The editor of this volume is Violet Blue, whose name I recognized when I picked this up in a bookstore, although I failed to recall why. Thanks to the magic of Google, I figured out that I had encountered her a few times on Boing Boing. She's also the author of The Smart Girl's Guide to the G-Spot. For this collection, she selected authors who share a couple of similarities in style. First of all, none of the stories contained any complex euphemisms, which is either a pro or a con, depending on the reader, or for me, my particular mood. The other characteristic these tales shared is the character development, which I always appreciate in erotica.

The following writers are included: K.L. Gillespie, Bonnie Dee, Teresa Noelle Roberts, Kay Jaybee, Andrea Zanin, Sloane Square, Saskia Walker, A.D.R. Forte, Geneva King, Maria Grigoriadis, Susan St. Aubin, Maria Matthews, B.J. Franklin, Jean Roberta, Debra Hyde, Kristina Wright, and Reen Guierre.

Lust is very much geared toward female readers, with a wide variety of topics. Stories feature both heterosexual and homosexual characters, with encounters between heterosexual couples, lesbian couples, and bisexual threesomes. Some of the activities portrayed stay pretty vanilla, while others include light BDSM type play. The realistic feel of the character development adds to them all.

Those looking for rough sex or more extreme situations will probably be disappointed with most of the stories. One story in particular -- Kidnapped -- featured some rough sex, but while the situation moved beyond my comfort zone as a reader, the character also constantly reminded the reader that the whole kidnapping was staged with her consent, which served as a distraction from the fantasy. I personally found it an odd balance, and I wondered if a reader looking for that sort of fantasy would be put off by it, but at the same time, it made the character's experience seem more honest.

The layout is pretty standard for an anthology. There's an introduction by the editor, the stories themselves, and a brief paragraph about each author in the back of the book. It does have a table of contents, but lacks an index, as does most fiction.

Nothing about the paper quality, the printing, or the binding stands out as a distraction, and I didn't find myself stumbling over typos. The paperback cover feels sleek and glossy, rather than matte. It's not illustrated.

The cover lacks discretion, but falls short of being openly pornographic. It displays a black and white photograph of an undressed couple embracing, artistically cropped, with the title in red.

The two stories that stuck with me the most, and which I return to when the mood strikes, were Satisfaction Guaranteed, which to my delight included toys; and Pleasant Surprise, a steamy lesbian encounter with really great character voice. I also enjoyed the character development in Coffee Shop Boy.

With so much variety in this book, I'd expect that almost anyone would be able to find a few favorites in the mix.