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“King of Sari's favorite concubine (and by the same king's proclamation his karisette - one true love), Sapphire is released after five years of service with a great retiring plan. A house of her own, no need to search for a new protector, and fourteen men at her very beck and call.
Alathea Wright wrote this review Saturday, June 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Unfortunately one of those men is none other than the crown prince of D'Ashier, Wulfric, who's been tortured almost to death and suddenly finds himself captive of the beguiling beauty. A beguiling beauty who also happens to be the ex mistress of his greatest enemy and the daughter of Sari's national hero.
The thing is, fate seldom chooses wisely, and these two people, supposed to be enemies, soon finds themselves battling an attraction and passion so strong impossible to be denied, knowing full well, their union is doomed from the very start...
I have rather mixed feelings about this book. I absolutely adored Sapphire. This concubine/warrior woman literally stole my heart. She was strong, determined, stubborn to just the right degree, and fiercely protective of the people she regarded as hers. Even of a man who was a complete stranger, and her enemy to boot. Even when she didn't know Wulfric, she went with her instincts (which were never wrong) and put her very life, and the life of her family, on the line...It was a great portent of things to come.
So here you have this fierce warrior and seasoned courtesan, trained in the arts of the senses, trained to keep he body and mind detached, yet she could melt at the merest "right" touch.
This duality was beautifully portrayed, both in dialog and description.
I was a bit disappointed in Wulfric, to be honest. I felt there was quite a few things left out, but I guess that's to be expected - this is the first book in the trilogy.
I just wasn't convinced about his change of mind and his "true" feelings. The description he gave his father was heartwarming indeed (he needed her to feel), and he was thankfully rather quick in voicing the three important words that are supposed to soothe all woes in Romancelandia, but there was still something off. Unfortunately, the sex (this story had plenty of it - whopping 11 scenes crammed into 300 pages) didn't reflect the change in the guy. He still seemed more like a beat in rut than a man in love.
Also, the whole obsession thing went a bit too far for my tastes. Not only it started to get a bit silly with two members of royalty obsessed with one tiny woman - did she sweat drugs or something? - but also it dragged on for too long.
The story, crammed in between the sex scenes (which in my opinion contributed too little to the plot and were getting a bit repetitive toward the end) was wonderful. I loved the futuristic spin on the Romeo and Juliette theme. The action-y climax was wonderfully executed and it was great to finally see Sapphire kick some ass (you go girl!).
This book doesn't have your standard HEA, but more of a HEA tied in with a nice cliffy leading into the next book. There is so many loose ends left after this book, that it's almost imperative to read the second...And of course to make certain the HEA stays a HEA.”“In the Flesh by Livia Dare
Bookaholics R wrote this review Tuesday, June 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Futuristic Romance- June 2nd, 2009
4 stars
Theirs is a dangerous, forbidden love.
Sapphire is a trained concubine renowned because she holds the love of the King of Sari. For her, the King is a job and she can never love him because he only sees her as a possession. She does not regret becoming a concubine but has discovered that she does miss her independence. When the jealous Queen of Sari retires her and gives Sapphire her own palace, she is at first joyous. Freedom to live and be her own person is a pleasure she will never take for granted again. However, Sapphire does not realize that the Queen actually intends to punish her by bestowing upon Sapphire a male concubine that will endanger her life and that of her family.
Wulfric is the Crown Prince and mortal enemy of the King of Sari. When he is captured, tortured and finally given to serve the renowned concubine Sapphire he is outraged. All he can think of his is his hatred and a way to escape. Wulfric’s plan is to seduce Sapphire, use her, and ruthlessly gain his freedom. But Sapphire is more than he expects and he finds himself respecting her and wanting things he knows he should not. He has never before met a woman with the strength of character to match his own. He finds Sapphire an aphrodisiac he can’t live without. Wulfric’s finds himself making excuses to stay despite the peril.
For Sapphire, Wulfric is completely different from the King of Sari. He values her opinion and treats her as an individual plus it doesn’t hurt that his sensual skills rival her own! A heady combination indeed.
As Sapphire and Wulf find themselves unwillingly attracted to each other, both know their love is forbidden. But they cannot bear to be parted. Both are caught in an impossible situation especially since Sapphire’s father is the highest commanding officer under the King of Sari. Their love is a betrayal of family and kingdom.
Livia Dare has written an amazing story in a futuristic landscape that is a compelling and fascinating. The love between the 2 star crossed lovers is a delight for the senses. I was particularly interested in Sapphire. It would have been nice to learn more about Sapphire complex history such as her decision/training to become a concubine and her combat training. My favorite part of the story is how Livia Dare portrays Wulfric. He is clearly an alpha male yet he accepts Sapphire as she is and allows her freedom to be herself. He is confident enough in himself that he does not feel the need to dominate her. The only thing I found slightly strange was the abrupt, somewhat rushed ending. I wish more time had been spent on the conclusion. However, the author will release 2 more books which will hopefully reveal more of the world and characters she has created. I highly recommend this story for those who love paranormal and futuristic romances with some very racy scenes! I thoroughly enjoyed this sensual story.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
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