Syria's Seduction: Complete Boxed Set by Starla Cole

The Basics:
Syria's Seduction: The Complete Boxed Set by Starla Cole
Rev It Up Press
Erotica
Published October 14, 2013

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

Syria is a shy Oklahoma girl whose explosive meeting with a boudoir photographer becomes a seduction that will open her eyes to both the beauty within her and an art form that will become her new passion. 

In this series, her work in her boudoir studio brings a host of fun and intriguing clients: 

--A sexy Santa Claus who turns out to be a stripper 
--A contortionist who performs in pirate-themed sex shows 
--A Japanese Bondage expert who invites Syria to participate in a demonstration 
--A billionaire who offers Syria a position as his personal escort and exhibitionist for half a million dollars 

Even as Syria experiences new lifestyles and partners, she works to maintain her on again, off again relationship with her Santa stripper, who despite his distance and his occupation, has begun to steal her heart.

What worked for me:

This set of five novellas works better together as a package than I suspect they did on their own. Syria's story really needs to be told as a whole to be satisfying, I think.

Fortunately, there's a lot here that is satisfying. There is no mistaking this set as anything other than erotica. There's not enough meat for it to be anything else - one titillating encounter after another. Yes, there's a bit of a love story running through each novella but it's so based on sex that I wouldn't call it romance at all. Not that this is a bad thing - just something to be aware of!

My favourite element is definitely the photography. It's extremely sensual throughout and used to decent effect as reminders of Syria's past encounters. The lighting detail is particularly exquisite, and the contrast between the almost loving boudoir shots and the images of sexual excess is quite erotic in and of itself.

What didn't work for me:

The first novella describes Syria's launch into her photography career and there's *such* a huge leap between this prologue-type tale and the four following episodes that I found it quite disjointed. There's also a strong attraction between Syria and Anthony that I expected his return later on - something that never happens.

Also, the final scene with Erik in the last novella, with an artificial lowering of Syria's inhibitions was rather off-putting for me. She's come so far in terms of sexual experience and remains so conscious of her limits in a way that I really respected up until that point. It was an unfortunate near-end to the story, I thought.

Bottom line:

A solid collection of erotic tales. Fluff, but fun fluff. Get the whole set to avoid disappointment.

3.5 stars
For fans of pure erotica, exhibitionism, bondage