Illicit Desire by Tina Donahue Giveaway

Illicit Desire (Outlawed Realm #2)
September 25th 2012 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Amazon

Pleasure that destroys all thought. Love that shatters all barriers.

Once a sex slave marked for termination, Lukan was miraculously liberated from E4’s Pleasure Palace, where E2’s fine, upstanding rulers secretly indulge their cravings for every imaginable vice. But freedom is not enough.

He left his heart behind with Arez. Within her fragrant, heated caress, he knew everything denied him. Rapture, contentment, tenderness…and love. Desperate to have her back in his arms, he embarks on a dangerous mission to deliver his untamed temptress from the certain death she does not know awaits her.

Within her velvet cage Arez knew only carnal submission and loneliness—until Lukan. But he has disappeared, and she senses something different in the way the supreme ruler is using her. Then, as if Lukan felt her longing for his strong arms and fevered kisses, he is there to sweep her from this twilight dimension to another.

But true freedom lies just out of his grasp. To reach the last portal—and their destiny—Lukan and Arez must first outwit an army of predators that hunt them. Human, subhuman…and monsters.

Product Warnings
Features a lusty guy who makes Greek gods look wimpy, and a wanton woman who lives for scorching sex. When these two get it on, watch out, they ain’t playing at lust or love.

Author Bio:

Tina Donahue is a multi-published novelist in contemporary and historical romance. She was the editor of an award-winning Midwestern newspaper, worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company, served as public relations director for a California literary agency, and is currently the Managing Editor for a global business document concern.

She has also modeled professionally, appearing on billboards throughout the nation.

For more information, visit:

Website & Blog / Goodreads 

Buy Link: Amazon

—Excerpt—

.Her image haunted Lukan. The hologram was all he had left of her.

In the darkened room, he circled her likeness, nearly life-size. She turned, seeming to

follow his movements…seeming to want him, her violet eyes hooded, the ends of her silky black

hair swaying above her waist, her naked flesh flushed with arousal.

Lukan reached out, aching to touch her tawny skin, grasping air instead. Reality

precluded contact, as did the distance separating them. Unable to stop his grinding need, he

whispered, “Arez.”

It was the name he’d given her, as she had none on E4. There, she was no more than a

pleasure slave, created to offer her body and obedience to the men in power, no different from

him. Lukan had promised never to abandon her or to leave her lonely again and wanting, but he

had, and soon she’d die unless he intervened.

His body went hot, then cold. He wanted to run back to her, or at the very least move

closer to her image, but he couldn’t manage a step. Her expression tempted, holding him

in place. Each breath became a struggle. Powerful memories returned of her skin’s scent,

perfumed with female musk and a sweet fragrance used to excite males. Lukan hadn’t needed

any enticement. From the start, her caress had undone him, given not only in pleasure but with

tenderness.

Their masters never knew about their bond. Lukan witnessed it now as his image came

into the hologram.

The heightened color in Arez’s cheeks and throat acknowledged his presence, for she

could do little more to prove her true passion for him. Slaves weren’t allowed to speak to each

other. Their gazes were never to meet for more than a second. Cruel manacles held her arms

above her head, precluding any embrace or resistance, the heavy chains secured to a bolt in the

ceiling.

Surrounding the candlelit stage were E2’s rulers who hailed from the second dimension

on Earth, a place so unlike its fourth realm E4. On E2, emotions and desire weren’t allowed. All

men resembled each other in coloring and facial features, their varying ages the only thing that

differentiated them. The same held true for E2’s women, no female being distinct from another.

Such a sterile existence hadn’t been enough for the ruling males. They created E4’s Palace and

its slaves for their pleasure.

A few of the leaders smiled lewdly in anticipation of the coming performance. Others

conversed in tones too low to overhear or understand. When he’d been on the stage, Lukan had

no idea if they discussed trivial matters or ones that would mean his death. Nor had he cared.

Being close to Arez was all that had mattered. For her, he would die. For her, Lukan

wanted to live. He watched his image doing what he could not. Naked, he stood before her,

cupping her full breasts with a right the rulers had given him. If he performed well, it would

mean more food. Although he was always hungry, giving Arez pleasure soon became Lukan’s

most pressing task. The moments they had together belonged to her and him, no one else.

Chas's Review:

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Illicit Desire is book two in the Outlawed Realm series.  Having never read book one, Unending Desire, I was still able to grasp the idea of the world created by Tina Donahue.  From my understanding, there are other realms upon that of Earth.  The others are E2, E3, and E4.  E4 is where the Pleasure Palace resides and houses slaves that were born of artificial wombs with one purpose in mind- to serve the carnal desires of their rulers.  Never knowing love, the slaves are raised by caretakers and given no affection. 

Lukan is coming upon his 30th year and Arez her 26th birth year.  As rules go, both slaves have reached the male and female age maximum.  Death is on the horizon for them both but after having shared stolen moments amongst themselves they have found hope and the desire for something more.  Lukan yearns for his and Arez's freedom.  Having been the first born of his artificial-kind, geneticist husband and wife, Damir and Meelo, raise him.  Breaking some of the rules, they teach him how to read and write but do not share any affection.  Well, until now.  Damir and Meelo do not wish to see Lukan's life end so they help him to find freedom and support his mission to rescue Arez.

Slaves are not allowed to communicate to one another nor look into the eyes.  They are suppose to be kept uneducated so that it more-so cements their lowly status.  But things have changed and hopefully it'll continue to change.

I was surprised at how much of the story focuses on Nikolai and Regina.  They are the characters from book one.  I'm familiar with series that narrows focus on a new character couple per book but this one seemed almost split between the two.  I was disappointed to not have had a first hand account and instead was an observer for a particular scene.  When Arez first comes through to Earth in a portal Nikolai built I was only able to read as an observer.  Boy, did I want to read the actual account from Lukan and Arez's thoughts and emotions.  I feel like I've missed out on that one especially because I enjoyed the dialogue between Arez and Lukan when he was teaching her of Earth.  One commonality that I noticed among both lead ladies, Arez and Regina, is that they are both very protective of their men.  I certainly admire that trait. 

All in all, I enjoyed Illicit Desire.  Despite a shallow climax the storyline read well.  I think if there was more of a major conflict occurring with Lukan and Arez it would've read better.  The only climactic scene I can point is in the cave but all they had to do was escape through a portal that arrived in the knock of time.  Perhaps a little more grit to balance the lustiness would be perfect.  Bottom line is, I enjoyed Illicit and looking forward to where the series is going.

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*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*