Simply Sexual [Paperback]

If being a sex slave in a Turkish brothel taught Valentin anything, it was that he could only depend on pleasures of the flesh. In the ten years since he was rescued and returned to England, his craving for sex has only increased. When it is time for him to marry, the daughter of the man that liberated him catches his eye. Having not felt such sexual longing in a while, Valentin is determined to make her his. Thus, for an exorbitant amount of money, Sara Harrison becomes his wife and bed partner. The fact that she is willing astonishes Val, but he also knows that Sara has no idea his true desires. And if he has anything to do with it, she never will.

Sara Harrison can't help herself. Instantly attracted to the man that her father rescued years ago, she knows that as a lady she shouldn't seek him out alone. She catches his eye, and when they come together behind closed doors, she is ecstatic to realize her desires her as well. It's too bad her father doesn't want her to marry him because Sara knows that if she was Val's wife, he would never have cause to turn to another as so many men of the ton do. She wants to be the one to satisfy his wants and his needs. Lucky for her, Val is a rich man and therefore becomes her husband.

Val and Sara embark upon an arranged marriage not unlike the rest of the society in which they live. As much as Val strives to keep his inner sexual demons hidden from Sara, she does her best to be the woman he needs. Val wants their marriage to be SIMPLY SEXUAL; Sara wants their marriage to be a love match - and thus does her best to be the wanton that Valentin craves.

It's a good thing I am reading SIMPLY SEXUAL in the dead of winter because it was hot enough to cause a fire. From the first scene with Valentin and Sara to the last, I blushed, squirmed, and fanned myself from the hotness and pure sensuality of both characters. Sara is exactly the type of heroine Val needs to learn to love, and her patience is above and beyond what a normal woman possesses. Many times I wanted to smack Val's forehead and shake him, but in one single scene with his wife and best friend by his side, I began to see underneath Val's persona to the man he kept hidden. He still needed to heal from his experiences and Sara was the woman to help him.

SIMPLY SEXUAL is not termed as a homoerotic historical but readers should be aware that there are some instances of this type of behavior. Without them, I feel the plot would have fallen short of my expectations and so therefore I can't see SIMPLY SEXUAL being written any other way. That aside, SIMPLY SEXUAL by Kate Pearce is one of the most arousing and enigmatic historical novels I have read this year. I hate that it ended and have since gone back and reread certain scenes. SIMPLY SEXUAL is happily ensconced on my keeper shelf!

Simply Sexual by Kate Pearce begins with Sara Harrison seeing Lord Valentin Sokorvsky having vigorous sex with Daisy, the maid. This is the man who is supposed to ask for Sara's sister's hand in marriage. At first glimpse, he appears to be little more than a world-class cad, but his tragic history as a sex slave in a Turkish brothel explains the facade he hides behind. It has left him sexually insatiable and emotionally detached.

Valentin quickly discovers that Sara is the only one who appeals to him, not her younger sister. She's surprisingly forward for a virgin spinster of that era. She delights him with her straightforward honesty and excites him sexually more than any other woman he has known. Sara's father is finally convinced to allow her, and not her sister, to marry him.

Val is dealing with some painful emotional issues, and is unable to properly reassure Sara when his ex-mistress fills her head with lies. Unsavory shadows from his past have come back to haunt him, and he's understandably disturbed. Sara handles the situation admirably, making me like her character even more. Instead of fretting about it in silence, she confronts him and, even in the face of his dark mood, she manages to do it without being bitchy. That earns mega points from me as a reader.

When suspicion and misunderstandings loom over Sara's head, she'll need to trust Val and convince him to trust her in return, or risk losing him forever.

I adore a good erotic historical, and this one is absolutely wonderful, with intelligent characters, complex emotions and a plot that engaged my emotions to a rare high. This will appeal to anyone who likes an emotionally tortured hero who finds peace because of his wife's unconditional love. Very highly recommended.

5 Kisses, Recommended Read, Reviewer's Choice Award, 2 Peppers ([...])

~Lindy
Reviewer, TwoLips Reviews, LLC
www.TwoLipsReviews.com

Valentin Sokorvsky is a man fighting his inner demons. Kidnapped as a boy and sold to a Turkish brothel, he was forced to become a sex slave. Rescued as a young man and returned to his native England, Valentin is haunted by his troubled past. He compensates by becoming a master of trade and enriching himself, much to his family's embarrassment. When he decides to take a wife, he choses Sara Harrison, the daugher of the man who rescued him.

Sara Harrison has long given up on love, but when she meets Valentin he awakens the deep sexual longing she has been repressing. Sara and Valentin marry, and for awhile, all goes well. Until she senses her husband is hiding something from her. More than eager to appease her husband's insatiable sexual appetite and yearning to discover more about the man she is falling in love with, Sara embarks on a sexual journey with her husband, determined to uncover the mystery behind him.

What I liked best about this book (besides of course the very steamy sex scenes!) is the wonderful romance that Ms. Pearce tells. Both Valentin and Sara are fully developed characters that the reader will grow to love and root for.

Simply Sexual is historical erotica at its best. The fast pace, hot love scenes and the more than satisfying ending make this a not-to-be-missed read!

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