M/M Romance: A Core Collection
Some folks were kind enough to express an interest in seeing this after I finished it.
Since most people aren't Management Geeks enamoured of the properly formal language appropriate for a document to be submitted to the Board of Trustees, complete with candid opinions and (*ahem*) Rough Language, I thought y'might prefer the first draft before I clean it up.
But it's a long puppy (six pages or so), so I've pasted it under the cut.
M/M romance is a genre of fiction that centers upon the development of a romantic relationship between two male protagonists. Along with the often overlapping genre of erotic romance, it is possibly one of the fastest growing fiction genres currently (the difficulty of obtaining hard numbers on book sales, let alone porous and inconsistent genre definitions, makes it difficult to say for certain); it certainly is one of the mainstays of independent e-book publishing.
Many people prefer the term "m/m romance " to the more generic term "gay romance", since many of the best known and most popular authors, and the overwhelming majority of the readership, are straight women. [1] Like straight romance, m/m can and does incorporate a wide variety of subgenres: straightforward contemporaries, romantic suspense, sports stories, science fiction and fantasy, paranormal, historicals, light comedies, young adult, erotic, menage and BDSM -- about the only romantic subgenre that I haven't seen is "Christian", and I wouldn't be surprised to run across one.[2]
However, most m/m readers come with certain expectations to these stories, common to the romance genre as a whole:
a)whatever the other aspects of the story (mystery, fantasy, etc.), a major, if not THE major, narrative arc will be the creation, development, and resolution of the emotional relationship between the main characters
b)whether graphic and detailed, or chaste "fade-to-black", sexuality will play an important role in this relationship, but will remain subordinate to the emotional connection
c)while realistic obstacles and conflicts are expected, and a certain degree of angst is often encouraged, gritty quotidian problems, difficulties and prejudices are generally downplayed in favor emotional ones, in order to sustain the fantasy (e.g. gay-bashing might be alluded to, but probably not shown; neither hero will have AIDS, or any STD; "coming out" may be traumatic but not deadly; and the protagonists will generally have the wealth, power, intelligence, supernatural skills, or just general good luck to avoid the very real consequences of homosexuality in most historical times and cultures)
d)along the lines of c), there will ALWAYS be a happy ending: if not necessarily a Happily Ever After (HEA), at least a good possibility of Happy For Now (HFN)
The development and popularity of m/m romance is often traced to the simultaneous success of yaoi / shonen-ai manga imported from Japan on the one hand, and the explosion of "slash" fanfiction, especially on the internet, on the other. These influences can be seen in some of the unfortunate trends that are still prevalent in m/m fiction: the so-called seme / uke dynamic, the reliance upon rape and other forms of sexual violence to create conflict and "angsty backstory trauma", male characters who "read" as stereotypically female (the often derided "chicks with dicks" syndrome), the fairytale handwaving of historical homophobia (no, the eighteenth-century British Navy was NOT okay with having officers carry on open affairs with dashing pirates!), and what some see as an overall appropriation and "fetishization of the Other" in terms of gay male sexuality.[3]
In addition, as a genre that relied heavily on self-publishing and independent e-publishing in its earliest days, m/m romance often suffers the general pitfalls of inadequate production values, hasty editing, cringe-worthy covers, and overall poor quality.
So, in an effort to represent this popular genre, I asked for permission to build up a small "core collection" in my public library. Although my community is VERY conservative, heavily Southern Baptist and traditional, I have had some success in introducing other "controversial" types of materials -- specifically "urban fiction", erotica, and graphic novels (comic books) -- and my Director, though reluctant, gave me permission to "see how it goes" -- with the condition that I personally read and evaluate each title added, in order to "be prepared for any problems." (All credit to Director J--- C----; although she is uncomfortable with the topic and finds any discussion of it distasteful, she has given me free reign and full support.)
So, my criteria for selection for this start up collection:
a)First and foremost, the books must be in print. This was harder than it sounds, since practically every recommended title was primarily (and in some cases ONLY) sold as an e-book.
b)The titles must be available through standard library book wholesalers: Baker and Taylor, Ingram, BWI, etc. Although our library has the flexibility to order through Amazon and even directly from independent publishers, many libraries do not. Once again a problem, since many small presses (and print-on-demand sources) cannot afford to deal with these jobbers.
c)The books must have multiple positive reviews -- "standard sources" (e.g. newspaper reviews, library journals, etc.) preferred, but considering the nature of the genre, widely read and cited online review sites (e.g. All About Romance, Dear Author, etc.) would be acceptable. Amazon and other "amateur" review sources were not. This was to prepare ourselves for the inevitable public challenges.
