Once a year, the Gods and Goddesses on Olympus invite selected mortals to participate in their wildest fantasies.  See what happens when these four talented authors put their own unique twists to this annual MASQUERADE ball….

Jude Mason opens this anthology with “Island of Fantasies”.  Syne discovers her friend Diane’s coveted invitation to the Arcadia Island Masquerade Ball and thus sneaks in with a forged invitation.  She finds herself wildly attracted to Ares, their guide to the actual Plantation House.  What secret fantasy will Syne choose for the party?

Island of Fantasies is a very clever introduction to MASQUERADE VOLUME 2. Jude Mason incorporates all of the elements of the actual invitation and the events leading up to each fantasy into her overall storyline. Syne’s attraction to the dark and delicious Ares is sinfully dangerous. Readers will appreciate the unexpected twist in the plot provided by Ms. Mason.

Pomegranate by Nikki Watson begins with Hermes stepping through Patrick’s purple walls and transporting him to the ball. Patrick’s thoughtless wish sends him careening into the Underworld where he encounters Persephone and Hades. See what transpires when myths meet the modern world in “Pomegranate”.

Pomegranate is a vastly entertaining tale although a bit darker than any of the other entries in either MASQUERADE anthology. Nikki Watson does a phenomenal job at capturing the essence of the Underworld and its various inhabitants. Pomegranate manages to be both a titillating fantasy and a cautionary tale about the dangers of mortals playing with the gods. 

Blindsided by CJ England is the heartbreakingly romantic story of Emma and the god Apollo. When Emma’s friend declines her invitation to the Arcadia Ball, Emma yearns to attend. However, Emma is blind and she is nearly turned away from the Island due to the presence of her guide dog, Delphi. Apollo intervenes- and then agrees to grant Emma’s deepest wish as part of her fantasy. But will Apollo be able to see past his own prejudices to understand Emma’s true wish?

Before reading any CJ England story, the reader should carefully prepare by having a box of Kleenex and a fire extinguisher handy! Her stories are guaranteed to make the reader cry as she captures such deep, heart wrenching moments perfectly while her sex scenes are hot enough to start fires! Emma is a truly endearing character as her blindness actually makes her stronger and is part of her whole persona. In Blindsided, Ms. England continues to work her special magic that makes her stories so well-loved by a variety of fans.

Worshipped by Michelle Houston is the sexual reawakening of Alicia, the survivor of a violent relationship.  Alicia is one of the few mortals aware of the Olympians and her trusted friend, Athena, sends her to the ball for a fantasy weekend. Alicia meets two gorgeous gods, Pothos and Himeros. Will she feel safe enough to explore the sexual adventures that await her?

Worshipped concludes the anthology with a wicked tale of sexual exploration and fantasy. Alicia is a true survivor and her courage to expand her safe little world is both touching and realistic. Michelle Houston has crafted a very spicy story that demonstrates one woman’s strength of character.

MASQUERADE VOLUME 2 is a fascinating anthology that offers a very unique perspective on what happens when mortals and gods collide. Each one of these very talented authors provides a unique twist to the storyline while leaving the reader wanting more. One can only hope that there will be future volumes in this splendid series!

Reviewed by Anne

 

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Posted October 2006