Three exciting new paranormal erotic novellas set in New Orleans, with a voodoo twist that's "pure magic". (Eden Bradley)
In the Big Easy, there's a legend women long for: a sexual voodoo spirit who can fulfill their darkest fantasies. And in these three steaming-hot novellas, he helps three New Orleans couples achieve the ultimate satisfaction...
In Release Me, Allegra heads down to New Orleans to heal her wounds, but she never expects to lose her heart to such a quiet, troubled man as Rousseau. She's even less prepared for the scorching, sexual spirit within him-and what he can do to her...
In Reclaim Me, Ben has loved Michelle as long as he can remember. But his beautiful artist has a way of running away from life-and what the pair could be. Leave it to the infamous spirit to help Ben prove to Michelle where she belongs: in his embrace...
In Redeem Me, it's All Saints' Day, the one day the voodoo spirit can walk the world in the flesh. When he bumps into Bethany, she might just be the reincarnation of a girl he once loved. Passion ignites, but can the couple overcome past mistakes and have a real chance at love?
R.G. Alexander is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author who has written over 50 erotic paranormal, contemporary, urban fantasy, sci-fi/fantasy and LGBTQ romance books for multiple e-publishers and Berkley Heat. She’s also self-published several best-selling series.
She has lived all over the United States and worked all sorts of jobs in her life, including nurse and lead vocalist, but for the last seventeen years, she’s been a writer of all things romance. Now she can’t imagine doing anything else.
RG feels lucky every day that she gets to share her stories with her readers, and that she is happily married to a man known affectionately as The Cookie—her best friend, research assistant, and the love of her life.
A book I honestly did not expect to like turned out to be a real pleasure. I don't generally enjoy the paranormal or the gothic, especially in romance, and this book steeped in New Orleans history and Voodoo delivered a lot of both. I am not sure how it ended up on my shelf, but my guess is a long ago library $5 bag sale day, a day that for me often looks like that old show where people had to race through the supermarket, winning if their basket was the priciest. For years I travelled internationally on business, and the packing skills I developed were transferable to library sales -- you cannot imagine how many books can fit in a paper grocery bag if one arranges them strategically. Anyhooo....this was on the shelf for years and I decided it was time to do some shelf-clearing and the main appeal of this book was I thought it would be a DNF so the shelf clearing would be quicker. I was wrong.
The book consists of 3 novellas based around one NO urban family and another 19th century version of same who have ended up in new bodies, with various powers and complicated lives of their own, let alone the complicated lives of their ancestors. Also there is a lot of really good sex and a fair it of overwrought romantic love as well.) There is a fascinating but not central theme around how race impacts Creole families internally, about how visible characteristics like melanin and hair texture and the width of noses or chins or bottoms lead to very different lives even for children within the same families. This is well written too. I was engaged with all the stories. It took me a long time to read only because i put it down between novellas, but I was totally invested when reading it. This surprised me in a good way.
Possess Me by R. G. Alexander Paranormal Romance- Aug. 3, 2010 4 stars
Possess Me is a romance that lovers of erotic and the paranormal will definitely enjoy! It is a 3 story anthology that starts out in New Orleans. Where a legend about a sexual voodoo spirit who grants women’s darkest fantasies and wishes comes to life!
Rosseau, a quiet handsome cafe owner, is not exactly himself. Possessed by the sexual voodoo spirit, he tried to stay from Allegra, a woman whom he has a crush on. But, the spirit has other plans...
Michelle, Allegra’s best friend, has trouble reconciling with her heritage. She not only chooses to ignore from her supernatural gifts, she also chooses to ignore Ben, her childhood friend who’s also her soul mate. But again, the spirit intervenes...
On All Saints’ Day, the spirit was granted flesh for one day. As he enjoys his one day, he meets up with a woman who could have been his love in the past life. Can they get together in the end?
Three erotic novellas in one book. Plus exotic terms and cool foreign (to me, at least) concepts of voodoo, spirits, and mediums. This could have been a recipe for disaster, but Alexander is a deft writer who easily juggled it all and presented the three novellas in a palatable, easy to digest manner. All three novellas are linked and flows easily from one to another without causing confusion. Easy to read with straightforward plots, this erotic anthology is definitely fun and entertaining.
Of course, being an erotic anthology, the sex scenes are very steamy and explicit. However, Alexander never crosses the line to “too much.” Her book is well balanced between the sexual scenes and the plot line. Other less experience writers tend to throw in sex scenes one after another without setting it up properly, thus reducing their book to a rubble of pornographic scenes. Alexander avoids this pitfall by not sacrificing plot for sex. As the spirit that holds the anthology together, Bone Daddy is vital to the plot. If he had been a cardboard character who’s a tool, this anthology would have fallen flat on its face. Thankfully, Bone Daddy’s mischievous spirit and interesting personality gave these three novellas depth, showcasing Alexander’s mastery over her work.
Even for me (someone who usually stays away from erotic novels), Possess Me is an entertaining fantasy that’s easy to read.
Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
I really enjoyed this book. At first I was kinda wondering how cheesy this would be with a character named "Bone Daddy", I mean come on , right? But yeah it wasn't cheesy at all. In fact came to enjoy Bone Daddy a lot.
There are three short stories, but it felt like one book. One story ran into the next because it was about the friends. They were in each other stories and so you found out what was happening to them even when their HEA was over. I was thrilled that Bone Daddy's story was last. I love that he had a history that we got to read about.
Who would have thought that a book about spirits and voodoo and the Lao would be so entertaining. The first short was about Allegra and Rousseau. Rousseau was possessed with the voodoo spirit Bone Daddy. Loved that Allegra wasn't described as beautiful or hot or whatever , she has flaws. As in scars all over her body from an accident. Rousseau thinks the scars make her more beautiful. They had a hot short story. Hot sex and torment male. Loved..
Michelle and Ben well they are best friends of Allegra and Rousseau. Ben has been in love with Michelle since childhood. He is the one chasing her, and she is running from her feeling for him.The Lao (BD), is there to help them out. Loved..
The last was about Bone Daddy and Bethany. Bethany is close friends with Michelle. BD and Bethany well there is more than meets the eye with this one. I was pleased too. Love back stories. BD is a naughty perv. lol Loved him! Bethany is shy and a recluse. She would rather stay home and read than be around people. I loved seeing how BD brought out her wild side.
Hot sex in each short and some action. Overall it was a pretty good book, and I look forward to the next one about the siblings from this book.
Possess Me is a book written in three parts. While the stories follow the same story arc, each short story follows a different couple and their happily-ever-afters. I absolutely loved this idea! I thought it was unique and the fact that Alexander sets it in New Orleans makes me love it that much more! Each story is so culturally rich that I wished I could head on over to experience the magic for myself!
“Release Me” The first story is Rousseau and Allegra’s story. What is so engaging about this story is the presence of the Loa spirit, Bone Daddy in Rousseau. Bone Daddy is a sexual spirit whose goal is sexual satisfaction. But even Allegra is intrigued by BD, it’s Rousseau that she wants.
As I mentioned earlier, I loved the idea of Bone Daddy, but I found it a little confusing because Rousseau and Bone Daddy are essentially the same person. It was a little hard to distinguish them from one another. But apart from that, I loved it!
“Reclaim Me” Ben Adair is also another character that I loved. From the moment he made his first appearance in Release Me, I knew I’d love his story. Michelle and Ben have both had eyes for one another for a very long time, but they kept themselves at arm’s length.
But with Michelle’s special ability to see spirits, Bone Daddy’s presence seems to be pushing her closer and closer to Ben. I’ll have to agree with BD on this one.Together, Michelle and Ben are electric and I have to say that this story was my favourite of the three.
“Redeem Me” In this last story, we get caught up on the events in Allegra and Michelle’s life, while also being introduced to one of their friends, Bethany. With her mediocre looks and shy personality, the others can’t believe that BD has set his sights on her, but with Allegra’s wedding on All Saints’ Day, the voodoo spirits can now walk the earth in the flesh.
Overall Impression: Loved the idea, loved the characters and loved the overall magical and sensual darkness that encompassed everything. And the cover is really hot!
Kept hearing about Bone Daddy on the Smutketeers Yahoo group until I had to buy the book. It's set in New Orleans and my husband and I cooked down there for a couple of years - another draw. I was thoroughly entertained by these stories, and I'm still enjoying thinking about the characters. Best line: "Bone Daddy unchained." GROWR! You want to read it now too, don't you?
