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Another Kind of Love
The moment Laura Garraway shares a forbidden kiss with beautiful Hollywood starlet Ginny Adams, she discovers the missing piece of herself. When fame-hungry Ginny won't leave her powerful movie star lover, Saundra, Laura runs away to New York's comforting bright lights, desperate to forget her. There, in the cigarette-and-martini-drenched gay bars of the Village, and the offices of Madison Avenue, Laura finds herself in a new world - one in which who she is and what she wants are completely up to her.
Dee Sanders is one of New York City's most attractive and successful photographers, but her tumultuous relationship with her beautiful and cruel lover, Rita, is filled with fights, bitter jealousies and hot sex - until the night she catches Rita with another woman. Now, on her own and unsure of anything, Dee embarks on an odyssey that will lead her to two very different women - and one very real thing
Dee Sanders is one of New York City's most attractive and successful photographers, but her tumultuous relationship with her beautiful and cruel lover, Rita, is filled with fights, bitter jealousies and hot sex - until the night she catches Rita with another woman. Now, on her own and unsure of anything, Dee embarks on an odyssey that will lead her to two very different women - and one very real thing
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 10, 2015
Another Kind Of Love is not any worse than any other lesbian pulp fiction I've read and yet some reviews for it are less than favorable. The thing about l.p.f. is that it both reminds modern lesbians that things have gotten much better and that some things (especially ostracization from family and friends) have sadly stayed the same.
Given the self-hatred so rampant in much of lesbian pulp and how much hate there still is out there for gays and lesbians, some of us still like, almost feel compelled, to read these titles. They can ring more true than today's romance novels that almost always end happily.
In Another Kind Of Love there are quotes that jump out at me. Besides these quotes, the doubt and self-recriminations the main character experiences get to me a lot.
-“People-starved,” Laura said aloud, “that’s what I was. Just plain people-starved.” She turned the phrase over in her mind and savored it as something significant. . . .
-Laura felt her throat constrict with sympathy. My God, that poor kid. She felt an overwhelming need to help Ginny, to offer her friendship, to take care of her.
-Home. It was an empty word when there was no love.
I'm also impressed by the writing itself...except for Sloane Britain, no other writer from this era and this genre has quite captured the sincerity and experience of what it must have been like back then.
Salacious-free and even somehow earnest, Another Kind of Love (it could have a better title) is not half bad.
Given the self-hatred so rampant in much of lesbian pulp and how much hate there still is out there for gays and lesbians, some of us still like, almost feel compelled, to read these titles. They can ring more true than today's romance novels that almost always end happily.
In Another Kind Of Love there are quotes that jump out at me. Besides these quotes, the doubt and self-recriminations the main character experiences get to me a lot.
-“People-starved,” Laura said aloud, “that’s what I was. Just plain people-starved.” She turned the phrase over in her mind and savored it as something significant. . . .
-Laura felt her throat constrict with sympathy. My God, that poor kid. She felt an overwhelming need to help Ginny, to offer her friendship, to take care of her.
-Home. It was an empty word when there was no love.
I'm also impressed by the writing itself...except for Sloane Britain, no other writer from this era and this genre has quite captured the sincerity and experience of what it must have been like back then.
Salacious-free and even somehow earnest, Another Kind of Love (it could have a better title) is not half bad.
February 3, 2017
ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE is a reprinting of two stories from the late pulp era. One of them is very good, and the other… isn’t.
Both stories are very much of the time, for better or worse. Multiple characters consider their same-sex attractions and tendencies to be some sort of psychosis, while stereotypical dykes and closeted femmes wander in and out of the Village scene exclusively for hook-ups. The leads bemoan their inability to have children while hating themselves for their romantic interests as the author takes great care to describe the size and texture of everyone’s breasts. Trust me: you already know whether you’d like this type of book.
