Forbidden Heat, the latest erotic novel by Opal Carew, is unfortunately lacking in both aspects of its titular promise. Relying heavily on trite phrases, clichéd situations, and stereotypical notions of feminine desire, the book is a mediocre romance at best.

The novel tells the tale of three college friends reunited under sexy circumstances. Danielle, Jake, and Trey quickly form a threesome, engaging in wild weekends and shedding clothing for a romp every couple of pages. This in itself isn’t a problem, but the accompanying lack of character development quickly becomes off-putting. Unable to distinguish between the two male romantic leads (except in terms of the almost gag-inducing references to Jake’s ponytail), readers are bound to tune out when it comes to the endless cataloguing of exactly whose “cock-head” is plumbing whose “slick opening.”

For a two-guy/one-gal threesome story, there’s also surprisingly little anal sex, and though the female is quick to get down on her knees, the men rarely touch each other – despite a backstory that perpetually notes they had once been lovers. Poor, confused Danielle keeps telling herself that she is merely reuniting her gay friends, all the while getting screwed six ways to Sunday by the dynamic duo. Naturally, she doesn’t see her own happy ending coming. Despite bland obstacles, the lovers will continue their blissful love triangle forevermore, panting and moaning all the way. Too bad readers won’t care, as they never get close to these naughty boys and their gal pal.

The language of the book’s contrived sex scenes quickly becomes repetitive. Instead of employing “pussy” or its even coarser Germanic equivalent, Carew refers to Danielle’s lady bits as her “opening” on nearly all occasions. This is changed up with the modifiers “slick” or “wet,” and even “back” for one anal dalliance, but such hesitant language coming from a writer of smut seems as appropriate as a priest in a whorehouse.