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Underbelly Chronicles #1
Taste Me
** Lightly revised/reissued edition of Tamara Hogan's award-winning debut novel, originally published in 2011...
** TASTE ME won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Mystery and Suspense, was nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award®, and won Prism Awards for Best Dark Paranormal, Best First Book, and Best of the Best.
** 95,000 words
When your first lover is a sex demon, it’s all downhill from there…
Coming home after a grueling year on tour, siren rock star Scarlett Fontaine needs to rest, recover, and finally get over incubus security expert Lukas Sebastiani. After one incendiary night together, Lukas moved on, and she needs to find the strength to do the same. Determined to avoid him, ignore him, and finally stop dreaming about him, Scarlett's plans go awry when her life is threatened...and the big, bad bodyguard insists on guarding her body himself.
He’ll sacrifice everything for the woman he can’t let himself have again…
Her siren song is his Achilles' heel, her emotions an intoxicating ambrosia he can’t let himself taste again, but with a killer addicted to death energy on the loose and Scarlett’s life in danger, Lukas must protect her no matter what the personal cost. By keeping her safe, he can finally start making amends—but when their long-suppressed emotions surge to the surface, Lukas learns that ‘amends’ are the last thing Scarlett wants.
The secret that can never be revealed…
As the killer spirals out of control, he threatens not only their lives, but to expose the secret that humanity isn’t ready to learn—that they’ve shared their planet with paranormal creatures for thousands of years, whose origins are out of this world…
Reader note: This is a lightly revised edition of a book originally published in March, 2011.
** TASTE ME won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Mystery and Suspense, was nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award®, and won Prism Awards for Best Dark Paranormal, Best First Book, and Best of the Best.
** 95,000 words
When your first lover is a sex demon, it’s all downhill from there…
Coming home after a grueling year on tour, siren rock star Scarlett Fontaine needs to rest, recover, and finally get over incubus security expert Lukas Sebastiani. After one incendiary night together, Lukas moved on, and she needs to find the strength to do the same. Determined to avoid him, ignore him, and finally stop dreaming about him, Scarlett's plans go awry when her life is threatened...and the big, bad bodyguard insists on guarding her body himself.
He’ll sacrifice everything for the woman he can’t let himself have again…
Her siren song is his Achilles' heel, her emotions an intoxicating ambrosia he can’t let himself taste again, but with a killer addicted to death energy on the loose and Scarlett’s life in danger, Lukas must protect her no matter what the personal cost. By keeping her safe, he can finally start making amends—but when their long-suppressed emotions surge to the surface, Lukas learns that ‘amends’ are the last thing Scarlett wants.
The secret that can never be revealed…
As the killer spirals out of control, he threatens not only their lives, but to expose the secret that humanity isn’t ready to learn—that they’ve shared their planet with paranormal creatures for thousands of years, whose origins are out of this world…
Reader note: This is a lightly revised edition of a book originally published in March, 2011.
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
26 people are currently reading
692 people want to read
About the author
Tamara Hogan
6 books61 followersTamara Hogan is the award-winning author of The Underbelly Chronicles paranormal romance series. An English major by education and a software developer/process engineer by trade, she recently stopped telecommuting to Silicon Valley to teach, edit, and write full-time. Tamara loathes cold and snow, but nonetheless lives near Minneapolis with her husband and two naughty cats.
Her debut, TASTE ME, won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Mystery and Suspense, was nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award®, and won Prism Awards for Best Dark Paranormal, Best First Book, and Best of the Best.
Her debut, TASTE ME, won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Mystery and Suspense, was nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award®, and won Prism Awards for Best Dark Paranormal, Best First Book, and Best of the Best.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
July 27, 2015
Ok, let's get the negatives out of the way shall we...
Firstly, those of you who read my reviews regularly will know I have a huge disliking, a pet peeve if you will, with the the term/genre 'urban fantasy' being used willy-nilly. This book is so obviously a paranormal romance, in every sense, and I'm sure you guys can tell too just by reading the blurb - so why-o-why do publishers keep mixing up genres, it's very, very annoying.
Secondly, there are far too many characters thrown at the reader, especially in the first two chapters. It was quite difficult to remember them all and I had to keep referring back over what I had read to remind myself who was who. There's one page which is practically just a list of characters..
Thirdly, the main male character is Lukas and I liked him very much, but his repetitive action of shoving his fingers through his hair became increasingly annoying - in fact it drove me nuts! It was as if the author was showing the reader how many ways she could re-write the same action.
And when it seems all the ways for Lukas to rake his hands through his hair were used up, other characters started to shove their hands through his hair instead!
I think you get my point.
My last little niggle is there's not really that much depth to the paranormal element. Most of the time 'Taste Me' read more like a contemporary romance, but instead of someone introducing themselves as say a banker, they are a werewolf or a vampire, but that's as far as the paranormal aspect goes. There's no blood sucking or even a show of fang, no werewolves changing form, no discussion about the supernatural world - although there is a little otherworldly action with regards to the mystery plot of the novel, but just not enough for my taste.
I realise that this is a debut novel, which is probably why there are quite a few wrinkles (or it's down to the editing), but despite its flaws and annoyances, 'Taste Me' is a pretty fun read, which brings me onto the positives...
'Taste me' is a sexy read with likable, interesting characters. The author captures the electric atmosphere of a rock concert really well and combined it with the supernatural sexual edge of an incubus and siren, making it even more exciting.
There's some good emotional turmoil for Scarlett and Lukas, as well as for some of the other main(ish) characters, which gave them depth enabling me to connect with them and their lives. Ms Hogan wasn't frightened to be a little unpredictable too and killed off one of the characters I expected to be around throughout the novel, which surprised me and made 'Taste Me' a refreshing change as I so often suspect outcomes pretty early on and it added to my enjoyment of the book and to the fun factor.
VERDICT:
Overall I did enjoy 'Taste Me', it was entertaining and kept me engaged - on one occasion I literally couldn't put it down, but there is quite a bit wrong with it too. Having said that, I do see promise in this debut author and would definitely check out the second instalment in this series to see where the characters are going.
However, if you're wanting an urban fantasy, then this might not be the book you're looking for, but if you're looking for a highly, sexually, charged romance with a bit of a paranormal edge, then look no further.
Firstly, those of you who read my reviews regularly will know I have a huge disliking, a pet peeve if you will, with the the term/genre 'urban fantasy' being used willy-nilly. This book is so obviously a paranormal romance, in every sense, and I'm sure you guys can tell too just by reading the blurb - so why-o-why do publishers keep mixing up genres, it's very, very annoying.
Secondly, there are far too many characters thrown at the reader, especially in the first two chapters. It was quite difficult to remember them all and I had to keep referring back over what I had read to remind myself who was who. There's one page which is practically just a list of characters..
Thirdly, the main male character is Lukas and I liked him very much, but his repetitive action of shoving his fingers through his hair became increasingly annoying - in fact it drove me nuts! It was as if the author was showing the reader how many ways she could re-write the same action.
Lukas wearily speared his hands through his still-damp hair.
Lukas slouched back against the back of the couch and swiped his hands through his hair.
Even the tug of his hand through his own hair felt hyper-charged against the nerve endings in his scalp.
Lukas dragged his free hand through his hair, and took a slug of coffee.
Lukas leaned back in his desk chair jamming his hands in his hair.
And when it seems all the ways for Lukas to rake his hands through his hair were used up, other characters started to shove their hands through his hair instead!
Scarlett threaded her fingers through his hair, tugging his head so he had to look her in the eye.
Scarlett threaded her fingers through his hair again and kissed him, blinking back tears of relief.
I think you get my point.
My last little niggle is there's not really that much depth to the paranormal element. Most of the time 'Taste Me' read more like a contemporary romance, but instead of someone introducing themselves as say a banker, they are a werewolf or a vampire, but that's as far as the paranormal aspect goes. There's no blood sucking or even a show of fang, no werewolves changing form, no discussion about the supernatural world - although there is a little otherworldly action with regards to the mystery plot of the novel, but just not enough for my taste.
I realise that this is a debut novel, which is probably why there are quite a few wrinkles (or it's down to the editing), but despite its flaws and annoyances, 'Taste Me' is a pretty fun read, which brings me onto the positives...
'Taste me' is a sexy read with likable, interesting characters. The author captures the electric atmosphere of a rock concert really well and combined it with the supernatural sexual edge of an incubus and siren, making it even more exciting.
There's some good emotional turmoil for Scarlett and Lukas, as well as for some of the other main(ish) characters, which gave them depth enabling me to connect with them and their lives. Ms Hogan wasn't frightened to be a little unpredictable too and killed off one of the characters I expected to be around throughout the novel, which surprised me and made 'Taste Me' a refreshing change as I so often suspect outcomes pretty early on and it added to my enjoyment of the book and to the fun factor.
