Faster Pussycat

The folks at Cleis Press were pleased enough with my review for their anthology Obsessed: Erotic Romance for Women that they asked if I wanted to review any of their other offerings.  One title that jumped out at me was Fast Girls: Erotic Stories by Women, once again edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel.  One of the appeals of erotica, for me, is that when it's written by and for women, the heroines are in charge of their own sexual identities.  Even in this day and age, the idea that a woman can be in control of her sexuality, derive pleasure from it, no matter what her personal kinks may be, is rather subversive.  So an anthology about "fast girls" going after what they want?  Yeah, sign me up.

With 20 stories and the collection only clocking in at 192 pages, all of these are rather brief reads - some of which hit the spot, and others that left me feeling decidedly uncomfortable, and not really in a good way.

Temptation by Kayla Perrin is about a recently-divorced heroine who gets her groove back with the studly young college student who does her lawn work.  Yeah, do I need to say anything more?  Not complex by any means, but it sizzles all the same.  Grade = B

Waxing Eloquent by Donna George Storey finds the heroine house-sitting in L.A. for her brother when she spies on the sexy actor neighbor next door.  Wanting an "L.A. experience," the heroine then hits the local salon to get....uh, waxed.  Guess what happens next?  A heroine breaking away and a hero willing to show her a good time.  Grade = B

Five-Minute Porn Star by Jacqueline Applebee is a seriously fun story.  A broken leg has made hubby surly and an argument erupts with his wife, our heroine.  To teach him a lesson, she decides to vamp it up for him, cheesy soft-core porn star style.  I love it when erotica is playful and fun - because life is too short to take sex all that seriously.  Loved this one.  Grade = B+

Winter, Summer by Tristan Taormino was a story that confused me.  The heroine is in Provincetown looking for a little hot girl on girl action.  And naturally, she finds it.  Granted I don't read a ton of f/f erotica, but the way the author writes this, right down to the inclusion of a certain bodily fluid functions just confused me.  Did our heroine hook up with a chick?  Transgender, post-op or otherwise?  A dude?  What?  Color me dense, but I don't get it.  Also, the more of BDSM I read the more I realize it's not my bag baby.  Grade = D

Playing the Market by Angela Capterton is a story that made me uncomfortable.  The heroine has just lost her shirt on Wall Street and needs rent money.  So why not pick up a guy at a bar and uh, exchange services?  I'm an Erotica As Fantasy girl, so "no condoms" usually don't bother me - but whoa doggie, it bothered me here.  A lot.  Especially given the threesome and the way the story ends.  Bonus points for the ending, which was clever, but I hope the heroine stocks up at the local drugstore from now on.  Grade = B-

Panther by Suzanne V. Slate I just found silly.  The heroine checks out a local art exhibit where she gets turned on my sculpture of a panther.  Boyfriend shows up, shenanigans ensue.  Seriously, she gets turned on by looking at a panther?  Of course I don't like shapeshifter books either, so there you go.  Grade = D

Communal by Saskia Walker excels at writing sexy shorts, and this story is more proof of that.  College student overhears two dorm mates getting nasty in the communal shower.  Uh, which turns her on.  So she starts enjoying some "alone time" in said shower, only to have someone overhear her, and join the party.  Again, playful and fun - I'm sold.  Grade = B+

Fireworks by Lolita Lopez finds two newlyweds sneaking away from a July 4th party to make some fireworks of their own.  A married couple enjoying themselves?  The hubby is a cowboy?  Sign me up.  Grade = B

Flash! by Andrea Dale finds our paparazzi heroine taking a break from a location shoot with a fellow photographer.  Naturally, cameras are involved.  Normally cameras in erotica make me squeamish (thank you Internet), but somehow having two photographers in the mix made it OK for me.  Go figure.  Grade = B

Waiting for Beethoven by Susie Hara is another cougar story.  Older heroine who writes erotica gets her groove thang on with younger coworker, a piano player.  This one was OK.  Mostly I had issues with the "tell-y" style in the early goings and then I wasn't entirely sure these two people were really "comfortable" with each other.  Grade = C

