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Freedom
Freedom introduces a new and exciting fantasy man in the shape of Giraldo De Lograno, otherwise known as the Bastard of Bilbao. Of Spanish descent, and from a time when the plague was raging in Newcastle, England, he has spent the last 400 years living his life as a gigolo. A time-travelling highwayman, who has been cursed to bring his own special brand of pleasure and pain to the women who cross his path. Women just like Zara.
Out on the town and looking for a random stranger to spend the night with, Zara knows just how to celebrate her recent divorce. A petite blonde, she is no shrinking violet and has a naughty little kit to prove it and fully intends to have a night that she will never forget… it is just a case of choosing the lucky guy. Then she meets ‘Max.’
‘Max,’ the most exciting and dangerous man she has ever set eyes on. Sinfully good-looking and with a seductive charm that leaves her breathless. The fact that she would choose him for her Freedom night was never in question.
What is in question is the role she will play in a twisted mind-game between her chosen lover and a young woman executed for witchcraft in 17th Century England. Elizabetha, a beautiful and cunning temptress and she has more to do with Zara’s fate than she would ever have dreamed possible.
Who is the Highwayman and what does he need from her? Will Zara seal her fate or gain her coveted Freedom?
One thing’s for certain; her life will never be the same again.
Freedom is the first in a series of erotic romances chronicling the journey of the Highwayman as he makes his way back to the young woman who holds the key to his heart.
Due to sexual content of an explicit nature, this book is recommended for ages 18+
Out on the town and looking for a random stranger to spend the night with, Zara knows just how to celebrate her recent divorce. A petite blonde, she is no shrinking violet and has a naughty little kit to prove it and fully intends to have a night that she will never forget… it is just a case of choosing the lucky guy. Then she meets ‘Max.’
‘Max,’ the most exciting and dangerous man she has ever set eyes on. Sinfully good-looking and with a seductive charm that leaves her breathless. The fact that she would choose him for her Freedom night was never in question.
What is in question is the role she will play in a twisted mind-game between her chosen lover and a young woman executed for witchcraft in 17th Century England. Elizabetha, a beautiful and cunning temptress and she has more to do with Zara’s fate than she would ever have dreamed possible.
Who is the Highwayman and what does he need from her? Will Zara seal her fate or gain her coveted Freedom?
One thing’s for certain; her life will never be the same again.
Freedom is the first in a series of erotic romances chronicling the journey of the Highwayman as he makes his way back to the young woman who holds the key to his heart.
Due to sexual content of an explicit nature, this book is recommended for ages 18+
186 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 18, 2014
Luna Ballantyne's Freedom, Book I of the Sensual Liaisons series, is a rollicking 4.5- or 4.75-star erotic romance that alternates between sultry and serious with the same aplomb that its plot travels from the uninhibited yet familiar world of 2014 to the unfamiliar yet equally sensual world of 1630s England.
As the novel opens, the newly divorced Zara is ready to celebrate her first night of freedom after five stultifying years of marriage. The once-shy blonde who married with stars in her eyes at the age of eighteen is happy to be rid of the dull and unfulfilling Pete, but she is still woefully inexperienced sexually. Therefore the long-haired siren, immaculately gowned and coiffed, heads out to Newcastle's hottest nightclub with a gaggle of mischievous girlfriends...who have prepared for her a special kit of intimate sex toys that she is expected to use with some lucky man before the night is up. Through the drinking, dirty dancing, and good-natured double entendres, Zara works herself up to take the plunge into the almost innocently expressive carnality she deserves.
The man fate chooses for her, however, is one like no other: the Highwayman, a seventeenth-century rogue cursed, or perhaps both blessed and cursed, to become something of a time-traveling gigolo. Known in the twenty-first century as Max Fraser and in his own as Giraldo De Lograno, or the Bastard of Bilbao, the Highwayman is tall, dark, handsome, suavely enigmatic...and not only intimately skilled but also physically very well endowed. This mysterious yet lonely stranger is bound by the curse of a vengeful English lass hanged for witchcraft to roam the centuries, luring and satisfying woman after woman until he-- Well, thereupon, of course, hinges the story that will more than merely one book to tell.
