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Eden #1
Beyond Eden
Three lifelong friends find themselves tangled in a web of love, pain and dangerous secrets in this erotic Garden of Eden tale. Tall, dark and handsome Danny Carlow has always gotten whatever he wants except for the two he desires more than anything-his best friends, lovers Paul and Eve. Determined to claim what was never supposed to be his, Danny waits like a snake in the grass, poised for the right moment to offer them a temptation too delicious to resist. Artist Eve Everton made the painful decision to leave her true love Paul for the siren call of New York City. Now ten years later, with her life in shambles, she returns. When Paul's waiting arms aren't available, Eve falls for Danny's charm and finds herself a willing accomplice in the dangerous games Danny plays. Paul Mattling is a successful attorney with a bright future ahead of him, but behind those brilliant blue eyes are secret desires for a taste of the forbidden. Will he play it safe or give in to Danny and Eve and bite the apple? Reader Advisory: Not for the faint of heart, the pain in this story is vivid and real, the emotions even more so. Haunting and poignant, Beyond Eden presents a darker side of BDSM. You might gasp. You might cry. You might find yourself reading it again and again.
396 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2010
249 people are currently reading
7576 people want to read
About the author
Kele Moon
25 books2,616 followersA freckle-faced redhead born and raised in Hawaii, Kele Moon has always been a bit of a sore thumb and has come to enjoy the novelty of it. She thrives on pushing the envelope and finding ways to make the impossible work in her story telling. With a mad passion for romance, she adores the art of falling in love. The only rules she believes in is that, in love, there are no rules and true love knows no bounds.
So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it, she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who has infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven, he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children, who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts—they wouldn’t have it any other way.
So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it, she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who has infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven, he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children, who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts—they wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 526 reviews
April 7, 2011
First things first: this is a DNF review. I read about halfway, so I think that's enough to justify a rating and review, especially considering my problems with the book.
Ten years ago, artist Eve Everton left Tampa and her boyfriend Paul Mattling behind to attend art school in New York. Dumped by her fiance, out of work and down on her luck, she's moved back in with her parents and trying to start over. While shopping in the local grocery store, she bumps into Danny Carlow, her and Paul's best friend from way back in the whens. Discovering that he and Paul not only keep in touch but live together, she accepts his invite to come over that night and catch up on lost time.
Although she never stopped loving Paul, and always had a tendre for Danny, much has changed in ten years. Paul is engaged to a fellow lawyer in an effort to please his domineering father by planning a career in politics. Danny is independently wealthy following his parents' untimely deaths in a drunk-driving accident. And, unknown to her so far, Danny and Paul are more than mere roommates, or even simple lovers. Despite all outward appearances, Paul is a deeply masochistic submissive, and Danny is his evilly sadistic master. Unwittingly, she's become a part of a high-stakes emotional drama as she and Danny quickly indulge their mutual attraction.
So, there's a lot of potential in this set up. You've got three very different people who have a long, shared history and a lot of love for each other. You have Paul's struggle with being honest with himself versus pleasing his father. You have Danny's struggle with his love for Paul being tossed in his face and outright rejected. And then you have the lost soul Eve fluttering in and gumming up the works ever further. There's a lot of drama to work with here and a great premise for a memorable menage story that's more than just feminine fantasy.
Unfortunately, there's a small problem - I couldn't seem to give a shit about any of this.
Now, why was that, you ask. It was because of how it was written as though I were on a guided bus tour. Everything was plainly told and explained to me. I wasn't trusted to draw my own conclusions or watch anything unfold. I was on the author's prescribed ride, and please keep your arms inside the vehicle.
I resent being led through a novel by the nose.
Constantly throughout the book, the author plainly tells rather than shows:
So, long story short, I hate telling. Hate it. She kept referring to Paul's "pain fetish" (and man did she over- and misuse the word "fetish" as well) but I was at the halfway point and maybe a half-dozen sex scenes in and had yet to see any pain play. She told me via Danny that Paul liked pain so excessively that he didn't trust Paul with any top other than himself, but I never got to see Danny whipping, caning or otherwise beating Paul. Am I just to take her word for it? Shut up, the tour guide's talking?
Show me. I want to see this stuff with my own eyes.
The final straw was when Eve and Danny decide to get their kink on and Danny scolds her for asking about a safeword. "'If you trusted me, you wouldn’t have asked for it. I’m disappointed.'" Um, that's kinda fucked up. For a first foray into bondage, roleplay or whatever, sussing out boundaries is kind of important. Yes, I get that this is fiction. I don't expect a full-on scene negotiation, but chiding someone for asking about boundaries isn't sexy to me. It would be like if a hero pressured a heroine to drop her request to use a condom. Just not hot.
That bit of boorishness mixed with a sudden switch to puppy play just made it too much for me. With my emotional detachment due to the abundance of telling, the sex scenes were uninteresting. By halfway through, I should have a sense of who the characters are, and I didn't have that. Ergo, I didn't want to watch them fuck. Book abandoned.
The book's not a bad book, though. I think fans of Lauren Dane and Maya Banks would really like it. It's written in that same, plainly told style that I detest and everyone else seems willing to overlook. So, consider the book with my bias in mind. If you like a hot, emotional m/m/f and can overlook bland telling for a complex plot, you might enjoy this much more than I did. After all, I didn't dislike the book, really. I just didn't want to keep reading it. YMMV
Ten years ago, artist Eve Everton left Tampa and her boyfriend Paul Mattling behind to attend art school in New York. Dumped by her fiance, out of work and down on her luck, she's moved back in with her parents and trying to start over. While shopping in the local grocery store, she bumps into Danny Carlow, her and Paul's best friend from way back in the whens. Discovering that he and Paul not only keep in touch but live together, she accepts his invite to come over that night and catch up on lost time.
Although she never stopped loving Paul, and always had a tendre for Danny, much has changed in ten years. Paul is engaged to a fellow lawyer in an effort to please his domineering father by planning a career in politics. Danny is independently wealthy following his parents' untimely deaths in a drunk-driving accident. And, unknown to her so far, Danny and Paul are more than mere roommates, or even simple lovers. Despite all outward appearances, Paul is a deeply masochistic submissive, and Danny is his evilly sadistic master. Unwittingly, she's become a part of a high-stakes emotional drama as she and Danny quickly indulge their mutual attraction.
So, there's a lot of potential in this set up. You've got three very different people who have a long, shared history and a lot of love for each other. You have Paul's struggle with being honest with himself versus pleasing his father. You have Danny's struggle with his love for Paul being tossed in his face and outright rejected. And then you have the lost soul Eve fluttering in and gumming up the works ever further. There's a lot of drama to work with here and a great premise for a memorable menage story that's more than just feminine fantasy.
Unfortunately, there's a small problem - I couldn't seem to give a shit about any of this.
Now, why was that, you ask. It was because of how it was written as though I were on a guided bus tour. Everything was plainly told and explained to me. I wasn't trusted to draw my own conclusions or watch anything unfold. I was on the author's prescribed ride, and please keep your arms inside the vehicle.
I resent being led through a novel by the nose.
Constantly throughout the book, the author plainly tells rather than shows:
He needed the punishment of working out until his muscles burned in agony. It was one of the few socially acceptable things he could do that catered to his pain fetish.Couldn't I have made the connection between extreme workouts and masochism myself? Why not show me Paul working out compulsively rather than alluding to his workouts and plainly spelling out the symbolism for me
“I’m sorry,” he whispered frantically, trying to fight down the deep-seated instinct in him that made him hard and desperate when a woman he wanted as badly as Eve was that domineering and angry at him.Yes, I got it the first dozen times you alluded to his "pain fetish." You don't have to keep bludgeoning me with it.
Paul stared at Danny in horror, trying to convey that saying Paul looked sexy was not something typical between two male friends.No shit? It isn't? Thanks for the heads up.
So, long story short, I hate telling. Hate it. She kept referring to Paul's "pain fetish" (and man did she over- and misuse the word "fetish" as well) but I was at the halfway point and maybe a half-dozen sex scenes in and had yet to see any pain play. She told me via Danny that Paul liked pain so excessively that he didn't trust Paul with any top other than himself, but I never got to see Danny whipping, caning or otherwise beating Paul. Am I just to take her word for it? Shut up, the tour guide's talking?
Show me. I want to see this stuff with my own eyes.
The final straw was when Eve and Danny decide to get their kink on and Danny scolds her for asking about a safeword. "'If you trusted me, you wouldn’t have asked for it. I’m disappointed.'" Um, that's kinda fucked up. For a first foray into bondage, roleplay or whatever, sussing out boundaries is kind of important. Yes, I get that this is fiction. I don't expect a full-on scene negotiation, but chiding someone for asking about boundaries isn't sexy to me. It would be like if a hero pressured a heroine to drop her request to use a condom. Just not hot.
That bit of boorishness mixed with a sudden switch to puppy play just made it too much for me. With my emotional detachment due to the abundance of telling, the sex scenes were uninteresting. By halfway through, I should have a sense of who the characters are, and I didn't have that. Ergo, I didn't want to watch them fuck. Book abandoned.
The book's not a bad book, though. I think fans of Lauren Dane and Maya Banks would really like it. It's written in that same, plainly told style that I detest and everyone else seems willing to overlook. So, consider the book with my bias in mind. If you like a hot, emotional m/m/f and can overlook bland telling for a complex plot, you might enjoy this much more than I did. After all, I didn't dislike the book, really. I just didn't want to keep reading it. YMMV
January 26, 2016
Holy Smokes!!! I'm a Sucker for a Well Written Menage Love Affair!!! 4.5 Darkly Erotic BDSM Stars!!!
Danny Boy and Paul Guy
The Background Story:
Danny, Paul and Eve all grew up together and were very close. Paul and Eve fell in love at a young age but drifted apart when she moved to New York to attend art school and pursue a career. Paul's father was a class A control freak, so Paul felt compelled to stay behind and follow his dad's wishes of becoming a Marine.
It's ten years later, and no one's life is what they had hoped for. Evie's fresh out of a bad relationship, broke as hell, and back at home living with mom and dad. Danny and Paul are best friends and currently live together. Paul was injured playing college ball, so he was unable to join the Marines. He is now a very successful lawyer with aspirations to become a politician. The only problem is that he has a VERY DIRTY secret. Not only is Paul a PAIN SLUT Submissive, but his Dom is his best friend Danny!!!
Paul Guy
When Evie stumbles back into their lives, Paul is distraught. She was his first love and old feelings are reawakened. But he's basically screwed, because he is engaged to another. He also has to deal with feelings of Anger and Jealousy. Jealous that he can't have Evie, but fear that he will lose Danny to her!
Danny Boy
Danny has always loved Evie from the sidelines. And he is now free to make his feelings known, and pursue a relationship with her.
Though Evie loves Danny as a friend and is sexually attracted to him, she is hesitant to enter into a relationship with her ex lover's best friend. I personally enjoyed watching Danny plead his case and win her over.
This is one twisted love triangle. Each individual is in love with the other two, but will the truth ever come to light? Danny loves Evie so much, that he wants to confess his secret relationship with Paul. Paul is afraid of losing Danny to Evie, even though he is engaged to marry Trish. Paul is also fiercely protective of Evie and warned Danny not to ever hurt her. Will he cave and confess that he has kept his promise to love her forever?
