The latest volume of Cleis's Best Women's Erotica of the Year series is big and bold and immensely satisfying. This collection is as diverse as it is exciting - familiar and new, kinky and sweet, fierce and tender - and filled with women from across the spectrum of life's experiences. It's a good thing the book is long, because each story leaves you hungry for more.
There's a lot of f/f mixed in with the m/f and groups. *cheers*
The theme is "Outsiders," which is a loose guideline and every author interpreted it a bit differently. Here's the line-up (as of my advance copy) and my thoughts on a few of the stories:
Take the Shot, by Mica Kennedy - This is about a teacher who's doing a favor for her photographer sister by posing for some "sensual photos." Her partner for the shoot? Her much-younger teaching assistant. There's that touch of the forbidden, but its mostly a story about a woman of a certain age getting made up for a photo shoot, feeling herself, and then having a sexy man feel her, too. It's just the right balance of sweet and heat. This is the first story I've read by Mica and it was fabulous.
The Dressing Room, by Alessandra Torre - In this story, a woman is in a dressing room, trying on clothes, when she overhears a couple going at it in the stall next door. Soon she's pleasuring herself, joining in from outside. Really hot.
Mark, by Rosie Beth Randall - An m/f D/s relationship with an interesting car ride.
O Captain, My Captain, by Calliope Bloom - Halloween sex party on a boat with an f/f/m grouping and disability rep. Then the ship's female Captain joins in...
The Jump, by Rebecca Chase - Skydiving!
On Display, by Louise Lagris - 2nd person, but it works.
The Pick-Me-Up, by Suleikha Snyder - Starts in a bar, ends in a bed... with a hope for more.
Belonging, by Tamsen Parker - F/f in a kink club.
With Honors, by Sofia Quintero - Single mom with teen kids ends the semester with her sexy professor... with a bang. (Sorry, I had to.)
Breathe, by Patricia Elzie - F/f with tickling.
Aftershock, by Jo Henny Wolf - A woman tries to find her way to her long-distance boyfriend who she was planning to visit in Mexico when an earthquake hits. Sexy flashbacks, plus a happy reunion.
Her Invisible Prison, by Jocelyn Dex - The title refers to agoraphobia, therapy for which is somehow intensely sexy.
The Invitation, by Regina Kammer - Historical! A widow in her fifties and a young artist.
Protest of Passion, by Eliza David - Two people on opposite sides of a protest find common ground.
Words with Benefits, by Tamara Lush - WORDS WITH FRIENDS + TINDER
Essential Qualities, by Alyssa Cole - Sexytimes with a robot
Eight Seconds, by Madeline Moore - Can you tell this takes place at a rodeo?
Seven Sweets and Seven Sours, by Megan Hart - F/f with two women saying goodbye as one leaves the Amish community in which they both live.
Baby Doll, by Sienna Saint-Cyr - A Daddy/Little Girl dynamic
Beautiful Dirty Wonderful, by R.M. Wood - A husband gives his wife the thing she's always wanted: a whole bunch of men at once.
And that's it! This is a diverse collection of erotica (not romance) that will keep you and/or a partner warm all winter.
We talked to Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel a few months ago, if you want to read more about these anthologies and her work!
Suzanne received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
