Elle: The Seductive Sequel to Hotelles – A Passionate Erotic Romance in Paris

La trilogie Hotel #2

by Emma Mars

A spellbinding, erotic, and revealing love story full of drama and poignancy—the sequel to Hotelles-in which a young French woman continues her carnal education in a mysterious Parisian hotel. In a hotel room in Paris, a young woman named Elle experiences the most exquisite freedom and sensual pleasure she has ever known, thanks to Louis, the man who has conquered her completely. So many things in life have changed since they first met. Her engagement to Louis’s deceptive brother, David, has been broken. Her mother has died. Yet Elle is wholly fulfilled with Louis, the master who heightens her senses and unleashes her deep, seductive power. In the alluring Hôtel des Charmes, Louis takes Elle beyond her wildest fantasies. Exploring the boudoirs devoted to other courtesans—Mademoiselle Josephine, Deschamps, Kitty Fisher, Cora Pearl, and Valtesse de la Bigne—Elle willingly opens herself further. In sublime self-abandonment she discovers absolute ecstasy, absolute sweetness, absolute desire. Then David unexpectedly returns, stirring up painful memories and threatening their bliss. Elle fears her education may soon be over. . . She does not understand that it has only just begun.

Genres: Erotica, Romance, Erotic Romance, France, Contemporary

448 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2013

About the author

Emma Mars est une auteure française de vingt ans. Ou trente. Peut-être même quarante. Elle a l’âge qu’elle veut, et la vie qu’elle aime à s’inventer, car elle n’apprécie rien tant que les passerelles entre la réalité (la sienne) et la fiction (celle qu’elle écrit). Quitte à mettre parfois un peu trop d’elle dans ses romans, et un peu trop de romanesque dans sa vie. Mais peu importe, c’est ce qui rend son existence passionnante, et l’espère-t-elle, ses livres assez captivants pour vous embarquer, vous lecteurs, dans ses errances sensuelles.

Reviews

[Sara Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have not read the first book, Hotelles, do NOT read this book. I repeat, do NOT read this book. It will ruin the first book for you and you won't fully understand this book. Sure, you'll get through it and it's still a great story, but if you don't know the journey Elle had been on leading her to this, a lot of things will be lost on you and you won't understand the importance of a lot of it. So just do yourself a favor and read the first book first.

Now.

This book. *sigh* I have to say, even from book one I was Team Louie. I don't know if it's because he seemed like a hot mess looking to be fixed by the charms of a woman, or because he reminded me of things in favorite characters from other novels I've enjoyed and he kind of sums them all up. He's smart, he's engaging, he's mysterious, he's attractive in what I picture to be an unconventional way, I think he's a sucker for romance at heart but doesn't want to be, he's a bit of a black sheep/bad boy. Once Elle comes around and sees all of this in Louie and comes willingly to him, I have to admit I was absolutely thrilled.

Here's the thing though, while in the first book I kind of liked Elle because she seemed kind of naive, almost to the point of blindingly stupid. Lots of red flags in her relationship with David seemingly go unnoticed and you have to literally hit her with facts before the wheels in her head tell her to look around, all is not what it seems and it's completely freaking obvious. In this book, it's like a totally different person. Again, my comparison to L. Marie Adeline's S.E.C.R.E.T. trilogy is still going strong. In that trilogy, the main character becomes this confident sex pot in book two, has everything going for her, has this great guy giving her what she needs to be satisfied and then she does things that make you think she's self sabotaging. Which kind of makes you wonder, is there a point where a person can be too sexually confident?

Some unfortunate things happen to Louie in this book which seem... I guess I can understand how they came about given what we know about him, but they still seem like a weird book filler. David is a total asshole in this book and though I saw it in the first book, a lot of his unfavorable characteristics come out in full force in this book. Elle absolutely hates him and I feel like she kind of needs to let that relax. I mean, she's the moron who agreed to get married after a whirlwind courtship, proceeds to do her "adventures" with Louie instead of saying, "Hey- your brother is sending me horribly inappropriate messages", and when she finds out the spider web that had become her life? She places all blame on David instead of saying, "Alright, so I need to do a better job at learning about someone before I get engaged". I'm just saying Elle is kind of irrational and nuts.

