If... Then: A collection of erotic romance stories

by Emerald

“The Plant on the Mantel” explores the unexpected implications of a generations-past affair on a young married couple. “Honey Changes Everything” finds Kim wondering how to lead her husband out of his state of despair upon losing his job; inspiration comes when breakfast in bed serves up more than just pancakes. And “If…” and “…Then” examine what happens when Valerie finds herself intensely attracted to someone other than her boyfriend—and what he does when he finds out.

Two original stories (“Soft and Gray” and “Shattered Angels”) join the eight previously published tales in this collection. If…Then is a testament to the scorching eroticism that can so seamlessly subsist with long-term romance.

151 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 16, 2014

About the author

Emerald is an erotic fiction author interested in elevating discussion of and attention to authentic sexual experience. Informed by her appreciation of sexuality’s intrinsic beauty, value, and holistic relation to life, she is an advocate for sexual freedom, reproductive justice, and the rights of sex workers.

Her short fiction has been published in more than thirty multi-author erotica and erotic romance anthologies from Cleis Press, HarperCollins Mischief, Excessica, Sweetmeats Press, and Stupid Fish Productions. In 2014 she released her first single-author short story collection, If… Then: A Collection of Erotic Romance Stories, published by 1001 Nights Press, and her second collection, Safe: A Collection of Erotic Stories (1001 Nights Press), won the bronze IPPY in the Erotica category of the 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Her latest collection, Initiative: Tales of Erotic Boldness, was released in May 2020.

Emerald lives in Virginia with her furry rescue family of two cats (one blind and one three-legged) and two sibling puppies from the no-kill shelter where she volunteers. The majority of her wardrobe incorporates glitter in some capacity.

Reviews

[Alana Voth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emerald's If . . . Then is the most love affirming collection of erotic stories I've ever read. I'm in love with all the love in this book. These stories never venture into the sappy or sentimental. The author writes with precision and grace. Her characters feel authentic: they move as real people through a real world and wrestle like the rest of us with pain, loss, insecurity, and vulnerability. What is unexpected, is the way Emerald's characters regard one another with such respect. Their lack of ego is stunning. Their generosity inspires me. My favorite stories in the collection, "Relative Anonymity" and "Then," both involve threesomes (M/M/F). In "Relative Anonymity," a woman's ex husband invites her back to their farm house where he reveals a couple secrets, which she accepts without judgement. In "Then," a husband offers his wife what she wants, a new sexual partner. Again, the generosity of these characters, not to mention the trust they share with one another, is mind blowing and inspirational. Other stand out stories include "The Plant on the Mantle," "Rain Check," and "No Such Thing." In the first, a couple are drawn to a plant that once belonged to the woman's grandmother, which leads to the woman revealing something she had learned about her grandmother to her male partner, something most of us will never learn about our grandmothers, but wouldn't it be nice if we did? In the second, a woman makes herself sexually vulnerable to a kind and persistent lover. In the third story, a woman taps into the healing power of orgasm. What the author of If . . . Then implies with her collection is that desire is human but emotional intimacy is divine. XO.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first story, to the last, not unexpectedly, I was stuck. Enthralled.

I've been waiting for Emerald to have a book of her own, and she's outdone herself with this collection. The stories are poignant, erotic, sexy, hot, and every single one made me feel something, or recognize something within myself in them. Unable to tear myself away, I read the book in one gulp and wanting more.

It's a good thing there is another waiting for me on my e-reader.