Love Slave

Rating:
Summary: Definitely erotica at its fullest.....
Review: Choosing a rating for this book is very difficult because I don't want to scare anyone away with only 3 stars, BUT BE WARNED, this story is NOT for everyone. Beatrice Small has always been extremely graphic in her stories, and if you don't like highly detailed erotic scenes, stay away from this story.

Thus saying, the attention to detail, sights, smells, feelings, and tastes, that Ms. Small is known for in her earlier stories, are all here in The Love Slave. Regan is a no-nonsense woman who takes what could be an extremely bleak future, and molds it into something, if not desireable for everyone, then atleast sucessful. I found it much more realistic to see how her character progresses, even having to take the lovers she must in order to be more than just someone's whore in the white gold trade. Some might see her as prostituting herself (and thus be turned off), but Ms. Small tries very hard to disuade us of thinking of Regan in that light. It is the more practical I-will-do-whatever-I-have-to-to-survive light that is striving to surface here.

Regan and Karim are both interesting characters to get to know, and to empathise with, as the story unfolds. By the end of the story, the plot seems to turn a little too pat with first the one, and then the other needing each other to pull them out of a depression, but we can work around that. In a time when you can't simply buck the system or win all the time, this story might pull at our democratic ideals of the freedom to chose to live our lives as we see fit, but it makes it all that more realistic in my eyes. I enjoyed this story, but as I warned above, stay clear if you don't like VERY graphic sex.

Rating:
Summary: frustrating!
Review: Dear readers, this book was so frustrating to read! Every time I would overcome my initial shock at some turn of event or distressing scene, something else would catch me off guard with it's horrifying outcome. When I finally excepted the fact that Karim gave Zaynab to the Caliph, and was actually hoping that she would find happiness with the man until she reunited with Karim, He gave her away to another man to be used like she was chop liver! By the time she got back together with Karim she was used, debauched and jaded. I didn't understand why he even wanted her back. Another scene that was very distressful and unnecessary was when her baby with the Caliph, died. How does one have a happy ending with something that dreadful happening. Having said that, the beginning of the book was very enjoyable. The relationship with her and Karim was very sexy. I dont't mind Bertrice Small's unconventional sex scenes. I actually think they are much better than your average romance novels, and I find them very sexy. I really don't care for the various amount of lovers that the heroines seems to have in her books. I also don't like it when the heroine falls in love with anyone else but the hero. So, will I read anymore of this authors books? I really don't know. Maybe I should just reread all of my Susan Johnson's books If I want steamy sex scenes that are more daring and pushes the limit.

Rating:
Summary: Great, Engrossing Story
Review: I almost didn't try this one because I get tired of the overdone woman imprisoned in a harem storyline. But Bertrice Small makes it work with her great writing style and attention to detail. She does a fabulous job of describing the life and customs of the muslim culture that I felt like I was right there. She does a good job of balancing the history and way of life back then with the romance. The Love Slave is definitely intended as a sort of erotic romance, but Small skillfully weaves a story with these scenes. I hate when authors get so wrapped up in writing sex scenes that they forget that they actually need to write some kind of story also.

The only problem I had with The Love Slave is some of the descriptive words used when writing some of the love scenes. Words like "love pillar," "mound of venus," and "love juices" are unnecessary and ruin the erotic moment they are supposed to be.

Other than that, this was a great book. It's my first story by Bertrice Small, and I intend to read more by her.

Rating:
Summary: Very good book.
Review: I must admit that I didn't like this book so much for the romance (don't get me wrong, there's romance) as I did for the SIZZLING love scenes. Boy, I thought I was in a sauna! BEWARE, this book is not for the faint hearted. There are some serious sex scenes in this book.



Rating:
Summary: Tooooo emotional and not in a good way!!!!
Review: I read and rated another of Small's book and didn't like it. I had just started The Love Slave and all was going well at that moment. After I finish my other rating I ended up staying up all night and finished this book. I KNOW that I will never read any of Small's books again. There was no need for that much emotion and I mean VERY sad and upsetting emotion. Granted, Small does know how to write erotic sex scenes but that's it. I found myself not at all liking her stories.

