There’s no greater pleasure to the mind of an erotica enthusiast quite like taking on a “blind read.” Getting my hands on a piece of fiction that I know absolutely nothing about beforehand is one of the many treats of running this Vault, and when the title itself is in a foreign language, it’s even more the better. So what exactly the hell have I gotten myself into? Let’s walk through the double steel doors and find out for ourselves! Maybe we’ll have a nice French inspired experience without getting all existential for a change. I’ll keep my black cigarettes on the ready just in case.
Faire l’amour by Jessica Gadziala is due to release this week in e-book format, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on an advanced copy. Jessica is making her 2nd visit to the Smut Vault after kicking off our holiday stories in late 2018 with our review of Stuffed. Faire l’amour has been teased fairly heavily out in the erotica world, but most details have been kept to a minimum. Luckily, the first sentence of the novel sets the tone nicely, and there’s not a moment wasted. No matter how much Smut you read, the words “double anal” still pack one hell of a punch.
Preston Renault is a true visionary. As a retired pornstar turned producer, Preston has bold dreams of taking the vice back to its glory days, with him behind the scenes making good. When he was acting, Preston was a God among men thanks to his rugged looks, French accent and passionate exchanges with sexual partners on and off camera. This passion, mind you, is where contemporary porn is losing luster, and it has become Preston’s personal mission to bring the spark back to the world of adult film. With his popular streaming service (think Netflix but with porn) there’s equal parts loyalty and community among performers, staff, and customers alike. Preston’s cause is a noble one indeed, as he has seemingly cultivated a brand that treats performers fairly, away from the abuse and torment that infects the adult entertainment industry in this reality (as well in the real world). As you’d expect with such a pornography utopia, the bulk of Preston’s job is to screen and approve new talent. Among today’s batch of potential newbies, he notices a pretty but otherwise out of place woman named Rosie. Young Rosie isn’t the kind of person that’s dreamed of being in pornography. Sure, the world of adult film making is exciting to some people, but there’s a more serious factor at play here. No matter how you slice it, Rosie needs some cash, and fast. As she is interviewed alongside stunning girls that look so comfortable in their own skin, Rosie can’t contain her nerves and knows that when put against talent like this, she is pretty sure this isn’t going to work. Thankfully, Rosie gets her chance to meet with Preston and confirm that she’d be in good hands working at this studio. Preston, on the other hand, can’t quite come to grips with why he’s so captivated with the more traditional looking Rosie. Preston would never get back in the industry, that life his behind him now. But if that’s the case, why did he just agree to shoot a scene with Rosie….?
Swapping the narrative points of view throughout, we’re presented with both sides of the conflict to the inevitable sexual interaction between Rosie and Preston. It’s a fairly tight and compact story, but the sex scenes still feel like long voyages themselves. Each sexual experience (of which there are several), are mini pleasure cruises as the characters struggle with the balance of passion and feeling. Preston is an imperfect man. With it, we are treated to real character development, rather than just a nicely toned fuck-machine making Rosie experience new levels of orgasms whilst getting a nice wad of cash in the process. The whole experience feels bubbly: an uncommon, yet still realistic concept set in front of a wildly intense backdrop. However, this initially lighthearted scenario eventually takes a darker turn than what I was expecting. Saving the spoilerific particulars of course, Rosie’s reason for needing the money will almost certainly be a shade or two more tragic than what you’d initially anticipate. The whole situation is treated with respect and with appropriate appreciation of the issue, but it’s still an interesting concept execution all the way around. If you like your one-handed reads to include a large chunk of the crushing harsh realities of the real world, then Gadziala delivers this with gusto.
Verdict: Faire l’amour by Jessica Gadziala takes the classic man-candy story telling style and creates a sex-positive universe in which it’s quite charming and easy to get yourself lost. Strong main characters, combined with interesting secondaries and fun set dressings mean there’s no requirement in being a connoisseur of the visual medium of pornography to have yourself a good time. If I knew any of the language, I’d close with slick line in French about exploring your passions in a hot little story, but instead I’ll use a quote from Robert Heinlein. “Sex without love is merely healthy exercise.”
Happy reading!
A special thanks to Jessica Gadziala for providing Tehben.com with an advanced review copy of Faire l’amour. All opinions expressed are my own.
Jessica’s Twitter: @jessicagadziala
Purchase Faire l’amour: Barnes and Noble
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