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“The Principles of Lust,” “Passion Play” and “Sexual Healing” all take place in and around the titular erotic art gallery Lush. An erotic gallery in this type of fiction isn’t a reinvention of the convention, but here, the concept mostly provides an unobtrusive canvas for White’s brush stokes (both board and narrow) to appear and goes far to foster a sexual tone that is unabashed but never vulgar. Unlike erotic romances that read as traditional romance with extra sex scenes, White’s stories revolve around characters who have a strong, health sexual identity and aren’t shy about connecting on that level. The sex scenes come early and often in each story and are a function of character which lends them an ease and sense of wholly belonging in the story.

In “The Principles of Lust” Teal Jamison first conceives of the erotic gallery idea in hopes of bringing, well, the principles of lust to patrons. It’s when carpenter Zack Dillon peaks her interest that she wants to share some of that lust with him. For Zack’s part, he finds Teal too sexually forward and fears she’s too controlling to enjoy the freedom of submission. These principles are immediately hot for one another and through Zack’s reluctance, White strokes that fire, keeping tension high until the story’s climax. Teal struggles with her control issues, and vandalism that endangers the opening of the gallery while Zack struggles with Teal and her emotional hesitation. He is not undefined but lacks the fully formed personal story that Teal enjoys. Zach is the moon to Teal’s sun which makes his eventual emotional commitment ring a bit hollow.

The most uniquely stylized and structured of the three, is the second story, “Passion Play.” Here White alternates first person narrative between the heroine, struggling jewelry designer Mia Jones and the hero, journalist Dominick Jamison (Teal’s brother). Each chapter is given a convenient heading so the reader knows immediately whose perspective those pages come from. Mia and Dominick meet after they literally fall into one another which quickly leads to falling in bed. They agree to a sex-only relationship, but it isn’t long before their feelings get involved. “Passion Play” is further separated from the other two entries by having the most developed principles with the clearest personal arcs. Both Mia and Dominick are at crossroads in their respective careers and both experience individual growth in addition to their time together. As such their temporary-sex-turned-permanent-love is easier to suspend disbelief on and the reader has impetus to root for the characters separately as well as together in their couplehood.

Lush concludes with “Sexual Healing” a novella that seems to lack enough page count to adequately tell its story. Photographer Jack Lowell is deeply scarred by life; reluctant and reclusive until message therapist Caitlyn Ellis shows up at his home to model Mia’s erotic jewelry (the two women are best friends, hence the connection). Caitlyn could be called a new-age girl; she sees auras, is finely in tuned to the feelings of those around her, and has a serious commitment to helping those experiencing emotional pain. Caitlyn believes her strongest healing power is through sex and knows as soon as she meets Jack that he needs her unique therapeutic touch. Jack is a rich and deep character, a hero not as easily accessible to the reader as, perhaps, is necessary in this limited format. Much emotional growth is needed for Jack to make a sufficient turn around from a gruff, closed off man to one willing to open his heart and life to a woman. Unfortunately, this about-face happens entirely off the page leading to a conclusion that is jarring.

In general, White’s stories end on a dime and it isn’t clear if that is a matter of form or function. All the heroes and heroines are quick to fall in love – which might make the quick sex more palatable for readers used to straight and traditional romance – but the emotional shifts and turning points are not fully realized in the stories. Characters come to too quick and too easy conclusions about their feelings which leaves the end-story wrap-ups ungrounded and without the necessary establishment.

That, however, does not stop Lush from being an enjoyable fantasy. By intention, the piece asks little of the reader while abundantly delivering spot-on flirtation, heat, and sizzle. White’s greatest strength is building stories around sex and sexual connections verses love stories that shoe horn in slap-and-tickle episodes. Readers looking for an escapist read that is titillating – not bogged down with guilt or justifications for that titillation – will find that Lush lives up to its name.

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