Book Review: Going Out by Nicola Atherton (erotica, transgender, bisexual)

Title: Going Out
Author: Nicola Atherton
Publication Date: June 27, 2022
Genres: Erotica
Protagonist Gender: Transgender
Fetishes: Crossdressing, Maledom

In many ways, Going Out is very much like its protagonist - two stories, two genres, and two perspectives in one pretty little package. 

Nicola Atherton has crafted a novel that does an absolutely superb job of capturing the crossdressing experience and those first tentative steps into gender exploration. The allure, the thrill, the excitement, and the anxiety of embracing femininity are all represented here, allowing the reader to experience the complete process of becoming  a woman. We not only feel the caress of satin or the pinch of heels, but we also feel the joy of seeing 'her' in the mirror . . . and the dread that, if we step outside, others will see through to 'him' instead,

In many ways, the early chapters of the novel remind me not just of stories I read in my youth, but my own first forays into gender exploration. So much of Adam's experience is real and relatable, even if it does make me jealous of things like self-checkouts and online shopping. Seriously, I remember when Amazon was just a bookstore, and you had to tell the old lady at the mall you were buying sexy lingerie for your girlfriend (who just happened to be your size). It makes me sound super old to say this, but kids these days have it so easy! That said, Atherton does throw in some challenges, one of which turns out to be rather opportunistic, but I won't spoil it.

There is a definite element of fantasy to the novel as well, however, especially in how easily (and completely) Adam passes as Amy. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of effort put into passing - wigs, fake boobs, tucking, cosmetics, etc. - but Adam also has an already androgynous body to transform.  Personally, I still adore that sort of fairy tale of feminization, but it's important to acknowledge that fantasy because that leads us into the fetish elements.

Let me be clear, Adam is not the fetish. The transformation into Amy is something that feels genuine and heartfelt from the very beginning. For all the protests and promises of never again, the happiness and comfort that come with being Amy are very clear. This feels like a transgender journey from the start, and I loved how the realization of that identity was so drawn out. Where the fetish element comes in is with the erotic encounters with various older men, most of which fall into the naughty girl or slutty sissy. There's nothing necessarily wrong with those sexual explorations, but given how authentic and relatable so much of the book is, some readers may find the clichés a bit of a turn off.

Ultimately, Going Out is a wonderful story of gender exploration that feels as if Nicola Atherton has either lived it or loved someone who has. It's beautifully written and almost perfectly paced, taking its time where it needs to, and getting frantic and rushed where the story demands it, with a small cast of key characters who give it life. The ending comes on a bit suddenly, with the epilogue leaving a few unanswered questions, but as fairy tales go, it's everything the reader could ask for.

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