Paula Christian’s lesbians are unmarried and divorced career women with an emphasis on the emotional toil of relationships. They earn their happy endings, often by trying to incorporate a level of monogamy in their relationships despite the prevalence of the hook-up culture surrounding them. Christian’s women are fascinating in their own historical context: at the time of the story’s original publishing, the FDA had only approved the birth control pill a year earlier, THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE wouldn’t be published for another two, and Stonewall wouldn’t happen for almost a decade. The women grew up in the mist of the post-War golden age amongst loving families as society itself became more progressive in relation to education and career opportunities. They are smart, capable, and otherwise completely normal—and the stories, more importantly, treat them as such.
The titular short story, “Another Kind of Love,” tickles the allure of lesbian relationships in old Hollywood, where movie moguls held the press in an iron fist while their star machines ate aspiring actors and actresses alive. The story itself follows Laura, an editor of a fan magazine, and how she falls in love with the girlfriend of one of Hollywood most glamorous superstars of the era. Does she sacrifice her happiness and her morals to be with the woman of her dreams, or does she stay with her love struck (and soon-to-be divorced) boss? The premise might be cliché, but the presentation of Laura’s “coming out” is both nuanced and sympathetic, even when expressing the attitudes of an outdated era.
Many of the concerns Laura expresses feel authentic, and it’s the sort of story I would have loved to have read when I started coming to terms with my own identity. While it may not have the best answers to some of the issues that it discusses—it’s over fifty years old, after all—seeing the validation of seemingly unspoken questions is refreshing. It’s not just about liking women; it’s about establishing the lines between sex, love, and friendship on a completely different playing field.
The second story, “Love is Where You Find It,” takes literally everything applaudable about the first story and douses it with a good dose of old-fashioned cynicism. After years of living with an abusive but gorgeous girlfriend, a photographer named Dee finally calls it quits after finding her lover cheating on her. A new woman practically serenades her way into Dee’s life, while one of her younger co-workers seems determined to find her way into Dee’s secret life. Unlike the first story, Dee is an embittered veteran of the New York lesbian scene, and spends most of her time hiding her orientation from her business partners. While the story itself isn’t terrible, and it contains some of my favorite post-sex scene banter, Dee’s attitude is awful. She does everything in her power to turn one of her lovers straight, insults nearly everyone around her, and quietly endures rampant homophobia without complaint. Her actions are believable given the time period she lived in, but it doesn’t make her compelling in consequence. I often found myself wishing we were following her love interests instead.
Even with its flaws, both stories are enjoyable reads in women loving women genre. A good pulp ages like fine wine: a touch acidic with undertones of sugar and spice. ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE hits the mark where it counts, and that’s more than enough for me.
Both stories are very much of the time, for better or worse. Multiple characters consider their same-sex attractions and tendencies to be some sort of psychosis, while stereotypical dykes and closeted femmes wander in and out of the Village scene exclusively for hook-ups. The leads bemoan their inability to have children while hating themselves for their romantic interests as the author takes great care to describe the size and texture of everyone’s breasts. Trust me: you already know whether you’d like this type of book.
Paula Christian’s lesbians are unmarried and divorced career women with an emphasis on the emotional toil of relationships. They earn their happy endings, often by trying to incorporate a level of monogamy in their relationships despite the prevalence of the hook-up culture surrounding them. Christian’s women are fascinating in their own historical context: at the time of the story’s original publishing, the FDA had only approved the birth control pill a year earlier, THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE wouldn’t be published for another two, and Stonewall wouldn’t happen for almost a decade. The women grew up in the mist of the post-War golden age amongst loving families as society itself became more progressive in relation to education and career opportunities. They are smart, capable, and otherwise completely normal—and the stories, more importantly, treat them as such.
The titular short story, “Another Kind of Love,” tickles the allure of lesbian relationships in old Hollywood, where movie moguls held the press in an iron fist while their star machines ate aspiring actors and actresses alive. The story itself follows Laura, an editor of a fan magazine, and how she falls in love with the girlfriend of one of Hollywood most glamorous superstars of the era. Does she sacrifice her happiness and her morals to be with the woman of her dreams, or does she stay with her love struck (and soon-to-be divorced) boss? The premise might be cliché, but the presentation of Laura’s “coming out” is both nuanced and sympathetic, even when expressing the attitudes of an outdated era.
