Liberating Lacey by Anne Calhoun - A Review (-ish)

Lacey Meyers has just recently finalized her divorce from her childhood sweetheart, Davis. She is anxious to meet someone, anyone new. She gets herself dressed up in clothes she would not usually wear and heads off to Buff, the latest local hotspot to see if she can, indeed, meet someone new. As she's standing at the bar, she finds her waist being lightly touched by a younger, very handsome man as he slips past her to order a drink. The thrill in just that small touch intrigues Lacey, and she bucks up and makes eye contact with the man. Next thing you know, they are getting their serious flirt on. One thing leads to another, and she and Hunter, the man, are out in the parking lot having seriously hot sex up against an SUV that provides relative (and scant) privacy. (ETA: I re-read the scene not IN the SUV, Up Against The SUV.)

Lacey's best friend, Claire, is a reformed hook-up artist, but has recently gotten married and had two kids in two years. She's schooled Lacey in the rules of the hook-up. No strings, no attachment, don't expect a phone call, or any further contact between you and the hook up. Dirty sex is pretty much the only expectation. So while Lacey experiences the hottest sex she's ever had, she's unsure whether Hunter will accept her invitation to come back to her house. He does. And the moment he walks through the door, Hunter understands that Lacey is not a "usual" hook-up. Sure, her carriage and demeanor at the bar tipped him off that she was not his usual type, but walking into her lavish and comfortable home, he understands that this woman is outside of his usual experience. She's all white collar, and with him being a decidedly blue collar cop, he's well aware that this is a one-and-done deal. Except that Lacey intrigues him. She's completely honest about the fact that she's never done this before. She's revelatory about the sex that they have, throwing herself wholeheartedly into every moment. And she's open about herself, her success, her marriage's failure, her insecurities.

This is easily one of most successful erotic romances I've ever read. The premise is one of my favorites, younger man/older woman, but really, the character's ages is never the issue. It is a class issue that is the problem. And frankly, it's on Hunter's side. As someone who grew up with a trust fund, and who earns a ton of money on her own, Lacey is oblivious to class distinctions. She doesn't think in terms of that. And watching Hunter struggle, wanting to give Lacey "what she deserves" when Lacey is fully capable of getting that for herself is half the fun of the book. For her part, Lacey is reveling in the way Hunter treats her -- with such confidence and proprietariness.

Calhoun slowly and with a deft hand crafts their relationship. Each sexual encounter builds on the last. Every time they see each other or interact, it ratchets up the intensity in the relationship. No scene or interaction is gratuitous, or without intent. The result is a truly beautiful and revelatory love story that unfolds before the reader's eyes. And the ending of the story is pitch perfect, enlightening us about aspects of Hunter that we didn't know. It is a superbly written book and has vaulted over a number of others to place in my Top 10 favorite reads this year. If you are looking for a strong, sensual, beautifully written erotic contemporary, look no farther, Liberating Lacey meets the bill in spades.

Final Grade: A