Island of Temptation

by Claire Thompson

Island of Temptation Claire Thompson When artist Sam Jamison finds himself stranded on an island with dark-haired, blue-eyed Donovan McNair he knows he'll have to keep a tight rein on his rising passions. Donovan's straight as an arrow-or so he assumes. Survivors of a cruise shipwreck, the two men are thrown together in a desperate struggle to survive. Alone with no idea if they'll be rescued, Sam and Donovan forge a bond far stronger than mere friendship. Donovan discovers sexual attraction and love needn't be limited to the opposite sex. Though afraid of his own impulses, he finds himself captivated by Sam's good looks and quiet authority. Experiencing a freedom not possible back in "the real world," desire boils over, inhibitions melt away and passion burns a clear, loving flame. When rescue throws the cold water of reality on the lovers, Donovan returns to his old life-a life with no place for Sam. Torn and confused by expectations and self-imposed constraints, Donovan must find the courage to go where his heart leads him. Sam can only wait with quiet longing, praying the love they have shared will be strong enough to survive away from their secret tropical paradise.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Gay, Erotica, Erotic Romance, Gay For You

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Claire has been writing for nearly two decades, and has published over 85 novels. She writes BDSM romance and abduction tales, spanning both m/f and m/m genres. She has received numerous awards for her bestselling work, including the NLA-Int’l Pauline Réage Award and the Golden Flogger Award for best BDSM fiction.. Her darker works press the envelope of what is erotic and what can be a sometimes dangerous slide into the world of sadomasochism. Ultimately her work deals with the human condition, and our constant search for love and intensity of experience.
Connect with Claire and get a FREE starter library!
https://clairethompson.net

Reviews

[Jenny (Nyxie)]

I (tried) to read this in my quest to read all of the mm romance deserted island books. Unfortunately this one lost me in the first few pages when there were enormous boobs "pointing vigorously" at the MC, and fat shaming of other cruise passengers who wore "ill fitting" swimsuits. Nope, not going to work.

[Elisa Rolle]

Donovan is on cruise alone, after his girlfriend has dumped him for the fourth time cause he has forgotten thier first anniversary. He is a 27 years old successful lawyer, but all his money couldn't grant him an happy life.

Sam is an young artist on the edge of a brilliant career and his manager has sent him on cruise as benefit for the good money he has made with his first exhibition. He is bisexual, but his preferences go to men. And when he meets Donovan he likes what he sees.

Then they maroons together in a paradise island, all alone. But paradise not always is a good place to stay, above all if you are caged in it. But living together also brings out feeling that Donovan maybe doesn't want to discover... or maybe wants badly to discover. But a love blossoms in an deserted island could survive in the big city?

Donovan, the macho, eventually is the more fragile of the two: he is not confortamble with his feelings, has preconcepts he doesn't know to have, and even when he can admit his love, is not so simple to live it openly. Sam instead his more open and plain, he has no problem to admit his feelings but is also willingly to wait Donovan and to give him time to arrive to his own decision.

A very romantic story with an HEA like some old fascioned romance.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003100V78/?...

[Cil]

I stopped reading at 25%, when I realized, I just didn't care. I didn't care about the two MC's, which I didn't really know, at all. For me it's always a bad sign if they come together two early in the book, before I even got the chance to know each on their own.

Unless their relationship is supposed to start with a one-night stand, I also don't really like insta-lust either. I can live with it, if the story and the characterization is good enough. But here it was extremely unbelievable. I really doubt anyone who's on a life raft after he just escaped death by drowning, would be having sexual fantasies about the other guy on the raft. I mean, come on! How can I take this seriously??

Finally, when the head-hopping started to get more and more extreme, it was over for me.

I don't know, maybe I just wasn't in the right mood, to read this book. And the constant comparison with the very similar, although in my opinion much superior, "Beyond the Sea" by Keira Andrews, didn't help either.

[Tonileg]

For some random reasons, artist Sam Jamison and lawyer Donovan McNair find themselves alone on a fancy cruise through the Caribbean. But on the very first night there is a horrible accident and the boat sinks suddenly and Sam and Donovan are together on a emergency raft going the opposite direction from the mass of survivors so they are alone on the tiny island where they try to survive.
Sam is an artist and is bi-sexual because he appreciate people and not what they keep in their pants. Donovan has just gotten dumped by his regular girlfriend and has never looked at men as anything other then friends. But on the island things change because he only has Sam to depend on. Extreme conditions can make people feels some extreme emotions.
I did like that Sam is a strong man and guides them both towards hope and survival even though he is the gay man in the couple, I do like that gay means lots of different character traits just like anyone else, anything is possible.
The first two weeks on the island fly by, but Donovan loses hope and tries suicide by drowning which is a first for me because the typical Hero of the castaway scenario is tough as nails and survives for years with only a knife and hope. I felt like Donovan is more realistic in showing how difficult it is the keep your spirits up against the odds.
I liked the On the Island better in its treatment of survival life on a deserted island, although that is a M/F romance. This is well written and edited, but there was something missing in Donovan because I didn't fall in love with him like I did the lovely Sam.
198 pages and bought from Amazon for kindle at $5.78

[Shelby P]

I've been reading a lot of books about people being stranded on deserted islands so I think I was a bit burnt out on this theme while reading this book. At first I thought this would just be about sex because while on the life boat not knowing if they would live or die, Sam is having a sexual fantasy about Donovan. I was very skeptical.

I didn't start caring for Sam or Donovan until they were rescued and had to face life back in the real world. This book is probably second behind On the Island in terms of being realistic. It was refreshing to feel Donovan's despair. Also I don't feel this was a "gay for you" book, either. I liked how Donovan struggled with his feelings for Sam.

I did skim some pages so I'm not sure if it was ever explained what happened to the other passengers on the cruise line. Were they all rescued?

Overall I like how Sam and Donovan's relationship progressed and I believed in their HEA.

[Nancy L]

Being marooned on a desert island isn't glamourous but boy when you have someone to share the experience with it can be HOT eh? So two guys on a cruise ship get stranded on an island after a fire on the ship destroys it. Reminds me a bit of Castaway and Spaulding or whatever he named the ball....

So Donovan finds he's very attracted to Sam and eventually they start messing around. They find a friendship connection deepend by circumstance as well. When they are rescued, it's a whole other side of the story. Good character development and it's nice to see the conflicting feelings Donovan has and how he comes to terms with it all. This book was much more entertaining than the movie Castaway

[mah1]

Island of Temptation is a nice summer-quickie, perfect for an afternoon of lazying about. The plot is more of trope (which I happen to love) and the writing is solid, with the two MCs getting stranded on a desert island and one of them being bi while the other is straight.

Typically Claire Thompson rates three to three-and-a-half stars for me, she is one of my safe-buys. My only reasons for not liking this one so much were Donovan having sex with his ex immediately after getting home. It was too much girly bits, too much like infidelity and added absolutely nothing to the overalla story, and the ending dragging needlessly.

Sam stood out as a strong, emotionally stable character, he was a joy to read about.

[Chris]

2.5 stars. Ok m/m romance about two guys, one bi, one straight, who end up stranded on a desert island after their cruise ship sinks. I had a strange compulsion to reread this after finishing Rock and a Hard Place yesterday.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy!]

I forgot how much I enjoy Claire Thompson. I felt very satisfied with ending. Lately writers have been rushing their ending like they have a limit of space or they're ready to get to the next story but I was allowed to watch these two interesting characters come together, have their angst, and find a mutual place to survive. Yay & yum.

[Devon]

I had a hard time trying to figure out how to rank this book for stars. The characters, plot, story flow, and world building were okay don't get me wrong but....There was just something missing for me. I liked the MC's well enough but I didn't get "sucked" into their story. I think the problem is that this isn't a great book but it's not a bad book either. It is just ok.

[Nettebaby]

Well written. It moved a little quickly for my tastes, but a solid 3.5 stars are in order. I enjoyed the character insights and discoveries.

[Aiysha Duncan]

loved it. it was funny and sweet at the same time. a must read

[Maggie]

Rating 3.5

[CB]

2nd time I've read this book and HOT-HOT-HOT! A very sexy romance and realistic struggle with identity. Claire Thompson does it again!

[Emeziel]

loved it, very satisfying ending.

[Noor]

i got one word for this book sexy cute ;) ok 2 words but u get my point i loved it =)