What do you think?
Rate this book
Hinky Chicago #1
The Hinky Brass Bed
Too much of a good thing...is just enough
Lord Randy was bad in bed in 1811, so his magician-mistress turned him into a sex demon with a curse: "You don't get out of this bed until you satisfy 100 women!" Lucky for Randy, two hundred years later, con-artist Clay finds the bed.
Clay’s scam works until that foxy fraud investigator arrives. Lucky for Clay, fraud-cop Jewel has a weakness for hunky con men.
Jewel is the hundredth woman, and she frees Randy—now he's her sex slave, and her case against the con artist dissolves in a hail of hormones. Lucky for Jewel, she's got a lusty libido.
This book was originally published as The Brass Bed.
Lord Randy was bad in bed in 1811, so his magician-mistress turned him into a sex demon with a curse: "You don't get out of this bed until you satisfy 100 women!" Lucky for Randy, two hundred years later, con-artist Clay finds the bed.
Clay’s scam works until that foxy fraud investigator arrives. Lucky for Clay, fraud-cop Jewel has a weakness for hunky con men.
Jewel is the hundredth woman, and she frees Randy—now he's her sex slave, and her case against the con artist dissolves in a hail of hormones. Lucky for Jewel, she's got a lusty libido.
This book was originally published as The Brass Bed.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2008
About the author
Jennifer Stevenson
61 books57 followersI started swimming at 40, riding horses at 42, roller derby at 52, speed skating at 54 ... something's backward there. Read about my latest bruise at https://www.facebook.com/JenniferStev...
I've been writing since I was four, and didn't publish a story til I was 34 ... something's backward there too. Read about my latest books at http://www.bookviewcafe.com/index.php...
Living my life backwards means I get to eat bacon every day and goof off all summer. Don't be fooled. Writing is still a job.
I've been writing since I was four, and didn't publish a story til I was 34 ... something's backward there too. Read about my latest books at http://www.bookviewcafe.com/index.php...
Living my life backwards means I get to eat bacon every day and goof off all summer. Don't be fooled. Writing is still a job.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
May 14, 2023
In my defense, I was offered this novel during a time when I was accepting everything offered for free on Amazon. I was so indiscriminate that my Kindle is still so full that I have to eliminate stuff whenever I want to download anything. My Kindle memory is full, and I resolved to fix my situation by reading as much as possible, and then removing from my library. Eventually I got my second Kindle and of course I cluttered that one too. It's a sickness; I tell you.
The Hinky Brass Bed is supposed to be a sexy read, but it really isn't IMHO. There's supposed to be a sex-demon attached to a bed. There's condescending male characters, an oppressive, cantankerous, overly-demanding boss, silly, ribald humor (that I'm OK with when it's funny, but here it's not) that's supposed to be about the joys of sex. I don't want to give this a one star because clearly Stevenson was trying to write something unique and witty. It just wasn't something that I liked.
The Hinky Brass Bed is supposed to be a sexy read, but it really isn't IMHO. There's supposed to be a sex-demon attached to a bed. There's condescending male characters, an oppressive, cantankerous, overly-demanding boss, silly, ribald humor (that I'm OK with when it's funny, but here it's not) that's supposed to be about the joys of sex. I don't want to give this a one star because clearly Stevenson was trying to write something unique and witty. It just wasn't something that I liked.
September 17, 2018
An alternate reality full of magic that, of course, the government tries to cover up. Our heroine works for the branch of the gov. that covers it up. Her boss sends her to investigate what he thinks is either his wife’s affair or a con man playing her. What our heroine finds is a demon trapped in a brass bed and cursed to bring a hundred women to ‘bow-chick-a-wow-wow’ before the curse is lifted.
Funny book with hilarious characters!
Funny book with hilarious characters!
June 18, 2015
The Brass Bed is the first book in the Jewel Heiss series by American author, Jennifer Stevenson. Jewel Heiss is an agent for Chicago’s Department of Consumer Services. Her boss, Ed Neccio has her permanently assigned to cases involving magic: the Mayor gets upset when magic hits the news. But on the side, Ed wants her to find out what his wife, (and her best friend) Nina, is up to: he’s convinced this “therapist” she is seeing is her lover on the side. Clay Dawes runs a sex therapy service involving a brass bed. Jewel is sure it’s a scam, so she goes undercover as a client, and is surprised to have the best sex of her life, alone, in said bed. This brass bed, it seems, has been haunted for two hundred years by a cursed English Lord.
