This was wonderful! So hot, but so emotional as well. I loved the erotic exploration of latent homosexuality through friendship and BDSM, which was veThis was wonderful! So hot, but so emotional as well. I loved the erotic exploration of latent homosexuality through friendship and BDSM, which was very well done. It's not the magical sexuality switch you see flipped in so much erotica, but a genuine exploration of thoughts and desires as they're tied up in a rekindled friendship. Nothing (especially trust) comes easy here, and there's baggage hanging over both their heads, but how they work through it feels genuine - even within what may be, for many of us, a fantasy scenario. ...more
LGBT is a story of lust, gore, bloodshed, and terror featuring Lavelle (a lesbian adult film star with a problematic soulmate), Greg (a mature gay manLGBT is a story of lust, gore, bloodshed, and terror featuring Lavelle (a lesbian adult film star with a problematic soulmate), Greg (a mature gay man with an unfaithful young husband), Bryn (a bisexual vampire seeking a soulmate of her own), and Tammi (a disgraced transgender influencer desperate for cash).
However, since this is a Wol-vriey book, it also features Mary Yang (a sweet lesbian with dark passions), Mr. Silence (a crazed torturer with a dark imagination), Lynch (a necrophiliac with dark lusts), and Rainbow (a colorful witch with dark power). It’s how and why those two groups of characters come together, however, where the story is to be found, with one poor choice compounding another, and one twist getting tangled up with another.
Yes, there are ghosts, vampires, and witches in the book, with dark magic enabling so much of the darkness, but it’s a very human story of mortal sins and failings. Everyone here has been seduced by something or someone, has given in to one baser urge or another, and they’re going to pay. Murder, torture, deals with the devil, it’s all here, but nothing ever goes quite as you might expect.
LGBT is dark and violent, but in a gleeful sort of way, inviting the reader to take a vicarious sort of satisfaction in seeing these characters get what’s coming to them. It takes a while to get going as we meet the characters and get involved in their lives, but when things start going wrong, the story careens along to one disaster after another.
It’s no secret that Rachel Kramer Bussel has long been one of my favorite erotica editors. Books like Crossdressing (2007) and Yes, Ma’am (2008) were It’s no secret that Rachel Kramer Bussel has long been one of my favorite erotica editors. Books like Crossdressing (2007) and Yes, Ma’am (2008) were as much comfort as inspiration for me as I navigated my identity and sexuality, and having a story of mine accepted for Coming Soon (2021) is one of my proudest accomplishments.
Despite all of that, I’m almost ashamed to say I’ve read far more of what she’s edited than written, so Lap Dance Lust was the perfect excuse to indulge and enjoy. There’s a wide range of stories here covering various fetishes and pairings, different POVs, and even different writing styles. Rachel has a voice that carries through them all – a sex-positive voice of acceptance and empowerment – but no two stories read alike. There’s a variety there, a uniqueness to each story, that really needs to be celebrated.
I won’t review all 20 stories in the book, but it would be a sin not to call attention to a few of my favorites. The opening story, Lap Dance Lust, is just wonderful, and almost guaranteed not to be what you’re expecting from the title. Doing the Dishes was a masterpiece of fetish, a story that manages to make an ordinary chore extraordinarily erotic. spoke deeply to the submissive in me, an entirely captivating story that doesn’t contain a lick of dialogue.
The End is, far and away, the most emotionally powerful story in the collection, a story quite unlike anything I expected – it gutted me and made me pause. Special Request completely turned the tables though, a delightfully hedonistic story where appearances, expectations, and roles are fluid. Better Late Than Never was a delightful surprise, a coming-out story of realization and discovery that felt genuine and exciting.
My absolute favorite, though, was Secretary’s Day, a story of fantasy, daydreams, perseverance, wish fulfillment, and female domination. Caught in the Act was a close second, a bookstore exhibitionist story with more than a little domination. Between the two, I want to go book shopping and change careers!
That’s only scratching the surface, though, and hardly even paying the cover charge for a little Lap Dance Lust. If you already know Rachel’s tastes, then you’ll love this, and if you’re just discovering here, what a wonderful place to start!
