Roommates by Soie Minou

As much as I do love the occasional quick-and-dirty bit of erotica, I generally prefer a well-rounded story. Take your time to establish your characters, develop a scenario, and build a little dramatic tension, and I'm guaranteed to be hooked. Fortunately, that's just what Soie Minou does with her first Roommates tale.

Evy is a young college student, looking to escape the chaos of dorm life as she enters her senior year. Even though Julienne seems a little cold and distant, making it very clear she's not looking for a friend, her apartment is very nice, and Evy's share of rent as a roommate is far more affordable than she anticipated. In just a few pages, Minou establishes both young women, developing some genuine personality into both characters, while building some tension between them.

When a chance encounter reveals Julienne's secret, the tension increases dramatically. Rather than immediately jumping into bed, as per the erotic cliche, the two women take the day to cool off before returning home for an honest, frank discussion about privacy and secrets. The way Minou develops the story beyond that conversation is both sexy and beautiful. There's even a touch of romance beneath the erotica, which I hope she develops further in the subsequent chapters.

In the end, Roommates is a passionate, well-written tale about two young women who are able to see beyond social taboos and enjoy one another's companionship in a most intimate, imaginative way. A truly gorgeous read.

Reviewed by Sally