View All Titles by Melodee Aaron

REVIEWS for For the Love of Payne [An Ike Payne Adventure 1]

4 Stars/Orgasmic: "Marine Sergeant Ike Payne worked hard to earn her stripes. Now she will have to work even harder to keep them. Someone attempted murder on her ship and Ike must find the culprit out of 24,000 suspects. A partner might help her solve the case, and that was what she got in the form of Lieutenant Devon Henson. Whom was Ike kidding? Devon was so much more than a sounding board for her many hypothesis. He was candy for her eyes and temptation to her body. 
     Devon never expected his new partner was a gorgeous example of womanhood. They had a terrorist to find, not a comfortable bed. Devon did not know if he was up for the search; he was too busy looking at Ike.
     There is nothing like an adventurous, action-packed story told from a woman’s point of view. An Ike Payne Adventure: For the Love of Payne is filled with wonderful characters, but Ike is the one who had me enthralled and kept me turning the pages. Ike is perfect. She has a sense of duty, but is not hard nosed, as one might assume. There is a sensitive side to her that caused me to relate to her position as a marine sergeant and her desire to be a sensual woman. Ike is very aware of her sexuality. That made the sex in this novel outrageous and a turn on. Devon is interesting enough with his often clumsy behavior. That characteristic endeared him to me and made me wait on Ike to help him put everything back to right. When I first thought of a hero for Ike, Devon did not come to mind, but that is what makes him so special. He is different and therefore appealing. Overall, I believe An Ike Payne Adventure: For the Love of Payne is a good read that will leave anyone wanting more." —Suni Farrar, Just Erotic Romance Reviews

4 Hearts: "Fun! Fast! Futuristic and fun!! Melodee Aaron wows audiences with her excitingly detailed character development and steamy sex scenes. Aaron delivers punch after punch of delicious, erotic yet sensitive moments between her two main characters. Lose yourself in the luscious goodness of fabulous sex and seductive romance. But don’t be discouraged if you enjoy things a little raw and uncut. This novel has that as well. Pounding hard and fast with growing intensity, you will find the interpersonal duets both stimulating and exciting. The characters let their inhibitions run wild as they explore themselves and push their bodies to their sexual limits. You will fall in love with Payne, as I did, by the first tantalizing chapter. This hard nosed detective is yearning for the love of a good man. Even though she rides the straight and narrow with increasing vigor, she lusts for something more than a quick romp in her bunk. Take a moment and journey with her, as she travels through space in this futuristic ‘who done it’ escapade. The novel is a quick, easy read that will have you flying through chapter after chapter. You will find yourself yearning, thirsting for answers as you attempt to unlock the secrets behind the unusual set of events upon Payne’s ship. I was surprised at how involved I became in each of the character’s lives, wondering what would happen next! Heart pounding! Heated! Lustfully page turning! Slip into a hot bath, light some candles and settle in for a wild ride, but do it, For the Love of Payne!" —ARS, The Romance Studio

4 Angels: "For the Love of Payne is a good beginning to what already appears to be an intriguing series. I really liked the character Ike and the more I read of her the more I wanted to be her. She has a position of power, she isn’t afraid to embrace her sexuality, and best of all she doesn’t feel the need to shave her legs or pluck her eyebrows to get what she wants when she wants it. Devon was so totally not what I pictured for a match for Ike that it made him that much more intriguing. Melodee Aaron went against the grain with that one and that shook things up and added another twist to an already twisting plot. The adventure was there and so was the mystery. I enjoyed the side characters and kept wondering why this world seemed so familiar. That was when I realized that I’d been here before. I have read The Polyamorous Princess, also by Ms. Aaron, also a good book, and it is set in the same universe as the Ike Payne Adventures series. This book was a solid 4 Angels for me and I can’t wait to get my hands on the other books in the series." —Hayley, Fallen Angel Reviews

"As the MP in charge of security on His Majesty’s Starship, Warren E. Boone, Marine Sergeant Ikira “Ike” Payne commands respect and authority. A typical Marine, Ike is a dedicated, strong killing machine willing to die to protect those she serves. Yet as a woman, Ike is also lonely and looking for companionship and although she has sex, what she wants is a relationship.
     When a terrorist attempts to kill the Wengley Ambassador to Palea on the Boone, an intelligence officer is called in to help solve the crime and catch the shooter. Many might have been upset that an outsider was called in to help but not Ike. She wants all the help she can get, especially if it involves Lieutenant Devon Henson. Something about the young officer attracts her and if they can catch the terrorists, they might just get the opportunity to explore that attraction.
     For the Love of Payne is a fast paced futuristic tale with fantastic characters and a twisting plot. From the Emperor and his four wives to the strange and unusual alien creatures, Ms. Aaron manages to bring to life a whole new world aboard the Starship Boone. Especially interesting was Ike. At the beginning of the story, she’s all bad-ass Marine but as the story unfolds and her attraction and interest in Devon grows, her feminine side begins to emerge. She is a woman at the top in a masculine field and has never felt the urge or need to be feminine. Although Devon is just as attracted to Ike as she is to him, once she allows her “Ikira” side to emerge, things just get better and better. Their sexual escapades are unbelievably hot, so be prepared! In addition to all of that, there’s a little mystery about the terrorists and the shooting that will keep you guessing until the end." —Georgia, Joyfully Reviewed

STORY EXCERPT

When Ike got back to her office, a Lieutenant waited to see her. She felt a quick jolt that startled her and stared at him for a second too long. She waved at him. He followed her into her office. She sat, looking at him for a moment. She was not easily flustered and found her voice a little more brusque than necessary. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I'm Lieutenant Devon Henson from Intelligence. Admiral Reeves placed me at your service."

As Ike looked him up and down a time or two, she thought service might just be the operative word. Henson stood a little taller than she, and he had good muscles, though not like a bodybuilder. He looked to be maybe thirty or so and had sandy brown hair, just a little on the long side. His pale blue eyes were sharp and clear.

They stared at each other for a moment too long before Ike dragged her gaze away deliberately. "Have a seat." She reached across the desk and shook his hand. "Officially, I'm Sergeant Ikira Payne, head of Security. Everybody calls me Ike." Ike felt a chill run through her as their hands touched.

"All right, Ike. I'm Devon, then." He seemed to hesitate for a moment. "I'm kind of new at all this security stuff, though. My main training is in cryptography." He looked a lot more confident than he sounded.

"That's all right. I need someone who can sort through the mess you Intelligence types call files. I need the information faster than I can get it learning your system as I go along."

He smiled a very nice smile. She glanced away for a second to stop staring at his mouth. "That I can do for you, Ike." She looked back and smiled in response.

"Good. Are you certified for a sidearm?"

"Me? Hell, no! The things scare me!"

Ike just stared. This was great. "We'll take care of that. You may need one."

He looked puzzled. "I understood you found the killer's body today."

"Attempted killer, and it wasn't him."

"How do you know?"

"Call it feminine intuition."

He smiled again. "I don't think I've ever known a woman security director before."

She laughed. "Probably not. There are only six of us in the Fleet."

"That's neat. So, what do we do first?"

She glanced at her watch. It was 1135. "We do lunch first. After that, we'll start rattling the cage in sickbay so we can talk to the Ambassador."

* * * *

As they walked to the mess hall for