So it’s busy silence. Honestly!

Jane
xxx

The post Silence appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Image: Lupa – Julo (own work)

Since July of last year:

• Thirty-five book reviews.
• Fourteen Garden of Earthly Delights episodes [*please note these are no longer available on the blog].
• Three five-minute erotica stories.
• Twenty-eight sex toy reviews and countless other sex toy references.

As I’ve added more and more reviews and articles to Chintz, I’ve become increasingly aware that it’s more difficult for visitors to find what they want quickly. Chances are, if you’re diving into the Toy Box or Words sections, you want to know what’s in them without having to scroll through all the pages.

Behold.

Two hyperlinked lists to make your Chintz navigation life easier: the Toy Box Index and the Words Index.

You can find the relevant links to them at the very tops of the Words and Toy Box pages, or simply scroll down to access them via the Behind the Chintz Curtain footer. (The plan is to update the indexes every time a relevant post is added, but you’ll have to forgive me if there’s a short delay.)

For now, I’m leaving out Alert Me posts and Toy with me Tuesday entries, but I may add these in over the coming weeks, too. We’ll see how things go.

Here’s hoping that these indexes make finding your way around Behind the Chintz Curtain quicker and simpler.

The post For the love of an index appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

The very last Behind the Chintz Curtain post for 2012. I can’t quite believe how fast the past five-and-a-half months have gone. Since Chintz went live on 3 July, over 13,000 of you have visited and I’d just like to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who’s taken the time to stop by.

I also need to send some serious festive love to the following amazing people, without whom I would have been totally lost on this blogging journey!

Joe B (who did such a great job of designing all the Chintz graphics); Felicia (who coded like an angel when the going got a little bit too tough for me. Html is not my strong suit!); Nick E. (who remained completely un-phased when faced with a conversation about erotica and legalese, despite the fact that it was a massive departure from our previous legal discussions. You’re a true gentleman, sir); Lizzie, Thomas and The Dairy Maid (who’ve been total troopers, reviewing all the sex toys I’ve thrown their way); MissR and Rob (who’ve continued to be so generous with their time and advice, even though I’m no longer their client. God bless Skype); Michael (who has let me bounce endless writing ideas of him and then add to his already enormous reading pile); the amazing BookAddict (who encouraged me to take part in BDSM Bedtime Stories (do you ever sleep, woman?!)) and Mr Bliss (who did such a brilliant job of making the smut I’d written sound so amazing); all the folk who take part in Toy with me Tuesday and make it so much fun every week; and, finally, the companies and authors who have supported Chintz content by sending products and manuscripts for review.

A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all.

Festive kisses,
Jane
x

The post Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all you lovely kinky folk appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Image: Power of Words by Antonio Litterio

Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a certain gentleman who writes seriously fabulous book reviews. Honest, insightful and, without fail, interesting. He’s been my writing feedback stalwart and is also one of the mods for my favourite Goodreads group, BDSM. (No doubt, a few of you will have met him already.)

Somehow, despite looking after over 2,000 of us kinksters on Goodreads, me pestering him for critiques, and holding down a full-time job, I’ve managed to twist Michael’s arm into doing some reviews for Chintz – and I’m so pleased, because I really think he’s going to give you some wonderful insights into various books from the BDSM-erotica genre and, hopefully, help you determine which ones you’d like to read.

So look out for his name on future book reviews, and salutations, Michael. I’m delighted to have you!

The post Introducing Michael appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Title:

On Dublin Street has been gathering some serious, serious momentum since its release in August of this year. Originally self-published by its author, Samantha Young, in less than three months it’s been picked up for re-release by Penguin, has over 16,000 Goodreads reader ratings (most four stars and above), and made it into the final round of the latter’s Choice Awards for 2012. That’s pretty damn impressive.

Jocelyn Butler (Joss) is hiding from the life she once knew. Having lost her immediate family in a tragic accident at the age of fourteen, she has spent her adulthood getting as far away from her past as possible. Quite literally, by packing up her entire life and escaping to her mother’s country of birth, Scotland. Emotionally shuttered and unwilling to properly deal with the deaths of parents and sister, Joss is living in a self-imposed bubble, existing without actually living.

Enter Braden Carmichael, a stubborn, sexy and irreverent Scotsman who refuses to let her lock herself away – physically or emotionally.

From their very first meeting in the back of a black cab, the reader is immersed in a Battle Royale of wills as Braden tries to smash down the metaphorical walls Jocelyn has built around herself and she attempts to shove him unceremoniously away. The candid and heated exchanges – particularly in the early stages of this book – as the pair verbally spar with one another are electric, mercilessly ratcheting up the tension and pulling the reader through the story with both hands.

‘I rolled my eyes. “You’re an ass.”

