Book Review: Legends of Lust
I reviewed this book which was provided for free by the publisher. However, I do not receive any compensation for reviews. All book reviews are My personal and subjective opinion.
As a lover of mythology, folklore, and fairy tales, when Legends of Lust by Autumn Bardot appeared on my radar I jumped at the chance to review it. Upon reading, I was pleasantly surprised to discover lore that I hadn't encountered before. Though it would have been easy to write strictly from the Greco Roman mythos that western civilization is most familiar with, Bardot draws inspiration from the isles of the North Atlantic to the Amazon jungle and everywhere in between.
Containing 14 short stories, Legends of Lust enchants with rich, picturesque erotica sure to fulfill most any sexual appetite. Though folklore is traditionally dark, full of rape, murder, and treachery, Bardot expertly avoids all of those pitfalls in her tales, leaving us with delightful steamy consensual scenes. Sensual heterosexual vanilla sex gives way to power exchange, tantra, bondage, and orgies. We encounter jinn, fae, celestial beings, and shapeshifters delighting the reader with fantasy experiences us mere mortals could otherwise only dream about. Additionally, though not the focus, love (forbidden, true, and polyamory) make appearances providing depth to each lascivious encounter.
Autumn Bardot entices the reader with her vivid descriptions, luring them in until completely immersed in the scene she creates, tantalizing the senses. We are treated to flavors of each region: tasting the local fair, dressing in their style, and feeling the world around them. Bardot changes writing style so the voice of the story matches the setting, anywhere from the ancient to the modern world, making each tale markedly different than the last. Casually throwing out jargon and terminology native to the setting, Autumn uses phrases in context so we can appreciate the cultural flavor without breaking suspension of disbelief, or fatiguing from vocabulary overuse. Concluding each narrative is a short description of the original source material, how to discover more about it, or other pertinent tidbits so you may continue journeying with your new companions.
Well written and a wonderful read, one could easily devour the entire compilation in a single zealous sitting...if you can handle it. With an endless supply of narratives from which to choose, Bardot could continue on with Legends of Lust (and I hope she does) making it a series, one that I would happily own. Until then, I will be eagerly awaiting Autumn's next book, Confessions of a Sheba Queen, set to release January 2020.
You can buy Legends of Lust here.
About the Author
Autumn Bardot writes erotica, historical fiction, paranormal romance, and even academic literary essays. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Masters of Arts in a subject not writing related. Both her day job and family keep her busy so she spends every spare minute writing her next novel. She lives with her husband and rescue pooch in the Los Angeles area.