Elaine Raco Chase

Showing the true power of an eReader, I started Video Vixen because I was out and about when I finished the book I was reading. I needed something to entertain, so figured I’d read a short work to pass the time.

Well, Video Vixen was not what I was expecting. It had been on my eReader for some time. I don’t even remember where I picked it up or why, but it was probably because I found the concept of looking past the assumptions to the reality of what it takes to put together a daytime show more soap intriguing. When I saw the page count, I almost went looking for another title, but since I’d already opened it, I gave the start a chance and never regretted the decision.

I’ve read only a few titles classified erotica, and honestly, I wouldn’t have known this one was except when I opened it on my computer this morning to get the title, it was one of the tags. I’ll admit the sex parts were both more explicit and less than in most romances I read, and if that had been the main focus of this book…well, it’s not the strong point.

So what is the strong point?

The story. I’m all about story, and this one has trouble written all over it. In the very beginning, you learn about Vikki/Vixen, a woman whose momentary assist became a rising star acting career. She credits her success to the support of the real professionals around her at Always Tomorrow. Vixen is her personality opposite, but taking on that role gives her the ability to do what she believes worthwhile. She believes in soap opera as a vehicle for entertainment, escape, and education, exposing the public to a variety of important topics and how to find help regarding those.

Vikki is the innocent, Vixen is the seductress, and the show needs Vikki to play her part both on and off the stage. The public mixes the character with the actor often, and even more in her case because she’s so high profile and is the villain everyone loves to hate.

She’s a focused, dedicated, loyal woman with deep feelings. At the same time, she’s up for the game, willing to step out of her comfort zone, and even plays it up when confronted by not quite fans. She’s having fun being Vixen Mallory, the black widow of daytime television.

Daniel, on the other hand, is an award winning investigative reporter who doesn’t think soap operas are worth his, or anyone’s, time. But he ends up firing the man assigned this story, and when his gut responds more to her fully clothed layout in Playboy than the centerfold, he wants to meet her in person.

Yes, there’s an element of instant, physical attraction, but it doesn’t bloom until they learn more about each other, something they have every opportunity to do when the cast and writers beg Vikki to keep him distracted because they’ve each got something in their past they want to stay there.

It’s a tangled web she weaves, both for her and Daniel. Vikki has to face up to moral dilemmas, the dual demands of her own feelings and those of her friends, and the need to put her own past behind her and come back to life after losing her first love.

Daniel, on the other hand, has his assumptions handed to him about the soaps, and not just by Vikki either. The contradictions in her behavior let him see beyond the glamor, but at the same time he’s not against playing along.

The story line is complicated and draws you in, the characters are deep, and the interactions are both fun and well done. Even the seduction worked for me, if not so much the end result.

If I had to rate this book by stars, it would probably be no more than three, which is why I don’t like the star system. There were some rough parts in the text even beyond the sex, but I was looking to be entertained and got more than I’d bargained for. Story and characters are Elaine Raco Chase’s strengths, and she excels in those aspects. show less

The book opens with Luthor (Thor) Devlin, a ranch owner, trying to steady the nerves of his friends, who--along with us readers--are whipped into a frenzy at finding the tracks of some strange wildbeasts. Incredibly, a wooly mammoth with curved ivory tusks and a saber toothed tiger come rising out of knee-deep fog, right there in formidable landscape in the middle of Montana. And to top things off, he spots what seems to him as a naked, bronzed bodied female savage, whom he intuitively sees show more as a perfect match to the hero in him: a damsel in distress.

Cam is anything but. Wearing the scent of a skillfully blended perfume that drifts on the breeze, she makes the haze of prehistoric world evaporate from Thor's imagination. No, this is real. Camilla Stirling--Cam for short--is a stuntwoman on a movie set.

