Most helpful customer reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply Awesome, Aug 14 2009
Lauren Dane did it again! Laid Bare just was released Aug 4th and I was sure to order it right away because I just love her writing and the characters she creates.
Okay enough pimpage on Lauren Dane the author and let me talk about her book Laid Bare. I love Rock Music and in this book the main female character, Erin Brown, is a rock star. This book features a lot of music and you really get the musician vibe. The book starts out when she is just young (24) and just beginning. The book jumps forward 10 years after solidifying the essence of the plot. She is uber cool, confident, has gorgeous tattoos and is an amazing bass guitarist. We are also introduced to the main male character, Todd Keenan at the beginning of the book. They are neighbours and they are crazy about each other. On the outside they appear very different. Her rock star image to his clean cut police officer. They break up as Todd can't admit to who he really is inside and she refuses to allow herself to apologize for who she is.
Todd has this image in his head of a good cop, pretty wife, 2.5 kids and the white picket fence thing.
10 years later, she has left the public view of the music industry and Todd is divorced from the woman that matched his criteria. They meet back up and are immediately drawn to each other. Now Todd is confident with who he is but Erin has changed. Something incredibly awful has happened to Erin and the main reason she left the public eye.
What I really liked about this story is that the couple got together almost right away and the involvement of the book was their growing together to overcome the nightmare that happened to Erin.
The book took a surprising twist as a third male came into the story. Ben Copeland is Todd's best friend and is a long time childhood buddy. He is now Todd's business partner in their security firm because Todd left the police force. Slowly but surely Ben becomes involved with them as a triage and the love that the three share is heart warming. I swear! It's not like sex sex sex and a there, we have a threesome.
I love how Lauren uses sex to enhance the story. If you looking for a dripping wet sex book on ménage, then this is not the book. Yes there are hot ménages, but they are meaningful, loving and even there is some fun. I love that Lauren even inserts arguements.
The book deals with alot of issues. Relationships, dominance/submissive, self esteem, family, sexuality, death, grief, fame, communication, sex...the list goes on because it is all here.
Warning: light BDSM, sex, ménage between M/F/M but it does have some light M/M
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN AMAZING LOVE STORY WITH UNEXPECTED DESIRES, Oct 23 2009
Oh how I loved this one. LAID BARE it's one of the best erotica books I've read; encompassing the perfect mix of raw sexuality along with tenderness, growth and understanding. There is also a beautiful love story here that eventually involves 3 people and Lauren Dane has done a wonderful job of exploring the boundaries and complexities involved in an M/M/F relationship. Bondage and the Dom/sub lifestyle are also explored but always done here with love and respect, which I appreciated.
This story grabbed me from page 1 as we are introduced to wild child Erin. She's beautifully written as the tattooed and dreadlocked singer from an emerging Indie band. Erin makes no apologies for what and who she desires and she desires her neighbour, the straight-laced, country music lovin cop Todd. Todd in turn is attracted to Erin but doesn't foresee a future as they are just so different in fact he doesn't even want his cop buddies to see him with her. She also brings out his darker, kinkier side which scares the hell out of him, enough so that he eventually ends the relationship and marries a `good girl' Erin in the meantime becomes a full blown rock star, popular with the MTV crowd because of her ever-changing appearance and wild antics.
10 years later the now divorced Todd enters a coffee shop only to find Erin behind the counter. She's changed, no longer the carefree rocker chick he once knew (although she does have pink hair) Something's happened to her on the rise to fame, something so terrible it's stolen her spirit and almost killed her. They can't fight the fact that they still have feelings for each other though and with Todd now willing to embrace his alternative needs they fall in love.
Even though Erin is strong willed she still likes to be dominated in the bedroom. And as their relationship grows we get some very intense love scenes as they take things to new and exciting levels. When exhibitionism enters the mix its only a matter of time before Ben, Todd's sexy best friend and new business partner gets involved in the scene and then WOW do things ever heat up. I'm not usually one for the ménage but this worked for me, the perfect combination of alpha male exploration and sensitivity. Ben is bisexual whereas Todd's never even considered taking a man into his bed until Ben offered. Still Todd loves his best friend and is willing to just see where things go. He's a bit shy so when they share their first kiss, sigh it's pretty hot. Initially I felt kind of uncomfortable when Ben got it on with Erin, it felt like they were cheating even though Todd was right there with them. I credit this to this to writing because I was so wrapped up in the characters and what they were feeling that I didn`t want anyone to get hurt. As the passion and love the trio shares begins to transform and mend Erin the evil from her past comes back to haunt them. Will they be strong enough to get through it?
If you're a fan of erotica then I highly recommend this. I can honestly say that I've never been quite this turned on by a book and there was the added bonus of a great storyline too. COMING UNDONE the sequel to LAID BARE is due to be released in Jan 2010. I'm interested to see which of her sexy secondary characters Lauren Dane chooses for this follow up . Cheers.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies, Aug 26 2009
Erin Brown makes no apologies for her wild, rocker appearance or her devil may care attitude. She loves making music and the magical feeling she gets just by stepping onto a stage. If the group never makes it beyond small, local rock clubs she'd still be happy. She's free-spirited with a love for life and a passion for neighbor Todd that can't be denied.
Todd Keenan is equally attracted to Erin but she's not even remotely the type of woman he'd normally go for - besides they're worlds apart. He's a cop and likes country music; she's a rocker with tattoos. He has no doubt the sex between them would be explosive but doesn't believe they have anything more substantial that could bring them together.
Erin and Todd come together with a passion so intense that it seems like nothing could come between them. However, their differences prove to be too much to overcome and they go their separate ways and travel down different life paths.
It's been ten years since Erin and Todd last saw each other and he's forced to admit that he made a mistake breaking things off with Erin. The feelings between them are as strong as ever but Erin's suffered a personal tragedy and has erected a self protective barrier to protect herself from more heartache. Todd is determined to win Erin's trust - along with her heart, but is he prepared for everything that being with Erin will entail? Erin's never been one to live life according to what society deems acceptable so her Dom/sub relationship with Todd doesn't faze her a bit. However, when Todd's best friend, Ben, is welcomed into their bed they embark on a relationship which none of them is willing to attempt to define but all find mutually satisfying.
Lauren Dane's LAID BARE is a uniquely satisfying read that touches the reader's heart through the characters plights. Erin's appearance is outlandish but that's definitely part of her charm. Todd is your typical clean cut man who's trying to fit into what's expected of him, but he enjoys being dominant with his sexual partner and isn't comfortable with this side of himself at first. Erin's tragedy broke my heart and left me with tears in my eyes but at the same time you can see the strength and determination that she possesses. What I especially love about LAID BARE is how Ms. Dane brings each character to life with distinctive personalities and problems yet she's able to mesh them so that you can care about them as individuals. LAID BARE is a fantastic read on many different levels but it's the way the story speaks to your heart that cements it as a `must read' title.
COMING UNDONE, the sequel to LAID BARE, is due for release in January 2010. I can hardly wait to find out what happens next and which characters will be involved. I have to confess I adored them all but I'm really hoping for a story for Brody, Erin's older brother and a tattoo artist, and his on-again-off-again girlfriend Raven.
Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)
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