Straight Up by Rachel SpanglerStraight Up by Rachel Spangler is their first erotic romance, and this story is so sexy and so poignant that it’ll resonate with every woman on some level.

“Never fall for a straight woman.”

It is the mantra every lesbian woman is told from the beginning of time. Even Geo, co-owner of the popular yoga studio in Buffalo, has heard it and, so far, has heeded the warnings sent down from lesbians’ past.

Then, she meets Regina, a recent divorcee. After charming her into bed, Geo learns that sex with straight women may not yield a happily ever after, but it can lead to one very amazing night. So, it leads her to question: Can sex with straight women work as long the heart is kept out of the equation?  It feels like a win-win, and soon Geo is on a bed-hopping journey to prove that sexuality is fluid and attraction is endless.

As her prowess grows, she begins to believe her erotic adventures might continue indefinitely, but always be aware of a wild card, for it can pop up at any moment and throw all Geo’s stellar plans into an emotional rollercoaster she never expected.

The Characters

The best way to describe Geo is a giver. From the moment we meet her, we’re able to see a woman who makes her living by bringing out the best in others to get ultimate results. The same can be true about the women she takes to bed. Even though they all announce their heterosexuality, Geo sees every ounce of beauty they possess. All these women are witty, smart, charismatic, but they’re lacking the attention they deserve.

Geo gives them everything they desire, thus empowering them in the belief they’re worth more than they’ve been led to consider. The unfortunate outcome is they all leave once they’ve received this gift. And no matter how much she may say it doesn’t bother her, Spangler does well to show just how much it does, even if Geo can’t admit it to herself.

The Writing Style

While this story is told from Geo’s point of view, I feel it is written about women in general. Spangler gives an insight into specific women who see themselves as flawed for one reason or another, and they believe these flaws prevent them from finding love.

Regina is a recent divorcee who believes she’s past her prime. Aliyah uses self-deprecating humor to cover up the fact that she hates her body. Nora is a single mother who wants to be desired as a woman. Chelsea is a strong-willed woman who gives too much of herself to someone who doesn’t appreciate her. And May…well, she’s the wild card Geo never sees coming and turns her world upside down.

When they meet Geo, they see sincerity, compassion, and most importantly and intense desire for who they are as a whole. It’s a look they haven’t experienced often, and it entices them to experience this desire on a physical level. It’s only for one night, but in that one night, they discover they are worthy of love and appreciation and will accept nothing less.

My Favourite Parts

I really appreciated the care Spangler took in making Geo genuine in her feelings for these women when it could’ve been easy to slip into a typical character of someone on the prowl for sex. Geo is so far from that description. Yes, she wants to sleep with all of these women, but it’s not just about sex for Geo. It’s about giving them the appreciation they deserve through her honesty, as well as the physical act of sex. It’s something they want, it’s always their choice, and it puts Spangler’s very powerful and intuitive writing on display.

Heads Up

This just depresses me, knowing Spangler has another hit on their hands, because it means my pocket book will continue to take a hit with every new release from them.

The Conclusion

annas favourite booksThis was a great series of shorts that I think every woman should read. The sex scenes set the pages on fire, but the care and attention Geo gives these women keeps you reading until the last paragraph. If this is Spangler’s first erotic, I think they’ve hit on a brand new genre to add to their repertoire and I look forward to more.

Excerpt from Straight Up by Rachel Spangler

“Okay, we’re in the ready position,” Dana said. “Don’t bury the lead is Regina straight or not?”

“She is,” Geo said, her chest still a little tight at the admission.

“I’m not surprised, but I am sorry for you.”

“Well…” Geo dragged out the word. “Maybe don’t feel quite so sorry for me, because while she’s straight, she still slept with me.”

Dana turned as best she could to stare at her. “Say that again, please.”

“Yeah, I can say it a hundred times, and it’s still not going to compute. She said she was straight, then she slept with me, and then she said she was straight.”

“Oh my God. Dude, this is like every cautionary tale in all of lesbian fiction. This is why you don’t fuck with straight women.”

“Is it?”

“Yes,” Dana shouted.

“Cause she also said she’d never sleep with anyone ever again without comparing them to me.”

“Oh look, he has a penis. Geo did not. Boom. Comparison over.”

Geo sighed. That wasn’t how she’d wanted to think of that comment, but she’d come to Dana for a fresh perspective, and she’d gotten one. Still, she’d seen the change come over Regina. She knew it couldn’t be brushed away. “She also said I’d shown her what she deserved, and she wouldn’t accept less ever again.”

“Don’t get me wrong. That’s epic…But what about what you deserve? She’s got a whole new outlook on life, and you got what? Nothing?”

“I know. This isn’t what I wanted going in, but it’s not like she took advantage of me. She was honest. She got what she needed, and I got to feel like a hero.”

“Okay, so the pros so far are the ego boost and a decent orgasm for each of you,” Dana listed. “The con is that she blows you off the next morning, and I don’t mean blow off in the good sense. I mean she goes back to sleeping with men. I know that’s the only one con to two pros, but it’s a big one.”

“Is it?” Geo asked.

Dana turned her head to look at her. “She broke you heart. Don’t try to act like that’s not a thing. I know you.”

“Yeah, between you and me, my heart had a myriad of feels this morning, and some of them were unpleasant,” Geo admitted, “but what if I could learn from this experience?”

“You could learn not to sleep with straight women.”

“Or,” she offered quickly, “I could learn to sleep with them without getting my heart involved.”

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