Twisted Reality by Darcy Campbell (First story of two in an anthology)
Lyrical Press, Inc.
Contemporary
Short Story, F/F, F/F/F ménage, BDSM
Review by Dandelion

In TWISTED REALITY, Jodi is trapped in a ten-year loveless marriage with an abusive husband. Jodi's only friend, Christine, becomes her rock, refuge and salvation. After a horrible car crash, Jodi ends up in the hospital. She wakes to find herself in a new life -- she's Christine's lesbian life partner, and the owner of a successful business. How can she find her way in this new reality? And what happens if she has to go back? 

♥ ♥ ♥

In this short novella, main character Jodi finds herself awakening after a car accident to discover that her previous life as an unhappy, oppressed housewife has been replaced.  She’s now a super-successful interior designer, expecting a baby with her lesbian lover of seven years, Christine.  The majority of this story centers on Jodi’s slow rediscovery of her present life, which includes multiple sessions of hot lesbian love-making, both with Christine and, later when Christine’s pregnancy prevents them from being together, ménage scenes with a score of other female lovers. 

The sex scenes here are very hot and very well-written.  The interplay between all the participants is always believable, and the way in which Jodi rediscovers her sexuality is powerful.  The story is framed, however, by her recollections of her past life with husband Roger--but readers don’t really know if that life ever really existed.  When Jodi is involved in a second car accident, it seems as though her new reality might shift again--but again the plot surprises us, and not necessarily in a good way.  Relying on the tried-and-true amnesia plot device is fine, but the details of what came before should be clearer than they are, here. 

I also wasn’t crazy about the way in which Roger, the only male in the story, is portrayed: he’s the complete negative stereotype of the domineering male who’s emotionally abusive toward his wife.  One-dimensional and easy to hate, he’s a cardboard male villain in this celebration of female loving.  I think the author could have been more generous and creative in her development of him.

Overall, this story’s strengths lie in the heat of its sex scenes.  For that reason alone, if you’re a fan of female ménage stories, “Twisted Reality” won’t disappoint.

Click here to read the review of the second story in this anthology.