Confessions of a Kinky Shopaholic by Jennifer Peters finds our heroine visiting a newly opened sex toy shop, and running her purchases past a guy she meets on the bus.  Again, no condom makes me squirky - but again, a clever ending.  Grade = B-

Let's Dance by D.L. King should be filed under "Wow, totally not my thing," but it certainly fits the bill of "fast girls."  Heroine picks up college boy at bar, takes him back to her place where they get into some kinky suspension play.  Again, clever ending - even if it relies heavily on coincidence.  Grade = B

That Girl by Cherry Bomb is a confessional piece, with the heroine detailing some of what she has done and why.  It's certainly different, and a bit out of the box.  I liked it because it was really quick, and felt like an intermission.  Grade = B-

Oz by Isabelle Gray is another story that I just didn't quite "get" - although I sorta see what the author was shooting for.  Another confessional style piece, the author evokes the Wizard Of Oz (Home, Wicked, Yellow Brick Road etc.) for the heroine spew forth various fantasies.  Meh.  Grade = C

Married Life by Charlotte Stein features another married couple, this time an unsatisfied wife who stumbles across her restrained hubby's dirty little secret.  Naturally, shenanigans ensue.  I'm a sucker for dominant heroines, and that's partly what we have here.  Mostly though we have a heroine who is so dang frustrated she's just not going to take matters lying down anymore.  Preach it sister!  Grade = B

Princess by Elizabeth Coldwell finds our heroine getting a nice surprise on her birthday from her coworkers - the kind of surprise where you get blind-folded and taken for a ride.  This is a story where the reader needs to let go and roll with the fantasy, because in Real Life?  Yeah, sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen.  Grade = B

Chasing Danger by Kristina Wright is another Roll With The Fantasy-style story.  Cop heroine and her hunky partner find themselves chasing after a car thief - uh, a car thief that the heroine had a fling with during her younger, more reckless days.  If you're a stickler for how law enforcement is portrayed in fiction?  Yeah, just skip this story altogether.  Your blood pressure will thank me.  But if you're shallow (like me) and just in it for the hotness + uniform?  Yeah.  I mean, in Real Life this chick would get her butt fired (or sued) so fast her head would spin, but again - fantasy.  Grade = B-

Whore Complex by Rachel Kramer Bussel is a story that didn't work for me on any level.  The heroine plays whore for her man, when he escalates the game by literally passing her off to other partners.  Certainly the whore fantasy has played itself out in other stories in this anthology, but here I didn't feel like the heroine was in control at all.  More like she was under the thumb of the "hero" and had an extremely unhealthy attachment to him.  It really, really didn't work for me, and made me want to take her to the nearest therapist.  Grade = D-

Lessons, Slow and Painful by Tess Danesi  is a story that starts off well enough, but then takes me to a place I just didn't want to go.  Heroine invites boyfriend over for dinner.  When he shows up he discovers her hastily sharpening a knife.  Shenanigans ensue.  OK, there is a knife in this story and there is blood involved.  Yeah, no thanks.  Grade = D

Speed Bump by Tenille Brown is a story that started a little rocky, but picked up steam for me.  Heroine who likes fast motorcycles, a fast life, and has no desire to be tied down, finds her bartender boyfriend going soft after a heart attack has him reevaluating his lifestyle.  A 40+ year old heroine (not something you see every day) who I felt lacked sympathy for the guy she'd been banging for 8 years.  But, naturally, she comes around in the end.  Slowing down doesn't necessarily mean Death To Fun.  Grade = B-

Even though I had a strong negative reaction to four of these stories, there were definitely more hits than misses for me.  Also, while all fiction certainly relies somewhat on "personal taste," that's nowhere more prevalent than in erotica.  What flips one reader's switch may leave someone else cold.  One thing that I know readers feel strongly about is condom usage.  I can normally roll without The Condom Moment, but the lack of safe sex in a couple of these stories really bothered me, and if you're a reader that needs that condom mention?  Yeah, safe sex is spotty at best in this collection.  I would also mention that while most of these stories do end on an upbeat note, outside of the stories featuring married couples, it would strain to classify any of these as strict "erotic romance."

