First Date is Naomi Love’s debut Erotic Romance, the first short story in her trilogy, Three Dates. Lerato is desperate to go into the new year with some ‘experience’ under her belt. As a hard-working medical student, she has not had the time or the courage to venture on her sexual awakening journey. With her head stuck flitting in and out of her fantasies, she finally takes the plunge into online dating. At twenty years of age, Lerato has her first date, with a man who lives in her darkest desires, but will Ruben be far more than she has bargained for—or is he exactly what she craves?
I loved Lerato from the very first page, and the more I read, the more I loved her. Lerato is so stuck in her own mind, and while she is so funny and her feelings and thoughts are so relatable, I wanted to sit her down and have a talk about self-love. You get to know Lerato very quickly, to see how her mind works, how open she is with her feelings, and how much she desires but almost denies herself through fear of judgement from both herself and others. She is a beautiful woman, and yet she hides beneath her clothes. She keeps this part of herself hidden away, and it is fighting to be free. She just needed that push, and what a push it was.
Cue the mysterious, older, and just as attractive Ruben. I say mysterious because you only know as much as Lerato does, and I have my own suspicions about why he wants Lerato so much, but I will keep that one to myself for now. I loved how quickly he took control, and that was exactly what Lerato needed; she needed to be pulled out of her quickening, overthinking mind and be pulled into the present. This is exactly what she craved—someone taking control of her and guiding her through the awakening of this hidden part of herself. Although he is commanding and extreme in his desires, he still asks if that is what Lerato wants. I glossed over that on my first read-through, so I was left unsure about him being too forceful, but it was only when I skimmed back that I noticed Ruben definitely asked how Lerato wants her desires, and she agreed maybe a little too quickly, but she came alive in the experience, enthralled within it.
That is what I loved most about Naomi Love’s writing; it is so uncensored that it felt as though I was sitting there listening to a friend tell me about her dirty little escapades. I am so glad the author reached out to me to read her debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I have to give props to Naomi Love for being able to give so much in just forty-four pages. As a reader, you get a full grasp of Lerato’s mindset, personality, and desires. There is so much uncensored intensity in such a short amount of time that I am both eager and a little daunted to read Second Date. This short story is very graphic; I had to actually skim back through it just to check it was all completely consensual, which it is; therefore, I would advise First Date to an adult audience. I am rating this book Three out of Five Stars, While I was hooked and am definitely going to read the next installment, I did need to take some time just to compress what I have read, and I will need a break before I dive into Second Date. I would recommend this short story to those that love graphic erotica, dominant male main characters that leave you with more questions than answers, innocent, sexy, and relatable female main characters, and an ending that leaves you wondering just what Lerato has gotten herself into.
Favourite Quotes
“Dante’s inferno but make it smut? I live for it.”
page 4
“A pit forms in my stomach, one as deep as the distance between my desire and what I allow myself to have.”
page 11
““Desire doesn’t mean we yearn for what’s best for us. No, no, desire is the sister of death. It’s the incessant craving to annihilate yourself completely,””
page 24
“But now I need more. I’m being pushed part my limits into new and unexplored sensations.”
page 31
Finer Details
Title: First Date
Author: Naomi Love
Pages: 44
Publisher: Naomi Love
Publication: 2023
Language: English
Rating: 3/5