Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Vol. 7

Bussel serves up blistering-hot desire in this excellent addition to the annual anthology series. In her introduction, Bussel notes that she wanted to push the genre into new territories and surprise readers, and she certainly succeeds. Standouts include Inga Gardner’s “Bitch,” about an overworked wife and homemaker who finds release in dominating her secretly submissive husband; Ann Castle’s science fictional “Sealing the Treaty,” about a female starship pilot from Earth who marries a Sagonite man to bring peace to their cultures—and the pair must publicly consummate the marriage; Adriana Herrera’s hot f/f offering, “Dripping,” about a plus-size Afro-Dominican model, her security guard, and thousands of dollars of diamonds; and Kristine Lynn’s “Before and After,” about a breast cancer survivor who works to feel sexy again after a double mastectomy. While geared specifically to women, there’s a little something for everyone here, with a variety of genres and fetishes and a diverse array of characters. This sizzling volume is sure to wow erotica lovers. (Dec.)