In Give it to Me: Sexy Tales About Women Getting the Good Loving, Lopez gives us a collection that shows her range as a story teller. From the jet-setting billionaire and her wine making prince to a woman who has gone back to school looking for some precious alone time in the library stacks, Lopez is writing about women getting what they want.
The first and last stories, “The Phone Call” and “Star 69,” are a part one and part two. “The Phone Call” is one of my favorite pieces of writing from Lopez. Rosemarie has been widowed for a couple of years, and in that time she has relied a lot on her late husband’s best friend, Sam. She asks him for a very personal favor and they negotiate over the phone. I offer “The Phone Call” as evidence that a story can be spicy with no on page sex. As an opener, it sets the stage for women asking for what they want and the men who want to give it to them (innuendo intended).
One of the hallmarks of an Angelina Lopez story is the specific individuality of her main characters. They are multifaceted, even in a very few pages. Their wants drive them and pulse off the page, whether it’s their want for their lover, a few minutes of peace, relaxation, or to protect. All of the women that she is writing are extraordinary in their own way, whether they are a working mom, a student, a waitress, or a princess. The men who give them the good loving promised in the tag line see them for all they are, whether they are a lover, a husband, or a stranger.
Another thing you can count on in an Angelina M. Lopez story – she writes Latinas. All of these wildly different women are Latinas and it is glorious. In one of my favorite stories, “Twelve Drummers,” Anna leans into her invisibility as just another member of the “all-brown cleaning staff” to steal jewels. The beat of a teponaztli pulls her into a magical ritual on a long winter night. Her body is sacred and worshiped; her pleasure fuels the magic. Most importantly, she is seen and desired for who she is. “Twelve Drummers” is its own perfect world. If Lopez decides she wants to expand on the idea of Latina thieves, I’m already setting my pre-order money aside.
I am also making room on my shelf for more like the only non-romance story in the collection, “A Good Man.” A federal agent has a hunch about a disappearance and runs into a waitress who may give him the information he’s looking for. In this story, Lopez really plays with invisibility and the male gaze. I want more. I need more. I hate that Angelina M. Lopez feels unwelcome in romance. This is something I’m hearing from a lot of authors, particularly queer authors and authors of color. If writing thrillers or horror is going to be more rewarding, I’ll be there as a reader. But romance is losing some amazing writers and it breaks my heart.
When I read Angelina M. Lopez’ debut romance, Lush Money, five years ago I was entranced. At the time, I thought I was more interested in low angst, reality based contemporary romances, and she was giving me the jet-setting, European royalty, angst and drama of the primetime soap operas of my teen years with an important twist. The billionaire trying to buy the impoverished royal was a Latina business woman from Kansas who made her billions herself and wasn’t afraid to be disliked. It was a breath of fresh air and I have subscribed to her newsletter and bought her books ever since. I had read several of the short stories collected in this anthology over the years, but having them all together, along with some new stories, and Lopez’s introductions, is a treat.
I received this as an advance reader copy from the author. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given. I am friendly with the author on social media, but this hasn’t impacted my review.