Freedom is by turns scorchingly hot and tenderly romantic, with passionate characters struggling to escape a centuries-old curse whose full import is still tantalizingly obscured. From the driving music of the raucous nightclub to the clang of sword upon sword or the cries of plague victims in old England, Ballantyne carries Zara and her man of mystery through a wonderfully naughty tale which whets the reader's appetite for another book, and another...
As the novel opens, the newly divorced Zara is ready to celebrate her first night of freedom after five stultifying years of marriage. The once-shy blonde who married with stars in her eyes at the age of eighteen is happy to be rid of the dull and unfulfilling Pete, but she is still woefully inexperienced sexually. Therefore the long-haired siren, immaculately gowned and coiffed, heads out to Newcastle's hottest nightclub with a gaggle of mischievous girlfriends...who have prepared for her a special kit of intimate sex toys that she is expected to use with some lucky man before the night is up. Through the drinking, dirty dancing, and good-natured double entendres, Zara works herself up to take the plunge into the almost innocently expressive carnality she deserves.
The man fate chooses for her, however, is one like no other: the Highwayman, a seventeenth-century rogue cursed, or perhaps both blessed and cursed, to become something of a time-traveling gigolo. Known in the twenty-first century as Max Fraser and in his own as Giraldo De Lograno, or the Bastard of Bilbao, the Highwayman is tall, dark, handsome, suavely enigmatic...and not only intimately skilled but also physically very well endowed. This mysterious yet lonely stranger is bound by the curse of a vengeful English lass hanged for witchcraft to roam the centuries, luring and satisfying woman after woman until he-- Well, thereupon, of course, hinges the story that will more than merely one book to tell.
Freedom is by turns scorchingly hot and tenderly romantic, with passionate characters struggling to escape a centuries-old curse whose full import is still tantalizingly obscured. From the driving music of the raucous nightclub to the clang of sword upon sword or the cries of plague victims in old England, Ballantyne carries Zara and her man of mystery through a wonderfully naughty tale which whets the reader's appetite for another book, and another...
July 16, 2015
Ready for a night on the town with her best friends, newly divorced Zara Cockburn can't wait to meet the man of her dreams. He arrives in a flurry of chiseled, hard musculature, waiting to exploit -- and be exploited -- in this white-hot, erotic rollercoaster of a book.
Zara and her friends Kat, Lily and Sophie arrive at the Organ Grinder wine bar dressed to kill in six-inch platform shoes and sensuous, show-it-all outfits. One even sports a skin-hugging white nurse's frock, complete with stethoscope -- the better to hear the racing heartbeats of the lively lads who have come (no pun intended) to await them.
But things take a serious turn when Zara becomes trapped in a fire that breaks out in the World's End pub. She is struggling to escape, pinned under a fallen beam, when her tall, dark rescuer appears suddenly through the smoky haze.
Inflamed by their dangerous situation, the two start something they can't quite finish in the burning building, and must wait until all the crowds and ambulances disappear before making their way to a sumptuous luxury hotel suite, where they resume their torrid lovemaking in a hot jacuzzi, strewn with rose petals and surrounded by twinkling candles.
"Leaning against his smooth, hard chest, Zara found herself smiling as she realised that Max could do whatever he wanted to her and she would raise no objections."
Then, in the night, all worn out from sexual gymnastics, Zara finds herself in the Seventeenth Century, by the River Tyne in Newcastle Town, transported there by dark forces she does not understand. There's Nellie, the straitlaced woman in black, and strapping William Fyssher, who proves to the town that rumors of his enormous member are not unfounded.
And then there's The Highwayman -- that mysterious, yet oh-so-sexy manifestation of Zara's overactive libido -- who appears and disappears in her dreams, and leaves her panting with desire.
