Yes, Sir by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Yes, Sir Reviews

• 
  Shannon

  I know, the cover is very, ah, eye-catching isn't it? This isn't the sort of book you want to read on the subway, if only so over-the-shoulder readers don't get excited in a crammed carriage. Because this is a pretty raunchy book, and one of the better ones I've read.
  
  This collection of nineteen stories from mostly female authors oscillate between structured BDSM and a more playful exploration of sexual desire - which is, if anything, psychological first and foremost. The theme of women gaining power and confidence through "submission" is strong here, as it generally is in erotica of this kind, and is explored through a wide range of scenarios, from the woman whose husband tells her exactly what she can have for lunch to the woman who takes a brave step in facing her secret desires.
  
  I would have to say that this was the most fun and intelligent collection of erotic stories I've read so far, and I use those words deliberately. Reading the mini bios of the authors in the back, they come from all over the English-speaking world and from a wide range of backgrounds, and all of them sound like people you'd want to meet and have a laugh with. Their stories are refreshing and original and unpredictable, and my only complaint was that they were short stories - they often ended at such a great moment I definitely wanted to read more.
  
  I have a feeling that even I, with my non-religious and open-minded upbringing by two unrepressed parents, will keep reading playful erotica well beyond the point where my sense of shame finally evaporates. Because even though I'm an atheist, it's inherent in my western culture that strong sexual feelings are, if not exactly wrong, to be kept quiet and hidden. Something to be embarrassed about, even now in so-called modern times. So far I've made great progress in being open about my appreciation and enjoyment of such stories, but those stern judging eyes of society are still there. I admire the women who write these stories, and are proud of what they produce. I would like to have that kind of confidence.
  
• 
  That Toy Chick

  (Crossposted from ToyChickBlog.com )
  
  "This is one of those books that makes one gleeful to see on the shelf, and, if you’ll pardon the pun here, own. As a well-established anthology junkie and submissive, I was anxious in my appreciation for both facets and found this book to be a true gem.
  
  Filled with lots of yummy dominants with a very heavy (all-but-one) focus on males in positions of power, Yes, Sir explores not only the goosebumps-inducing physical side to play but also that delicate and exquisite framework of mental bondage. The peace of play between a top and bottom as they progress through a scene, the zen of submission and Domination, is captured eloquently here by a passel of talented writers, and elegantly arranged by Ms. Bussel. Indeed, her own contribution is squirm-worthy and seems more than able to make a girl’s fingers reach for her hitachi as a reading companion.
  
  It’s not to say I enjoyed every entry in the book – a few (When Harry Met Penny, Ribbons) weren’t written in a style that appealed to my taste, but may very likely spark imagination or lust in readers than myself. Others are as close as a Dom breathing against the back of your ear…hot, heavy, and impossible to ignore in all the good ways. These erotic interludes (In The Corner, The Power of No, The Day I Came In Public) turned me on and ensured a very lucky night to my somewhat blindsided partner. Bedtime stories, indeed!
  
  I enjoyed the book so much, in fact, that I’m looking into getting its counterpart, “Yes, Ma’am” to add to my collection of erotica. As a final note – There are several twists sprinkled throughout the stories, making this volume interesting both as a whole, and as individual offerings. “Yes, Sir” also contains a lot of stories that long-distance lovers and partners on busy schedules could easily enjoy and maybe even emulate."
• 
  Jane

  As a genre, I think erotica works amazingly well in short-story format. It doesn’t always require complex or convoluted expositions, lengthy character development or overly complicated plot twists. Because the best sexual material – long or short – always plays with the reader’s head, tapping into the wants and desires percolating within it. A good erotic writer, one who chooses their words and their scenario carefully, can get their audience wriggling in their seats and thinking of the bedroom in just a few short pages. And Yes, Sir is an excellent example of erotic short stories done well; they’re smart, stylish, and invariably conclude with fabulous sexual punch.
  
  Yes, Sir has been on my shelf for nearly two years now, alongside its sister book
  Please, Sir: Erotic Stories of Female Submission and I pull it out fairly regularly to re-read my favourite stories. As you’ve probably gathered from the title, the pieces in this particular book focus on female submission – and I must say that the creativity of the various authors as they explore this D/s slant is inspiring and titillating in equal measure. Even the contents page is intriguing; how can anyone resist reading something that’s titled Dear Professor Pervert (Donna George Storey) or Pink is the Enemy (Jocelyn Bringas)?
  
