Book Review: Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 4 (eARC)

“A woman can have a relationship and be a bull rider. A woman really can have it all.”

In Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 4, award-winning editor Rachel Kramer Bussel has gathered the hottest sexy stories starring outspoken women who daringly pursue love and lust. You’ll read about a single mom who goes back to college and gets some very hands-on education from her hot professor, an Amish woman tenderly revealing her most intimate desires, and a woman who crafts the man of her dreams. From outsiders who lustily claim their place without apology to women taking the boldest of risks with their hearts and their bodies, these sizzling stories are sure to make your heart pound. Featuring stories by popular authors including Alyssa Cole, Megan Hart, Tamara Lush, Tamsen Parker, Sofia Quintero, Suleikha Snyder and Alessandra Torre, along with a variety newcomers to the genre, these tales will turn you on and stay with you long after you’ve finished. (Goodreads)

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“Never apologize for being creative.”

Big thanks to NetGalley and Cleis Press for giving me a copy of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. 💕

I loved the interesting and diverse characters. Here we can see all kinds of women of different age, background and sexual preferences. There is certainly at least one story that will appeal to everyone from this steamy collection.

One thing I look for in erotica that is written by and for women is the promotion of self-awareness, body positivity and sexuality. This book certainly accomplished all that.

It has a very healthy outlook, too–safe sex, responsible dating and consent is promoted.

“Nothing is strange, really, if you love someone enough.”

There is a hopeful and unapologetic tone that I really really liked especially since the book is focused on outsiders in all its forms: be it due to race, age, ethnicity, mental health or even artificial intelligence. We are given a glimpse of how different personalities journey towards self-discovery and take control of their lives through sexual awakening and acceptance. It’s safe to say that happily-ever-after fans will find these stories satisfying, too.

“We don’t have to change for anybody. Not even each other. Unless we want to.”

I think it takes remarkable skills to write erotic fiction in short story form because it involves such a limited area to work with in terms of character development and building up passions, but these ladies almost effortlessly nailed it. 🌹

Overall rating: 3/5⭐️

About the Editor

Rachel Kramer Bussel is a New Jersey-based author, editor, blogger and event organizer. She writes widely about sex, dating, books, pop culture, feminism and body image, and has written for numerous publications, including BUST, The Daily Beast, DAME, Elle.com, Fortune.com, The Frisky, Gothamist, The Hairpin, Harper’s Bazaar, Inked, Jezebel, Marie Claire, Mediabistro, The Nervous Breakdown, New York Post, New York Observer, New York Press, The New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Playgirl, The Root, Salon, San Francisco Chronicle, Slate, Time Out New York, The Village Voice and xoJane. She has edited 60+ anthologies, including The Big Book of Orgasms, Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica, and edits the Best Women’s Erotica of the Year series. She has contributed to over 100 anthologies, including Susie Bright’s Best American Erotica 2004 and 2006 and X: The Erotic Treasury, as well as The Sexual State of the Union and Yes Means Yes. Rachel conducts reading and erotic writing workshops worldwide, and has presented, spoken and taught at conferences including Dark Odyssey, Erotic Authors Association, Sex 2.0, and SXSW. For five years, she hosted In The Flesh Erotic Reading Series in New York City, which featured 300 readers. Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and women’s studies from the University of California at Berkeley.