When Cameron asks Crimson to help an unhappy friend, Crimson reluctantly agrees, even though she knows it is a terrible, terrible idea. Against all odds, can Crimson improve the situation and help herself along the way, or is everyone fated to frustration and tears?
Size: 176 KB (32,528 words)
Genre: Erotica
Sex Contents: Some Sex
Tags: Fa/Fa, Consensual, Romantic, Lesbian, Light Bond, Spanking, Exhibitionism, Oral Sex, Slow
Review by Bud Ugly [other reviews by Bud Ugly]
Reviewed: - (Review Updated: )
This is probably the most difficult review I've yet written. Why? Because this story is about bondage and discipline. And I HATE BDSM stories.
So, why review it, you ask. For that matter, why read it at all, if I hate these stories. Well, it's because an editing colleague of mine whose opinion I respect recommended it to me and suggested I review it. So here goes.
The story is about a woman whose friend and former lover asks her to help another woman; exactly how is initially unknown. Our protagonist meets with the woman she's supposed to help and realizes she can help, though she has reservations. In the end, she does. Of course, it's much more complicated than that, and I've left out a lot, but I don't want to give it away.
It's a story I hate to love. It's one of the most well-written stories in my recent memory. The author has a gift for language, and I just love the way their words flow. I expect that Grammarly would have fits with it, complaining about "conciseness," but Grammarly can just bite my ass. I like it as it is.
While I can't empathize much with the characters (I just can't get into that frame of mind), they're complex, interesting, and self-consistent. The plot makes sense and has no holes that I can see.
To add to my difficulty, this is mostly about lesbian interactions. Don't get me wrong; I've nothing against lesbians. But reading about a lesbian affair, while it doesn't squick me out, simply does nothing for me.
Technically, it's quite good, but for a few nits. In particular, the author seems to have an allergy to hyphens, and they hit on one of my pet peeves: "different than" rather than "different from." These may be issues of Canuck vs. Yank (the author is Canadian, and I'm not), but I don't know that.
So in the end I find myself reviewing a story in a genre I hate but that's so well written I have to recommend it. I'd bring it up with my shrink, if I had one.
Since it's written in a genre I generally avoid, I'm not going to rate its appeal; I just can't judge it objectively. If the subject matter is something that interests you, then you should read it. I think you'll enjoy it.
