Title: Stubborn as a Bull
Author Name & Publisher: D. L. King (NineStar)
Publication Date & Length: March 27, 2016 — 43 Pages
Kat, a bartender at Artemis, is a free spirit. She likes hooking up with random hot girls whenever she wants. Getting serious is the last thing on her mind. But her best friend thinks it’s time for Kat to grow up and settle down, like her.
Lil, a local restaurateur, is new to the scene and becomes smitten. Lil’s stubborn, but Kat’s skittish. And, like a cat, the more she’s chased, the faster she runs away. Kat’s got too many plans to settle down now—like that hot butch or the stripper who comes in with her friends… But Lil’s stubborn: Stubborn as a bull.
Stubborn as a Bull contains adult content suitable for mature readers only.

This was a quick, hot read; however, I would class it more erotica than romance, as we don’t see much romance developing with the characters. The story was hot, well written, and engaging; however, my issues with the story originate with Kat.
Kat seemed to be likeable upon first blush, but upon further reading I found her to be shallow and more about a fun time than a long time, which there is not anything necessarily wrong with; however, I feel we don’t see enough character development to support her quickly being a relationship kind of woman. I know with short reads it is challenging to fit everything in that needs to be; however, it is hard to fathom how Kat can go from basically hating Lil and brushing her off to wanting to be with only her.
I also don’t understand why, even after being ignored and blown off, Lil keeps going. I guess as the reader I don’t understand what keeps Lil from moving on, and honestly part of me wanted her to blow off Kat and find someone worthy of her.
It was a fun and sexy read; however, I had trouble liking the main character enough to truly enjoy the book.
Tori
“Strong, like Russian bull. Right. More like bullshit. Or more like ‘stubborn like a bull.’ Shit… I mean, really, what is it with her? I just don’t get it.” I lifted the hose out of the caddy and added more Diet Coke to Carla’s glass. It was the middle of the day—too late for lunch but too early for happy hour.
Carla took a drink and gave me a piercing look. “What are you talking about? Or should I say who are you talking about?”
“It’s that dyke, Lily, or Lil. Whatever. She’s always coming in here, bugging the crap out of me. Like just before you got here. She snuck up to the bar while I was changing out one of the kegs and said something like, ‘Hey little lady, want me to help you with that?’ I practically cracked my skull open on the top of the beer cooler. And then she grins and says that ‘Strong, like Russian bull’ thing and makes a muscle. She makes me crazy.”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about. What does she look like?”
“Yeah, you know her. She’s got short brown hair. Not boy-short, just short and kind of wavy. She’s maybe in her late thirties, but she looks like she’s in good shape—like she works out or maybe plays some kind of sport. She wears jeans and T-shirts, mostly. You know who I mean. Lil.”
“Kat, you just described half the women who come into this place. So, what else does she do to annoy you?”
I grabbed a glass of water and told Carla all about it. The way Lil always seemed to be there when I looked up, but how she never bought a drink. And the way she bullied customers at the bar when they started getting the least bit rowdy. She was costing me tips.
“And there was that time last week when this cute butch was hitting on me, and Lil shoved her way in front of the woman and asked something inane, like if I knew what time it was, or something. The girl just backed out of the way and decided to go hit on someone else, I guess…and she was cute, too. I don’t know, Carla, the bitch is out to get me, but I didn’t do anything to her. I swear. Hell, I don’t even know her.”
Carla started to grin.
“What?”
“Geez Louise! Can’t you tell when someone’s flirting with you? Or has it really been that long?”
“Flirting? Well, she’s not my type,” I said. I gave Carla a wilting look and went back to doing the prep work for the evening. Flirting? Is that possible? If it was, it was like the way boys used to flirt with girls in third grade. I was seriously waiting for her to punch me in the arm—and then I’d have to smack the crap out of her.
I wiped down the bar after restocking, and then I began preparing the drink garnishes and gave Carla another refill.
“You know, Kat, I’ve known you for seven years now, and I still don’t know what your type is. Just who are you looking for?”
She put a ten on the bar, and I leaned over and gave her a kiss. “Maybe I’m not looking for anyone. Do I have to be?”
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you.” Carla shook her head on her way out. She opened the front door to bright, glaring sunlight and waved as she stepped outside. The door shut behind her, wrapping the place in twilight shadow again, the way a bar should be.
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I’m a New Yorker. I write smut. Some people call it erotica and some people call it porn. I call it a good time. Oh, yeah, I don’t just write smut; I edit it too. I also publish and edit an erotica book review site called Erotica Revealed . There’s more to see on my blog and on my website.
In addition to the ones shown here, you can find my short stories in a number of anthologies such as The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica (8, 9, and 10), Best Women’s Erotica (09) and Best Lesbian Erotica (08, 10 and 11). For a more complete list, check out my blog or my website.