Erotica Book Review: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Vol. 2 by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Erotica Book Review

Title: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Vol. 2
Author: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Publication Date: February 9, 2021
Publisher: Cleis Press
Genres: Erotica

Shelves: Female-authored, Female-fronted

When Rachel Kramer Bussel sets out to compile an anthology, there's a plan and a purpose, a mission to incorporate as much variety and diversity as she can, and it shows. The diversity of themes, settings, and couples in Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Vol. 2 is exemplary. While not every story may work for every reader, it's virtually guaranteed that there's a story here for every reader.

I'll get to the rest of the stories in a moment, but I want to focus for a moment on the three absolute stand-outs that wowed me.

Leather-bound by Elna Holst excited me because I could identify with it. As a bookworm, the fantasy of being alone to explore a massive library at night is only matched by how the fantasy of being bound and dominated in its secret room made me feel as a submissive. Selma and Ed are such a wonderful couple, and the tease of Yukiko at the end had me grinning.

Unicorn by Jacqueline Brocker stood out for me because it spoke to fears and fantasies. It's an outdoor tale of bondage in broad daylight, of covert chastisement, and the brilliant power exchange between the bound submissive, the woman who put him there, and the woman who finds him. It's an edgy sort of tale with a thread of dismissive cruelty beneath it, but that just accentuates the willing submission.

The Weight of Command by Anne Stagg delighted me because it blends genre love with fetish fascination. It's a very Star Trek sort of erotic space opera, playing on the familiar power exchange between Captain and Doctor . . . but it deepens that by making them lovers, accentuates it by exploring the Captain's need to submit, and broadens it by exploring the Doctor's unique alien biology. If I could beg for one story here to become a novel, this would be it!

Now, with that said, if you'll continue to indulge me, there are a few other stories I'd be remiss in not highlighting.

Escape by Veronique Veritas gets the anthology off to a great start with an escape-room-themed tale where bondage and domination prove key to escape in more ways than one. Aside from the accident that left her in need of rehab, the sexualized training of Back in the Saddle by Page Chase is something I've fantasized about more than once . . . and I have reread this more than once as well!

Day 730 by Rebecca E. Blanton was another that went straight to my heart, a romantic bit of power-exchange erotica involving the give-and-take of celebrating a collaring anniversary. Chef’s Special by Emma Chaton is one of the few stories that's more about sex than relationships, but I loved its insights into the power of submission as an escape from stress and responsibility. 

A Constructed Threesome by Dr. J. was a lovely poly tale of a construction-theme BDSM scene between a committed threesome. And, lastly, Plug In the Model by Céline was a refreshing take on the artist/model dynamic, one that deftly melds the stillness of a model with that of a submissive.

Sex-positive and kink-positive, with nods to nonbinary lovers and polyamorous threesomes, Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Vol. 2 is another testament to Rachel Kramer Bussel's eye for erotic fiction.

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ 1/2

My sincere thanks to the editor for author me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.