Paranormal/Futuristic
Crave
By Sarah W
Jul 5, 2008 - 5:06:05 PM

Beth Cordova is a princess on the run from her evil stepmother. For ten years she has lived in hiding amongst a group known as the Penitents. Day by day, she performs hard work, chores, and other womanly duties as one of the “Goodmaids.” Life seems ideal. Free from the frivolities and extravagances of the regular world, Beth lives a calm life. Unfortunately, lately she seems to be craving something new. She cannot seem to get lustful urges out of her system and laying eyes on one man in particular makes those urges even stronger.

Stephen Trent is going undercover in the Penitents to see if he can find a story. It is more of a punishment assignment for this hotshot reporter, but he figures he will find an angle and be out of the commune quickly. His plans change however when he lays eyes on Beth. Suddenly, leaving the Penitents does not seem like such a great idea. Beth and Stephen are drawn to each other and soon one kiss leads into another, and into something even more intimate, something even more forbidden amongst the Penitents. Beth is a pure, chaste virgin but with Stephen for guidance, she is reveling in their intimacy. However, joy and pleasure do not come without a price. Beth is in hiding for a reason and as she is about to realize, the commune is not quite as safe, or forgiving, as it seems to be on first glance.

Cathy Yardley has a definite winner with CRAVE! The seduction of Snow White has never been more passionate or intense. Stephen makes a fantastic “prince.” He wants to rescue Beth but also recognizes that Beth needs to do some saving of her own. Beth is not helpless though and as the danger mounts, she makes the best choices possible under the circumstances. She is not stupid. Beth knows the time to bury her head in the sand is long past. Stephen’s arrival at the commune represents an awakening for Beth. They share an intense relationship from the get-go. Cathy Yardley knows how to write incredibly powerful love scenes. Even as Beth yearns for a man’s touch, she still seems pure and noble throughout the story. The commune is definitely not as idyllic as it first appears and readers are in for some tense moments as Beth and Stephen come to truly understand what the Penitents are all about. CRAVE is pure temptation from the very first page until its climactic ending.

Pardon the cliché, but CRAVE has me craving more of Cathy Yardley’s fairy tale stories. I hope there are other fairy tales in the works.