Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
Who says romance is dead? Certainly not the authors of these powerful stories of lesbians in love ~ and sometimes in lust. Best Lesbian Romance 2009, edited by the award-winning author of such books as When Dreams Tremble and Turn Back Time, presents the juiciest, most seductive love stories written today. Putting a new spin on the subject, these stories explore the underlying emotions and complex relationships that help define love between women. From a shy glance across a crowded room, to a casual meeting at a dinner party, to an accidental encounter on a street corner, this collection of romantic interludes showcases the many ways love can be both lost and found. Contributors include Jennifer Fulton, Karin Kallmaker, Radclyffe, Rakelle Valencia, and Alison Tyler.

BOOK REVIEW:
The latest in the Best Lesbian Romance series from Cleis Press is a wonderful collection, with a plethora of stories that run the gamut of different settings for romantic encounters between women. The stories are varied yet fit together well and flow beautifully into a seamless anthology filled with stories that hit their mark.

• “Femme Fatale: 1992” by Kathie Bergquist ~ A first date includes a wild performance art piece then thankfully takes a turn for the better.
• “Christmas Blizzard” by Teresa Noelle Roberts ~ A couple make the best of Christmas Eve at their inn when cancellations due to a blizzard leave them all alone.
• “The Usual” by K.I. Thompson ~ A woman finds many obstacles while pursuing a late-night diner waitress she’s set her sights on.
• “Last Call” by Karin Kallmaker ~ Rikki tries to keep her hold on six months of sobriety while visiting a bar nightly to admire bartender Nebraska, who she thinks she loves.
• “Finding My Feet” by Shanna Germain ~ A woman and her friend, who she has been lusting after for a while, come together over henna designs on her feet.
• “In Flight” by Andrea Dale ~ A worker at a hawk rehabilitation center helps a woman trust again after a bad breakup.
• “Krispin” by Rakelle Valencia ~ A young woman lusts after Krispin, who spends the winter in the hills before returning to the ranch each spring.
• “Eyes” by Maggie Kinsella ~ Claire must adjust when her blind lover Lydia regains her sight and doesn’t need as much help as she once did.
• “Hide” by Alison Tyler ~ Patrice, owner of the leather shop Hide, meets her match in customer Diana, and the result is explosive.
• “Unbuttoning” by Kay Jaybee ~ Laura celebrates her new size after losing weight with some special purchases to use on her partner Jenny.
• “Sand Castle Queen” by Rachel Kramer Bussel ~ Stacy goes on a much needed vacation to finally get over her ex, and falls for Margaret who wll change her life forever.
• “Cuts” by Shannon Dargue ~ Sam is reunited with her best friend Kellie, her straight friend she’s fallen for, after an accident at work requires Sam to visit the hospital.
• “Absinthe” by Jennifer Fulton ~ On a train ride in 1939, Eloise meets a Madame who opens her eyes and changes the course of her life.
• “In Your Picket” by Evan Mora ~ A woman walks down memory lane when she finds reminders of her life with her partner in the pockets of an old leather jacket.
• “Purple Thumb” by Catherine Lundoff ~ Type-A Lisa has a new job in the Midwest that she couldn’t pass up ... and finds herself drawn toward gardening and more after meeting Marlene.
• “A Ghost of a Chance” by Ariel Graham ~ Friends and business owners Sam and Marcy investigate the possible haunting of the basement of the house they are leasing, and end up exploring something quite different.
• “The Traveler” by Olivia Presley ~ A solo traveler has an unexpected encounter with a French waitress who shows her what it’s really like to be in Paris.
• “Sugar on Snow” by Sacchi Green ~ Twenty-five years after college, two roommates find themselves isolated in a cabin by a winter blizzard and find ways to light several fires to stay warm.
• “Mélange” by Allison Wonderland ~ A woman waits, worried when her partner hasn’t returned home and left none of the typical notes regarding her whereabouts.
• “Place, Park, Scene, Dark” by Elspeth Potter ~ A werewolf is captured by her ex and a sexy Asian bodyguard to prove who is really in charge.
• “Music on the Wind” by Radclyffe ~ Anna and her lover Graham celebrate the beginning of their vacation on a cruise ship.

This is a great collection of stories, all centered on romantic encounters between women. Some stories focus on unrequited love or lust, others are the beginning of a new pairing, and several are a look at established relationships. Each is a romantic interlude that is touching in many ways. Although there isn’t always a happy ending, each story shows how a woman embraces the romance within her life. The stories vary from chaste to scorchingly hot, yet all are filled with deep emotions being expressed between two individuals.

Any reader will be able to find stories within this anthology that speak to them. “Last Call” includes engaging characters and a vivid exploration of emotions and desires that translate exceptionally well on the page. “Finding My Feet” is a fun story with two best friends who are finally able to admit to deepening feelings. “Hide” is a sinfully erotic story with a gender-bending shop owner which is a wild ride from start to finish, and one that I read more than once. “Absinthe” is a fascinating story with two captivating characters set within an unsettled time in history, and the connection between the women is palpable from start to finish. I enjoyed all the stories in this collection, yet these four in particular spoke to me on a deeper level and are some of the ones I look forward to reading over and over again.

If you are looking for a grouping of stories that explore the love and connections that exist between women, I definitely recommend taking a look at this book. You won’t be disappointed.

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