The alternate reality where apparently anger causes a pink mist, genies are addicted to Drambuie and pigeons steal cigarettes to smoke, is never really explained, and the reader may well feel like they have been thrown into the middle of a sitcom. But there is plenty of humour and the scenes with Randy are good, although the story drags a bit in the middle. An excerpt of the second book, The Velvet Chair, is included.
The alternate reality where apparently anger causes a pink mist, genies are addicted to Drambuie and pigeons steal cigarettes to smoke, is never really explained, and the reader may well feel like they have been thrown into the middle of a sitcom. But there is plenty of humour and the scenes with Randy are good, although the story drags a bit in the middle. An excerpt of the second book, The Velvet Chair, is included.
Read
September 30, 2009Seriously, one of the worst books I've ever read. If I had the main character's job, or her friends, or her boss, or her life I'd probably throw myself into Lake Michigan. I can't figure out why, at no point in the story, she doesn't just throw her hands up in digust in walk away. There is absolutely no reason for her to keep putting up with the nonsense that is tossed at her, yet she keeps on trucking. Worse, this is supposedly a steamy romance novel, yet the sex scenes are completely unsexy, the "romance" consists of her staring at a guy's butt and the "other man" - the one she is supposed to go for- is a condescending jerk. I have never met a more dislikable group of characters. I got this book for free from Amazon's Kindle page, so I can't complain about getting my money back. I desperately want my time back though.
May 31, 2017
This was funny. It is not dirty/erotic, so if that is what you are looking for, move on. However, there is sex.
My biggest issue was the feeling that it was a later book in the series, since it felt like we should have known what "hinky" meant in the context of the book. It is mostly explained toward the end, but really should be earlier in my opinion.
My favorite quote is from the end,from a prayer. Gathering for food is quite the expression of love, as you will see. 'Lord, they say you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. As we sit at a table loaded with your delicious-smelling bounty, let’s remember that everyone comes to your table a beggar, a stranger asking for a handout. Everyone is a lost soul with no past and no future, if not for your grace.'
I will have the rest of the series on my list.
My biggest issue was the feeling that it was a later book in the series, since it felt like we should have known what "hinky" meant in the context of the book. It is mostly explained toward the end, but really should be earlier in my opinion.
My favorite quote is from the end,from a prayer. Gathering for food is quite the expression of love, as you will see. 'Lord, they say you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. As we sit at a table loaded with your delicious-smelling bounty, let’s remember that everyone comes to your table a beggar, a stranger asking for a handout. Everyone is a lost soul with no past and no future, if not for your grace.'
I will have the rest of the series on my list.
June 3, 2008
I don't know who I ticked off, but this was another book I could not finish. I picked it up THREE different times trying to get into it and finally just gave up. The author's writing is first person which normally doesn't bother me. Whenever I tried to read this book, I just ended up frustrated, confused, and lost. The plot seemed to jump all over the place and I didn't much like the hero or the heroine. Hopefully, somebody else managed to finish this and like it, but it certainly wasn't me!!
September 24, 2012
Jennifer Stevenson's world is quirky and fun, and like no other author's. This is light reading that you can get through in a few short hours. The story develops by making assumptions about what the reader knows and then gives background in a less traditional way, so don't expect to get all the information in ABC order. That is not Jennifer's style. But you will get the whole story eventually!
I love Jennifer's sex scenes! They always leave you with the impression of great sex, but without any of the excruciating details that can make more explicit sex scenes boring. They are a swirling mass of feelings and sensations and magic. This is one of her strengths as an author, in my opinion.
I've read the whole Brass Bed series, and I enjoyed them all as much as the first one. I've also read several other books by Jennifer and I feel that she is getting better and better. This is a good author to follow.
I love Jennifer's sex scenes! They always leave you with the impression of great sex, but without any of the excruciating details that can make more explicit sex scenes boring. They are a swirling mass of feelings and sensations and magic. This is one of her strengths as an author, in my opinion.
I've read the whole Brass Bed series, and I enjoyed them all as much as the first one. I've also read several other books by Jennifer and I feel that she is getting better and better. This is a good author to follow.
February 3, 2013
I liked the concept of this book - a bad lover cursed to spend time trapped in a bed until he satisfied 100 women. But the execution was a bit scatterbrained. Honestly I kept looking to see if this was book two in a series. It was very hard to follow and there were just too many unexplained things - like the pink fog, the smoking pigeons and the nix on saying "magic". I liked Jewel though her nymphomania was kind of out of control. Hell she's a fraud investigator for the police and she's done every guy on the force. And Lord Randall was very annoying. Either he was arrogant as hell or too clingy. The character that I really liked was Clay. Now that he's it ought to be very interesting come book two.
