From Publishers Weekly
Whether the four novellas gathered here strike readers as erotic or pornographic, they certainly push the envelope of the historical romance genre. Set in 1750, Small's "Mastering Lady Lucinda" finds the young, widowed Lady Lucinda Harrington publicly humiliating three suitors. Incensed, they conspire to have her kidnapped and trained to enjoy the pleasures of matrimony. Lucinda, however, is a woman ahead of her time, and has a trick or two up her sleeve. "Risking It All," Johnson's contribution, also features a young widow. She is Felicia Greenwood, who gambles in Monte Carlo to save her villa. Just as she is about to lose her fortune, a handsome stranger offers assistance. Victorian-era principles notwithstanding, Felicia repays her mysterious benefactor by spending some wanton hours with him. Set in 1812, Devine's "The Pleasure Game" finds the virginal Lady Regina Olney conspiring against her protective, scheming father by learning the ways of the world from the proverbial boy next door. Finally, there's Schone's outr "A Man and a Woman." Its protagonist is a 48-year-old vicar's widow named Megan, who trades places with a local prostitute to experience a night of sexual abandon with a man dressed as an Arab, who's probably the first 53-year-old eunuch to be a romantic hero. Readers will find here every euphemism imaginable for men's and women's private parts, as well as explicit biological terms, and should be prepared for raunchy antics throughout. This book's predecessor, Captivated (1999), hit several bestseller lists; Fascinated should do the same. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Beatrice Small—Mastering Lady Lucinda
The members of the underground club, The Devil's Disciples, are prepared to give Lady Lucinda Harrington an unforgettable lesson in seduction—but it it the gentlemen, and not Lucinda, who are left begging for more.

Susan Johnson—Risking It All
When the destitute Felicia Greenwood wins the gamble of her life with the aid of the Duke of Grafton, she never expects to receive an introduction to the delectable delights of desire.

Thea Devine—The Pleasure Game
When Regina Olney learns that longtime friend, Jeremy Gavage, is devising a scheme to thwart her plans of pursuing a notorious rake, she seeks revenge by playing a wickedly sensuous game of searing passion.

Robin Schone—A Man And A Woman
Hoping to experience once again the intimacies shared with a man, widowed Megan Branwell engages in a charade with Connor Treffrey that will take them both on a breathless journey of indescribable pleasure.

FROM THE CRITICS

Kathe Robin - Romantic Times

These are empowering stories that touch on readers￯﾿ﾽ fantasies and make them come alive.

Publishers Weekly