It's always a pleasure to be sent something to test from the generous Lovehoney - thanks a bunch! So what do we have here? A book of role-play ideas to get your imagination bubbling, that's what. There's 52 in all, so you're sure to find something in here that appeals to you. I consider my myself very fussy, but even I liked about 30% of them (yes, I actually worked it out). To be honest, I expected the most vanilla, overdone scenarios but was surprised by a good few of them. Don't get me wrong, all the classics are here; fire-fighter, nurse, office temp, etc. which aren't my cup of tea but I'm sure they are for someone. The book is a nice, compact size which is convenient for storage or travel. You can feel the quality in this book with its matte hardcover and thick, hardy pages - it's built to last, put it that way. The only problem with the matte cover is the way it picks up fingerprints, but that's a given with this material. The neon light design theme that runs throughout the book is cool to look at and easy to follow. There are no photos and text is kept to a minimum. The first few introductory pages include a gift idea "to-and-from" page and a "how to use" page. There's also an important message about safety and consent as a reminder to keep things fun for all members. There is a large role-play number on the left page and the idea name, simple illustration and scenario description on the right page. One could argue that having just the number on a single page like that is a bit of a waste, but I think it keeps the book simple and less cluttered. You can hold the book in a way where you can only see the numbers which can make picking one a surprise, too. There's no rule to say you have to read the book in order- just flick to a page and there's your scenario. If you did want to read the whole thing, you could comfortably do so in one sitting- probably less than 30 minutes depending on your reading speed. The scenarios are kept short and vague enough for you to get your imagination going. It won't go into great detail and it encourages you to go with the flow- it's up to you what happens next. The main themes tend to be: - Meet and do - Give in to temptation - Control/Do as you're told There's also a number of scenarios that I'd place in the "other" category. Because of the overall themes, there can be similarities in some of the descriptions. For example, obeying a monarch is almost like the hypnotist and devil scenario as you are essentially doing the same thing. I suppose what I'm getting at is that some of the themes tend to repeat themselves except with a different skin. This alone is probably enough to set them apart because even I prefer some ideas over others despite them having the same theme. There are ideas that are wackier than others, but there's potential fun in all of them. I can't really say if the fantasies are good or bad because everyone is different and will have their own unique experiences. Some I liked, some not so much. Nothing is really gender-specific in this book, so anyone can take the role they desire. It's aimed as a couples book as all the scenarios require 2 people to act them out and I think it could be equally enjoyed by straight and same-sex couples. There's not much in the descriptions about adding more than 2 players, but hey, it's your fantasy (just add an extra fire-fighter or two). Even if you're single or just want to play alone, there's plenty of fantasy prompts here to be had. So basically, this book could be for anyone. However, if you prefer more in-depth descriptions/stories, then look elsewhere. If you like to use your imagination after a simple prompt, then it's more up your street. Dressing the part isn't required to have fun, but all the ideas are here in case you do. The tone of the writing is kept light and flirty with nothing being too taboo or offensive. This is a very nitpicky thing I had while reading the book which probably won't bother most people, but here goes. Even though the scenarios are kept vague, there's some extra info that I think should be left out. For example, "you're in a New York skyscraper". Why does it have to be New York? Or "you meet an alien that looks and feels just like a human". Can't an alien look like anything? I know Lovehoney probably want to play it safe, but I think little details like that should be more up to the reader's imagination. Again, you could just ignore certain things in the prompts and make them all your own. Well, there are 52 ideas in this book for you to select from- that's enough for each week of the year! It's sure to keep you busy but not with the reading material - it's short, sweet and to the point. A great source for those with a feisty imagination just waiting to act out a playful scenario. Which one are you going to do first?