Which makes me worry for book three. I obviously need book three in my life. It makes me think this trilogy will end like L. Marie Adeline's, where everything goes to shit and the relationship I've come to adore goes to hell and I'm left hating the female lead because she's a selfish, terrible person. So I am begging the author to not end this trilogy like that. Absolutely begging.

[Raven Haired Girl]

Mars continues her highly charged erotic mystery with equal force and intrigue.

More than eroticism, the narrative contains mystery with thriller elements while uprooting deep dark secrets, betrayal, addiction along with trust and love.

Elle discovers pertinent background information regarding the Barlet brothers and Aurora. As she unearths information, she questions Louie and their relationship. Twists and turns leave Elle’s head spinning as she tries to decipher the scattered pieces to the enigmatic brothers. David reenters causing havoc and confusion. The veil surrounding the mysterious brothers is slowly being pulled as more of their dodgy past is revealed.

You’ll find yourself questioning art vs. pornography as the narrative introduces a scenario provoking thought. Blurred line or dividing line as one questions art along with freedom of expression.

The narrative dragged at times, also comes across as far fetched – Elle romantically involved with David, leaves him at the alter while becoming engaged to his brother Louie and yet she knows nothing of the shady pair let alone their questionable past. The trio navigate their combined past, present and future with little to go on other than opening sexual awareness. Contrived maybe, certainly a unique spin featuring eroticism fused with other genres. A mixed bag read holding nothing back.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

“I was perhaps new to the game, but I wasn’t exactly scribbling with crayons, was I? Could I be that bad?”

“That was total nonsense, but I loved using popular adages and mixing my metaphors: That’s the pot flying off the handle. Don’t throw kettles in glass houses.”

“All this information was churning through me like a chemistry experiment gone wrong.”

My Review:

Elle continues where Hotelles ended, so you really need to read the first book in the series to understand what is going on. Elle is far more erotic than Hotelles, and at times was more than a bit cringe-worthy for me… although the mystery and intrigue continue to be front and center, and are even more fascinating than in book one. The plot is ingenious, and the clues and mystery are well-paced, although I found myself impatient at times. But the ending, I am not entirely sure what happened… I am still a bit stunned. So I am scratching my head and hoping the third book come soon - as so much was left unresolved. I have many unanswered questions… damn, I am hooked. When will I ever learn?!?

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pokračovanie sa mi páčilo viac než prvý diel. V druhom diele sa vzťahy medzi hlavnými postavami zamotali a nabralo to také detektívne smerovanie, takže čítanie som si skutočne užila. Určite však nečítajte druhý diel bez prečítania prvého, pretože by ste potom len ťažko chápali niektoré súvislosti.

[Antonella Gagliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intrigante, personaggi particolari e intriganti. Lettura scorrevole.

[Muška Záchejová · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mierne! lepšie ako prvá časť. Mierne detektívny smer ma donútil dočítať knihu. Koniec ma ale zase zabil. Ale už som za polovicou, hor sa na 3. diel.. nech to mám čo najskôr za sebou..

[Kristýna · Rating 4 out of 5]

След като не можехме да правим любов, щяхме да "правим" думи.

Това беше много, много добро. Не знам защо тук оценката е толкова ниска. Това беше върховни преживяване на високо ниво.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Elle is another beautifully written erotic tale, however this volume boasts much more mystery, intrigue, and suspense than the first.

We meet up with Louie and Elle, whom have been living in the Hôtel des Charmes for roughly the past year while the renovations are completed at Louie’s residence, Mars House. Louie has continued to push Elle’s boundaries in all things sensual and she is ready to commit herself to him. But when Louie’s lies become too much for her to take, Elle begins investigating Louie and David’s past and is determined to find out the truth, once and for all, but at what cost to their relationship?

