Lawless Hearts Review

LAWLESS HEARTS is a sexy ménage story that does not offer anything new but is still an enjoyable read for those who like the subgenre. Scharlie is a lonely schoolteacher in the 1880's whose brother defended her against her lecherous stepfather and subsequently was forced to leave Scharlie. Now, ten years later, two mysterious men have arrived at Scharlie's home to give her news of her brother and to tell her she is in danger too. The mysterious duo is Garrett, who is emotionally available but sexually aggressive, and Cassidy, who is sexually complicated but very protective. While keeping Scharlie safe, the three explore their sexual dynamics and burgeoning emotional relationship. Scharlie was a sweet but slightly naughty heroine who was comfortable with her own sexuality, despite her previous trauma. I liked this self-determination in Scharlie from the beginning and she maintained that quiet confidence throughout the story. Garrett was the more interesting of the men, as his ethnicity provided some depth of character that was well used in the story. Cassidy's brooding complexity was a nice foil for Garrett but his character was the least developed. The threesome's emotional development was lacking in favor of their physical relationship, but that is true in many ménage stories so I don't hold it against the story. Still, the three had nice chemistry out of bed as they worked together to keep Scharlie safe from an evil villain. The pace of the story was quick and never bogged down. The author is a good writer who writes both tasteful bedroom scenes as well as strong dialogue. I especially liked the author's inclusion of a culturally specific ceremony as it allowed the threesome to connect to each other on an emotional level instead of a purely sexual level. My one complaint is I would have like the emotional denouement to be longer but it was sacrificed for the sexual finale. This short story is more sexually intimate than emotionally intimate but its spice still has heart. Readers who enjoy m/f/m ménages or scorching-hot Western romances will enjoy this quick read.