Smash Pictures’ Diary of Love may be a bit overshadowed by some of the bigger couples porn releases of the year—including Smash’s own top seller, its Fifty Shades of Grey parody—but there’s a lot to like about this drama directed by Jim Powers. Very loosely based on The Notebook, it’s got enough story for newcomers to erotica and enough hardcore appeal for habitual stroke-flick fans.

Though some resources clearly went into the production—most notably script development and location scouting—the real heart of what makes Diary of Love stand out are the performers. Given the core plot—girl meets boy, loses boy, meets richer boy, finds original love—what matters here is the chemistry between the two leads. Presley Hart as Ally and Richie Calhoun as Noah are adorable and charismatic; they make their characters come alive (even if it feels at times that they would have benefited from more rehearsal or stronger direction).

Complementing the solid narrative are four varied and compelling sex scenes. There’s some nice outdoor screwing courtesy of lovely Lily LaBeau and Logan Pierce, playing Ally and Noah’s best friends. Johnny Castle is smooth and sexy as Ally’s rich-boy fiancé, making their attraction believable. And before Noah gets back together with his true love, he gets it on with two bereaved war widows, played by Kimberly Kane and Lia Lor. Assertive and confident, Kane’s always great in three-ways—and newcomer Lor steps up her game to fit in.

Also well worth noting here are the extras that allow this release to serve double duty for fans of couples porn and gonzo. In addition to a wall-to-wall option for the feature, there’s an enjoyably pervy BTS segment in which each of the performers talks dirty and shares some orgasmic moments with the camera.