Review: Full of Passion & Love
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2014
The Diplomat’s DaughterIn 1960’s Istanbul, Vivian Kincaid has just returned to the land where she grew up as the daughter of a busy US diplomat. She reconnects with childhood friend Levent Deniz, the boy who she used to adore wreaking havoc with throughout the Turkish streets. Upon seeing one another after fourteen years, both know they are meant to be together, but Vivian’s father has promised her to another man and refuses to see the successful and powerful Levent as anything other than a servant’s son. Vivian and Levent must decide whether their love is powerful enough to withstand her father’s disapproval.Turkish DelightsElle Kensington can’t help but feel like a cougar around the sexy and charismatic Emre Deniz, he is, after all, fifteen years younger than her own 40 years. Emre couldn’t care less about Elle’s age. He knew the moment he laid eyes on the powerful woman that she would be his forever. With the help of Elle’s personal assistant Caleb, Emre sets Elle up with Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand dating service, planning to surprise her with himself and make her realize just how good they can be together.Blue CruiseCaleb Blessing and Tarkan Deniz have been lovers for six years, even holding an informal marriage ceremony on their last vacation together, a Turkish blue cruise. During his final days in the Turkish military, Tarkan’s group is attacked and slaughtered by terrorists, leaving Caleb alone in California and devastated by the loss of the only man he’s ever loved. After two years of barely living, his boss and best friend Elle insists that Caleb sign up for Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand dating service, which takes him back to Turkey and onto the very same blue cruise once again. This time however, it’s Adem Broussard whom he meets and connects with, sharing something powerful that Caleb never thought he’d find again.Tulip PrincessLale Deniz is stuck. Unable to leave Turkey against her parents’ wishes, she tumbles headfirst into self-destruct mode, with drinking, drugs and sex with strangers high on her “F YOU” list of priorities. When tragedy strikes her brother Emre and his wife Elle in the states, Lale is the one chosen to go over and help their family with their struggles. Former NFL player Andreas Michos is in a self-imposed celibacy following his divorce. He misses the D/s lifestyle, but doesn’t trust himself enough to pick the right sub again. He takes his sister’s advice and signs up for Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand dating service at the same time Elle serendipitously signs up Lale. When the two meet, Lale struggles against Andreas’ obvious dominance, vowing that she’ll never let a man boss her around. But Andreas knows exactly what Lale needs, and he also knows that this fiery exotic woman is his destiny.Flower Passage - Tarkan's ReturnAfter two years of being presumed dead, Tarkan is finally able to escape the captivity of terrorists and return to the land of the living. Thoughts of Caleb have haunted him during his captivity. The Deniz family is heartbroken over the announcement that the matriarch Levent is dying and stunned and furious that Lale is engaged to a Greek giant so the announcement that Tarkan has been alive and held prisoner for all this time has them all on their knees. But now that they know he’s been alive and escaped their prison, leaving all terrorists dead, he's still missing. As they all try to cope with the insane direction their lives have taken, Tarkan fights to make his way back to Istanbul, to Caleb. And Caleb fights his fear of reuniting with the love of his life that he lost and the love of his life he still has.I tend to shy away from books about drastically different cultures since I sometimes find it tough to relate to the characters, however in this amazing Turkish Delights Anthology, I was captivated from page one.  In true Liz Crowe style, it was fascinating reading about this powerful and loyal Turkish-American dynasty that had to deal with generations of love, loss, healing, grief, heartbreak, lust and so much more. This anthology works so well together because each of the stories focus on a member of the Deniz family, and the tale of the parents Vivian and Levant in The Diplomat’s Daughter was a very unique and delightful way to be introduced to this family. The characters are all so potent and realistic that they could be my own friends, lovers or family, and I relished in the opportunity to learn about their lives and the people and situations they encounter along the way. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of happy with any of these stories though, it’s always important to emotionally brace yourself for some crazy ups and downs when reading a book by Ms. Crowe! The sex in each of the stories was passionate and tastefully done and had an almost magical quality about it, but I definitely could’ve used a bit more heat here and there. Additionally, I felt like the overall story ended so abruptly and truly could’ve used a little more of a wrap up at the end.  That said, for fans of realistic fiction and the magic of love at first sight, you’ll enjoy the Turkish Delights Anthology as much as I did.Original review for JERR at [...]