Just Erotic Romance Reviews

A True Valentine - by Pat Haley aka Mama Z.

Beyond the roses, chocolates and historical ties to a pagan fertility festival, you'll find the real meaning of Valentine's Day. It's the true love that compelled a young Christian to give up his life rather than stop sharing his faith. The story goes that this same young man sent a note to a young girl he had cured and signed it "your Valentine." Little did Valentine know he would start a trend, but apart from the flowers, and the deadly stab to credit cards, or worse, the added inches to hips and thighs by indecent, sinful, and decadent chocolates and candies, the best gifts are those that are free. A simple I love you. So why is it so difficult to say those three powerful words?

Picture this...A mother hugging her child, kissing him and saying "I love you," and waiting for that sweet baby to say the same in return. Sit back, because as they grow older, from childhood to puberty and then to teens, the words will get lower till they become a mumble, probably accompanied by "Oh, Mom, pleezeeeeee." It's so much easier to send a card expressing those feelings than having to say the words...three easy little words. And that's why I treasure every piece of artwork that came from school, every little piece of construction paper that came with a big heart-in crayons and markers-sprinklers and stickies, gaudy and happily saying "I love you."

True, there should be no need of a specific day to say "I love you", or to remind us to send a card, a note, a small present to express our appreciation to those that hold our heart. And cynics will tell you it's all a big brouhaha created by some companies to get us higher in debt. But still, Valentine's Day holds that special hope that someone will tell you those powerful words. Might even send you a lovely card or even better, a special someone will finally decide to finally express their feelings.

But then, I have to wonder why do we equate love with the heart? My ex, a doctor--notice stress on the ex--used to say that was hogwash. He said if love centered on an organ it should be the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that combined with the Limbic system controls our emotions.
Wrong symbol...wrong husband.

Give me a heart filled with chocolates any day and I'm a happy camper, preferably Godiva...those little bonbons filled with dark chocolate, nuts or caramels and...Where was I? Back to romance.

Because this is JERR, and we love erotic romances, this reporter decided to ask some authors "What was the most erotic AND the most romantic thing they had done or received from their loved ones?" So I rushed to the plush offices of Changeling Press, harassed the authors and here are their answers:

Kate Douglas:
"After well over thirty years, the fact we still love one another is about as romantic as it's gonna get! Romance, in the traditional sense of candy and flowers and sweet little gifts, was there during our courtship, but it's definitely changed with time. "I think romance in an older relationship is loving a man when he's unlovable, as all of us are at one time or another. It's loving a person so much it's frightening to imagine life without them, yet at the same time, empowering to realize you can live with that vulnerability because you know the feelings are reciprocated. It's loving through good times and bad, through trauma and illness and celebrations. It's the sense of sharing family and history, the knowledge that we've started our own little dynasty of babies who have babies who will some day grow up and have babies of their own, all because this one man and I, back when we were still young and romantic, fell in love. That, to me is romance, and it's not just there on February 14. It's there every day of the year."

Angela Knight
I could talk about the time my darling husband slowly nibbled grapes from my naughty bits, or the time he poured a White Russian over me and licked it off. But real romance is the guy who stays with you when you're not sexy -- when you're desperate and sick and mean. He stood by me when any other man on the planet would have walked right out the door, and he helped me survive. I wouldn't be here without him. Then he went to the RWA conference last year and followed me around, smiling and enjoying it when people said complimentary things about me.

Dakota Cassidy:
"My oldest son (14) knows how much I adore love songs. One of my favorites is Back at One by Brian McKnight, the words are simply gorgeous. I had it playing one night a couple of weeks ago and I said to him, 'Sweet cheeks, wanna dance with mom?' I love to slow dance. He responded, "that's just gross." LMAO Anyway, later that night I got an e-mail from him from his computer upstairs. He'd gone and found the words to the song and cut and pasted them to the body of the e-mail and said, 'Hey, Mom. You'll always be my girl and I'll always want to dance with you...' Pass the tissues, please." LOL.

Elayne Venton:
Picture this: November. My wedding anniversary. Upscale, oceanfront hotel suite. Waves roll in from a distant horizon and beat upon the empty shore. Warm blue flames crackle in the fireplace. Candlelight flickers shadows on the softly colored walls. A two-person jacuzzi is a few steps away from the king size bed. The only thing missing is a soft melody.

Oh, and one other thing... Where is my husband? Elayne squints through the window. Hm...that looks like him on the golf course's 9th hole! Perfect. Now I have time to fantasize about my next alpha hero... Kyros's mouth closed, wet and forceful, over her nipple.

Michele Bardsley:
"I wouldn't mind meeting one of my vamps in a dark alley, as long as I'm getting pierced with more than just his fangs. My most romantic moments with my husband have less to do with holidays and more to do with the tasks he does daily (dishes, shoulder massages, kid patrol). And he also often indulges my chocolate and Starbuck's addictions."

Isabella Jordann:
"Isabella Jordan's idea of a PURRRFECT Valentine's Day treat for her lover? Renting a black leather cat woman suit, wearing it while giving him a full body massage with his favorite oils and then getting his help in peeling it off for some wild jungle sex. It also proved to be great inspiration for the third book in her Eyes of the Leopard series, Redemption, which I'm currently writing."

Stephanie Burke:
I wanted to be all things to my DH. I wanted to be every fantasy he ever had. I decided to play upon the need to dominate, to be revered, and to have my mate control and submit at the same time. I chose my battle ground carefully. The house clean of all non essential furniture. Light was turned off for the soft effect of candle light. The house smelled of incense and his favorite perfume. I had done my own personal ablutions earlier, washing thoroughly, shaving every hair of my body from the neck down, dressing in appropriate clothing, hair dressed to perfection, make-up applied with care. All I now needed was the man.

When he opened the door, he froze at the sight that greeted him.

Our one bedroom apartment had been changed into a Japanese Tea house and the woman he loved transformed into the perfect Geisha, ready to see to all of his need, engage in conversation to relieve the tensions from a day spent providing for his family, and a lover willing to fulfill his every fantasy.

The husband went off to work the next day, but there was energy pulsing through his body, his head was raised just a bit higher, and there was a spring in his step.

And the wife.... Well, she pulled out a pen and began an outline that festered in her brain for a while, characterizations that had no home, and a world where almost anything could happen, if you wanted it enough. Eventually Shen found a home with Shelby's Angels and a woman named Shaquandra got the escape from reality that she never wanted in Welcome to Prefect City, so come check them all at Changeling Press.

Lena Austin:
(Reference Room to Play, if you wish) I once arranged for an evening with just Dante and Randy, who served as models for my heroes in Room to Play. Instead of cable tv, the living room was lit by candlelight from every available horizontal surface, and Chopin played in the background. In the fondue pot on the table, I had heated a sweet fudge sauce we are all fond of and provided fruits to dip. I think more chocolate ended up on us than in us, but it was delightful.

Kit Tunstall:
It's not exactly romantic, but it was one of those moments when I felt absolutely loved and cherished.

It was after my second miscarriage in July 2003. I was a mess - couldn't work, wouldn't get out of the house to do anything, and couldn't keep up with the chores in the house. My husband was hurting too, and he was very understanding.

One morning, about a week following the loss, after working all night, my husband came home and cleaned the house from top to bottom. Three hours later, he brought me breakfast in bed, told me to take my time recovering, and just held me, letting me talk or cry as needed, for most of the rest of the day, even though he hadn't slept in 24+ hours. Somehow, after that, it was easier to get up and get on with my life, knowing he was there for me.

Kara Fey:
Every year since we were married, the DH and I make love under the soft glow of Christmas tree lights the evening we put the tree up. It's incredibly romantic. These days, we have to sneak downstairs after the kids are in bed, but that's half the fun!

Kate Hill:
I have few personally erotic stories to tell and those I have are well kept secrets. Some of those secrets may have popped up in my books, though. I'll leave it up to people's imaginations to decide which ones.

Rachel Bo:
It was New Year's Eve. The kids were spending the night with Grandma. My DH and I were hanging out with friends. I'd had a few drinks, which I don't often do, so I was feeling pretty pleasant - LOL! Then, it started snowing! My gal-friends and I made the guys take us up to this cool park nearby so we could see the snow. It was about 2 a.m. New Year's Day. This park has lots of cool wooden jungle gyms and things - one's a pirate ship. We were talking about how the pirate ship needed masthead, 'cause it didn't have one, so one of the gals dared the rest of the females to BE the masthead.

I've never been able to resist a dare, so...I took off my clothes, climbed up on the ship, and WAS the masthead, for all of about 2 mins. Now, normally I'm NOT an exhibitionist, but let me tell you - it was an incredible turn-on! Not only for me, but for my DH, because when we got home, he asked me to do a strip-tease for him and then we had one of the most incredible nights of sex ever!

Sometimes, it just pays to toss off your clothes and let it all hang out!

I want to thank these authors for contributing to this article...and for giving us ideas for some romantic evenings. Many of these comments touched my heart. I hope they touch yours, because that's what Valentine is all about. Love - love in any form.

And if you were expecting ME to say anything about a romantic evening, I plead the fifth...

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