Hello again, Vault Dwellers! This week we dive back into business with a brand new smutty “short.” With any short, the most important focus is squarely on the notion of tension. Should some sub-genres be more focused on tension than others? When time is of the essence, can an author still properly whet the appetite of the curious, detail-hungry reader? Stoke the fireplace for this one, we might have a story on our hands to snap us out of our hibernation, just in time for Spring!
Warmer by Piper Dupree is straightforwardly billed on the cover as a “steamy short” which delivers wonderfully on that promise in both style and tone. Our story begins on campus, as professor Olivia Logan is wrapping things up at an affluent liberal arts university just before the Winter break. All manner of frozen hell is snowing on the grounds outside, and for some reason this “Sexuality in Literature” professor chose to ride her bike to work today! Obviously, the recent breakup with her ex has made her think less clearly. Combine that with the stress of trying to make tenure, and she’s barely keeping it together. With a mountain of books and papers needed to haul home with her before the long break, Olivia is going to need some help. Thankfully her star pupil, Harrison drops by to talk to her about his latest creative writing project. Harrison is a few years older than the average college student, and that shows in his maturity as well as his prowess as a writer. As the professed perfect gentleman, Harrison offers to drive Olivia home. But with the snow storm getting worse once they reach her house, Harrison won’t be going anywhere for awhile…
It’s not clear from the cover or my introduction, but this story belongs squarely in the sub-genre of BDSM. Harrison is obsessed with Olivia’s writings, (that he’s read as a part of her class) and detects that her “fiction” depicting a submissive female might be close to the truth about her sexual experiences. Harrison isn’t the soft gentleman from our first impression, and that’s just what the doctor (well, professor actually) ordered. Snow storm or not, Harrison is taking this opportunity to flex his dom muscles and make a strong case to be Olivia’s new Master. Olivia is a needy submissive, and Harrison is going to provide just what she needs. Once the dom/sub issue was understood and the moment becomes clear, the story flows much better for the reader. The student/teacher trope makes the front half of the story a close approximation to a pornography script, but all is paid forward to the events of the climax. The pair’s steamy moments are straight out of the red light district, leaving nothing to the imagination. The author takes some chances which definitely pay off if you’re a more kinky reader. I speculate that as Piper Dupree is from Europe, there are some sexy nouns and adjectives that will possibly be a new experience if you’re in the States. I’ve never read “honeysuckle dew” in this context, but I feel richer for it.
Any sexy story that deals in BDSM is going to rely heavily on the literary device of dialogue. This unique brand of relationship will be best understood with words more than just actions. At first, the dialogue is a bit difficult to read. Lines are exchanged back and forth so quickly with minimal narration I had to do some re-reading to make sure I had the action straight. Acted out, the lines make perfect sense, but this minimal approach takes a little getting used to. Still, this style makes the eventual “big reveal” of Harrison’s intentions and desires more of a moment, and I appreciate the dialogue getting more meaty (nice) once the content flipped to NSFW. That being said, I felt very little conflict or tension between the characters. Obviously a teacher submitting to her student is going to be an event…and yet I didn’t feel the buzz I could have when the passions were finally being expressed. Certainly, in the character’s mind we get call back as to why they find themselves in this situation…but the story setup could really have used more of this tension. The meal is there, the author’s cooked and plated it well, I just want a little more of the appetizer before the main course.
Verdict: Warmer, by Piper Dupree is a fun little short that produces an interesting balance between academic fantasy and BDSM role playing. Once you traverse the slightly thin beginnings and graduate to the red hot passions, a last second reveal from the main characters presents a complex narrative waiting to bloom inside another story. There’s a good baseline for a series here, and I think the author can and should grow right along side it. Keep bringing the heat Piper, I could always stand to be a little warmer.
A special thanks to Piper Dupree for providing a copy of Warmer for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Author’s Website: PiperDupree.com
Author’s Twitter: @DupreePiper
Purchase Warmer: Amazon
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