The Garden of Eden
Danny may be Paul's Dom, but his true master has always been his "queer hating" father. He is determined to marry Trish and live a life that pleases his father. It's four months till the wedding when Danny Boy sets Eve with the task of tempting Paul with a fruit so sweet, he won't be able to say "I do"...Will four months of erotic bliss with Danny and Eve be enough to tempt Paul to Never leave their Eden?
Kele Moon has done an amazing job of manipulating my emotions. At first I was suspicious of Danny and his motivation. Was he truly an asshole snake, or was he the benevolent friend willing to sacrifice his own happiness for the ones he loved. Eve was the kinky, adorable, talented artist. She was very irresponsible and self absorbed at times, but it fit with her character. The BDSM was intense with blood play and not for the squeamish. These characters are beautiful and their personalities are multilayered. They have faults and fetiches that are beyond extreme. Very few writers have the ability to write a menage where the love between all characters feels genuine. Yet Kele Moon has excelled at it. This was a powerful, raunchy, beautiful menage love story.
Buddy Read with fellow Pervs, Mo, Lili, and Laci "PG",
ARC provided by Netgalley
Danny Boy and Paul Guy
The Background Story:
Danny, Paul and Eve all grew up together and were very close. Paul and Eve fell in love at a young age but drifted apart when she moved to New York to attend art school and pursue a career. Paul's father was a class A control freak, so Paul felt compelled to stay behind and follow his dad's wishes of becoming a Marine.
It's ten years later, and no one's life is what they had hoped for. Evie's fresh out of a bad relationship, broke as hell, and back at home living with mom and dad. Danny and Paul are best friends and currently live together. Paul was injured playing college ball, so he was unable to join the Marines. He is now a very successful lawyer with aspirations to become a politician. The only problem is that he has a VERY DIRTY secret. Not only is Paul a PAIN SLUT Submissive, but his Dom is his best friend Danny!!!
I'm your Master. Everything you have belongs to me because you are mine.
Paul Guy
When Evie stumbles back into their lives, Paul is distraught. She was his first love and old feelings are reawakened. But he's basically screwed, because he is engaged to another. He also has to deal with feelings of Anger and Jealousy. Jealous that he can't have Evie, but fear that he will lose Danny to her!
Giving Eve to Danny would be like turning her over to the devil. And what if she somehow fell into his good graces, what if he started caring abour her more then him? What if Eve became Danny's favorite slave?
Danny Boy
Danny has always loved Evie from the sidelines. And he is now free to make his feelings known, and pursue a relationship with her.
Though Evie loves Danny as a friend and is sexually attracted to him, she is hesitant to enter into a relationship with her ex lover's best friend. I personally enjoyed watching Danny plead his case and win her over.
"You want me to cut the bullshit?"
"Yes," Eve said, her voice weak and breathy sounding..."
"I want to fucking drown myself in you," Danny rasped against her ear. His breathing was suddenly ragged, which sent a fresh surge of want through Eve as her pussy started throbbing to the rhythm of her rapid heartbeat. "I want to lick you untul you go hoarse from screaming. I want to pass out in you arms completely exhausted from fucking you as thoroughly as you deserve and I want to wake up in the morning next to you and make you breakfast and Cuban coffee for as long as you'll let me."
This is one twisted love triangle. Each individual is in love with the other two, but will the truth ever come to light? Danny loves Evie so much, that he wants to confess his secret relationship with Paul. Paul is afraid of losing Danny to Evie, even though he is engaged to marry Trish. Paul is also fiercely protective of Evie and warned Danny not to ever hurt her. Will he cave and confess that he has kept his promise to love her forever?
"Two men aren't supposed to need each other like Danny and I do, that's against nature and God and everything. And now you're back and I feel like my heart can't even beat without both of you. This is fucked-up shit. Three people don't fall in love in the real world."
"Yes, they do," Eve said in a quivering voice. "It's not fucked up, it's beautiful. Why can't you see that? Why can't you see that you are going to kill us when you leave us?"
The Garden of Eden
Danny may be Paul's Dom, but his true master has always been his "queer hating" father. He is determined to marry Trish and live a life that pleases his father. It's four months till the wedding when Danny Boy sets Eve with the task of tempting Paul with a fruit so sweet, he won't be able to say "I do"...Will four months of erotic bliss with Danny and Eve be enough to tempt Paul to Never leave their Eden?
Kele Moon has done an amazing job of manipulating my emotions. At first I was suspicious of Danny and his motivation. Was he truly an asshole snake, or was he the benevolent friend willing to sacrifice his own happiness for the ones he loved. Eve was the kinky, adorable, talented artist. She was very irresponsible and self absorbed at times, but it fit with her character. The BDSM was intense with blood play and not for the squeamish. These characters are beautiful and their personalities are multilayered. They have faults and fetiches that are beyond extreme. Very few writers have the ability to write a menage where the love between all characters feels genuine. Yet Kele Moon has excelled at it. This was a powerful, raunchy, beautiful menage love story.
Buddy Read with fellow Pervs, Mo, Lili, and Laci "PG",
ARC provided by Netgalley
Follow my reviews at www.readinghaven.me
April 30, 2013
This is the story of Evie Girl, Paul Guy, and Danny Boy. Evie and Paul were high school sweethearts. They broke up when Evie went away to college and Paul stayed behind because of his need or fear to always please his father. Fast forward 10 yrs later. Evie has moved back home with her life in shambles. It is here that we meet and learn that all long Danny Boy had been in love with Evie too but stepped aside so his best friend Paul could date her. He decides that this time he will have her. It's not that simple though- Paul and Danny are in a relationship of sorts, and at this point of it Paul is in denial of the true nature of it- of his feelings for Danny.To add to everything Paul is engaged to be married. He doesn't love her and is only marrying her to please his father. Soon the three are together and what is ensues is a steamy, high angst, twisted, loving story.
There were times in the story that I felt-
There were some aspects that were hard to read but the further you read you understood and accepted without judgement.
The steam factor-
The angst had me-
In the end this story was-
5 emotionally charged stars!
July 2, 2015
I want to start out by saying that I really loved this book. It wasn't your typical smut-tacular read. Now, don't get me wrong, it was packed full of deliciously hot, dirty hot and scary hot smut.
It was really tough for me to categorize this book...it's hard to explain the tone. The relationship between Evie-girl, Danny-boy and Paul-guy was not just a menage--no, it was way more complicated than that. I really hate giving away key plot details in a review, so it makes it more difficult. All I will say is that I can't remember reading a menage book where the characters involved in the menage have such distinctly different relationships--Eve & Paul, Eve & Danny, Paul & Danny and finally Eve, Danny & Paul. It was fascinating and frustrating, but not frustrating in a bad way--it frustrated me in a way that made me get sucked into the story even more! It would also be fair to say that I found it a little bit disturbing--but not in a way that turned me off and I would be hesitant to admit it turned me on.
I shelved this book as "smut not fluffy", because despite the fun looking cover, there was a lot of dark shit going on in this book. There were also a lot of fun and exciting situations the characters experienced. I felt like I was being told a story about the lives of these three very tortured and very interesting individuals. I felt it had a little bit of a Megan Hart kind of vibe to it.
If you are a fan of BDSM and like menage reads, then you should check this out. I will definitely read more by this author. I am looking forward to what she has in store for the future.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
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If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
It was really tough for me to categorize this book...it's hard to explain the tone. The relationship between Evie-girl, Danny-boy and Paul-guy was not just a menage--no, it was way more complicated than that. I really hate giving away key plot details in a review, so it makes it more difficult. All I will say is that I can't remember reading a menage book where the characters involved in the menage have such distinctly different relationships--Eve & Paul, Eve & Danny, Paul & Danny and finally Eve, Danny & Paul. It was fascinating and frustrating, but not frustrating in a bad way--it frustrated me in a way that made me get sucked into the story even more! It would also be fair to say that I found it a little bit disturbing--but not in a way that turned me off and I would be hesitant to admit it turned me on.
I shelved this book as "smut not fluffy", because despite the fun looking cover, there was a lot of dark shit going on in this book. There were also a lot of fun and exciting situations the characters experienced. I felt like I was being told a story about the lives of these three very tortured and very interesting individuals. I felt it had a little bit of a Megan Hart kind of vibe to it.
If you are a fan of BDSM and like menage reads, then you should check this out. I will definitely read more by this author. I am looking forward to what she has in store for the future.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
___________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
June 29, 2022
(This is my favorite series)
.
This was a re read for me this is one of my favorite books. You never know how much something means to you until its gone. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series although looking at the other books i wonder why this book was written first. I loved that Paul was able to stand up to his family after always caring what they would think about being in a relationship with Danny. I also loved how Danny treated Paul I love this book. Danny, Paul and Eve were childhood friends Paul and Eve were high school sweethearts. Ten years after Eve left home to go to school in NYC she comes back home with her tail between her legs so to speak her boyfriend left her for a friend and she lost her job at a museum. Danny who retired as a pro-dom is in a rut he is losing his best friend and lover and slave when Paul gets married in a store he sees Eve after ten years and invites her to dinner. This was a hot book Paul is a pain slut who is getting married to please his father Trish is stuck up and only into vanilla sex and won't let him kiss her below the belt is a prosecuting attorney. Paul is stuck in doing what his family wants and following his heart. Danny wants Eve and he blackmails Paul to get him to let him have Eve both Danny and Paul are both still in love with Eve. The sex scenes in this book are hot and very kinky Danny starts out having sex with Eve in the day and Paul at night although Paul tries to cut himself off from Danny. In the beginning of this book Eve seemed a little flighty to me she was stubborn and unwilling to take help from Danny or Paul, but I think she healed something in Danny and Paul I think. I also liked that Eve got to see just how much Danny loved Paul and that he did what he had to do in order to keep Paul safe because he would let other abuse him. This is my favorite book I felt all the heartache that Danny and Eve felt when they left Paul when they moved to NYC. I would love to read about Circe and her BDSM Club. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling.
Bite The Apple It'll blow your mind
This was a re read for me this is one of my favorite books. You never know how much something means to you until its gone. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series although looking at the other books i wonder why this book was written first. I loved that Paul was able to stand up to his family after always caring what they would think about being in a relationship with Danny. I also loved how Danny treated Paul I love this book. Danny, Paul and Eve were childhood friends Paul and Eve were high school sweethearts. Ten years after Eve left home to go to school in NYC she comes back home with her tail between her legs so to speak her boyfriend left her for a friend and she lost her job at a museum. Danny who retired as a pro-dom is in a rut he is losing his best friend and lover and slave when Paul gets married in a store he sees Eve after ten years and invites her to dinner. This was a hot book Paul is a pain slut who is getting married to please his father Trish is stuck up and only into vanilla sex and won't let him kiss her below the belt is a prosecuting attorney. Paul is stuck in doing what his family wants and following his heart. Danny wants Eve and he blackmails Paul to get him to let him have Eve both Danny and Paul are both still in love with Eve. The sex scenes in this book are hot and very kinky Danny starts out having sex with Eve in the day and Paul at night although Paul tries to cut himself off from Danny. In the beginning of this book Eve seemed a little flighty to me she was stubborn and unwilling to take help from Danny or Paul, but I think she healed something in Danny and Paul I think. I also liked that Eve got to see just how much Danny loved Paul and that he did what he had to do in order to keep Paul safe because he would let other abuse him. This is my favorite book I felt all the heartache that Danny and Eve felt when they left Paul when they moved to NYC. I would love to read about Circe and her BDSM Club. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling.
Bite The Apple It'll blow your mind
November 8, 2014
I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t enjoy this story at all. The characters seem more like stale stereotypes, the all powerful master, the perfect “slave”, and the eccentric artist; I never got a feeling for them as living breathing people. The domination, and the pain seem to be more Paul’s way of dealing with his father issues rather than something he truly desires; It’s too much of a magical cure all for me. Why get therapy when someone can literally beat your problems away?
I thought I would like Eden in the beginning, but over the course of the story you find out that Eden is a tomboy, and therefore more like a man than a women, so that’s why she’s more sexually confident, and adventurous than those other women. This combined with the florid overwriting, ham handed imagery (the garden of Eden, angels, and the devil how original), weak characters, and stale plot was the final nail in the coffin. I’m so sick of erotic novels, especially by women, that buy into all the old notions of female sexual passivity, and feminine weakness. It’s 2013 for goodness sake it seems about time to realize that men aren’t the only ones who enjoy sex, and who might even enjoy more than just plain old vanilla sex either. Nothing about any of the rest of this story won me back, and I was counting percentages until the end I saw coming from the very beginning. There might be good m/m/f out there, but this is not one.
I didn’t enjoy this story at all. The characters seem more like stale stereotypes, the all powerful master, the perfect “slave”, and the eccentric artist; I never got a feeling for them as living breathing people. The domination, and the pain seem to be more Paul’s way of dealing with his father issues rather than something he truly desires; It’s too much of a magical cure all for me. Why get therapy when someone can literally beat your problems away?
I thought I would like Eden in the beginning, but over the course of the story you find out that Eden is a tomboy, and therefore more like a man than a women, so that’s why she’s more sexually confident, and adventurous than those other women. This combined with the florid overwriting, ham handed imagery (the garden of Eden, angels, and the devil how original), weak characters, and stale plot was the final nail in the coffin. I’m so sick of erotic novels, especially by women, that buy into all the old notions of female sexual passivity, and feminine weakness. It’s 2013 for goodness sake it seems about time to realize that men aren’t the only ones who enjoy sex, and who might even enjoy more than just plain old vanilla sex either. Nothing about any of the rest of this story won me back, and I was counting percentages until the end I saw coming from the very beginning. There might be good m/m/f out there, but this is not one.
March 3, 2018
Beyond Eden is a highly erotic read about three best friends. Paul and Evie have been together since high school and love their friend Danny very much. At eighteen Evie goes to New York and doesn’t see either Paul or Danny for ten years. When Evie goes back to her hometown and meets Danny things change. For all three of them.
All I can say that in those ten years Paul and Danny have formed a very unique relationship and friendship which contains very hard BDSM especially when it comes to Paul who has an extreme pain fetish and Danny is the perfect dominant to pleasure him. They all have needs and secrets which will be revealed thanks to Danny and his manipulative ways.
I was intrigued immediately by Paul and Danny but also with Evie and how she would react to their hidden relationship. Their love is the main focus of the story and how it’s portrayed in this BDSM environment was fabulously executed. The scenes are very long which often made me loose attention to the story.
3 BadAssDirtyGodStars
All I can say that in those ten years Paul and Danny have formed a very unique relationship and friendship which contains very hard BDSM especially when it comes to Paul who has an extreme pain fetish and Danny is the perfect dominant to pleasure him. They all have needs and secrets which will be revealed thanks to Danny and his manipulative ways.
I was intrigued immediately by Paul and Danny but also with Evie and how she would react to their hidden relationship. Their love is the main focus of the story and how it’s portrayed in this BDSM environment was fabulously executed. The scenes are very long which often made me loose attention to the story.
3 BadAssDirtyGodStars
May 10, 2013
1.5 stars.
Nothing in this book worked for me. Not the plot, not the characters (or their nicknames,) not the lukewarm chemistry between them, and not the quasi D/s relationship they shared.
The sex was ok, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering, either. There were also a few fragments, glimpses of a good menage story there, but nothing really memorable.
I had to make myself keep reading and that should speak for itself.
Nothing in this book worked for me. Not the plot, not the characters (or their nicknames,) not the lukewarm chemistry between them, and not the quasi D/s relationship they shared.
The sex was ok, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering, either. There were also a few fragments, glimpses of a good menage story there, but nothing really memorable.
I had to make myself keep reading and that should speak for itself.
April 15, 2016
4/2016 ReRead
Still ★★★★★ ~ 5 Stars ~ April 2016 ReRead ~ Probably my favorite m/m/f menage story ~
It's been five years since I read this last and I also reread Finding Eden and read newly released Claiming Eden which were prequels to Beyond Eden and I'd either forgotten quite a bit or Kele rewrote/added content now that she wasn't under the Ellora's Cave content constraints ~ whatever, it was like reading it for the first time all over again. This is such a sexy story and all three characters have their individual relationships with each other and then as a whole, a triad.
This was one of my favorite reads in the Ellora's Cave version back in 2011 and a comfort read again in 2016. Thank you Kele!
To get the full effect of this trilogy you should read the series in this order:
Finding Eden |
Claiming Eden |
Beyond Eden
★★★★★ ~ 5 Stars ~ March 2011 ~ Original Review
Wow! I read this upon a rec of a GR friend and I'm really glad she did. Confession - this is my first BDSM (I don't think Sleeping Beauty qualifies does it, and definitely more than light spanking?), but not my first menage. This will be a reread so that I can really absorb everything. This was Eve's story, the guys already knew who they were (although Paul didn't want to accept it), but she was floundering. She had to be led down the path to find her true calling and nature. Every event in this book had to happen in the order it did to get to the HEA.
They had to come apart to come back together as 3 parts to one whole. Eve and Paul and Eve and Danny's relationship was different than Paul and Danny's or even all three together. Each person's qualities complemented the other's and made the menage relationship strong. I understood each person's viewpoint and motivation and while it's a whole different world than I'm used to, I could not put this book down. Not an easy read by a long shot, I really enjoyed this book.
ETA 12/10/11 - I just read
so it seemed fitting to reread Beyond Eden. I liked Finding Eden but I prefer mmf menage over just mm and BE still knocks me over after my original reading back in March 2011. Finding Eden fleshed out scenes in Beyond Eden.
This is my Number #1 book that I read in 2011.
Still ★★★★★ ~ 5 Stars ~ April 2016 ReRead ~ Probably my favorite m/m/f menage story ~
It's been five years since I read this last and I also reread Finding Eden and read newly released Claiming Eden which were prequels to Beyond Eden and I'd either forgotten quite a bit or Kele rewrote/added content now that she wasn't under the Ellora's Cave content constraints ~ whatever, it was like reading it for the first time all over again. This is such a sexy story and all three characters have their individual relationships with each other and then as a whole, a triad.
This was one of my favorite reads in the Ellora's Cave version back in 2011 and a comfort read again in 2016. Thank you Kele!
To get the full effect of this trilogy you should read the series in this order:
Finding Eden |
Claiming Eden |
Beyond Eden★★★★★ ~ 5 Stars ~ March 2011 ~ Original Review
Wow! I read this upon a rec of a GR friend and I'm really glad she did. Confession - this is my first BDSM (I don't think Sleeping Beauty qualifies does it, and definitely more than light spanking?), but not my first menage. This will be a reread so that I can really absorb everything. This was Eve's story, the guys already knew who they were (although Paul didn't want to accept it), but she was floundering. She had to be led down the path to find her true calling and nature. Every event in this book had to happen in the order it did to get to the HEA.
They had to come apart to come back together as 3 parts to one whole. Eve and Paul and Eve and Danny's relationship was different than Paul and Danny's or even all three together. Each person's qualities complemented the other's and made the menage relationship strong. I understood each person's viewpoint and motivation and while it's a whole different world than I'm used to, I could not put this book down. Not an easy read by a long shot, I really enjoyed this book.
ETA 12/10/11 - I just read
so it seemed fitting to reread Beyond Eden. I liked Finding Eden but I prefer mmf menage over just mm and BE still knocks me over after my original reading back in March 2011. Finding Eden fleshed out scenes in Beyond Eden. This is my Number #1 book that I read in 2011.
December 23, 2010
The words wow, wonderful, and beautiful pretty much describes my feelings after finishing Beyond Eden by Kele Moon. This is definitely one book that you don't want to miss out on, I can guarantee you that. When I first started reading this book, I came unprepared because not only was I not expecting the tears... but also the heart-breaking and heart-wrenching emotions that these three people have for one another. This is truly a wonderful masterpiece that I'll never likely forget. Any book that brings tears to my eyes is a 5+++ star book to me!
This book was not only a fascinating read, but it also shocked me to the core. Kele Moone definitely knows how to write stories that will move readers through tears-- and I absolutely love that. I can't say enough how marvelous this book was to me because of how the author has truly captured the essence of her characters through the raw attachments, and the love between the three. I admit that I did not like Danny Boy at first. I'm not an exactly a big fan of BDSM so Danny's cruel tactics for Eve and Paul made me cringe at times. But alas, he grew on me and I began to feel for him. I did go for Paul and Eve at first because they had a special connection that even Danny himself, was not able to break. And I loved that. It eventually came to and end when I realized that Paul, Eve, and Danny all belong with one another. One struggle that made my heart ache was the struggle between Paul and his "reluctance" to leave the marriage between his fiancee and his true "Master," his father.
I have to agree that this book is not for all readers. If you love BDSM, kink, steamy and erotic love scenes, and threesomes, then this is the book for you. Not to mention it will make you bawl like a baby, I'm not kidding about this. I laughed, cried, and had my heart broken by these three people. But other than that, each and every one of the characters had some serious issues inside of them that needed fixin' so I'm really glad that everything worked out in the end. Other than this, Beyond Eden was a story about true love, friendship, sacrifice, desire, and even pain. Every word was beautifully written, packed with emotions and I give this book a full five stars!!
This book was not only a fascinating read, but it also shocked me to the core. Kele Moone definitely knows how to write stories that will move readers through tears-- and I absolutely love that. I can't say enough how marvelous this book was to me because of how the author has truly captured the essence of her characters through the raw attachments, and the love between the three. I admit that I did not like Danny Boy at first. I'm not an exactly a big fan of BDSM so Danny's cruel tactics for Eve and Paul made me cringe at times. But alas, he grew on me and I began to feel for him. I did go for Paul and Eve at first because they had a special connection that even Danny himself, was not able to break. And I loved that. It eventually came to and end when I realized that Paul, Eve, and Danny all belong with one another. One struggle that made my heart ache was the struggle between Paul and his "reluctance" to leave the marriage between his fiancee and his true "Master," his father.
