Author: Patrick Khayler
Genre: Erotica, Erotic Romance
Purchase link: http://amzn.to/2iGZIyS
My rating: 5 out of 5
Blurb: Lisa and Davis love each other as much as any two people can. With the children gone for a single evening for the first time ever, the couple’s tenth wedding anniversary already promises unbridled pleasure. A chance meeting with recent divorcee Becky leads Lisa to stumble on the opportunity of a lifetime and she realizes she’s found a priceless object both she and Davis have long desired. If she can just acquire this perfect present, a lust-filled erotic fantasy beyond imagining will provide them all with a night they’ll never forget.
Review: Marriage is often presented as something very depressing in erotic romance and erotica. At least when the novel starts with an already married couple It’s either a crumbling union of two people who can no longer communicate, a source of endless sexual frustration. The stories of the genre with a married couple usual revolve around cheating, illicit affairs, blackmail. The two partners are silent about what bothers them and what they want but are too ashamed to admit. Sometimes they survive the bad circumstances the author puts them through and come out stronger and happier, with a reconstructed relationship. In other cases, the couple falls apart and finds their physical and emotional desires with another partner.
I know a conflict is necessary to drive the plot, however, the idea that a marriage always leads to a rut and routine can be depressing. The Present, a debut novel by Patrick Khayler, had none of the above-mentioned tropes. It was a pleasant surprise and one of the most hopeful and deeply erotic books I’ve had the delight to read. The fact that the author wrote it for his wife who inspired him made The Present even more special.
The idea that two people can have a passionate and steamy connection even after years of marriage and children was exciting.
Lisa and Davis, the two protagonists of that ravishing tale of sensual awakening, have been together ever since their college days. I loved the fact that their relationship didn’t start as a love at first sight. They had to build their relationship and the intense passion that ended up consuming them was a result of their friendship and communication. First of all, they had to learn to trust and open up to each other before taking a swim in the pink ocean of their wildest erotic fantasies. It was amazing how they could be so honest with each other over things most contemporary people are embarrassed. There was no such tension and unspoken, pent up longings between them. No topic or sexual fantasy was too taboo or too uncomfortable to discuss.
That is not to say they were two irresponsible human beings going at it like rabbits while the world is falling apart around them because they are too consumed with physical lust. They had a steady family and home. Davis was a good father who valued the time with their children. Lisa was a sweet and caring mother. In many ways, they were a normal couple and the last people one would suspect of having such a hot and kinky sexual chemistry. It was great they were finding ways to satisfy their passion and not fall into the same routine and at the same time they didn’t allow the sexual urge to take control over their life.
The characters were so real, with their flaws, good sides, highs and lows I felt like these were actual human beings. Over the course of their ten years anniversary, I felt like I truly got to know them, feel their lust, their needs, fears and every emotion they went through.
Lisa was truly a ferocious minx and probably my favorite in The Present. Sometimes during their marriage games, she plays the submissive, allowing her husband to tie and tease her body. She was the real mistress of seduction in that story, always in control, even when her body was aching in desire. The way she slowly built up the innocent Becky’s slow seduction was truly a thing of beauty. Lisa was smart enough to know when to play hard and when to use sweet words and seductive imagery.
Davis was truly her match in every sense of the word. He was a good man with moral values and principles so it was really fun to read about the way his wife was teasing and alluring him. I’m not going to spoil the story for you by revealing too much but it was both endearing and incredibly hot to read about him reigning in his desires. Of course, Davis was also pleasantly dominant and once he was in charge he knew exactly how to revenge for the sweet torment.
Becky… well, a lot of women would identify with her. It was empowering to see her transformation from a depressed divorcee full of insecurities into a woman on her way to discover a new life full of unexpected possibilities. I loved her character and I really look forward to reading some of the next books she is a character of (Valentine’s Dreams and Bound By Cotton).
The pace of the story was perfect. Even if the story took place within only a day and a night it never felt rushed. Everyone was really natural in their reactions and I could see such a special anniversary really happening.
Patrick Khayler’s writing was absolutely beautiful. He has the talent to wrap even the filthiest situations in magic and seduction. There is a lot of sex in the story and yet it never feels crass or just inserted for the shock value. He uses words to craft an erotic spell and make his reader experience it all as if truly taking part in the story, feeling every touch, kiss, and every sensual pulsation. His steamy scenes were perfect and imaginative enough. I’m sure that if you choose that book you’d get inspired to try many of the situations, Lisa, Davis and Becky play with.
If I have any criticism about the writing and the story it is that at times the description of the house and places was a bit too heavy. There were some scenes at the hospital with Davis that I felt a bit unnecessary to the story but they were short enough so they didn’t distract me too much. I was also not sure if we really needed a repetition of his first time with Lisa through his point of view. Other than that, in case you haven’t figured it out, I loved the book and I can’t wait to read more of Patrick’s erotic world, fantastic writing and great characters.
If you want to read a book filled with ideas on how to spice your marriage and make your sexual life more adventurous this is your story. Five Sizzling Filthy Stars!
