Kari@ From the TBR Pile

The Pleasure Garden contains three novellas, each taking place in the same garden, but in a different time.

Sacred Vows is Cara's and Edmund's tale. It takes place during a time when their relationship was forbidden due to the laws in England at the time. I likes this tale the least of the three. I had a hard time believing that Cara could be so caught up in the 'magic' of the garden that she would give up her virginity so easily to a man she met minutes before then be instantly in love with him. I thought Edmund was a wimp for not sticking around despite the laws.

I thought Perfumed Pleasures, Catherine and Joscelyn's tale, was better. He is a fallen war hero who has been wounded and severely scarred. Catherine has always loved him, but is forced to become engaged to his cousin because of family obligation. While I did think that Catherine was a bit weak when it came to standing up to her family, I loved how she was able to see through Joscelyn's scars and see the man he used to be. I liked their HEA.

Rites of Passion, Emmaline and Jack's tale, is the strongest of the three. Both have seen the horrors of war and have deep emotional scars. Their love for one another allows them to heal and find happiness. Their HEA was very sweet.

Overall, it was a good anthology. The loves scenes were well done and very sensual. All three authors can definitely write a love scene. I liked the Green Man theme that ran throughout the book. Was the curse of the Green Man broken? Read the book to find out!