At the end of the day, this was a really strong collection, and great fun to read.  Certainly I didn't care for everything offered at the buffet, but it was a pleasurably dining experience nonetheless.

Overall Grade = B

Like A Butterfly, A Wild Butterfly

I think it's been fairly well documented that I like to read "short."  In fact, it's actually my preferred method for finding erotica writers.  I'll be honest, as much as I love erotica, there is nothing more brain-bleed inducing than poorly done erotic-anything.  Hence, reading short.  It allows me to sample at the buffet, and if I stumble across something that evokes my gag reflex?  Hey, at least I don't have a full plate of it to wade through.

Obsessed: Erotic Romance For Women is edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel and features 19 stories.  With this book only clocking in at 216 pages, plus the forward and introduction?  Yeah, these are super quick reads, but lengthy enough to turn me on (ha!) to some new-to-me writers.

Silent Treatment by Donna George Storey is a reunion story.  The heroine is off on a "silent" retreat.  A weekend of yoga, relaxation, and total silence - when she runs into an old lover.  Did I mention the emphasis on "silent" retreat?  This was an OK story, but I found the lack of disclosure on "why" their relationship fizzled the first time around frustrating.  Grade = C

One Night In Paris by Kayla Perrin finds the personal assistant heroine jetting off to Paris to surprise her hunky boss, a former NFL-er turned venture capitalist.  I've read erotica, romance and suspense by Perrin, and I really think she's "at home" with erotica.  Steamy stuff.  Grade = B

Concubine by Portia Da Costa features a hero with a twisted ankle begging the heroine to tell him a naughty story.  She does - about a concubine and her warrior prince returned from battle.  The story was OK, but what I really wanted more of was the modern-day couple!  Those two were vintage Da Costa - cheeky and fun.  Grade = B-

Love And Demotion by Logan Belle is another secretary/boss offering.  Heroine moonlights as a burlesque performer.  Uh, which is where her hunkalicious boss tracks her down.  Really liked this story a lot - mutual attraction, pent up frustrations, and plenty of sizzle.  Grade = B

Mephisto Waltz by Justine Elyot pairs the heroine up with her former piano teacher, now a famous performer.  This was OK, but not really my speed - namely because the heroine is a virgin and needs to be "awakened."  Yeah, not so much in contemporary settings thanks.  But I did think it was done well, if this happens to be your bag. Grade = C+

Then by Emerald finds the heroine exploring her attraction with another man, with her husband's consent.  This story was a wee bit emotionally uncomfortable, but one aspect I really enjoyed was how open and honest the married couple were with each other.  That was a very nice element to the story.  Grade = B

It's Gotta Be Fate by Jennifer Peters finds our submissive heroine looking to break the mold of a previous relationship disaster.  Wanting to be "on top" for a change, she places a personal ad and gets more than she bargained for.  I'll admit it, I like reading about dominant heroines, and this story worked well for me.  Grade = B

Hooked by Ariel Graham finds our married couple moving into a new place, and the heroine becoming fascinated by a giant hook hanging from their bedroom ceiling.  Gee, why is that there?  Plenty of tension, a solid married couple, my only quibble is Graham doesn't quite give me everything I wanted with the ending.  Grade = B-

Aftershocks by Bella Andre features an almost-divorced couple reuniting when an earthquake traps them in a storage building.  This story really didn't work for me.  Repeat after me: Dominant Does Not Equal Asshole.  I also wanted to bitch-slap the heroine when she said, "I thought I was marrying a man.  I thought I was marrying someone who would give me what I needed."  Seriously, where's a gun when you need one?  Grade = D

Secret Places by Adele Haze is a lovely story about the heroine who teaches her street musician lover to accept himself.  This was a nice surprise, with a sweetness to it that I wasn't expecting.  Grade = B

Loser by Charlotte Stein is about a woman who is boinking a "loser."  No, really.  An odd-job working, living in a filthy run-down trailer, skeevy-looking loser with a capital L.  I'll be honest, this story felt very sleazy, more than a little trashy, and unromantic to boot - but it knocked the wind out of me.  I'm not sure what it says about me (probably nothing good), but I liked it.  A lot.  Maybe because it shocked me?  Maybe because it felt different?  Whatever it was - more please.  Grade = B+

Here In Between by Kristina Wright finds our heroine heading to New York when she gets a flat-tire in the middle of nowhere, very late at night.  The hero rescues her on the side of the road, and takes her to the nearest motel.  This wasn't a poorly written story, and I'm capable of enjoying hot stranger = hot sex stories, but here?  Too-Stupid-To-Live kept running through my brain.  Grade = C

Spellbound by Garnell Wallace finds the heroine traveling to Haiti to film a documentary.  There she meets the hero.  I liked how timely this story was, even if it did skirt the unsavory bits due to word count.  It's also the lushest, most hypnotic story in the bunch.  Very atmospheric.  Grade = B

Raven's Flight by Andrea Dale finds the heroine falling for her hunky new Irish neighbor, who happens to have a wicked tattoo.  This was a solid story, but I felt the author tried to do too much with it.  She should have just given us a small window into the relationship, instead of trying to develop it all the way through to the end by jumping forward in time.  It felt jarring.  Grade = C+

Raindrop and Rooftops by Elizabeth Coldwell features a travel magazine writer heroine checking out a posh new hotel in Manhattan, as well as the owner of said hotel.  This was a great story until I got the part where the hotel provides sex toys in the honeymoon suite.  Major eyeroll.  Also, I understand that the heroine is looking for adventure, but really?  With a total stranger you're going to do that?  Grade = C

Topiary by K.D. Grace is another story I'm not sure I should have liked, but I did anyway (don't judge).  The hero really likes to landscape.  Uh, a lot.  Which is where our heroine comes in.  Seriously, I'm not sure I'm going to look at gardeners the same way ever again.  Oh and that whole dominant shouldn't be shorthand for asshole gripe of mine?   This author gets it right.  Says me.  Grade = B+

I Want To Hold Your Hand by Rachel Kramer Bussel features a hero who has recently lost weight, gotten hunky, gotten more female attention - and his wife is out of sorts over it.  How one partner's weight loss effects the other is an issue you hardly ever see addressed in fiction (or in real life for that matter), and it was a lovely angle to explore here.  Grade = B

Storm Surge by Teresa Noelle Roberts is about two adrenaline junkies who like to do it in extreme weather.  So they're off to Cape Cod just as a tropical storm is bearing down on them.  A little silly for my tastes, but well told and executed.  Grade = C+

Undercover Kink by Louisa Harte is about a heroine who likes wearing really naughty lingerie underneath her conservative clothing.  She's at the store to pick up her latest purchase and the hunky sales clerk shows her to the nearest dressing room.  A great way to end the anthology, steamy, sexy, whoa doggie!  Grade = B+

Finally, a couple of things in closing I'd like to mention.  I'm firmly in the Erotica As Fantasy camp, which means I tend to flip that switch while reading stories of this nature.  Hence, I can roll with No Condom Moments.  For readers who can't roll?  Yeah, this anthology is pretty light in the safe sex arena. 

Also, a word about the "romance" label.  All of these stories do end on a positive note.  They have "happy endings."  However, some of them are pretty vague in that area.  Using the Louisa Harte story as an example - I don't think her heroine and hero are through with each other - but are they riding off into the sunset proclaiming their undying love for each other?  Yeah, not so much. 

So, if you need the condoms, if you need that Let's Get Married And Be Together Forever moment at the end?  Yeah, this ain't your bag baby.  But it was mostly my bag, and I've already jotted down a few authors I must be on the lookout for.  Heck, I've already bought another book by Charlotte Stein.

Easy, thy name is Wendy.

Overall Grade = B