There are many erotic stories/books, the majority of them being boring or/and embarrassing to read, not because it's about sex, but because they are so badly written that sex is the last thing you want after you've read them.
This is not one of them. In addition to writing about sex in a way that makes you want sex, and to read the story over again, this book has got what most other erotic stories lack: a good story and a good storyteller.
This is not an easy thing to do, it takes a courageous woman to write a book like this.
The main character, Julia, is a widow after many years in an idle marriage. Her son-in-law, Alex, and her daughter, Kate, are on their side sick and tired of each other, equally sexually frustrated. Alex still have feelings for Kate, but she has changed into something hard he doesn't recognise, and they are unable to communicate anymore. Although Alex tries, they cannot be in the same room. Like many of us, they just let everything go on and on, fearing the needed confrontation. We immediately become Julia's best friend, we're frustrated by her selfish daughter, irritated by her son-in-law and his fear of confrontation - but with much sympathy with him.
Kate tells her mother about her frustrations, which puts Julia in the strange position of being an understanding, helpful mother - and attracted to her daughter's husband, having sexual fantasies about him. He, in turn, also turns to Julia for understanding and help. He's in love with her, he finds the warmth and understanding in Julia that he's missed in his marriage.
Writing about sex is difficult. Try it if you like! In stead of the usual, technical litany about what you can do with a body, the author manages to describe sex without being embarrassing. She goes - THANK GOD! - straight to the point. She is a good storyteller, the characters get so close to the reader that we "know" exactly what they look like, the way they talk, move - think. Her descriptions of the characters makes reading the book almost like watching a movie.
Julia and Alex runs in circles, "smelling" each other, unbearably long also for the reader, and when they finally have sex we want to scream out an orgasmic "Yes! YES! YES!!", like Meg Ryan in "When Harry met Sally" - only we're not faking it. They SO deserve to be together!
We follow Kates way in and out of marriage, meeting a new man, her rage when she's told about Alex' relationship with her mother. Kate is an unpleasant aquaintance, she irritates me so much I don't want anything good for her. But the author doesn't fall for the temptation to punish her - and since we are Julias best friends, we agree.
Yes, the book is full of sex. Good sex. Delicious sex, even.
You want to read an erotic story? Read this.
You want to read a good story? Read this.
Here are some good hours of reading, having a partner nearby might come in handy...