The strangest thing happened when I was reading this book, I got turned on. Now, that’s what erotica is supposed to do, and this book does it quite well, but what was strange was that I got turned on reading heterosexual erotica. And gay erotica. I’d heard that women are easily turned on by sex but I didn’t realize how sensitive I was to the images of any naked bodies entwined with another.

The book is full on short stories, no longer than three or four pages each, which makes it a great read for whenever you have time. And you can pick it up and put it down as often as you need to and you’ll still be able to follow along. The short stories in The Big Book of Orgasms include heterosexual pairings as well as lesbian and gay encounters. Unlike Girl Crazy, these short stories were not all about the characters “coming out” which was a nice break from the former book dedicated to them. Coming out stories often are awkward, however, in The Big Book of Orgasms, the reader gets to see queer folk engaging in sex that they are quite familiar with.

I especially loved “Squirt” by Evoe Thorne about a woman’s first experience squirting. Reading that was a special treat, something that’s becoming better known and and less and less women have to validate their squirting. Including that in this book makes it clear that squirting (or, gushing) is a natural occurrence that all able-bodied women can experience. (It’s not pee, you guys!) “I let my hand slide out of her as her cunt starts to contract. As soon as I’m free, a stream of clear fluid arcs into the air from her pussy!” (207).  Love it!

Some stories that I found exciting were of women being pleasured. In porn, the sexual gratification of the man is the focus, in The Big Book of Orgasm women’s pleasure came first and foremost in many of the stories. It also depicted people pleasuring the other for the sake of making their partner feel good, even if they didn’t receive anything in return. I loved this book! How sex positive is that? (A lot.)

Fantasies are explored, from stranger sex to squirting to BDSM. This book is a delightful cocktail of sexuality, vanilla and otherwise.