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Hinky Chicago #2
The Velvet Chair
THE TREAT: Life with a sex demon is never boring
Jewel freed Randy from two centuries in a brass bed. Now he's her booty slave.
THE TRICK: The Venus Machine will make you irresistible!
A new age swindler is selling beauty via the "Venus Machine". Fraud cop Jewel is gonna bust him. So's Jewel's new partner, sexy con artist Clay. Randy and his mojo are along for the ride.
THE TRUTH: Can the contraption bring attraction?
Jewel gives the Venus Machine a test run to prove it's a fountain of flimflam. Something wild kicks into high gear. Powerful machine or power of suggestion?
Jewel freed Randy from two centuries in a brass bed. Now he's her booty slave.
THE TRICK: The Venus Machine will make you irresistible!
A new age swindler is selling beauty via the "Venus Machine". Fraud cop Jewel is gonna bust him. So's Jewel's new partner, sexy con artist Clay. Randy and his mojo are along for the ride.
THE TRUTH: Can the contraption bring attraction?
Jewel gives the Venus Machine a test run to prove it's a fountain of flimflam. Something wild kicks into high gear. Powerful machine or power of suggestion?
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2008
2 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Stevenson
66 books59 followersI started swimming at 40, riding horses at 42, roller derby at 52, speed skating at 54 ... something's backward there. Read about my latest bruise at https://www.facebook.com/JenniferStev...
I've been writing since I was four, and didn't publish a story til I was 34 ... something's backward there too. Read about my latest books at http://www.bookviewcafe.com/index.php...
Living my life backwards means I get to eat bacon every day and goof off all summer. Don't be fooled. Writing is still a job.
I've been writing since I was four, and didn't publish a story til I was 34 ... something's backward there too. Read about my latest books at http://www.bookviewcafe.com/index.php...
Living my life backwards means I get to eat bacon every day and goof off all summer. Don't be fooled. Writing is still a job.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 17, 2008
The second in the series.
This book took me awhile to get into. I was suprised by that since I literaly set down the first book and picked up the next one. I think the writing style is kind of different. It's a bit like a slap in the face rather than a soft touch. I was a good 40 pages or more into the book before I got invested in the characters.
In this book, Jewel goes undercover with Randy and Clay to try and catch a flimflam man who is selling The Venus Machine which increases the green in your aura and makes you irrisitable to men. There is a lot of twists and turns in this one - just like there were in the last one.
Jewel starts to figure out her relationships with both Clay and Randy. Of course that means understanding herself better too - always a plus when the main character grows. Being in a relationship with a Sex Demon and a Con-man who also happens to be your new partner on the force - well that would challenge any girl.
The developing relationships meant this book was a little less sex filled than the first by the way. There is still sex - just not as much (as hot) as the first book.
This book took me awhile to get into. I was suprised by that since I literaly set down the first book and picked up the next one. I think the writing style is kind of different. It's a bit like a slap in the face rather than a soft touch. I was a good 40 pages or more into the book before I got invested in the characters.
In this book, Jewel goes undercover with Randy and Clay to try and catch a flimflam man who is selling The Venus Machine which increases the green in your aura and makes you irrisitable to men. There is a lot of twists and turns in this one - just like there were in the last one.
Jewel starts to figure out her relationships with both Clay and Randy. Of course that means understanding herself better too - always a plus when the main character grows. Being in a relationship with a Sex Demon and a Con-man who also happens to be your new partner on the force - well that would challenge any girl.
The developing relationships meant this book was a little less sex filled than the first by the way. There is still sex - just not as much (as hot) as the first book.
November 12, 2015
The Velvet Chair is the second book in the Jewel Heiss series by American author, Jennifer Stevenson. Jewel Heiss is an agent for Chicago’s Department of Consumer Services and her boss decides so send her undercover to investigate a complaint about a possible con artist. She and her new partner Clay, and of course her sex demon Randy, head for the expensive part of town. But what Jewel doesn’t realise is that the possible connee is Clay’s father, Virgil, the master of conning himself.
It is essential to read The Brass Bed before this book. This instalment has Buzz selling potions that make women believe they are gorgeous, Virgil checking out a device with a velvet chair that makes women gorgeous to all men, and a beauty parlour making impossible claims. Once again, plenty of sex, quite a bit of bed-hopping and everything necessary for a fluffy, funny lightweight read.
It is essential to read The Brass Bed before this book. This instalment has Buzz selling potions that make women believe they are gorgeous, Virgil checking out a device with a velvet chair that makes women gorgeous to all men, and a beauty parlour making impossible claims. Once again, plenty of sex, quite a bit of bed-hopping and everything necessary for a fluffy, funny lightweight read.
