Thursday, August 28, 2008

MY PREROGATIVE, Sasha White's latest - check out the contest!

Wow! This was my reaction upon finishing Sasha White's MY PREROGATIVE. Sasha is very much aware that I’m not quite on board with BDSM, but she seems to appreciate that I’m able to look beyond the physical and see the glimpses that she never fails to provide, deep into the hearts and souls of her often-tortured characters. My only complaint about this book? Sasha’s heroine (as I pointed out to her a while ago) shares the name of my 18 year old daughter. Yes, her very sexually active and sexually adventuresome heroine’s name is Kelsey. I swear it’s enough to give a mother a nervous tick.

A blurb:
She does what she likes……and what she likes is absolutely wicked.
Kelsey Howard is happy with the single life. She has great friends, a fun job tending bar, and a nice apartment. Not to mention the freedom to enjoy a few wild sex games with strangers—the riskier the better. But what she’s really looking for in the darkness is love.
Then Kelsey realizes she’s got an anonymous stranger watching her every move—and every move she makes is arousing them both. In fact, not only is she not scared, she thinks she may have finally found her soul mate. Especially when she meets the mischievous mystery man in the flesh. That’s when the fun and games really start, and Kelsey realizes just how far she’s prepared to go for love.


Check out Sasha’s website for excerpts!

My review:
Kelsey Howard has a straightforward, unashamed appreciation for sex. She also feels a never ending desire to please her mother, to help her perfect sister plan her wedding, and to keep in touch with friends who seem satisfied with not keeping in touch. Kelsey enjoys sex with others or by herself, lights off or on, drapes pulled or open, but it isn’t until she realizes she has a voyeur that things become especially interesting. When she and Harlan, the nameless, faceless man whose window faces hers, actually meet and form what begins to look like an actual relationship, Kelsey is more confused than ever.
Harlan is an artist who is on the cusp of being discovered. His work is dark and intense, just like Kelsey, so it’s only natural that he begins to paint her. He watches her from the darkness of his window but soon makes himself known and carefully pursues her, refusing to give in to what she thinks she needs from him. He wants to treasure and protect her, and take away the often-haunted look that he sees in her eyes.
This book is exactly what readers expect from Sasha White with in-your-face sexuality and shameless acts of every shape and form. Kelsey likes everyone to think she knows exactly what she wants and that her brazen actions prove it, while the truth is that she’s in a painfully desperate search for something but she doesn't know what. Harlan immediately sees this - I think this man is the most patient, understanding hero ever. He knows exactly what Kelsey wants, needs and craves and while he wants her to belong to him, he doesn’t want it to be in surrender of herself. You see, Harlan can see who Kelsey really is and he’s willing to wait for her to see it too. Kelsey is a very interesting character. There were times I wanted to cry for her, cheer for her and even a couple of times that I just plain didn’t like her.
I encourage everyone who enjoys romance - no, I challenge everyone who enjoys romance, to read this book. There was one sex scene in particular that I didn’t care for, but not so much that I couldn’t get past it. The incredible emotion and self-discovery in this book is worth any discomfort you may feel at raw and edgy sex. You don’t have to be a fan of BDSM to appreciate the heartfelt emotion of Sasha’s work. While Kelsey has relationship issues with several people in her life, so much so that readers may begin to wonder if all of the pieces will ever fall into place for her, the ending is amazingly satisfying and quite frankly, it left me breathless.
Sasha recently told me that she might someday write a book just for me - one that isn’t quite as on-edge sexually - I’m not certain I want that on my shoulders as I think her readers would be after my head. I don’t relish the thought of them hunting me down en masse!
Now for the good stuff! Sasha is very generously putting a copy of MY PREROGATIVE up for grabs – right here! Leave a comment and you’ll be entered in the draw. A little chatter about Sasha’s books is encouraged! Share with us what you enjoy about her work, or maybe your favorite of her books, favorite scene, character, etc. I’ll draw the winning name on Wednesday, September 3.
Thank you, Sasha, for allowing me to review MY PREROGATIVE for you!
Laurie

27 comments:

Wendy said...

Great review, Laurie! I'm really looking forward to reading My Prerogative. :)

Wendy said...

By the way, I've read Bound and Trouble by Sasha and enjoyed them very much, have you read them?

Anonymous said...

