The Erotic Review is a regular British magazine devoted to discussions around sex and eroticism. Unlike top-shelf fodder, it considers itself more urbane and literary in its endeavour. Its stated purpose is "to appeal to the primary sexual organ - the brain".
The magazine was begun in 1995 as a newsletter for the Erotic Print Society, by founder and first ER editor Jamie Maclean who then asked assistant editor Rowan Pelling to take over the magazine (from 1997). Pelling's tenure was an unqualified success, having transformed the magazine from an A4, 16-page quarterly newsletter into a well-read, monthly, 48-page, A4 glossy. Pelling then staged a management buy-out of the magazine in 2001 from the EPS, having boosted its circulation to the 30,000 mark by dint of securing famous contributors who might not have otherwise wanted to be associated with an erotic publication. Pelling's stature increased with columns in other media.
Having allowed Felix Dennis to acquire the magazine, it was then sold again and transferred outside of London to the Penthouse editorial offices in Surrey, which saw Pelling quit. Without Pelling and her team on board the magazine foundered and was sold on to yet another publishing outfit. However, its halcyon period is planned to be the subject of a forthcoming film starring Rachel Weisz as Pelling
In early 2007, The Erotic Review was bought back by the Erotic Print Society (now Erotic Review Books) and was merged with its monthly magazine SEx. In December 2007 the re-launch issue was published.
