Like most women in dead-end relationships, Holly Markham was used to finding substitutes for love. Like chocolate. Fun times with good friends. Throwing herself into her work as a mathematician. But throwing herself into the arms of a leather-clad stranger was never on her list. Even when she does exactly that, she's stunned when the other woman tells her there can be no repeats, no contact, never again.
Reyna Putnam has lived by the rules of her politically ambitious father for years. Increasingly anguished by the work she does at his behest, trysts with women like Holly are all that keep her sane. She tries to banish the memory of Holly as she has so many other women because nothing has changed. She's trapped in a cage not of her own making.
Holly has no intention of living in the shadows, and sets out to uncover the secrets of her own past hoping they will lead her back to the mysterious Reyna and some kind of future.
The first of Karin Kallmaker's many Lambda Literary award finalists, Substitute for Love is a powerfully sensuous exploration of love in its many forms. Fans of this book will not want to miss the short story in Frosting on the Cake 2: Second Helpings.
Review
"Substitute" may be the best Kallmaker I've read in a long time, and given her extraordinary talent, that's saying something. -- Bay Area Reporter
Kallmaker skillfully weaves a tale of longing, need, and desire, complete with mystery, good guys, bad guys and raw sexuality. -- Lambda Book Report
Karin Kallmaker's best and most engrossing books yet! -- Womyn's Words
She's the lesbian hybrid of Joyce Carol Oates ...and Danielle Steele.... -- Richard LaBonte, Book Marks
From the Publisher
Bella Books is proud to bring this title â€" originally published by The Naiad Press
A deep kiss and a single rule. Like most women in dead-end relationships, Holly Markham was used to finding substitutes for love. Like chocolate.
Fun times with good friends. Throwing herself into her work. But throwing herself into the arms of a leather-clad stranger was never on her list.
When Holly's best friend Tori takes her to a dance for lesbians only, she realizes that Tori is gently trying to push her out of the closet. While it was true that Holly had been trying to come to terms with her growing attraction toward women, no one expected Holly to take one look at the mysterious Reyna and fall hopelessly in lust.
Unable to resist the purely physical appeal of Reyna's sensuous demands, Holly quickly succumbs to Reyna's delicious seduction. After a night of delirious passion, Reyna gives Holly a long kiss and single rule: Call whenever you want me to make love to you. There can be nothing else. Although sexually fulfilled for the first time in her life, Holly soon realizes that pleasure without emotion is no substitute for love - a love she knows she and Reyna could share.
Knowing too well the high cost of living in shadows and denial, Holly risks everything and sets out to pierce the deep shroud of mystery surrounding the woman she has come to love.
Description:
Like most women in dead-end relationships, Holly Markham was used to finding substitutes for love. Like chocolate. Fun times with good friends. Throwing herself into her work as a mathematician. But throwing herself into the arms of a leather-clad stranger was never on her list. Even when she does exactly that, she's stunned when the other woman tells her there can be no repeats, no contact, never again.
Reyna Putnam has lived by the rules of her politically ambitious father for years. Increasingly anguished by the work she does at his behest, trysts with women like Holly are all that keep her sane. She tries to banish the memory of Holly as she has so many other women because nothing has changed. She's trapped in a cage not of her own making.
Holly has no intention of living in the shadows, and sets out to uncover the secrets of her own past hoping they will lead her back to the mysterious Reyna and some kind of future.
The first of Karin Kallmaker's many Lambda Literary award finalists, Substitute for Love is a powerfully sensuous exploration of love in its many forms. Fans of this book will not want to miss the short story in Frosting on the Cake 2: Second Helpings.
Review
"Substitute" may be the best Kallmaker I've read in a long time, and given her extraordinary talent, that's saying something. -- Bay Area Reporter
Kallmaker skillfully weaves a tale of longing, need, and desire, complete with mystery, good guys, bad guys and raw sexuality. -- Lambda Book Report
Karin Kallmaker's best and most engrossing books yet! -- Womyn's Words
She's the lesbian hybrid of Joyce Carol Oates ...and Danielle Steele.... -- Richard LaBonte, Book Marks
From the Publisher
Bella Books is proud to bring this title â€" originally published by The Naiad Press
A deep kiss and a single rule. Like most women in dead-end relationships, Holly Markham was used to finding substitutes for love. Like chocolate.
Fun times with good friends. Throwing herself into her work. But throwing herself into the arms of a leather-clad stranger was never on her list.
When Holly's best friend Tori takes her to a dance for lesbians only, she realizes that Tori is gently trying to push her out of the closet. While it was true that Holly had been trying to come to terms with her growing attraction toward women, no one expected Holly to take one look at the mysterious Reyna and fall hopelessly in lust.
Unable to resist the purely physical appeal of Reyna's sensuous demands, Holly quickly succumbs to Reyna's delicious seduction. After a night of delirious passion, Reyna gives Holly a long kiss and single rule: Call whenever you want me to make love to you. There can be nothing else. Although sexually fulfilled for the first time in her life, Holly soon realizes that pleasure without emotion is no substitute for love - a love she knows she and Reyna could share.
Knowing too well the high cost of living in shadows and denial, Holly risks everything and sets out to pierce the deep shroud of mystery surrounding the woman she has come to love.
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