Friday, July 31, 2009

Surrogate Love by shwritme












This week's Perv Pack Recommendation is...

Title: Surrogate Love
Author: shwriteme
Chapters: 7
Words: 47,032
Reviews: 316
Summary: Bella is a sexual therapist with unusual methods. When she goes on sabbatical to write a book, Dr. Hale calls in a favor and sends her a new patient. Bella must put aside her training and follow her instincts to help Edward overcome his difficulties.

Guest Reviewer - Bittenev

Alright, so I have to start by saying that I did a little squeal of excitement when I found out Surrogate Love was being rec’d. I’ve loved it from the beginning and get giddy every time I see a new chapter in my inbox.

Surrogate Love immediately pulled me in from the very first chapter when not even half way down the page I read…

And before we even spoke I was intrigued. What could be the problem with this gorgeous man? Why should he need sex therapy?

Yes, yes, you read that correctly, Sex therapy. As if that little line didn’t pull me in enough I read on in EPOV and find out that he has his mind reading ability, something which I have yet to read in an All Human fic. (although I’m sure they are out there).

One of the things I love about Twilight is the instant connection between Bella and Edward and shwriteme has brought that into this story perfectly. And not only do they have this amazing connection but she kicks it up another notch and brings it into their therapy as well. Bella is able to literally feel Edwards tension and anxiety and uses her skill and techniques to help him relax. And boy does she help him “relax”. I’ve got to say one of my favorite scenes is a little phone call that takes place between the two of them in chapter three. Bella gives Edward a homework assignment to masturbate and when it doesn’t go as planned she ends up calling him to “help”. It’s the very first glimpse we get of their sexual chemistry and it only grows from that point on. The shower scene? Oh boy the shower scene…. *runs back to re-read*

Of course it wouldn’t be a wonderful story without a little conflict and angst. Bella is a professional. She has helped numerous people with their struggles and has never come close to falling for her patients. But this smart, funny, blushing, adorable and hot Edward is too much for her to resist. She finds herself torn between what she should do as a professional and what she wants as a woman.

Both character POV’s are strong and I love the way shwriteme overlaps the scenes. It’s not overly repetitive and gives the perfect glimpse of both sides. Her writing is wonderfully descriptive and emotional. I find myself aching for both Bella and Edward and the struggles they face. And I want to freakin cheer every time Edward takes another step in his therapy. I’ve told the author this before but I love her Edward and his stuttering blushing ways. It makes me want to be a sex therapist so I can treat him.

Surrogate love gets five wet “taps” (read the story and you’ll get it) from me!

Emmy- I read this hot delight thanks to Nina.. - she obviously needs another new line added to her title - as she is my main pimp.. How many reviews have I started this way? Anyways. .. Surrogate Love is one of those stories that made me put away my ethics training - locked away in a drawer somewhere - think I may have the lost the key! [ooopsies.. ;) ]. In real life therapy is nowhere near as fabulous, fun or sexy... Its one of the reasons we love ff right?

So once I put away any of my learned resistance to the *alternative* practices undertaken by Dr Swan (I got a bit discouraged by the author promoting her therapies of choice - ff isn't the place for that in my book) I settled back to enjoy the hotness and burny UST that abound in this story... Seriously lemony delights in the more recent chapters (doing a quick re-read turned my nipples into cutting granite territory again).

I think what I like best about this story is the break from the now almost ff standard of weak virginal Bella & cocksure ever-ready-Eddie who finds his redemption in Bella whilst allowing her to blossom into the wanton sex goddess that she is.. (hey I have most of them on favourites I ain't knocking them or nowt). Yup this Bella is only human so has the same insecurities, worries and self-doubts that most folk have but she's been around the block and really knows what she's doing.. ~its her job for fecks sake!!!! Whereas Edward really does not have a clue.. so everything he feels is amplified, intensified and oh so much better for him and us the reader.. There is a voyeuristic thrill in reading this story..

We know that Bella is getting too involved, is enjoying herself too much, and that makes the smut much more sweet and juicy... We get to lug-in and cop a good eye full of what these two are up to..... Its so intimate and flourishing and with the scaffold of doctor-patient setting- its almost as if we shouldn't be there. I must say I love to do things when I really know I shouldn't! (So what are you going to do about it? You know you like me naughty!) One thing to be aware of, you have to suspend disbelief a little with how casually everyone's special skills are dealt with, empaths, mind-reading and premonitions in the real world setting are just accepted by all. So you just have to accept it and focus on the sexy!

I am going to be really blunt about it. This story turns me on. Its that simple. I can't wait till they progress from just getting off and using their mouths to really getting it on, its going to be rather good says Emmy! I give this 4 knickers hidden by sharp tailoring out of 5..


Hope- So I'm on gchat one day and Liz pops up and says something like OMG, go read this fic Right Now! And well, I trust Liz's opinion and if I didn't I feared she'd hold WFBR until I did. So off I went to read. See, here's a little secret about moi, I love forbidden romances. I LOVE THEM. A little bit of the naughty, the we really shouldn't be doing this but we're going to anyway, the I can't fall in love with you but I can't help myself I already have kind of stories. And Surrogate Love is one of those fics. Also, this is a Geekward, I love me a geekward.

Bella is a sex therapist, including sexual surrogacy. Now, I'm not gonna lie I don't really understand what a sexual surrogate "does" exactly except help people with their intimacy problems. Well, Edward has some intimacy issues stemming from a traumatic experience in his adolescence and has the added handicap that he's telepathic. Basically Eddie can't cum, I know poor guy. After some intervention on his families behalf Edward starts therapy with Bella. Well, it quickly becomes more than therapy for the both of them. Both are afraid or fearful that the other doesn't return those feelings. But it's not angsty or drawn out, they have legit reasons for feeling that way. Not to spoil, but things are about to come to a head in the story and I can't fucking wait.

Now the smut, which is what y'all really want to know about. And it's good. Srsly is there nothing fucking hotter than a man asking you to show him how to pleasure you? I think not. Ung, and Edward does it twice in this fic so far. Edward is inexperienced at best and needs to overcome hid mental roadblocks on the way to getting off. Shwriteme does this all kinds of wonderful. She balances Edward's lack of experience with Bella's experience and throws in the emotions and feelings the two are having to form a deliciously smutty story. Phone Sex and the Shower scene are both to fucking die for. 4 out 5 panties from moi.


Kathy- Surrogate Love is a story that I've read since before it was a Perv Pack Pick. I found the premise intriguing and there is, in my opinion, a lot of room to maneuver a plot like this. While I agree with Emmy that I had to lock away my thoughts on ethics, boundaries and sharing therapy techniques, once I got past that, I really dug in and enjoyed.

Edward, as we learn in chapter 1, is not only a virgin, but has stopped having orgasms. We also see Bella's attraction to Edward, and his fears that he's undesirable. Clearly he isn't, at least not to Bella, but alas, self-perception is sometimes the most important. We learn a little more in chapter 2 about why Edward is seeing Bella, and the specific details of the incident that led his family to host an “intervention” for his problem. We also learn that Edward can hear people's thoughts, except for Bella. It's a nice twist on canon, I think. The chapter ends with Edward promising to masturbate - good times. The chapter 2 moment leads nicely into the phone sex in chapter 3.

The story continues to progress, Edward stuck thinking there's no way Bella would want him and Bella thinking she's just doing her best to be professional, and Edward only wants her as a therapist. There are smokin' hot moments in chapter 4, and chapter 5, and definitely chapter 6. We close chapter 6 with the introduction of Jasper and misunderstanding, and chapter 7 gives us more details and explanation. Chapter 7 ends with Bella driving Edward home, and if chapter 8 is anything like the ones before, it should be off the charts hot. 4 panties out of 5.



Nina- I don't remember how or why I started this story. Maybe it was the title? It's irrelevant, all that matters is how fucking good it is! I have no ethics, or ethics training for that matter so the principles by which she 'helps' him are more than encouraged by me haha.

Anyhoo, so as Emmy said, this delightful tale is a much needed change from manwhore Edward and shy, still with cherry Bella. Not that she's a slut, no not in the least, but, she's very um...helpful with Edward. She definitely crosses the line, but I don't care. Hell the line can be set on fire as long as they're both on the same side of it enjoying the heat.

She writes Edward wonderfully. At no point did I feel like he was/is too over the top in regard to his insecurities, plus he's still a mind reader (except for Bella) which I enjoy. I like that she kept that piece of canon for the story. Plus, how can I forget to mention, Eddie's a geekward and a magnificent one at that!!!

Now, the smut.

Chapter 3 has the phone sex. I love me some phone sex (a lot, like a lot, a lot) and I really love the way she wrote this chapter! In 4 the lines are definitely blurred after their um...'couch time'. They both want each other but she convinces herself that he just wants to get better and he thinks that she's only helping him because she's obligated because of her being his doctor. So even though there is a lot of misunderstanding it's believable, especially considering what her line of work is. Then they're in the shower, oh Lord! Then they're on the couch, double oh Lord! There isn't actual sexing yet but the build up is fantastic!!! 4.5/5

2 comments:

nmyhappyplace said...

mmmmmm. I can't wait to read it. I need some good UST moments. I love that shit, it's like a drug to me. I may have to post this one up for my cougar coven to read. Our one gay man member (hmm, that doesn't sound right -- actually the last part sounds great)will just have to get over it.

Thanks for the rec ladies. I trust your opinions.

Anonymous said...

Shwriteme here, and all I can say is WOW, thanks for the wonderful recommendation. I'm beyond thrilled. And some valid critique as well. Thanks.