Reviewed by ILY GOYANES
The back cover of Where the Girls Are proclaims that the book sets a higher standard for lesbian erotica. This is one of the rare occasions where a product actually lives up to its hype. D.L. King has drafted an almost perfect roster of talent for her urban lesbian erotica anthology.
The common theme throughout the anthology lies in the urban locations. Cities like New York, London and Toronto offer an urban backdrop to these sexy, lesbian stories, providing the perfect means to explore varied characters and plots.
Another theme explored in a couple of the stories is ‘country versus city’. It is uniquely hot to contrast two seemingly opposing sets of behaviors and juxtapose them sexually. There are a few stories about a country girl in the big city, but each writer treats the concept in an original fashion, not falling back on such pedestrian literary devices as the wide-eyed ingénue taken in by the sophisticated city slicker.
In Don’t Fuck with Country Girls by Kathleen Bradean, for example, the main character could give any city girl a run for her money.
Location is where the stories’ commonality mostly ends. The characters throughout the anthology consist of newbie lesbians, exhibitionist lesbians, submissive lesbians, older lesbians, and just oh, so many lesbians. Each plot offers variety as well. You are treated to all kinds of scenarios, from coming-ofage stories to revenge stories, some of the scenarios surprising and almost all of them titillating.
The quality of the writing as well as the highly erotic moments throughout the anthology separate Where the Girls Are from most other lesbian erotica anthologie.
For the quality of the writing as well as the erotic content, A.D.R. Forte’s Urban Fairy Tale is a treat for your senses, as is Afraid of Jumping by Nan Andrews. Electricity by Evan Mora and Don’t Fuck with Country Girls by Kathleen Bradean, offer a nice twist on the clichéd small-town yokel theme. You’re the Boss by Stella Sandberg,The stories in Where the Girls Are, with tare entertaining, erotic, and well written.
Edited by D.L. King. Cleis Press. $14.95
