Title: Lap Dance Lust
Author: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Publication Date: February 13, 2024 by Cleis Press
Genres: Erotica
Protagonist Gender: Various
It’s no secret that Rachel Kramer Bussel has long been one of my favorite erotica editors. Books like Crossdressing (2007) and Yes, Ma’am (2008) were as much comfort as inspiration for me as I navigated my identity and sexuality, and having a story of mine accepted for Coming Soon (2021) is one of my proudest accomplishments.
Despite all of that, I’m almost ashamed to say I’ve read far more of what she’s edited than written, so Lap Dance Lust was the perfect excuse to indulge and enjoy. There’s a wide range of stories here covering various fetishes and pairings, different POVs, and even different writing styles. Rachel has a voice that carries through them all – a sex-positive voice of acceptance and empowerment – but no two stories read alike. There’s a variety there, a uniqueness to each story, that really needs to be celebrated.
I won’t review all 20 stories in the book, but it would be a sin not to call attention to a few of my favorites. The opening story, Lap Dance Lust, is just wonderful, and almost guaranteed not to be what you’re expecting from the title. Doing the Dishes was a masterpiece of fetish, a story that manages to make an ordinary chore extraordinarily erotic. spoke deeply to the submissive in me, an entirely captivating story that doesn’t contain a lick of dialogue.
The End is, far and away, the most emotionally powerful story in the collection, a story quite unlike anything I expected – it gutted me and made me pause. Special Request completely turned the tables though, a delightfully hedonistic story where appearances, expectations, and roles are fluid. Better Late Than Never was a delightful surprise, a coming-out story of realization and discovery that felt genuine and exciting.
My absolute favorite, though, was Secretary’s Day, a story of fantasy, daydreams, perseverance, wish fulfillment, and female domination. Caught in the Act was a close second, a bookstore exhibitionist story with more than a little domination. Between the two, I want to go book shopping and change careers!
That’s only scratching the surface, though, and hardly even paying the cover charge for a little Lap Dance Lust. If you already know Rachel’s tastes, then you’ll love this, and if you’re just discovering here, what a wonderful place to start!
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀
My sincere thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sally Bend 
Leave a comment