What do you think?
Rate this book
Rodesson's Daughters #2
Black Silk
touch of ecstasy...
Maryanne Hamilton had expected to be shocked, but the wanton orgy she finds in Mrs. Master’s salon makes her wonder if she has walked into hell. Desperate to escape, she comes upon the master of sin himself - Lord Swansborough. Fascinated by his nakedness, she longs to touch every inch of his long, hard body. And when he bids her come near, she quickly surrenders to his wicked promise of carnal pleasure and sensual ecstasy…
Maryanne Hamilton had expected to be shocked, but the wanton orgy she finds in Mrs. Master’s salon makes her wonder if she has walked into hell. Desperate to escape, she comes upon the master of sin himself - Lord Swansborough. Fascinated by his nakedness, she longs to touch every inch of his long, hard body. And when he bids her come near, she quickly surrenders to his wicked promise of carnal pleasure and sensual ecstasy…
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
66 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Page
54 books432 followersSharon Page is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous novels of historical and erotic romance. She is a two-time, consecutive winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award, winner of the Golden Quill and the Colorado Award of Excellence, and a multiple finalist for the Daphne Du Maurier Award. She has twice received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, and is a four-time finalist.
Married with two children, Sharon Page holds an industrial design degree and has worked for many years for a structural engineering firm. When not writing, she enjoys reading with her children, downhill skiing, and mountain biking. Writing romance has long been her dream and she is thrilled to share her stories.
Married with two children, Sharon Page holds an industrial design degree and has worked for many years for a structural engineering firm. When not writing, she enjoys reading with her children, downhill skiing, and mountain biking. Writing romance has long been her dream and she is thrilled to share her stories.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 15, 2008
As much as I enjoyed book 1 in this series (Sin), I think I enjoyed this one more! It was a real page turner for me, and every time I put it down, I kept wanting to go back and pick it up!
Black Silk is about the middle Hamilton sister, Maryanne. Like her sister Venetia, Maryanne also has a secret life that delves into the world of erotica. But where her sister paints risque scenes, Maryanne has teamed with a known courtesan and together they edit and publish books of erotica. Now that her sister has married and become part of the ton, though, Maryanne must be very careful about not being discovered. But when her partner sends a letter requesting help, Maryanne rushes to the rescue...only to find herself smack dab in the middle of an orgy and then alone with the debauched Lord Swansborough, Dashiel Blackmore,...the one man of the ton who she has secretly yearned for. Before the night is over, her innocence is lost and she finds herself mired in the mystery where the man she's just slept with is either an evil murderer or the victim of someone even more evil.
It's kind of funny because even though this is an erotic romance, I think I enjoyed all the other parts of the story the most! Actually, compared to book 1, this one is rather tame. There's still enough yummy hot sex, but this book doesn't have that all-out sexual playground feel that book 1 did. Which is a smidge disappointing, but the sex was still hot, and I enjoyed the rest of the book so much I didn't really care.
From a romance perspective, I thought the romance in this book was a lot stronger than in book 1. Stronger emotions, stronger communication between the H/H, a little more sweetness. The story just came across more loving and romantic. Which I enjoyed quite a bit. I really liked Dash (and Maryanne). They worked well together. I wasn't sure about Dash coming into this book because of the way he was portrayed in book 1, but I think author Sharon Page wrote his character well and turns him into a nice borderline tragic hero.
Storyline wise...well, I have to give kudos to Page for surprising me at the end. The revelation of the antagonist...well, I hadn't even considered that character! But it actually fit perfectly. So kudos to Page for sneaking one by me. That doesn't happen often! Aside from that, interesting storyline all around. Someone has it in for poor Dash and Page did a great job weaving in suspects and making you curious about who is actually the bad guy (and then surprising everyone!). The story had me hooked and I read this one straight through.
And honestly, I have no major complaints for this book. Everything worked for me...okay, I still find the use of ballocks, quim, etc a bit annoying, but oh well. The only other thing was that in this one, book 2, Dash and Marcus (from book 1) are referred to as being longtime close friends, but I didn't remember that from book 1. It seemed like a new thing in book 2. And also, I would have liked it if we'd gotten a small scene where Dash thought back to the orgy from book 1, where Marcus and Venetia were in attendance (and he hit on her). There were references to that orgy from both Venetia and Maryanne, but not from Dash. It's a little thing, but I would have liked him to reference that. But all the above are just little minor points. I liked everything else about the book.
