNOW.
August 1, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Oh gawd, run away! Run away!!!!
Here’s my Heather’s Gift snark: http://riley-merrick.livejournal.com/3687.html.
I love reading your cover critiques!
August 1, 2006 at 3:08 pm
I think this Lora Leigh cover and the one before it were the old (original) EC covers, not the latest, because they don’t have the Ellora’s Cave Presents title/branding bar at the top of the cover.
I haven’t read this one but I do recall that the brothers share their lovers with each other. It was a little too close to incest for me but I understand the series was intense and well received.
August 1, 2006 at 3:23 pm
EWWWWW….I’m having a problem with the premise mentioned by anon. Menage a trois? Yes, please! Menage a quatre? Sure! Menage a quatre with my future brother-in-laws?
**RETCHING**
Sorry. Had to clean the bile off the keyboard. Hubby has three brothers and just the thought…ACK!
August 1, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Okay, call me sick but I love the cover — although I agree she looks barely legal (nobody over 25 has an ass like that!) — and I have no problem with the plot.
Lookit, if people can read about shapeshifters with barbed tallywackers, I see no issue (pronounced: iss-yoo) with some bros who know how to share.
August 1, 2006 at 4:30 pm
I’ve read these books and even a big ole freak like me was revolted (a little bit). All of the women involved with these brothers need to have “the gift”. This is some freaky shit. In the first story, Marly’s Choice, the brothers raised Marly from her childhood. It’s really creepy when she insists that she wants to be with him and because they share, his brothers too. The very men who raised her. In Sarah’s Seduction the “hero” gave his girlfriend a bag with a razor, shaving cream, a douche, an enema kit, and a butt plug in it. You can take it from there, I guess.
The brothers are so fucked up and tormented because they were forced into incest with each other growing up and it damaged their relationship. Supposedly sharing women is the only way that they can repair that damage or express their love for each other. I know. It’s the most fucked up excuse for freaky sex EVER. Having said all this, the sex is smokin’ hot.
August 1, 2006 at 6:32 pm
Barbara B., I totally agree with everything you said, from freaky shit to smoking hot sex. These books were my first try at “Erotic Romance.” I was so horrified, yet titilated, that my head nearly exploded from confusion. Could I call myself a feminist anymore? I thought there were many things wrong with this book (and all her others), but I’ve read a bunch of them b/c of the sex scenes basically.
I love how they are just standing there, hands crossed…just waiting for the creepfest to begin. It’s kinda foreboding.
Oh, and the guy from “Sarah’s Seduction” was the nicest of the three, LOL.
August 1, 2006 at 8:06 pm
…so she sends over an assortment of studs the same way somebody else might send over a box of chocolates…
Evangeline, this made me giggle insanely, mainly because the first thing I do with a box of chocolates is take a little taste of each one to find out what flavor filling is inside.
That said, the actual content sounds squicky. The cover is rather intriguing, but I’d hate to open a book expecting a “box of chocolates” assortment plotline and find a big ol’ box of Wife-Swapping Incest instead.
August 1, 2006 at 8:26 pm
Devon, that’s exactly how I felt reading the stories; horrified yet titillated. I felt uneasy and a little defiled for several days after reading the stories but I can’t resist the sex scenes in them, either. The stories are revolting and degrading to women yet strangely arousing at the same time. I feel very much unlike myself even writing such a thing.
August 1, 2006 at 11:33 pm
Add me to the list of horrified yet titillated. I’ve read them and to be fair the women weren’t exactly thrilled about their men sharing their sister’s in law. But they knew the men were damaged and it was the only way they could “heal.”
It was definitely squicky though, reading about this insatiable “need” the men had to share. It’s definitely a strange feeling to have: being disgusted and intrigued at the same time.
August 2, 2006 at 5:27 am
Oh wait, I didn’t recognize the name at first but you know what? Marley’s Choice was one of the first on-line erotic romances *I* ever read too! I actually owe Lora Leigh a debt of gratitude because that book made me think ‘Hey, I could write that!’ and want to become an Ellora’s Cave author.
My only problem with Marley’s Choice was that they kept alluding to some horrible childhood incident the brothers had gone through but whatever it was wasn’t ever fully explained. Was it that they were forced into incest? Do further books do more than hint at it? I don’t know cause I only read the one book.
And Devon, glad you liked the box of chocolates idea. I poke them to see what fillings are inside too. In this case, mostly cream fillings one would suspect. lol
Evangeline
August 2, 2006 at 5:36 am
If they are brothers, how come one of them looks like he is spotlit from above. Is he the special one?
It’s a shame they aren’t the gift to her, but the quilt thing she’s not wearing is clearly meant to be her unwrapping herself like a pressie…
August 2, 2006 at 6:08 am
Spikedru,
This is off the subject but I love your Firefly pic. Mal is so hot…mmmmm. ; D Evangeline
August 2, 2006 at 7:17 am
I feel the same way about this particular series — ewww — squicked out is a good way to put it.
On the other hand, I like the Breed books. The hero is always so *devoted* to the heroine and totally monogamous once they’ve bonded. And the sex scenes are hot. LOL
August 2, 2006 at 9:06 am
I read all four in the series and all in all liked it. It is cheese and I can’t see how it can be taken seriously.
I was happy they all went back to their corners at the end of book four. Didn’t like how they showed up in uh crap what is it called? Nauti Bayu? whatever it was the one samhain put out then pulled when B Heat bought it.
I guess you have to nod to yourself when you start to reuse your own ideas.
August 5, 2006 at 1:37 am
sybil , I too read Nauti Boy and thought it was cheesy that the brothers showed up in that book.
If I recall correctly, Nauti Boy centers around 3 friends (or cousins?) who guess what? Like to share. And I believe the August men (Marly’s Choice series) are the Nauti Boys’ COUSINS. I guess sharing runs in the family…
But hey, I still read it.
August 7, 2006 at 2:14 pm
Maybe they all suffered the same kind of child abuse.
August 31, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Hey hey hey Nauti Bouy was awesome!! LOL and except for some touching he didn’t share – couldn’t. As an avid Lora Leigh fan I must defend the August Brothers series as very intense and very hot.
*looking for cover*