Nicholas
by Elizabeth Amber

Book Review by Victoria Blisse

It is not how real a book is that matters, but how believable it is. Just look at the popularity of Sci-fi and fantasy genres (especially in the film world) of late. But all good fantasy still needs a grounding, something we can believe in that helps transport us to these new-found worlds. Elizabeth Amber makes Nicholas come to life through her amazing attention to detail.

Nicholas is a rich, handsome man. He owns a vineyard with his two brothers and is the toast of high society. There is much more to him than meets the eye though. He is a satyr and once a month he changes in a very special and sexual kind of way.

After a letter from the dying King of ElseWorld, he travels to Rome to find a human woman who has faerie blood running in her veins. He must take her as his wife, to protect her and the legacies of his race from unknown evils.

Jane is different from her friends and family and she works hard to appear normal as she is scared that someone may uncover her terrible secret. She is staggered when a rich man asks for her hand in marriage, but to escape from the unfulfilling life she is leading, and for the good of her younger sister, she agrees. She finds there is a lot more to Nicholas than she first thought and slowly opens up to him as his wife and his lover.

Not only is the author charged with having to explain a whole new being and a whole new culture she has to contend with its period setting, as Nicholas and his family exist in the early 1800's. Elizabeth Amber manages this incredibly well. She uses language and structure pertinent to the time, but without ever over doing it and losing her reader. She explains things with a sweet subtlety. No blocks of boring informational text to contend with here, instead you discover more about the satyrs at every turn.

Did I mention that this is a hot read? Well it is, scorchingly so. It is a fantastic, yet ultimately realistic read and you will find yourself easily transported into the story. There are many erotic moments in Nicholas and I'm sure you'll be more than a little surprised at some of the erotic antics of this sexy satyr and his half-human consort.

If you are looking for an historical romance with an erotic twist, this isn’t it. This book has its romance but it is very subtle and takes time to develop. I feel this gives extra credence to the story but some hardcore romance lovers may disagree. However, if you want an erotic read with an historic, fantasy twist, then you should definitely give Nicholas a try as it really merges the two seemingly conflicting genres together.

I was disappointed when I came to the end of Nicholas as I had read it so quickly and eagerly that the pages just seemed to melt away. It's one of those books that keeps you up until midnight and you find yourself half way through it when you just meant to read the opening chapter before bed. 

Victoria Blisse
July 2008

Nicholas by Elizabeth Amber
(Aphrodisia; August 1, 2007; ISBN-10: 0758220391)
Available at Amazon.com  / Also available in Kindle Edition

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© 2008 Victoria Blisse. All rights reserved.


About the Author: Victoria Blisse is a mother, wife, Christian, Manchester United fan and erotica writer. She was born near Manchester, England and her northern English quirkiness shows through in all of her stories. Passion, love and laughter fill her works, just as they fill her life. To read more about Victoria, check out her website: www.victoriablisse.co.uk or her myspace page www.myspace.co.uk/victoriablisse

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