So I'd definitely add this one to my recommended reading list. Especially for those of you who read book 1, Sin, or who like erotic historical romance.
Warning, this book contains: explicit m/f sex, anal sex, toys, light bondage, exhibitionism, voyeurism, threesomes not involving the H/H, and references to other stuff...plus some violence involving whipping and hot wax
Black Silk is about the middle Hamilton sister, Maryanne. Like her sister Venetia, Maryanne also has a secret life that delves into the world of erotica. But where her sister paints risque scenes, Maryanne has teamed with a known courtesan and together they edit and publish books of erotica. Now that her sister has married and become part of the ton, though, Maryanne must be very careful about not being discovered. But when her partner sends a letter requesting help, Maryanne rushes to the rescue...only to find herself smack dab in the middle of an orgy and then alone with the debauched Lord Swansborough, Dashiel Blackmore,...the one man of the ton who she has secretly yearned for. Before the night is over, her innocence is lost and she finds herself mired in the mystery where the man she's just slept with is either an evil murderer or the victim of someone even more evil.
It's kind of funny because even though this is an erotic romance, I think I enjoyed all the other parts of the story the most! Actually, compared to book 1, this one is rather tame. There's still enough yummy hot sex, but this book doesn't have that all-out sexual playground feel that book 1 did. Which is a smidge disappointing, but the sex was still hot, and I enjoyed the rest of the book so much I didn't really care.
From a romance perspective, I thought the romance in this book was a lot stronger than in book 1. Stronger emotions, stronger communication between the H/H, a little more sweetness. The story just came across more loving and romantic. Which I enjoyed quite a bit. I really liked Dash (and Maryanne). They worked well together. I wasn't sure about Dash coming into this book because of the way he was portrayed in book 1, but I think author Sharon Page wrote his character well and turns him into a nice borderline tragic hero.
Storyline wise...well, I have to give kudos to Page for surprising me at the end. The revelation of the antagonist...well, I hadn't even considered that character! But it actually fit perfectly. So kudos to Page for sneaking one by me. That doesn't happen often! Aside from that, interesting storyline all around. Someone has it in for poor Dash and Page did a great job weaving in suspects and making you curious about who is actually the bad guy (and then surprising everyone!). The story had me hooked and I read this one straight through.
And honestly, I have no major complaints for this book. Everything worked for me...okay, I still find the use of ballocks, quim, etc a bit annoying, but oh well. The only other thing was that in this one, book 2, Dash and Marcus (from book 1) are referred to as being longtime close friends, but I didn't remember that from book 1. It seemed like a new thing in book 2. And also, I would have liked it if we'd gotten a small scene where Dash thought back to the orgy from book 1, where Marcus and Venetia were in attendance (and he hit on her). There were references to that orgy from both Venetia and Maryanne, but not from Dash. It's a little thing, but I would have liked him to reference that. But all the above are just little minor points. I liked everything else about the book.
So I'd definitely add this one to my recommended reading list. Especially for those of you who read book 1, Sin, or who like erotic historical romance.
Warning, this book contains: explicit m/f sex, anal sex, toys, light bondage, exhibitionism, voyeurism, threesomes not involving the H/H, and references to other stuff...plus some violence involving whipping and hot wax
January 18, 2010
The second book in the Hamilton Sisters series was a big ol’ dud for me. I didn’t like Maryanne the I’m-not-sure-if-I-should-be-doing-this-24/7 little bit dumb nympho and Dashiel’s devil-may-care apathy about everything which just get on my nerves. I wanted to shake him and yell ‘are you even alive buddy!!’
The story starts off well-enough and is similar in premise to the first book Sin. Maryanne is an editor for erotic novels. As she edits she imagines that she’s the heroine and the dashing Lord Swansborough is the hero. She’s a shy woman who no one ever notices. Dashiel Blackmore, Lord Swansborough, is her complete opposite. He’s the incarnation of some sex god participating in wild orgies and has a reputation for being a screw ‘em and leave ‘em kind of kind of guy. Their paths cross at a masquerade and the romping sexfest ensues. Maryanne shouldn’t have been there but she received a mysterious letter from her partner to meet her there to help her. When she can’t find her associate she decides to throw caution to the wind and enjoy what a stone-drunk Dashiel has to offer. So everything is fine up to this point storywise. There’s a sub-story about a murder that may involve the hero and he’s trying to get to the bottom of it.
Once the party is over though the book takes a nosedive fast. Gone is the kinky sex/story that you saw throughout Sin and it’s replaced by lots of introspection, hand-wringing, weirdo family members and a very stupid sub-story that turns into a kidnapping. I didn’t feel much for the h/h who seemed like total strangers even when they hit the I-Love-You part. Sure they had their steam but she’s in a particular situation that just didn’t seem to lend itself to incessant sex-o-rama. Why Dashiel felt so insanely protective of Maryanne I didn’t understand as I’m sure there were other women he left in that situation at some point. They really had nothing in common and their characters didn’t particularly change making this one great true love believable –for me anyway. His brooding and flippancy were hardly good character traits and they remained throughout the novel. Usually the heroine ‘helps’ the hero face his true feelings, but I thought her help was all very superficial and I just kept expecting him to pay her off at some point because they weren’t compatible. It's like he tried too hard to fall in love with her and managed to convince himself that he was.
The sub-story that inevitably involved the h/h bugged me and took away from the main story near the end. The violence was excessive even though the author was trying to portray a psychopath. What Page didn’t write in vivid steam she made up for in vivid violence which just didn’t add to the love story.
As for the writing style, it’s good, it’s just the story that’s lacking oomph. It’s written in a very austere kind of way that I enjoyed and I kept hoping that the ‘good stuff’ would come back but it never did. Page can be very “imaginative” and if you feel like reading that kind of book she did a fabulous job with Sin but not here. There was also too much trying to fit in the title “Black Silk” everywhere.
Good erotic historicals are very hard to find and this one unfortunately gets lumped in with the not so good ones. It just barely makes 3 stars for me. Hopefully the next one Hot Silk is better.
The story starts off well-enough and is similar in premise to the first book Sin. Maryanne is an editor for erotic novels. As she edits she imagines that she’s the heroine and the dashing Lord Swansborough is the hero. She’s a shy woman who no one ever notices. Dashiel Blackmore, Lord Swansborough, is her complete opposite. He’s the incarnation of some sex god participating in wild orgies and has a reputation for being a screw ‘em and leave ‘em kind of kind of guy. Their paths cross at a masquerade and the romping sexfest ensues. Maryanne shouldn’t have been there but she received a mysterious letter from her partner to meet her there to help her. When she can’t find her associate she decides to throw caution to the wind and enjoy what a stone-drunk Dashiel has to offer. So everything is fine up to this point storywise. There’s a sub-story about a murder that may involve the hero and he’s trying to get to the bottom of it.
Once the party is over though the book takes a nosedive fast. Gone is the kinky sex/story that you saw throughout Sin and it’s replaced by lots of introspection, hand-wringing, weirdo family members and a very stupid sub-story that turns into a kidnapping. I didn’t feel much for the h/h who seemed like total strangers even when they hit the I-Love-You part. Sure they had their steam but she’s in a particular situation that just didn’t seem to lend itself to incessant sex-o-rama. Why Dashiel felt so insanely protective of Maryanne I didn’t understand as I’m sure there were other women he left in that situation at some point. They really had nothing in common and their characters didn’t particularly change making this one great true love believable –for me anyway. His brooding and flippancy were hardly good character traits and they remained throughout the novel. Usually the heroine ‘helps’ the hero face his true feelings, but I thought her help was all very superficial and I just kept expecting him to pay her off at some point because they weren’t compatible. It's like he tried too hard to fall in love with her and managed to convince himself that he was.
The sub-story that inevitably involved the h/h bugged me and took away from the main story near the end. The violence was excessive even though the author was trying to portray a psychopath. What Page didn’t write in vivid steam she made up for in vivid violence which just didn’t add to the love story.
As for the writing style, it’s good, it’s just the story that’s lacking oomph. It’s written in a very austere kind of way that I enjoyed and I kept hoping that the ‘good stuff’ would come back but it never did. Page can be very “imaginative” and if you feel like reading that kind of book she did a fabulous job with Sin but not here. There was also too much trying to fit in the title “Black Silk” everywhere.
Good erotic historicals are very hard to find and this one unfortunately gets lumped in with the not so good ones. It just barely makes 3 stars for me. Hopefully the next one Hot Silk is better.
March 6, 2014
Premise: heroine sneaks into an orgy to save a friend, gets involved in a sex scavenger hunt with the hero. Other stuff happens, I'm sure.
I didn't finish this, but it isn't bad. I think it's just much more erotica and much less a romance, which didn't turn out to work for me, because I tend to not be interested enough in two people having sex for an entire book unless I am invested in them as characters, and in the dynamic between them. But I would try again at some point. I thought the prose was quite good. And if you've ever wondered "What would it be like to Do It in a hot air balloon?" this is your book.
I didn't finish this, but it isn't bad. I think it's just much more erotica and much less a romance, which didn't turn out to work for me, because I tend to not be interested enough in two people having sex for an entire book unless I am invested in them as characters, and in the dynamic between them. But I would try again at some point. I thought the prose was quite good. And if you've ever wondered "What would it be like to Do It in a hot air balloon?" this is your book.
Read
June 11, 2016I don't know how I feel about this one. I'll put it away for now.
July 20, 2020
Black Silk prematurely shot its wad. I was kind of expecting the scavenger hunt to last longer, based on some of the GoodReads reviews, but I feel like the book got pretty tame by the 40% mark when Maryanne has to marry Dash and Dash is looking forward to it. I then put down the book for a few weeks after this and when I came back to it, I was in a better mindset to appreciate both Dash and Maryanne. I think the mystery and red herrings were well done here, even better than in Sin.
June 25, 2012
I liked this book better than the first book, "Sin". Overall, I felt the story and characters were stronger. I liked Lord Swansborough, even in book #1. In this book, we get to see why he is who and what he is.
Sure, it's a bit over-the-top that he falls so hard so fast after all his depravity. And yes, Maryanne is a bit too-too; but her innocence, such as it is, is part of her charm. And it's why Lord Swansborough is drawn to her.
The story is cleverly built around revenge. Someone is abducting and/or killing women with dubious reputations. Women who are known to have known Swansborough or were supposedly last seen with him. But are the witnesses reliable? And who's behind all of this? A past enemy? His uncle, who's been trying to kill him since he was a young boy to gain his title? His cousin trying to assist his uncle? The lord with shadowy dealings with a possible white slaver?
There are almost too many suspects... too many red herrings. As it turns out, there is more than one nefarious person doing awful things. But sorting them all out...
I have to say, the villain of the piece is the most unbelievable thing about the whole story. I am a mystery fan, who is rarely, if ever fooled. And I had no idea who was behind it all. I certainly didn't suspect the real villain. And I don't say that in a good way. While it made for a good story and lots of suspense, the crux of the revenge was... silly and unbelievable. But the rest of the tale was charming and delightful. A good read.
Sure, it's a bit over-the-top that he falls so hard so fast after all his depravity. And yes, Maryanne is a bit too-too; but her innocence, such as it is, is part of her charm. And it's why Lord Swansborough is drawn to her.
The story is cleverly built around revenge. Someone is abducting and/or killing women with dubious reputations. Women who are known to have known Swansborough or were supposedly last seen with him. But are the witnesses reliable? And who's behind all of this? A past enemy? His uncle, who's been trying to kill him since he was a young boy to gain his title? His cousin trying to assist his uncle? The lord with shadowy dealings with a possible white slaver?
There are almost too many suspects... too many red herrings. As it turns out, there is more than one nefarious person doing awful things. But sorting them all out...
I have to say, the villain of the piece is the most unbelievable thing about the whole story. I am a mystery fan, who is rarely, if ever fooled. And I had no idea who was behind it all. I certainly didn't suspect the real villain. And I don't say that in a good way. While it made for a good story and lots of suspense, the crux of the revenge was... silly and unbelievable. But the rest of the tale was charming and delightful. A good read.
December 2, 2016
Another sinful addition by Sharon page to the Rodesson's daughter series!
Maryanne, the secret erotica writer has always adored Lord Swansborough/Dash from afar. When her partner goes missing, she ends up in an orgy hunt to find her, but what she ends up meeting is Dash instead. They have a lust filled scandalous night together and the story follows their relationship, a bunch of kidnappings and murders, and how Dash finds someone to love.
This wasn't as sinful to other SP books when it comes to lewd sex scenes (though the book does start with an orgy)- and I enjoyed the married relationship between the H and h.
One tiny complaint..
Lord Dash had his suspicions on Maryanne, and I had wanted her to confront them- and shake him for them. She was too trusting and in love at times!
Anyways, I adored the end and cant wait to read the next book.
Kudos for the smokin' balloon scene!
Safe with exceptions ????
4/5
Maryanne, the secret erotica writer has always adored Lord Swansborough/Dash from afar. When her partner goes missing, she ends up in an orgy hunt to find her, but what she ends up meeting is Dash instead. They have a lust filled scandalous night together and the story follows their relationship, a bunch of kidnappings and murders, and how Dash finds someone to love.
This wasn't as sinful to other SP books when it comes to lewd sex scenes (though the book does start with an orgy)- and I enjoyed the married relationship between the H and h.
One tiny complaint..
Lord Dash had his suspicions on Maryanne, and I had wanted her to confront them- and shake him for them. She was too trusting and in love at times!
Anyways, I adored the end and cant wait to read the next book.
Kudos for the smokin' balloon scene!
Safe with exceptions ????
4/5
July 23, 2009
Book 2 in Sharon Page's historical erotic romance trilogy, this story features middle sister Maryanne and dark Lord Swansborough. When Maryanne finds herself in a world of sexual wantonness when she goes to an orgy in search of a friend in trouble. She stumbles into Swansborough's lair and he mistakes her for a courtesan. When he takes her virginity and she becomes pregnant, her older sister and brother-in-law see that Swansborough steps up and marries her. The ensuing story is a sexual exploration that brings this marriage of love into one not only of intense attraction but deepening love. Once again, Sharon Page is able to combine copious erotic love scenes with a truly emotional love story.
February 8, 2017
Più due e mezzo ma stamattina sono buona. Di cosa si parla in questo libro? In teoria si dovrebbe parlare di un misterioso caso di omicidio, della scomparsa di giovani donne, di pazzi che concorrono per l'eredità. Se ne parla... appena.
In realtà questo libro parla di sesso, poi ancora sesso e sesso di nuovo. Un vergine arrapata peggio di Rocco Soffredi e poco altro.
Mah... non so nemmeno io se consigliarvelo o meno, sono incline verso il no in realtà.
In realtà questo libro parla di sesso, poi ancora sesso e sesso di nuovo. Un vergine arrapata peggio di Rocco Soffredi e poco altro.
Mah... non so nemmeno io se consigliarvelo o meno, sono incline verso il no in realtà.
April 21, 2024
The most poorly written book I’ve ever read. Disjointed half thought out plot; no transitions; haphazard and chaotic; poorly written characters. The sex is even mediocre.
And I thought the first book in the series was bad. I thought there had to be some improvement so I gave this a chance.
I had to go fold laundry just to reclaim some IQ points.
And I thought the first book in the series was bad. I thought there had to be some improvement so I gave this a chance.
I had to go fold laundry just to reclaim some IQ points.
March 26, 2018
I was looking for a less traditional historical romance/erotica. This book started out strong - the heroine is more "worldly" than a typical historical heroine. But after the initial encounter/night, the storyline reverted back to traditional and I quickly grew bored.
March 22, 2020
The ending was exciting, but I guess the middle just wasn't enough because I put this book down for a while.
Also, Maryanne seemed a bit young and plain. I wanted to like this book more ahhha. Dash seemed hot though.
The villain was so unexpected it seemed almost impossible.
Also, Maryanne seemed a bit young and plain. I wanted to like this book more ahhha. Dash seemed hot though.
The villain was so unexpected it seemed almost impossible.
February 12, 2019
Rather boring and a slow read
August 9, 2019
Took me a while to read but did like the story.
July 28, 2020
I liked some of the scenes but the plot was too much and too ridiculous for me.
December 3, 2022
Číst tuhle knihu bylo totální utrpení. Šílenej brak, kterej ani nebaví. Dal nemám co dodat. Číst na vlastní nebezpečí !!!!
June 27, 2024
Tohle bylo super. Vůbec jsem nečekala co se stane no prostě paráda.👑
September 2, 2018
I had purchased this at a library book sale years ago and decided to finally read it.
It was okay.
I think that if you are in the mood to read basically porn with very little plot then this would be the book for you. The plot itself felt very much like "how can we write as many different ways that these characters can have sex with each other?" in the beginning and then there was a pregnancy out of wedlock scandal to push the middle and then finally solving some arbitrary murder plot.
Very much the "victorian" style tropes in romance books. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I wouldn't expect it to suddenly become a favorite.
I appreciated the list of books from the publisher at the end though - I may try those out in the future.
It was okay.
I think that if you are in the mood to read basically porn with very little plot then this would be the book for you. The plot itself felt very much like "how can we write as many different ways that these characters can have sex with each other?" in the beginning and then there was a pregnancy out of wedlock scandal to push the middle and then finally solving some arbitrary murder plot.
Very much the "victorian" style tropes in romance books. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I wouldn't expect it to suddenly become a favorite.
I appreciated the list of books from the publisher at the end though - I may try those out in the future.
February 9, 2014
I finished reading all three books in the Rodesson's Daughters series, and this by far is what topped for me. There is a perfect balance between erotica, (historical)romance and some suspense thrown in for good measure. I found myself unable to tear away from the pages of this book, whereas for Book 1 (Sin) and Book 3 (Hot Silk), I was quite hurrying up to get to the ending.
Here's why:
While I agree with the other reviews that the hot and sexy scenes in this book looks watered-down compared to Book 1, I thought that Black Silk have just the right balance of stronger plot/storyline vs. the hot/kinky/sexy scenes. With Book 1, I came to a point where I had to roll my eyes and say, "oh, here they go again... and can we move on pls..." (and I did move on) because there were plenty of scenes where I thought the sex scenes were overdone. They were indeed very hot scenes, but at some point, you wonder where is this story going? Then again, perhaps Book 1 and Book 2 have different purposes (and I'm probably overthinking this).
Secondly, on the romance aspect, I thought that the love story between Dash and Maryann was better developed than the H/h in Sin. True, theirs started as a clandestine tryst between strangers but I at least felt it believable that something passed between them that later on, became a foundation for stronger feelings for each other, even if the H (who did not know the h's identity) actually had to marry the h first before he started to acknowledge his feelings for the h. In Black Silk, we had insights to the H's thoughts and developing feelings of love and caring towards the h, which I felt was not that strongly evident in Sin.
The only issue I have was that the mystery surrounding the women's deaths and the side-story of Dash's complex relations was also a bit stretched, but overall Black Silk was the best of the 3 series for me.
Here's why:
While I agree with the other reviews that the hot and sexy scenes in this book looks watered-down compared to Book 1, I thought that Black Silk have just the right balance of stronger plot/storyline vs. the hot/kinky/sexy scenes. With Book 1, I came to a point where I had to roll my eyes and say, "oh, here they go again... and can we move on pls..." (and I did move on) because there were plenty of scenes where I thought the sex scenes were overdone. They were indeed very hot scenes, but at some point, you wonder where is this story going? Then again, perhaps Book 1 and Book 2 have different purposes (and I'm probably overthinking this).
Secondly, on the romance aspect, I thought that the love story between Dash and Maryann was better developed than the H/h in Sin. True, theirs started as a clandestine tryst between strangers but I at least felt it believable that something passed between them that later on, became a foundation for stronger feelings for each other, even if the H (who did not know the h's identity) actually had to marry the h first before he started to acknowledge his feelings for the h. In Black Silk, we had insights to the H's thoughts and developing feelings of love and caring towards the h, which I felt was not that strongly evident in Sin.
The only issue I have was that the mystery surrounding the women's deaths and the side-story of Dash's complex relations was also a bit stretched, but overall Black Silk was the best of the 3 series for me.
April 28, 2013
Story and Writing Style
Excellent story. The intrigue, the mystery of dead hookers and deceiving lords kept me on my toes. Maryanne was looking for one aforementioned lady of the night—in a brothel, of course—and found herself alone (but masked) in a room with the dashing Lord Swansborough. Their tryst is deeply sexy and thorough, offering just a bit of insight to his sexual prowess and CV of varied tastes.
The single encounter, however, leaves Maryanne pregnant, and suddenly she is forced into marriage with Dash by her sister, Venetia, and her brother-in-law, Marcus.
The story ran a bit slow after that first intimate scene and through the middle. LOVED the ending, though. Currently reading the third and last book of this series, and so far finding it a less travel-intensive version of “Sin”.
Characters
Dash hit me as sort of a carefree sort, not one to care about much that’s going on around him. He didn’t seem too terribly upset over his forced nuptials with Maryanne, the illegitimate daughter of an erotic painter, but he didn’t seem too terribly pleased, either. More like, “well, time to make the best of it, I suppose.” His strength and perserverence shines through, however, all the way to the end.
Maryanne seemed too mousy and meek through the story. She was the apt pupil when it came to pleasures of the flesh, modestly trying anything Dash suggested.
Sex
The fact that she was nearly in her second trimester was a bit off-putting. Dash was a man with a variety of unusual—and extreme—tastes that I didn’t want to see enacted on a woman enceinte. It made me wince at times, and while I know three months into a pregnancy is no big deal, it took a bit of the eroticism away from their relationship.
Excellent story. The intrigue, the mystery of dead hookers and deceiving lords kept me on my toes. Maryanne was looking for one aforementioned lady of the night—in a brothel, of course—and found herself alone (but masked) in a room with the dashing Lord Swansborough. Their tryst is deeply sexy and thorough, offering just a bit of insight to his sexual prowess and CV of varied tastes.
The single encounter, however, leaves Maryanne pregnant, and suddenly she is forced into marriage with Dash by her sister, Venetia, and her brother-in-law, Marcus.
The story ran a bit slow after that first intimate scene and through the middle. LOVED the ending, though. Currently reading the third and last book of this series, and so far finding it a less travel-intensive version of “Sin”.
Characters
Dash hit me as sort of a carefree sort, not one to care about much that’s going on around him. He didn’t seem too terribly upset over his forced nuptials with Maryanne, the illegitimate daughter of an erotic painter, but he didn’t seem too terribly pleased, either. More like, “well, time to make the best of it, I suppose.” His strength and perserverence shines through, however, all the way to the end.
Maryanne seemed too mousy and meek through the story. She was the apt pupil when it came to pleasures of the flesh, modestly trying anything Dash suggested.
Sex
The fact that she was nearly in her second trimester was a bit off-putting. Dash was a man with a variety of unusual—and extreme—tastes that I didn’t want to see enacted on a woman enceinte. It made me wince at times, and while I know three months into a pregnancy is no big deal, it took a bit of the eroticism away from their relationship.
July 19, 2010
Before reading the 2nd installment of the Hamilton Sisters series, I was wondering what the new devices SP would use to titillate us. Considering the quality writing and scandalous sex scenes of the first book, the 2nd had a lot to live up to. Especially with the sinful Lord Swansborough, or Dash (Dashing as I like to call him) playing hero.
The heroine, Maryanne Hamilton, like her older sister, has found her way into erotica, but in editing rather than art. With the help of an aging courtesan, Georgina, Maryanne finds herself amidst an orgy and later in the sanctuary of Lord Swansborough, her secret crush. Masked and feeling rather impassioned, they share a night of passion - leaving Dash none the wiser about who he shared the night with. All may have been forgotten, but Maryanne finds herself pregnant and a marriage with Lord Swansborough is in order. The rest of the story is their growing love story and some murder mystery.
Again, I am stunned by the quality of writing in historical romantica. The characters are both well developed, but I am a little flabbergasted by the mechanics of the hot air balloon coupling, but nothing else was death-defying. My only concern is really the number of sex-obsessed people (aka. women) are introduced. I guess that's a dumb concern when, afterall, I am reading erotica, but something about it still irks me (in this book and many other historicals).
The heroine, Maryanne Hamilton, like her older sister, has found her way into erotica, but in editing rather than art. With the help of an aging courtesan, Georgina, Maryanne finds herself amidst an orgy and later in the sanctuary of Lord Swansborough, her secret crush. Masked and feeling rather impassioned, they share a night of passion - leaving Dash none the wiser about who he shared the night with. All may have been forgotten, but Maryanne finds herself pregnant and a marriage with Lord Swansborough is in order. The rest of the story is their growing love story and some murder mystery.
Again, I am stunned by the quality of writing in historical romantica. The characters are both well developed, but I am a little flabbergasted by the mechanics of the hot air balloon coupling, but nothing else was death-defying. My only concern is really the number of sex-obsessed people (aka. women) are introduced. I guess that's a dumb concern when, afterall, I am reading erotica, but something about it still irks me (in this book and many other historicals).
March 19, 2010
Maryanne Hamilton and Lord Swansborough are the main characters. Black Silk was a very different read for me. This was a first time that I have read something by Sharon Page.
This was set in the 1800s and I thought it was well written and the build up to each twist was very well executed.
There is a game of some sort that begins at a Salon which involved erotic acts and possible death. It seems that Lord Swansborough was being accused of crimes against women after sexual interactions. Of course he denies the claims made against him.
I would suggest that Lord Swansborough keep his mentors and friends closer than his enemies.
The other character Maryanne adores and fantasizes about Lord Swansborough. To her surprise her fantasies come true with Lord Swansborough. There is a strange and blind courtship that unfolds through their love, strength and commitment... in such a short time. Maryanne is very bold in her ways while masked. Lord Swansborough had never encountered such a woman.
