The Pleasure Principle. Nicole Falls. 2020. 167 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] The Pleasure Principle is a memoir on love. A journey through sex, if you will. Throughout it, the main character, DJ, recounts her relationships — romantic or sexual in nature — and the growth she saw along the way. DJ, whose full name is Damita Jo, like the singer, doesn’t just reminisce on the good and bad sex she had. That is part of the story, but certainly not all. Instead, it’s really a reflection on a life of love and lust, and the lesson’s she learned along the way. One of the most prominent lessons in this book was about setting expectations to the side and going where life takes you. For DJ, it meant stepping outside of expectations for her life, , her career, and her romantic and platonic relationships. Instead, she stepped into what felt right or good in the moment, and opened herself up to new experiences at every turn. As someone closer to her age at the end of the book, it was easy to relate to the experiences she had and the mindset she was in. There was wistfulness, but overall, I sensed…

Fans Only. B. Love. 2020. 118 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] B. Love has capitalized on current events, and Only Fans is definitely a part of it. What started as a friendly discussion among friends turns into a proposition that Aries is loathe to turn down — start a strictly platonic Only Fans with frenemy Merrick. On the surface, it’s a mutually beneficial plan — for 6 months, the two will run an anonymous Only Fans account. They’ll make it their little secret, and solemnly swear not to get emotionally attached. At the end, they’ll split the profits; he’ll open his own music studio and she’ll be able to afford a year-long apprenticeship across the country with a fashion design icon. Seems legit; what could go wrong? Obviously a lot can go left when you’re making porn with a close friend. Even while trying their hardest to remain neutral toward each other, it was inevitable that they’d get to see a different side of each other. I found it interesting to see how they plotted their cinematic exploits. The mechanics of how to film while making sure their identities remain hidden, whether to give their channel a storyline … it was…

Seasoned. Delaney Diamond. 2020. Garden Avenue Press. 326 pages. [Source: Public Library] Delaney Diamond is back with another summer romance, and I was ready and waiting for it. I was immediately taken with her style with my introduction to her style with Johnson family a few years ago. I was more than overdue to get away with her latest, Seasoned. Seasoned is actually a set of three stories, each following a different woman in a close-knit trio. Each woman is having her own struggles with love. Thrice-divorced Renee is a bit of self-proclaimed HOA enforcer and finds herself locked in a battle of wills with her bothersome — yet handsome — neighbor. Adelaide is unwillingly closer to her ex-husband when they have to figure out how to support their young-adult son. And Jackie still pines to add motherhood to her accomplishments that already include being a successful entrepreneur; will an old flame derail her plans? Renee was initially unlikable for me. Despite her attempts to keep property values high and the neighborhood livable, I thought she was the neighbor from hell. The battle of wills between her and Clive was interesting to see unfold, though. Both were stubborn as hell,…

Quarantined: A Collection of Shorts. Sabrina B. Scales. 2020. 79 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] I can’t remember how many days we’ve been in quarantine-life, but I do appreciate that authors are putting their spin on love these most dire of days. My latest quarantine read is the new release by Sabrina Scales, which features three shorts with a string of connection between each. My favorite of the three shorts was the first one, which featured a nice forbidden love between Jabari and his best friend’s younger sister, Nicki. She’s had eyes for him since they were kids, but the question is whether the two can pursue something without damaging the relationship they each have with her brother, Courtney. If Jabari feels familiar, it’s likely because his character seems was based on DJ D Nice’s “Club Quarantine” instagram sets. The second story featured Courtney and his on-again, off-again, hidden in plain sight, secret love affair with ex-girlfriend Milo. It sounds complicated because it is. Their affair is best described as a case in which nothing has to be explained because it’s understood. Except that the two clearly are not on the same page. It’s amusing to see them stumble through figuring…

Me + Somebody’s Son. Christina C. Jones. 2020. 84 pages. Warm Hues Creative. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve likely seen the saccharine-sweet photos of blissfully affectionate couples with the caption “me and somebody’s [son/daughter].” And honestly, who wouldn’t want to be boo’d up doing cute stuff with bae? Haven. She’s down for mutually beneficial hook-ups, but attachments aren’t her thing — once bitten, twice shy. So while she’ll gladly find someone to enjoy for the night, she has trouble getting them to get the hell on the next day. And when she crosses paths with August, the friend of a college ex, she swears him off. He’s literally the definition of smashing the homeys, and is just enough temptation to make her consider breaking her rule. Trouble. To say Haven and August are cute doesn’t do them justice. They were so enjoyable to read because they never compromised who they were and their filters were more or less nonexistent. They were always natural with each other, and their ability to go with the flow was entertaining. Their banter as Haven played hard to get and August let her, was genuinely hilarious, and I loved every second…