Braden sat up with a snort. “Usually a woman calls me that after I’ve fucked her and called her a taxi.”’

Without question, Braden is one of the best romantic male leads I’ve come across this year. Very Alpha, but his obvious intelligence and compassion balance out his ‘king of the mountain’ tendencies and stop him from becoming obnoxious. It’s very difficult not to like him, which makes Jocelyn’s continued resistance to a ‘proper’ relationship with him all the more frustrating. (Yes, I fully admit there were times when I wanted to reach into the pages and shake her.)

Grief, and the way it manifests itself, is also a strong theme throughout the novel. We all deal with loss in different ways and while the romance developing between Joss and Braden is at the forefront of On Dublin Street, death and the role it plays in the lives of those we love – and those who love us – is a persistent presence.

While I wouldn’t exactly class On Dublin Street as an erotic romance, it’s certainly not shy. The language is nice and blunt (especially Braden’s), the sexual encounters smoking.

‘“You know, Braden, I’ve watched you over the last few months and you’re such a gentleman to everyone but me. What’s with that?”

“I want you in my bed. Gentlemen are boring in bed.”

Good point. “Gentlemen are gentlemen in bed. They make sure you’re having a good time.”

“I’ll make sure you’re having a good time, and that you’re okay with everything we’re doing. I just won’t be well-mannered about it.”’

On Dublin Street is an excellent contemporary romance that absolutely deserves the attention it’s getting. The Edinburgh setting, the cast of characters (Braden and his sister, Ellie, in particular), and the engaging writing all combine to create a romance that you’ll be thinking about for days afterwards. This book took my Romance vote for the Goodreads Choice Awards 2012.

Tickle your fancy? Click on the below links to purchase a copy of On Dublin Street:

Amazon.co.uk:

• On Dublin Street – Kindle 
• On Dublin Street – Paperback (release January 2013)

Amazon.com:

* Please note that, following re-release by Penguin, the cover art for On Dublin Street may differ from that featured in this review.

The post On Dublin Street – Samantha Young appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Title:

If you have a penchant for non-con (non-consent) role-play, a man with a dirty mouth, and rough-and-ready sex, you’re going to love this one. Willing Victim is all about indulging those slightly darker and more aggressive fantasies that many of us have but are often afraid to admit to.

First thing’s first. If you’re at all sensitive to reading about rape – in either a real or imagined capacity – then this is definitely not the book for you. (Note my over-zealous use of bold and italics here.) Per Willing Victim’s Reader Advisory warning:

‘Although all sex acts are 100-percent consensual, Willing Victim contains role-playing scenarios that may upset some readers who are sensitive about rape, even in a simulated capacity.’

Still here? Good. Then on with the review …

Laurel’s not really sure what she’s doing with her life. Despite being a qualified engineer, she’s simply drifting from one day to the next, making ends meet by waitressing. Then one day, quite by chance, she meets Flynn, a native Bostonian who works construction. There’s just something about this hulk of a man that draws Laurel and she finds herself doing something completely out of character: asking him out. Initially, he refuses her offer, but Laurel refuses to take ‘no’ for an answer and, eventually, Flynn capitulates – after a fashion:

‘He scribbled an address in South Boston.
“Friday and Saturday nights, eight to one. Tell the guy working that Flynn invited you.”
Laurel studied his slanted handwriting. “Okay,” she said, wondering if all this newfound impulsivity would leave her by the weekend.
“If that doesn’t scare you off,” he said, “ you can try askin’ me out again.”’

What Laurel discovers when she turns up both surprises and intrigues her: Flynn’s a fighter, a stalwart of the underground boxing circuit. But that’s not all. Courtesy of a woman named Pam who has a casual sexual arrangement with him, she learns that the ring isn’t the only place Flynn likes to channel his aggression:

‘“… Flynn’s just willing to go place with me that other guys won’t. Sort of rough places. Well, really rough places.”
.
.
.
“He’s a bit of a thug,” she added with a fond smile.
“In and out of bed, it sounds like,” Laurel said. Not that it was necessarily a criticism.
Pam shrugged again. “What I told you about him sexually…don’t jump to condemn him or anything. He’s actually really kind.”

And that’s the crux of this book. Fabulously dirty, aggressive sex with a real rough diamond who’s not afraid to play in very dark places – provided (and this is important) it’s what his partner wants. Is Flynn hard on those he has sex with (or, more accurately, ‘fucks’)? Oh, yes. Is he violent towards them? No. That’s not what Willing Victim’s about. The clue is in the title: this isn’t a story of abuse.

I’ve seen some reviewers describe this as a BDSM book but, in my opinion, it isn’t. Although there’s unquestionably a power exchange between Laurel and Flynn – and they have a safeword in place – Willing Victim is much more about non-consent role-play. Bluntly, ‘being forced’ in a controlled and pre-negotiated environment.