Laurie -
Great Review. Sasha's characters always feel like they can be anyone off the street. Her characters emotions jump off the page -- you feel what they feel. She's an amazing writer and I'm glad I found her books.
Laurie Kap

Laurie G said...

Hi Laurie,

I'm not very experienced with the erotica gendre. Kelsey sounds like someone who really needs to find someone who appreciates her for herself. The voyeurism aspect sounds like an interesting twist. I haven't read any of Sasha's prior works.

Phoebe Jordan said...

I haven't read any of Sasha's books but I've been searching for some since I've seen a couple of her books being reviewed online.

CrystalGB said...

Great review. My Perogative sounds good.

Laura J. said...

I've been hesitant to try Sasha's books (even though I do have Sexy Devil sitting on my tbr shelf--hey couldn't pass up buying a book with a cover like that) because like you, I'm not much a fan of BDSM. I have a friend who loves her books and keeps telling me I really need to try them. I think you review has just pushed me over that "do I read it or not" to the I really need to read this.

Thanks Laurie!!

Deb Q said...

Loved your review.
Sasha's books are always great fun!

acdaisy95 said...

I read Lush and I enjoyed it. I am still waiting for Trouble. My Perogative sounds like a great read. Great review, Laurie.

Anonymous said...

I think the only book by Sasha I've read is a short story... but I know that I enjoyed it. I have several of her books on my TBB list and would love to add this one to my shelf.

Fedora said...

I haven't read any of Sasha's stuff yet, but would love to :) It seems that she's created very real characters that explore situations that I might not in real life--what an excellent way to live a bit vicariously ;)

Jane said...

"Wicked" is my favorite book by Sasha. Karl was so sexy.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE Sasha's work, due in large part to the fact that she writes about people who live "on the fringe;" or as she says, characters with "non-traditional" lives--you know, "kindred spirits." Not everyone wants a the typical American dream of husband, 2.5 kids, house with a white picket fence in the suburbs, nine-to-five jobs, yadda, yadda, yadda. Sasha give her readers alternative H.E.A.s w/o invalidating either option--not an easy feat, I might add.

Laurie--spectacular review! One of the most balanced and comprehensive I've ever read. Thanks so much for posting it.

Evelyn Applegate said...

I haven't actually read any of Sasha's work before, but having read your review now I'm intrigued. Now I think I'll track down some of her books and see what I've been missing.

Thanks for the great review.

Anonymous said...

read trouble and it was great. so hot and sexy. fast paced story just such a fantansy

kh

tetewa said...

I discovered this author last year and enjoy her reads. The last one I read by her was Sexy Devil.

Judy F said...

I have read bound and really enjoyed it. Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do.
Great review

Unknown said...

Great review! Sounds great!

Anonymous said...

Love the interview Laurie!

I've never read any of Sasha's books but have great things about them though.

Would love to read "My Prerogative.

Thanks,

Terri W.

Lori T said...

Hi Laurie~

Great review. I am looking forward to reading this. I find the BDSM aspect very interesting.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Barbara said...

Very nice review Laurie. I will have to put this book on my list to look for.

raspberry swyrl said...

I like characters that are not entirely likable. Makes them more human...I can get plenty of paragon of virtues for heroines, but not nearly enough of the kind of women Sasha writes about.

Have not been able to find a lot of books like this here in Switzerland...let alone in English...

sonya said...

Good Review. I have this one on my list to read.

Scarlet said...

This book, like all of of Sasha's book is on the automatic buy list. I would be one of the en masse come to hunt you down that's for sure! Sasha's sex scenes may be edgy and sometimes uncomfortable, but they really move you...and that's saying a lot. If it wasn't for the characters that she has us meet in their worlds with their thoughts and actions she couldn't pull the sex scences off. Thankfully, her people and places are so well rounded, it makes you look in your own life for people just like them. You know there out there...

Phoebe Jordan said...

I saw a stack of this book at my local Barnes & Noble yesterday. I didn't buy it because I didn't have enough money but I'm looking forward to saving a bit and maybe buy it when I can.

limecello said...

I so thought I'd commented on this post - I'm loving the "blog tour" and can't wait to get my hands on this book. I can't believe the previous winners (sans the first) have been "turning it down!" Wild!

ReadingIsSoMuchFun said...

I was wondering since I see you are still trying to find a winner for this book. Is it to late for me to enter? If not can you please enter me I would love to read this one by Sasha love her books and this one I have on my wish/want list.

Thank you,

Hugssss
LindaH