June 3, 2008
So, OK I thought. Even though I couldn't finish the "The Brass Bed", I'll give "The Velvet Chair" a go. I couldn't even get as far as I did with her first one before I just wanted to throw the book against the wall (if I weren't such a booklover, I would have) in frustration.
Once again the characters weren't very likable and the plot was just all over the place. The premise sounded good, but the execution was pitiful. No more books by this author for me.
Once again the characters weren't very likable and the plot was just all over the place. The premise sounded good, but the execution was pitiful. No more books by this author for me.
July 20, 2019
I'm sorry. This was one of those books that was just ok. I couldn't bring myself to like the characters. I did finish the book, but won't be reading the third one.
April 12, 2019
I advise you to start with The Hinky Brass Bed for important background you need to understand what's going on now, and why. There is lots of sexual tension, sexual escapades and experiences described in detail, humor, crimes and hinky stuff to investigate, and emotional interactions. It's a fun read, hard to put down - I just had to find out what happened next. Following are my notes, which do not do the story justice:
Jewel, Randy, Clay and the others are back for more adventures a few weeks after their adventure with the Bed: investigations into fraud, drugs and hinky stuff (think magic). This seems to involve Clay's father and his stepmother, and some kind of scam, possibly with Sovay Sacheverell, who owns the Chair, and is possibly a "black widow". Buzz is back, selling some kind of "potion" produced by Dr. Kauz. We meet the Chair: "an elegant green-velvet-padded chair with a curvy gold frame, surrounded by a Rube Goldberg machine made of mahogany and teakwood, copper-inlaid dials, brass switches, and mother-of-pearl buttons in gleaming, important-looking rows." Its function is to make women irresistible to men. Jewel sat in it for the experiment. Next day, with a very green aura, she is the object of every man's attention and desire. At a spa with Griffy, she had a "chakra cleanse" that was electrifying and climactic. Later, Jewel and Clay try a new method to retrieve Randy from Sovay's bed, where they think he hid to avoid being caught in flagrante delicto by Jewel. As the scams unfold, Jewel and Clay are tasked by their boss to discredit the hinky/magic aspect of the potions and the Chair. The plan leads to an orgy caught by the media. Was it magic, science, the power of suggestion, or a scam? And where did the toads and snakes come from? Jewel, Clay and Randy come to a greater understanding of their relationship.
Jewel, Randy, Clay and the others are back for more adventures a few weeks after their adventure with the Bed: investigations into fraud, drugs and hinky stuff (think magic). This seems to involve Clay's father and his stepmother, and some kind of scam, possibly with Sovay Sacheverell, who owns the Chair, and is possibly a "black widow". Buzz is back, selling some kind of "potion" produced by Dr. Kauz. We meet the Chair: "an elegant green-velvet-padded chair with a curvy gold frame, surrounded by a Rube Goldberg machine made of mahogany and teakwood, copper-inlaid dials, brass switches, and mother-of-pearl buttons in gleaming, important-looking rows." Its function is to make women irresistible to men. Jewel sat in it for the experiment. Next day, with a very green aura, she is the object of every man's attention and desire. At a spa with Griffy, she had a "chakra cleanse" that was electrifying and climactic. Later, Jewel and Clay try a new method to retrieve Randy from Sovay's bed, where they think he hid to avoid being caught in flagrante delicto by Jewel. As the scams unfold, Jewel and Clay are tasked by their boss to discredit the hinky/magic aspect of the potions and the Chair. The plan leads to an orgy caught by the media. Was it magic, science, the power of suggestion, or a scam? And where did the toads and snakes come from? Jewel, Clay and Randy come to a greater understanding of their relationship.
September 9, 2017
Much improvement from the first book and an entertaining read
The writing style for this book was much less confusing than the first book and overall made this a much more enjoyable read. Jewel has been developed as a character better and is less wishy washy than previously. The storyline was good again and the book entertaining. I found Randy to be a strange character as from what I kind of gathered from the last book he/she is meant to fall in love with her/him/each other?! And yet by the end of book 2 he is still being a bit of an ass. Overall this was a huge improvement on book 1 although only 3 stars as the writing did regress back occasionally.
Much less hard to read than book one though a bit of history about the hinky stuff would be appreciated
The writing style for this book was much less confusing than the first book and overall made this a much more enjoyable read. Jewel has been developed as a character better and is less wishy washy than previously. The storyline was good again and the book entertaining. I found Randy to be a strange character as from what I kind of gathered from the last book he/she is meant to fall in love with her/him/each other?! And yet by the end of book 2 he is still being a bit of an ass. Overall this was a huge improvement on book 1 although only 3 stars as the writing did regress back occasionally.
