Dangerous Pleasures

The Channel #4

by Bertrice Small

"New York Times" bestselling author Bertrice Small explores the deepest recesses of the imagination where one womanas sexual fantasies lie in wait.

Widowed with five children, stay at home mom Annie Miller has been just getting byaand growing restless because of it. Thinking Annie just needs a vacation, her sister enters her into a contest sponsored by The Channel, a network that caters to delivering womenas fantasies. Annie wins the grand prize, a week at a luxurious spaaand gets a treat when she turns on the flat-screen TV. The one working channel lets Annie programaand experienceaher own personal fantasy each night. Suddenly sheas living out dreams she didnat even know she had. But now that sheas experienced a complete sexual awakening, how will everyone in her former life handle this humble homemaker turned vivacious vixen?

Genres: Romance, Erotica, Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Spicy, Paranormal

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2008

About the author

Bertrice Williams was born on December 9, 1937 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, the daughter of Doris S. and David R. Williams, both broadcasters. She studied at Attended Western College for Women and Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. On October 5, 1963, she married George Sumner Small, a photographer and designer with a History Major at Princeton. They had a son Thomas David. She lived on eastern Long Island for over 30 years. Her greatest passions were her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.

Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.

Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.

Reviews

[Julie (jjmachshev) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Aug08

Bertrice Small is another big name in women’s romance. Her earlier books (WAY back in the 80s) were much spicier than the average historical romance and if you wanted a steamier read, then you knew Ms Small would deliver. Finally in 2005 she published her first erotic contemporary romance and “Dangerous Pleasures” is the fourth book in her ‘Pleasures’ series. This series is definitively erotica as the sex is almost a character itself. If you removed the sex, the story would be quite incomplete, and for me at least, that’s one way to delineate between romance and erotica.

The ‘Pleasure’ stories are about a women only cable TV channel. Via special technology (which actually reads more like magic but is nonetheless, called technology) the channel only works for women. The remote is keyed to their skin and any efforts by children or males to view or use the channel renders the channel inoperable. All a woman needs to do is think her fantasy, hit the remote, and the fantasy becomes a reality. The channel only operates from 8:00pm to 4:00am. It’s probably a good thing this is fiction because I’m guessing not a lot would ever get done at my house if this sucker were real!

The heroine of this book is Annie. She became a widow just two years ago and now is the single parent to 5 children ranging from age four to eighteen. Even with insurance and living frugally, she’s having a hard time getting by with any extra cash going towards treats for her children. She hasn’t had a date or an evening alone in longer than she can remember. Then, like a fairy tale, her sister enters her into a contest and she wins an all expenses trip to the channel’s newest spa. While at the spa, she discovers new urges and a new life she never dreamed of…but what will it cost her?

I have to admit that I didn’t particularly feel any connection with Annie. She went from being TOO sweet and wholesome to TOO cold and sharky. I felt that the majority of the book dealt in extremes and that just didn’t work for me. There’s a whole bunch of sex, but very little emotion or feeling to go with it. While I readily admit that I like reading about sex…I NEED that emotional bond to make it enjoyable for me.

Ms. Small’s sex scenes are myriad and varied and include oral, anal, vaginal sex. Annie has sex with as few as one and as many as ‘I lost count’. There’s also a bit of bondage and a bit of punishment thrown in for good measure  So if you are a fan of books chock full of almost every sex act imaginable (at least in my tiny imagination) without the extra baggage of strong emotion or love included, then this book may be exactly what you’re looking for. As for me, I’ll likely pass on the next one.

Til next time
JJ

[Carol Storm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Say it ain't so, Skye. Say it ain't so!

There's nothing sadder than watching a legend fade away. Think Douglas MacArthur, or Bela Lugosi running around suburban tract housing in a Dracula cape in Ed Wood's PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. Think Mark Hamill, singing "Luke Be A Jedi Tonight" on a snarky comedy show like THE SIMPSONS.

Now picture Bertrice Small, no longer writing titanic romance masterpieces like SKYE O'MALLEY, but instead reduced to writing sweaty, oozy, soft-core porn like DANGEROUS PLEASURES.

No hunky Scottish lords here. No luscious harem scenes. No magnificent heroines trading wisecracks with Good Queen Bess while managing a vast shipping empire, a husband, and two or three lovers on the side.

No, what we have here is . . . a sort of tepid mish-mosh of ROSEMARY'S BABY meets THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS meets DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES meets THE STEPFORD WIVES. When a super-exclusve spa is handing out free sex and unlimited pleasures to the first dumb housewife who knocks on the door (that would be you, Annie dear) do you think there could be something . . . evil . . . about the place?

Duh!

The sad thing is, I really liked Annie at first. When she was kind of, you know, human. I actually believed in her as the widowed mother of five trying to make ends meet. But by the end, when she's the Ice Lady in charge and just shrugs off the fact that she's working for . . . well, someone very horny, let's say . . . I just lost interest. The book went from sexy to sleazy, and from breezy to cheesy, faster than you could say, "hand jobs for the devil!"

Is this really how Bertrice Small wants to go out?

Mother of Mercy, is this the end of Sunny?

Say it ain't so, Skye. Say it ain't so!

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

A widowed mother of 5 children ranging from ages 4 to 17, Annie does not have time for herself. She has not moved on from her husband's death two years ago and she is financially strapped. When she wins a free trip to an exclusive spa in town, she is able to relax and rejuvenate. Before long, Annie is offered a part-time job at the spa with a high salary and perks that seems too good to be true. She works her way up the corporate ladder for the betterment of her family, while exploring her sexuality along the way.

After reading and enjoying a previous book by Small, I was expecting something similar in the ways of a love story with some virtual reality fantasy. Instead, this was an uneven book where I constantly scratched my head saying "this book has jumped ship." The situations were ludicrous (even by erotica standards) and the main character had a complete personality change as the book progressed. Dialogue was stilted and seemed forced. Overall-this was a terrible book.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did I really just waste two hours of my life on this book? I loved all Small's historicals and her Hetar series, but I don't know what she was thinking with this one. At least in the Pleasure books that have had romances , there was some kind of plot. This book had no plot. It was whine, prize, sex, job, sex, promotion, sex, promotion, sex, oh! I work for the devil! WHILE she's having sex. She's a cold-hearted witch and I'm glad this wasn't a romance because I would have been disgusted if she had ended up with a permanent man. Don't waste your time with this book.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Widowed with 5 children, stay at home Mom Annie Miller has just been getting by and growing restless because of it. Thinking Annie could use a vacation her sister enters her in a contest sponsered by the Channel, a network that caters to delivering women's fantasties. Annie wins the grand prize a week's stay at a luxurious spa and the chance to live out her fantasties. And after experiencing a complete sexual awakening, she finds herself in danger of losing everything shehas held so dear....

[Kindaangelic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really disappointed in this one......main character started off likeable...ended up being terrible. I didnt care for the way this character changed...and not in a good way. Lots o sex...but nothing even remotely sexy.....

[Anne Marshall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very odd

[HiI’mKatILoveBooks! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utter greatness! These books keep getting better and better with the story and the sex! Great and fast read. When I read these I never want it to end! As always I love the story, the sex and the wonderful, loving characters!!! Loved it!! 😍🤩📚🤓

[Heidi Christoper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better of the series so far

I like that this one was a but more removed from The Channel. It's the more interesting book so far, I believe. Time in The Channel was really far fetched when I started the series but it is predictable now.

[Greyland Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

[Jackie Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Pleasures

Wow. The imagination Bertrice Small had with this Series is beyond reality. This series has been hard to put down. Wish that The Channel existed.

[Merrie Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did the audiobook and the male voice the reader did was HORRIBLE!

[Aurian Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second favourite book in this series, and again featuring a woman discovering her self. Annie’s husband was killed two years ago, leaving her with 5 children to take care of on her own. And without adequate means to do so. Thanks to her lawyer sister and her parents who help her out, she can give her children some luxury. Her oldest son is going to college thanks to her sister, but her oldest daughter longs for all the trendy clothes and gadgets she needs to be part of the in-crowd at school. And Annie just can’t give her that. The twins are not as materialistic, and happy with what they do have, and their passion for animals, and little Wills is too young for anything just yet.
Her sister enters Annie in a contest, hoping that she will win one of 100 yearlong subscriptions for The Channel. As Annie will accept help on behalf of her children, she will not take anything for herself. But instead, Annie wins the grand prize, a weak at The Spa. And miraculously, she can attend, as her sister will take her oldest son with her to Europe, her three daughters will attend Summer Camp, like she and her sister enjoyed so many years ago, and her little boy will go to Disney World with his best friend and his parents.

And so Annie enters a world filled with luxury for the first time. A personal assistant to help her with everything, who plans her appointments and everything else. A massage, a manicure and pedicure, delicious but healthy food and drinks. And Annie gets to meet Nora Buckley, the woman who runs the Spa. And when asked for suggestions to improve the experience, she comes up with some really clever ones. And this all results in Nora hiring Annie to run the gift shop. Annie has no retail experience, but she is very good at is. She can work the hours her children are at school, and be home when the school bus brings them back. And when one of them gets sick, the Spa even provides her with a Nanny.

Mr Nicholas, the owner of The Channel Corporation, is very happy with Annie, and he plans on making her Nora’s replacement as the manager. And with providing her with a fulltime live-in Nanny, Annie jumps as the chance. She likes working, earning enough money herself to provide for her family. And ofcourse, the benefits are very nice as well... She sure discovers her own naughty side in the Channel, and in reality with her personal assistant ...


I really enjoy this one as well. Annie is tired of being a widow, the strong one, and having to turn every penny twice. So the opportunity to earn her own money and provide for her children, is a gift from heaven (or is it?).
In the Channel she can play all she wants, and in her job she can be the stern but fair manager. She discovers that she is good at her job, and she can be ruthless as well. She is in charge, and no-one will take that from her.

Yes, some nice and hot love scenes, but I love how Annie matures and enjoys her new life. The story itself is fun. But although I love Bertrice Small’s writing style, I know she drives others nuts with her flowery descriptions and her names for certain bodyparts.

9 stars.

[Elizabeth Bennet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bertrice Small's books are in a class all there own. You have to understand what she is as an author or you may be surprised. This was the first book I bought from her and I was in the mood for something different, It was the title and the cover that made me buy it. The description didn't hurt any either. the story is about a widowed mother of five in her 40's named Annie Miller, not your typical heroin. That is what makes it more believable because she's so common. She wins a contest to spend a week at a fancy, new age spa. She meets some hot guy named Devyn and it seemed to me this would be our hero. That is what is different with BS books, you never know. Her writing to me is questionable at times because I like the couple to be singular and her books are riddled with harems, multi-partenered orgies. The heroin being sold as a sex slave is a popular variation for her and one that becomes old for me.

I like some erotica like 50 Shades Of Gray but what I like is that there are a couple(meaning two). The channel offered a variation and was fun but with Annie lead to disappointment in the end for me. I wanted the whole picture and felt she was seduced by the dark side, lol. It took away most of her appeal as she became calculating and unfeeling but it didn't stop me from buying the other books in the series.

[Cindy (BKind2Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am of 2 minds on this book in the Channel series. On one hand, the steamy bits are pretty hot - the fantasy parts with the Beast are especially delicious, with the Beast playing the part of a dom and Annie his sub. It fits the story and can be seen as a way for Annie to work out her feelings about her husband's death. On the other hand, the story was all over the place. The first part seemed fairly benign - widow with 5 children, ranging from college age to preschooler, wins a week at the new women-only spa run by the Channel. She gets loads of pampering as well as an intro to the Channel and the spa thinks that she'd be right person to run a gift boutique. Not a bad plot line. But as she moves up the hierarchy, she becomes a cold-hearted bitch. I really saw this as a HEA with her and Devyn, but that is so not where this goes. The scene with her and her personal assistant (Mary) towards the end was almost beyond belief. And the abruptness of the ending - arrgh! - was frustrating beyond words. This was like 2 novels - the first half was about a 3.5-4 and the second half was a bare 2, maybe even a 1.5. Very uneven.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 2.5. As a steamy book, it was good - just what you expect, but as a "story" I think it wasn't one of Ms. Small's best.

I think Annie was one of the more less-likeable protagonists of this series. The previous ones had characters finding love - but this book had nothing about love. It actually put me off from reading the next one when it came out a year later.

Annie'd already found and lost her "great love" - so in this story, she reconnected with Annie (and distanced herself from "Mom"). But since she wasn't settling in to anyone, we didn't get the pleasure of meeting some great book boy... we just had one that showed promise and turned pushy - and two unlikeable duds. We also saw Annie try to seduce a young-ish (but definitely innocent) girl. I don't know, it was so much skeevier than previous ones.

Now I realize that these books are EROTIC. The language is coarse and the sex is "adventurous" - but I just didn't like the direction this one took. Granted, I tend to be sensitive when mothers become crappy mothers. And she did.

[JoAnne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Annie is a widow. Her husband was hit a by a double decker bus in England. He did not leave his family very well off. Her sister Lizzie has entered her in a contest to win a week at a spa opening in their town. Lizzie makes summer plans for Annie's five children. Annie needs a break. Her husband has been dead for two years. Then Annie finds out she won the week at the spa. She goes and it changes her life. She gets introduced to The Channel which is a sex channel for women. The manager, Nora, at the spa asks her opinion of her experience at the Spa and Annie gives her some suggestions. Nora hires Annie to run the gift shop she suggests. But will Annie like how her life is going to change?

I was iffy about this book. The sex was kind of raunchy. Annie's character seemed to change drastically after being introduced to the channel.

[Nita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fairly disappointed with this one. While the plot and storyline were interesting, the telling of it lacked luster. This one was chock full of "telling" sentences. And horror of horrors, Bertrice called the heroine by the wrong name--not once, but twice. VERY poor editing. I don't blame Bertrice. It's the editor's job to catch that stuff.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first Beatrice Small book.
I was finding it quite unbelievably annoying the good luck that kept coming Annie's way.
Once I realized Satan was involved,(took me long enough duh)it all made perfect sense.

[Kashii · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars ... maybe I'm just not a contemporary erotica fan... small delivers a well written book but it just falls short of her other works. I just don't see her being as involved with the story and characters in this book

[LInda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some intrigue, but a lot of sex as well. B. Small does that so well. It's beyond fantastic, but somehow you get caught up in it. Silly premise, but hot sex.

[Lori Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not put this down. I stayed up late to finish it. I was a little disturbed by the ending, but it made sense.

[Julie]

Dangerous Pleasures by Bertrice Small (2008)

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the other book in this series, kinda disappointed!! :(

[Adrienne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish it....blech.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy 4 stars; romantic novel

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'll stick with Bertrice Small's older books - loved the story lines. This series just has some really unreal stuff in it.

[Jeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dangerous Pleasures is #4 in the contemporary erotica series by Bertrice Small. I was a little put off by this one but if you take it for what it is, then it's a good book.