When Good Toys Go Bad

by Debbie Cairo

In a world without men, one man stands out.

Dara Athol should really get over this heterosexual thing. After all, in her twenty-third-century world, men are but a distant memory. Yet she can’t help it; she’s a self-admitted throwback.

She tried the “couple” thing, but though she and Brynn are still friends with benefits, Dara finds true solace only in the arms of Kai143. A limited-edition android sex toy, an expensive service provided by The Consortium for those who want a taste of the exotic—making love to something with a Y chromosome.

When Kai grows beyond his programming and begins to think and feel for himself, his feelings for Dara grow into forbidden love. Forced to go on the run from The Consortium, the police, and society itself, Dara and Kai fight for survival—and for the elusive possibility of a different kind of future.

Contains an anatomically correct, fully functional android with no off switch. Like the Energizer bunny, he just keeps going…and going…and going…

108 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 25, 2012

Reviews

[H.B. Pattskyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What started out as a potentially trite, cliché plot quickly turned on its ear, twisting the story in unexpected ways to deliver up a fresh take on some old tropes. And nothing makes me happier than being happily surprised when an author doesn't take the well worn road and give another Logan's Run or Blade Runner (classics, yes, but those stories can only be told so many times).

When Good Toys Go Bad was a pleasure to read on every level, so although I don't generally read anything involving "f" whether it's f/f or m/f, I totally recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind a little "f" in their romance.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the 23rd century there are no men. Science, however, keeps the world ticking over and there are only women.
Some women, however, take advantage of android creations in the shape of men.
They may not be real, but they are enjoyable.
So, what happens when one woman falls in love with an android, just as their creators have decided it is time to discard them?
Love on the run.
"Good Toys Gone Bad" is an odd book, part smut and part trial procedural. It reads more like a practice effort rather than a finished work.
2 Stars.

[Becky]

I made it about 20 pages in and just couldn't stick with it any further. There was racism, sexism, the MC was horrible to people perceived as less intelligent. The last straw was when one of her parents was verbally abusive to the other, and her inner monologue was "I hate to hear it, but that's just how they work."