Voyeurism is the practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions usually considered to be of a private nature. Voyeurs are most commonly male, though it’s not restricted to gender. For some, the thrill of voyeurism is the secretive nature of the act—the individual being viewed is often unaware of the voyeurs interest. Cameras, webcams, and photographs are tools of the trade. When a voyeur becomes obsessed with their subject, however, it can often lead to stalking. Often regarded as being sexual in nature, it can also be done in a nonsexual nature.

Reality TV is a prime example of nonsexual voyeurism. Shows like Teen Mom, Survivor, and American Idol all give the viewing public an intimate interaction with an particular subject or group with limited outside influence.

Voyeurism often goes hand in hand with exhibitionism. Exhibitionism is the practice of engaging in a deliberate manner in order to garner attention. There are those who like to watch and those who like to be watched. There is no harm, in my honest opinion, in engaging in voyeurism or exhibitonism if all parties and acts involved are consensual. Non-consensual voyeurism and exhibitionism, of course, is a crime.

 Art, film, and literature has long used voyeurism as a medium in their creations: Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, and D.J.’s Caruso Disturbia all used voyeurism as the plot device. Master painters such as Rembrandt depicted half clothed woman in various acts of perceived unobserved normality, while Velasquez focused more on how the images are observed, often using an inanimate object to bisect the picture, forcing the viewer to “peep” at the subjects. Nabokov’s Lolita, Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures Through The Looking Glass, and Nadzam’s Lamb are all classic tales which have an underlying theme of voyeurism. Even music has capitalized on it; who doesn’t know the stalker's anthem song, “Every Breath You Take” by the Police?

[How does romance handle voyeurism?...]

In need of some sexy reading material to fill your e-reader? I’m here for you. Each month I will bring you an assortment of erotic pleasure reads to tempt your palate—and your credit card....

May brings us a delectable assortment of hot erotic pleasures that will leave you wanting more.

The Tied Man by Tabitha McGowen

Lilith Bresson, an independent, successful young artist, is forced to travel from her home in Spain to the wild borderlands of northern England, to repay her feckless father’s latest debt by painting a portrait of the enigmatic Lady Blaine Albermarle.

On her first night at Albermarle Hall she meets Finn Strachan, Blaine’s “companion,” a cultured and hauntingly beautiful young man who seems to have it all. But Lilith has an artist’s eye, and a gift for seeing what lies beneath the skin. She soon discovers that Blaine is more gaoler than lover, and if the price is right, depravity has no limits.

As the weeks pass, Lilith finds that she too is drawn into the malign web that her patron has spun, yet against the odds she forges a strong friendship with the damaged, dysfunctional Finn. In a dark, modern twist to an age-old story, Lilith Bresson proves that sometimes it’s the princess who needs to become the rescuer.

Please note that this storyline contains depictions of drug abuse, violence and non-consensual sexual activity.

An unconventional love story that will force you through the wringer over and over until the end, leaving you stunned and drained from the emotional onslaught it subjects you to.

[What else is new in May?...]

Today, Heroes and Heartbreakers is delighted to be the first to reveal the cover for J.C. Daniels's (Shiloh Walker's other author persona) Broken Blade, the the third book in her urban fantasy Colbana Files series.

After the soul-ripping, heart-breaking ending to Night Blade,
fans of the series are already chomping at the bit for its release.

Here is the official blurb for Broken Blade:

Kit Colbana: assassin, thief, investigator extraordinaire. Now broken. She always expected her past to catch up with her, but never like this. Haunted by nightmares and stripped of her identity, she’s retreated to Wolf Haven, the no-man’s land where she found refuge years before. But while she might
want to hide away from the rest of the world, the rest of the world isn’t taking the hint.

Dragged kicking and screaming back into life, Kit is thrust head-first into an investigation surrounding the theft of an ancient relic…one that she wants nothing to do with. Her instincts tell her it’s a bad idea to just leave the relic lying about, but finding it might be just as bad.