I would suggest giving this one a try. If you love mystery you can get into it. I actually loved the way this was written, I think I enjoyed the writing grammar more than the storyline!!!
This was set in the 1800s and I thought it was well written and the build up to each twist was very well executed.
There is a game of some sort that begins at a Salon which involved erotic acts and possible death. It seems that Lord Swansborough was being accused of crimes against women after sexual interactions. Of course he denies the claims made against him.
I would suggest that Lord Swansborough keep his mentors and friends closer than his enemies.
The other character Maryanne adores and fantasizes about Lord Swansborough. To her surprise her fantasies come true with Lord Swansborough. There is a strange and blind courtship that unfolds through their love, strength and commitment... in such a short time. Maryanne is very bold in her ways while masked. Lord Swansborough had never encountered such a woman.
I would suggest giving this one a try. If you love mystery you can get into it. I actually loved the way this was written, I think I enjoyed the writing grammar more than the storyline!!!
December 11, 2010
I have enjoyed all of Sharon Page's books that I have read so far and she doesn't disappoint with this book either.
In this story we meet Maryanne Hamilton and Dashiel Blackmore (Lord Swansborough). Maryanne has fantasized about Lord Swansborough for a long time, here she meets him in Mrs Maters salon after being called there by a friend in trouble. I enjoyed both characters and their relationship as well as a good story. We also meet again Venetia and Trent from the book Sin, she is Maryanne's older sister.
Sharon always sets beautiful scenes and powerful characters in her books and Black Silk is no exception. If you enjoy period romances and a little bit of kink this is the book for you.
In this story we meet Maryanne Hamilton and Dashiel Blackmore (Lord Swansborough). Maryanne has fantasized about Lord Swansborough for a long time, here she meets him in Mrs Maters salon after being called there by a friend in trouble. I enjoyed both characters and their relationship as well as a good story. We also meet again Venetia and Trent from the book Sin, she is Maryanne's older sister.
Sharon always sets beautiful scenes and powerful characters in her books and Black Silk is no exception. If you enjoy period romances and a little bit of kink this is the book for you.
September 13, 2015
I liked Sin better than Black Silk, but if you like the author or genre, you probably won't be disappointed. There was plenty of historically set smut and intrigue. I didn't feel like the characters bonded as much in this one (although according to the story they bonded just fine), and Maryann was not as adventurous as her sister. Maybe there was too much going on in this one, with the scavenger hunt and kidnapping and murders and blackmailing and marriage and babies and Christmas and dark pasts. Considering a good portion of the book is sex scenes, I felt there were parts that could have been better explained or played out. I also could have done without the frequent use of the phrase "preparatory juices bubbling out." The cover is better, though.
January 10, 2009
A girl who fantisizes about a particular man, whom she later meets after she has received a letter from a friend to rescue her during a sexual scavenger hunt. She is masked and runs into him and yes they have sensual after sensual sex.
Many mysteries happen and this man confides in the magistrate who eventually kidnaps him and the woman who fantisized about him, who are now married.
I love to read erotic books however there was so much sex, almost every other page, that it became too much. It was a pretty interesting read though.
Many mysteries happen and this man confides in the magistrate who eventually kidnaps him and the woman who fantisized about him, who are now married.
I love to read erotic books however there was so much sex, almost every other page, that it became too much. It was a pretty interesting read though.
August 3, 2016
Expanding my reach this summer. Finished my urban crime drama. This book covered the world of voyeuristic sex. A writer of erotic novels ventures into a cat and mouse game of unadulterated sex with a legend in his own time. Unfortunately, murder and mayhem accompany this one night stand. Mix in a bit of extortion and intrigue and you have a great story. Pregnancy necessitated a marriage. The plot twists kept me interested in the story throughout. I thought it was a great read.
November 1, 2016
This is the second in the Rodesson's Daughters series; I loved the hero: Dash. He is so very dreamy; he is my ideal hero type, strong, dark haired, and masculine. Dash, of course, meets his match in the arms of Rodesson sister #2, MaryAnn who reforms him. They both grow to love each other while finding their own inner strength. There is a mystery thread running throughout the novel. I love Sharon Page's writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2012
I didn't really know what I was getting into when I picked this up from my library. No doubt it was erotic but I'm more of a paranormal romance type usually, historical romance not really being my thing but THIS.. I couldn't put it down... great erotic scenes, nice plot, and strong women protagonists.. what more could you ask for!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews