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A darkly seductive and passionate tale of secret societies, elaborate rites and sexual experimentation, in the tradition of the captivating classic Story of O and Kubrick’s film Eyes Wide Shut.
Shy American student Alexandra Beckmann—‘X’ to her friends—arrives in Naples desperate for adventures beyond the sheltered life she has led. She is there to study the Camorra, an infamous Italian crime organization. But in the sun-soaked, ancient city streets, her research leads her to a man like no one else she has ever met.
Irresistibly handsome, Lord Marcus Roscarrick is an Italian aristocrat with a mysterious past. Yet, underneath his refined exterior, X senses a man who is well-acquainted with danger.
Soon they begin a passionate affair, and X is drawn into Roscarrick’s world—a world she never dreamed existed. But as she falls ever more deeply under Roscarrick’s spell, X must decide whether she dares to submit entirely to this shadowy realm of dark desire.
Anonymous
Posted Sat Apr 06 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I liked the story and the erotica, but I felt the story moved to quickly. The end was a very good idea, again, it was just to short, felt very hurried through. I had to read the story slower to make it last longer.
I really hope to find more works from this author.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Reviewed by Guest Reviewer/Jennifer & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog
“It’s one of the most unique romances I’ve read in a long time.” ~Under the Covers
Alexandra Beckmann, also known as X, is an American graduate student working on her thesis in Naples, Italy. She’s there to study the Camorra, an Italian crime organization, but also wants to take in the gritty nature of Naples, one of the most un-touristy cities in Italy. She and her Brit friend, Jessica, spy a man while having drinks in a café. He is the infamous billionaire, Lord Marcus Roscarrick, a beautiful, seductive member of the Neapolitan aristocracy. He is immediately drawn to X, and they begin a passionate affair. X is no innocent, but she’s far from experienced in the realm of sexual pleasure. Marc vows to introduce her to pleasure beyond what she has ever known; to be his lover, she must enter his mysterious world, a exclusive realm of sexual ritual that has its origins in antiquity. Her indoctrination is not without danger, as Marc has a mysterious past of his own.
I had no idea what to really expect going into The Story of X. With the explosion of “billionaire BDSM dabbler meets innocent college girl” plots lately, I guess I assumed that this would be another variation on the popular theme. And it was, but I was really surprised with this one! A.J. Molloy writes in first person, which happens to be a favorite perspective of mine, so kudos for that. I don’t care if it’s the stamp of teen fiction, I love it! It’s angsty and real and draws me in. She also has a stream of consciousness style, which makes for some interestingly long and wordy sentences, but I found that they worked and propelled the action in the story once I realized that this was purposeful . X is naïve, but likeable. She has some moments that could be classified as TSTL, but it didn’t impact my enjoyment of the story. I’ll give her a pass for being young and in a foreign country. Marc is quite a beautiful, tortured man. He could have been too aristocratic and therefore, cold. But I found him, warm and sensual and very adept at pleasing X. He’s a giver and he loves her. One of the strengths in the story is the characterization of southern Italy. Molloy’s descriptiveness is rich and detailed, but not sugar-coated. She clearly knows the region well and I could vividly picture her scenes in my head, from Pompeii to Calabria. They’re sensual and languid, with a criminal element lurking underneath. If you’re offended by the movie Eyes Wide Shut, ritualistic sex, or discussions about organized crime, then you may want to pass. I, however, felt extremely sucked into the unpredictability of the whole story. I had to know about X’s next task to endure and about Marc’s hidden past. There are some unique twists and by the ending, my heart was in my throat. For full enjoyment, suspend your disbelief a bit, or you may be scratching your head at how it all comes together, but I don’t regret it at all. It’s one of the most unique romances I’ve read in a long time.
*Review copy provided by publisher
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
At first I was dissapointed when I saw the page amount, but honestly it felt longer than I expected (in a good way). The best part I think about this book is that though there is erotica, and it's good erotica, there was was a real story there and I can tell that the author did their research! I liked the characters, though I had some issues with Jessica. This story had sex, romance, history, and adventure. I will agree with the other reviewers and say the ending was sort of abrupt. If you liked Gabriels's Rapture/Inferno and any Sylvia Day, you will love this story!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KS48
Posted Thu Apr 18 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I loved this story. However, I wish there was a little more at the end. I would like to have known what happened to X and Marc after they were released. I would highly recommend this book. Could not put it down.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
A darkly seductive and passionate tale of secret societies, elaborate rites and sexual experimentation, in the tradition of the captivating classic Story of O and Kubrick’s film Eyes Wide Shut.
Shy American student Alexandra Beckmann—‘X’ to her friends—arrives in Naples desperate for adventures beyond the sheltered life she has led. She is there to study the Camorra, an infamous Italian crime organization. But in the sun-soaked, ancient city ...