Book Review: Simply Sexual by Kate Pearce

Reviewed by Heather C

Title: Simply Sexual
Author: Kate Pearce
Series: House of Pleasure #1
Hero/Heroine: Valentin Sokorvsky/Sara Harrison
Genre: M/F Historical Romance; Erotica
Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Release Date: April 29, 2014 (2nd edition)
Available at: Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes & Noble and Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Surrender to page-turning sensuality in the explosive first book in Kate Pearce’s House of Pleasure series. . .

Sexual Satisfaction

Ten years as a sex slave in a Turkish brothel left Lord Valentin Sokorvsky with an insatiable appetite for sex. Now the time has come for him to marry, but finding a woman who can satisfy his lustful desires proves a challenge. . .until he meets Sara and all he can think about is having her lie under his rock-hard body, begging him to taste and touch her. . .

Sensual Seduction

Sara Harrison knows she should be shocked and scandalized by Lord Sokorvsky’s bold advances, but instead she is secretly aroused by this sensual, seductive man. For beneath her calm and composed manner is a wanton woman who longs for a man’s intimate caress. She is most willing to be educated in the art of sensuality, to receive and give pleasure and to succumb to the wild desire that knows no limits. . .

Review:

I asked for historical erotica with some kink, well…I got it!

Ten years after being sold to a Turkish brothel as a sex slave, Lord Valentin Sokorvsky was rescued and returned to his family.  Now Valentin is a successful trader and agrees to pay off the debt of the man who freed him by agreeing to marry one of his daughters.  For years, Valentin has sought is sexual needs at Madame Helene’s House of Pleasure.  He has needs that no wife could ever fulfill alone and looks to marrying a complacent woman who will allow his his freedoms.  But when he meets Sara Harrison, the eldest daughter, he finds she is an intelligent and opinionated woman with desires she is longing to explore…and he can’t wait to educate her.  

“Have I displeased you?  I forgot, I am supposed to be an innocent maiden who couldn’t possibly be interested in such matters.” ~ Sara

Umm, WOW!  This book was sexy and erotic and kinky and I loved every moment of it.

I LOVED Sara.  She was smart and bold and refused to follow the expectations that society put on her.  She didn’t put up with any of Valentin’s shit and didn’t hesitate to tell him what she thought…or throw a book at his head when he was being an ass (LOVED that scene). 

I LOVED Valentin…as fucked up as he was.  I was really worried that I would hate him; I never believed he would actually stay faithful to Sara and their marriage, so he really surprised me there.  

I LOVED the Red Book.  What an insanely sexy idea: to write your fantasies out and share them with your lover.  I found myself excitedly anticipating each new entry.  

I LOVED the mystery.  Someone is stealing from and trying to blackmail Valentin and Peter.  The mystery was by no means the prominent storyline, and the bad guy should have been obvious to me, but I was too tied up with the smexin’ to bother trying to figure it out.  

I will easily admit I DO NOT LOVE menage in my romance, but sometimes it works for me.  This just happened to be one of those occasions.  Valentin and his best friend Peter have a complicated relationship.  They were all each other had in those ten years they were held as slaves and both have used sex to manage their demons…until Sara makes it her mission to understand and decides its time for them to start healing.

Overall, I LOVED the sexual and emotional journeys that Valentin and Sara took to falling in love with each other…

I’m curious to know how Peter will now fit into Valentin and Sara’s marriage; I have a feeling he will remain an occasional bed partner.  So I will definitely have to get around to reading Simply Sinful to find out. 

Overall Impression: I Loved It

*I purchased my own, personal copy of this book for review.*