Many of the concerns Laura expresses feel authentic, and it’s the sort of story I would have loved to have read when I started coming to terms with my own identity. While it may not have the best answers to some of the issues that it discusses—it’s over fifty years old, after all—seeing the validation of seemingly unspoken questions is refreshing. It’s not just about liking women; it’s about establishing the lines between sex, love, and friendship on a completely different playing field.
The second story, “Love is Where You Find It,” takes literally everything applaudable about the first story and douses it with a good dose of old-fashioned cynicism. After years of living with an abusive but gorgeous girlfriend, a photographer named Dee finally calls it quits after finding her lover cheating on her. A new woman practically serenades her way into Dee’s life, while one of her younger co-workers seems determined to find her way into Dee’s secret life. Unlike the first story, Dee is an embittered veteran of the New York lesbian scene, and spends most of her time hiding her orientation from her business partners. While the story itself isn’t terrible, and it contains some of my favorite post-sex scene banter, Dee’s attitude is awful. She does everything in her power to turn one of her lovers straight, insults nearly everyone around her, and quietly endures rampant homophobia without complaint. Her actions are believable given the time period she lived in, but it doesn’t make her compelling in consequence. I often found myself wishing we were following her love interests instead.
Even with its flaws, both stories are enjoyable reads in women loving women genre. A good pulp ages like fine wine: a touch acidic with undertones of sugar and spice. ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE hits the mark where it counts, and that’s more than enough for me.
February 19, 2013
I loved this book... I'll be honest--I bought this novel based off the cover art and scandalous feel--I didnt know anything about the author or even the lesbian pulp genre. But I totally loved the two novels in this collection because they were solidly written, with interesting characters and though I could take or leave the sadness of the tone--I was willing to accept that since it was two books written in 1961.
It wasnt going to be pretty or sympathetic.
But it is a valuable and interesting window into a world some people would never know if it wasnt for these stories, the details of the subculture and the historical aspect of the experience. I also liked that each book looked at a different place--one is in New York and the other is in Los Angles--and found the little details of the time and how they effected each locale.
I would suggest anyone who likes well written trashy novels steeped in context. Well worth the effort
It wasnt going to be pretty or sympathetic.
But it is a valuable and interesting window into a world some people would never know if it wasnt for these stories, the details of the subculture and the historical aspect of the experience. I also liked that each book looked at a different place--one is in New York and the other is in Los Angles--and found the little details of the time and how they effected each locale.
I would suggest anyone who likes well written trashy novels steeped in context. Well worth the effort
March 28, 2013
SHITE!
June 15, 2018
Paula Christian's lesbian pulp novel, Another Kind of Love, is a story of one woman's struggle to discover her lesbian identity. Laura Garraway, a journalist who writes stories about Hollywood's brightest stars, is dating a man who is seeking a divorce so he can marry Laura. But, when Laura meets starlet Ginny Adams, Laura falls for her and begins to question her sexuality. The problem is that Ginny is involved with the possessive and jealous Saundra Simons, a Hollywood A-lister. Laura flees Los Angeles to New York where she hopes to sort her life out. Fate certainly has plans for Laura.
Lesbian pulp novels of this era typically had very tragic endings. This one however, deviates from the norm. So if you are weary of bad endings, fear not.
Lesbian pulp novels of this era typically had very tragic endings. This one however, deviates from the norm. So if you are weary of bad endings, fear not.
January 11, 2023
Loved reading this! Picked it out because the cover and flip-through intrigued me, and was very pleasantly delighted. The way Christian details the vagueness of emotional journeys that her characters go through is so validating and realistic!!! The self-awareness she gives to her characters is so true to life that it made me realize it's a quality missing from a lot of stories. Pulp Fiction? They didn't know Wattpad was coming... god help us all. I also loved the aesthetics and details of Cities and nightlife. Puts you in the the mood to get out and explore. This was my first pulp fiction book I've ever read and I will certainly be reading many more! Love the words/way they talked back then. :)
July 19, 2016
It's always difficult to review these old pulp novels, because they are definitely a product of their time. The misogyny and homophobia (even coming from the lesbian characters) can be off-putting, but I look at them as historical documents. It's amazing that such work was even published in the 1950s and 1960s.
There are two novels published in this collection: Another Kind of Love, and Love is Where You Find It.
ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE
Laura Garraway is having an affair with her boss, an unhappily married man. But after doing a piece for the magazine about the star Saundra Simons, Laura meets Ginny, a wannabe starlet who (she later learns) is also Saundra's lover. Laura and Ginny share a kiss and some stolen moments, but Ginny is focused on her career and advancing it in any way possible. Heartbroken, and given the opportunity to work in New York City (instead of Los Angeles), Laura flees. She meets Madeline, a divorcee who helps finance the magazine. Eventually, Laura has to decide who she wants to pursue: Walter (who is now getting a divorce), Ginny, or perhaps someone else...
This was the stronger of the two stories, and it definitely had a happier ending. I liked the character of Laura, and even though sometimes things happened just a little too conveniently, it was still a good read.
LOVE IS WHERE YOU FIND IT
Dee is in love with Rita, a wannabe starlet. And Rita is in love with Rita. Dee looks the other way when Rita dates (and presumably sleeps with) other men, but when she finds Rita in a compromising position with another woman, Dee has had it. She leaves for Paris for a work assignment, where she runs into an acquaintance - Martie. She has an affair with Martie, but Dee's heart is fixed on Karen, Dee's secretary. When Dee returns to New York, Karen seems ready to embark on a relationship with her, but this is Karen's first lesbian relationship, and Dee is convinced that their love will eventually fall apart.
This story was much darker than the first one. There is a lot of self-loathing here, especially when Dee is trying to convince Karen that she doesn't really "want" to be a lesbian. Dee thinks that what she does is "perversion," etc, etc. Reading this made me so glad that I wasn't born 50 years before I was. Imagine a world where practically everyone thinks you're a pervert. Ouch.
There are two novels published in this collection: Another Kind of Love, and Love is Where You Find It.
ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE
Laura Garraway is having an affair with her boss, an unhappily married man. But after doing a piece for the magazine about the star Saundra Simons, Laura meets Ginny, a wannabe starlet who (she later learns) is also Saundra's lover. Laura and Ginny share a kiss and some stolen moments, but Ginny is focused on her career and advancing it in any way possible. Heartbroken, and given the opportunity to work in New York City (instead of Los Angeles), Laura flees. She meets Madeline, a divorcee who helps finance the magazine. Eventually, Laura has to decide who she wants to pursue: Walter (who is now getting a divorce), Ginny, or perhaps someone else...
This was the stronger of the two stories, and it definitely had a happier ending. I liked the character of Laura, and even though sometimes things happened just a little too conveniently, it was still a good read.
LOVE IS WHERE YOU FIND IT
Dee is in love with Rita, a wannabe starlet. And Rita is in love with Rita. Dee looks the other way when Rita dates (and presumably sleeps with) other men, but when she finds Rita in a compromising position with another woman, Dee has had it. She leaves for Paris for a work assignment, where she runs into an acquaintance - Martie. She has an affair with Martie, but Dee's heart is fixed on Karen, Dee's secretary. When Dee returns to New York, Karen seems ready to embark on a relationship with her, but this is Karen's first lesbian relationship, and Dee is convinced that their love will eventually fall apart.
This story was much darker than the first one. There is a lot of self-loathing here, especially when Dee is trying to convince Karen that she doesn't really "want" to be a lesbian. Dee thinks that what she does is "perversion," etc, etc. Reading this made me so glad that I wasn't born 50 years before I was. Imagine a world where practically everyone thinks you're a pervert. Ouch.
January 28, 2010
A good book - very sweet and tender. Surprisingly well written. If you like middle-20th-century-lesbian-romance, this is the book for you.
July 30, 2015
Quick fun read. Definitely set in the 60's.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews