INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS by Sierra Michaels

INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS

Author: Sierra Michaels

Source: Author Submission

* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Black Rose Writing (March 4, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935605151
• ISBN-13: 978-1935605157

SYNOPSIS:

Cali is a graduate student paying her way through school giving sensual massage to strange men at an apartment with several other girls, where she leads a double life and internally struggles with the job she has chosen, the friendships she has made, and the lies she must tell. At the university Cali is a star student trying to finish her master's thesis on California archaeology. What the other students and professors must not know is that by night she makes money by giving happy endings to strangers. At first, she truly enjoys working at the apartment, since it brings out the sensual side she lacks as a student. She forms a close friendship with two of the girls and a few of her regular customers, but struggles with the fact that she is doing something illegal, dangerous, and looked down upon in American society. Intimate Encounters is a humorus and occasionally serious account of the inner workings of the sensual massage business and the unique and sometimes pathological characters who work at and visit the apartment, as well as Cali's life and struggles as a graduate student in doubt about her chosen field and her future. 

MY THOUGHTS:

After reading the blurb about the book, I knew this was going to be an erotic read.  Even though the blurb states a humorous feel in it, I didn't see a lot of humor. I did however, read some happy endings to some strangers.

Within the first chapter we get to understand what Cali does for a side job.  What she does is illegal, but she needs the money to make it through graduate school on her own.  I admit, I blushed in that first chapter.  Just the thought of what she was doing to complete strangers seemed so wrong, but Cali didn't think about that while doing her job.  As you read more into the book though, it seems to repeat again and again.  The book seemed to progress slowly and dragged at a slow pace.  I kept waiting for something big to happen and it didn't.  Then the bust happens. The chapter when the apartment gets busted was, in my opinion, the turn around for Cali. Yet the author missed the opportunity at this point in the book to keep the reader hooked.  The bust played out behind the scenes of the main character and we didn't get to see the drama that it entailed. It would have given so much more substance to the book. 

The ending was abrupt as well. When you finally get to the end of the book, Cali realizes what she wants in life. It was wrapped up within in a few pages and left the reader with a let down of a climatic ending. I do believe the author has great potential with a wonderful plot.  I just wish it had more speed to the story with a little more substance. 

MY RATING:

 
  If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it! 2 STARS