Rating:
Summary: BEST BEATRICE SMALL BOOK EVER
Review: LOVE SLAVE IS MY NUMBER ONE FAVORITE BEATRICE SMALL BOOK!

FROM THE BEGINNING, THE ACTION IS FAST AND ONE FINDS IMMEDIATE EMPATHY WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER.

I HAVE GIVEN THIS BOOK TO SEVERAL FRIENDS AND THEY ALL SAID THEY COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

I ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE UNIQUE SITUATIONS FACED BY THE MAIN CHARACTER AND TO WHAT SMALL DOES BEST- PUT A WOMEN IN A SITUATION WHERE SHE IS HELPLESS AND HELP HER STRUGGLE HER WAY OUT AND FIND LOVE. THIS BOOK DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.

MY FAVORITE SCENE IS IN WHICH THE MAIN CHARACTER IS KIDNAPPED FOR THE SECOND TIME AND MUST TALK HER WAY OUT OF BEING RAPED BY THE INFIDELS.
GREAT ACTION!

Rating:
Summary: Frustrating, emotional and sensual!
Review: The frustrating part for me was that Zaynab appeared to truly fall in love with Karim the Passion Master. After knowing no love at all in the first 15 years of her life Karim comes into her world and sweeps her away with such a depth of passion that it sizzles right off the page. I realize that they both had their honor and had to do what was expected of them. She had to leave Karim for the Caliph - HOWEVER it seemed that Zaynab dealt with this much better and easier than Karim did. She too easily accepted the love and world of the Caliph and this was frustrating. It seemed Karim was much less adapting to a world without his Zaynab. The emotional story of Zaynab and Karim was beautiful and so very sensual - I loved them together! What was even more upsetting for me was when the Caliph gave her to his assistant (can't remember his name) and Zaynab felt the need to be a true love slave to him - he was even a virgin so she had lots to teach him. Since she supposedly still loved Karim this was a little hard for me to understand. I guess she took her role as she was trained for very seriously. Yes, I did believe that she truly loved Karim and finally when she looses her child and totally breaks down and realizes she has nothing she appears to finally be a real person and not just this love machine. The part with Karim and the devastation of his entire family was really really sad. There was something truly wonderful about his family and to realize this wonderful sensuous man lost so very much really upset me. The reuniting of Karim and Zaynab was wonderful but it should have gone on for much longer - we could have used one more terrific LOVE scene between this couple at the end when they are finally a true couple at last!

Rating:
Summary: BEST BEATRICE SMALL BOOK EVER
Review: this book was really touching! it is the moving story about a girl who never got the chance of experiencing love and belonging during the most vulnerable years of her life. when she finally finds love it is for a steep price! it is not hers for the taking!the story takes different turns and our heroine faces more than her share of challenges....but ultimately true and pure love prevails in the end.regan and karim are united forever! if you are a sensitive reader with a lot of empathy ,,,this book is for you!

Rating:
Summary: Good but...cliffhanging!
Review: This is one of my favorite books from Bertrice Small -- I've read practically everything she's written. She got a lot of things right with TLS: the strong bond shared by twins, dysfunctional family life, exotic locales, eroticism, soul mates, and the enduring power of a love that cannot be dissolved.

But the absolutely frustrating thing is that we never learn whether or not Sorcha MacDuff's well-thought-out plans of vengeance ever come to full fruition. Regan/Zaynab is whisked out of Scotland, and we never again see this land or any of the Scottish characters. What I don't understand is why Regan/Zaynab didn't return to her homeland years later to visit her sister and find out whether or not their mother's hoped-for revenge ever materialized.

The most heartwarming aspect of the book is the reunion of Regan/Zaynab and Karim against the most impossible of odds.