This year’s Cleis Anthology, Best Women’s Erotica of the Year Volume 5, is noted as the most outrageous one to date. For this new addition to the series authors were asked to submit their most “wild and over-the-top” stories. Some stories are tremendous out there in topic, but there are different takes and presentations of these curious stories that span the erotica genre. The final work is touted as a “ripped-from-real-life” tale that focuses on the specific subculture of aerialists. If you are looking for a read that will bring the heat and also keep you on your toes with each and every curious tale.

As with other anthologies that I’ve read from Cleis in the past, this book immediately drops the reader into a tremendously intense story. In “Terms” a former employee comes to the three men she once worked with and says she will save their company, but only if they agree to some very specific terms. When the initial contract is revealed, they don’t agree, but the second contract she offers holds a new promise of things they could all gain from a new partnership. In a way that slightly reminded me of What/If, the Netflix series, the partners must give themselves over for thirty days. They will belong to a woman they all once slept with and the moment the papers are signed she begins to relish in her new power. The story is exceptionally steamy and after brief set-up becomes a torrid affair between the four participants that could never happen in an actual office. In “At The Pleasure of the President,” the first female president of The United States finds herself is a sexy situation with her Vice President after what she calls a dry era. This story is both sweet and sexual with the main character finding someone to connect with after such a long time without a partner following the death of her husband.

“Outlaws” takes us into a futuristic world where people no longer actually have sex, but one day when our primary character meets a man who appears to be attracted to her everything seems to change. She can no longer focus on anything and as he reveals to her the words of the past through the gift of a a book the two choose to break the laws of their society and unite through sex. Moving away from physical sex is the story of a woman who works as a phone sex operator. In “After Midnight” she feels hollow doing these calls every night, but she needs the paycheck and forces herself to go through with helping men enjoy themselves. One night she receives a call where the man on the other end is actually interested in her and in that one call the two fall into a fantasy of what physically being together would be like. While they may not be together, Rika feels herself gaining a new level of passion for her job. “Frosting” is perhaps the most abrupt of the stories and definitely does fall under the more outrageous in terms of what occurs. Beloved Cupcake, Wedding Boutique is visited by a rich client, Ms. Donahue, who immediately heats up the kitchen and leads the owner and her three assistants to begin to realize that the kitchen can be for much more than baking. This story is intensely sexual and involves a number of actions occurring involving all five women, with Ms. Donahue leading the frenzy of sexual feelings that erupts during her appointment. In this anthology there are stories for everyone. There are slow burns and there are quick sexual connections. If you enjoy erotica or are looking for something a bit steamier in your romantic readings this anthology is something that you should make sure to check out. You can pre-order your copy of Best Women’s Erotica of the Year Volume 5, which is due out in December. 

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