Another trip back in time later finds the young cavalier Giraldo having his way with Grace, a local wench who finds that being unfaithful to her husband Billy can be quite rewarding indeed! The author shines in many descriptive passages of the book, including this one that portrays Grace's simmering seduction:
"Her body tingling with desire, Grace slowly opened her pale legs and with a force that took them both by surprise, guided his candle into her light."
We discover that Giraldo bears an uncanny resemblance to Max -- albeit a couple of generations removed -- and the plot thickens deliciously. Can Max ultimately banish the evil Elizabetha from his daytime thoughts, where she holds him captive centuries after a failed bet sealed his fate -- to be a duplicitous gigolo forever, never getting the true love he so desperately desires?
This book is not traditional erotica; it has layers, and multifaceted characters a reader can really care about. The author has done a masterful job of bringing a good story to vibrant life and infusing it along the way with enough satisfying sex to sate the most prurient reader.
Five stars for Freedom -- and eager anticipation for the next book in the Sensual Liaisons series.
Zara and her friends Kat, Lily and Sophie arrive at the Organ Grinder wine bar dressed to kill in six-inch platform shoes and sensuous, show-it-all outfits. One even sports a skin-hugging white nurse's frock, complete with stethoscope -- the better to hear the racing heartbeats of the lively lads who have come (no pun intended) to await them.
But things take a serious turn when Zara becomes trapped in a fire that breaks out in the World's End pub. She is struggling to escape, pinned under a fallen beam, when her tall, dark rescuer appears suddenly through the smoky haze.
Inflamed by their dangerous situation, the two start something they can't quite finish in the burning building, and must wait until all the crowds and ambulances disappear before making their way to a sumptuous luxury hotel suite, where they resume their torrid lovemaking in a hot jacuzzi, strewn with rose petals and surrounded by twinkling candles.
"Leaning against his smooth, hard chest, Zara found herself smiling as she realised that Max could do whatever he wanted to her and she would raise no objections."
Then, in the night, all worn out from sexual gymnastics, Zara finds herself in the Seventeenth Century, by the River Tyne in Newcastle Town, transported there by dark forces she does not understand. There's Nellie, the straitlaced woman in black, and strapping William Fyssher, who proves to the town that rumors of his enormous member are not unfounded.
And then there's The Highwayman -- that mysterious, yet oh-so-sexy manifestation of Zara's overactive libido -- who appears and disappears in her dreams, and leaves her panting with desire.
Another trip back in time later finds the young cavalier Giraldo having his way with Grace, a local wench who finds that being unfaithful to her husband Billy can be quite rewarding indeed! The author shines in many descriptive passages of the book, including this one that portrays Grace's simmering seduction:
"Her body tingling with desire, Grace slowly opened her pale legs and with a force that took them both by surprise, guided his candle into her light."
We discover that Giraldo bears an uncanny resemblance to Max -- albeit a couple of generations removed -- and the plot thickens deliciously. Can Max ultimately banish the evil Elizabetha from his daytime thoughts, where she holds him captive centuries after a failed bet sealed his fate -- to be a duplicitous gigolo forever, never getting the true love he so desperately desires?
This book is not traditional erotica; it has layers, and multifaceted characters a reader can really care about. The author has done a masterful job of bringing a good story to vibrant life and infusing it along the way with enough satisfying sex to sate the most prurient reader.
Five stars for Freedom -- and eager anticipation for the next book in the Sensual Liaisons series.
October 21, 2015
Freedom is a unique and interesting read, to say the least. If you fancy time-travel, witches and hot kinky sex [emphasis on the kink], well this is the book for you!
The book begins with Zara and her friends embarking on her 'freedom' night. Fresh out of a lackluster marriage, Zara is looking for excitement and boy did she find it.
I must admit, the highwayman's introduction was a bit confusing. The story is fast paced and at first, the whole time warp thing, is hard to follow. But I soon made sense of it all and found myself really enjoying Luna's take on the Newcastle witch trials.