I actually finished this a few days ago, but needed some time to process it. If you’ve been following my reviews of the Eli series, then you know I’veI actually finished this a few days ago, but needed some time to process it. If you’ve been following my reviews of the Eli series, then you know I’ve talked about the emotional roller coaster that B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre have taken us on. It’s been fun and fabulous, often inspiring and sometimes amusing, but there’s been this ominous feeling beneath it all, the dread of a looming confrontation at the end. The story could have sidestepped that darkness, snatched Eli away from the brink, but as much as I silently raged against B.J. and Jessie in reading this, I admire them for sticking to the story and where it had to go.
This final volume is the culmination of Eli’s journey in so many ways. It is an entirely satisfying conclusion in that it wraps up all the outstanding questions and issues, but it’s also a difficult one. Eli is forced to confront the darkness at the heat of Bernie’s plan, the violence that can happen when the rules and ethics of the BDSM power-exchange are discarded, and that went deeper and darker than I expected (or even feared).
It’s hard to say much without spoiling the journey that’s taken us to this point, but emotions are explored, agendas revealed, justifications offered, and excuses thrown up. This book really transforms the entire series, but it’s not so simple as that sounds. Even as we’re forced to confront the darkness beneath the story, B.J. and Jessie confirm that many of the emotions were genuine. So much of what we thought we knew about this world is flipped on its head, which may sounds like a cheat, but it’s not that at all. We’ve been experiencing the story through Eli and Bernie, and Eli’s perceptions are largely shaped by Bernie, so it makes sense that stepping outside them would reveal things we didn’t expect . . . and others for which we could only hope.
There were scenes here that made the squeal with joy (oh, how I wish I could spoil the secret in the basement!), and others that made me thankful for the bravery of friends (even those unexpected). For all the darkness, Eli is loved deeply, and when he needs it most, those who care the deepest are there. You’ll be surprised at who turns up, and even more surprised as how some of them turn up, but it all feels natural. There’s often a tendency to force too much into the end of a series like this, but this feels like a natural end – or, not an end, a transition to a new beginning.
I’m so grateful for being invited to explore this series, and for having the chance to share my impressions with readers. If you’ve been at all curious, then I urge you to give it a chance – you’ll be glad you did.
Wow, what an emotional roller coaster the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre has been. Just when I think I have it figured out, when I’m sureWow, what an emotional roller coaster the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre has been. Just when I think I have it figured out, when I’m sure I know where it’s going, it throws in a new twist, challenge, or development. Knowing how my heart has swelled for Eli, only to break time and time again, I know what the poor boy must be feeling.
This volume gives Eli some space, distancing himself from everything at home by sending him out of town for the weekend, and that allows him to explore who he is. It’s a very sexy excursion, and one that involves black mesh femboy formal wear, dinner with a porn star, and . . . well, exactly the erotic escapades for which you’d hope.
But then there’s a twist, only we learn it may not be as big of a one as he seems to feel it is, but we have the luxury of not being the ones hurt.
Back home, Eli finds himself wanting to be a better submissive, and struggling to balance the role with the romance, which isn’t easy when he’s keeping secrets of his own from Bernie. Adding to his confusion is an unexpected public confrontation with Zac, his partner at Bernie’s shop, and an awkward session with a dominatrix, whose behavior shows him the difference between a scene and a relationship.
Clem really steps in here, guiding the boy and forcing Bernie to see what’s happening. It’s an interesting dynamic, and she’s a fascinating character – almost motherly at times, and sexually dominant at others. It’s a shame neither listens as well as they should, never mind communicates as well as they should, because it leads to more pain, more damage, and more conflict. It all adds yet another layer of confusion to Bernie’s true intentions, which is the last thing we – or Eli – need.
Speaking of which, the story once again ends on an ominous note, but the good news is all shall be revealed in the final chapter!
With The Perversion, book three of the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre, we hit the physical, emotional, and thematic midpoint of the saga.With The Perversion, book three of the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre, we hit the physical, emotional, and thematic midpoint of the saga. It starts out with some frisky, fetish-filled fun before it gets risky, then dark, and then somewhat ominous.
So, let’s get right to it. The fun involves another ‘delivery,’ which Eli is now wise enough to know means letting himself be used for some kinky sex by older men who can afford his affections. What makes this delivery so much fun is that Eli does it while dressed as Little Bo Peep. It’s sweet and adorable and oh-so-very naughty, and it ends in an act of passion that (once again) has consequences, but also involves a gratuity that raises questions.
