A Little Naughty Fun in a Nice Holiday Package: "Ribbon of Darkness", by Summer Ross

I'm learning all sorts of fun things as part of the Breathless Press erotic authors! For example, this week I learned that even Santa's elves can have a truly sexy side, and deliciously naughty stories to tell.

Now, to me, very little about "Santa's elves" could ever seem sexy.  I'll be honest, I still believe in Santa, but when it comes to his elves I can't get past the memory of lovable Hermie from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  And nothing about Hermie or his elf friends comes across to me as potentially erotic.

And nothing about this kind of "elf" does it for me, either.

When it comes to cross-genre involving passionate erotic romance and lovable St. Nick's helpers, I have never found a compatible pairing.  Decadent Kane, author of Ribbon of Darkness, seems to have discovered the happy medium finally, however, in her short but sweet holiday treat, the romancing of Ribbon Winters, rogue elf.

Ribbon hardly has time to digest the fact that her ears have become the pointed ears of a holiday elf, before the chase is on and she finds herself hiding from a North Pole spy determined to drag her back to the Christmas workshop her parents left years ago.  If that isn't bad enough, the spy just happens to be gorgeous: the kind of guy that won't leave your naughtiest dreams no matter how hard you beg.

This is the premise for Ribbon of Darkness.  I'll admit, I was skeptical about an attempt to make the Santa Claus elves into a compelling (and sexy) story.  Kane's story, though, took an approach that made the tale downright fun: it's got a healthy dose of holiday humor running throughout, turning this short novella into a friendly, funny, heartwarming holiday read, that truly has fun with the idea of elves, and Santa, and frisky holiday tradition.  Throughout the book characters who find themselves frustrated or angry will swear "Sweet silver bells!" and "Deck the freaking halls!"  Atonement for naughty behavior among the elves might consist of mucking out the reindeer stables.  There's a mysterious tradition involving a strange, nameless powder sprinkled atop a fresh mug of egg nog, too...

I think that, for a story that looks at the sexy side of Christmas Elves, Ribbon of Darkness took the right approach.  The book is funny, just a touch silly in all the right ways, but it is also very endearing and, when it comes to knocking those pointy little elf boots, it definitely measures up.  One of my favorite things about the book is that it includes a solo-masturbation scene, which is something I always like to see getting more of a spotlight.  (I think solo scenes get too little attention, but maybe that's just me.)

Other great things about this book are that it's fun, it's sexy-cute, and it's one you can read through on a nice Winter afternoon, with a steaming mug of peppermint hot chocolate or maybe egg nog by your side.  It will make you smile and it will make you swoon, and it will leave you with a warm holiday feeling (after a few other warm feelings, that is).

Check out Ribbon of Darkness, coming this Friday from Breathless Press.  Also check out our neighbor Decadent Kane, the author of this delightful little romp.  And then, of course, have a very happy holiday.