Tie and Tease

by Penny Birch

Penny Birch is playing the fox in a bizarre hunting game. But all does not go according to plan, and she's found by a total stranger, Beth, who is naturally concerned at the state of her. After spending an awkward afternoon explaining herself, Penny becomes determined to seduce Beth, an innocent in all the ways of bizarre naughtiness. Penny's continued efforts get her into more and more trouble as she is frequently punished, humiliated, and even put on a roasting spit—to the point that she wonders if she can take any more.

Genres: Erotica

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[okyrhoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny, the first-person narrator in Tie and Tease repeatedly points out that "it’s all in the mind." For some reason my mind refused to cooperate fully with this book! About halfway through I lost interest, and I found it rather tedious to continue.
The opening sequence of Tie and Tease deftly introduces an engaging thematic premise –> Two characters, despite their physical attraction, find themselves on opposing ideological sides regarding human sexuality, specifically the question of what constitutes consensual play, versus emotional and/or physical exploitation.
The scene in which Beth meets Penny is quite a funny episode, and there follow a series of equally farcical situations. Penny wears many masks, both literal and figurative, and her playful nature leads her astray in more ways than one. Yet Penny is determined to prove the validity of her beliefs, and to get the better of her adversaries.
However the comedic elements begin to unravel halfway into the book, and I found myself wondering about the purpose of some of Penny’s adventures and how they were relevant to the theme or the main storyline. The rambling hypothetical situations being discussed at Henry’s dinner party bored me, and soon my reader’s mind began to drift…
Actually, Penny - the character - has this nasty habit of wandering off from her reality at her moment of climax; rather than focusing on her state at that moment, she tends to fantasize hypothetical variations which the other Penny - the narrator - is keen on informing us about. Sometimes it's just too confusing!
Fortunately my interest was restored with the ‘spit-roast’ episode. Indeed it is the ultimate come-uppance to Penny’s overactive mind and imagination -- a true test of Penny’s convictions regarding ‘mind over matter’ as well as her position regarding the limits (or more precisely, the lack of limits) in consensual play. I am glad I plodded on until this scene, because it is hot, in more ways than one. And it goads Penny into seeking revenge later on with another teasingly hilarious mask scene.
But again, I have to point out that there are several tenuous slapstick sequences squeezed in as filler material, and for me they weaken the experience of fully enjoying Tie and Tease.