This is definetly not my usual erotic romance. I did mention the kink, right? This book is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. I don't consider myself a prude, by any means, but some of the sexual scenes in this book left me like...
All perverse kinkery aside, I found the storyline and characters fascinating.
Elizabetha, a beautiful witch from 17th Century England, laid a curse on Giraldo de Logrono (the Bastard of Bilbao), the sexy highwayman also known as Max. The only way to break the curse and rescue Elizabetha from the fate laid upon her by the evil witch-pricker, is by traveling through time, seducing young willing women. What role does Zara play in all this? Well, I guess you'll just have to read it for yourself ;)
I rate this book 3 out 5 stars!
★ ★ ★
The Book Bitch for all things books....Reviews, Recommendtions, Deals, Giveaways, Author Interviews and so much more.
The book begins with Zara and her friends embarking on her 'freedom' night. Fresh out of a lackluster marriage, Zara is looking for excitement and boy did she find it.
I must admit, the highwayman's introduction was a bit confusing. The story is fast paced and at first, the whole time warp thing, is hard to follow. But I soon made sense of it all and found myself really enjoying Luna's take on the Newcastle witch trials.
This is definetly not my usual erotic romance. I did mention the kink, right? This book is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. I don't consider myself a prude, by any means, but some of the sexual scenes in this book left me like...
Warning: Reading this book at work may result in choking on air and incoherently babbling statements such as "Holy Mother of Balls!!!" to your co-workers ...not that I'm speaking from experience of course...
All perverse kinkery aside, I found the storyline and characters fascinating.
Elizabetha, a beautiful witch from 17th Century England, laid a curse on Giraldo de Logrono (the Bastard of Bilbao), the sexy highwayman also known as Max. The only way to break the curse and rescue Elizabetha from the fate laid upon her by the evil witch-pricker, is by traveling through time, seducing young willing women. What role does Zara play in all this? Well, I guess you'll just have to read it for yourself ;)
I rate this book 3 out 5 stars!
★ ★ ★
*Due to sexual content of an explicit nature, this book is recommended for ages 18+
The Book Bitch for all things books....Reviews, Recommendtions, Deals, Giveaways, Author Interviews and so much more.
February 6, 2015
(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I was originally drawn to this book by the front cover. I felt it was a really cool front cover and since I do like reading erotic romance books, I was happy when I won a copy of this in one of the giveaways.
The concept of the highwayman was a really intriguing one, but I did get a bit confused by what was revealed through the course of the book, since the blurb had seemed to indicate one thing, while it was shown to be something different through the book.
I did like the fact that, although a lot of this book was about the erotic scenes between Zara and Max, there were also some scenes that showed Max's past. I felt the author did a good job of showing the differences between the two different time frames, though I was a bit confused about the whole reason why Zara ended up visiting the past.
I found the interactions between Zara and Max to be really intriguing. Although a lot of it was about the sex, I felt that there was a lot of care there...and it was really good that things between the two of them were clearly consensual.
I was very unsure about Elizabetha as a character. I felt sympathy towards her at first, but seeing events from her perspective made her a much less sympathetic character... even if I could understand why she was so unhappy with her mother and the highwayman. I was curious to see what would happen to lead up to the events of the present day.
The erotic scenes were mostly good and quite hot in parts, but there were a couple of things that made me cringe, such as the description of Zara's wrists being messed up and bleeding. But apart from that, it was pretty cool to read two consenting adults exploring different ways to pleasure each other. And it was good to see that there was some plot, rather than just the erotic adventure.
I have to say, though, there were a lot of errors in the writing and a couple of times where I had to pause reading to figure out where a quotation mark was supposed to go, for instance. Still, this was a good book to read and I found it entertaining and the issues of consent were dealt with, which is always important to me. I'm interested to see where Max goes next.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I was originally drawn to this book by the front cover. I felt it was a really cool front cover and since I do like reading erotic romance books, I was happy when I won a copy of this in one of the giveaways.
