SEDUCTION BY CHOCOLATE N. Bangs, L. Cach, T. Devine, P. Neri Leisure Books January 2000 ISBN# 0843946679 {Click here to buy this book} In an industry full of anthologies, so few stand out as shining examples of excellence. The last anthology that I read that had

This book begins with incredible storyteller Nina Bangs and "Sweet Sin", which is the story of chef friends who own a catering company called Moveable Feasts. They've just received an order from a woman's club for a life size, chocolate, naked man! Much to Ann Harkins' dismay, she'll have to hire a live model because her partner, Matt Davis, refuses the task even though he was the one who took on the project for the company. As Ann is the artist she's forced into job, but she figures if Matt has volunteered her for the job then he can pull his weight and model for her. It's those long, hot nights and a naked man that gets her chocolate melting!

"Eliza's Gateau" by Lisa Cach serves up the next helping of this delectable treat. Eliza is on a trip of Europe with a friend who suddenly abandons her to return home to her boyfriend. Choosing to continue alone, Eliza finds herself on a train heading for Belgium. It's a ballotin (box) of chocolates that she finds on a seat that gets her into trouble. Suddenly, hungry beyond belief, she eats most of the box before the owner, Sabastian (aka James Bond in Eliza's mind), returns from a trip to the café car to see that his expensive box of confections has been decimated. They have "words" about her indiscretion before going their separate ways, but when Eliza finds herself in his families chocolate shop in Bruges buying chocolate lips she couldn't be any more embarrassed, and he obviously couldn't be any more taken with her.

"Meltdown" is what readers will do when they read this story by Thea Devine. Events planner Donna Cavalero believes that chocolate is much better than sex, especially with her memories of her ex still lingering too close to the surface. But when Matt Greer strides into her office her whole world is about to turn upside down. And her heart is headed for meltdown!

Finally, "Seducting Sidney" by Penelopi Neri completes this collection of stories. Sydnee Frost is a student pursuing a Phd in ag-engineering, with a specialty in tropicals. When Carl Lindermann, her older scholarly professor, asks Sydnee to go to his close friends Costa Rican cocoa plantation to help prevent a disease that's threatening his crops Sydnee thinks it will be a great experience but will be home in no time. The elderly plantation owner, Cord Westridge, isn't at all what she expected though. It was embarrassing enough to have acted like a fool, drunk on her flight to Costa Rica and sitting beside the most attractive man she'd ever met. But when she discovers that Cord Westridge is the very same man from the plane, her mortification is almost too much to bear. When Cord heard from Carl that he was sending someone named Syd to help with his harvest he was expecting one of his friends students, a * male* student! When he takes one look at a very female Sydnee it's all he can to do not to melt the cocoa right off his trees!

This is a fun collection of chocolate-based stories dripping in sensual goodness. The storylines are straightforward and cut right to the chase, pulling the reader in quickly. The characters are fun and each unique situation amusing yet wrought with loads of sexual tension while focusing on tales of "loves of a lifetime". Leisure has put together a fine collection of some of their most sensual authors for this collection and fans of any of them will find a special place on their shelves for "Seduction by Chocolate". This reader is anxiously awaiting to see if a Vol 2 will ever be released!