{Review} The Concubine's Gift by K. Ford K.

ISBN #: 978-1466287570

Page Count: 230

Copyright: December 29, 2011

Publisher: CreateSpace

Book Summary:

(Taken from Goodreads)

Bernice Babbitt, a sexually inhibited, thirty-nine-year-old woman, leads a peaceful life in the tiny resort town of Valentine, Nevada. Living only two miles from the famed bordello, The Honey Bunny Ranch, she can't imagine what goes on behind its closed doors.

Things begin to change when Bernice buys an old, black-laquer makeup case in an antique shop. The case once belonged to Blissful Night, the most famous and powerful concubine in Hong Kong. According to legend, Blissful Night could give a man more pleasure in one night than he would have experienced in an entire lifetime.

Inside the makeup case, Bernice discovers a forgotten jar of face powder, the secret to Blissful Night's success. Thinking the face powder is an herbal concoction that will beautify her skin, Bernice begins to use it, only to find that the powder causes her to see visions of other people's sex lives.

Bernice is horrified to discover that the only way she can rid herself of the visions is to blurt out sexual advice. Soon the entire town is in an uproar. But it isn't until Bernice learns more about Blissful Night's past that she knows what she must do.

The Concubine's Gift is a delightfully sexy novel in which Bernice Babbitt is drawn into a seductive world she never knew existed. A provocative and entertaining Pandora's Box of a tale!

Kathy's Review:

So you would think that living near a bordello, the citizens would be pretty open-minded. Not the case in Valentine. Most of the people there are pretty sheltered, including Bernice. What a perfect name for the main character - I think of an aunt who always tried to kiss my cheek when I was a child, and I would squirm away from at all costs. OK, her name wasn't really Bernice, but that's the image that comes to mind with that name.

Oh! The book!

Surprisingly, I thought this book was really sweet, for lack of a better word. I say "surprisingly" because the book is about a woman who finds a magical jar of face powder which allows her to see very intimate visions of people around her. Yes, the book does go into some detail about the visions she sees, but I wouldn't say it's that raunchy. It's written about in a tasteful and respectful way. Bernice gives advice to the people in her visions and their lives are better for it. In doing so, Bernice herself is transformed and becomes more confident in herself.

I liked the underlying story of Blissful Night, which is revealed slowly as the story progresses. Actually, I would have liked to see more of her story, to be honest!

Overall, I'd say this is one worth reading. It kind of reminds me of a mini soap opera with all the colorful characters in town. And like I said, while there is some adult content in there, it's no 50 Shades of Grey.


*A paperback copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.