Holly mother of Zeus. This book. I don’t even know how to review this.I got this off of Netgalley as an advanced reading copy and to be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. I have never read a Selena Kitt book before, but I am no stranger to erotic literature, so I thought, why not? But this book, oh dear. This is worlds apart from all the other erotic novels I have ever read.
Selena Kitt doesn’t go round and round the bush. From the very beginning of this novella, we are already met by an inappropriately dressed Lindsey being reprimanded by her stepfather for her clothes, or lack thereof. Hussy is the most apt title for this book indeed, because Lindsey is just that. A freaking slut. She is so horny all the time and she relieves it by having sex with absolutely anyone, even her school principal. It was kind of disturbing to me, since I am not used to reading this kind of aggressive stuff that Kitt writes, but since I requested this book from the publisher, I figured I might as well stick to it till the end.
The romantic aspect of this book didn’t really leave me with an impression. Zach is a perfectly decent man, and maybe he felt like he should save Lindsey from herself which is a totally acceptable premise, but there just wasn’t enough emotional connection. I didn’t feel any chemistry beyond the physical kind, and though the sex is hot and all, there was just something I was looking fore that isn’t there.
This book is also filled with scenarios that are considered taboo like non-consensual sex, multiple sexual partners, gang bang, and some psuedo-incest… so yeah, if you’re sensitive about stuff like that, stay away from this book because this clearly isn’t right for you. Hussy is not for the faint-hearted and definitely not for conservative types. You have to be open-minded to even manage to get through the opening scene of this thing.
All in all, I would say that this book isn’t really bad, per se. The author can write, although she focuses too much (I think) on the sex scenes that she forgets to apply the same meticulous details on the ‘regular’ scenes of this book, which can be just as important if treated correctly. And before you ask, yes, Lindsey has a reason behind her slutty demeanor which may just be psychologically justifiable, although that doesn’t make it any easier for my brain to process.
I give this book 2.5 out of 5 stars. It was readable, enjoyable to an extent, but it has a very specific target audience. Did I like it? It was okay. It wasn’t mind-blowing or life-changing, it wasn’t all that compelling either, and it made me uncomfortable many, many times. But surprisingly, I liked Lindsey, hussy that she is. She managed to evoke some sympathy in me, and I read until I couldn’t take it anymore because of her.
Selena Kitt also has my respect for writing things only a few others would dare to, if any at all. I probably wouldn’t read any more of her books because I have a feeling that they might not be my prefered cup of tea. But still, A+ for contributing to literary diversity and for not being afraid to bend the rules of erotic fiction. This book was different, if that’s a positive or negative thing, the reader would have to decide. But I think we need books like this, no matter how small a portion of the reader population they appeal to, because like it or not, some people want these kinds of books, and it’s a very good thing that authors like Selena Kitt are here to give it to them.