Possess Me by R. G. Alexander is a compilation of three steamy stories surrounding Bone Daddy, a sexual voodoo spirit with a flair for matchmaking. It was one of the most engaging, surreal, explicit novels I’ve ever read. New Orleans is an actual entity in each tale, coming alive with each sentence and making me yearn for a piece of the Crescent City. Now, for a little on each novella…
Release Me – Allegra was a free spirit, an adventurer, until the day she took a jump and didn’t land on her feet. She’s been healing the physical and emotional scars ever since. Her old roommate, Michelle, convinces her to move to New Orleans and start over. It’s a chance to be the old Allegra, not the injured shut-in her family has made her.
Her first step in reclaiming her old self is to seduce Rousseau, owner of Café Bwe and the walking epitome of sin. The local women call him Bone Daddy and say sex with him is like a lucky charm. Not only do they have the experience of a lifetime, but good things happen to them directly after. But that’s not what attracts Allegra. She likes the Rousseau who brings her coffee when she takes her daily walk, the Rousseau who makes her feel like more than an invalid. He makes her feel like a woman again. When her friend Ben Adair guarantees her a way to get Rousseau to take the next step, Allegra jumps at the chance, even when it means stretching her sexual comfort level and digging deep into the pool of her sexual fantasies.
Reclaim Me – The Loa, or voodoo spirit, who rode Rousseau for seven years is back to help Allegra’s best friend, Michelle, and Ben Adair, the man who’s been in love with her since they were kids. They were thick as thieves when they were young, their mothers (known as the Mamas) best friends. Ben vowed to do whatever it took to help Michelle when she admitted she could talk to ghosts. The ghost of a little boy named Emmanuel, in particular, needed help uncovering the secrets of his sister, Isabel, who disappeared centuries ago. Decades later, with an ocean of emotion and confusion separating them, Ben would still do anything for his Mimi, even let the infamous Bone Daddy help him win her heart.
Redeem Me – Emmanuel and his sister are more important than anyone knew. Enter a new player, one who can shed light on Isabel’s past and what has kept Emmanuel in their plane of existence. Bethany is an introvert who prefers books to real life. She agrees to travel to New Orleans to examine a stash of Isabel’s “treasure” found in Michelle and Ben’s home. While in her room, she discovers something extra: a cache of letters to Isabel from a mysterious suitor named Marcel. Bethany finds herself experiencing a sense of déjà vu as she reads the letters. She even dreams of the handsome man who haunted Isabel’s last days. Her dreams become a reality when the man from the letters shows up for Allegra and Rousseau’s wedding.
Bone Daddy has one last chance to live. He made a bargain to save Michelle’s life, one he would gladly make again, but the payment is large. He will have one last day amongst humanity but he won’t be riding anyone this time. Bone Daddy will be alive and kickin’, in the flesh, and he plans on eating, drinking, and doing what he does best with as many women as he can fit in…until he meets Bethany. She calls to something inside of him, and all he can think about is touching her, taking her, becoming one with her.
…back to the full review. First thing’s first: Holy AA battery, Batman! Possess Me is erotic with a capital O. And so sweet and vivid! Steamy sex and true emotion? So rare. So lovely. So addictive!
Bone Daddy may be my new favorite reformed bad boy. Though I’m not so sure about the reformed part—there will always be a rake-like quality to good ole BD—he is a character you should not hesitate to meet. Preferably not at work where your co-workers ask why you’re suddenly flushed and in need of a giant glass of ice water. Not to be outdone are his cohorts in these tales of love, redemption, and freedom from inhibitions: Rousseau and his long locks and killer smile; Ben’s surfer dude appearance and quick tongue; Allegra and her self-assurance and big heart; Michelle’s amazing talent and undying loyalty; Bethany’s determination and eccentricities; and, of course, the Mamas and their work behind the scenes in every major event.
I haven’t been this enamored of a book since I began Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series. You can be assured I’ll be stocking up with R. G. Alexander’s backlist and re-reading Possess Me anytime I need a little heat to keep me warm at night.
SEXUAL CONTENT WARNING: Since I don’t often review erotic romance, I feel I should give readers a warning: this is a beautiful, heart-warming, explicit novel. There is voyeurism, exhibitionism, three-somes, M/M action, and some ghostly lovin’. Often, it’s done with the same humor that infuses each page of Possess Me, like when Ben and Allegra are baiting Rousseau in “Release Me”: “Ben shrugged lazily, his expression so relaxed Allegra had to admire his acting. ‘I believe we’re hear for a–’ He glanced at Allegra, who nodded adamantly. ‘Yes, I do believe we’re here for a threesome. Is the cafe closed for that?’ “ But sometimes, it’s just down-right dirty love-making. If that’s not your style, this book may not be for you.
Possess Me, the debut novel by RG Alexander for Berkley Heat, is every bit as sensual and captivating as its sexy cover art. Set in magical New Orleans, an erotic voodoo spirit known as Bone Daddy is consumed with making every sexual fantasy a reality.
Let me begin by saying I am an accomplished romance reader if I do say so myself. Vampires, demons, fairies, time-traveling Scottish lords…I’ve read about them all but I am sure I’ve never come across a sexy voodoo spirit before. This ability to write new, creative characters is what keeps me coming back to read RG Alexander’s work...that and the sexy storylines. I read the book a few months ago and I can still recall…with a smile on my face…an erotic scene or two or three…ok all of them. Especially the dressing room…just loved that one.
The book consists of three novellas, each telling its own story, but at the same time building on one main story. I love this format because it is like a mini-series and you don’t have to wait months for the next book to come out…just turn the page.
And you’ll want to turn the page for the men of Possess Me… Rousseau, Ben and Bone Daddy. Rousseau is tall, luscious and has the reputation of a sex god. He’s also the troubled hero type that I love to read about so much. Then there is Ben, a southern gentleman with surfer boy good looks. He’s been willing to give his body to woman over the years but his heart will always only belong to the one woman who refuses to accept it…Awww. And then there is Bone Daddy. Beautiful beyond words he is the playboy with a heart of gold. And let me add that the heroines are strong enough to handle these men too.
RG Alexander has made it easy for me to give Possess Me 5 stars. It has everything a sexy romance needs to capture a reader…An imaginative plot and heart pumping sexual chemistry between characters. I’ll be eagerly awaiting RG’s next release!!!
I started this book last night and said to my hubby, "not sure about this one...I mean Bone Daddy...really", man was I WRONG! This collection of three stories bringing together three couples was wonderful.
Release Me - The story of Allegra and Rosseau. I loved the story of Rosseau's possession by the Loa and how Allegra works hard to win Rosseau back from his possession and still finds a space in her heart for Bone Daddy.
Reclaim Me - Michelle, who can see and speak to spirits and Ben who has the gift of being able to sense what other people feel and think, have been friends for years. Michelle runs from her gift while Ben embraces his. Michelle comes back to New Orleans and invites her best friend Allegra to move in with her. This story was not my fave but I enjoyed the struggle between Ben and Michelle.
Release Me- The story of Bone Daddy. The story of how he became the Loa and how Michelles friend Bethany helps to release him from his Spirit state and make him real.
Every once in awhile I will find a new-to-me author and I will read their work and think to myself "OMG! Where have I been that I am only just now discovering them!". RG Alexander is one of those authors for me!! But I know why I wouldn't have looked before because when something says paranormal as the genre I don't usually gravitate that way... MAN have I been missing out!! I discovered her work in the 8 bk combo Midnight Ink and loved her story there! and I HAD to find out more about Bone Daddy! Posses Me was a fast based book with 3 great stories in it that were all HOT and kept me on the edge of my seat! Now onto Tempt Me - cannot wait to see what RG has in store for us this time in the Big Easy!!
I'm embarrassed to admit that this sat on my shelf unopened for um... months. That was clearly a huge mistake.
I finally cracked this open and loved RG's anthology--it's three connected stories set in New Orleans, about a few key adventures of a Loa--a voodoo spirit--known as Bone Daddy. He is a special spirit, a sexual healing spirit, if you will.
RG does a remarkable job with these stories--the characters are vivid and captivating, and the plots engrossing. And their emotional and physical connections are off the charts hot. This is definitely one for the keeper shelf, and I'm eager to read the sequel, Tempt Me.
This book was freaking fantastic. Though it is an anthology, the stories were so seamlessly woven together, it really could have been one book. I don't think I've read this type of mythology before and I love the originality. I also loved that there is a lot of multiculturalism in this book but the author doesn't get hung up on race at all, which is particularly lovely. Instead, she lets you get lost in the characters, what they feel and what they think about their lives and one another. Very well done.
i loved this book. i loved how each story in the book is connected to each other... however the reason it does not get 5 stars is because i feel the plot of the stories moves to fast... i would have loved to have little more development in part of the story outside the romance, still over all great supernatural romance read
Three erotic novellas in one book. Starts out in New Orleans. Where a legend about a sexual voodoo spirit who grants women their darkest fantasies and wishes comes to life! These three linked stories are sexy and sultry, and have a taste of New Orleans. This book and its characters are utterly charming-especially Bone Daddy.
I gave this novel a five star rating because I couldn't give it a ten star! ;-) This book was beautifully written with well developed characters and an exciting plot. Her ot
Beautiful!!! Isn't it amazing how love can conquer anything, even evil spirits. Wonderful novellas about just that, conquering evil so that love could win. Sexy, funny, witty...a must read series if there ever was one.
I can't believe I forgot to put this on one of my shelves. This is actually a series of related novella. Each on as well written and spicey as the last. I loved it.
Enjoyed this one. I like how all three stories connected together. And it made me miss home. Though, unfortunately, I've never run into any Bone Daddys there. ;)
These books make you want to head to New Orleans dabble in voodoo and find a loa for yourself! But what I love about R.G.'s stories the most is (besides all steamy parts :) it's a true romance and there's a connection you feel with the characters.
As this is a collection of three interconnected short stories, all centered around the Loa Bone Daddy, I'll review each story separately first.
"Release Me"
This is our first taste of Bone Daddy, the Loa (a voodoo spirit) and all the games he so likes to play. For all his sexuality and highly suggestive banter, he isn't such a bad sort. Wanton, mischievous and determined, but that's just the nature of the Loa (or at least this Loa of Sex). This is by far the hottest of the three stories; Bone Daddy is bound and determined to get Allegra naked and wanting, but than so is Rousseau. A lot of this story is based upon the common element of fear--for oneself, for what could happen, for what has happened. I thought Allegra, at least, was completely justify in her actions while Rousseau at times seems to paying lip service to how much he hated the arrangement with Bone Daddy.
"Reclaim Me"
Michelle, Allegra's friend from the first story and Ben, Rousseau's friend, definitely had a lot happening in "Release Me". Because of what happens in the first story I was a little hesitant about Ben in this one, but by the end I was more or less okay with things. Bone Daddy's role in here is less hands on until the end. Since Michelle can see him he hangs around her and this in turn is a good thing since she has a nasty Loa tracking her from her past. I honestly wasn't sure about what her hang up with Ben was. Misunderstanding and miscommunication is what drives a lot of this story and I'm not really a fan of either, especially when one character seems to be stubbornly clinging to the belief that the other is completely in the wrong. I liked the chemistry between Ben and Michelle, and this definitely set up more of Bone Daddy's history/uniqueness that is necessary to understand for story three.
"Redeem Me"
Bone Daddy is the main player of this tale, a tale that has a lot to do with his past and even more with his present. While his exact situation was only hinted at in the other two stories we get the whole low down here and its a bit of a heartbreaker. Despite the fact this is Bone Daddy the heat level is oddly the lowest of the three stories, but I think this is a good thing. I really cared more about the resolution to his situation than if he got his jollies.
Overall this book presented exactly what it promised. Bone Daddy was definitely my favorite character, though his drastic behavioral change from the first story to the third story kind of made me do a double take. He's little more than a sex fiend in "Release Me", by "Redeem Me" he's tamed quite a bit. As this was my first time reading R.G. Alexander I am happy to report I look forward to more of her work in the future!
Things I liked: I enjoyed this story. The voodoo elements were well-integrated and I learned a lot about the culture/religion around voodoo.
I love reading stories set in New Orleans. I want so much to go there and haven't been, and this story felt like it was really set there.
I liked the three stories, how they were connected and how the character Bone Daddy got his HEA. *happy sigh*
Things I didn't like: There are three connected stories in this book. The second story, about Michelle ended too abruptly. It went from angsty-will-they-or-won't-they to happily-ever-after way too quickly for me. I wanted to learn more about Michelle's art, how it changed, did she become successful?
Overall: a good read from R.G. I enjoy her books a lot.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book, it was a choice of a book club and not one I would usually get. I found myself engrossed in the 3 stories, the book is written as one with 3 short ones that intertwine enough to call it one book. You have to love BD. :)
Interesting take on a paranormal erotic romance. Set in New Orleans, it relies heavily on voodoo mysticism. The story is original and flows well. The conclusion ends well and makes sense. It also leaves you hungry for more stories on the other characters.