Sexy Books: 'Oysters & Chocolate: A Sensual Feast... Erotic Stories of Every Flavor'

I've been savoring this new erotica anthology from my colleagues Jordan LaRousse and Samantha Sade for a few weeks now, and it's become one of my favorites in the pile of new erotica I've received for review since launching my Sexy Books feature.

Anthologies are tricky to review – generally a mixed bag of semi-related stories by diverse writers that I sometimes have trouble coming up with a cohesive thing to say about – but Jordan and Samantha have done a fine job of curating the menu for this one: Oysters & Chocolate: A Sensual Feast... Erotic Stories of Every Flavor, published by the Penguin Group/New American Library's erotica imprint Heat, and it's a worthwile addition to any collection.

The stories are organized under the conceit of "A sensual feast," and a four-course amuse bouche menu broken out into Vanilla, Dirty Martini, Licorice Whips, and Oysters categories representing various "flavors" of erotica. Some of the stories in the book actually involve food – Alice Sturdivant's Dirty Martini story "Cherries" is one of my favorites – but it's more about a broad spectrum of erotic flavor and presenting a tasting menu for readers new to erotica or interested in sampling some different fare.

As the editors put it in their preface,

Just as a chef employs a plethora of tastes and textures to excite the tongue, this book explores the many different ingredients necessary to excite the mind and body. Each flavor of erotica in this anthology is a note on the broad spectrum that is human sexuality. From the tender and loving to the sultry and dark, the human erotic palate is varied and complex.

Jordan and Samantha cover the full spectrum of the palate here at Examiner.com too, writing as both the Denver Sex & Romance Examiners and the National Sex Scandals Examiners, but the anthology mostly builds on their work as editrixes over at the literary erotica website OystersAndChocolate.com and features all-new stories from the best of the O&C writers. To stretch Jordan and Samantha's food metaphor a bit further, think of these stories as tapas-style small plates, brief introductions to new flavors of erotica and some of the new authors cooking it up. The O&C site has a "What's your flavor?" tagline (click over and take the quick quiz), and I'll answer by admitting I found myself gravitating towards the Dirty Martini and Licorice Whips stories, but I also enjoyed many of the stories marked under the Vanilla and Oysters sections of the menu.

And, while both the book and the website are generally focused on literary erotica geared towards a female perspective, it's also guy-friendly and couples-friendly (bi-friendly, too: another one of my favorite stories is "Mars with Mars and Venus" by Alana Noel Voth), and I imagine Jordan and Samantha will be pleased to hear that my partner and I have been reading many of the stories to each other in bed as... appetizers? Dessert? A bit of both.

If you're buying the book, consider supporting your local independent bookstore, or try Jordan and Samantha's favorite neighborhood spot, Boulder Bookstore. Better yet, order straight from the editors and get a signed copy like mine. XOXO back at you, ladies!