"high in sensuality, but no HEA"
Meet Annie Miller -- a 40-something widowed mother of five
kids. After her husband's sudden death in a freak
accident, Annie finds that they weren't quite as prepared
financially as she once thought. For two years since his
death Annie has devoted her life to her kids and has done
nothing for herself. Then Annie learns that she's the
grand prize winner of a contest in which her sister entered
her. An 8 day, 7 night stay at the ultra-posh new spa run
by the Channel Corporation, a private company that caters
to women's fantasies. Lizzie arranges for Annie's three
oldest girls to go away to summer camp, takes her oldest
son to Italy and the youngest goes off to Disney World with
friends; Annie is free to enjoy her week's stay. Channel is a network that helps women live out their
fantasies. And while Annie can't quite say how it works,
she can't argue that it does. Annie begins to explore a
side of her sexuality that she never realized existed. She
also begins to feel attracted to her younger P.A., Devyn,
which she can't help but feel guilty about. After Annie's
stay, she is surprisingly offered a job with Channel as the
new gift shop manager. Ecstatic and a bit scared of
working after all these years, Annie eagerly takes the
job. It would be nice for her to have the extra income to
give the kids more and not feel guilty about hand-outs from
her sister and family. Annie soon finds herself being
given more and more responsibility and moving up the
corporate ladder. And even if she is working more
days and longer hours and missing out on the kids
activities, she's ultimately doing all this for them.
Isn't she? This is the first book that I have read of Ms. Small's and
while it was very hot, I need to point out that it was NOT
a romance. I was a bit disappointed in finding that out
because I was under the impression that it was a romance
and was, therefore, expecting an HEA that never came. This
story follows Annie's journey from your average stay-at-
home-mom to a successful, upper-management corporate
employee and the sexual freedom she discovers along the
way. There is a very slight paranormal twist to the story
with the way the Channel works and who is ultimately
running the show. Readers should be warned that the story
contains: BDSM & ménage scenes. And while it was
gratifying to see Annie succeed in something she didn't
think she could do, it was also a bit disturbing to see how
easily she loses track of the things that she claims are
most important in her life -- her children and family. All
in all, the book rates high in sensuality and was an okay
read, but nothing that I personally feel needs to stay on
my keeper shelf.
Reviewed by Mippy Carlson
Posted November 29, 2008
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New York Times bestselling author Bertrice Small explores the deepest recesses of the imagination where one woman's sexual fantasies lie in wait... Widowed with five children, stay at home mom Annie Miller has been just getting by—and growing restless because of it. Thinking Annie just needs a vacation, her sister enters her into a contest sponsored by The Channel, a network that caters to delivering women's fantasies. Annie wins the grand prize, a week at a luxurious spa—and gets a treat when she turns on the flat-screen TV. The one working channel lets Annie program—and experience—her own personal fantasy each night. Suddenly she's living out dreams she didn't even know she had. But now that she's experienced a complete sexual awakening, how will everyone in her former life handle this humble homemaker turned vivacious vixen?
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