  While Yes, Sir’s stories all focus on female subs and their desire to submit to a firm hand, the content of throughout is quite unique. A range of tastes is catered for and each contributing author pulls a slightly different reaction from the reader though their tone of voice and the scenario they create. From masterful men in publishing (The Editor – Amanda Earl) to strict employers:
  
  ‘She felt the desk’s center drawer open against her thighs, a cool sliver of metal. She wished she could turn and press her burning thigh against its smooth, chilly surface. She knew she couldn’t and froze her body, uncomfortably spread and tilted, and felt warm breath on her thigh and hear the metallic rustle of hands rifling through the drawer’s contents
  “You know,” the voice said, “your pussy is very wet.”’
  - Stuck at Work and Late for a Date, Chelsea Summers
  
  As Kramer Bussel says in her Introduction at the very beginning of Yes, Sir:
  
  ‘Here you’ll find all sorts of women for whom their own personal Sirs (or Masters or Daddies) hold the reins to their erotic pleasure. For them, saying yes (or a bratty, defiant no for which they’ll be duly punished) is as powerful as a good hard smack on the ass. They give up control in all kinds of ways, from letting their doms decide who they’ll fuck to when they’ll come, to which color panties are acceptable—and which aren’t.’
  
  The joy of stories collected in this way is that if you find a particular offering isn’t pushing your buttons it’s very easy to move on to the others that do – and with nineteen different tales to choose from, chances are you’re going to find a few you adore. The ones I enjoyed most? Well, I did love the editor's Make Me (I doubt I’ll ever look at a gyms and personal trainers the same way again) and Sommer Marsden’s In the Corner still gets me flustered no matter how many times I read it:
  
  ‘Richard yanked the back of my thong, hitching it high between my thighs and against my sex. It felt like I would split in half but the sopping wet fabric tickled my painfully swollen clit and I bucked against the dirty green wall.
  “See, if I could get in the corner somewhere more private, I’d be spanking the merry hell out of you right now,” he growled.’
  
  ‘Bravo!’ to Cleis Press and Rachel Kramer Bussel for assembling such a wonderful, sexy collection of submissives. And can I just say that as far as hot covers go, this one actually makes me a bit weak at the knees. (I bought Yes, Sir in paperback - as opposed to an eBook - for the pure joy of the visual!)
• 
  Alex Connelly

  EXCELLENT BOOK with varied themes
• 
  Optimist ♰King's Wench♰

  An anthology of submission short stories from various erotica authors. Some are wickedly naughty. Some are downright silly. Some are underwhelming altogether. All have female submission & all its various permutations as the theme. They seem to get progressively better towards the end-better constructed, better written, more enticing or at least that was my experience.
  
  Generally speaking anthologies aren't really my thing. I like short stories but they usually are too short in this format for me. I find that I more enjoy character development & the evolution of a story, getting to know the characters & what makes them tick whereas these are just too short for that to occur. However, I think that's just my analytical brain & wouldn't be a consideration for others.
• 
  Alisa

  WOW.... All in all I liked this book a lot. Most of the stories were great in the way that they not only described what was going on but also the feelings behind the acts. How, although some of it was frightning, they trusted their Dom's not to hurt them and that they had their Sub's best interest at heart. There were a few things that I was even a little... "Oh, I dont think so..".. but those are just my own hang-ups and fears.. all in all this was a hot book with hot stories that made me yearn for Dominance... made me want to submit.. even more than usual. 2 Thumbs Way UP!!
• 
  James

  Really good book. If you aren't into BDSM then this is a pretty good starter book. Most of the stories are fairly tame but there are a couple that some may consider rough. My favorite story was "The Power of No." read the book and you'll see why.
• 
  NLA-I Awards

  Finalist in National Leather Association International's (NLA-I) Anthology Literary Award for Best of 2008
• 
  Michelle K

  The cover was a strong draw for me so I bought the book. The book offers various different stories regarding female submission. Since the book has so many stories, I find it a little hard to get invested into the characters and really enjoy the depth of the stories. Also there are so many different authors with different writing styles, it can get confusing to just sit and read the book story after story. I found once I finished a few, I'd go back later. Not because the stories were too heavy just because I really love to be involved in a book. Hard to that since you end up jumping from one story to the next. Hard to just switch gears.
  
  Because there are so many authors and stories, some a good and some I really breezed through. I like at the end of the book that there is a few pages about each author so if there is one story you like, you can check out their other work.
  
  I can't give a review on all the stories because there are just too many. If you would like to have a little collection of the various types of female submission, this would be a good sampling of what is out there. I found myself wishing some of the stories were longer because I would like to have read more about the characters.
• 
  Pamster

  The actual subtitle on the printed book is Erotic Stories of Female Submission. Um, a lot of this was too cheesy even for me.
• 
  Irene

  utter crap
• 
  Jenny

  2*