The title is false advertising.
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My favorite of the book is What Might Have Been by Elizabeth Kay - Something about that delayed gratification ... Had some surprises and layers that unraveled very well. Recommend. Unfortunately, she has nothing else adult I can read. She does write poetry but that is not something I can appreciate.
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~ An Outside Interest by Ruth Rendell 1982 4* [Realistic horror] Absolutely nothing mysterious or erotic :/ Definitely horrifying though. A man feels alive and manly when he scares women. Shitty day at work, fight with the wife, stressed about finances... take a walk in the park and follow a lone woman. See her horror. He never does anything but follow and creep them out. But there is a serious ironic consequence that comes of what he does.

~ Colette’s Column by Andy Harrison 1996 3.5* Definitely erotic and a bit mysterious. [Realistic fiction] which is not really my preferred story type but the author wrote well and kept me engaged. Interesting to imagine people living completely differently than me. Two jetsetters, a motivational speaker & journalist. The journalist using (& enjoying) sex to get intimate but ultimately stabs him in the back. The moron still wants to marry her. "She is fun to hang out with :/ "

~ The Undead by Robert Bloch 1984 3.5* Not erotic. Mysterious check. A book shop has an original draft of Dracula. We learn a bit about why it's special and what has been edited out by Bram Stoker. A customer comes to the shop after hours inquiring about the book. He must have had to wait until the sun went down ;)

~ Elvara Should be Easy by J.K. Haderack 1996 3* Virtual reality story. It was going alright but the last 1/3 is stupid and unbelievable even for a work of fiction. Why would the VR woman want to keep him for more sex? She is visited for sex constantly. I would think her aim would be higher in a companion. stupid. And him being stuck there was ridiculous, there was no lead up to it. It just got dropped into the story. What was special about him? Nothing. He was there for research and she tricked him into sex and within a few visits, she forced him magically to split into two minds. One in the body in the real world and one stuck in the VR with her. Not a story, a partial story with SF bits dropped in. Skippable.

~ The Birds Poised to Fly by Patricia Highsmith 1993 3* [Realistic Fiction] That was kinda fun. MC is an asshole. He proposed to a woman via mail. He is in the US, she is overseas. Getting that day's mail is all he can think about and many, many days go by without a response. He peeks into the mailbox next to his and sees the airmail markings on an envelope in there and wonders if maybe his mail is in that box...

~ What Might Have Been by Elizabeth Kay 1996 5* I was pleasantly surprised by this one. My favorite of the ones I've read. hmmm what to say? It's best to let it unfold without spoilers. Let the author's skill take the lead. The scene opens with a young woman coming into a tent to question and educate a prisoner. He crossed the border into "their" territory and she is tasked with asking him questions and enlightening him regarding "their" ways.

~ The Plain Brown Envelope by Lyn Wood 1996 4* that was a bit of fun. A journalist in disguise, hitchhikes in hopes of being picked up by a truck driver to help inspire her next story. The guy who picks her up doesn't seem like a typical truck driver ... He was adorable and it was a fun read. ( )