Book Review: Deceptive Attraction by Tara Lain

Title: Deceptive Attraction
Series: Genetic Attraction, #3
Author: Tara Lain
Genre: Erotic Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy from author
Published: November 2011 by Loose ID

Caleb Martin faces a life crisis -- and he’s pretty embarrassed about it. A talented soccer star, he has the chance to sign a lucrative five year contract and be rich and famous. Two problems -- Cal is gay and signing the contract means he has to stay in the closet, maybe for life. Plus, he’ll have to spend his years diving for soccer balls when he’d like to be helping people like the rest of his family. A one-night stand with a beautiful man rocks Cal, but the guy vanishes only to reappear where Cal is house-sitting. Too much coincidence? And then a cute tomboy throws Cal’s life choices into confusion. How could he wind up with a commitmentphobe and a woman dedicated to her work in Africa? Oh yeah, and then there’s a big surprise in a snowstorm. Cosmic joker strikes again.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Wowsa is this an erotic MMF ménage story! The leads are likable and the family setting makes me want to read the previous books in the series. The plot was charming enough to make up for its predictability.

The Set Up: Caleb is at a crossroads in his life: sign a five year soccer contract and live in the closet or figure out what to do differently with his life. Cal is going to figure this out while house-siting for his brother who is on vacation with his two lovers. But Cal has unexpected visitors to complicate his decision making. First is Angel, a tomboy midwife who’s visiting from Africa and Eli, Cal’s mysterious one-night stand who has been hired as the master carpenter. These three have an explosive attraction but Eli has a secret that could destroy the threesome.

Why I Read this Book: This book has great reviews on Goodreads and is on many “best of MMF ménage” lists.

What I Liked: Wow can this author write erotica! I’m not a shy reader but I flushed a few times at the descriptive sex scenes between the tomboy and her two gay men. Interestingly, I’ve never read a straight-for-you story but that’s exactly what this book is. Cal especially isn’t normally attracted to women but Angel just does it for him. Angel’s acceptance of this, along with Eli’s eroticism, makes for a sexually intimate novel that MMF ménage fans will gobble up.

What I Also Liked: Cal meets Angel and reunites with Eli at his brother’s house. His brother, Jake, is partnered with Roan and Em in a MMF ménage and I almost liked their relationship better than the lead threesome. They have a delightful dynamic and I’m going to go back and read their story since they were so yummy in this one.

What I Didn’t Like: I loathed Cal and Eli’s nickname for Angel: critter. WTF? Critter? Like’s she’s a rodent or something? I suppose this is a play on the British endearment “pet” but critter isn’t cutesy to me; it was demeaning.

I should also mention that I could see the plot conclusion coming from the initial set up. The resolution to Cal’s soccer contract isn’t going to surprise anyone but it was done charmingly. I’d make the argument that this is romance so of course it’s all going to have a HEA.

IMO: This is a super erotic MMF ménage romance that anyone loving the genre will enjoy as I did.

J9’s Rating: