Virgin Dancer

BLURB
Was she dancing too close to the fire when she chose him for her first night of passion? Jade, a small town girl who has recently moved to New York to become a professsional ballet dancer, is wildly determined to lose her virginity. She goes to a Lower East Side club and celebrates her birthday with friends - fully intending to choose the most handsome, charismatic man she'll meet there to introduce her to the art of love that night. Instantly she falls for the blonde, tall Swedish sex god who owns the club, pretending to be a pole dancer who wants to apply for a job. But Alrik has secrets of his own, and soon Jade gets entangled in a web of danger, mystery and relentless passion ...

REVIEW
Deborah Court’s newest release, Virgin Dancer is not what I expected. I thought I’d get a quick erotic romance about a girl wanting to lose her virginity. But this novella is packed with suspense and danger; making it stand apart from other romance novellas. Virgin Dancer has a compelling plot (human trafficking pulls my strings every time) and enough eroticism to feel indulgent. I could feel the emotions and hear the characters as if I were experiencing the words instead of simply reading them.

Heroine Jade Cameron is a beautiful dancer who happens to be a virgin (and she’s not terribly young as I had feared – no worries). She sets out clubbing with some girlfriends to find a one-night stand for her first sexual encounter. But what she finds is deliciously sexy club-owner Alrik Larsson who seems to be interested in her for more than sex. Built like his Viking ancestors, the Swedish Alrik is portrayed as a powerfully large man with secrets but everything in Jade tells her she can trust him.

Don’t worry. Jade is no shrinking violet, despite her virgin status. Her character, along with the others, is multi-dimensional with different facets that endear her to us. When her autistic brother Caleb is introduced into the story (another great addition), her tenderness towards him is beautiful. And when he’s threatened, her protective instincts kick into high gear. Jade holds her own even as Alrik’s world closes in on her.

Quickly trouble abounds as Alrik’s true profession pulls Jade into peril. With dangerous criminals, human trafficking and blackmail comes high stakes for this couple.  The plot is subtly complex – yet plausible – while maintaining a focus on the developing relationship between the hero and heroine as it should be in a romance.  Moments of finger biting are rewarded by the HEA.

The plot is tight, the storyline quickly moving and the romance real. With a hot alpha male and a strong heroine, this novella is near perfect for me. The vivid imagery (read the excerpt included in this post and you’ll see what I mean) had me hooked, wishing I could step into Jade’s place for just one scene. Go ahead – Indulge for an afternoon and read Virgin Dancer.

EXCERPT
"So beautiful," he said, and his deep, rich voice sent shivers down her spine. "I wonder if I should take advantage of this situation. After all, you're just a girl who wanted to find herself a lover tonight." He laughed to himself as he bowed down to her, moving his body over hers. Resting his weight on his elbows, his skin was just inches away from Jade's, nearly covering her. She only needed to arch her back, and her breasts would graze his skin.
Holding her captive with his pale, clear eyes, he stared down at her. "You can't even imagine how much I'd like to take you now." When she gasped, he continued. "Look at you. You want it, too, don't you, Jade? This is what you came here for."
Desperate with want, she closed her eyes, unable to speak a word. Suddenly, she felt his breath on the sensitive side of her neck, and she involuntarily tilted her head to the side to give him better access. Then, his lips were on her, leaving a searing mark on her skin. She moaned when she felt his tongue, barely touching as if he only wanted to taste her. A soft moan escaped her when he covered her neck with moreof his sinful kisses, alternating with gentle bites that made her finally give up, yielding to his seduction.
The knowledge of being bound and helpless excited her more than she would have expected, and she turned her head to look into his eyes, ready to beg him if he wanted it. She found that the expression of his eyes wasn't cold anymore, but seemed to burn with a fire that threatened to destroy her.
"Beware, little virgin," he said. "I might be too much for you."

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries 
(and I bet Alrik will have a good idea how to use them!)

This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.