Forced to face her nightmares, she uncovers hidden strength and comes face to face with one of the world’s original monsters.

If she survives the job, she won’t be the same…and neither will those closest to her.

Broken Blade is slated for release in January 2014.

Jocelynn Drake
Dead Man’s Deal
Harper Voyager / $11.98 print / $9.78 digital / May 7, 2013

In a gritty urban fantasy world where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires swim free in a sea of humanity, sometimes you need an edge. Looking for a little love? Need some luck? Desperate for revenge? Gage can give you what you need. The most talented tattoo artist in town, he knows the right symbol and the right mix of ingredients and ink to achieve your heart's desire. One tattoo is all it takes. But remember, everything has its price.

The wizards know Gage is using forbidden magic, and they intend to punish him for his transgressions. Too bad if innocent humans and monsters—entire cities—get in the way. They will quell a nascent magical uprising and Gage will be the sacrifice they need. First, though, they have to find him.

Dead Man’s Deal is the second installment in a new urban fantasy series by bestselling author Jocelyn Drake and continues to engage. Similar to Jim Butcher’s Dresden series, the Asylum Tales centers around Gage Powell, a warlock whose personal life choices has left him persona non grata in the wizarding world.

[Hopefully that will change soon?...]

I love a good series, and it's hard to give up on a pair of characters or a world when I've cared about it so much. When I find out an author is going to expand their story into a series, I jump right on the bandwagon and wish list everything. If I love your stories, there is the potential for me to become a fan for life. I’ll follow you through the good and bad times. I’ll defend your story choices. But I have strong expectations when I read series. I am committing to you for the long haul and I expect the same commitment from you. You don’t have to propose marriage, but I expect monogamy. I want book 26 to be just as interesting and exciting as the first in the series.

If you start to falter in our relationship, I suddenly find myself looking at other authors. While there may be fifty ways to leave your lover, there are only five reasons that will make me hand you back your class ring and tell you to hit the road...we are over.

1. Lack of focus

As I stated above, I have expectations in a series and when they aren’t met, I get angry and flounce away. Most series have a long-running arc. That's the appeal. Though there may be minor conflicts that are resolved at the end of each book, the end game needs to stay strong throughout the series. There can be only one. When the series begins to overflow with multiple characters, 3-4 additional arcs, and a few spin-offs, then this relationship has become too complicated and it’s time to leave.

[What else can cause series relationship problems?...]

Back in the late 1980s, when we talked about piercings, we just meant your ears—remember that? Never mind how bent out of shape people got when men started getting their ears pierced! Nowadays, it’s commonplace to see a business man with a tattoo and an earring while working a finely tailored suit.

Did you know that there are five different types of female genital piercings and ten male genital piercings? Thankfully, we usually only hear about the hood/clit with females and the Prince Albert with men because some of those piercings are pretty ouch to think about. Certain piercings are said to heighten the sexual experience; no comment out of Tori and me on that. Please be warned, when googling some of these piercings, no amount of eye bleach will help you unsee some of the horrors you will find. Trust us, we kept getting distracted.

PA: The Prince Albert piercing enters the urethra through the underside of the base of the glans (either side of the fraenum) and exits out of the penis via the urethral opening.

Healing time: 2 - 12 weeks

Books that feature the PA:

• Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh
• My Fair Captain by J.L. Langley
• Leave Me Breathless by Cherrie Lynn

[What's your favorite piercing in books?...]

As we get closer to the release of Heart of Obsidian, Nalini Singh’s much anticipated release in her Psy-Changling series, the internet has been rife with speculation as to the identity  of the hero, the heroine—and whether this book will tell us once and for all who the Ghost is.

