Savage Shores

The Improper Ladies #1

by Emma Wildes

Almost lost in a storm-tossed sea, Jenna Hayward is grateful to defy death. Finding herself alone on a deserted island except for three of her other lucky shipmates, she discovers that having so many attractive men around can be both uncomfortable and--intriguing. Jonathan Richmond is used to a life of privilege and wealth. The one thing he isn't used to is having to share. Fighting off deadly serpents, vicious jungle cats, and the occasional engulfing storm, three men and a lovely woman struggle to find a peace and to let their desires run wild without disturbing the delicate equilibrium of their unusual little society. All goes well, until by a twist of fate they are rescued, and suddenly the strictures of proper English protocol intrude on savage shores? [Erotic Historical Romance/ Multiple Contains graphic sexual content and explicit adult language.]

Genres: Erotica, Romance, Historical Romance, Menage, Historical, Erotic Romance, Regency

Nook

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Emma was born in Minnesota and she lives in the Midwest, though she grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She attended Illinois State University where she majored in geology, and there she met her husband, Chris. They have three children, a temperamental cat named Poot, and are lucky enough to live on a beautiful lake. On warm days, she does enjoy a glass of wine on the dock now and then, and always loves to sit at her desk, winter or summer, and tap at her keyboard.

Reviews

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going with a 2 because this was kind of weird. Definitely not your standard romance - probably more of an erotica - but such a different premise. Four people are shipwrecked, three young virile men and one innocent young lady. You can imagine what happens, right? But here's the thing...Jenna, our heroine, in order to keep discord from breakout out amongst the three lustful males, agrees to share herself with them. They agree that they take turns getting a night with her. This could be perfectly fine little deal and end up being a great foursome story...except Jenna is in love with Jon and he's falling in love with her. And while he's dealing with his feelings he gets to hear her having sex with the other two guys on the nights he's not with her. And even though she's in love with Jon she's still having sex with two other guys, which totally hits my infidelity buttons because I have trouble really getting into a story where the someone can really enjoy sex with someone who isn't the one they love (or at least not without a significant dose of guilt). I mean, how would she feel if there was an OW and Jon had sex with her? But Jenna seems quite content with the deal, even if Jon isn't always thrilled about sharing her. Still, this scores points for originality in my book.

Even if the infidelity part didn't bother me and I fully accepted that Jenna is just a young woman enjoying her first bloom of sexuality while simultaneously being in love with one of her lovers, the second part of this book was where I gave up trying to find this believable. As is wont to happen, Jenna ends up pregnant. Only, of course, she has no idea who the father of the child is. But that doesn't matter a whit to anyone, since Jon (who has been jealous this whole time) has decided he's happy about it and will claim it. For all intents and purposes, the child is his. Only, I wonder how he'll feel when the child looks like Anthony Reeves...if it will always bring back memories of nights he had to listen to them together. Or Jenna for that matter...won't she feel the slightest bit of guilt that Jon is raising another man's child? Sure, characters deal with that sort of thing all the time, but these people don't even deal with it...no struggle at all. And even when characters do struggle with it, I want some assurance that later on, the characters are okay with it (like an epilogue where either Jon can see himself in the child and knows its his...or even doesn't but is still totally okay with it...but some assurance would be nice). And how can Jon just claim the child without first checking with the other two potential fathers? I'm to believe that honorable Anthony Reeves is just going to step aside and abandon a child that could be his? And Charles? Isn't he going to be part of Jon's household, as his valet? Won't he notice that the child is his and that he can't be a part of its life? Both men just give up rights to a child that could be theirs? For that matter, what happened to Anthony and Charles exactly? And of course because of the super abrupt ending, we never do find out. I just think that if you set up an impossible situation like that and then end it, you gotta wrap up all those little details.

[Michelle Zapf-bélanger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book disappointing because there was a huuuge setup for a group sex scene that never happened. She’s all pregnant and swollen up and it’s giving them all hard ons, and then OH NO there’s a monsoon! So they have to all go sleep together in a cave! And there’s only one cave! So the gentlemen and their raging erections get on that cave floor with the lady with her pregnantly swollen breasts and then one thing leads to another and they… go to sleep, and get rescued off the island. The two poor guys are dropped like hot potatoes once they’re back on the mainland, and she lives happily ever after with the rich one. It seems like the wrong book and the wrong plot to have a monogamous HEA!

[Ruchika Mahajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite different from other books. Multiple partners, happy ending. Hot and steamy

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars! ~ Their ship was torn apart from the hurricane winds, and four survivors find themselves stranded on a Caribbean island. Lady Jenna is grateful to her three protectors but as the days pass, she becomes aware of a tension with her three very attractive and viral companions. Jenna may be innocent however, she's not naive to the looks of desire and fears that one day there will be violence. She expresses her fears and announces that she will share her body with each man, however, they must work out the details so that the arrangement is completely fair. So each man agrees, Jenna belongs to one man from noon until the next morning and that man will protect her and in exchange he may woo her and enjoy her favours if she so wishes. As Jonathan was the one to rescue her, and Jenna seems closer to him, he has the privilege of being her first. This arrangement works well for the most part, though Jonathan admits to himself that he wishes Jenna could be his alone, he knows that Jenna was right and that should they not share her, soon there indeed would be violence.

This was a very entertaining read. Jenna is a courageous young woman who truly cares for each man, though Jonathan is the one who owns her heart. The arrangement is one of necessity, however, there is never a doubt that Jenna is Jonathan's woman. Anthony and Charles are wonderful seconds in this story, as are the dangers of this untamed island. This story is worthy of rereading again and again.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whilst reading this book I thought, 'I should be so lucky'. It was a real pleasure reading this delicious book. Sexy with a super plot. My only very small gripe was that it ended a bit abruptly.
*5 sexy hot lip rating *

[Rachel T · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Sandra ~aka vamp gal~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great story of how we adapt to our surroundings and situation in life. When we've been brought up a certain way and think we could never change, life happens and we adapt.

[Maura Rossi]

Plausible and fun. I like the heroine and her practical nature. It worked out great for her. I liked the detailed descriptions of each man's (ahem) character.