Desire

by Kathryn O'Halloran

Five short stories of carnal pleasures that will leave you grasping for more!

DESIRE

Flickering at the edges of her mind, until she can’t think of anything else. As the lust inside her builds, she hopes her partner has chosen fleshy pleasures over family duty.

I ALWAYS CRY IN THE RAIN

At party, ex-lovers meet and sparks fly in a summer storm.

THIEF

Panic and excitement grow in a hostage’s mind until she learns there’s more to sex than the safe, suburban fucking she’s known.

SHINY THINGS

At a surreal carnival of lustful pleasures, the best way to cure your phobia of the rollercoaster is by succumbing to bliss.

FINAL BOARDING CALL

Frustrated and stuck in transit, with a stranger in a cowboy hat and low slung jeans, Anna knows what she wants and how to get it. But it’s a race against the clock as they start boarding her flight.

Warning: Contains graphic sexual content not suitable for anyone under 18.

23 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2012

About the author

Kathryn O'Halloran was told to write what she knows; despite that, she now writes erotica. She finds the research gruelling but she goes at it with guts and determination.

Her chequered work history includes time as a computer programmer, a phone psychic, a mystery shopper, a community television star, a maker of psychedelic fake fur handbags and wielding a machete on a vegetable production line.

Her work has been published in a number of anthologies and web sites and - at last - she has collected five of her best stories into DESIRE available at Amazon.

Her debut novel, THE BAD GIRLS' CLUB is now available.

Reviews

[Hock Tjoa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection of (very) short stories brings the reader into a sense of frustrated carnality with its very first story. Told from the point of view of the woman, the coitus was interrupted while she and her husband were "playing." The interruption is family--Uncle Jules, with dreadlocks, tie dyes, etc. and an "impermeable sense of sandalwood." It is not clear what is impermeable, but Uncle Jules "smirked." The next morning at breakfast he banged on his bongo drums with a "knowing look." This sends the narrator into frenzied fantasies during her commute; she knows that couple over there is doing "it," even as she has the urge to "rut against the arm" of a train seat.

The writing is well executed but the shortness of the stories seem more the reflection of a failure of imagination than a requirement of the form. The second story is from the point of view of a voyeur. He thought she was ugly until she laughed, and then it rained and as her nipples push against the damp fabric, the narrator reads his mind--"she'd look less obscene if she were naked."

The third story takes us into the mind of a female held captive by some bad actors who "pound" on her breasts, except the one who smelled of Champion Ruby tobacco. She knows that her husband will rescue her but it is of Champion Ruby tobacco that she dreams. "Vibrator damaged" (actually in a later story) gives us a clue to what is conjured out of the writer's repertoire, but it is cold steel this time.

The fourth story tells of two women enjoying sex on, literally, a roller coaster. Perhaps the roller coaster is too heavy handed a metaphor for the emotions and sensations that transpire; just a thought.

The fifth story is one of "sexual chicken"--a sex-starved woman whose (soon to be ex?) husband now makes love like "an 80 year old bingo-player" has to make a choice--between the long delayed final boarding call and the "cowboy-rockstar-outlaw" smelling/tasting of cinnamon.

All these stories have easy resolutions. Despite the well executed atmospherics and an occasional well-turned phrase, they read like "comfort food for the ...."

[Alexes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two points up front about Desire by Kathryn O’Halloran: 1) I received this book in exchange for an honest review, and 2) This is my first adventure with erotica. That said, this collection of short vignettes is extremely well written. The author knows her craft. Each scene is vividly and sensuously—as in evoking all the sense—drawn. Each vignette is short, and yet tells a complete tale. If you’re in the mood for a hot, steamy read, this is a book for you.

[Reanell Tisdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay I received an ARR copy of this book and thought they sounded like really cool short stories. DESIRE is the first story and I enjoyed it. A couple is in the middle of "playing" when an unwelcome relative comes to stay. The female doesn't like the interruption into their lives and can't wait for him to leave. I ALWAYS CRY IN THE RAIN left too much to the imagination, I needed more to go with. 3 pages is just not enough to talk about a steamy sex session in the rain!! Thief I enjoyed the most, it is more in depth about the characters, although it was also really short. SHINY THINGS was pretty freaking HOT! Two females who have a little fun on a roller coaster :) The last story FINAL BOARDING CALL is about a woman waiting to board a plane and spots a handsome man and decides to play before time runs out and misses her flight. Overall these short stories were good. I feel like they could have been written a little more in depth and not so short, they were lacking in good descriptions like I look for in erotica. I have to have the visual!! I give 3 stars overall.