VERDICT:
Overall I did enjoy 'Taste Me', it was entertaining and kept me engaged - on one occasion I literally couldn't put it down, but there is quite a bit wrong with it too. Having said that, I do see promise in this debut author and would definitely check out the second instalment in this series to see where the characters are going.
However, if you're wanting an urban fantasy, then this might not be the book you're looking for, but if you're looking for a highly, sexually, charged romance with a bit of a paranormal edge, then look no further.
February 25, 2011
I had the pleasure of reading the first chapter of this book, and I was stunned. I absolutely loved it and simply cannot wait to get my hands on the whole thing. I doubt it will take me more than one sitting to devour it. The writing is sharp and sexy made my toes curl. It cannot get here soon enough!
UPDATE:
Wow, I loved this book!!!! It is dark and edgy and sensual as hell. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes edgier paranormals. I will definitely be buying Tamara Hogan's next book!
HOT!
UPDATE:
Wow, I loved this book!!!! It is dark and edgy and sensual as hell. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes edgier paranormals. I will definitely be buying Tamara Hogan's next book!
HOT!
April 20, 2011
Hmmmm this one was a hard one to rate. The start was ehhhhh very confusing. I didn't know what was going on and we get introduced to like a billion people at once and get told their name, race and where they stand on the Underground Council on one page. Was a bit much too take in and I still can't remember half by the end of the book. I would have given the first half 2 stars.
Buuuuuuut we get to our half way point and it picks up, from here on I really enjoyed it which would make it probably a 4 star performance. I have no doubt the next book will be better. Overall It could be a better and less confusing start, but the end half helped make up for it.
Buuuuuuut we get to our half way point and it picks up, from here on I really enjoyed it which would make it probably a 4 star performance. I have no doubt the next book will be better. Overall It could be a better and less confusing start, but the end half helped make up for it.
July 8, 2021
Meh. It was hot and sexy, but was all over the place at times. And the bad guy...just what?!?
August 17, 2011
I'm a bit torn about this book. Overall, I really enjoyed it, came to really like and care about the main characters, and enjoyed the world. By the midpoint, I was having difficulty putting it down, always the sign of a good book.
However, there was a lot about the book I thought could've been better, and that left me disappointed because I loved the premise and really wanted to love the book from start to finish. It started very slow for me, with what seemed like a lot of info dumping of names and positions and political stances that I didn't feel I had yet enough grounding to fully understand. It takes pages and pages before the Hero and Heroine are spending significant time together, which had me skimming to get to the next section that involved them and the romance. Speaking of which, this book is not urban fantasy, it's pretty traditional paranormal romance, so the categorization seemed odd to me. Though, frankly, I would call this contemporary romance with a dash of paranormal thrown in, because the paranormal never seemed fundamental to understanding the plot or the romance.
Another area I struggled with was the conflict. Neither the internal nor the external conflict had sufficient tension to me. The internal conflict pretty much stemmed from the hero fearing he had hurt the heroine the first time they had sex years ago. That's it. That's the entire thing. This is something that could've been cleared up with a single conversation, but instead, both of them go off in their own directions for years, harboring love for the other, until they're thrown back together in this book, and then they're completely unable to be civil to each other, despite the fact they're totally in love and want each other and there's nothing else standing in their way of being together. The external conflict involved a serial killer picking off the secondary characters and presumably targeting the heroine. However, because the author gave the killer a point of view, from the very FIRST scene of the book, the reader knows who it is the whole time, which deflates the tension of wondering who it is. And, despite the fact that we're in the killer's POV, I never fully understood what his motivation was, or, frankly, even what his weakness/defect was that caused him to behave the way he did. And was it new? Was the first killing in the book the first ever? And, if so, what triggered him to go off all of a sudden? We don't know. (We also don't know when/how/why the killer was all of a sudden hot for the hero at the end...)
While the sexual tension between the characters was good, I was disappointed by the actual sex scenes. With a title like TASTE ME, I was expecting some good steamy, spicy scenes. And, with how good the tension was between them, the story seemed ripe to deliver them. However, it doesn't. In fact, after waiting 247 pages for them to do it, it happens OFF THE PAGE! Yep. Fades to black. In the next scene you get some of the heroine's memories of it, but I for one was completely floored all that build-up would lead to a fade to black. And though they go at it like bunnies afterwards, often the sex is only summarized through narrative memories rather than shown in scene.
Even with all these issues, I have to emphasize again I did walk away from the book having enjoyed it. I lost myself in Scarlett and Lukas for a few hours, and that's what a good book is supposed to do.
However, there was a lot about the book I thought could've been better, and that left me disappointed because I loved the premise and really wanted to love the book from start to finish. It started very slow for me, with what seemed like a lot of info dumping of names and positions and political stances that I didn't feel I had yet enough grounding to fully understand. It takes pages and pages before the Hero and Heroine are spending significant time together, which had me skimming to get to the next section that involved them and the romance. Speaking of which, this book is not urban fantasy, it's pretty traditional paranormal romance, so the categorization seemed odd to me. Though, frankly, I would call this contemporary romance with a dash of paranormal thrown in, because the paranormal never seemed fundamental to understanding the plot or the romance.
Another area I struggled with was the conflict. Neither the internal nor the external conflict had sufficient tension to me. The internal conflict pretty much stemmed from the hero fearing he had hurt the heroine the first time they had sex years ago. That's it. That's the entire thing. This is something that could've been cleared up with a single conversation, but instead, both of them go off in their own directions for years, harboring love for the other, until they're thrown back together in this book, and then they're completely unable to be civil to each other, despite the fact they're totally in love and want each other and there's nothing else standing in their way of being together. The external conflict involved a serial killer picking off the secondary characters and presumably targeting the heroine. However, because the author gave the killer a point of view, from the very FIRST scene of the book, the reader knows who it is the whole time, which deflates the tension of wondering who it is. And, despite the fact that we're in the killer's POV, I never fully understood what his motivation was, or, frankly, even what his weakness/defect was that caused him to behave the way he did. And was it new? Was the first killing in the book the first ever? And, if so, what triggered him to go off all of a sudden? We don't know. (We also don't know when/how/why the killer was all of a sudden hot for the hero at the end...)
While the sexual tension between the characters was good, I was disappointed by the actual sex scenes. With a title like TASTE ME, I was expecting some good steamy, spicy scenes. And, with how good the tension was between them, the story seemed ripe to deliver them. However, it doesn't. In fact, after waiting 247 pages for them to do it, it happens OFF THE PAGE! Yep. Fades to black. In the next scene you get some of the heroine's memories of it, but I for one was completely floored all that build-up would lead to a fade to black. And though they go at it like bunnies afterwards, often the sex is only summarized through narrative memories rather than shown in scene.
Even with all these issues, I have to emphasize again I did walk away from the book having enjoyed it. I lost myself in Scarlett and Lukas for a few hours, and that's what a good book is supposed to do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2012
Originally published at Reading Reality
What if all the supernatural creatures that humanity has ever believed in all existed? All of them? What if they are all watching and waiting from the shadows, plannning for the right time to reveal themselves? Or worrying about the wrong time when our technology is going to force the issue?
Because they've been living amongst us ever since their spaceship crash-landed on Earth, a millenia ago. While they wait and watch, they police themselves. And that's where this story begins.
Scarlett Fontaine is a siren. Really. She's also the lead singer for Scarlett's Web, a world-famous, band. When she sings, everyone in the audience feels her emotions. The only problem is that she doesn't want to feel anything at all.
Lukas Sebastiani is in charge of security for the Underworld Council. He's also an incubus, a sex demon. He feeds off of emotion. He feels what other people project. Unlike most incubi, Lukas feels their emotions as taste. Good emotions taste great, bad ones have him reaching for antacids.
There's a serial killer on the loose that has him tasting ashes and drinking six-packs of Maalox.
But Scarlett comes home because she's burned out. Lukas is the one man she can't forget. When your first lover is a sex demon, it kind of ruins you for anyone else. And Lukas, he's afraid that he was too rough for Scarlett's first time.
Heaven forbid that he should have asked her what she thought. He's too busy protecting her from himself. And denying what they both want. For years.
The serial killer changes all that when he starts targeting people close to them both--the daughters of the heads of the Underworld Council, making Scarlett, the daughter of the Siren leader, a prime target. Lukas can't bear the thought of anyone else handling her security, forcing them into close long-term proximity--forcing them to deal with the issues that have been simmering between them for years.
Meanwhile, there is a killer out there targeting supernaturals, a killer who is much closer than anyone realizes. And his motives are out of this world.
Escape Rating A: I finished this and dove immediately into Chase Me, the second book in the series. I absolutely loved this book! If you like urban fantasies about sex, drugs and rock and roll, jump right in!
The tension between Scarlett and Lukas is what keeps you turning the pages on this story. He has created the situation between them by being overprotective and by not being willing to talk about what happened between them at the beginning. He left her feeling confused. It was her first time! He was an idiot. Several years later, extreme tension and anger still reigns. These two are a mess and need serious intervention. Too bad it took a serial killer.
