Bound Brits
eBook Anthology

Review by Ashley Lister

The Bound Brits anthology is a collection of long short stories from Total-E-Bound. Authors include Portia Da Costa, Dakota Rebel, Barbara Huffert, Lisabet Sarai, Sierra Cartwright and Cassidy Ryan.

The rationale behind this anthology is blindingly obvious: British people are intrinsically sexy. I know this is true because I’ve taken up shaving most mornings and have admired my intrinsically sexy body whilst removing the manly tufts of bristle from my square and kissable jaw.

Of course, to properly admire my intrinsically sexy body, it helps if I’m naked. That way I can enjoy the sight of my broad and manly chest, the six-pack of my well-toned abs and the stupendous manliness of my masculine male equipment. Strangely though, the college have asked me to be a little more discreet if I’m shaving before the start of a lecture.

However, I digress.

British people are inherently sexy and that fact is celebrated by this exceptional anthology. The addition of a little bondage, which can also be construed as being sexy, makes this book the perfect companion for anyone who likes their erotica to blend the sophisticated with the saucy—the British with the bondage.

Portia Da Costa shows how sexy Bound Brits can be with "The Retreat." "The Retreat" follows the story of Sarah and Ben as they make themselves comfortable in a country house hotel. Portia’s characters are quintessentially British: refined, sophisticated and (most importantly) bonking like bunnies when they get behind the bedroom door.

They are also quintessentially British in that they enjoy a little kink in their relationship but are too reserved to openly admit these tastes at the beginning of the story. Watching Sarah and Ben come to terms with their needs is almost as satisfying as reading Portia Da Costa’s well-turned prose. Portia Da Costa has a deserved reputation for blending erotica and romance into stories that are subtly sensitive and seriously sexy. The Retreat is another shining example of her ability to combine sensitivity and sexual excitement with a narrative that is superbly compelling.

Equally compelling is Barbara Huffert’s "All Roads Lead to Ripon." This story is set firmly in Britain’s most romantic location: Yorkshire. Yorkshire, for those unfamiliar with this most beautiful part of the world, is famous for its wild and untamed beauty and deliciously desirable natives.

Did I mention that I was born in Yorkshire?

Emily Bronte exploited these characteristic features of Yorkshire and Yorkshire-folk when she wrote Wuthering Heights. Barbara Huffert exploits it with the same descriptive skill as her heroine, Jane, is pursued from Harrogate through to Scarborough, Knaresborough and Ripon.

Again, this story is as romantic as it is erotic. The sexual tension is built on the intrigue of the central characters getting to know each other as well as getting to know themselves. There’s a fine line between a stalker and an ardent admirer pursuing the object of his desires. Barbara Huffert treads this line carefully and skilfully as Jane is wooed and won by her mysterious and masterful admirer.

Lisabet Sarai’s "Getaway Girl" also focuses on the romance of being British and being bound and gagged. The majority of people reading this will be aware that Lisabet Sarai is a brilliant wordsmith and highly accessible author. Her novels have received deserved critical acclaim and she creates strong characters in vivid locations.

One of the first Lisabet Sarai stories I read was set in north-east Thailand. After reading "Butterfly in Erotic Travel Tales 2," I felt as though I had visited the country and almost insisted that my passport should be stamped to prove that I’d been there.

"Getaway Girl" is equally well written and beautifully descriptive. Peg, the heroine of "Getaway Girl" is introduced to the reader as a kidnap victim. She is already bound and gagged and at the mercy of a rather naughty man. But, as Peg finds out, being at the mercy of a naughty man isn’t always a bad thing. Lisabet Sarai, with her skilful way of describing scene, sense and sensuality, makes this point perfectly clear as the story unfolds and reaches its glorious climax.

Ashley Lister
April 2008

Bound Brits
Available at: Total-E-Bound

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© 2008 Ashley Lister. All rights reserved.


About the Author: Ashley Lister is a UK author responsible for more than two-dozen erotic novels written under a variety of pseudonyms.His most recent work, Swingers: True Confessions from Today's Modern Swinging Scene (Virgin Books; ISBN: 0753511355), a non-fiction book recounting the exploits of UK swingers, is his first title published under his own name.
Ashley’s non-fiction has appeared in a variety of magazines, including Forum, Chapter & Verse and The International Journal of Erotica. Nexus, Chimera and Silver Moon have published his full-length fiction, with shorter stories appearing in anthologies edited by Maxim Jakubowski, Rachel Kramer Bussel and Mitzi Szereto. He is very proud to be a regular contributor to ERWA.
Websites: www.ashleylister.co.uk / ashleylister.blogspot.com

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