Couples who want to explore the tamer side of BDSM (bondage, domination, sadism, masochism) may want to try out some of the ideas in 50 Ways to Play: BDSM for Nice People.
The entries, which are one to four pages in length, focus on topics such as spanking, biting, restraint, electrostimulation, force fantasies, and sensory deprivation. When toys or props are mentioned, alternatives are suggested for those on a budget. While the instructions are clear and precise, visuals or illustrations would have made some of directions easier to understand.
Married authors Debra and Don Macleod provide a ten-question quiz at the beginning of the book to encourage readers to think about their own sex lives. Before they start describing some of the scenarios in their book, they suggest ways to redecorate a bedroom and how to set limits and respect each other’s boundaries. Useful tips include what to say when talking dirty, ideas on how to increase arousal by de-familiarization, and giving suggestions for male and female dominants and submissives. With the right mindset, couples can have a memorable evening with ice, candles, ottomans, ropes and mirrors.
Although the authors don’t provide a list of resources in any of the chapters, readers may want to pair this book with the authors’ others sexual self-help book, Lube Jobs and Lip Service.