Complicating matters is that Louie is arrested and under investigation for indecency charges stemming from his involvement in an art exhibit in the gallery he co-owns. A conservative group is after him, determined to make him serve jail time; but again, there are secrets and lies, however it is Elle’s ex David that is at the center of the controversy. When David becomes an ally, Elle’s suspicions are raised, and for good reason. What is David’s motivation for getting back into Elle’s good graces? An attempt to win back and claim the doppelganger to the love of his life? Or simply to one up Louie once again?

Like the first book, Elle falls into the category of literary erotica. If you are looking for your everyday love story or quick and dirty erotica, this is not the book for you. Mars writes in a way that invokes the senses. Her use of sight, taste, sound, smell, and touch are all equally utilized, providing a sophisticated tale of seduction and manipulation. The storyline is complex and the characters are multi-layered. There may be some uncomfortable moments, however every word serves a purpose and the result is at times breathtaking.

This is the second book in the series and should be read as such. This is a planned trilogy and I am desperate to find out just how Elle and Louie’s story ends. Elle is definitely one of my top reads so far this year.

[Carla Geraldes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Com uma carga erótica grande, este segundo volume, não deixa, no entanto também de nos trazer mistério e intriga, o que, pessoalmente, me agradou imenso.

Um ano depois de Elle desistir do seu casamento com David, e se ter entregue aos caprichos do irmão Louis, vamos encontra-los, ainda no Quarto 1, do Hotel dos Encantos.
A mudança para o "Hotel da Menina Mars", residência futura do casal, está para breve. Mas será esta mudança que ira também plantar, em Elle, a semente da desconfiança, quando descobre que na cave da sua nova residência existe um equipamento de vigilância com camaras. Mas é quando ela está a tratar dos papéis do casamento com o notário, que surge o primeiro sinal de alarme. Tendo o notário ainda o contrato anulado do casamento com David, e ao passa-lo em revista, verifica que o ano de nascimento está errado. Pelos papeis, Louis e David só têm 7 meses de diferença. Será erro humano ou isto trás algo obscuro escondido? Confrontando os dois irmãos, ambos lhe negam a diferença de idades.
Quando Louis é preso, aquando da inauguração da sua galeria de arte, Elle parte numa viagem ao passado em busca da verdade sobre David, Louis e Aurore que a continua a perseguir.
O que Elle vai descobrindo aos poucos, vai deixa-la completamente perdida, pois uma pequeno mentira irá formar, em breve uma teia enorme.
Mais uma vez a autora me conseguiu cativar desde o primeiro momento. Se bem que a história central, neste segundo livro se foque mais na pesquisa de Elle, tem no entanto também uma forte componente erótica, tal como no primeiro livro.
O fim do livro, mesmo com uma conclusão, deixa-nos com água na boca para o próximo volume, e para saber qual o fecho das episódios que foram deixados em aberto neste.

[Jess Swann · Rating 2 out of 5]

J'avais été très impressionnée par le premier tome que j'avais trouvé sonnant juste mais j'ai été très déçue par la première moitié de ce tome... Contrairement à l'opus précédent, on trouve une accumulation de scènes sexuelles sans grand intérêt ni sans variété. Alors que l'histoire était si prometteuse dans le précédent, toute la première partie se contente d'enchainer les scènes érotiques, à tel point que je me suis demandée si j'allais poursuivre ma lecture. Heureusement, la seconde partie du livre revient à ce que j'avais aimé dans le précédent tome et l'enquête de Elle reprend sur les frères Barlet. Et là, ça devient bon ! On a révélations sur révélations et c'est passionnant, même si j'ai trouvé Elle assez peu intelligente pour une journaliste... En effet, dès l'instant où elle trouve la photo de David, on se doute de l'identité d'Aurore, idem pour la mutuelle... du coup, ce n'est pas très surprenant. L'intérêt de l'intrigue est plutôt sur les personnages de Louis et de David et leurs raisons de mentir. Idem, leur relation est tellement compliquée que, comme Elle, le lecteur ne sait jamais trop qui croire. Et là est la réussite, les personnages sont tellement menteurs qu'il devient passionnant de les suivre.


