It was fine. I think I needed another short book to get back into reading. However I felt it took me longer to read than it should have. I wasn't really engaged with the plot and the characters lives. I think the way the story went was too predictable for me. The time travel device for me felt too restrictive, so much so that it almost forced the plot to go in only one direction. The amount of rules they kept adding throughout the story was a bit irritating to read. It seemed like the rules were only there to close plot holes and loopholes the characters could come up with. Although reading it I still felt like there were plot holes in this device, particularly with the future travel aspect. I understand it was originally written as a play, which makes sense as it reads like a play and only has one setting throughout the book. I liked that simplicity and could imagine it playing out on stage with people entering and leaving the cafe.

If you’re not into smut, this probably isn’t the book for you, because it’s pretty much all smut. I appreciate what Gillian Anderson has done in collecting and curating sexual fantasies from women of all backgrounds, sexualities, and nationalities. The book aims to dismantle sexual taboos and create space for women to talk about sex and desire openly. I especially liked Gillian’s introductions to each chapter as she helps frame the stories with sensitivity, repeatedly highlighting how fantasy can be a safe and powerful tool for women to explore attraction where they are in control. Many of the stories are raw and vulnerable—some full of longing to feel loved and desired, others heartbreaking in how they talk about unfulfilled relationships. And then some were just way too graphic or too weird for me. I found myself skipping a few, not to dismiss anyone’s experience, but just because I didn’t want to hear it. After a while, the stories did start to feel a bit repetitive. It’s definitely a book to go back to in small doses. What struck me most was how vivid these women’s imaginations are, building entire worlds and alternate lives through fantasy. In the end, this gave me new perspectives on female desire and made me reflect on where I fit within that spectrum. I imagine sharing these fantasies was empowering for the women who submitted them. Did I feel empowered myself reading them? Not really… but I did walk away with more understanding.