Nalini Singh was quoted in an interview following Kiss of Snow’s release, saying that there will be 2-4 more books that will end this particular story arc, and that Heart of Obsidian is the first book in this new arc. Previous tidbits lead many fans to believe that the Ghost’s story will be the last book. If you follow this particular trail of clues, Heart of Obsidian cannot be the Ghost’s book. But is is Kaleb’s? And if it is, then does that mean he’s not the Ghost or will Singh pull a fast one and led us astray? Who knows, but this passage from Kiss of Snow makes you wonder:

 “That left him with the Obsidian archive. Created by the Netmind, the neosentience that was the guardian and librarian of the Net, the Obsidian archive was a backup  in case the PsyNet ever suffered a catastrophic failure. The Ghost had named it Obsidian because the complexity of data within it made it all but a wall of black. On a rare few individuals had ever realized the Obsidian archive existed.”

In Bonds of Justice, we learn that Kaleb has been searching forhis quarry for 6 years and 4 months. He carries a star charm. Father Perez scolds Judd in Caressed by Ice for not calling him by his given name, even though they “have been working together for close to six years.”

[What does it all mean?...]

In need of some sexy reading material to fill your e-reader? I’m here for you. Each month I will bring you an assortment of erotic pleasure reads to tempt your palate—and your credit card....

April showers us with love, lust—and lies as our couples find the road to their happily ever after is often rocky and rough.

Rules For Entanglement (Fight For Love #2) by Gina Maxwell

What happens when a laid-back, super sexy UFC fighter meets the woman of his dreams? He lies to her. In this sexy, humorous erotic contemporary romance from Gina L. Maxwell, our hero and heroine take to the ring and fight for more than just their hearts.

Seven days. And seven rules to break...

District Attorney Vanessa McGregor firmly believes that structure and order are the stuff that dreams are made of. Happiness can be planned—and it starts with seven rules she's laid out for her future. But as she's organizing her best friend's wedding in Hawaii, all of Vanessa's best-laid plans are about to meet their match in a wickedly hot MMA fighter...

Jackson “Jax” Maris is focused on surfing, training and fighting. That is, until he opens up his big mouth, and finds himself having to pretend he's engaged to his little sister's best friend, Vanessa. When they're force to share a romantic bungalow, however, their little charade suddenly takes a turn for the seriously sexy. And while Jax is definitely not part of Vanessa's long-term plan, he has seven days—and seven naughty nights—to turn her seven-rule plan upside down.

[More recs this way...]

When talking about erotic romance authors, Megan Hart is a name that comes to mind immediately. But she's not just an erotic author; she's written mainstream fiction as well. The consistency from this prolific author is that no matter the genre, she creates characters and stories that can—and have—break hearts and cause sleepless nights.

What is her appeal? For me, it’s the dichotomy of her characters. She wields her pen like a scalpel, methodically dissecting the heart of her characters in soul-searching, emotionally fragile stories that focus on more than just a mainstream relationship. Strong characterization and smooth, forceful writing epitomize her style. Hart forces us—and her characters—to examine personal  motivations as well as the motivations of others. She sets us up in front of a metaphorical mirror and encourages—no, demands—that, while we may lie to others, we never lie to ourselves.

Each individual’s story haunts their actions and foreshadows their words as we are given an intimate tour through their relationship and a first-hand look at the highs and lows that can occur when we try to love one another for the wrong reasons. Some readers are turned off by the brutal honesty with which Hart chooses to view her characters and their decisions. Some readers feel cheated because Hart never promises a happy ending. In fact, her stories often end at a pivotal point, giving nothing more than a possibility. But isn’t that what life really is? Nothing more than possibilities? She can’t promise us all is well because relationships are always changing. They are constantly evolving, growing, and maturing. Sometimes the couple will grow together and sometimes the growth occurs once they part.

[It is what it is...]

Sherrilyn Kenyon shocked her fans when she announced the next character book in her amazingly dynamic Dark-Hunters series would feature Styxx and tell his side of the story. I had many friends emailing and tweeting me, asking, “who is heck is Styxx and why do we care?”

Oy vey.

Styxx is the twin brother of Acheron Parthenopaeus (Ash). His full name is Styxx of Didymos. Born a prince in 9548 BC, his parents were the king and queen of Didymos. Though he has always believed himself to be Ash’s older brother, we learn later this is not case. During his mortal life, he was embarrassed by Ash and thus humiliated him at every chance.