The concept of the highwayman was a really intriguing one, but I did get a bit confused by what was revealed through the course of the book, since the blurb had seemed to indicate one thing, while it was shown to be something different through the book.
I did like the fact that, although a lot of this book was about the erotic scenes between Zara and Max, there were also some scenes that showed Max's past. I felt the author did a good job of showing the differences between the two different time frames, though I was a bit confused about the whole reason why Zara ended up visiting the past.
I found the interactions between Zara and Max to be really intriguing. Although a lot of it was about the sex, I felt that there was a lot of care there...and it was really good that things between the two of them were clearly consensual.
I was very unsure about Elizabetha as a character. I felt sympathy towards her at first, but seeing events from her perspective made her a much less sympathetic character... even if I could understand why she was so unhappy with her mother and the highwayman. I was curious to see what would happen to lead up to the events of the present day.
The erotic scenes were mostly good and quite hot in parts, but there were a couple of things that made me cringe, such as the description of Zara's wrists being messed up and bleeding. But apart from that, it was pretty cool to read two consenting adults exploring different ways to pleasure each other. And it was good to see that there was some plot, rather than just the erotic adventure.
I have to say, though, there were a lot of errors in the writing and a couple of times where I had to pause reading to figure out where a quotation mark was supposed to go, for instance. Still, this was a good book to read and I found it entertaining and the issues of consent were dealt with, which is always important to me. I'm interested to see where Max goes next.
October 20, 2014
The first in a series of erotic fiction, Freedom introduces the character of Giraldo de Logrono otherwise known as the Bastard of Bilbao a swashbuckling adventurer, sexual mercenary and time-traveling highwayman.
As Zara sets out on her ‘Freedom’ night – to celebrate her divorce from staid ex-husband Pete – she finds herself tangled up in the web of the mysterious ‘Max’ aka the Bastard of Bilbao. Pulled from the flames of a burning pub by him, Zara is whisked away on a raunchy week-long sexual odyssey of self-discovery. Zara soon finds that there is more to her rescuer than meets the eye. Raunchy sex, time-travel and a twisted love that stretches back into the dark days of the Newcastle witch trials – Zara’s life will never be the same again as she looks beneath the mask of the time-traveling highwayman.
the first in the series, Freedom opens with a bang. Lots of sex, lots of adventure, some great descriptions of seventeenth century Newcastle, and a tantalizing glimpse of the Highwayman's great love, Elizabetha.
As the series unfolds, it promises to expand on Luna’s unique take on the Newcastle witch-trials: as it is only by traveling through time seducing strangers that the highwayman can break the curse laid on him by the beautiful witch Elizabetha, and hope to rescue her from her fate at the hands of the evil witch-pricker! Serious history it’s not, but it’s fun, fast paced and sexy!
As Zara sets out on her ‘Freedom’ night – to celebrate her divorce from staid ex-husband Pete – she finds herself tangled up in the web of the mysterious ‘Max’ aka the Bastard of Bilbao. Pulled from the flames of a burning pub by him, Zara is whisked away on a raunchy week-long sexual odyssey of self-discovery. Zara soon finds that there is more to her rescuer than meets the eye. Raunchy sex, time-travel and a twisted love that stretches back into the dark days of the Newcastle witch trials – Zara’s life will never be the same again as she looks beneath the mask of the time-traveling highwayman.
the first in the series, Freedom opens with a bang. Lots of sex, lots of adventure, some great descriptions of seventeenth century Newcastle, and a tantalizing glimpse of the Highwayman's great love, Elizabetha.
As the series unfolds, it promises to expand on Luna’s unique take on the Newcastle witch-trials: as it is only by traveling through time seducing strangers that the highwayman can break the curse laid on him by the beautiful witch Elizabetha, and hope to rescue her from her fate at the hands of the evil witch-pricker! Serious history it’s not, but it’s fun, fast paced and sexy!
