The Masseuse by Kristine Robinson | Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ (2.5)

As you can see, I've taken to heart my goal of reading more romance and erotica. It's taken a while but I've finally begun to put a dent in my to-read pile and The Masseuse was at the top of my list. WLW novels are so hard to come across and I was intrigued by the premise of this steamy release. But the problems I had with this short story were much of the same problems I had with Sylvia Day's Afterburn and Aftershock.

They were much too short to grow attached to, well, anything. Kristine Robinson did a lot with such a short timeline and I have to hand that to her. Besides this, the sex scenes were full of so much chemistry I am pretty sure I needed a cold shower by the end of the blossoming love (or lust) story between our two leading ladies, Sandra and Dominique. The Masseuse could have been pure fire if some of the scenes didn't feel recycled and tired--but that doesn't make it any less hot than it was.

I can't stress how off the charts the chemistry was. I think my face is still red.

There were a lot of negatives about The Masseuse beyond the shortness and overall similarities in all the sex scenes. I wanted to know more about Sandra and Dominique as individuals and for the plot to develop itself a bit more. Emotional charge could have been on high and sometimes this is more important that the sexually charged moments. I felt like a lot was left unresolved and there were more than a few moments that felt lackluster and descriptive.


Robinson weaved together a delicious, sexual story that relied solely on the chemistry of its two leads and I appreciate that. I appreciate the fact that it's in a genre that is so underwhelming, you can't see straight. And in that sense, it's a standout and a must-read if you're a fan of smutty non-plots.

I'd love to see this as a full-length novel. To know Sandra's life. To know Dominique's life. To know their careers and the connection. But as far as purely physical short fiction goes, The Masseuse goes above and beyond my expectations despite how rough my review seems at this point. I did enjoy it. I devoured it in one sitting and felt that spark of the massage-turned-lust romance.

Overall, this is definitely worth a second glance. I see great things of Robinson's career and look forward to reading more.