Nicholas

There's a lot to love about Elizabeth Amber's storytelling. Her characters and worlds are vibrant, her writing is luscious, and her stories are developed in a way that allows for twists to feel both surprising and fully-formed. In other words, her stories are complete and fully developed in a way that doesn't often feel the case in paranormal romance, and her blends of erotic paranormal romance with historical fantasy only make me want to read more. I'd absolutely recommend these books to readers of any of the above genres, and although they may not have quite as much action as many of the paranormals out there, they make up for it in character and plotting.

Recommended.

Three satyr brothers live on an estate of vineyards, growing grapes for their famous wine and guarding the gate to ElseWorld. When the King of ElseWorld sends Nicholas Satyr a letter stating he is near death and proclaiming that the brothers must wed the three half-human, half-fairie daughters he sired 18 years earlier, Nicholas is the first to go in search of his bride.

The world Elizabeth Amber creates is fascinating, her story flows smoothly, the plot well-developed and all of the main characters are both likeable and interesting. The erotic scenes are paced just right and the vivid imagery had me clenching my thighs and wriggling in my seat.

I’m so glad I discovered Amber’s ‘The Lords of Satyr’ and can’t wait to start show more ‘Raine’, the next book in the series. show less

Wow, what can I say about this book. I got it because it was mentioned in The Smart Bitches Guide to Romance and it sounded like too weird to be real! It was riotously funny, I am not sure if it was intentionally so, but it kept me enthralled none the less. It has been passed around to a number of my friends on base (I am in training in the airforce) because they can't wait to read 'the two penis book'! Seriously there isnt much plot to speak of but the author is truly imaginative in a way that puts the karma sutra to shame. I gave it a 3.5 because it was so damn entertaining and despite myself I kinda want to buy the rest to find out what happens with his brothers, lol.

Three half-human half-satyr brothers own an enormous vineyard in Tuscany which is also the entrance point to ElseWorld. The receive a letter from the dying Faerie King saying they need to marry his three half-human half-faerie daughters to protect them since they do not know that they are half-faerie. Nick is the first to go in search of his bride in Rome while his brothers protect the vineyard. He returns with Jane who is trying to hide her non-human features. This a very erotic tale of his introducing her to his ways and her new world, while outside forces try to destroy them. Satyrs are a borderline icky sexual being. I enjoy some erotica and found some of this hot but other times I was a bit put off. Not going to read about the show more other 2 brothers. show less

I wasn't particularly impressed with this book; this is probably more about me than it is about the book. Historical fiction seems to be hit or miss for me and this one was a miss. I don't care for "women as property" attitudes and that is pervasive in this book (re: it's historical fiction so I get that it's accurate for the time). The "hero" isn't, as far as I'm concerned, a hero in any sense of the word. In fact, I found him quite unpleasant with few, if any, redeeming qualities. That said, it's not a badly written book and the plot moves along well. Of course, it is a very explicitly sexual book which I don't have a problem with but I know some readers are very against that. It was also a very quick read as I finished it in one show more evening after work. show less

**Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques**

Half-man, half-satyr, but undeniably all male, Nicholas is the eldest of the three Satyr brothers, who have long tended the vineyards to which their very lives are bound. Protectors of the secret joining place between ElseWorld and EarthWorld, the brothers are no strangers to duty.

And so when, from his deathbed, King Feydon charges the Satyr brothers to find the three half-human, half-faerie daughters he secretly fathered almost twenty years ago and then to marry them in order to protect them, the brothers find themselves unable to refuse the Elder’s dying wishes.

With little trouble, Nicholas finds his bride nearby in Tivoli, and secures their marriage contract with little obstacle. But marriage show more to the lovely and determined Jane proves more of a challenge than he ever expected.

Jane hasn’t the faintest idea why the handsome and powerful Nicholas Satyr chose her as his intended, but she is quick to recognize the marriage as her best way out of a bad situation and negotiates terms that will assure her security and ability to care for her younger sister. But escape from her diabolical aunt and wastrel of a father is not without a price – she must give herself unconditionally to her strange new husband, all the while protecting the secrets that threaten to destroy her.

In June of 2007, Amazon.com recommended an intriguing book to me by an author I had not previously heard of. The book was not yet available, and I added it to my wish list at Amazon with the intention of ordering it later. Imagine my delight when the author of that very book emailed me the next month and asked if I would consider reviewing it! While I was indeed honored by her request, I was even more excited to read a book I was already itching to get my hands on, and I responded with a resounding ‘Yes!’ that must surely have broken Elizabeth Amber’s eardrums, even though it was in email format! LOL

Nicholas: The Lords of Satyr, Book 1 arrived in the mail the following week, and after I finished drooling over the cover, I started reading it – even though I had little spare time with a trip out of town that week followed by family visiting me the following week. I found myself enthralled by both the characters and the story itself, and squeezed in reading time anywhere I could find it to consume this book – lunch hour, waiting in the car for the train to pass, and then toting it along on my trip so I could finish it in the hotel room before bed. I can tell you honestly, had it not been for a manic schedule that week, I would have finished Nicholas in one sitting.

Nicholas is as lusty a hero as you would expect from a Satyr, and delivers some rather titillating surprises in the boudoir sure to make even the most jaded of erotica readers squirm in their seats a little! His devotion to duty and family is admirable, but his passion and caring for his unexpected wife will melt the stoniest of hearts.

It would be exceedingly difficult to not like Jane. Her straightforward honesty coupled with her tender heart serve well to endear her to both Nicholas and the readers. Although born into a time when women had few rights, she has a backbone that would rival most men, and the ability to save not only herself, but those she loves when necessary.

Although arranged marriages are not atypical for the time period this story is set in, the romance between our couple definitely begins in a most unconventional manner. Bound by the strictures of a society that deems it unseemly for a husband and wife to enjoy their marriage bed, the pair share rather perfunctory sexual episodes at first, until both are quite frustrated by the unfulfilled passions brewing inside each of them. Casting off the social mores that have left them unsatisfied, they begin to explore their passion without boundaries, heating up both their bedchamber and the story quite nicely!

I have to admit, Nicholas left me wanting – wanting the next book in this wonderful new series, that is! And I have to say, I’m already a little disappointed at the thought that with only three brothers, the series may end with that number of books. I know I’ll be hoping for some cross-over characters to continue these sexy romances with when we’ve come to the end of the three Satyr brothers’ stories! If you enjoy Paranormal/Fantasy Romances set in a Historical period, then you will definitely want to pick up a copy of this one very soon! show less

I saw this cover on MySpace. Do I need to say more? On the front cover of NICHOLAS: THE LORDS OF SATYR, it has "Highly erotic..." The back comes with a warning label. What more did I need? So imagine my surprise when it took forever to get to the "sexually explicit" part. And before you think I've become tainted by too much erotica fiction, I can count the number on one hand.

Don't get me wrong. The book was good, great in fact, but it didn't have the "HOT" scenes like TEMPTED by Megan Hart, COLTERS' WOMAN by Maya Banks, or WILD WILD WEST by Charlene Teglia. For some readers, this might be a good thing. I just thought the publisher overstated the "This is a REALLY HOT book."

If I had to classify this, I'd list it under fantasy show more paranormal. But since Jane didn't know she was part fey and Nicholas kept his identity well guarded, it had more of a historical feel to it.

NICHOLAS is part of The Lords of Satyr Series. The next book is RAINE, which I have on the shelf already and look forward to reading it. I loved the author's writing style. So much so, that I neglected all the other books I've been reading to finish it. LYON, the third book, will be published in August of 2008.

Although this book gets a 5-star rating, I am betting the next book is even better.

More reviews like this can be found at http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/ show less