March 2, 2015
Zara Cockburn is out on her Freedom Night. Her divorce is final and she's looking to get laid. She married young and only been with her ex-husband. With her friends, she's on the prowl. Her life changes when she comes across the a pendant.
She sees a vision of the past and future, witnessing herself being ravished by the Highway Man, while seeing a long line of women that lead back into the past. As the night unfolds, Zara finds herself bouncing back and forth between the past, learning about the Highway Man's history, while having a wild night of uninhibited sex that last well into the next day with Max.
Freedom is a mix of a historical tale as Zara explores the past of Newcastle, England in the mid-sixteen hundreds as she learns about the young witch Elizabetha and how her life intertwined with the Highway Man, an immortal that slips from disguise to disguise on his quest. As Zara learns about Max, the Highway Man's current identity, she also gets what she craves--Freedom.
Freedom is an interesting story. The sex is kinky, bondage, domination, pegging , anal, and more. Zara plays both the dom and the sub for the Highway Man in between jaunts to the past. Luna knows her history, and contrasts and compares ancient and modern Newcastle, peppered with historical facts.
I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
She sees a vision of the past and future, witnessing herself being ravished by the Highway Man, while seeing a long line of women that lead back into the past. As the night unfolds, Zara finds herself bouncing back and forth between the past, learning about the Highway Man's history, while having a wild night of uninhibited sex that last well into the next day with Max.
Freedom is a mix of a historical tale as Zara explores the past of Newcastle, England in the mid-sixteen hundreds as she learns about the young witch Elizabetha and how her life intertwined with the Highway Man, an immortal that slips from disguise to disguise on his quest. As Zara learns about Max, the Highway Man's current identity, she also gets what she craves--Freedom.
Freedom is an interesting story. The sex is kinky, bondage, domination, pegging , anal, and more. Zara plays both the dom and the sub for the Highway Man in between jaunts to the past. Luna knows her history, and contrasts and compares ancient and modern Newcastle, peppered with historical facts.
I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2014
‘Freedom’ is not only a wonderful time travel story set in Newcastle, England, today and 1636, but has witches and erotica. Sex is integral to the story as The Highwayman is cursed with being a gigolo, a role that isn’t always a curse to him, as when he meets Zara, who is celebrating her divorce with the hopes of a wild, steamy freedom night.
The story left me satisfied, yet wanting more. I want to know what fate awaits Max and wished to learn more about his cursor, Elizabetha.
The story left me satisfied, yet wanting more. I want to know what fate awaits Max and wished to learn more about his cursor, Elizabetha.
October 23, 2014
A sexy novella that was part historical drama and part erotic romance. Amazingly the two worked really well together under Luna Ballantyne's skilful penmanship and I was taken through time with Zara as her first night of Freedom, post divorce, became a sexually charged adventure. I look forward to finding out more about the mysterious highwayman in the next part of the series.
May 16, 2015
I enjoyed the story. It was such an easy read. I didn't expect time-travel to be involved but I think it added charm. The characters were likeable, consent was made clear and the plot was interesting. It left me wanting to know more about the characters and what the future held for them. I look forward to the sequel!
July 9, 2015
As expected: an entertaining story with nice twists. This book will treat you a great mix of the past and the now including time travel as well! All nicely interlaced with erotic events which are wonderfully set and I love how they develop.
If you want to read an exciting erotic story, this one is highly recommended.
If you want to read an exciting erotic story, this one is highly recommended.
July 28, 2015
This was a really interesting story that has a slight twist at the end that really didn't surprise me. I really figured the fetish would have been a little more fetishy. But you know what can you do.
The characters are honestly realistic as much as the story can be realistic with someone who responds to what you really need, not what you think you need, but really need.
The characters are honestly realistic as much as the story can be realistic with someone who responds to what you really need, not what you think you need, but really need.
June 12, 2015
I received this book as a Goodreads winner. I found this short, time travelling romance hard to follow and the writing style just wasn't up my alley.
December 22, 2014
not really my cup of tea but the concept was interesting and well written
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews