Lesbian Lust: Erotic Stories Paperback – August 3, 2010

Collections are fun because they are quick reads that expose readers to a variety of styles and ideas, and erotic sets like this are like the best box of chocolates--good to savor or binge.

Lesbian Lust A ReviewFor the queer, the bi or the just plan curious, a new anthology of lesbian stories edited by Sacchi Green is something to get excited about. 'Lesbian Lust' does not disappoint.Sommer Marsden opens the antho with a bang. This is a talented, self-assured writer who gets under the skin of her characters and in doing so gets under the reader's, as well.'The Girl with the Bettie Page Bangs' is elegant and upbeat and the sex scenes sizzle.Fisting makes its first appearance on page 11, courtesy of Catherine Lundoff. If you like it rough and sacrilegious her Reunion at St. Mary's will light you up like a Christmas tree.God also merits a mention in the next tale, 'A Midwinter Night's Dream' but takes a powder pretty quick. The heterosexual rape scene in the Jodie Foster movie 'The Accused' is turned upside down as 'you' (Yes, a story told in the second person has made it into an anthology (writers take note, it can be done!) watch and then experience rough but consensual lesbian sex on a pool table. Fran Walker's tale is a fantasy suitable for any night at all.Rachel Kramer Bussel's 'Swollen' is a beautiful story about one woman helping a single pregnant woman get used to the idea of being a mother. How? By fisting her, of course. Strange? Yup. But along with the hot kink the story is sweetly romantic. What can I tell you? RKB makes it work.And so the anthology unfolds. 'Camshaft Cutie' by Crystal Barela gives us this lovely description, 'She had the greenest eyes I had ever seen, framed by delicate crow's feet.' Delicate crow's feet: what a delightful moment in a short, hot, sexy little number. 'August Crazies' is a story I can certainly relate to, as the air conditioner is blaring while I write this. 'The Office Grind' is another story that many can relate to, as a business meeting is organized to cheer the protagonist, Nina, right up.The stories in this anthology are all different but almost all of them are deftly done, written by writers with a sure knowledge of their craft. The exceptions, 'Lover's Moon' and 'Canvas' are less assured but as they are by new authors Ren Peters and Kenzie Mayer,respectively, Sacchi Green is to be commended by giving them a place to start. Don't misunderstand, the stories are good,just not quite as fabulous as the rest.Teresa Noelle Roberts' story, 'Not Afraid to Get Her Hands Dirty', injects some levity into the story of a woman, injured and on pain medication, falling dozily for her male room mate's latest squeeze, '. . . a hot, dressed-to-impress temptress femme with a screwdriver: be still my beating clit.' The second half of that sentence, 'be still my beating clit' could be taken as a summary of this anthology's theme.'Never Too Old' is a fine story about long term partners, together thirty years, in which the purchase of sex toys is the major part of the story, while the use of them gets a short, intense page and a half of torrid description.'Lost and Found' proves you don't have to be a femme in a designer dress to catch the eye of a hottie. The main character's luggage is lost en route to Hawaii, so when she's turned on she finds herself, '...soaking right down to my dollar store panties.''The Angel Connection' by C.B. Potts is one of my favourites in the antho. In this light-hearted story, Potts makes the even the most mundane objects, like the contents of a garage, brightly sexy. 'Air hoses were coiled in tight serpentine loops against the wall, rubbery reptilian red ringed round with caution yellow.'Cheyenne Blue's entry, 'A Story About Sarah' has the deft, light, clear touch of a seasoned writer. There's so much good stuff in this story it's hard to pick, but this line moved me. 'My hands are as dexterous as a piano player's. She hums and I play.'From the perfect harmony of Blue's story to 'The Weekend', a touching story of a couple that's come undone and is making a last attempt to connect, the anthology does a fine job of covering many of the scenarios of Sapphic love and lust, which are, ultimately, the scenarios of love and lust.'Love and Devotion' gives us a taste of Lesbian sex, southern style, between a young woman and a much older, married lady. In this tale it's the young woman whose love is only allowed to be expressed as lust. Her married lover insists that they both stay below the radar, prompting the younger of the two to observe, 'Funny that her closet is big enough to contain both of us.'Jade Melisande's story, 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl?' is a road trip romance, as Laura rescues Keri from another hetero relationship gone wrong. Will they find each other this time? Or is Keri, always going to be the pal who rescues the gal who loves men? When the two pull into a gas station Keri awakens. 'She stares muzzily out the window.' Is muzzily a word? I don't care if it is or not, it describes exactly how I feel when I awaken in the passenger seat to find myself still on the road.Sacchi Green finishes the antho off with her dark, moving short story, 'Danger', in which the main character is swept up in the historic raid on a Greenwich Village bath house, Stonewall, on the night that 'The queers were fighting back!' She was a nurse in Viet Nam and in the aftermath of the riot, she plays medic to victims of the melee, cheers on the gays and indulges in some seriously hot sex in the alleyway with a girl in braids. That night they end up together, both vets of Nam, one a medic and the other an ambulance driver. But in the turbulence of the times there's no room for long term love, only a stubborn lust connection that might just manage to survive until the world makes room for lovers of every persuasion.The anthology touches on how women who love women feel in a plethora of real life situations and, if that isn't enough, also offers up enough pure fantasy and romantic HEA (Happy Ever After) or HFN (Happy For Now) to soothe the heart of the romantic of, yes, every persuasion. There's a whole lot of love and sex and lust and fantasy packed into this 202 page anthology. Do yourself a big favour and grab a copy of 'Lesbian Lust' for those long, cold winter nights that are right around the corner. Lesbian Lust: Erotic Stories

This anthology put together by Sacchi Green and also has two stories by her is really a great blend of various genres of lesbian relationships. You will find BS/SM, lovers trying to keep the fires burning. Some kinky stuff, that may bother you but if it's consensual and that is what they want.....it can't be bad. I laughed out loud at "Never to Old" about a couple who have been together for over 30 years, and the "Fem" thinks it's time to spice up their love life by getting some toys........The conversation and thoughts going through the "Butch's" mind during the whole thing is just hysterical. "Swollen" about a lesbian who's pregnant and is taking a vacation before she settles down to be a mom. She meets a woman who makes her feel beautiful, though she may never see her again....Of the 18 stories I found 16 of them excellent. Some things may bother you because it can be brutal, but in most fiction now you will find all kinds of brutality, and in real life it happens every day. These are well written stories about women and their lives. One of the best anthologies of this genre.

RUBBISH