I have to agree that this book is not for all readers. If you love BDSM, kink, steamy and erotic love scenes, and threesomes, then this is the book for you. Not to mention it will make you bawl like a baby, I'm not kidding about this. I laughed, cried, and had my heart broken by these three people. But other than that, each and every one of the characters had some serious issues inside of them that needed fixin' so I'm really glad that everything worked out in the end. Other than this, Beyond Eden was a story about true love, friendship, sacrifice, desire, and even pain. Every word was beautifully written, packed with emotions and I give this book a full five stars!!
February 20, 2013
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
“Can you find beauty in darkness, Eve?" Danny asked.
She nodded. "Yes."
"Then look for it," he said softly.”
This is a book of based around love and its many shapes and forms.
Definitely not for the faint hearted, Beyond Eden is a full on emotional journey into the world of BDSM. It is also a wonderfully dark love story.
That is what I took from this book, the things you do for those you love.
The lifelong loving friendship between Danny Boy, Paul Guy and Evie Girl, is passionate, raw, gritty and real. It may not be traditional, it may have some very dark undertones, definitely not your average love story with marriage, babies and white picket fences, but the more you read this book the more you cannot deny the love between this trio. Danny in particular, with all his secret longings and sacrifices, what he had to become… to me his love for Paul guy is some of the strongest I have felt from reading a book. My heart bled for him.
I didn’t feel this way in the beginning, it did take me a while to see the light, so to speak. But as the story evolves and you get to understand why, you start to understand the balance of things in this S/M relationship. So I guess I am saying have patience with this story if you are feeling anger at a particular character, just keep reading.
These characters and their relationship, is one of the most forceful, brutal, in your face bdsm relationships I have ever read about. But I really loved every minute of it. I
Guess I really could see the beauty in the darkness.
This book is a very dark romance and if you are easily upset by any of the themes mentioned I would stay away. The characters we have are into self harm and inflicting harm and sometimes to the extreme.
If these things do not bother for you and in fact intrigue you I would thoroughly recommend reading Beyond Eden. It is an amazing and unforgettable read and it will be staying with me for a while.
“Can you find beauty in darkness, Eve?" Danny asked.
She nodded. "Yes."
"Then look for it," he said softly.”
This is a book of based around love and its many shapes and forms.
Definitely not for the faint hearted, Beyond Eden is a full on emotional journey into the world of BDSM. It is also a wonderfully dark love story.
That is what I took from this book, the things you do for those you love.
The lifelong loving friendship between Danny Boy, Paul Guy and Evie Girl, is passionate, raw, gritty and real. It may not be traditional, it may have some very dark undertones, definitely not your average love story with marriage, babies and white picket fences, but the more you read this book the more you cannot deny the love between this trio. Danny in particular, with all his secret longings and sacrifices, what he had to become… to me his love for Paul guy is some of the strongest I have felt from reading a book. My heart bled for him.
I didn’t feel this way in the beginning, it did take me a while to see the light, so to speak. But as the story evolves and you get to understand why, you start to understand the balance of things in this S/M relationship. So I guess I am saying have patience with this story if you are feeling anger at a particular character, just keep reading.
These characters and their relationship, is one of the most forceful, brutal, in your face bdsm relationships I have ever read about. But I really loved every minute of it. I
Guess I really could see the beauty in the darkness.
This book is a very dark romance and if you are easily upset by any of the themes mentioned I would stay away. The characters we have are into self harm and inflicting harm and sometimes to the extreme.
If these things do not bother for you and in fact intrigue you I would thoroughly recommend reading Beyond Eden. It is an amazing and unforgettable read and it will be staying with me for a while.
April 30, 2013
Well, so much for all the 5 star reviews I have been reading about this one.... didn't really do it for me. In the beginning I thought maybe the BDSM element would be a bit much for me but it did not bother me really. There was one scene that was a bit offputting..... I honestly cannot understand how someone can gain pleasure from pain but that is just me. In the beginning I though Danny would be the most annoying character, all cocky and masterful but in the end it was Paul that bugged the bejeepers out of me. He was an adult, had an education, had a job, had a friggin girlfriend BUT he could not make up his own mind about his future.... he had to stand by what his family wanted. I mean, c'mon, if you really loved and cared for someone you would want to be with them unconditionally and not bow to pressure from parents/siblings. Yeah, I was happy with the ending but don't think I will be rushing out to read another like this. Sorry buddy-readers for not being as enthusiastic as you guys were/are.
April 16, 2011
What an amazing, intensely emotional story! I loved every minute of it!!!! This is exactly my favorite kind of book, one that is beautifully emotional and pushes the boundaries a bit. There are a lot of reviews out there that give the synopsis of the story so I am going to skip that part, I just had to put out there how much these 3 people grabbed my heart and won't let go, even now that I'm finished I find myself thinking about them.... This is definitely not you typical fluffy menage with a little BDSM thrown in, heck no, there is some very intense scenes that may be too much for some people, but I can't stress enough how much they just work in this story. I don't want to make this any type of spoiler review so I am not going to get into that much. All I am going to say is that I fell very much in love with Evie Girl, Danny Boy and Paul Guy and I would give anything to get a look at Eve's paintings of them all, my god, I bet they are scorch your skin HOT!!
June 24, 2013
“Bite the apple Evie, it’ll blow your mind.”
Um Wow. So this was not what I was expecting and I couldn’t be happier. For some reason I put off reading this book for ages (I think it’s because the cover is just not good) which is unfortunate because Beyond Eden turned out to be one of the better kinky books (BDSM) I’ve ever read. Even now, a week later as I plug along trying to get my review done the characters, story (yes there is one) magic of true love and web of emotions linger. There were just so many things I liked about this story, which I’ll be honest, took me out of my comfort zone more than once but that’s a good thing right?
This whole book is one long drawn out, extended and delicious sex scene. No I mean it, page after page after page of it, but it works because it’s not the same. It’s always different, always changing, revealing itself as layers are peeled away. With each action in the bedroom some kind of emotion or revelation is exposed, nothing is wasted here. I usually find with the erotica when there’s this much bangin the plot suffers but Kele Moon has managed a captivating storyline too. Honestly I can’t stop thinking about this book.
Since there’s already a ton of great reviews out there I won’t go into a synopsis here, I’ll just give you some of my feelings. Ha, now where to start there?
Beyond Eden is a love story, although obviously not in the typical sense; first off there are three people involved, and then of course there’s the whole BDSM scene and the fact that one of our characters has an extreme pain fetish. So yeah, it tends to go to some darker places.
Ultimately this wasn’t an easy read, (which is crazy because I couldn’t stop reading it either) but there were times when I absolutely hated one of the heroes. I couldn’t believe what he was doing to someone he supposedly loved. I mean granted I don’t “get” the whole Dom/sub relationship but this; this “Master” who was also his best friend and lover was too much. As I said earlier though Moon peels the layers away and suddenly you come to understand why he’s doing what he’s doing and you see the love.
Yeah I’m talking about Danny, what a complex character. He did redeem himself to me in the end though and became one of the most intriguing people in the book (which I guess is why I’m still thinking about him.) Evie was another of my favourites. She was the lightness here, all free spirited and quirky, our guide if you will, because it’s through her ”vanilla” eyes that we get to learn and experience the BDSM lifestyle. And Paul, what can I say about him? He sorta broke my heart.
This was a story that surprised me, tested me and haunted me. It’s complicated, tangled, intense, obsessive, violent, forbidden, shameless and beautiful. And oh it’s good. Cheers
**Thanks to NetGalley and Ellora's cave who provided a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
364jb45
Um Wow. So this was not what I was expecting and I couldn’t be happier. For some reason I put off reading this book for ages (I think it’s because the cover is just not good) which is unfortunate because Beyond Eden turned out to be one of the better kinky books (BDSM) I’ve ever read. Even now, a week later as I plug along trying to get my review done the characters, story (yes there is one) magic of true love and web of emotions linger. There were just so many things I liked about this story, which I’ll be honest, took me out of my comfort zone more than once but that’s a good thing right?
This whole book is one long drawn out, extended and delicious sex scene. No I mean it, page after page after page of it, but it works because it’s not the same. It’s always different, always changing, revealing itself as layers are peeled away. With each action in the bedroom some kind of emotion or revelation is exposed, nothing is wasted here. I usually find with the erotica when there’s this much bangin the plot suffers but Kele Moon has managed a captivating storyline too. Honestly I can’t stop thinking about this book.
Since there’s already a ton of great reviews out there I won’t go into a synopsis here, I’ll just give you some of my feelings. Ha, now where to start there?
Beyond Eden is a love story, although obviously not in the typical sense; first off there are three people involved, and then of course there’s the whole BDSM scene and the fact that one of our characters has an extreme pain fetish. So yeah, it tends to go to some darker places.
Ultimately this wasn’t an easy read, (which is crazy because I couldn’t stop reading it either) but there were times when I absolutely hated one of the heroes. I couldn’t believe what he was doing to someone he supposedly loved. I mean granted I don’t “get” the whole Dom/sub relationship but this; this “Master” who was also his best friend and lover was too much. As I said earlier though Moon peels the layers away and suddenly you come to understand why he’s doing what he’s doing and you see the love.
Yeah I’m talking about Danny, what a complex character. He did redeem himself to me in the end though and became one of the most intriguing people in the book (which I guess is why I’m still thinking about him.) Evie was another of my favourites. She was the lightness here, all free spirited and quirky, our guide if you will, because it’s through her ”vanilla” eyes that we get to learn and experience the BDSM lifestyle. And Paul, what can I say about him? He sorta broke my heart.
This was a story that surprised me, tested me and haunted me. It’s complicated, tangled, intense, obsessive, violent, forbidden, shameless and beautiful. And oh it’s good. Cheers
**Thanks to NetGalley and Ellora's cave who provided a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
364jb45
December 29, 2015
I had come to this book b'c I was reading about the craze of that piece of pooh fanfic re-write, '50 Shades' which has shockingly taken the world by storm.
The newspaper article was ragging on it for being shit but most of all, not even really being BDSM. That article lead me to a USA list of book alternatives, this book being on the list & praised for having "so much depth".
They ended the article by saying that for the Gold Star in writing this genre, Joey W. Hill is unparalleled b'c her writing style has the amazing capacity for pulling the reader into the psychology behind it all. They even said that scholarly papers have been written about her writings & universities analyze her stories & style.
Since they mentioned Hill, I decided to give some of these on the list a go. I have been reading Hill for a bit now and had no idea her influence went that far but can't say I'm too surprised. That's what I love about her. Even the worst of Hill's books or shorts blow this out the water in terms of character development, authenticity and texture (I suggest reading her Nature of Desire and Knights of the Boardroom series if you really want to read this genre).
As for my actual thoughts on this? I thought it was actually pretty pointless, aside from there being no real plot and the narrative not making any sense ( i.e; lots telling but no showing, rushed pacing in areas that needed to be explored, simplistic writing which didn't trust the reader to draw their own conclusion), I am surprised at the high marks mainly due to the fact that the main character's (Paul, Evie & Danny) were so incredibly unlikable.
Their fundamental belief's are just twisted and lacking more than anything else, really kind of borderline sociopathic actually because they have no moral regard for others.
They were equal liars and betrayers – all of them. They manipulated, lived in denial, were weak willed and mean. For example; Danny is jealous of Paul's beard of a fiance. Every chance he gets he bullies & seduces Paul and then calls his fiance names like 'cunt'.
Now ah excuse me….Trish is actually quite decent and is doing nothing wrong. If anyone should be pointing the C finger it should be Danny at himself, Paul and Evie for all thinking nothing of it (on Trish's behalf) that they are all doing an Evie sandwich and then some on a daily basis. Is Trish cheating? No. Her crime is that she's 'vanilla' and doesn't have clue her fiance is a lying coward who is also a great actor so she trusts him.
And really, who could blame her? Who would imagine that even if your fiance was cheating…it was to the extent Paul has been since day one?
Please…this isn't a beautiful romance, it's fucked up people! Who can root for such fundamentally dishonest & abusive people? I don't mean abusive as in the BDSM, I've read & liked much harder core than this. That has nothing to do with it. In fact I thought that it was a poor excuse for representing that lifestyle.
The author marginalized her characters own lifestyle by having her character's consistently referring to it as purely a "fetish" or even better, discussing it in food terms (code speak) with one another even when no one else was around.
I know Paul had issues but at the same time he really didn't. What I mean is that the author didn't give his emotional turmoil any depth in order for his plight to resonate with me in order to give a crap. Not even in the slightest.
Instead he just came across like a weak, shallow horny toad who didn't give a crap about anyone else other than getting himself off.
No matter what the context of the story, I can't root for character's who are shallow & live in a world of denial esp. because I know the author truly doesn't 'see' what she's really portraying. She thinks she is writing a fairly hardcore ("dark") BDSM erotica story with angst in which ultimately love triumphs. Um no....get these characters to a therapist. Pronto. There's a lot of baggage they need to sort out in order to be truly decent human beings.
Horrendous portrayal. Utter tripe.
The newspaper article was ragging on it for being shit but most of all, not even really being BDSM. That article lead me to a USA list of book alternatives, this book being on the list & praised for having "so much depth".
They ended the article by saying that for the Gold Star in writing this genre, Joey W. Hill is unparalleled b'c her writing style has the amazing capacity for pulling the reader into the psychology behind it all. They even said that scholarly papers have been written about her writings & universities analyze her stories & style.
Since they mentioned Hill, I decided to give some of these on the list a go. I have been reading Hill for a bit now and had no idea her influence went that far but can't say I'm too surprised. That's what I love about her. Even the worst of Hill's books or shorts blow this out the water in terms of character development, authenticity and texture (I suggest reading her Nature of Desire and Knights of the Boardroom series if you really want to read this genre).
As for my actual thoughts on this? I thought it was actually pretty pointless, aside from there being no real plot and the narrative not making any sense ( i.e; lots telling but no showing, rushed pacing in areas that needed to be explored, simplistic writing which didn't trust the reader to draw their own conclusion), I am surprised at the high marks mainly due to the fact that the main character's (Paul, Evie & Danny) were so incredibly unlikable.
Their fundamental belief's are just twisted and lacking more than anything else, really kind of borderline sociopathic actually because they have no moral regard for others.
They were equal liars and betrayers – all of them. They manipulated, lived in denial, were weak willed and mean. For example; Danny is jealous of Paul's beard of a fiance. Every chance he gets he bullies & seduces Paul and then calls his fiance names like 'cunt'.
Now ah excuse me….Trish is actually quite decent and is doing nothing wrong. If anyone should be pointing the C finger it should be Danny at himself, Paul and Evie for all thinking nothing of it (on Trish's behalf) that they are all doing an Evie sandwich and then some on a daily basis. Is Trish cheating? No. Her crime is that she's 'vanilla' and doesn't have clue her fiance is a lying coward who is also a great actor so she trusts him.
And really, who could blame her? Who would imagine that even if your fiance was cheating…it was to the extent Paul has been since day one?
Please…this isn't a beautiful romance, it's fucked up people! Who can root for such fundamentally dishonest & abusive people? I don't mean abusive as in the BDSM, I've read & liked much harder core than this. That has nothing to do with it. In fact I thought that it was a poor excuse for representing that lifestyle.
The author marginalized her characters own lifestyle by having her character's consistently referring to it as purely a "fetish" or even better, discussing it in food terms (code speak) with one another even when no one else was around.
I know Paul had issues but at the same time he really didn't. What I mean is that the author didn't give his emotional turmoil any depth in order for his plight to resonate with me in order to give a crap. Not even in the slightest.
Instead he just came across like a weak, shallow horny toad who didn't give a crap about anyone else other than getting himself off.
No matter what the context of the story, I can't root for character's who are shallow & live in a world of denial esp. because I know the author truly doesn't 'see' what she's really portraying. She thinks she is writing a fairly hardcore ("dark") BDSM erotica story with angst in which ultimately love triumphs. Um no....get these characters to a therapist. Pronto. There's a lot of baggage they need to sort out in order to be truly decent human beings.
Horrendous portrayal. Utter tripe.
Read
November 11, 2015ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS!
Re-edited, extended version available now on amazon and for Kindle Unlimited! Including scenes cut by the original publisher!
I'm keeping both Eden books discounted for short time so fans of the series can get the new versions and enjoy the sneak peak of Claiming Eden at the end of Finding Eden which is coming out Jan 26th, 2016! Also available on Kindle Unlimited!
Beyond Eden
http://amzn.to/20LdUFD
Finding Eden
http://amzn.to/1HGqKJD
Claiming Eden
http://amzn.to/1MmWEwF
Re-edited, extended version available now on amazon and for Kindle Unlimited! Including scenes cut by the original publisher!
I'm keeping both Eden books discounted for short time so fans of the series can get the new versions and enjoy the sneak peak of Claiming Eden at the end of Finding Eden which is coming out Jan 26th, 2016! Also available on Kindle Unlimited!
Beyond Eden
http://amzn.to/20LdUFD
Finding Eden
http://amzn.to/1HGqKJD
Claiming Eden
http://amzn.to/1MmWEwF
January 29, 2018
Absolutely loved this character-driven story. It was a very emotional journey for Paul, Danny & Eden - and despite the fact that it contains BDSM themes, my least favourite type of erotica fiction, I couldn't fault it one bit.
Such an amazing story, I highly recommend!
P.S I read the updated version of this book
Such an amazing story, I highly recommend!
P.S I read the updated version of this book
June 19, 2011
I enjoyed this book greatly! Many of my book group friends won't be surprised as this style of BDSM is right up my alley. I do agree with several of the others who indicated Ms. Moon needs to work on her writing technique. There were many times I became lost because I didn't know who was saying what. I had to back track and re-read those. It was enough times that I actually noted which is not a good sign since I'm the least picky about technical writing and grammar when it comes to my pleasure books. Ms. Moon, if you are reading this, I recommend a strong editor or some classes to work on your writing flow. Jarring readers out of the storyline can make or break an author, no matter how talented with alluring story lines.
I LOVED this book and will probably end up reading it over and over again - the naughty parts I like. The S&M here was breathtaking. Paul is a painslut. The descriptions of each scene was mind boggling for me. I could hear it, see it and almost taste it. Is it wrong to admit I'd want to feel it? The main theme Ms. Moon brought into this story line was very nice. Eve's temptation, Eden, tree of knowledge...etc were all strong metaphors which pulled me into the story. I liked Evie quite a bit. I like her voyeuristic tendencies because well, I'm a voyeur too. I totally understand the allure. Danny is the dream Dominant. I can't believe the shit he puts up with and what he can dole out. I shiver thinking about Danny. His loyalty, caring and love is what everyone should strive to be in a relationship. I read about him and I think, wow, I have so much to learn and could be a better person if I thought the same way he did. He is truly a remarkable person.
This is one of the first books I've read in about maybe 200 in the past 5 months where I genuinely like all of the main characters. I felt sorry for each one. I understood their dilemma and pain. None of them were stupid or inconsiderate. Ms. Moon made them human and relate-able. If this is Ms. Moon's first book and she's just getting started, I can't wait to read her other books. I recommend this to people who love a happily ever after and devoted love.
I LOVED this book and will probably end up reading it over and over again - the naughty parts I like. The S&M here was breathtaking. Paul is a painslut. The descriptions of each scene was mind boggling for me. I could hear it, see it and almost taste it. Is it wrong to admit I'd want to feel it? The main theme Ms. Moon brought into this story line was very nice. Eve's temptation, Eden, tree of knowledge...etc were all strong metaphors which pulled me into the story. I liked Evie quite a bit. I like her voyeuristic tendencies because well, I'm a voyeur too. I totally understand the allure. Danny is the dream Dominant. I can't believe the shit he puts up with and what he can dole out. I shiver thinking about Danny. His loyalty, caring and love is what everyone should strive to be in a relationship. I read about him and I think, wow, I have so much to learn and could be a better person if I thought the same way he did. He is truly a remarkable person.
This is one of the first books I've read in about maybe 200 in the past 5 months where I genuinely like all of the main characters. I felt sorry for each one. I understood their dilemma and pain. None of them were stupid or inconsiderate. Ms. Moon made them human and relate-able. If this is Ms. Moon's first book and she's just getting started, I can't wait to read her other books. I recommend this to people who love a happily ever after and devoted love.
May 26, 2013
So, I'm going to go against the grain. I've really loved some of this author's other books. In fact, they've all gotten 3.5 or higher, but this was made of pure bad. And my enjoyment and rating has nothing to do with a female being in this book or it being a m/m/f book. This book did not work for me on all levels.
The plot was awful, the incessant nicknames made me want to punch innocent things, the sex scenes were a pile of blah or ridiculousness, and the characters might be the most hated characters I've read about in some time.
I read a lot of wackadoo books with murderers, sociopaths, unsavory characters (if you will) and yet have and do rate those books highly. This book in terms of that level had very tame characters, but what made this book different than the others is that the author wrote those characters or plot in interesting ways. I was drawn to it and them and wanted to know more. This was just awful. These characters were sulking, whining, cheating, simpering, self-absorbed assssssssssholes. Assholes I wished to jump into an active volcano. Assholes I wished to never read another line about again. Seriously, every single one of them was a total jerk.
Supposedly the prequel, which is the second book featuring just the male couple, is amazing and I have no idea why, but I'm willing to read it. Probably because the only glimmer of good parts I saw were with Danny and Paul alone. There were definite moments there where I saw something, but either the addition of some very nonbelivable aspects with Evie or their own personaties tarnished everything. So, yeah, I'm going to pretend this book never, ever, ever happened.
The plot was awful, the incessant nicknames made me want to punch innocent things, the sex scenes were a pile of blah or ridiculousness, and the characters might be the most hated characters I've read about in some time.
I read a lot of wackadoo books with murderers, sociopaths, unsavory characters (if you will) and yet have and do rate those books highly. This book in terms of that level had very tame characters, but what made this book different than the others is that the author wrote those characters or plot in interesting ways. I was drawn to it and them and wanted to know more. This was just awful. These characters were sulking, whining, cheating, simpering, self-absorbed assssssssssholes. Assholes I wished to jump into an active volcano. Assholes I wished to never read another line about again. Seriously, every single one of them was a total jerk.