Ce que j'aime : les frères Barlet et leurs mensonges, les découvertes de Elle, la complexité des relations entre les personnages, le style de l'auteure


Ce que j'aime moins : trop de sexe tue le sexe, les scènes érotiques finissent par être trop répétitives et sans grand intérêt


En bref : Un second tome qui vaut surtout pour sa seconde partie et qui pâtit selon moi d'une accumulation de scènes érotiques qui confinent au cliché


Ma note


6,5/10

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um ano depois e já bem formada na área sexual, vemos Elle novamente com dúvidas em relação à sua escolha amorosa. Depois de ter deixado David, o seu noivo, para escolher o irmão, Louis, Elle vive o sonho de amor ao lado deste.

Louis é carinhoso, satisfá-la sexualmente e Elle não tem dúvidas do seu amor por ele. Até o pede em casamento...

Mas pouco depois Louis fica misterioso e Elle sente que ele lhe continua a esconder alguma coisa e que esse segredo continua bem longe, no passado dos dois irmãos. David, ressabiado com a "nega" que Elle lhe dá, deseja mostrar que está bem no campo amoroso, apresentando, através dos media, uma nova noiva. No entanto, Elle depressa descobre que isso não passa de um jogo para enganá-la, a Louis e a toda a opinião pública. E que David poderá estar por detrás de muitas coisas que têm vindo a acontecer na sua relação com Louis.

Mais em: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...

[Lootz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through a goodreads giveaway.
I like this second book more than Hotelles, the first book. I found the first book too dense, and this, perhaps because I was already familiar with the characters, seemed less so. The mystery is starting to really get good and I do plan to finish the trilogy when the final book does come out. The erotic language in this book, and some of the situations Elle finds herself in, may turn off some readers, but shouldn't be a surprise if you read the first book. I'm really not sure at this point if I'm rooting for Elle and Louie or if I'm hoping she leaves him. I'm leaning towards the latter. I did find myself skimming alot of the descriptive parts about Paris, again, and believe that the book could likely use another edit to bring down the page count, but I'm giving it 3 starts because the mystery is interesting enough to keep me reading.

[Hellixir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elle a-t-elle choisi le bon frère Barlet ? C'est ce que l'on se demande tout au long de l'ouvrage.
L'auteure nous emmène en balade explorer le passé de cette sombre famille aux multiples secrets. Elle est loin de se douter que la vérité est plus complexe qu'elle n'y paraît.

Cette exploration est ponctuée par les nombreux désirs et besoins de notre couple, bien plus présents et détaillés que dans le premier tome, ce qui n'est pas toujours pour me plaire.

On suit l'histoire de nos personnages avec beaucoup d'intérêt, malgré quelques petits bémols, et le style d'écriture est incroyable : c'est LE point fort de la saga ! Tout est écrit en finesse, élégance et délicatesse avec un vocabulaire soutenu, charmant et sensuel. Tout y est si bien décrit, on perçoit et ressent presque toutes les sensations et émotions des personnages, c'en est troublant. On n'imagine plus, on voit véritablement la scène ! Vraiment, félicitations à l'auteure pour ceci :)
Très beau tome.

[Mountbatten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takové....francouzské:) Otevřený syrový sex a detektivní zápletka.
Poté, co Bella opustí snoubence Davida před oltářem, když zjistí, že vše byla jeho manipulace, běží k Louisovi. Ale co je Louis? Není on nakonec ten "záporák"? Delikventní deviant? Zrádce? Není její láska pouze chtíč? A opět, co zase ta Aurora?
Celé se to až moc utápí v turbulencích měnících pohledy na skutečnost, které formou mnoha otazníků a v zásadě málo odpovědí, resp.jen načrtnutých, z toho dělají poněkud galimatyáš. Ano, umění není doslovné objasnění záměrů a vyvození fakt, ale tady jakoby autor se tohoto držel a tím zakrýval, že vlastně sám neví.
A spousta sexu. Díky bohu žádné zdlouhavé patetické popisy shlubokého víření ve vášnivém tornádu. Ale nápadité, mnohdy až moc, až příliš snaha o netradiční dekadentní sexování. Popisy mixují poetiku s drsnou až vulgární přímočarovostí.

[CoffeeTimeRomance andMore · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Elle works her way through Louie and David’s past, she becomes more aware of just how little she knows about the men she has opened her heart, soul, and body to. Despite this; however, she continues to crave Louie and his touch like an addict craves the next hit. In my opinion, her attempts to take control are half-hearted at best, and doomed to fail because there really is no trust or honest communication between her and Louie. Louie doles out lies and half-truths so consistently, it is hard to appreciate Elle’s devotion to him.
Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This second volume was even more enjoyable than the first. A fast read for mystery lovers who enjoy (or at least don't mind)
explicit with a capital E sex scenes. The mystery in this volume was more compelling than in the first (Hotelles) Get thee to a fainting couch and pick something else if blow by blow (literally) scenes with multiple partners is a trouble. Somewhat ham-handed editing (result of translation?) with a few distracting typos, same as in the first volume. The genre-mix of porn/romance-well written mystery is unique and compelling. The Paris setting is a bonus. I enjoyed this and the first volume within the same weekend. I'm looking forward to the third installment.

[Karline05 Un brin de lecture · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.unbrindelecture.com/2014/0...
Un second tome plus rythmé et moins accès sur l'érotisme quoique bien présent. La quête de vérité d'Elle sur le passé de Louis et David nous entraîne dans les archives d'orphelinat, dans les embruns de Saint-Malo et des vidéos sulfureuses....Tout un programme ! Bien des révélations dans ce tome parsemées des scènes épicées intenses et audacieuses.... Les questions en suspend devront attendre le 6 novembre pour la sortie du dernier volet : Hotel chambre 3.

[LeslecturesdeMylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

16/20
En bref, un second tome que j'ai trouvé au dessus du premier, il ne se concentre pas seulement sur la petite vie d'Elle mais aussi et surtout sur celle de Louis et David. L'auteur nous réserve quelques surprises qui maintiennent le lecteur en haleine et ne lui donne qu'une envie, savoir de quelle manière cette aventure va se terminer...

http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...

[Angélita Manchado · Rating 1 out of 5]

Malgré les nombreuses scènes de sexe très hard, pas dérangeantes pour moi, Emma Mars ne s'est pas attachée tellement à la psychologie de ses personnages. Elle, l'héroïne, tente de percer les secrets de famille. Elle y arrive pour vivre pleinement sa relation avec Louis. Mais le lecteur reste sur sa fin. Moins bon que le premier opus.

[Jen Marques (Just Me*) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gostei do desenrolar da história e a forma como a Elle lida com os mistérios do passado, apesar de algumas atitudes dela me irritarem. Adorei como o fim fica em suspanse! Mas posso esperar que saia o terceiro volume em português.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a totally refreshing experience as a novel and series because just when you think it is starting to get boring and predictable, Mars upsets the apple cart again. An unusually complicated plot for such a graphically erotic novel. Looking forward to the third book.

[Ella Gai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trovate la mia recensione sul mio blog
http://ellagai.blogspot.it/2014/01/tr...

[Mariusky Spínola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nop... não gostei... nem do 1º nem do 2º... o facto de saber que há um 3º, e pela primeira vez, não me faz ficar curiosa a ponto de o comprar.. para mim Elle já acabou...

[Thomas Keech · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pulsating, compulsive, acrobatic sex -- good. A plot resolution someone who didn't even read the first novel in this series could easily guess -- bad.

[Cláudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://umabibliotecaemconstrucao.blog...

[Amanda Byrne]

Marking as DNF. Been 2 months since I set this down and I haven't picked it back up.