Much less hard to read than book one though a bit of history about the hinky stuff would be appreciated
February 19, 2025
I read this one faster than most of the books I've picked up over the years, so it has some good points. The plot is very slapdash, character motivations are iffy at best, spicy scenes are often over before they really get good, and I finally gave up trying to make sense of the confusion so I could focus on whatever Randy was up to 😈 He's by far the best character and was surprisingly the most dimensional, all puns aside. Where do I find me one??
July 27, 2017
This series is great sexy funny and wonderful!!! I can't wait to read more!!!
July 28, 2017
This series is great sexy funny and wonderful!!! I can't wait to read more!!!
January 6, 2017
Jewel, Clay, and Randy are back for another dose of Hinky Chicago. In The Hinky Velvet Chair, Jewel gets a more in depth background of Clay. We get to interact more with Clay's father and with Griffy, Virgil's girlfriend. I thought this book was just as good as book 1.
December 10, 2016
Jewel Heiss has a new partner, Clay Dawes – yes, he is the “reformed” con man Jewel met during her investigation of the "Hinky Brass Bed". Clay says he has reformed and wants to work for the Chicago Department of Consumer Services with Jewel as his senior partner. Meanwhile Randy, Randolph Llew Carstairs Althelbury Darner, third Earl Pontarsais has been mostly released from his curse and is searching for things to keep himself busy while Jewel is working.
Jewel and Clay are assigned the investigation of a young con woman, Sovay Sacheverell. She is apparently trying to con a millionaire into purchasing a “hinky” device, and things start to get really interesting when the owner starts giving free demonstrations of the "device" that Sovay is trying to sell.
Next, Jewel realizes that Sovay is not only trying to sell the device to the millionaire, she is also setting herself up as the potential bride of the millionaire.
Meanwhile Jewel and Clay are simultaneously investigating a “doctor” who is selling unlicensed potions.
Could these cases be related? What will Randy find to occupy his time? What does Clay know about the cases that he is not sharing with Jewel? Will Clay’s lack of sharing endanger them while they work their cases?
I received a copy of this book from the author and chose to submit this honest review
As usual, Jennifer Stevenson has constructed an involved and magical world that one would like to be able to visit. Unfortunately, this story seems to have excessive use of the “F” word, often making it slow moving due to excessive verbiage and unnecessary descriptions of sexual situations
Jewel and Clay are assigned the investigation of a young con woman, Sovay Sacheverell. She is apparently trying to con a millionaire into purchasing a “hinky” device, and things start to get really interesting when the owner starts giving free demonstrations of the "device" that Sovay is trying to sell.
Next, Jewel realizes that Sovay is not only trying to sell the device to the millionaire, she is also setting herself up as the potential bride of the millionaire.
Meanwhile Jewel and Clay are simultaneously investigating a “doctor” who is selling unlicensed potions.
Could these cases be related? What will Randy find to occupy his time? What does Clay know about the cases that he is not sharing with Jewel? Will Clay’s lack of sharing endanger them while they work their cases?
I received a copy of this book from the author and chose to submit this honest review
As usual, Jennifer Stevenson has constructed an involved and magical world that one would like to be able to visit. Unfortunately, this story seems to have excessive use of the “F” word, often making it slow moving due to excessive verbiage and unnecessary descriptions of sexual situations
February 13, 2017
Another fun read from Jennifer Stevenson. Reminds me in style of Robert Aspirin's M.Y.T.H books, just more adult in nature and set in the "real" world in modern times, with a few “magic” adjustments. In this book the primary characters are fleshed out and given more definition. I definitely enjoyed Jennifer Stevenson's writing and look forward to her next book.
September 14, 2014
Not hot. Not hysterical either.
This was a freebie, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I don't mind complex, zany stories (love me some Jennifer Crusie) but there was just too much convoluted wackiness, most left unexplained.
I couldn't get a grip on who any of the protagonists were meant to be, especially the main character Jewel who unfortunately I liked least. They didn't have to be ideal or perfect but something, anything to hold onto and root for would have been nice. As for peripheral characters, they seemed interesting, but there were so very many of them. And then suddenly in the last two chapters, they all fade off, disappear, including the primary villian, leaving us with the main three and their unresolved relationships.
Lastly, for a book with sexuality as a primary premise, it was pretty dang unsexy, with the main female character who uses sex to deflect emotional attachment. Ick. What's the purpose? To what end? And then what sent me over the edge: THE GOOFY EUPHEMISMS. His "Washington Monument"? Her "tingle-tangle"? (Did an adult really write this book?) How incredibly sad, because to me they represent prudishness or worse, shame - whose, the character's or the writer's, don't know, can't say, doesn't matter.
I did finish it, and maybe book 3 has more answers but I don't think I'm up for it.
This was a freebie, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I don't mind complex, zany stories (love me some Jennifer Crusie) but there was just too much convoluted wackiness, most left unexplained.
I couldn't get a grip on who any of the protagonists were meant to be, especially the main character Jewel who unfortunately I liked least. They didn't have to be ideal or perfect but something, anything to hold onto and root for would have been nice. As for peripheral characters, they seemed interesting, but there were so very many of them. And then suddenly in the last two chapters, they all fade off, disappear, including the primary villian, leaving us with the main three and their unresolved relationships.
Lastly, for a book with sexuality as a primary premise, it was pretty dang unsexy, with the main female character who uses sex to deflect emotional attachment. Ick. What's the purpose? To what end? And then what sent me over the edge: THE GOOFY EUPHEMISMS. His "Washington Monument"? Her "tingle-tangle"? (Did an adult really write this book?) How incredibly sad, because to me they represent prudishness or worse, shame - whose, the character's or the writer's, don't know, can't say, doesn't matter.
I did finish it, and maybe book 3 has more answers but I don't think I'm up for it.
February 23, 2012
I got this book from a blind book swap…Ok It’s a shelf in my local post office where people put books they don’t want anymore. But I did close my eyes when I choose (I’m quirky like that). I read it and fell in love! Jennifer’s characters are multi-dimensional and easy to relate to. The paranormal world created is easy to believe could exist. The whole story moved along quickly and kept me entertained. If I didn’t have to eat or work I would have finished the book in one day! I’m definitely going back to read the Brass Bed.
October 26, 2016
Such a funny series
This is the 2nd read in this series and I find it funnier than the first one. The relationship thing with Jewel and Randy is so confusing. It's two books down and Jewel still can't commit to a relationship. What is that? Then we add in Clay who is in love with Jewel. Poor guy. Let's just make it a threesome and everybody is happy. Except Jewel and her commitment issues. Great sex scenes though.
This is the 2nd read in this series and I find it funnier than the first one. The relationship thing with Jewel and Randy is so confusing. It's two books down and Jewel still can't commit to a relationship. What is that? Then we add in Clay who is in love with Jewel. Poor guy. Let's just make it a threesome and everybody is happy. Except Jewel and her commitment issues. Great sex scenes though.
November 26, 2016
I enjoyed the book immensely! Jewel , Randy and Clay work together well. There are funny features to this book. Buzz is up to a new deal and he gets busted by Jewel. You learn more about Clay, his dad, Virgil and Griffy. There is mystery but the humor and action keeps the story flowing. What the chair does depends on you and you can say be careful what you wish for because karma can be a bitch. I do not want to spoil this for you but read and enjoy!
January 3, 2017
In this second book to the Hinky series, Jewel and her two honeys are undercover and looking into some more Hinkey hijinks. I love both this book and her first, The Hinky Brass Bed. This one had me laughing out loud, over and over again. We get to see Buzz again , selling his wares to the unsuspecting. And we also get to meet Clay's family . That's where most of the fun comes from . Get this book, you won't regret it. You won't have time, you'll be too busy laughing.
June 22, 2009
This is another para-romance that I just could not get into. Four chapters in and I just gave up. The whole "other realm" that happened when the principle characters were going at it was just too confusing to me and I couldn't continue with it.
December 4, 2011
I found it difficult to stay focused on the story as I found it did not move very quickly. For the first time in a long time I found myself putting the book down and starting a different novel before finishing the story and only going back to it when I had nothing else to read.
October 3, 2012
This was a pretty good book. A very interesting story, and not something that is over-done like many other books coming out. I enjoyed reading this, and look forward to reading other books by this author.
September 30, 2013
Book 2 of the author's trilogy. The characters get developed a little more but the storyline continues to be strange. Once again there's no resolution to the storyline as there's one more book to read.
March 22, 2011
Fun story. I enjoyed it. :)
August 18, 2008
This is the 2nd book, in this series, another super cute one, I was kind of dissappointed though, I thought the sex scenes would be more discriptive!
October 28, 2008
a little better but still not much of a plot
January 8, 2010
Fun, naughty, light urban fantasy romp. Great characters.
Read
May 29, 2010YUCK! No more!
September 30, 2011
Really, really weird. One minute there's a sex demon, and then people are having an orgy, and then, and then, but its not porn. How bizarre.
January 25, 2011
Still confused
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews