Friends of Mine

by Arla Coopa

Mathematics professor Phil Richards is new to the university. Luckily, he befriends Mark, another professor. He later meets Mark’s wife, Tina, a hot blonde way out of Mark’s league. But that’s not the most surprising thing about this couple. Phil ends up in a situation he’d never imagined possible and might have to choose between friendship and unbridled pleasure.

18 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2012

Reviews

[Ray Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Comic than Erotic

Friends of Mine (by Arla Coopa) is a wannabe erotic short story of 18 pages. The first few pages, before anything sexual happens, are quite promising and even well written, but then the protagonist catches an — accidental? — glimpse of his friend’s wife’s most private of privates, and it’s all downhill from there.

The intended erotic parts are typically clunky and mechanically anatomical, and all the emphasis on the “parts” and “packaging” just doesn’t ring like the way a female author would write this kind of action. There’s talk of “two pink pieces of flesh with a slit between them” and “two soft pieces of flawless flesh, no brazier [sic] apparent, together, touching each other” and “looking right down the crevice of her butt, those two lobes just there, offering pleasure.”

But since the story is written in the first person, maybe the dramatically oversexed as well as sexist protagonist — the guy tells us, “I had sex a few times, with women I found moderately attractive, never anything to brag about” — should catch the blame instead of the author. But whoever, bonus points for the unintended humor.

[Jeff Kikel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends of Mine is a quick read—just 18 pages—but it does exactly what it sets out to do. If you're looking for a short, well-written story with one steamy encounter and a little emotional depth, this one checks the boxes.

The writing is clean and confident, and Arla Coopa does a nice job setting the scene and building tension without wasting words. You get a real sense of chemistry between the characters, which isn’t always easy to pull off in such a tight space. The physical side of the story is definitely front and center, but there’s also a quiet layer of connection and unspoken history that gives it a little extra weight.

My only reason for knocking off one star is that I would’ve loved a bit more development—maybe a little more time with the characters before things heat up. But for a short-form piece, it holds its own and doesn’t overpromise.

If you’re in the mood for something quick, intimate, and tastefully done, Friends of Mine is a solid pick. A satisfying bite-sized escape.

[Louis Koeppen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Friends of Mine” is a short but nice bit of erotica. It’s like a man had a particular fantasy and wrote down how the dream might come to fruition if a series of events broke in the right direction.

The hot wife is a little too easy for my liking, and the writing contains some foreshadowing; so it might not lead certain readers to complete gratification. But it’ll get you started. And since the author seems to have several other pieces of erotica, perhaps those can be read with this to get you all the way there.

Each hot wife is like a snowflake. Each one is unique, and so is the relationship they’re part of. So the varied facts, turn-ons, and what they will and won’t do and when, are all interesting and fun to learn.

So though I’d be more turned on if the hot wife played hard to get, I cannot argue with the series of events, as they could constitute the author’s exact, particular fantasy.

[Phil Space · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short erotic story, just as described in the listing. Told from the first-person perspective of mathematics professor Phil Richards, the story follows his budding friendship with Mark, a fellow professor he meets at a weekly basketball game. Things take a turn when Phil is introduced to Mark’s wife, Tina—an attractive blonde who seems far out of Mark’s league. The cover of the book is presumably a picture of Tina, which helps set the tone for the story.

To Phil’s surprise, Tina shows interest in him, putting him in a moral dilemma: follow his desire or stay loyal to his friend. I won’t spoil what happens—you’ll have to read that part for yourself.

The writing is solid, and the pacing is brisk. There’s no filler or unnecessary scenes to slow it down. While some reviews mention the short length, I found it tightly written and satisfying. It’s a quick, fun read. Two thumbs up.

[T Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up a copy of Arla Coopa's flash fiction novel, "Friends of Mine."
It's a short, 18 page erotic story centered on Phil who has an affair with the wife, Tina, of a guy he met playing basketball, Mike.

Because it's flash fiction, and only about 18 pages long, it can be finished in about 10 minutes or so depending on your reading speed.

With this type of volume, you wouldn't expect much character development but the author does a good job of defining the main character Phil.

You easily get a sense that he is an average guy who thinks low of himself which helps to setup the unexpected tryst between himself and Tina.

I do think think the book should have more erotic elements and flow. Sometimes it feels abrupt in the descriptions and I do think that there is more to be mined because the character development is good.

Otherwise, it was a quick, enjoyable read and I recommend you pick it up.

[M. C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends of Mine (Kindle Edition) by Arla Coopa was a very short read where you, as the main character, encounter Tina, Mark's wife, to fill your sexual fantasies. From the book's writing aspect, it was more conversational than adhering to formal writing, which I didn't mind. The author conveyed sexual emotions during the scenes and the arousing moods of Tina and you as a main character. It felt fast-paced from the story's perspective, but I expected that to be a short read. This type of writing is more like a fast encounter where something arises unexpectedly without notice. That's how I feel about reading the story; I want to entertain myself with that notion, which I thought was a decent read to spend the time. But it's a mature read for an adult audience that I didn't mind. So, other readers can check it out if they want a quick read.

[Aaron Goodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short and quick moving novella is exactly what you would expect from Arla Coopa. It has some build up, a quick escalation, and then the ending is again, exactly what you expect.

There isn’t much room for character development in the eighteen pages, but it doesn’t really matter. I liked how Tina appeared cool and friendly towards Phil, and then even more so when her intentions became clear, and I enjoyed Phil’s short moral dilemma when he betrayed Mark (no matter how short this moral dilemma was). The dialogue is quick and snappy and the author doesn’t hold back once the action gets going. The little conversation at the end confirmed what I thought was the case all along and I saw Tina (and Mark) in a different light.

A short read that does the job. Perfect for a short half hour bit of fun.

[Forrester · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Friends of Mine” by Arla Coopa is a very short erotic read of approximately 18 pages, so it may be read in half an hour or less. The cover depicts a nude woman with her legs strategically crossed. The story is told in first person, past tense, and centers upon a young man, Phil, who recently finished college and is working as a math professor. Phil’s love life has consisted of a few encounters, and he does not consider himself attractive enough to ever have sex with a beautiful woman. One day Phil meets Mark at a pickup basketball game. Mark introduces his wife, Tina, a lovely woman who, in Phil’s opinion, is way out of Mark’s league. Phil, who does not have any other friends in the area, begins to see Mark and Tina frequently; the three of them have meals together, play cards, and go out to local bars. Then one day, the relationship takes a turn…

[Avery Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't quite get the hate/1 star reviews for this short erotic story. Things quickly spice up in Coopa's short erotic tryst with a flavor that seems to be inspired by perhaps real life events. The sex scenes are effective, very spicy and erotic, well detailed and the reader is given some insight into the protagonist as they embark on this affair., with a nice little twist at the conclusion of this short narrative.
The sequencing and evocative insight into the protagonists desires are perfectly described, with the odd dalliance into stream of consciousness working well with the flow of the plot.
My only notes were that some dialogue could do with a little tweak and a bit more of a focus on characterisation of the friend's wife.

[Katrina Zarubinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me.


I’ve read a lot of spicy books and in order to interest me it has to have a captivating storyline or a really well written adult content. Preferably both.
Unfortunately this story had nether. The writing was choppy and the MF interaction was weird.
I would probably give it more than two stars if it wasn’t for the price. Charging $3 for 18 pages is ridiculous.

[Annette Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute story

I enjoyed reading this story about this friendship between 3 people that turns into more than friendship. It’s one of those stories that seems real enough that it could actually happen. What a great friend!