This Rec League was sent in by SA:
I come again with a very specific request: do you have any recommendations for romances with a more casual attitude to BDSM? By which I mean, I would like to read a story where the bondage and such is literally just part of having good fun sex and not used to characterize anyone as having a certain personality type (the dominant who always seeks control, the submissive who wants to let go, etc). In theory lots of erotica should be fine, but once there are sex clubs and roles extending beyond the bedroom, it starts feeling too serious. But then there are romances not billed as erotica with a little roughness in the sex, and that feels TOO casual?
If you’ve seen the tweet describing BDSM as “Looney Tunes sex”, I think that’s what I’m looking for: slightly goofy, playful bondage in a romance.
Amanda: We ran a Rec League for Kinky Cinnamon Roll Characters that may have some overlap.
But this one stumped us a bit.
Sarah: I have been wracking my sad brain because I remember a novella I read ages ago where the couple are already in a relationship with BDSM but they hadn’t been looking after each other sexually in ways that felt meaningful to them. They find their way back to each other through BDSM but that might not fit the ask. I remember the story opens with the heroine chewing on her pen and getting ink all over.
That was a more formal Dom/sub relationship and I think the query is looking for more casual.
Do you have any recs? Drop them in the comments!
For Real by Alexis Hall maybe? I think he was trying to demystify BDSM enjoyment as being reflective of personality. But it’s also not necessarily a good fun time.