It’s only when Ash is killed by Apollo does Styxx learn of the unbreakable ties that bind him to Ash. And what Ash really is. We first meet Styxx in Night Pleasures. Styxx is seen again in Night Embrace, when he teams up with Dionysus to bring about the end of the world. He fails, of course, and is sent to Tartarus by Artie-the red-headed eifer goddess (Artemis). Artie further punishes Styxx by giving him all of Ash’s childhood memories.

“What was Dionysus going to go? Send him back to his hellish
isolation? He’d been there, done that, and had the Ozzy T-shirt to prove it.’ (Styxx)”

[Styxx, redeemed? Can it happen?...]

Shiloh Walker
Wrecked
Penguin / April 2, 2013 / $7.99 print & digital

In the nineties, Abigale Applegate and Zach Barnes were the most beloved sitcom child stars in the world. Then they grew up and left Hollywood behind…

Whatever happened to Abigale Applegate?

She’s been wondering the same thing.

With her Hollywood dreams long gone, Abigale now has a nice, neat, uncomplicated life—until the day her perfect fiancé needs to talk. Dumped, a little more than shattered, and totally confused, Abigale turns to Zach, her best friend since forever, to help her pick up the pieces. He does it with a gift—a copy of Wreck This Journal. She can vent her frustrations, and sketch out a new plan. Zach just hopes he’s part of it. Because he’s been in love with Abigale his entire life.

When the journal falls into Zach’s hands, he discovers Abigale wants a new man. And fast. Nothing more than a hot distraction. Zach has a strategy, too. He’s going to be that man. It’s his last chance. Abigale might be out to shake up her life, but Zach’s out to reinvent it. Now, all he has to do is convince Abigale that life can go as planned.

I have a soft spot in my heart for friends-to-lovers stories. There is something sweet, sentimental, and definitely sexy to be said for watching someone discover true love with their best friend. Especially when it is unrequited in the beginning and we get to watch the seductive and slow dance as their chemistry turns from comfortable to electric. The first moment we see that awareness take hold is a pivotal moment.

[And so tempting in a novel...]

Julia Quinn
Bridgertons: Happily Ever After
Avon / April 2, 2013 / $9.98 print, $7.99 digital

Once upon a time, a historical romance author created a family . . .

But not just any family. Eight brothers and sisters, assorted in-laws, sons and daughters, nieces and nephews (not to mention an overweight corgi) plus an irrepressible matriarch who's a match for any of them . . . These are the Bridgertons: less a family than a force of nature. Through eight bestselling novels, readers laughed, cried, and fell in love. But they wanted more.

And so the readers asked the author . . .

What happens next? Does Simon ever read his father's letters? Do Francesca and Michael become parents? Who would win in a Pall Mall grudge match?

Does “The End” really have to be the end?

Now, with The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After, Julia Quinn delivers eight sexy, funny, and heartwarming “2nd Epilogues” plus a bonus story about none other than the wise and witty matriarch Violet Bridgerton herself. So get to know the Bridgertons all over again—because Happily Ever After is a whole lot of fun.

From the first moment I picked up The Duke and I, I became a slave to Julia Quinn’s wonderful Bridgerton family. When I learned that Ms. Quinn was writing a second epilogue, so to speak, of some of her most notable characters, I was overjoyed. Often readers will find themselves head over heels for a certain series and the characters and any small tidbit or nugget of information concerning them will send us flocking to buy. If we are lucky to be graced with an actual epilogue that tells us what these beloved characters have been up to
since we last seen then, well, that can send us into an a romantic swoon worthy of an Oscar.

[How did the stories measure up?...]

In need of some sexy reading material to fill your e-reader? I’m here for you. Each month I will bring you an assortment of erotic pleasure reads to tempt your palate—and your credit card....

March may roar in like a lion and come out like a lamb, much like this month’s erotic offerings, but I can guarantee that is no lamb-like behavior to be found anywhere in these books.

