Afternoon Delight - erotic fiction by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Airen Wolf

This collection was a fun and exciting way to be introduced to a whole plethora of new and exciting short story authors. Each of the authors was vastly different in their styles and approaches to their various topics so the reading never got stale or boring. Each story in this book reads a bit like an afternoon quickie- it is intense, short, and sweet and left me anticipating the evening when I could discuss the story with the guys!
The editor Alison Tyler did a good job compiling a group of 24 different stories that touch on almost every aspect of the vast sexual arena that is couple's sex. Though I have not read any of the other anthologies she has edited this little taste leaves me wanting more, surely the goal of every author!
Each of the contributing authors has a unique voice; some of the stories are soft and dreamy while others are edgy and forceful. All of the stories blend to form a very unique tapestry of what it means to be in a sexual relationship, each author handles the topic with grace and style never once making me feel like I was being proselytized to or merely entertained. The authors made me think and that is a quality of writing I personally value.

This style of book is usually my least favorite. I am not a fan of quick stories that don't have much detail or cover the matter fully, as it were. I like to become acquainted and invested in the lives, desires and motivations of the characters in the story. I expected this book to be a collection of stories a la Penthouse, but I was very surprised to find that the stories were actually very short but sweet and very well written! Even the shortest story, 'After Midnight' by Nikki Magennis, which was more of a teaser left me thoughtful, aroused and allowed me the luxury of embroidering the tidbit into the tapestry of my own life experiences. This is a rare quality in any book and I treasure being able to feel like I have experienced a personal connection to the character in a story.

Afternoon Delight {erotica for couples}, edited by Allison Tyler, is a collection of 24 short stories about the special interactions that can happen between couples. The stories can easily be read in no more than 20 minutes and range in topic and location. Though the book title evokes the mental picture of a quick torrid bout of lunchtime sex the stories actually take place during all hours of the day!

I found myself savoring each story in a thoughtful manner rather than a greedy, sexually torrid rush. The stories were gentle, more intense and seemed to draw me into a total experience making it hard for me to read more than one story at a time. I found myself wanting to think about each of the topics and discuss them with my guys with a sense of intimate self discovery. Instead of leading to an electric quick fire type of masturbatory frenzy the stories in this book made me feel something deeper, softer and more meaningful leading to more intimate sexual discussions about whether we three would like to emulate any of the experiences in the book.

Some of the topics in the book were not appealing to me such as the blatant exhibitionism in 'View Of A Room' by Jason McFadden but surprisingly though I put off reading the story after the first couple of paragraphs it was the one that affected me the strongest! My strong negative reaction to the topic lead to a wonderful conversation with Sigel and Arch about the limits of our own desires to have public sex. By and far most of the topics in the book were very appealing to me: light bondage, spanking, threesomes, the illicit thrill of meeting your lover morphed into a sexual icon. Two stories in particular are my favorites: 'Morning, Noon and Night' by Allison Tyler and "Date At South Station' by Xavier Acton.
Morning, Noon and Night is a page turner that starts out like a read from any run of the mill porn rag, with better writing style. The twist left me grinning and immediately identifying with the main characters. This is my kink and it touches on exhibitionism, voyeurism, and the illicit thrill of having an extra marital affair with your husband/wife.
Date at South Station has an edge to it that appealed to me immensely. It is the thrill of scenario play taken to the extreme with an element of danger. Imagine if your lover asked to be picked up in a strange area of town and when you met them you weren't 100% sure it WAS your partner! Colored contacts and a whole different manner of speaking, dressing and acting makes this story exciting for anyone who has ever contemplated (or participated in) role playing.

There are a few stories that are kind of strange and deal with science fiction type plots but somehow it just seems to work. The book is geared towards people involved in a relationship and might be curious how other couples (triples or whatever formation) keep it fresh and exciting. It is a book one could leave out in plain sight and not feel embarassed if it were picked up and perused. The language isn't crass though it is explicit.

The cover art on this book is not as discreet as one might wish for reading in public. The picture is at the top third of the front cover and is a beautiful picture of a couple in a passionate embrace. The title of the book is written in gold on a cream colored background. In parentheses 'erotica for couples' rounds out the title and is followed by the editors name, Alison Tyler.

The book is paper back and 179 pages long. The binding of the book is high quality and should stand up to routine abuse. It has a pretty basic table of contents which lists the titles of the stories, author's name and page number.

Ms. Tyler provides a quick teasing look at some of the stories in her introduction complete with excerpts to tantalize and get you ready for more. The book ends with a brief blurb introducing each of the authors including some of their other works should the reader be interested in more from any specific author. Most of the authors invite you to check out their web pages, blogs or simply to email them. There is also an 'About the Editor' section which introduces Ms. Tyler in a quirky and entertaining way that finishes the book in style couples

I was so surprised by my reaction to this collection of stories. Instead of being disappointed or mildly entertained, I was lead on a journey of self exploration. The stories helped me to really stop and look at what drives my sexual habits and desires. It was a great introduction to what I particularly like but can be too shy to admit, even to my guys. Rather than leading me to a pleasant release it took me to places that I have kept shrouded in shadow and made it ok to see them. I thoroughly enjoyed this journey and for once it wasn't painful or jarring but rather pleasant and peaceful.

A new experience for me, to be sure, but one I look forward to repeating. The stories are very erotic and I definitely recommend this collection to anyone looking for some well written, torrid stories with an emphasis on relationship sex.