Supposedly the prequel, which is the second book featuring just the male couple, is amazing and I have no idea why, but I'm willing to read it. Probably because the only glimmer of good parts I saw were with Danny and Paul alone. There were definite moments there where I saw something, but either the addition of some very nonbelivable aspects with Evie or their own personaties tarnished everything. So, yeah, I'm going to pretend this book never, ever, ever happened.
August 24, 2011
Wonderful story!! So good! Aside from the ridiculous way the characters address one another;) If the story hadn't been so d@mn good, that would have killed the whole thing for me. But, the story *was* that good! Highly recommended if you're not put off by BDSM. I hope Kele Moon has written, or is writing, more stories!!
**Revised to 5 stars 7/19/11. I continue to think about this story and the characters, and that tells me it deserves 5 stars. I felt so much emotion in this story while reading it, and I'm still feeling it 24 hours later.
**Revised to 5 stars 7/19/11. I continue to think about this story and the characters, and that tells me it deserves 5 stars. I felt so much emotion in this story while reading it, and I'm still feeling it 24 hours later.
April 28, 2013
5 STARS
I'll start by saying that I've wanted to read this book for awhile, but didn't do it because, while I love books like this, I don't want to read a book where one of the 3 people involved ends up with a broken heart at the end....thankfully that did not happen in this book and I wish I had read it sooner! This book has steamy m/m, m/f, m/f/m and m/m/f sex scenes. The chemistry between Danny, Paul and Eve was explosive!
Paul, Danny and Eve have been friends since kindergarden. Paul and Eve started dating in their teens and were together until Eve moved to New York when they were 18 years old. She wanted Paul to go with her, but he didn't. The book starts off the night before Eve left for New York with her and Paul having to say goodbye to each other. He promises her he will always love her. The book then skips to 10 years later. Eve has recently left New York, she was never able to achieve her dreams in New York and had recently broken off an engagement. She runs into Danny at the grocery store and he invites her over to his place for dinner. Danny and Paul have lived together for years and what Eve doesn't know (until later in the book) is Paul and Danny have been together since shortly after she left for New York and they got involved in the BDSM scene (Danny is Paul's Master and Paul gets off on extreme pain). Paul is an attorney and is engaged to Trisha, who is also an attorney. Paul doesn't love Trisha, he finds the sex with her boring and way too vanilla for his tastes, he is only marrying her to please his family. Even though he is engaged, he still continues his affair with Danny and plans to continue it until he is married. Paul still loves Eve and is not only jealous but feels his relationship with Danny is threatened when Danny decides he wants to be with Eve.
"I want to lick you until you go hoarse from screaming. I want to pass out in your arms completely exhausted from fucking you as thoroughly as you deserve...." ~Danny to Eve
Eventually Danny introduces Eve to the BDSM lifestyle and eventually they bring Paul into their relationship. They all struggle with the fact that they only have a short time left together until Paul is married and Danny and Eve know that once Paul is married, he will be forever faithful to Trisha. No matter how much Danny and Eve try to talk Paul out of marrying Trisha, he is determined to follow through so he doesn't disappoint his family. Paul is also not willing to reveal to his family that not only is he sleeping with a man. He thinks his family would not only disown him but also literally kill him. No matter what happens with Paul, Eve and Danny vow to stay together. As New Years approaches (which is when Paul is to be married), Danny and Eve decide they are moving to New York, it is too painful for them to stay knowing they can never be with Paul again and they need to move on with their lives. Danny and Eve know that they cannot be platonic friends with Paul after everything they have been through together.
"You think we can just start being platonic friends after all this? You will have to avoid us like the plague to stay faithful to Trisha and that will hurt Evie worse than anything. Being pushed aside, being avoided by you because you'd rather hurt her than betray Trisha. I'm not doing that to us." ~Danny to Paul
I won't tell you how the story ends, but I will say that everything works out for the all of them. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys m/m sex scenes as well as menages.
I'll start by saying that I've wanted to read this book for awhile, but didn't do it because, while I love books like this, I don't want to read a book where one of the 3 people involved ends up with a broken heart at the end....thankfully that did not happen in this book and I wish I had read it sooner! This book has steamy m/m, m/f, m/f/m and m/m/f sex scenes. The chemistry between Danny, Paul and Eve was explosive!
Paul, Danny and Eve have been friends since kindergarden. Paul and Eve started dating in their teens and were together until Eve moved to New York when they were 18 years old. She wanted Paul to go with her, but he didn't. The book starts off the night before Eve left for New York with her and Paul having to say goodbye to each other. He promises her he will always love her. The book then skips to 10 years later. Eve has recently left New York, she was never able to achieve her dreams in New York and had recently broken off an engagement. She runs into Danny at the grocery store and he invites her over to his place for dinner. Danny and Paul have lived together for years and what Eve doesn't know (until later in the book) is Paul and Danny have been together since shortly after she left for New York and they got involved in the BDSM scene (Danny is Paul's Master and Paul gets off on extreme pain). Paul is an attorney and is engaged to Trisha, who is also an attorney. Paul doesn't love Trisha, he finds the sex with her boring and way too vanilla for his tastes, he is only marrying her to please his family. Even though he is engaged, he still continues his affair with Danny and plans to continue it until he is married. Paul still loves Eve and is not only jealous but feels his relationship with Danny is threatened when Danny decides he wants to be with Eve.
"I want to lick you until you go hoarse from screaming. I want to pass out in your arms completely exhausted from fucking you as thoroughly as you deserve...." ~Danny to Eve
Eventually Danny introduces Eve to the BDSM lifestyle and eventually they bring Paul into their relationship. They all struggle with the fact that they only have a short time left together until Paul is married and Danny and Eve know that once Paul is married, he will be forever faithful to Trisha. No matter how much Danny and Eve try to talk Paul out of marrying Trisha, he is determined to follow through so he doesn't disappoint his family. Paul is also not willing to reveal to his family that not only is he sleeping with a man. He thinks his family would not only disown him but also literally kill him. No matter what happens with Paul, Eve and Danny vow to stay together. As New Years approaches (which is when Paul is to be married), Danny and Eve decide they are moving to New York, it is too painful for them to stay knowing they can never be with Paul again and they need to move on with their lives. Danny and Eve know that they cannot be platonic friends with Paul after everything they have been through together.
"You think we can just start being platonic friends after all this? You will have to avoid us like the plague to stay faithful to Trisha and that will hurt Evie worse than anything. Being pushed aside, being avoided by you because you'd rather hurt her than betray Trisha. I'm not doing that to us." ~Danny to Paul
I won't tell you how the story ends, but I will say that everything works out for the all of them. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys m/m sex scenes as well as menages.
December 11, 2012
This book has been on my TBR list for quite a while and after a reviewer mentioned that Kele Moon’s books are similar to Barbara Elsborg, whose novels I absolutely loved, decided to read it. I had no idea what an intense read I was in for!!!!!! I have never really cared for erotica BDSM genre and was a bit hesitant at first, so glad I did not give up because I would have missed out on an incredible love story.
Yes, Beyond Eden is a complex and beautiful, dark and poignant, romantic and painful journey that three childhood friends take, the choices they have to make to finding true happiness together, being given a second chance. Having to make some hard decisions in their lives that will forever change them.
I found drawn to Paul, Danny & Eve from the very beginning. Incredibly believable, engaging and I felt so emotionally connected – their pain, the incredible love they felt for each other. The character development is truly amazing…it’s not just about the sex but so much more.
The imagery is so vividly written – I could almost feel the leaves rustling, the heat and steam, tasted Cuban coffee, the smell of Danny’s cigarette…and so much more!!
The sex scenes were hot, sensual and even though some of the more “intense” BDSM scenes took me somewhat out of my “comfort” zone, they were written in such a way that, whilst painful and totally something I am not familiar with, still managed to pull me in and was able to, for me at least, believe that this was totally part of the love had felt for each other.
I did feel the sadness and the struggle between the trio and I was pulling my hair out thinking that something would happen to keep them apart. The decisions they made just before the epilogue really got to me. No way. This could not be happening!!!!
But wow!!!!!!!!! What an ending. I loved it. I loved these guys and it will be a long time before I can get them out of my head!!!! And I knew in my heart…..that LOVE ALWAYS TRIUMPHS IN THE END!!!!!!!!! I would love to read more about Paul, Danny & Eve …..They have a place in my heart.
I am truly amazed that this is Kele Moon’s debut novel….and what a fantastic and outstanding one it is. I am definitely going to be reading more of her books.
So, if you like a story that is heart-wrenching, well-written, romantic, dark and erotic, with unbelievable characters that pull at your heart-strings, then read this book.
Now, having said all of the above, I am still not sure if I want to read a totally BDSM novel – the whole pain, whipping and submissive and Dom still does not do it for me…I need romance and that’s what I liked about Beyond Eden more than anything else……the ultimate being the love they had for each other and that the whole fetish side was not the focal point in their relationship. Geez, I think I am tripping over my words here…..JUST…I liked this book.
October 8, 2013
A test of friendship for Eve, Danny, and Paul.
Honestly, I found both Eve and Paul to be a bit whiny in the beginning of the story with Danny being the only one who seemed to have his head on straight. On one hand, there's Eve complaining about her parents being in her business when she moves back home at age 28. To this I just want to say, suck it up, save and get our own place. On the other hand, Paul is so completely ignoring his reality which after nine years seems pretty dumb. I get that I'm suppose to feel empathetic, but he came across more as ostrich who decides to stick his head in the sand instead of deal with the situation. Both Eve and Paul appear as needy subs. I don't like needy subs.
Granted, once I see Paul and Danny in action my opinion shifted a bit, but I still didn't believe that they could/would have ignored the obvious for so many years. That it took Eve to be the catalyst, not to shift the whole balance, but the men's acceptance and understanding of the situation at hand. I didn't believe it.
Now I might have rated this book higher, by just accepting the author's take of the situation, but there were three things in particular that aggravated me. First, Eve's use of hyperbole was annoying. Second, the amount of Eve's internal dialog about her art and how scenes were described in these terms, again, annoying. I wanted to tell her to shut up at one point. Third, and this is the big one, the overuse of the term "vanilla". I counted 37 instances at just past the 50%. Now, at best, I find this term silly, but harmless when used sparingly, and at worst it comes across as immature and ridiculous--as does the term "deviant". Grow up. Even if the author thought this was cute I can't imagine how the editor let it slide.
Sad really, because underneath it all is a beautiful story about three friends and how their lives evolve and transform. Definitely worth reading, just grit your teeth through those bits and you'll see something pretty underneath. I'll read Danny and Paul's story because I'm really curious how Danny came to be the protector he is.
Favorite quote:
Honestly, I found both Eve and Paul to be a bit whiny in the beginning of the story with Danny being the only one who seemed to have his head on straight. On one hand, there's Eve complaining about her parents being in her business when she moves back home at age 28. To this I just want to say, suck it up, save and get our own place. On the other hand, Paul is so completely ignoring his reality which after nine years seems pretty dumb. I get that I'm suppose to feel empathetic, but he came across more as ostrich who decides to stick his head in the sand instead of deal with the situation. Both Eve and Paul appear as needy subs. I don't like needy subs.
Granted, once I see Paul and Danny in action my opinion shifted a bit, but I still didn't believe that they could/would have ignored the obvious for so many years. That it took Eve to be the catalyst, not to shift the whole balance, but the men's acceptance and understanding of the situation at hand. I didn't believe it.
