Colette Gale stunned erotic romance readers with her book Unmasked, an erotic version of the classic, The Phantom of the Opera. She has done it once again with Master, An Erotic Novel of The Count of Monte Cristo. If you are a big fan of the most recent and romantic movie version of this classic story, you will have to overlook this newly erotic written version and realize that Ms. Gale has once again done her research, using letters and a journal written by Mercedes during the time of Edmund's imprisonment, thus blending much truth to the story, together with well-written erotically sensual scenes.

Edmund Dantes has spent most of his young years imprisoned in the Chateau d'If, set up by those he thought to be his friends, for crimes he did not commit. Once he finds a way to escape, he spends years traveling the world as a pirate, smuggler and many other identities, collecting huge wealth, and thus becoming the Count of Monte Cristo. All these years he has also planned a perfect revenge for those he believes have wronged him. Once he returns to France he begins the destructive revenge of those who have hurt him. In this version, he believes none has betrayed or hurt him more than his love and former fiancé Mercedes, who is now married to his best friend and greatest enemy, The Count of Mondego. It is Mercedes who seems to take the full brunt of his revenge by his use of her in a highly sexual way. This may be a disturbing switch for readers and fans of the original toned down version of The Count of Monte Cristo.

As Edmund uses Mercedes as a sexual slave, he comes to realizes that his vengeance against her and her son does not feel so sweet. He finds he cannot ignore her touch and beautiful body. It only enhances his memory of a long lost true love. Mercedes also realizes something is drawing her closer to this mysterious Count. The more she gives in and offers him the use of her body, the more she feels something familiar about this highly sensual man. He has re-awakened her passions and reminds her too much of her Edmund, her one and only true love, a love that has never died, and one she has never been able to forget. As passions re-ignite even stronger than when they were in their youth, Edmund discovers that her son is his son as well and that Mercedes married Mondego in order to sacrifice for their son. Can he convince himself to forgive and save Mercedes and his son from the very evil that has hurt him for so many years? Can he convince Mercedes to forgive him? Is his vengeance really as satisfying as planned? Can he also come to realize that forgiveness and moving on with his life together with those he loves is what matters the most?

Ms. Gale has once again given us a different look at a classic, masterfully enhanced with a highly sensual and tastefully written erotic romantic touch.

Publisher: Penguin (May 2008)