Not to spoil anything, but at this point you really have to wonder if it’s even possible for Eli to repay his debt.
The whole Eli/Bernie dynamic grows even more muddled here, with glimpses of meaningful emotion mixed in with secrets, lies, and jealousy. I fear a confrontation is looming for poor Eli at the store, as not everyone appreciates how his presence has shifted Bernie’s behavior. Before we get to that confrontation, though, there is another in store within this chapter. I won’t go into detail (you can likely guess from the cover blurb), but it ties deep into the first two books and promises to have consequences for Eli when summer break is over.
As for the ominous part, that involves a certain freedom given to Clem, another new realm of discovery for Eli, and a final moment that feeds my fears of that looming confrontation. I’ve been very diligent about not reading ahead, but I had to peek at the blurb for Deception as soon as I was done . . . and it has my feelings a muddled as Eli’s relationship. I don’t want his story to end, but I need to know how it ends!
Damn, but this was hot - no pun intended. I needed more than a few cold showers to get through it! Equal parts playful, sweet, wicked, kinky, and happDamn, but this was hot - no pun intended. I needed more than a few cold showers to get through it! Equal parts playful, sweet, wicked, kinky, and happy. ...more
The Seduction, the first book of the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre, was one of those stories that kind of sneaks up on you, teases you wThe Seduction, the first book of the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre, was one of those stories that kind of sneaks up on you, teases you with its secrets, and cracks the closet door open for sweet young Eli Shaw. With The Corruption, the second book, we begin to get longer glimpses and deeper hints as to those secrets as the closet door swings wide open and Eli immerses himself in his newfound excitement.
There’s a lot about this book I can’t really get into without spoiling the story for readers who’ve yet to indulge, but there are a few aspects I am delighted to talk about – starting with its androgyny. When she sees him struggling with Bernie’s inconsistent attentions, Eli’s landlady thrusts him into a bizarre whirlwind of a makeover that accentuates his softness and blurs his masculinity. It’s like a feminization fantasy, but carefully orchestrated to just step over the gender line, not leap full-on into the other end of the spectrum. That androgyny pops up again later in the book, with the reveal that a secondary character does leap back and forth between genders, helping Eli to impress his old roommate while still hiding his secrets.
As for Bernie, there’s such a mix of danger and delight within him that I really have no idea how far the series will go, or in what direction it will take him and Eli. We definitely see some shadows of dominance here, some exhibitionist commands that allow Eli to explore more of his new desires, especially as it comes time for him to start making deliveries . . . but I shall say no more!
Like the first book, this installment continues to engage the curious cast of characters and personalities as it shifts into more explicit sexuality and kink, but never loses the sweet thrill of first-time discovery. Eli has already grown so much in just two stories, and while I have my thoughts of where I’d like to see him go, I’m quiet content to be surprised.
The Seduction, the first book of the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre, is one of those stories that kind of sneaks up on you. Almost as sooThe Seduction, the first book of the Eli series by B.J. Frazier & Jessie Spectre, is one of those stories that kind of sneaks up on you. Almost as soon as we’re introduced to Eli Shaw, we just know he’s blissfully oblivious to the truth of his own sexuality. He’s pining for a girl who is clearly using him, paying far too much attention to his hunky, well-hung roommate, and never questioning any of it.
We know there’s a moment of hurt coming, a broken heart at the very least, a brutal public humiliation at the very worst, but we also see opportunity all around him. How will he recognize it? Where will it lead him? Who will it be with? Those are the questions this opening volume begins to explore, and the answers are fabulous.
There’s such a curious cast of characters and personalities here, with surprises to be found in each scene. You really get the sense that Frazier & Spectre have built a world around Eli, especially as we get hints as to the truth of his new job, his new romance, and his new friends. Bernie, the catalyst behind Eli’s world of opportunity, is a kindly sort of mentor who excites all sorts of feelings, but there are also glimpses of a darker edge beneath his personality that Eli is too naive to see. And then there’s Clem, Eli’s new landlady, whose stern exterior raises all sorts of questions, but whom I suspect may have some tenderness still to be revealed.
There are some explicit sexual moments in the story, a few of which are even a bit kinky, but they’re also full of tenderness and the thrill of discovery. We see Eli emerge and grow, begin his journey into something new, something more, and we have 4 more books ahead to see where it leads.
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