The author, Elaine Raco Chase, gave a lot of thought to the choice of names. Thor (with echoes right out of Norse Mythology) and Devlin (which means fierce courage, and sounds like a devil.) He is a strong counterpart to this woman, who is a daredevil herself. But while his name, as well as his lines of dialogue, suggest a link to a primal world, and to the aura of the old west, her name suggests quite the opposite. Her full name Camilla suggests warrior maiden (in Virgil's Aeneid)--but in its modified form, Cam, it is sleek and modern, as she lives in the world of cameras, snapshots, and illusions. So the story brings together more than simply two characters: it brings two worlds to a clash, which heightens the attraction between them, and enriches the romance.

This is the Taming of the Shrew turned inside out on a prehistoric stage set.
Five stars. show less

Review of the Audio Book.
One of my must have’s in any book is a plot – preferably one that has sharp-witted characters who are smart, independent and feel real. Elaine Raco Chase did not disappoint in creating the characters to exist within the world of design, architecture and luxury developments. I want characters to be exactly what Griffen and Brandy were – alive, confident, smart and funny; nearly walking out of the story to stand before me. Developed with just enough of the show more imperfections and quirks in character that create a personality, Griffen’s oft chin-dragging speechlessness at the brazen teasing he encounters from Brandy is quite funny.

This was not a book that just suggested I listen and not react. It was laugh out loud funny at times, actually, I think I have a friend with a similar love of teasing men that Brandy displays in her interactions with Griffen. She was real, full of confidence in her abilities that contrasted with her insecurities about being “enough” in the male dominated architectural field. Griffen is a bit more tightly wound, a businessman with fingers in many pies, he doesn’t seem to be enjoying life as much as he should until Brandy walks into his life.

Where this story shines is in the dialog. While there are two billion how-to articles on creating dialog that is both paced properly and sounds believable, Elaine has a book, full of dialog: fast paced, snarky, funny, businesslike, casual, even sexy. And it ALL sounds like a conversation you could overhear at any time, in many situations. That technique alone makes the book a worthwhile read – that it is combined and integrated into a tightly written, fast paced and sexy story makes this worth every one of the 5 stars. The audio book was narrated beautifully, with words clear and pacing easy to follow. I tend to listen at 2.5 speed, I talk fast too, but It wasn’t too fast to follow the story. Whether you are looking for a break from television, or don’t mind the other commuters staring at you as you laugh, often, the audiobook is well worth the investment.

I was provided a copy of the audio book from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review and all conclusions are my own responsibility. show less

Again, Elaine Raco chase creates dialogue that repeatedly reinforces my belief that hers is some of the best I have read (or heard). With a remastered story that was originally published in 1987, there are some elements that feel dated, but really – what doesn’t in this ever-changing world? People haven’t evolved dramatically, and their need to find love and fulfillment with a partner is a constant, no matter the year. Both of these characters are dimensional people – not all good or show more all bad, they come with baggage and aren’t afraid to show it.

The heroine, Cam, is rough and tough, independent and comes from a family of daredevils who hide that trait by becoming masters of their game – stunt performers. Thor is a bit of an old-school cowboy, with a Dudley-Do-Right protecting his Nell at every step. When the two worlds collide, and Thor realizes that Cam is not a damsel in distress needing to be saved, it rankles.

Finding the two discover a common ground, and realize that they are good together, despite the frequent dust ups about danger is a great listen. There is humor, snark and gorgeous descriptions that place you in the wilds of Montana, with the never fail to amuse stops in the action. There is steam, there is swearing, and most of all – this is a feel good book, that will have you laughing and smiling throughout.

The narration was really good, although there were several times when it felt as if the two narrators were stepping on each other’s lines. The conversation in Elaine Raco Chase’s books is so well crafted that it’s not necessary to adjust the pacing; there is time to breathe and still not lose the context or emotional impact of the words. A clever story with just enough heat to feel contemporary but not a purely erotic romance, this is one that is a good introduction to this author’s works and a great listen for an afternoon or two.

I received a copy of the audiobook from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility. show less