August 31, 2009
Free Kindle download, otherwise I would never have even looked at this book. Struggled through the first three or so chapters and just couldn't go any further.
Bear in mind that I have a sort of Book-related OCD, where once I start a book, no matter how terrible, I have to finish it. Except this one. I couldn't take any more. Buh-bye.
Bear in mind that I have a sort of Book-related OCD, where once I start a book, no matter how terrible, I have to finish it. Except this one. I couldn't take any more. Buh-bye.
September 24, 2010
I tried, I really did, but the writing is horrible, the plot has potential, but the banter was crap, and the story was boring.
I got about 80 pages in and couldn't finish, came back 6 months later, and I couldn't get farther than page 189. It was just too hard to read a book I couldn't find it in myself to care about. I'm really glad I didn't buy the book, that is was a free download.
I got about 80 pages in and couldn't finish, came back 6 months later, and I couldn't get farther than page 189. It was just too hard to read a book I couldn't find it in myself to care about. I'm really glad I didn't buy the book, that is was a free download.
September 4, 2018
Sorry, this just wasn't for me. I couldn't bring myself to like the characters or the plot. I liked the concept but that's it.
November 27, 2014
I just discovered Jennifer Stevenson's wacky, wonderful series, and plan to read more in it soon. As others have said, her stories are original, amusing, and pretty darn hot! There are nods to romantic fantasy, but the tone here is sly and subversive, while staying light and fast-paced. Her heroine Jewell is definitely her own boss, though susceptible to the charms of men, and she manages to call the shots with two hunky guys, one of whom literally sweeps her off her feet into fantastic sensual journeys. I've never before read a sex scene in which the guy manifests as a Zeus-like swan ravishing Leda. Try it, you'll like it!
July 28, 2011
This book was a huge let down. I had heard such good things about it, but it totally fell flat. I struggled to get through it. It was tedious, boring, lame and just downright hard to get into at all. The characters were flat and poorly written. The plot was frenzied, not very well organized and it was boring. Sorry to say I am not going to be reading the sequel if it is as bad as this book. I couldn't even force myself to finish it. I got 3/4 of the way and found it too horrid to finish. Sorry Jennifer Stevenson, but it wasn't working for me.
June 11, 2009
I wanted very badly to enjoy this. I liked the premise quite a bit, but I just didn't like any of the characters.
October 3, 2009
uhm... kinda weird, there didnt seem to be a plot until almost the end. The book went into details on the characters and story line with no introduction first so it was confusing.
May 12, 2018
DNF.
It got two stars because the summary seemed interesting - like a funny, sexy read.
Instead we have annoying characters and annoying situations. I would almost like the main character but she has no backbone. For example: Really annoying slutty character is in the wrong and is a bitch -> argument -> MC apologizes because she doesn't want to lose a "friend" (who's barely a friend and is fucking her best friend's husband).
The relationships are just horrible.
The reader is also thrown into a world where magic kinda exists but nothing is explained.
Oh and the MC is kinky. That's fine. Enjoy your kinks and whatever. What's not cool? Rape.
In Greek mythology, Zeus comes to earth as a swan and has sex with Leda (a princess). Maybe the author didn't know that Zeus actually raped her. So when the MC randomly recalls a mythological story about swan sex, the sex demon gives her swan sex. She has sex with it/him, enjoys it and gets turned on by it whenever she remembers. See, if she was into beastiality as her kink then fine. But turning a rape story into something hot and desirable is not cool. If you wanted to have bird sex or swan sex then don't reference the rape story.
In fact, writing this review? I changed my mind. It's a 1.5 review.
It got two stars because the summary seemed interesting - like a funny, sexy read.
Instead we have annoying characters and annoying situations. I would almost like the main character but she has no backbone. For example: Really annoying slutty character is in the wrong and is a bitch -> argument -> MC apologizes because she doesn't want to lose a "friend" (who's barely a friend and is fucking her best friend's husband).
The relationships are just horrible.
The reader is also thrown into a world where magic kinda exists but nothing is explained.
Oh and the MC is kinky. That's fine. Enjoy your kinks and whatever. What's not cool? Rape.
In Greek mythology, Zeus comes to earth as a swan and has sex with Leda (a princess). Maybe the author didn't know that Zeus actually raped her. So when the MC randomly recalls a mythological story about swan sex, the sex demon gives her swan sex. She has sex with it/him, enjoys it and gets turned on by it whenever she remembers. See, if she was into beastiality as her kink then fine. But turning a rape story into something hot and desirable is not cool. If you wanted to have bird sex or swan sex then don't reference the rape story.