Now I might have rated this book higher, by just accepting the author's take of the situation, but there were three things in particular that aggravated me. First, Eve's use of hyperbole was annoying. Second, the amount of Eve's internal dialog about her art and how scenes were described in these terms, again, annoying. I wanted to tell her to shut up at one point. Third, and this is the big one, the overuse of the term "vanilla". I counted 37 instances at just past the 50%. Now, at best, I find this term silly, but harmless when used sparingly, and at worst it comes across as immature and ridiculous--as does the term "deviant". Grow up. Even if the author thought this was cute I can't imagine how the editor let it slide.
Sad really, because underneath it all is a beautiful story about three friends and how their lives evolve and transform. Definitely worth reading, just grit your teeth through those bits and you'll see something pretty underneath. I'll read Danny and Paul's story because I'm really curious how Danny came to be the protector he is.
Favorite quote:
"He willed the exhaustion to take him into sleep as he tried to pretend Paul was sleeping with him because he loved him, not because he had ordered him to."
March 21, 2018
4.5 Forbidden Fruit Stars
I was really surprised on how much I enjoyed Beyond Eden. I hated the cover and it had somewhat lack luster reviews, however, it exceeded my expectations and completely hit the MMF spot for me.
Yeah I was in a MMF mood and I wanted a story where all three characters loved each other, I got that and more.
I wouldn’t call this a series. Beyond Eden is a standalone and it’s a massive novel which I enjoyed every bit of. The other two books are different times in the couple’s relationship.
This is a story about three childhood friends and their very complicated relationship. What made me enjoy this book so much was the character development. Sure, it’s smut and mostly it’s steamy scenes and kink, but I really liked all the drama. It’s not a simple love story, it’s about different forms of love, different forms of kink and I love that everyone loves each other.
I was sucked into the writing and sure some parts were a bit more descriptive than I would have liked, but overall, I loved the dialogue and the characters. It’s really hard for me to like all the characters in a MMF novel, usually I favor one over the other, but I can say, everyone was great.
Eve and Paul were lovers in high school, but she left Paul to obtain her dreams in New York. It’s ten years later and she’s back. Paul and Danny are room mates, but could it be more than that? Also, what kind of person is Paul? And What kind of person is Danny now? Could they open Eve’s eyes to a whole new world?
If you are looking for a smutty book with great characters, a well-rounded plot and a massive book, then Beyond Eden is perfect.
I was really surprised on how much I enjoyed Beyond Eden. I hated the cover and it had somewhat lack luster reviews, however, it exceeded my expectations and completely hit the MMF spot for me.
Yeah I was in a MMF mood and I wanted a story where all three characters loved each other, I got that and more.
I wouldn’t call this a series. Beyond Eden is a standalone and it’s a massive novel which I enjoyed every bit of. The other two books are different times in the couple’s relationship.
This is a story about three childhood friends and their very complicated relationship. What made me enjoy this book so much was the character development. Sure, it’s smut and mostly it’s steamy scenes and kink, but I really liked all the drama. It’s not a simple love story, it’s about different forms of love, different forms of kink and I love that everyone loves each other.
I was sucked into the writing and sure some parts were a bit more descriptive than I would have liked, but overall, I loved the dialogue and the characters. It’s really hard for me to like all the characters in a MMF novel, usually I favor one over the other, but I can say, everyone was great.
Eve and Paul were lovers in high school, but she left Paul to obtain her dreams in New York. It’s ten years later and she’s back. Paul and Danny are room mates, but could it be more than that? Also, what kind of person is Paul? And What kind of person is Danny now? Could they open Eve’s eyes to a whole new world?
If you are looking for a smutty book with great characters, a well-rounded plot and a massive book, then Beyond Eden is perfect.
August 25, 2011
Good, but not great. A bit brutal for my taste. I had a hard time getting past the stupid pet names that they had for each other. That was okay for high school, childish 10 years later. I felt for Danny and his situation, but the way he talked to Paul and Evie was a little over the top. I get that it's part of "playing", but at times he was just nasty. However, I did adore him and felt that his lashing out was due to his anguish over Paul's impending marriage. Oh Paul. My goodness what a troubled and tortured soul. He just broke my heart, and the pain that he had to endure and needed to continue on, was heart-wrenching at best. I truly believed Evie loved Paul and Danny, but she was also very selfish. How do you claim undying love for someone and not know whats become of him over the past ten years? Maybe you should have stayed for him instead of expecting him to follow you, especially knowing what his father was like! Okay Okay...I know it's just a story, but I had such an emotional attachment to Paul I needed to vent. The ending was very anti-climatic when it had the potential to be so much more. The epilogue...eh, it didn't really add to the story.
This book is not for everyone. I think the "pet names" distracted from the story for me, or I might have given it a better rating. Beneath it all it's a book about second chances, a twisted love story between 3 people that find passion for each other in an unusual way. I hear that the author has written a prequel to this story, maybe after reading that I'll re-read this and understand the characters better.
This book is not for everyone. I think the "pet names" distracted from the story for me, or I might have given it a better rating. Beneath it all it's a book about second chances, a twisted love story between 3 people that find passion for each other in an unusual way. I hear that the author has written a prequel to this story, maybe after reading that I'll re-read this and understand the characters better.
April 11, 2016
4.5 Seductive Stars!
Wow...this book kinda blew my mind...
And I'm going to need to think on it...
Don't get me wrong the writing was really good and sucked me in immediately...OMG...it was Freakin
Hot too...
But a pain fetish to this extent is kinda out of my comfort zone... :-/
It was picked for me to read (Ménage Group) and I'm glad I did...so review to come..when my brain stops spinning... ;)
M/M M/F/M F/M/M
Wow...this book kinda blew my mind...
And I'm going to need to think on it...
Don't get me wrong the writing was really good and sucked me in immediately...OMG...it was Freakin
Hot too...
But a pain fetish to this extent is kinda out of my comfort zone... :-/
It was picked for me to read (Ménage Group) and I'm glad I did...so review to come..when my brain stops spinning... ;)
M/M M/F/M F/M/M
January 25, 2016
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Does Kele Moon can do wrong in my book?
Never.
Does Kele Moon can do wrong in my book?
Never.
October 1, 2010
BEYOND EDEN begins with a bittersweet moment between Paul and Eve as teenagers. Eve goes to New York to study art and Paul stays behind. Through circumstances Eve comes back to Tampa ten years later and meets Danny, her and Paul’s best friend since they were young. From him she hears that Paul is going to get married in six months yet hidden desires, reigniting feelings and their friendship steers Eve, Danny and Paul on to a new path.
It doesn’t happen often that a novel takes me by surprise but Kele Moon with her debut dark erotica romance BEYOND EDEN has managed to do so. In the midst of my paranormal romance reading spree I thought to give myself a breather with a change of genre and was completely awestruck by the intrinsically explored Ménage I found. It features tropes like voyeurism, BDSM & D/s (without safe words) and challenges certain morals that are thought provoking. Kele Moon voices this dark erotica with an evocative writing style which allowed a variety of emotions to thrive and touch my heart with every twist and turn. BEYOND EDEN is a condensed story of three characters, nothing more and nothing less, yet I was completely engrossed with the erotic and romantic development from start to finish!
Let me introduce you to these three incredible characters I got to meet. Eve Everton is an artist; she is flamboyant, chaotic and zealous. She really struck a chord with me in her creativity being so entwined with her personality and passion. She is open-minded enough to deal with the fetishes of herself and her two men yet also has a few fears to give it a realistic edge.
Danny. He is one tough nut to crack. I liked him, I loved him, he irked me, he angered me, and he got a rise out of me, pure and simple. He is the Dominant with a dark sensual magnetism and his self-confidence and actions did not always make him likable. Still, his character development was so incredible done as step by step the layers were peeled of him to reveal his true self. What I found was a man who loved so deeply, so completely, he shot a ‘love me’ arrow straight through my heart.
The last one to complete this threesome is Paul. Paul was like a double-edged sword of pain and pleasure. His situation of being engaged to Trisha and to want to meet the expectations of his father brings a bittersweet and daring element to this story. It wasn’t as simple as black and white or right or wrong, it is a situation that explores the grey areas and it made me reach for tissues various times in the story. He is a fantastic man; caring, charming, sensual but he also has a dark side. This dark side, this need for punishment and pain is catered by Danny and really delves in to their psyche and relationship dynamic. Paul was never weak or weird and all the characteristics of him made him a fascinating man to unravel and get to understand.
There is no real cast of secondary characters save Paul’s fiancée, Trisha and in the end I got to meet Circe, a Domme. There are no secondary storylines, instead all of the two hundred and sixty-three pages are devoted to the romance, eroticism and relationship growing between Eve, Danny and Paul. This created room for the author to carefully and gradually bare the souls of her characters and I could only read with bated breath. Next to the attraction, the fiery and abundant sex-play and the romantic feelings there is also room for anger, angst and jealousy. This is by no means an erotic romance where the playful, lighter side of BDSM is portrayed. Instead BEYOND EDEN encompasses all the sides of love, the strengths and the weaknesses, the good and the bad, the joy and the pain and blends it in to story that kept me mesmerized from page to page.
Mid-story there is an emotion-laden and elaborate erotic scene that was very insightful and allowed Danny, Paul and Eve to connect with each other on multiple levels. The beauty and sexuality Kele Moon captures in her sex scenes would get me all hot and bothered one moment to alternate the next with an unexpected emotional rush. The stark reality of the things impossible gave the growing love between the threesome a sharp edge and at a few times made me wonder what kept Paul from changing his mind. There is so much warring inside each character but with Paul I really wanted to shout; “See what you have, isn’t that worth it all!!?” Of course he had to come to terms in his own time and while the ending wasn’t a surprise it didn’t diminish the profound emotional impact for one second.
The debut by Kele Moon; BEYOND EDEN, is a stunning, poised, intensely sensual story that nourished all I desire from a dark-erotic romance. This author made herself known in the erotica genre with an outstanding debut that any seasoned reader of the genre will be satisfied by!
4.5 stars
It doesn’t happen often that a novel takes me by surprise but Kele Moon with her debut dark erotica romance BEYOND EDEN has managed to do so. In the midst of my paranormal romance reading spree I thought to give myself a breather with a change of genre and was completely awestruck by the intrinsically explored Ménage I found. It features tropes like voyeurism, BDSM & D/s (without safe words) and challenges certain morals that are thought provoking. Kele Moon voices this dark erotica with an evocative writing style which allowed a variety of emotions to thrive and touch my heart with every twist and turn. BEYOND EDEN is a condensed story of three characters, nothing more and nothing less, yet I was completely engrossed with the erotic and romantic development from start to finish!
Let me introduce you to these three incredible characters I got to meet. Eve Everton is an artist; she is flamboyant, chaotic and zealous. She really struck a chord with me in her creativity being so entwined with her personality and passion. She is open-minded enough to deal with the fetishes of herself and her two men yet also has a few fears to give it a realistic edge.
Danny. He is one tough nut to crack. I liked him, I loved him, he irked me, he angered me, and he got a rise out of me, pure and simple. He is the Dominant with a dark sensual magnetism and his self-confidence and actions did not always make him likable. Still, his character development was so incredible done as step by step the layers were peeled of him to reveal his true self. What I found was a man who loved so deeply, so completely, he shot a ‘love me’ arrow straight through my heart.
The last one to complete this threesome is Paul. Paul was like a double-edged sword of pain and pleasure. His situation of being engaged to Trisha and to want to meet the expectations of his father brings a bittersweet and daring element to this story. It wasn’t as simple as black and white or right or wrong, it is a situation that explores the grey areas and it made me reach for tissues various times in the story. He is a fantastic man; caring, charming, sensual but he also has a dark side. This dark side, this need for punishment and pain is catered by Danny and really delves in to their psyche and relationship dynamic. Paul was never weak or weird and all the characteristics of him made him a fascinating man to unravel and get to understand.
There is no real cast of secondary characters save Paul’s fiancée, Trisha and in the end I got to meet Circe, a Domme. There are no secondary storylines, instead all of the two hundred and sixty-three pages are devoted to the romance, eroticism and relationship growing between Eve, Danny and Paul. This created room for the author to carefully and gradually bare the souls of her characters and I could only read with bated breath. Next to the attraction, the fiery and abundant sex-play and the romantic feelings there is also room for anger, angst and jealousy. This is by no means an erotic romance where the playful, lighter side of BDSM is portrayed. Instead BEYOND EDEN encompasses all the sides of love, the strengths and the weaknesses, the good and the bad, the joy and the pain and blends it in to story that kept me mesmerized from page to page.
Mid-story there is an emotion-laden and elaborate erotic scene that was very insightful and allowed Danny, Paul and Eve to connect with each other on multiple levels. The beauty and sexuality Kele Moon captures in her sex scenes would get me all hot and bothered one moment to alternate the next with an unexpected emotional rush. The stark reality of the things impossible gave the growing love between the threesome a sharp edge and at a few times made me wonder what kept Paul from changing his mind. There is so much warring inside each character but with Paul I really wanted to shout; “See what you have, isn’t that worth it all!!?” Of course he had to come to terms in his own time and while the ending wasn’t a surprise it didn’t diminish the profound emotional impact for one second.
The debut by Kele Moon; BEYOND EDEN, is a stunning, poised, intensely sensual story that nourished all I desire from a dark-erotic romance. This author made herself known in the erotica genre with an outstanding debut that any seasoned reader of the genre will be satisfied by!
4.5 stars
March 14, 2011
Eve and Paul were in love when they were 18 years old but then Eve left Tampa and went to NYC for college. Ten years later, after losing touch with Paul, Eve is home from New York after losing her job as an artist and just having all around bad luck. By chance she runs into Danny, at the grocery store. Danny is Paul’s best friend and a former classmate of Eve’s. They are both shocked to see each other. Danny had strong feelings for Eve in school, but stayed out of the way knowing her and Paul were together. But now, he wants a chance with her.
Currently, Danny and Paul are roommates – but so much more. After Eve left, Paul not only became a lawyer, but got involved with the BDSM scene, and has become a notorious submissive. He has an extreme pain fetish, and met Danny years ago in the club scene. Danny is a Dom, Paul’s Master. Danny has been Paul’s exclusive master for the past 8 years. But it is even more complicated. Paul, is engaged to get married to “a normal woman” so one day he can have a chance in politics to make his family happy. He has been trying to resist Danny, and lead a fetish free life, but he is finding that very difficult. When Eve comes back into the picture, things become even more complex. Both Danny and Paul have feelings for Eve, but she has no idea about their lifestyle.
Beyond Eden surprised me. As a friend of mine likes to say, “it stretched” me. I read BDSM books, but this one is probably the most intense one I have read. I really, really liked the characters of Paul and Danny (we will get to Eve in a minute). It has a very predominant Master/Slave relationship. Danny likes to say sex is his gift to the world. When he was active in the BDSM scene, he charged $2000 a hour for use of his Dom skills. He is a very experienced Master, and he has a big responsibility with “owning” Paul. Paul has such a hardcore pain fetish, that if Danny doesn’t meet his needs, Paul will go crawling to any Domme, who could possibly cross the line to abuse. There are times in this book that Danny loses his temper, or does things that might cross a line – and he will admit it himself. But I think he is such a complex character I can’t help but be drawn to him. His character is so – edgy, and wicked – and I think Kele Moon does a really great job with writing a character that has no boundaries. He says outrageous things – he does outrageous things. He pushes the limit so far, and I totally bought into.
It takes a little while longer to discover the true Paul. While Danny wears his personality on his sleeve, Paul tries to hide more. His family would shun him if they ever caught wind of what Paul gets up to. He is also engaged to another “vanilla” lawyer, and she can’t know his secret as well. So even though being a submissive is ingrained in him, he fights it in public. It is such a struggle for him to try to be the son his family wants, and try to be the person that he wants to be.
Now onto Eve. I had a few problems with her. By the end, I liked her and I liked her relationship with Danny and Paul. But it took me awhile to get there. First, it is stressed that Danny is this famous, sought after Dom. One of the best out there. On the other hand, Paul is one of the most submissive people you can find. So when Eve becomes involved with them – and they finally show her this BDSM lifestyle (Which is totally new to her) I had a hard time believing that just after one or two nights she was okay with all of this. Danny and Paul are hardcore. And she accepts it very easily. Along that same line, I’m surprised Danny and Paul get their needs fulfilled by her – someone very inexperienced might not meet these two very experienced men's needs. So – I would have liked to see a more rocky road with Eve in this lifestyle. It all came about a little too easy.
That being said, this is not only a very erotic read (M/M/F, heavy on the M/M) but also a very emotional read. While there are tons of sex scenes and very lengthy ones at that – the struggle Paul goes through to try to be himself to the world is heartbreaking. And Danny, who is so in control has this layer of intense sadness that Paul very soon will be marrying and on his way out of his life. Those little glimpses into Danny’s insecurities are some of my favorite moments.
Beyond Eden definitely pushed my limits, but I liked where it took me. This is the kind of book that will stick with you for a long time after you read it. I really can’t wait for more from Kele Moon.
Rating: B+
Currently, Danny and Paul are roommates – but so much more. After Eve left, Paul not only became a lawyer, but got involved with the BDSM scene, and has become a notorious submissive. He has an extreme pain fetish, and met Danny years ago in the club scene. Danny is a Dom, Paul’s Master. Danny has been Paul’s exclusive master for the past 8 years. But it is even more complicated. Paul, is engaged to get married to “a normal woman” so one day he can have a chance in politics to make his family happy. He has been trying to resist Danny, and lead a fetish free life, but he is finding that very difficult. When Eve comes back into the picture, things become even more complex. Both Danny and Paul have feelings for Eve, but she has no idea about their lifestyle.
Beyond Eden surprised me. As a friend of mine likes to say, “it stretched” me. I read BDSM books, but this one is probably the most intense one I have read. I really, really liked the characters of Paul and Danny (we will get to Eve in a minute). It has a very predominant Master/Slave relationship. Danny likes to say sex is his gift to the world. When he was active in the BDSM scene, he charged $2000 a hour for use of his Dom skills. He is a very experienced Master, and he has a big responsibility with “owning” Paul. Paul has such a hardcore pain fetish, that if Danny doesn’t meet his needs, Paul will go crawling to any Domme, who could possibly cross the line to abuse. There are times in this book that Danny loses his temper, or does things that might cross a line – and he will admit it himself. But I think he is such a complex character I can’t help but be drawn to him. His character is so – edgy, and wicked – and I think Kele Moon does a really great job with writing a character that has no boundaries. He says outrageous things – he does outrageous things. He pushes the limit so far, and I totally bought into.
It takes a little while longer to discover the true Paul. While Danny wears his personality on his sleeve, Paul tries to hide more. His family would shun him if they ever caught wind of what Paul gets up to. He is also engaged to another “vanilla” lawyer, and she can’t know his secret as well. So even though being a submissive is ingrained in him, he fights it in public. It is such a struggle for him to try to be the son his family wants, and try to be the person that he wants to be.
Now onto Eve. I had a few problems with her. By the end, I liked her and I liked her relationship with Danny and Paul. But it took me awhile to get there. First, it is stressed that Danny is this famous, sought after Dom. One of the best out there. On the other hand, Paul is one of the most submissive people you can find. So when Eve becomes involved with them – and they finally show her this BDSM lifestyle (Which is totally new to her) I had a hard time believing that just after one or two nights she was okay with all of this. Danny and Paul are hardcore. And she accepts it very easily. Along that same line, I’m surprised Danny and Paul get their needs fulfilled by her – someone very inexperienced might not meet these two very experienced men's needs. So – I would have liked to see a more rocky road with Eve in this lifestyle. It all came about a little too easy.
That being said, this is not only a very erotic read (M/M/F, heavy on the M/M) but also a very emotional read. While there are tons of sex scenes and very lengthy ones at that – the struggle Paul goes through to try to be himself to the world is heartbreaking. And Danny, who is so in control has this layer of intense sadness that Paul very soon will be marrying and on his way out of his life. Those little glimpses into Danny’s insecurities are some of my favorite moments.
Beyond Eden definitely pushed my limits, but I liked where it took me. This is the kind of book that will stick with you for a long time after you read it. I really can’t wait for more from Kele Moon.
Rating: B+
July 26, 2016
When I started reading this book after recommendations, I had not realised it has BDSM elements. I have to say that these aspects of the book are so well written that I was pleasantly and geniually surprised - although I can understand that some readers may find them disturbing.
The BDSM scenes are heavy in humiliation and slaving servitudes -especially between the two male characters - and definitely add to the emotional parts of the book.
Three friends are reunited after 10 years. Danny and Paul are still best friends and secret lovers. Eve used to be Paul's girlfriend but now she is lonely and heartbroken. Paul is hinding from his family, himself and his emotions.
Danny dominates the story. He will be the one who will offer the forbidden fruit, the apple from Eden which will blow the mind of Paul firstly and of Eve secondly.
Danny is a great character and I loved the fact that he smokes a lot -though I hate smoking. This bad bad habit looks so good on him. Danny has the sexy appeal of a leading male character in a black and white hollywood film.
Although the book was published in 2010, the language and the story are so fresh. It is much fresher than many bdsm and mmf books which have been published recently.
This is the second book I have read by Kele Moon and I absolutely loved it.
The BDSM scenes are heavy in humiliation and slaving servitudes -especially between the two male characters - and definitely add to the emotional parts of the book.
Three friends are reunited after 10 years. Danny and Paul are still best friends and secret lovers. Eve used to be Paul's girlfriend but now she is lonely and heartbroken. Paul is hinding from his family, himself and his emotions.
Danny dominates the story. He will be the one who will offer the forbidden fruit, the apple from Eden which will blow the mind of Paul firstly and of Eve secondly.
Danny is a great character and I loved the fact that he smokes a lot -though I hate smoking. This bad bad habit looks so good on him. Danny has the sexy appeal of a leading male character in a black and white hollywood film.
Although the book was published in 2010, the language and the story are so fresh. It is much fresher than many bdsm and mmf books which have been published recently.
This is the second book I have read by Kele Moon and I absolutely loved it.
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