What niggled me a teeny bit, just enough to keep this from being an A+ rating, was that I couldn't quite figure out how the Underworld society worked. At All. A bit more explanation would have helped.
Who done it is not the mystery. Why he done it is the mystery. Which is intentionally not revealed by the end of the story.
But Lukas and Scarlett do manage to resolve their issues successfully. And steamily!
What if all the supernatural creatures that humanity has ever believed in all existed? All of them? What if they are all watching and waiting from the shadows, plannning for the right time to reveal themselves? Or worrying about the wrong time when our technology is going to force the issue?
Because they've been living amongst us ever since their spaceship crash-landed on Earth, a millenia ago. While they wait and watch, they police themselves. And that's where this story begins.
Scarlett Fontaine is a siren. Really. She's also the lead singer for Scarlett's Web, a world-famous, band. When she sings, everyone in the audience feels her emotions. The only problem is that she doesn't want to feel anything at all.
Lukas Sebastiani is in charge of security for the Underworld Council. He's also an incubus, a sex demon. He feeds off of emotion. He feels what other people project. Unlike most incubi, Lukas feels their emotions as taste. Good emotions taste great, bad ones have him reaching for antacids.
There's a serial killer on the loose that has him tasting ashes and drinking six-packs of Maalox.
But Scarlett comes home because she's burned out. Lukas is the one man she can't forget. When your first lover is a sex demon, it kind of ruins you for anyone else. And Lukas, he's afraid that he was too rough for Scarlett's first time.
Heaven forbid that he should have asked her what she thought. He's too busy protecting her from himself. And denying what they both want. For years.
The serial killer changes all that when he starts targeting people close to them both--the daughters of the heads of the Underworld Council, making Scarlett, the daughter of the Siren leader, a prime target. Lukas can't bear the thought of anyone else handling her security, forcing them into close long-term proximity--forcing them to deal with the issues that have been simmering between them for years.
Meanwhile, there is a killer out there targeting supernaturals, a killer who is much closer than anyone realizes. And his motives are out of this world.
Escape Rating A: I finished this and dove immediately into Chase Me, the second book in the series. I absolutely loved this book! If you like urban fantasies about sex, drugs and rock and roll, jump right in!
The tension between Scarlett and Lukas is what keeps you turning the pages on this story. He has created the situation between them by being overprotective and by not being willing to talk about what happened between them at the beginning. He left her feeling confused. It was her first time! He was an idiot. Several years later, extreme tension and anger still reigns. These two are a mess and need serious intervention. Too bad it took a serial killer.
What niggled me a teeny bit, just enough to keep this from being an A+ rating, was that I couldn't quite figure out how the Underworld society worked. At All. A bit more explanation would have helped.
Who done it is not the mystery. Why he done it is the mystery. Which is intentionally not revealed by the end of the story.
But Lukas and Scarlett do manage to resolve their issues successfully. And steamily!
June 24, 2012
This book has been marketed as a "gritty, fast-paced, and sexy urban fantasy romance". While the latter is certainly true, the first adj. are at best a marketing ploy, at worse false.
There's nothing gritty in this story, nor can I say it's fast paced. (Sexy clearly is personal, so I can't say if other readers will find it sexy.) I'm even uncertain (well, not really) whether it can be called urban fantasy (rather than PNR).
There is some (light) world-building, even if I'm somewhat bored with the Others as aliens trope. I really don't buy into it (and given we are talking of fantasy..) Anyway, I'm not sure if it's really linked to the story. I have the feeling that if I change a few words here and there, we could skip the Paranormal. Of course, I stopped reading so it might get important later.
At 40% I had met (and even liked) a lot of characters, none of which is really three-dimensional, but I couldn't say which way the story was going. It's not a mystery (you now the culprit from the beginning), nor a procedural/detective. The plot is linked to a murderer and there will be (at half way there was no trace of it) an investigation. But honestly I could not care. The main couple was flat, even if I guess the idea was to keep us suspended in a tense "what's the/their story". It didn't work for me.
The music setting isn't my gig, either. So the name and song dropping was just annoying. So was the tour and concert routine. Plotwise, not everything had sense. In theory humans don't know about the Others, but in the plot at times there was some confusion on this aspect.
Note that the first part seems a huge info dump character-wise (as in the entire world is introduced). It might get confusing.
There's nothing gritty in this story, nor can I say it's fast paced. (Sexy clearly is personal, so I can't say if other readers will find it sexy.) I'm even uncertain (well, not really) whether it can be called urban fantasy (rather than PNR).
There is some (light) world-building, even if I'm somewhat bored with the Others as aliens trope. I really don't buy into it (and given we are talking of fantasy..) Anyway, I'm not sure if it's really linked to the story. I have the feeling that if I change a few words here and there, we could skip the Paranormal. Of course, I stopped reading so it might get important later.
At 40% I had met (and even liked) a lot of characters, none of which is really three-dimensional, but I couldn't say which way the story was going. It's not a mystery (you now the culprit from the beginning), nor a procedural/detective. The plot is linked to a murderer and there will be (at half way there was no trace of it) an investigation. But honestly I could not care. The main couple was flat, even if I guess the idea was to keep us suspended in a tense "what's the/their story". It didn't work for me.
The music setting isn't my gig, either. So the name and song dropping was just annoying. So was the tour and concert routine. Plotwise, not everything had sense. In theory humans don't know about the Others, but in the plot at times there was some confusion on this aspect.
Note that the first part seems a huge info dump character-wise (as in the entire world is introduced). It might get confusing.
August 8, 2012
I struggled with this one. It started off with a lot of potential. Rock star heroine coming off a year-long world tour, exhausted and emotionally spent, determined to confront Lukas and get her life back on track. Unfortunately, it fell short of that potential over and over.
Scarlett has loved Lukas since she was a teen and after she grew up, he was her first lover. When he woke up the morning after, he saw he had left bruises on her and ran away with no explanation. This was the major conflict keeping them apart but when they had sex again for the first time, it was all off page. It picks back up with Scarlett alone in the shower afterward, thinking about how delicately he treated her.
"She felt inexplicably cheated"
Yeah, me too. If this is the major source of conflict, I want to be shown it, not told about it later.
There is also a subplot with a killer. When someone close to Scarlett is killed, she is told about it and the chapter ends. It picks back up 3 days later. I was so disappointed that the chance for some awesome angst was missed.
That was my issue with this book. Disappointment. Disappointment that all the sex scenes up to 75% of the book were fade-to-black, that all the emotional moments were skimmed over. Disappointed that the book is advertised as an urban fantasy but there is no world building. It is briefly mentioned that the supernatural population crash landed on Earth many years ago but doesn't say where they are from or how they adjusted here. And disappointed that the killer was one dimensional. No idea why he did it or how he did it. He seemed to be just one more throw away plot line.
Scarlett has loved Lukas since she was a teen and after she grew up, he was her first lover. When he woke up the morning after, he saw he had left bruises on her and ran away with no explanation. This was the major conflict keeping them apart but when they had sex again for the first time, it was all off page. It picks back up with Scarlett alone in the shower afterward, thinking about how delicately he treated her.
"She felt inexplicably cheated"
Yeah, me too. If this is the major source of conflict, I want to be shown it, not told about it later.
There is also a subplot with a killer. When someone close to Scarlett is killed, she is told about it and the chapter ends. It picks back up 3 days later. I was so disappointed that the chance for some awesome angst was missed.
That was my issue with this book. Disappointment. Disappointment that all the sex scenes up to 75% of the book were fade-to-black, that all the emotional moments were skimmed over. Disappointed that the book is advertised as an urban fantasy but there is no world building. It is briefly mentioned that the supernatural population crash landed on Earth many years ago but doesn't say where they are from or how they adjusted here. And disappointed that the killer was one dimensional. No idea why he did it or how he did it. He seemed to be just one more throw away plot line.
March 8, 2011
My thoughts:
This book was a mix of many things, paranormal romance mixed with suspense and urban fantasy. The love of music, and passion between the lead characters.
Scarlett is a siren and rock star. She is tired and she is trying to stay away from Lukas with whom she had one glorious fling. She can't forget him. But he is put to protect her and of course things will heat up cos these two really want each other. Lukas is the protective guy who thinks he hurt her in the past, and she, well she just want him, but she also upset over things that have happened. And I believed the passion.
I did get confused once though. No one know about these aliens from another planet, and at one time I thought people knew. But I guess they just have hospitals of their own. And if they arrived 1000 years ago then why are there myths about sirens long before that? What I would have liked is why all these aliens came to the planet and from where. I got interested in that and would want a bit more than was given.
The suspense is about the killer on the loose, but we know who it is. Cos we get the name on page 1, so that took some of the suspense away. It was more a wait to see whom he would go after next.
Still the book does have an interesting premise with all the Valkyrie and sirens and such. There is a lot of talk about music and that does give it another feel to it. I did want to listen to some music while reading.
Conclusion:
An ok book with bit of genremix in it. I would read more if that meant getting more info on why they are on earth.
This book was a mix of many things, paranormal romance mixed with suspense and urban fantasy. The love of music, and passion between the lead characters.
Scarlett is a siren and rock star. She is tired and she is trying to stay away from Lukas with whom she had one glorious fling. She can't forget him. But he is put to protect her and of course things will heat up cos these two really want each other. Lukas is the protective guy who thinks he hurt her in the past, and she, well she just want him, but she also upset over things that have happened. And I believed the passion.
I did get confused once though. No one know about these aliens from another planet, and at one time I thought people knew. But I guess they just have hospitals of their own. And if they arrived 1000 years ago then why are there myths about sirens long before that? What I would have liked is why all these aliens came to the planet and from where. I got interested in that and would want a bit more than was given.
The suspense is about the killer on the loose, but we know who it is. Cos we get the name on page 1, so that took some of the suspense away. It was more a wait to see whom he would go after next.
Still the book does have an interesting premise with all the Valkyrie and sirens and such. There is a lot of talk about music and that does give it another feel to it. I did want to listen to some music while reading.
Conclusion:
An ok book with bit of genremix in it. I would read more if that meant getting more info on why they are on earth.
February 24, 2011
I'm not wild about the title of this book since it makes it sound like erotica and it's really not. The male lead, Lukas, is a succubus who has a genetic flaw that makes him taste people's emotions as well as feel them. What the book IS, is a cool new paranormal romance with good worldbuilding, interesting characters, and solid writing from Tamara Hogan. Looking forward to more in this new series.
June 8, 2024
This was a fun little palate cleanser, after a bunch of more serious stuff. Scarlett is a siren, Lukas is an incubus, the world is full of werewolves and vampires, hiding in plain sight. After all, what makes more sense than a siren who's a rock star? There's some smut, but most of the story is a very decent plot about a murderous incubus who has to be stopped, and Scarlett may be next on his list.
The only thing that brought my suspended disbelief crashing to the ground was the explanation for the paranormal characters and how they came to exist here. I may have sprained something, I rolled my eyes so hard. If not for that, I'd have rated it higher, I think.
The only thing that brought my suspended disbelief crashing to the ground was the explanation for the paranormal characters and how they came to exist here. I may have sprained something, I rolled my eyes so hard. If not for that, I'd have rated it higher, I think.
May 22, 2023
3.5 stars. This book was so many things. Not all of them perfect, but enough of the book was really good that I enjoyed it overall. I read the 2011 version. This is the first in a series of five. The first few have been re-released and “lightly retooled” apparently. I enjoyed this book enough that I ordered the 2017 version of book one and two.
August 28, 2012
~* 3.5 Stars *~
An Intriguing and Unique Debut
They are among us, but we will never know they're there. Incubus, siren, werewolves, Valkyrie, and more, all paranormal species, all living right beside us. They stay far under our radar, governing themselves, living their lives. They have completely integrated into our world.
Lukas Sebastiani runs Sebastiani Security, and the incubus has a problem on his hand. Rock star Scarlett Fontaine has just returned to town after a long tour and no sooner has her tour bus parked than paranormals start being viciously attacked. And Scarlett, a siren with a voice so haunting and powerful it could make you her slave, looks like death warmed over.
Lukas will do whatever it takes to keep Scarlett safe, even if that means protecting her from himself. They had one night together once, and he's felt guilty about it ever since. She stripped every ounce of control he had and he saw what that did to her. He would never allow that to happen again. But guarding her, keeping her safe, not touching her...it is the sweetest torture.
Scarlett is wiped out. The tour nearly wrecked her, and she's been running on fumes for months. Now she's home, all she wants to do is sleep. She definitely doesn't want to deal with Lukas. Her heart still hasn't recovered from their past.
But Scarlett has bigger concerns, too. Someone is attacking her friends and Lukas is worried about her safety. Ironic, really, because the only time she ever feels totally safe is with him, and being with her is the only security measure he refuses to approve.
~*~
As far as unique series go, Hogan is on the right track with this dark paranormal romance series debut. The world she's created here, while maybe a little short on detailed definition and explanation, is intriguing and complex. It has a very original backstory and it's well-populated by a wide variety of paranormal creatures. Not every element was a complete win for me, but the concept and setup for the series were delightfully fresh and exciting.
I also have to give kudos to Hogan for creating a Bad Guy who freaked me the hell out. It wasn't the severity of the violence committed or the scope of the crimes, though that was significant. In this case, though, it was the opposite. Hogan created a villain who had moments of vulnerability and likability, and there were glimpses that even made him sympathetic. And yet he was still just...blankly conscienceless about his vicious crimes. The way he viewed his actions and his victims, reflected on it all after the fact, was completely chilling.
It was also completely effective. It added a rich, slightly horrifying suspense thread to the many-layered plot. I wish all the other elements had as powerful an impact.
As much as I enjoyed the world and think the characters in it were fascinating and fairly high up on the scale of awesome, I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of them included in the first part of the book. There were so many it made it hard to figure out, then remember, how they all fit into their world. And when you throw in fleshing out a serious plot-driven conflict and a sexy, hormone-laden romance, there was so much going on I struggled to keep everything straight.
The romance was the weaker storyline for me. It's my own fault, really. I'm not a fan of second-chance romances to begin with, and I hate when one of the characters in a romantic relationship takes it upon himself or herself to decide to be the martyr, sacrificing his or her desires for the good of his beloved (or be-lusted) because the beloved can't handle their power/strength/money/[insert whatever other completely insulting assumption of weakness here].
Hell forbid Lukas actually ask Scarlett what she can or can't handle or does or doesn't want to handle. That would be too respectful of her independence, intelligence, and maturity. It's far better they both be miserable. Yeah.
I certainly don't find that romantic, endearing, or even tolerable, but worst, I don't feel it's gripping relationship conflict. It's annoying and insulting, and any hero or heroine who does something like that completely loses my vote for HEA until he or she has a major attitude adjustment. Unfortunately, that whole issue sort of tainted my feelings for Lukas as a character and his relationship with Scarlett for quite a while as I was reading.
This debut is quite a long book, and it did start out fairly slow for me. I felt buried at first, and frustrated in places. Still, it was so nice to sink into a debut that felt fresh and offered something new, and to be completely fair, Lukas does manage to redeem himself in his feelings for Scarlett. Hogan's world is dark, sexual, intense, dangerous, and very, very compelling. I enjoyed visiting. Enough to come back.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
An Intriguing and Unique Debut
They are among us, but we will never know they're there. Incubus, siren, werewolves, Valkyrie, and more, all paranormal species, all living right beside us. They stay far under our radar, governing themselves, living their lives. They have completely integrated into our world.
Lukas Sebastiani runs Sebastiani Security, and the incubus has a problem on his hand. Rock star Scarlett Fontaine has just returned to town after a long tour and no sooner has her tour bus parked than paranormals start being viciously attacked. And Scarlett, a siren with a voice so haunting and powerful it could make you her slave, looks like death warmed over.
Lukas will do whatever it takes to keep Scarlett safe, even if that means protecting her from himself. They had one night together once, and he's felt guilty about it ever since. She stripped every ounce of control he had and he saw what that did to her. He would never allow that to happen again. But guarding her, keeping her safe, not touching her...it is the sweetest torture.
Scarlett is wiped out. The tour nearly wrecked her, and she's been running on fumes for months. Now she's home, all she wants to do is sleep. She definitely doesn't want to deal with Lukas. Her heart still hasn't recovered from their past.
But Scarlett has bigger concerns, too. Someone is attacking her friends and Lukas is worried about her safety. Ironic, really, because the only time she ever feels totally safe is with him, and being with her is the only security measure he refuses to approve.
~*~
As far as unique series go, Hogan is on the right track with this dark paranormal romance series debut. The world she's created here, while maybe a little short on detailed definition and explanation, is intriguing and complex. It has a very original backstory and it's well-populated by a wide variety of paranormal creatures. Not every element was a complete win for me, but the concept and setup for the series were delightfully fresh and exciting.
I also have to give kudos to Hogan for creating a Bad Guy who freaked me the hell out. It wasn't the severity of the violence committed or the scope of the crimes, though that was significant. In this case, though, it was the opposite. Hogan created a villain who had moments of vulnerability and likability, and there were glimpses that even made him sympathetic. And yet he was still just...blankly conscienceless about his vicious crimes. The way he viewed his actions and his victims, reflected on it all after the fact, was completely chilling.
It was also completely effective. It added a rich, slightly horrifying suspense thread to the many-layered plot. I wish all the other elements had as powerful an impact.
As much as I enjoyed the world and think the characters in it were fascinating and fairly high up on the scale of awesome, I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of them included in the first part of the book. There were so many it made it hard to figure out, then remember, how they all fit into their world. And when you throw in fleshing out a serious plot-driven conflict and a sexy, hormone-laden romance, there was so much going on I struggled to keep everything straight.
The romance was the weaker storyline for me. It's my own fault, really. I'm not a fan of second-chance romances to begin with, and I hate when one of the characters in a romantic relationship takes it upon himself or herself to decide to be the martyr, sacrificing his or her desires for the good of his beloved (or be-lusted) because the beloved can't handle their power/strength/money/[insert whatever other completely insulting assumption of weakness here].
Hell forbid Lukas actually ask Scarlett what she can or can't handle or does or doesn't want to handle. That would be too respectful of her independence, intelligence, and maturity. It's far better they both be miserable. Yeah.
I certainly don't find that romantic, endearing, or even tolerable, but worst, I don't feel it's gripping relationship conflict. It's annoying and insulting, and any hero or heroine who does something like that completely loses my vote for HEA until he or she has a major attitude adjustment. Unfortunately, that whole issue sort of tainted my feelings for Lukas as a character and his relationship with Scarlett for quite a while as I was reading.
This debut is quite a long book, and it did start out fairly slow for me. I felt buried at first, and frustrated in places. Still, it was so nice to sink into a debut that felt fresh and offered something new, and to be completely fair, Lukas does manage to redeem himself in his feelings for Scarlett. Hogan's world is dark, sexual, intense, dangerous, and very, very compelling. I enjoyed visiting. Enough to come back.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
March 20, 2011
Let me start by saying I loved this book, I'm really glad I bought it for my Kindle. I got it after recommendations from two authors whose work I love (Darynda Jones and Caroline Crane) and it was a great tip.
It's the author's first published book and it's great. A fascinating world that I want to know much, much more about. A broad cast of interesting characters with some possible sequel set-ups, a good plot that flowed well, nice pacing, good writing and a great sense of humour and well written dialogue. Boy does the author know her music and the Dave Grohl cameo was genius, pure genius!
I would definitely buy the next and the one after it. All those compliments paid .... On a personal note ...
The main couple Lukas and Scarlett really didn't work for me. I'm pretty sure any kind of competent therapist would have told them to move on and find a healthy equal relationship with new people who weren't carrying a bunch of 'you fit in this box' baggage.
Scarlett was for me the worst kind of 'woman waiting for a man to fix her'. Her life is badly broken, she doesn't have a single friend who isn't family or her 'foster siblings'. She has employees and band members, but NO friends and NO life. Even her career, in which she is successful, is breaking her, she's underweight, exhausted, unhappy out of control etc and it takes some stupidly dramatic happenings for her to notice this. Everybody in her life runs around after her, tries to fix her and at no point do we have any sense of an adult woman with goals or desires that she's actually prepared to do anything (speak perhaps even?) to achieve. She's truly an appalling role model and I'd hate her as friend ( whereas Bailey I really wanted to lunch with :-)
As a couple they've always been unable to communicate and nothing really changes except they have sex. And as a siren and an incubus that's going to be hot - right? But sex really isn't a life ... And even at the very end their communication is poor. just shouting at each other is not communicating :-(
At the beginning of the book I actually thought Bailey was going to be the female protagonist and a truly awesome one she would have made. But no, she was just the dumb friend, so the author could feed us info about the world. I loved her, she felt real. However the info dumping was done beautifully in a very skilled and subtle way - in fact I would have liked a bit more info about the background to the world.
And as for Stephen, the baddy, (that's not a spoiler you find this out in the prologue) I have no problems with books that reveal the baddy up front. But I do feel that if the author chooses that route that they have a duty to fully and coherently explain the baddy's motivations, character, logic etc as we progress. This didn't happen until the very end - when the resolution was basically "yes, we don't know why". All we got along the way were his symptoms, no explanations and by the end well ... again it didn't work for me.
So as you can probably see given my two big problems with the book it must have been freaking awesome to get 4 stars. It was! Recommend it highly.
It's the author's first published book and it's great. A fascinating world that I want to know much, much more about. A broad cast of interesting characters with some possible sequel set-ups, a good plot that flowed well, nice pacing, good writing and a great sense of humour and well written dialogue. Boy does the author know her music and the Dave Grohl cameo was genius, pure genius!
I would definitely buy the next and the one after it. All those compliments paid .... On a personal note ...
The main couple Lukas and Scarlett really didn't work for me. I'm pretty sure any kind of competent therapist would have told them to move on and find a healthy equal relationship with new people who weren't carrying a bunch of 'you fit in this box' baggage.
Scarlett was for me the worst kind of 'woman waiting for a man to fix her'. Her life is badly broken, she doesn't have a single friend who isn't family or her 'foster siblings'. She has employees and band members, but NO friends and NO life. Even her career, in which she is successful, is breaking her, she's underweight, exhausted, unhappy out of control etc and it takes some stupidly dramatic happenings for her to notice this. Everybody in her life runs around after her, tries to fix her and at no point do we have any sense of an adult woman with goals or desires that she's actually prepared to do anything (speak perhaps even?) to achieve. She's truly an appalling role model and I'd hate her as friend ( whereas Bailey I really wanted to lunch with :-)
As a couple they've always been unable to communicate and nothing really changes except they have sex. And as a siren and an incubus that's going to be hot - right? But sex really isn't a life ... And even at the very end their communication is poor. just shouting at each other is not communicating :-(
At the beginning of the book I actually thought Bailey was going to be the female protagonist and a truly awesome one she would have made. But no, she was just the dumb friend, so the author could feed us info about the world. I loved her, she felt real. However the info dumping was done beautifully in a very skilled and subtle way - in fact I would have liked a bit more info about the background to the world.
And as for Stephen, the baddy, (that's not a spoiler you find this out in the prologue) I have no problems with books that reveal the baddy up front. But I do feel that if the author chooses that route that they have a duty to fully and coherently explain the baddy's motivations, character, logic etc as we progress. This didn't happen until the very end - when the resolution was basically "yes, we don't know why". All we got along the way were his symptoms, no explanations and by the end well ... again it didn't work for me.
So as you can probably see given my two big problems with the book it must have been freaking awesome to get 4 stars. It was! Recommend it highly.
March 21, 2011
3.5 stars
First off I have to say I really hate the cover. I was hoping the final one would be better but it looks like they kept the same one as the ARC. I assume that is supposed to be Lukas on the cover but geez, could the guy look any more spacey? Hello? Anybody home? Supposedly the woman you lusting over is standing right in front of you. And ummm...that monstrous nipple on his chest? Ewww. Finally that tattoo on her back just bothered me. But let's get on to the story.
I actually enjoyed this story a lot more than I expected because admittedly covers do have an affect on my first impressions so I was a little leery going in. The story moves at a pretty quick pace and while you know from the start who the bad guy is you are kept guessing as to who his is going to go after next and who will survive his attacks. One problem with the bad guy is I wish there was more explanation into the whys of what he did. It seemed like he had some sort of addiction but I wasn't clear was this something new? Has he killed before while on tour with Scarlett's band. It was kind of confusing over what exactly turned him onto the particular victims.
As for the main characters I actually did not care much for Scarlett or Lukas. Scarlett turned me off because apparently she was scarred for years after having mind blowing sex with Lukas and then having him walk out on her. So she goes on this whirlwind tour, loses all this weight and pretty much cannot really function for years afterwards. Really? Is this a character I'm supposed to admire? Lukas was your stereotypical over protective, brooding male but I found the fact that because he left a couple bruises on Scarlett and felt the need to cast himself in this horrible light as a brute a bit over done.
I know after all that you may be wondering why I rated it at 3.5 stars rather than something lower. The main reason was I loved the supporting cast of characters and the society that was sketched out containing succubi, inccubi, vampires, werewolves, sirens, etc. Apparently all of these different species came to Earth when their space ship crash landed long ago and they made a new home for themselves here on Earth. One of Lukas's assistants, Bailey, is only the third human ever to be told about their existence and as a spunky computer hacker with an attitude she was a breath of fresh air in comparison to Scarlett's neediness. I also really enjoyed the glimpses we get of Lukas's siblings and the council made up of representatives of each species(including Carl Sagan as the human representative before his death!). So I have hope that the future books are going to have some great story lines. Hopefully the supporting females in this book will retain their spunkiness and the heroes will have a little more depth to them.
First off I have to say I really hate the cover. I was hoping the final one would be better but it looks like they kept the same one as the ARC. I assume that is supposed to be Lukas on the cover but geez, could the guy look any more spacey? Hello? Anybody home? Supposedly the woman you lusting over is standing right in front of you. And ummm...that monstrous nipple on his chest? Ewww. Finally that tattoo on her back just bothered me. But let's get on to the story.
I actually enjoyed this story a lot more than I expected because admittedly covers do have an affect on my first impressions so I was a little leery going in. The story moves at a pretty quick pace and while you know from the start who the bad guy is you are kept guessing as to who his is going to go after next and who will survive his attacks. One problem with the bad guy is I wish there was more explanation into the whys of what he did. It seemed like he had some sort of addiction but I wasn't clear was this something new? Has he killed before while on tour with Scarlett's band. It was kind of confusing over what exactly turned him onto the particular victims.
As for the main characters I actually did not care much for Scarlett or Lukas. Scarlett turned me off because apparently she was scarred for years after having mind blowing sex with Lukas and then having him walk out on her. So she goes on this whirlwind tour, loses all this weight and pretty much cannot really function for years afterwards. Really? Is this a character I'm supposed to admire? Lukas was your stereotypical over protective, brooding male but I found the fact that because he left a couple bruises on Scarlett and felt the need to cast himself in this horrible light as a brute a bit over done.
I know after all that you may be wondering why I rated it at 3.5 stars rather than something lower. The main reason was I loved the supporting cast of characters and the society that was sketched out containing succubi, inccubi, vampires, werewolves, sirens, etc. Apparently all of these different species came to Earth when their space ship crash landed long ago and they made a new home for themselves here on Earth. One of Lukas's assistants, Bailey, is only the third human ever to be told about their existence and as a spunky computer hacker with an attitude she was a breath of fresh air in comparison to Scarlett's neediness. I also really enjoyed the glimpses we get of Lukas's siblings and the council made up of representatives of each species(including Carl Sagan as the human representative before his death!). So I have hope that the future books are going to have some great story lines. Hopefully the supporting females in this book will retain their spunkiness and the heroes will have a little more depth to them.
March 2, 2011
Taste Me by Tamara Hogan had such a great premise that I really wanted to love it. However somewhere along the way I realized that I just wasn't connecting or caring about any of the characters in the book. I was so disappointed because the world created has a little bit of all of my favorite paranormal characters. This book ended up being a did not finish for me.
Lukas and Scarlett have grown up together and somewhere along the way became a couple. Lukas broke it off with her because she was a Siren and he's a Incubus and the it created problems he wasn't ready to deal with yet. While the relationship has been over for awhile, neither Scarlett or Lukas can get past what they once had. Lukas' is on the Underworld Council as the second Incubus chair (his father being the first one) the Siren Chairs are Scarlett's mother and sister. When the council learns about members of the paranormal community being killed, they agree that Lukas, as CEO of a security company should be in charge of the big rock concert that Scarlett is performing in. The two don't want to work together, but do it because the council demands it.
I thought that the whole underworld council world building part of the book was really well written. I felt like I got to know all the main groups that would be represented in the series and why they did/didn't get along with each other. What I didn't understand though, was why it took so long for Lukas and Scarlett to interact with each other-154 pages in (which is where I gave up) they had only come in contact with each other twice. The most frustrating part to me was that it felt like we got to know Lukas and all the minor characters really well by this point, but Scarlett while being central to the storyline barely had a voice. This may have changed in the second half of the book, by this point I had a hard time caring what happened to her because her voice was so small.
Another frustration for me was the whole mystery of why Scarlett needed protection. Lukas and the others are clueless to who the bad guy is, but the reader is shown who the villain is very early on in the book. I felt like shaking Lukas and Scarlett for not connecting the dots earlier in the story and got bored waiting for them to figure out what I or since I didn't finish this book, assumed I already knew.
Not finishing a book is always hard for me, and I felt bad that I didn't like this book more. While this wasn't for me, the Urban Fantasy rock star world is a bit different from most UF settings, so if you are looking for something different, give Taste Me a try.
Lukas and Scarlett have grown up together and somewhere along the way became a couple. Lukas broke it off with her because she was a Siren and he's a Incubus and the it created problems he wasn't ready to deal with yet. While the relationship has been over for awhile, neither Scarlett or Lukas can get past what they once had. Lukas' is on the Underworld Council as the second Incubus chair (his father being the first one) the Siren Chairs are Scarlett's mother and sister. When the council learns about members of the paranormal community being killed, they agree that Lukas, as CEO of a security company should be in charge of the big rock concert that Scarlett is performing in. The two don't want to work together, but do it because the council demands it.
I thought that the whole underworld council world building part of the book was really well written. I felt like I got to know all the main groups that would be represented in the series and why they did/didn't get along with each other. What I didn't understand though, was why it took so long for Lukas and Scarlett to interact with each other-154 pages in (which is where I gave up) they had only come in contact with each other twice. The most frustrating part to me was that it felt like we got to know Lukas and all the minor characters really well by this point, but Scarlett while being central to the storyline barely had a voice. This may have changed in the second half of the book, by this point I had a hard time caring what happened to her because her voice was so small.
Another frustration for me was the whole mystery of why Scarlett needed protection. Lukas and the others are clueless to who the bad guy is, but the reader is shown who the villain is very early on in the book. I felt like shaking Lukas and Scarlett for not connecting the dots earlier in the story and got bored waiting for them to figure out what I or since I didn't finish this book, assumed I already knew.
Not finishing a book is always hard for me, and I felt bad that I didn't like this book more. While this wasn't for me, the Urban Fantasy rock star world is a bit different from most UF settings, so if you are looking for something different, give Taste Me a try.
February 18, 2011
Taste Me is an Urban Fantasy Romance by Tamara Hogan from Sourcebooks Casablanca.
Book Blurb:
He Wants Her So Badly He Can Taste It...
Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago. incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you're a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are way more than complicated.
Her Siren Song Brings Men To Their Knees...
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine is in desperate need of a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and the one man she never thought to see again put to the task of protecting her, life is going to be anything but peaceful.
With danger everywhere, and their feelings for each other in turmoil, Scarlett and Lukas may be destroyed by deceit and mistrust if they don't find their way back into each other's arms...
My thoughts:
Taste Me has several different groups of 'others': incubus, succubus, siren, vampire, werewolf, and valkyrie. They came to Earth from another planet and have tried to live secretly side by side with humans. They have an Underworld Council that sets forth guidelines for what is acceptable behavior - and punishes those who cross those lines.
Lukas Sebastiani is an incubus and his father is the president of the Underworld Council. Lukas is the chief of security and is always trying to find ways to keep his brethren safe.
Scarlett Fontaine is a siren and her mother is the siren councilwoman. When Scarlett and her band preform their last show on their current tour, her mother asks Lukas to head her security detail. Lukas agrees despite the past he has with Scarlett.
But then a regular security gig turns to something more when a body shows up. Lukas is determined to keep Scarlett safe - and Scarlett is determined to break down the walls Lukas has erected between them.
For me, Taste Me reads as a Romantic Suspense with paranormal elements. It was an okay read.
I give Taste me 2 out of 5 stars.
M
Book Blurb:
He Wants Her So Badly He Can Taste It...
Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago. incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you're a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are way more than complicated.
Her Siren Song Brings Men To Their Knees...
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine is in desperate need of a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and the one man she never thought to see again put to the task of protecting her, life is going to be anything but peaceful.
With danger everywhere, and their feelings for each other in turmoil, Scarlett and Lukas may be destroyed by deceit and mistrust if they don't find their way back into each other's arms...
My thoughts:
Taste Me has several different groups of 'others': incubus, succubus, siren, vampire, werewolf, and valkyrie. They came to Earth from another planet and have tried to live secretly side by side with humans. They have an Underworld Council that sets forth guidelines for what is acceptable behavior - and punishes those who cross those lines.
Lukas Sebastiani is an incubus and his father is the president of the Underworld Council. Lukas is the chief of security and is always trying to find ways to keep his brethren safe.
Scarlett Fontaine is a siren and her mother is the siren councilwoman. When Scarlett and her band preform their last show on their current tour, her mother asks Lukas to head her security detail. Lukas agrees despite the past he has with Scarlett.
But then a regular security gig turns to something more when a body shows up. Lukas is determined to keep Scarlett safe - and Scarlett is determined to break down the walls Lukas has erected between them.
For me, Taste Me reads as a Romantic Suspense with paranormal elements. It was an okay read.
I give Taste me 2 out of 5 stars.
M
January 4, 2011
Scarlett Fontaine was hooked on Lukas Sebastiani. Too bad he didn't feel the same way. But she's spent the past year touring with her band (she's not running away, nuh uh) so maybe she's weaned herself off of all that now... Or maybe she'll just stay far away from him. She'll find out soon enough--returning home for the last gig of the tour will provide a respite from the grueling schedule that's taken a toll on her health.
But murder has followed Scarlett home, and takes a loved one from her. And she has no choice but to accept that Lukas is going to be sticking by her for a while. Not because of love, oh no--he's her bodyguard. What's a girl to do in this situation? Well, let's start by making him squirm at that very last show on the tour schedule. She is a siren after all...
Taste Me was a good read throughout, but I didn't love it because I didn't love Scarlett. She seemed a little bit too immature to me--and I know that sounds off, but hey, she's a rock star, she's gorgeous, and she's spent all this time moping about a boy. And that boy. What a tortured soul. What a martyr. He loves the girl but he's afraid that his brand of making whoopee is too rough for her. Um, dude. Get over it already! (For the record, there was nothing kinky going on...)
The story played out nicely, the cast of characters had enough (characters) to make my head spin at times (thank goodness there's a lil' cheat sheet to keep me straight on who's who and who's what), the premise behind how the others got to our world is refreshing, and the murder subplot left me with questions--but as this is a romance novel and not a mystery novel, I'll not grumble about that.
But murder has followed Scarlett home, and takes a loved one from her. And she has no choice but to accept that Lukas is going to be sticking by her for a while. Not because of love, oh no--he's her bodyguard. What's a girl to do in this situation? Well, let's start by making him squirm at that very last show on the tour schedule. She is a siren after all...
Taste Me was a good read throughout, but I didn't love it because I didn't love Scarlett. She seemed a little bit too immature to me--and I know that sounds off, but hey, she's a rock star, she's gorgeous, and she's spent all this time moping about a boy. And that boy. What a tortured soul. What a martyr. He loves the girl but he's afraid that his brand of making whoopee is too rough for her. Um, dude. Get over it already! (For the record, there was nothing kinky going on...)
The story played out nicely, the cast of characters had enough (characters) to make my head spin at times (thank goodness there's a lil' cheat sheet to keep me straight on who's who and who's what), the premise behind how the others got to our world is refreshing, and the murder subplot left me with questions--but as this is a romance novel and not a mystery novel, I'll not grumble about that.
April 12, 2011
The book started okay, but the second half was incredibly frustrating.
Our hero Lukas is an incubi that can sense emotions, good ones and really bad. Like emotions of murderer. Because of some probability that the murder is connected to the Council he is appointed as Scarlett's bodyguard.
Scarlett is a famous singer who is back home after a year long tour. She is exhausted and empty.
Lukas is supposed to be looking for a killer, but he spends most of his time lusting after Scarlett. And he misses the obvious things . And yes, when two bodies were discovered, and while on the way to the scene, Lukas&Scarlett stop for three hours in a hotel so that THEY COULD HAVE SEX.
Next Lukas managed to piss me off royally with his "I bruised her during sex, and even though she liked I have to stay away from her so that I could protect her from myself." He is also a colossally stupid martyr.
Scarlett is a bit better.
And yes, in the beginning I was bombarded with a lot of characters who were near to impossible to sort out even without the family collections.
The reason for the rather generous rating is the fact that I like the idea of an alien spaceship that contained vampires, weres, sirens, crashed to Earth and that's the way they came to existence. Some of the supporting characters are good, like Bailey, Jack, but everything else is a mess.
Rating:
1.5 stars.
Our hero Lukas is an incubi that can sense emotions, good ones and really bad. Like emotions of murderer. Because of some probability that the murder is connected to the Council he is appointed as Scarlett's bodyguard.
Scarlett is a famous singer who is back home after a year long tour. She is exhausted and empty.
Lukas is supposed to be looking for a killer, but he spends most of his time lusting after Scarlett. And he misses the obvious things . And yes, when two bodies were discovered, and while on the way to the scene, Lukas&Scarlett stop for three hours in a hotel so that THEY COULD HAVE SEX.
Next Lukas managed to piss me off royally with his "I bruised her during sex, and even though she liked I have to stay away from her so that I could protect her from myself." He is also a colossally stupid martyr.
Scarlett is a bit better.
And yes, in the beginning I was bombarded with a lot of characters who were near to impossible to sort out even without the family collections.
The reason for the rather generous rating is the fact that I like the idea of an alien spaceship that contained vampires, weres, sirens, crashed to Earth and that's the way they came to existence. Some of the supporting characters are good, like Bailey, Jack, but everything else is a mess.
Rating:
1.5 stars.
October 27, 2011
Synopsis: "He Wants Her So Badly He Can Taste It...
Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago, incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you're a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are way more than complicated...
Her Siren Songs Bring Men to Their Knees...
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine desperately needs a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and the one man she never thought to see again put to the task of protecting her, life is going to be anything but peaceful...
Every encounter between them creates more turmoil-and heat-until Scarlett pushes Lukas to the boiling point, and unleashes forces that go way beyond anything she can hope to control..."
My Review: So this one came on recommendation from my parents, apparantly the author went to high school with my father and they ran into eachother at a reunion. This one started off kind of slow and confusing. But once the council and the different species were explained to Bailey things became a lot more clear and you could really dive into the book head first. I loved the suspense and the danger in the books, you know how close the danger is but the characters don't and the feel of that tension is fantastic. I loved the idea of sirens, it was an interesting take on the paranormal. I didn't really get too attached to the characters but I was rooting for them, I do really like Rafe and hope he is in the next book!
Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago, incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you're a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are way more than complicated...
Her Siren Songs Bring Men to Their Knees...
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine desperately needs a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and the one man she never thought to see again put to the task of protecting her, life is going to be anything but peaceful...
Every encounter between them creates more turmoil-and heat-until Scarlett pushes Lukas to the boiling point, and unleashes forces that go way beyond anything she can hope to control..."
My Review: So this one came on recommendation from my parents, apparantly the author went to high school with my father and they ran into eachother at a reunion. This one started off kind of slow and confusing. But once the council and the different species were explained to Bailey things became a lot more clear and you could really dive into the book head first. I loved the suspense and the danger in the books, you know how close the danger is but the characters don't and the feel of that tension is fantastic. I loved the idea of sirens, it was an interesting take on the paranormal. I didn't really get too attached to the characters but I was rooting for them, I do really like Rafe and hope he is in the next book!
June 1, 2012
This book, which is advertised as an urban fantasy when it is quite obviously a paranormal romance, started off decently. There are a lot of characters, which at times got a tad confusing, but not enough to deter me from continuing. What aggravated me and reminded me of fan fiction was Scarlett’s music career. There are chapters upon chapters dedicated to how great a singer she is (she is a siren after all, so she should be) and how amazing her band is. Okay, that’s fine I guess, but Dave Grohl filling in for her drummer at their big welcome home show when her drummer doesn’t show up? That just seems to be a huge stretch to me. Especially since Dave and Scarlett seem to be BFF’s.
Not to mention that those chapters seemed completely unnecessary to me. Sure it set up another attack of the bad guy and more sexual tension between Lukas and Scarlett, but that could have been done another way. Those scenes all just seemed gratuitous and way to fulfill some kind of personal fantasy.
I only finished this book because I wanted to be prepared for the second book in the series which I got from Netgalley. Although there are a lot of characters and reading one book certainly helps set up some scenes in book two, you do not need to read this book to continue on in the series. I’m disappointed that this book wasn’t better. I actually rated it 2.5 stars out of 5, but rounded up because a 2 star rating is definitely too harsh. The book definitely had a lot of enjoyable parts, I just don’t think it’s for me.
Not to mention that those chapters seemed completely unnecessary to me. Sure it set up another attack of the bad guy and more sexual tension between Lukas and Scarlett, but that could have been done another way. Those scenes all just seemed gratuitous and way to fulfill some kind of personal fantasy.
I only finished this book because I wanted to be prepared for the second book in the series which I got from Netgalley. Although there are a lot of characters and reading one book certainly helps set up some scenes in book two, you do not need to read this book to continue on in the series. I’m disappointed that this book wasn’t better. I actually rated it 2.5 stars out of 5, but rounded up because a 2 star rating is definitely too harsh. The book definitely had a lot of enjoyable parts, I just don’t think it’s for me.
March 3, 2011
Many years ago, a bunch of refugees were traveling, when their ship crashed on Earth. The survivors formed a secret council known as the Underworld Council. The council is composed of incubus, sirens, werewolves, vampires, and valkyries. Most recently the council has allowed humans to have a seat in the council.
Lukas Sebastiani is an incubus. His father is the president of the Council. Lukas works for Sebastiani Security.
Scarlett Fontaine is the lead singer in a rock band. She is also a siren. Scarlett has been on the road for a long time and is ready for some rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, someone has other plans. Someone is attacking the people around Scarlett. It is up to Lukas to protect Scarlett, though who will protect him from Scarlett?
Taste Me is the first book in a brand new series called the Underbelly Chronicles. Not to be mistaken for paranormal but this book is definitely urban fantasy. It is darker, edgier, sensual and way hotter than paranormal. I thought Scarlett and Lukas were hot together, though the romance did not start until about middle way into the book. The story line surrounding the attacks was exciting. While I did enjoy this book and liked the various different characters in this story, I did wish that there was more happening. It did feel like the first book in a series with the build up to where the next book would be even better. Taste Me is a yummy morsel to what author, Tamara Hogan has to offer.
Lukas Sebastiani is an incubus. His father is the president of the Council. Lukas works for Sebastiani Security.
Scarlett Fontaine is the lead singer in a rock band. She is also a siren. Scarlett has been on the road for a long time and is ready for some rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, someone has other plans. Someone is attacking the people around Scarlett. It is up to Lukas to protect Scarlett, though who will protect him from Scarlett?
Taste Me is the first book in a brand new series called the Underbelly Chronicles. Not to be mistaken for paranormal but this book is definitely urban fantasy. It is darker, edgier, sensual and way hotter than paranormal. I thought Scarlett and Lukas were hot together, though the romance did not start until about middle way into the book. The story line surrounding the attacks was exciting. While I did enjoy this book and liked the various different characters in this story, I did wish that there was more happening. It did feel like the first book in a series with the build up to where the next book would be even better. Taste Me is a yummy morsel to what author, Tamara Hogan has to offer.
April 24, 2015
Scarlet, lead singer for the rock band Scarlet's Web and a siren who channels emotion through song, has been on a grueling non-stop year-long concert tour. She's exhausted, she's not eating or sleeping, and she's emotionally stripped bare, so the last thing she needs is having to deal with incubus and former lover Lukas Sebastiani. Unfortunately, Lukas' company is heading up security for her homecoming concert. As the daughter of a Council member, Scarlet could be a target.
Lukas hasn't been able to get Scarlet off his mind and out of his dreams. Their one night together haunts him. Lukas is able to taste emotions and energy, and Scarlet's mandarin champagne fizz makes his head buzz and sends his hormones out of control. Being this close to her may just drive him mad, because he absolutely cannot have her ever again.
Hogan has built a unique world in Taste Me. Though the paranormal archetypes are present (vampires, werewolves, etc.), the main characters are the lesser known incubi, succubi, sirens, and such. The plot is filled with sexual tension and suspense, both primary and secondary characters are well-developed, and the writing is witty and expressive. I highly recommend this novel for fans of paranormal romance and romantic suspense genres.
Lukas hasn't been able to get Scarlet off his mind and out of his dreams. Their one night together haunts him. Lukas is able to taste emotions and energy, and Scarlet's mandarin champagne fizz makes his head buzz and sends his hormones out of control. Being this close to her may just drive him mad, because he absolutely cannot have her ever again.
Hogan has built a unique world in Taste Me. Though the paranormal archetypes are present (vampires, werewolves, etc.), the main characters are the lesser known incubi, succubi, sirens, and such. The plot is filled with sexual tension and suspense, both primary and secondary characters are well-developed, and the writing is witty and expressive. I highly recommend this novel for fans of paranormal romance and romantic suspense genres.
March 5, 2011
I expected, by the title alone, that this book would be an erotic, something I don’t normally read. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to find it was not. Don’t get me wrong. It’s sexy, and steamy. VERY steamy. And fast paced is, I think, an understatement. I was riveted by this story. It’s been a long time since I read a novel in less than one week. The tension (both sexual and storyline) is through the roof. My husband caught me more times than not this past week, with my foot tapping furiously away as I turned the pages.
I loved the intense bond between Lukas and Scarlett. I loved the fact that I got a good feel for the secondary characters. And I loved reading a story that had so much at stake, I could not put it down.
I haven’t read many paranormals, not because I don’t enjoy them, but because I have such a pile of books to read and I’m slow, I simply haven’t gotten through to many of them. Taste Me made me want to bump the other paranormals to the top of my pile. Thank you, Ms. Hogan, for a most enjoyable read. I look forward to the rest of this series as it unfolds.
I loved the intense bond between Lukas and Scarlett. I loved the fact that I got a good feel for the secondary characters. And I loved reading a story that had so much at stake, I could not put it down.
I haven’t read many paranormals, not because I don’t enjoy them, but because I have such a pile of books to read and I’m slow, I simply haven’t gotten through to many of them. Taste Me made me want to bump the other paranormals to the top of my pile. Thank you, Ms. Hogan, for a most enjoyable read. I look forward to the rest of this series as it unfolds.
June 2, 2013
Years ago, Lukas and Scarlett had a fling, but it wasn't meant to be. Now, Scarlett is touring with her band and Lukas runs a security agency. This is a world where the supernatural live undetected alongside the humans. There are incubus, succubus, werewolves and more. The council is working on a ruling to reveal the supernatural gradually to human society. But when homicides keep popping up, namely around Scarlett and her band, Luka takes the initiative. He knows Scarlett is the prominent daughter of a council member, so he isn't too surprised when he is assigned to protect her.
But when the two are in the same room again after all these years, the sparks fly. Will they trust one another this time to make a go of it? Will they find out who is behind the homicides before Scarlett is next? Filled with steamy and erotic sex scenes, fantastic world-building, and sexy and compelling characters, Taste Me is a fantastic start to a new urban fantasy series. Lukas can taste emotions and it can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending upon the situation. But when it's good -- it's very, very good! Paranormal romance lovers are sure to enjoy this one!
But when the two are in the same room again after all these years, the sparks fly. Will they trust one another this time to make a go of it? Will they find out who is behind the homicides before Scarlett is next? Filled with steamy and erotic sex scenes, fantastic world-building, and sexy and compelling characters, Taste Me is a fantastic start to a new urban fantasy series. Lukas can taste emotions and it can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending upon the situation. But when it's good -- it's very, very good! Paranormal romance lovers are sure to enjoy this one!
February 8, 2011
This book is part of Sourcebooks - touted as Urban Fantasy romance. Not in my book. The romance was superficial, a simple conversation cleared up what ever internal conflict there was, and that was light as it was. The external was not that good either. The author combined so many paranormal aspects into the book, I got tired of the characters right at the beginning. Multiple point of views was very distracting, as well as the authors usage of the same descriptive terms that most people would not know what it meant (luckily I did), the reference to 9/11 more than once which really had no impact on the book, referring to characters being too young but they had to be in their late 20's to early 30's. The hero and heroine were not all that interesting, and even the plot wasn't that thrilling. No offense to the author, but this could have been a much better book, at least for me.
June 25, 2011
Did not care for this book so much.Did not feel the connection between the H/h even though they had a past history together,the H was the h's 1st lover and he left her after their 1st night together when she was a teenager because in the am when he woke up he saw bruises all over her body...huh. what??????......fast foreword to years later,[we don't know how much or I missed that part] and our H is now assigned to protect her from a killer.She is a Siren and he is a?Demon.The H pops antacid like it is going out of style[again I don't know why]and EVERYONE goes CRAZY over COFFEE, and again I DON'T KNOW WHY.Don't think that if there is a follow up that I will be reading it.The premis of the story sounded great ,but unfortunately ,this book did not do it for me as it was a struggle for me to finish ,the loves scenes did not even light the pages.This is a miss for me.
June 26, 2012
I LOVED THIS!!!
The world-building was spectacular.
I loved literally everything about it.. except for in the very beginning, in which I was confused by the sheer abundance of characters. It's like going to a party and being rapid-fire introduced to 15 people. You might vaguely remember their faces later in the night, but to remember their name is impossible.
I think the character-building itself though was very well done. The main characters and even many of the secondary characters were described so that you began to think of them as real, complex people or Valkyries, or Incubi, or Sirens, or Vampires.
The romance was there, definitely. Very sexy. :D
there were scenes that made me cry, made me laugh, and drew me in completely.
Very well-written and you can bet your ass I'm gonna read the second one.
The world-building was spectacular.
I loved literally everything about it.. except for in the very beginning, in which I was confused by the sheer abundance of characters. It's like going to a party and being rapid-fire introduced to 15 people. You might vaguely remember their faces later in the night, but to remember their name is impossible.
I think the character-building itself though was very well done. The main characters and even many of the secondary characters were described so that you began to think of them as real, complex people or Valkyries, or Incubi, or Sirens, or Vampires.
The romance was there, definitely. Very sexy. :D
there were scenes that made me cry, made me laugh, and drew me in completely.
Very well-written and you can bet your ass I'm gonna read the second one.
May 28, 2012
Scarlett Fontaine is a Siren whose voice is perfect for her singing group. Unfortunately, she is desperately unhappy and virtually wasting away after her last grueling tour. Lukas Sebastiani in an Incubus who has never forgiven himself for his self-perceived transgressions toward the sexy Siren. A series of horrific attacks upon females in their close-knit community thrusts the two back into enforced proximity. Will they survive long enough to resolve their differences? Not if the person perpetrating the crimes has anything to say about it. A fascinating introduction to a group of intriguing paranormal beings who have a well-organized system allowing them to coexist unobtrusively among humans. A great introduction to a fascinating new series.
March 15, 2011
A fast-paced, gritty, very very sexy read! Fabulous world-building (both the alien-races-crash-landing in Minnesota AND the pheromone-soaked rock-and-roll club scene!!), terrific writing, and one of the very best, most genuinely human villains I've read in a very long time. (The villain is genuinely scary, and yet I found myself caring about him, and wanting to protect him.) The central romance is passionate and emotionally satisfying...the final page of the book is truly sigh-worthy!! Plus the "play-list" of real songs chosen by the siren lead singer, Scarlett, is a treat--lots of things you'll want to download to your real iPod immediately!
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