In fact, writing this review? I changed my mind. It's a 1.5 review.
April 21, 2019
I’m back and forth between 2 and 3 stars. On the one hand, this was just so freaking weird and disjointed - it jumped all over the place, there’s no back story to why things are magic-ish, and there is just random stuff like the phrase “da mayor” thrown in as if it’s a figure of speech (and then sometimes characters talk with that accent, and sometimes they don’t). It felt like a writer wishing she was Jenny Crusie, with the hot con men and the bigger girl heroine who can’t help but want to help him out even though he’s cramping her own con - except with random magic tossed in. The smoking pigeons were funny and I feel like this could have been really good if it weren’t such a mess. And there is some pretty awful slut shaming and one sentence about a teenage daughter that just threw me off so badly - like, you could think that... but should you write it? You definitely shouldn’t publish it... This book needs three or four more drafts and a really good editor and then I’d be all about it.
September 29, 2017
The Hinky Brass Bed Review
I really wanted to like this one but I had a hard time finishing it. While the idea for the plot is really interesting the story was all over the place. I feel like it could really benefit from a prologue that explains the "Hinky" aspect a little better. Why is there magic running amok all over the place when did it start? I kept waiting for an explanation but it never came. The other thing I had a hard time getting past was all the characters with accents. The author tried spelling the dialogue from these characters the way their accent would sound and it got to the point where I wasn't sure if I was looking at a weird accented word or a typo.
I did like the two main male characters but the lead females indecisiveness drove me crazy.
I'm not saying it's a bad book and I noticed a lot of the reviews were positive but this one just wasn't for me.
I really wanted to like this one but I had a hard time finishing it. While the idea for the plot is really interesting the story was all over the place. I feel like it could really benefit from a prologue that explains the "Hinky" aspect a little better. Why is there magic running amok all over the place when did it start? I kept waiting for an explanation but it never came. The other thing I had a hard time getting past was all the characters with accents. The author tried spelling the dialogue from these characters the way their accent would sound and it got to the point where I wasn't sure if I was looking at a weird accented word or a typo.
I did like the two main male characters but the lead females indecisiveness drove me crazy.
I'm not saying it's a bad book and I noticed a lot of the reviews were positive but this one just wasn't for me.
March 9, 2019
This is a funny, magic-filled, erotic, sex-themed story about a brass bed and its occupant. Jewel, Chicago investigator of "hinky stuff" and fan of risky sex, is referred to Nina's "sex therapist" for treatment of her proclivities. Jewel suspects a con after Nina confides she's visiting him 4 times a week at $350 per visit. Jewel gets a real surprise when she tries to bust the fraud. It's certainly not the kind of fraud she suspected, it may not even be a fraud. Randy, a bewitched succubus and Clay, a professional huckster, seem determined to upset her life. Meanwhile Nina's husband Ed, Jewel's boss, is after her to solve several "hinky" cases. After many comical misunderstandings, "hinkey" cases get solved, marital crisis is averted, Jewel finally gets her libido satisfied; and in addition, a partner (or perhaps two).
September 9, 2017
Confusing writing style but good plot
This book was all over the place and the characters were borderline two dimensional. The storyline was good and entertaining however, it was a mission the figure out what was happening/had happened in many places. The writing style improved nearer the end of the book so that combined with the entertaining storyline has encouraged me to consider reading the next book.
The friends of jewel were positively toxic with very few redeeming characteristics. She herself admits that she only stays with them so she is no longer alone which is a definite negative in the story. The characters need more clarity and substance.
This is not a light hearted easy read however, there is some promise as the author develops.
This book was all over the place and the characters were borderline two dimensional. The storyline was good and entertaining however, it was a mission the figure out what was happening/had happened in many places. The writing style improved nearer the end of the book so that combined with the entertaining storyline has encouraged me to consider reading the next book.
The friends of jewel were positively toxic with very few redeeming characteristics. She herself admits that she only stays with them so she is no longer alone which is a definite negative in the story. The characters need more clarity and substance.
This is not a light hearted easy read however, there is some promise as the author develops.
September 26, 2019
2.5ish stars, rounding up to 3 I guess because I did finish it pretty quickly. I had this as a pdf from somewhere and just randomly started reading.
This is a quirky book with decent character development, at least of the main character. There's lots of sex in it but its not erotic/explicit. Quirky really is the best way to describe the world. There's weird magic stuff going on in Chicago, its never really explained why or how (no worldbuilding to speak of really) its just there and the government is trying to "cover it up" despite the fact that everyone can see it. The plot is fast paced. I didn't like the end very much as I felt like things are left a bit unresolved but maybe there's a sequel. Which I probably won't go out of my way to find.
This is a quirky book with decent character development, at least of the main character. There's lots of sex in it but its not erotic/explicit. Quirky really is the best way to describe the world. There's weird magic stuff going on in Chicago, its never really explained why or how (no worldbuilding to speak of really) its just there and the government is trying to "cover it up" despite the fact that everyone can see it. The plot is fast paced. I didn't like the end very much as I felt like things are left a bit unresolved but maybe there's a sequel. Which I probably won't go out of my way to find.
May 9, 2017
I bought this ebook because it was listed as being a time travel book, but it really wasn't. Jewel, the main character is an officer in the fraud division in Chicago. But this Chicago is a place where a lot of "hinky" stuff happens. Some of the oddities are a little strange, and it took me a bit to feel comfortable accepting what was going on. Jewel is also an oversexed, single gal with lots of issues. There were some fun scenes and some really raunchy ones. If you are easily offended, I don't recommend reading it, but if you want a wild romp in a bizarre world, give it a try.
August 2, 2017
This was a fun read that kept up a steady pace while being punctuated with elements of humor, magic and subtle references to sex and sexual activities, but without the R and X rated descriptions. There were definitely a wide variety of characters in the book, all with their own uniquely individual life challenges. I understand the author, Jennifer Stevenson, has other books in her Hinky Chicago series, which I plan to add to my TBR pile. This is a voluntary review in exchange of a free copy of the book.
December 15, 2019
The story concept was solid-- a government official that investigates "magic" sounds interesting. I could not get into the story. I didn't understand why there was such a change in the city that government officials were denying the existence of magic. This could've been an alternate time line or universe but it was not stated. I was confused by the main characters sexual prowess but naivete of everything else. The writing is solid but I could not follow the storyline. I know others have enjoyed it but I had so many questions from the beginning to end.
July 31, 2017
Told in first person, our narrator refuses to even think about what hinky means to clarify the situation, so this book gets a bit confusing as you try to figure out what's going on. Also, hinky? As an official term? Really?
Then there's her boss having her tail his wife/her best friend. Who would honestly expect to get an honest report while sending his wife's best friend to spy on her?
The book was just hard to follow and illogical. I just have better things to read.
Then there's her boss having her tail his wife/her best friend. Who would honestly expect to get an honest report while sending his wife's best friend to spy on her?
The book was just hard to follow and illogical. I just have better things to read.
Read
August 16, 2019A con artist, a wife and a police officer who works for the wife's husband. Oh, and a bed that has a hidden secret.
In a town where magical situations are both a regular occurance and something that the authorities deny being of substance, our female police officer is caught in the "Hinky division", anything that is slightly less than orthodox.
Interesting tale, that's amusing in its creativity factor.
In a town where magical situations are both a regular occurance and something that the authorities deny being of substance, our female police officer is caught in the "Hinky division", anything that is slightly less than orthodox.
Interesting tale, that's amusing in its creativity factor.
December 15, 2016
Jewel is an investigator of magical occurrences in her city. When she investigates a sex therapist, Clay, being used by her friend, she comes across Randy who has been cursed to be an incubus until he finds "the one" who will free him from the spell. A paranormal, romantic comedy. (I voluntarily reviewed this free ebook.)
August 2, 2017
I love how different this book was to anything I've ever read before. Not just the story itself but even the writing was something else entirely. I admit, it took a little bit to get used to but once I understood the flow of things this book got really good. This one has a mix of comedy, sexy times & a whole lotta "hinky" stuff happening. ;) Well worth the read for sure!
February 1, 2018
A seriously funny, and somewhat supernatural, way to cope with relationship stress.
Is it a case for our favorite Fraud Detective, or something totally different?
A possessed antique, a captive, slutty Royal, and a host of friends try to figure things out without too large a display of magic- like a downtown parade.
A great way to have a really good laugh at life and love.
Is it a case for our favorite Fraud Detective, or something totally different?
A possessed antique, a captive, slutty Royal, and a host of friends try to figure things out without too large a display of magic- like a downtown parade.
A great way to have a really good laugh at life and love.
October 26, 2016
The book was interesting in the beginning with the magical backdrop, but then it got strange and it was hard to follow the storyline. I like the funny romances with a touch of supernatural, but it fell short.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews