The book I have to share with you this time might help you warm things up, if you're in an area that spring doesn't appear to have started early. Eros Island (Aphrodisia) has stories from Lucinda Betts, Dawn Thompson, and Devyn Quinn, all designed to whet your appetite for sexy tales. Betts's "Centaur Heart" has Princess Akantha determined to have Lycurgus as her champion in the annual Mother Rite on the island of Crete, but the centaur Chiron wants to change her mind, not just for himself, but to save their island, and even the Earth Mother will help him seduce her despite her dislike of centaurs. This one's told in first person, so is far from my favorite, I'm afraid, plus I couldn't quite buy Akantha's about-face.

"The Dream Well" by Thompson returns to her apparent fascination with mythical water creatures, this time with the goddess Analee emerging from a well to save Gar Trivelyan and to make him her own. But Gar would rather have a beautiful selkie called Anya, he just has to escape this lusty goddess who controls his fate and Anya's. I did a lot of skimming in this one; it just didn't reel me in the way I'd hoped.

And Quinn's "Thunderstruck" has sculptor Danicia Ryan working on a marble piece of Herakles, a studly piece of manhood if there ever was one. And when he comes to life during a storm, Danicia and Herakles make the most of their short time together. Or can they have more? This one was my favorite of the trio, sexy and with a heroine I found more believable and interesting than the previous two, though I could have done without the interlude with the twins. But whatever floats your boat.

Despite my enjoyment of the third story, this collection is not a keeper for me. It's earned only two and a half of Cupid's five arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!