2021 (NHothorne Publishing)
Florida-native Natalie Hothorne has been publishing a lot of stories since Valentine´s Day 2021, with over a dozen titles currently available online. As she describes in her author´s profile, her stories tend to feature bold and (sexually) adventurous women, frequently in situations involving open marriages and groupsex. Threesome in Paradise, part of her "Women of Passion" collection, is a good introduction to some of the recurring themes within her erotic literary imagination.
As the story opens, Flynn is on the phone with his wife Rita, looking at the news of a big storm rolling through the Florida Keys. The couple own and manage Mango Cove, a fictional hotel that caters to couples into the "adult lifestyle"--ethical non-monogamy and "swingers". Flights are cancelled, and the hotel will largely be vacant, except for Blaine and Stephanie, a new couple that neither recognize. Are they aware of what kind of hotel this is? Flynn tells Rita not to worry, that he´ll take care of it.
The following chapter shifts to the new couple, driving towards Mango Cove from Tallahassee. Married for over fifteen years, the couple loves one another, but feel that their sex life is a bit stale. Stephanie slyly set up the holiday with her husband at this particular resort intentionally, hoping that this week could spice up their sex life, as she saw it happen with another couple they know. When Blaine discovers what kind of place they´re going to, he is reserved, but curious. As they talk about various kinds of threesomes they could enjoy in the coming week, they both grow increasingly excited and horny,
Their first meeting with Flynn upon arrival doesn´t help matters much, especially for the wife. Having been working to clean up some of the debris outside, the co-host of the resort greets them sweaty and shirtless, inspiring a sexy shower episode between Blaine and Stephanie once they settle into their bungalow. That evening, while cooking his guests some steaks on the grill, Flynn candidly answers their questions about polyamory, ENM, and the difference between sex and love. At the first, Blaine is the only one who is hesitant to enjoy a threesome with their handsome host; but after seeing his wife strip down to her underwear, and sensing her hunger to be with two men simultaneously, he quickly agrees to try out this new experience.
Nothorne´s characters are intelligent and believable, and the dialogue about ethical non-monogamy (particularly as it relates to jealousy) rings true. I appreciate that she takes the time to explore these kinds of subjects within her erotica, rather than just take it as a given within the fictional world she has created.
Her sex scenes are sensual and varied, and I would enjoy even more description of what the characters say while having sex. Instead of Stephanie "letting out a torrent of filthy words" while fucking both Blaine and Flynn, I wanted to know specifically what she said, how she said it, and what the men said in return. These kinds of details would only enhance the heat of the descriptions she already has on the page.
The ending of Threesome in Paradise is somewhat abrupt, and feels like this is the first entry in a series featuring these characters. Do they make another appearance in her "Women of Passion" collection? I don´t know, but wanting more from Nothorne´s erotic universe is definitely not a bad thing. Look forward to reading more of her work.