Beyond Control by Kit Rocha

My #1 rec! The second installment of Kit Rocha’s dark and erotic dystopian series promises to fire up your e-reader and scorch your hands with some of the most delicious, filthiest, explicit sex scenes combined with tough as nails alpha heroes and heroines. You can read chapter one at Kit Rocha's site.

She refuses to be owned.

Alexa Parrino escaped a life of servitude and survived danger on the streets to become one of the most trusted, influential people in Sector Four, where the O’Kanes rule with a hedonistic but iron fist. Lex has been at the top for years, and there’s almost nothing she wouldn’t do for the gang…and for its leader. Lie, steal, kill—but she bows to no one, not even Dallas O’Kane.

He’ll settle for nothing less.

Dallas fought long and hard to carve a slice of order out of the chaos of the sectors. Dangers both large and small threaten his people, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. His liquor business is flourishing, and new opportunities fuel his ambition. Lex could help him expand his empire, something he wants almost as much as he wants her. And no one says no to the king of Sector Four.

Falling into bed is easy, but their sexual games are anything but casual. Attraction quickly turns to obsession, and their careful dance of heady dominance and sweet submission uncovers a need so deep, so strong, it could crush them both.

[The sexy doesn't stop there...]

My name is Nick Gautier and this is the story of my life. First off, get the name right. It’s pronounced Go-shay not Go-tee-ay or Goat-chay (that has an extra H in it and as my mom says we’re so poor we couldn’t afford the extra letter). I’m not some fancy French fashion designer. I’m just a regular kid…well, as regular as someone with a stripper for a mother and a career felon for a father can be.

But as my mom so often says friends are what God gives us to make up for the families we’re born into. And my mother, in spite of her occupation is a lady and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. Consider this your notice. You respect Cherise Gautier or I’ll learn you better. My kingdom is the French Quarter and here I reign as prince...

Sherrilyn Kenyon's unique twist on the supernatural world in her Dark-Hunters series, which combines a variety of mythologies and religions, is a genre all its own. Though each character in the Dark-Hunters series has a heavy following, one character that garnered particular accolades is Nick Gautier. We first meet Nick as an adult in Night Pleasures. Throughout the series we have all fallen in love with Nick as we watch him live, love, and eventually lose everything that ever mattered to him.

Infinity: Chronicles of Nick is Kenyon's YA debut looking at Nick Gautier's teen years. Nick is first introduced to the Dark-Hunters world at age 14, which is when the book starts. Told from his point of view, we see a young teenager, bored and bound for trouble. His mom works in a strip club and his father, a troubled violent man, is serving a long stretch in prison. When Nick has a run-in with some bad friends, the Dark-Hunter Kyrian of Thrace saves his life and offers him a job. This opens a whole new world and a whole lot of trouble for Nick.

[Trouble? Nick? Never!...]

Aleksandr Voinov’s books not only rip you out of your comfort zone, they open the door and roughly push you through. No parachute. No safety harness. He demands you explore the dark and brutal side of love right along with his well defined and complex characters. Unlike many erotic romance authors, Voinov doesn’t subscribe to the notion that the end of the story necessitates a happily ever after. While his characters may resolve the main conflict in the story, we aren’t given any reassurances that they will ever overcome the emotional, mental, or physical obstacles strangling them in order to have a functioning relationship.

Voinov’s strength lies in his characters. They are often underdogs, seemingly stuck in non-negotiable circumstances, forced into submission by the results of their own actions. Their journey to self discovery and awareness is often a minefield of pain, despair, and blood. But they are also survivors who are often forced to submit in some way, but you would never mistake that for defeat. Their choices aren’t always the best, but they are the best choices to make from what they are offered.

Voinov himself has said the perfect ending for his books is when “the characters make it out alive, but at a terrible cost, usually by the skin of their teeth. I want to see what's at the core of them, and stripping them down to that core is rarely pleasant for them. But it does make them wiser, and often stronger people.”

See? Not one “...and they lived happily ever after.”

[For when you're not in the mood for happy endings...]

Patricia Briggs
Frost Burned
Ace / March 5, 2013 / $26.95 print, $12.99 digital

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman—the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack—has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more…

After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted.

Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.

Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson series has been one of my longtime favorite urban fantasy series because of its vibrant multi-dimensional characters and a continuous evolving world that keep the series fresh and interesting. Set in an alternate Oregon, supernaturals intermingle with humans, though most humans aren’t conscious of this. The series centers on Mercy (Mercedes) Thompson, a Native American coyote shapeshifting mechanic.

[Mercy's back!...]

Nalini Singh
Wild Invitation: A Psy-Changeling Anthology
Berkley / March 5, 2013 / $7.99 print & digital

In “Beat of Temptation,” innocent Tamsyn has always had a place in her heart for Nathan, a blooded DarkRiver sentinel. But is she ready for the fierce demands of the mating bond?

In “Stroke of Enticement,” a wary young teacher, skeptical about love, arouses the man—and the animal—in an aggressive leopard changeling who must prove his affections are true.

Plus “In Declaration of Courtship,”* Grace, a shy submissive wolf, finds herself pursued by the last man she ever would have imagined: a SnowDancer lieutenant said to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.”

Plus “In Texture of Intimacy,”* SnowDancer healer Lara discovers the searing joys—and unexpected challenges—of being mated to quiet, powerful Walker, a man used to keeping his silence.

*never published before

Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series is action-packed, with a healthy balance of humor and romance. This paranormal romance series—a favorite of mine—takes place in an alternate version of Earth, playing hard and fast with fantastical world-building and dynamic characters. Multiple subplots are rich in subterfuge and adventure as we immerse ourselves into the lives of these amazing individuals.

[Go ahead, dive in...]

In need of some sexy reading material to fill your e-reader? I’m here for you. Each month I will bring you an assortment of erotic pleasure reads to tempt your palate—and your credit card....

While February may be the month for red satin covered candy filled hearts, it’s also the month for steamy new beginnings and heartbreak endings.

Addicted by Charlotte Stein

Charlotte Stein does it again with a delightfully naughty and steamy erotic romance about an awkward librarian who wants to physically experience every dirty thought she’s ever had.

Kit Connor has always led a safe, cautious life. But when her friend points out that her erotic writing lacks something, she decides to attend a Sexual Healing group to improve her knowledge. Kit expects to find the gritty underbelly of sex, and instead finds louche, laidback, sex-loving Dillon Holt.

He makes a suggestion to her: that he will tell tales of his sexual excess, and help her book get the realism it needs. She agrees, but hasn't the least idea of what she's getting into. Dillon doesn't have simple advice in mind … he has lessons to teach her. Lessons on everything she's never dared to experience, from kink to real passion.

Now Kit is never sure: is Dillon the addict, or is she just addicted to him?

[More sexy reads ahead...]

Olivia Cunning
Hot Ticket
Sourcebooks Casablanca / February 5, 2013 / $13.99 print, $7.39 digital

There are things in bassist Jace Seymour’s past that he is unwilling to share with anyone. To cover his guilt and anguish, he seeks dominatrix Mistress V (Aggie) to temporarily placate his inner turmoil.

Aggie doesn’t have much use for men–besides the power rush she gets when they’re begging for mercy at her feet–but Jace isn’t like her usual clients. His cool defiance and unexpected dominance in the bedroom drives her to distraction and quickly steals her heart.

When circumstances threaten Jace’s position in Sinners, Aggie must help him regain his rightful place in the band while showing him that time and love can heal all wounds.

We first met Olivia Cunning’s dark and sexy Sinners in Backstage Pass. The Sinners are a rock band whose secrets and lifestyle choices have made for some very interesting and very erotic reading. Each book gives us insight into one band member while advancing the overall arc. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll all led us on a long, hot, and erotic journey into the world of a band whose lives are balancing on a precipice and the fall could either destroy them or save them.

[What lies in store for us in Hot Ticket?...]