[Baye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this very sensuous read and, as I tweeted to the author midway through, was hot and bothered a number of times. She responded by asking whether "hot and bothered" was a good thing or not, and I said that it was... But now that I've finished the book,I must add to that that I am also a bit frustrated for a number of reasons. Among them, each of the stories, while meeting the needs of all of my senses to fully experience and enjoy a story, I also felt fully the storyteller's unfulfillment bordering on insatialbility (is that a word?). This longing drew me outside of the sexual arena into an arena where all our stories, erotic or no, come from. I'm pretty sure this was intentional. This however at least for me scores literary points and raises these erotic tales to a higher tier. I look forward to reading more of Kathryn's story in the future. Well done. I only took off a star because I wanted more, in a way I think a book shouldn't leave you wanting, like you've been sold a toy and get home to find the batteries are not included (-;

[Tanjlisa Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look at the cover! Doesn't it look deliciously promising?! Ok. So I devoured this collection of short stories in one sitting. My favorites were THIEF and FINAL BOARDING CALL. But one of my favorite lines was from SHINY THINGS: "Everything moves with an underwater grace; with the indolence of a young girl eating icecream on a sunny afternoon, sleepy yet purposeful." Didn't that make you daydream of a lazy, carefree day? The writer does that through the entire collection. Her choice of words and phrases transports the reader into the manuscript and reality simply vanishes for those few short, but beautiful minutes. Oh if only I could vanish to that world... Wonderful shorts. Wonderful cover. Wonderful writing.

[Pati · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an anthology of short stories which I had hoped to enjoy but sadly didn't completely.

The first story "Deisre" was compelling and I did enjoy what I read, however I feel that it needs one more scene at the end to truly make it complete. I would rate it a 3.

"I always Cry in the Rain" & "Shiny Things" - I'm sorry to say I'd rate them 1. I just didn't like them.

"Thief" - I'd also rate 3 star but like "Desire" I think it needed one more scene at the end.

"Final Boarding Call" - I'd rate it a 2 star. What is there is certainly ok I just feel more was needed.

I would like to acknowledge that I recieved a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Kourtni · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first story desire was my least favorite and therefore the 4/5 stars rather than 5/5. I didn't care for the jumping back and forth in time and it felt to contrived for my liking. The second story I always cry in the rain was a sweet short story that I enjoyed it let u feel like u were peeking into the lives of these two lovers and made me wanted more. The last three stories were hot erotic short stories that I enjoyed very much. Final boarding call the last story was my favorite gave great detail and made you want more. I definitely recommend this book if u want some fun, hot and enjoyable short reads!

[Jennifer Kirkwood (Levac) · Rating 3 out of 5]

{I received this book as a review copy, my opinions are always honest and my own.}

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I like shorter stories. This book consisted of 5 very short stories. Each was 5 pages or less. It was like watching a quick scene of a movie. If you are looking for a hot steamy book of shorts this one you will like. I actually had a hard time with the "stories" being too short and would have loved more that is why I gave it 3 stars. The writing is fresh and hooks you into the scene. I will be looking to see if the author has a novella or full novel out.

[CherryRed’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review: really liked all the short stories. the 1st one called "Desired" was a bit to vague about the Uncle & threw me off but once I finished and moved into the others I got into a groove of reading them all. Like how they all give you a quick visual of the hot sexual lust & passion each main character has. definitely a good quick read to get you pumped up. Thank you for letting me read this and review it. :)

[djdavis~*Sivad* · Rating 2 out of 5]

This short tease of a story was just that, a tease.
Sizzle to Fizzle - 2.5 out 5 stars

I started reading the story of a woman who is desperately in need of having sex with her man. The significance of her name is obviously irrelevant compared to her desire of getting off. I say this because I either missed her name or never read it :(
​
The problem starts when Evan, her boyfriend, offers his place up for his Uncle Jules to stay for a while. This is the beginning our mystery woman's problem because Uncle Jules is always around, always seems to be lurking in the corner or in their common space. She becomes so distracted by his presence that she begins to push Evan away, declining their very active sex schedule. After what seems like a lifetime she asks Evan to talk to his Uncle about moving on to another place.

Since her needs haven't been met on a regualr base, her desire, her need to get off has become so great that she can't seem to concentrate on anything else. She leaves their home in hopes of giving Evan and his Uncle Jules time and space to discuss his departure. Hoping like crazy that when she returns Uncle Jules will no longer be there and she can finally jump Evan's bones again without an audience. Finally, it's with great pleasure that when she arrives home the house is clear of Uncle Jules. She can finally have Evan all to herself.

The Best Thing:
This quickie definitely left the wanting to read more, learn more about the characters. This could be considered a good or bad thing. The teaser at the beginning had me very interested in the types of games they played with one another.

The Worst Thing:
Although this was a short story I wasn't able to form any type of connection with the characters. In my honest opinion this short story did not meet its full potential. I would have liked to at least learned our main character's name and reach some type of climax beofre it ended. . Maybe some of the other short stories give more detail.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't waste your time with 50 Shades of Dodgy Fan fiction, this is where the good stuff is at.