Thunder of War, Lightning of Desire: Lesbian Historical Military Erotica

In this satisfying erotic anthology, Green (Wild Girls, Wild Nights) collects 10 tales of women finding pleasure amid the stress and danger of military conflict. Covering the years from 1862 to 1969, these selections take the usual tension and adrenaline rush of life-and-death situations and use them to fuel passionate, explicit encounters. In most of these stories, the lovers must satisfy their desires in secret due to cultural mores, military regulations, or the looming specter of intolerance. Several do so in disguise as men, such as in Pascal Scott's "War of the Rebellion" and Victoria Janssen's "Found," which illuminate different sides of the Civil War. Some pairings enjoy an unexpectedly gentle, polite tone of exploration and intimacy, as in Janssen's "Delivery," set in France during WWI, and Cara Patterson's "The Girl at the Window," which takes place in WWII Russia. Others are as fierce and confident as the heroines themselves, such as Jove Belle's "Moment of Peace," starring several WACs stationed in the South Pacific in 1945, or "Watching," by C.B. Potts, set in a Korean War MASH unit. Uniformly enjoyable, with the right mixture of spice and character-driven plot, this collection pleases on all accounts. (Nov.)