Characterisation-wise, Cara McKenna does a great job with both protagonists. Laurel is suitably cautious about what she’s stepping into and Flynn’s clearly in tune with his partners’ needs and limits. He’s not a blunt instrument, either. The flip-side of him is his kindness – because although Flynn describes himself as an ‘asshole’ to Laurel at the beginning of Willing Victim, it soon becomes very clear that he’s not.

Finally, a word on Flynn’s language. As I mentioned in the very first sentence, it’s dirty (the ‘c word’ abounds) – but well done. If filth is going to come out of a man’s mouth during sex, this is the kind you want. To that end, I’m pretty positive you’ll be fanning yourself and/or jumping on your partner rather than cringing.

Tickle your fancy? Click on the below links to purchase a copy.

Amazon.co.uk:

• Willing Victim – Kindle

Amazon.com:

• Willing Victim – Kindle

The post Willing Victim – Cara McKenna appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

I’ve read some fabulous books over the past few days – including Cherri Lynn’s Leave me Breathless and Riley Murphy’s Reclaimed Surrender (reviews ahoy-hoy) – and also managed to pen another episode of The Garden of Earthly Delights [*no longer available on the blog], so expect to see a bit of a focus on books and writing in the next few Chintz posts.

More toy reviews in the pipeline, too – and perhaps some new reviewers …

The post Onwards! More books, more writing, more toys appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

We’re taking a bit of a break this week, so there won’t be any new posts until Monday 12 November. If you’re new to Behind the Chintz Curtain and want to know what we’re all about (or you haven’t stopped by in a while), here’s a selection of last month’s most popular posts:

TOYS

• C is for clitoris, C is for clip
• Christian Grey’s playthings, part three: pleasure beads
• Squeeze. Tease. The agony and ecstasy of nipple clamps
• The Wartenberg pinwheel: the sharp edge of sensation play
• Toy with me Tuesday: Autumn berries
• This story is about a little vibrator. Her name is Gigi
• Toy with me Tuesday: Surprise!
• A touch of glass: the Spartacus Smooth G-Spot Dildo

EROTIC BOOKS & STORIES

• Yes, Sir (Erotic Stories of Female Submission) - Rachel Kramer Bussel
• Uncle Charles’ Girls – Anne Randolph
• Seduced in the Dark - C.J. Roberts

I hope you find something you like!

Jane
x

The post Hiatus appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

I can’t quite believe it but Behind the Chintz Curtain has been live for three months as of today.

Nearly 3,000 of you have visited since the first post went up and every day, more and more of you stop by. So a massive ‘thank you’ to all my regulars, and a warm ‘hello’ to those who are here for the first time.

Sixty posts in (this is number sixty one) and guess what the most popular entry has been so far? No real surprise – it’s Lizzie’s Fifty Shades of Grey-inspired review of jiggle balls, which is sitting at the top of the pile with over 500 pageviews. But I think E.L. James’s ben was may be in for a bit of competition; also making appearances in the top ten, C is for clitoris, c is for clip and the wonderfully erotic Victorian birching story, Uncle Charles’ Girls by Anne Randolph. (Clearly, there’s call for more toys in the Toy Box and some red-bottomed literature!)

Finally, I’d like to take the opportunity to say ‘thanks’ to the members of the BDSM group on Goodreads who have been so wonderful and generous with their time, providing feedback and advice as I write The Garden of Earthly Delights. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

Jane
x

The post A floral milestone appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

More Garden of Earthly Delights posts – 33.33%

An equal mix of all three – 33.33%

More book reviews – 22.22%

More Toy Box reviews – 11.11%

So, given your feedback it seems the current balance of posts is about right for now – albeit there’s a bit of a bias towards book and Garden [*no longer available on the blog] entries. We’ll try and include a few more of these going forwards but we may also start introducing some new topics during August, too.

There’s more Garden on the way this week (unfortunately, I’m a bit behind on writing this as the 40 degree heat in Italy played havoc with my ability to do much beyond recline on a sun lounger like lady muck) and you’ll be pleased to know that Nick and Grace have actually made it to the dinner table …

Finally, I have something I’d like your help with. I’m curious to know how many of us actually have ‘toy boxes’. Have we finally moved past hiding things in our knicker drawers and, if so, what are we now keeping our playthings in? This may seem like a bit of a random question but I’m currently researching sex toy storage options and I’ll be publishing the results of my findings here on Chintz for you. (Don’t worry – the poll is completely anonymous, so if you click on one of the voting buttons we’re not going to know that it’s you who’s hiding your vibrator in the freezer or linen cupboard!)

The post ‘I’d like more … ‘ survey results appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.