"Love can overcome any prejudice"

Hot Earth by Vonna Harper

Mexican Calina Rambo does not trust gringos. Her father died accidentally while working in a fruit orchard owned by a man who she feels mistreated her people. She believes this mistreatment is the reason her father had the accident that contributed to his death. So what happens--she finds herself attracted to Sayer--a gringo. It takes a lot for Calina to get beyond her prejudice--not to mention the hot sex--and see Sayer for who he is.

Mostly Sunny With a Chance for Belgian Chocolate by Elizabeth Jewell

Journalist Alexa Walker finds herself attracted to a voice she hears on the radio. She imagines the man behind the voice to be unattractive but when she meets him during an interview she is instantly struck by how wrong her assumption was and how very hot he is. Carter Allen is a weather reporter with a sexy voice and skin the color of milk chocolate. He is of African descent and was raised in a multicultural family. He has a Caucasian mother, father and brother, a Chinese sister, and Hawaiian sister-in-law. No prejudice here right? Wrong! Alexia is eight years older than Carter and their relationship begins pretty much like a one-night-stand. When Carter's overprotective mother finds out about the age difference she tries to intervene. How will Alexa and Carter ever work it out?

Xavier by Stephanie Burke

When Xavier discovers college student Alena about to be gang-raped, he intervenes and rescues her. While he didn't expect her undying devotion, he also didn't expect to have her suspicions and smart-assed comments directed toward him. He's rescued a woman with an attitude and stereotypical opinions, and she's oh-so-willing to share them with him. Then Xavier offers to pay her if she will pose for a portrait painting. When Alena agrees they get to know each other and both of their prejudices are exposed and disposed by love.

This is a great collection of short stories by a group of talented authors. I really liked the theme about how love can heal all wounds, no matter the race of the individuals involved. Each author has described prejudices between different ethnic groups but in the end love ruled in the same way. I'd like to see more story collections like this featuring different races and ethnic groups.

Rated: s-ensuous & e-rotic.

Reviewed by Angela Black for Sensual Romance.

Reviewed by Sensual Romance
Courtesy Sensual Romance Reviews
Posted April 1, 2004

Summary

Hot Earth by Vonna Harper
You can't always go back home. Calina Rambo knows this, but circumstances force her to return to the southern Oregon orchard where her Mexican migrant family had lived. Settling up her mother's estate was hard enough, but facing orchard owner Sayer Woods was even harder. The sexual heat between them is more than Calina can endure.

But will secrets of the past come between them and the love they find in each other's arms? Do they have the strength to break the racial barriers between Mexican and Gringo? Maybe you can go home again, if the love is hot enough to set the earth on fire.

Mostly Sunny With A Chance Of Belgian Chocolate By Elizabeth Jewell
Radio meteorologist Carter Allen has a voice that makes women's toes curl, so when journalist Alexa Walker goes to interview him, she's surprised to discover he has a body— and personality—to match. In fact, he's an African- American, Belgian-chocolate-colored hunk of yummy goodness. Interview leads to lunch which leads to dinner which leads to mostly drunken sex in his apartment—and suddenly Lex finds herself caught in what's starting to look suspiciously like the beginning of a relationship. But will Carter's mother ever get over the fact that Lex is an older woman?

Xavier By Stephanie Burke
Life is all about choices, right? So why do all their choices seem to end with confusion? Alena only wants to finish her college career and live life her way. Xavier wants a fresh start at a life unjustly stolen from him. When they first meet, sparks fly, passion ignites, and the choices suddenly become much clearer. But with the machinations of a best friend, a prejudice that can't be ignored, and a pain of betrayal surrounding them, will Xavier and Alena's passion burn hotter, or explode into emotional despair?

Sexual Content: 2 S-ensual / 1 E-rotic. Genre: Contemporary.