I finally purchased and added twelve titles to this collection.
Some general observations:
These were, on the whole, very readable books, and I indeed enjoyed most of them. Copyediting was still sloppy, but that's getting worse all over the publishing field. In terms of professional presentation, the Running Press books were far and above the best of the bunch, and all had drop-dead gorgeous covers to boot.
For the most part, these books were free of the grosser failings of the genre. There was still a large degree of fantasy and fetishization going on: for example more than half of the books were first person narratives, and in every case the narrator was the more stereotypically "female" of the pair -- younger, more "delicate" in appearance, physically weaker, usually with a more "arty" career, often with an angsty backstory of sexual and emotional abuse. There was also a nigh universal reliance on the Straight Female Best Friend (the flipside of the Gay Best Guy Friend so overused in some mainstream romances) to act as emotional support, sounding board, and source of straight talk about relationship difficulties.
On the whole, I didn't find the use of stereotypes and tropes more problematic than similar fantasy shortcuts in mainstream romance (or indeed, any genre) fiction, but I do think that it deserves to be mentioned.
The frequency and explicitness of sex scenes ranges widely, but is roughly comparable with those in comparable mainstream romances, although it might appear shockingly graphic to those who are unaccustomed to descriptions of same sex relations. I, personally, was neither titillated nor offended; but I'm not a particular fan of the "good parts" in any kind of romance writing, so I'm probably a poor judge. I will note that while mainstream straight romance almost always tends to use sexual intimacy as a stand-in for and marker of emotional intimacy, the two seem to be more separate in (this sampling) of m/m romance. Some readers may react to this positively; others may find it distressing, especially those who are expecting such conventional tropes as the Magic Hoo-ha and its male counterparts.[4]
[1] "Gay fiction", in contrast, is usually used for fiction (genre and literary) that attempts to realistically portray the life experiences of QUILTBAG persons, and most of the authors are QUILTBAG persons or allies. There is, of course, considerable overlap between the genres; Josh Lanyon, for example, is one of the bestselling authors of m/m romance, and longstanding authors of gay fiction such as Michael Thomas Ford and Mark Richard Zubro are well-loved among fans of m/m fiction.
[2] Actually, now I kinda want to write one. Anyone care to brainstorm in the comments?
[3] I must confess, when I was in library school, I never ever thought I would find myself explaining the distinction between "M/M romance" as a genre designation and "Gay men -- Relationships" as a subject heading, using the phrase "Straight females fetishizing male homosexuality" to my very sweet, very shy, very Southern Baptist, very gay male Fiction cataloger. AWK-WARD.
[4] No, really. That's the term commonly used. I've always wanted to submit a scholarly article titled "Glittery Hoo-has, Mighty Wangs, and Do-No-Wrong Dongs: Conventions of Monogamous Sexuality in Popular Romance Fiction." And then submit it to the Board of Trustees as part of my annual performance review.
------------------
My list, along with impressions and evaluations of each specific titles:
Alex Beecroft. FALSE COLORS.
Gorgeous, lush prose and an eye for historical details earns this Georgian naval yarn all the lavish praise it has garnered. John Cavendish has taken his first command, and clashes immediately with his Lieutenant, Alfie Donwell. But they eventually strike up a firm friendship, which (in Alfie's case, at least) could be something more -- something that the Navy punishes by death. While the h / h actually spend the bulk of the narrative apart, they are never far from each other's thoughts; and the poignancy of their yearning, and the very real societal and personal obstacles that keep them apart, create an almost tangible pain in the reader. While there are a few graphic sex scenes, there's none between the h/h until the last few pages, but is definitely worth the wait. Anyone who has fantasized about Aubrey/Maturin slash is dying to pick this one up. Destined to be a classic. A+
Erastes. TRANSGRESSONS.
Erastes is one of the "big names" in m/m romance, so I had high hopes of this one. And it is a brilliantly told story -- an intense, layered, nuanced tale of two men, lovers in their youth, torn apart to fight on different sides of the English Civil War. Erastes's writing is both epic in scope and rich in detail; brutally authentic and honest, yet drenched in metaphor, symbolism, and archetype. However, what this is most emphatically NOT is a "romance". It doesn't merely stretch or defy genre expectations, it actively scorns them. The protagonists are neither likeable in themselves, nor more as a couple than the sum of their individual personalities -- indeed, for the vast bulk of the story they are far apart, and in relationships (quite physical, even kinky) with others. Physical relationships are not only decoupled from emotional ones, but actively opposed. The overall tone is grim, bloody, horrific, and despairing; the final encounter of the h/h holds not a hint of a HEA. I cannot fault the author for remaining true to her setting and themes, and as a work of historical fiction I would give it the very highest marks. However, as part of a "romance core collection", I can only give it a D.
Ginn Hale. WICKED GENTLEMEN.
A bit of jewelled perfection, although the mannered prose might not suit every taste. Still, the fabulously imaginative world -- a vaguely steampunkish English city, a few hundred years after the Jesuits have successfully invaded Hell and converted its rulers, leaving the descendents of the demons to eke out a miserable existence as a ghettoized oppressed minority -- and two irresistible characters -- Belimai Sykes, the degraded and cynical Prodigal, with an iron-clad inner integrity; and Captain William Harper, morally upright and pure star of the human Inquisition but not without his own dark secrets. Two closely tied novellas give each their own viewpoint, as they negotiate their treacherous, corrupt world and form a bittersweet, touching relationship. (Bonus points for the absolutely stunning cover) A+
Donald Hardy, LOVERS' KNOT.
Two romances for the price of one, as extensive flashbacks of a tragic youthful affair interweave with and shape the tentative relationship between Jonathan Williams, new master of a remote Cornish estate, and his longtime close friend, Alayne Langsford-Knight. The restrained prose, delicate treatment of sexual encounters, and blessed absence of cliched stereotypes are as refreshing as the unusual historical setting in Edwardian times. The ambiguous presence of the supernatural is clearly meant as a nod to the ghost stories of Henry James, although the mannered speech of the protagonists and the quaint ruralisms of the rest of the cast give off a faint whiff of "ye olde Englysshenesse" rather than authenticity. Still, both heroes are immensely likeable and believable, both alone and together, and even the villains are sympathetic and comprehensible. Above all, the intense, palpable yearning that permeates every conversation and glance between the h/h is a thousand times more passionate than the most athletic sexual gymnastics in much more graphic books in this genre. Pitch-perfectly tuned for the old fashioned swoony romantic. A solid A.
Sean Kennedy. TIGERS AND DEVILS.
This isn't so much a "love story" as it is a story about love: romantic and sexual love, sure, and the love for sports as both an athlete and a fan; but also the love of friends, of family, of one's home, one's career, and how all these loves can help us, hurt us, and hold us to life. As such, it's a story that anyone can read and relate to. I'm not much of one for sports stories, and I finished this one still hazy about what Australian Rules Football entails, and I don't much care; but even though I'll probably never fall into a mad passionate affair with a closeted gay celebrity athlete, I've experienced stupid miscommunications, misplaced pride, and the combination of embarrassment, comfort, pain, and joy, that love can bring. Sex, while important to the story, is presented discreetly; far more central is the convincing and realistic friendship and intimacy that grows between the two heroes. Funny, tender, wise, and sweet. A
J. L. Langley. THE TIN STAR.
When Jamie, the (more-than-a-decade) younger brother of his best friend gets kicked out of the house for coming out, it's a no-brainer for Ethan, owner of the Tin Star ranch and closeted gay man himself, to offer him a job and a place to stay. A contemporary cowboy m/m romance, which promises to deal seriously with the issue of homophobia in a very insular, conservative, religious, hyper-masculine culture? Oh yes, I am so all over that, like orange on cheesy poufs. But this wasn't that book. Langley shovels almost too many plot conflicts into the storyline: not just the family rejection and general homophobia of the town, which leads to harassment, sabotage, legal threats, and even violence, but also the age difference, the conflict between friends, political issues, business dealings, and the still-relevant debate between being "out and proud" vs "minding my own business and expecting everyone else to do the same." But they're all shoved out of the way in order for Teh Hawt Sexxors, every few pages, in every imaginable locale and position and with exotic toys, until I just wanted to say "I get it, I get it, can we get to the story please?" And then we get back to the story, and dramatic life-threatening issues have been relegated to a few cartoonish villains and off-screen solutions. Hot puppies, time for Mohr Sex! C-
Josh Lanyon. FATAL SHADOWS.
First of the Adrien English mystery series, and as near as I can tell, Lanyon's first novel; and it shows, in the rough prose and extremely silly plot. A serial killer seems to be stalking gay men, and bookseller Adrien English isn't sure if he's being framed as the culprit -- or the killer's next victim. There's only the barest hint of a love story here, and the sex (while graphic) is not precisely part of a romantic arc. It might be more accurate to call this a "GLBT thriller", more akin to the writings of Mark Zubro and Fred Hunter. Nonetheless, Adrien himself is SO endearing, that it would be hard to resist gobbling up the rest of his series, nor rooting for a Happy Ever After to his increasingly tangled love life. B-
Josh Lanyon. SOMEBODY KILLED HIS EDITOR.
First of the Holmes & Moriarity series, this is far more assured than the former title, both in style and plot. It's also more of a conventional romantic suspense story, with plenty of Big Misunderstandings, longing looks and spicy sex to heat up a semi-parody of a traditional cozy mystery that's slightly too pleased with its own cleverness. Christopher Holmes, once a bestselling mystery writer with his career now on the skids, finds himself in an isolated lodge with a murderer on the loose -- and an ex-lover on the prowl. As in all of Lanyon's books, the heroes are truly guy-ish guys -- even when bemoaning their own conforming to stereotypes -- rather than the fantasy figures seen in some offerings in the genre. B+
Brooke McKinley. SHADES OF GRAY.
An intense, angst-rich love story with plenty of graphic sex, and a bit of unfortunate overtones of "Gay For You" (GFY), as a conflicted FBI agent falls for the drug smuggler he's holding in protective custody. The gritty tone fulfills the theme hinted at in the title, where the "good guys" are all morally compromised, scarcely possible to differentiate with the sleazy murderous villains. This may be how "real life" works, but I prefer a touch of fantasy in my stories. I'd like to be able to root for the heroes, and not have to choose between true love and just deserts. If this sort of sordid ambiguity is your thing though, this is a well-done story. B-
Tere Michaels. FAITH AND FIDELITY.
Deservedly recommended as the best of the oft derided but still popular GFY subgenre. Two New York cops -- a straight-arrow recent widower and a ladies' man in the throes of a midlife crisis -- find an unlikely friendship turning to something even more unlikely. Both the protagonists are likeable, but not annoyingly perfect or hot, and struggle believably with their attraction. The side characters (even the kids, for a wonder!) are sweet and funny. Despite the title, there's a bit of infidelity (not to mention sequel-bait), but it makes sense in context and actually moves the plot. A guilty pleasure, to be sure, but a pleasure nonetheless. A-.
Jordan Castillo Price. PSYCOP: PARTNERS.
The first two novellas in a gritty urban fantasy series about Victor Baynes, who uses his powers as a top-level medium to work for the police. Victor's first person voice is sardonic and filled with self-loathing, as he relies on heavy drug use to keep the dead people that constantly hound him at bay; he cannot even admit to himself that his new lover, a non-psychic cop (or "Stiff") might possibly care for him. It's hard to blame him, as there are no real emotional sparks in their relationship; the first novella indeed is little more than a series of explicit sex scenes strung together by a thin paranormal murder plot. The second begins to flesh out the world and the characters significantly. D for the first, B for the second, to average out to a C.
Hope it's useful, or at least entertaining.
Since most people aren't Management Geeks enamoured of the properly formal language appropriate for a document to be submitted to the Board of Trustees, complete with candid opinions and (*ahem*) Rough Language, I thought y'might prefer the first draft before I clean it up.
But it's a long puppy (six pages or so), so I've pasted it under the cut.
M/M romance is a genre of fiction that centers upon the development of a romantic relationship between two male protagonists. Along with the often overlapping genre of erotic romance, it is possibly one of the fastest growing fiction genres currently (the difficulty of obtaining hard numbers on book sales, let alone porous and inconsistent genre definitions, makes it difficult to say for certain); it certainly is one of the mainstays of independent e-book publishing.
Many people prefer the term "m/m romance " to the more generic term "gay romance", since many of the best known and most popular authors, and the overwhelming majority of the readership, are straight women. [1] Like straight romance, m/m can and does incorporate a wide variety of subgenres: straightforward contemporaries, romantic suspense, sports stories, science fiction and fantasy, paranormal, historicals, light comedies, young adult, erotic, menage and BDSM -- about the only romantic subgenre that I haven't seen is "Christian", and I wouldn't be surprised to run across one.[2]
However, most m/m readers come with certain expectations to these stories, common to the romance genre as a whole:
a)whatever the other aspects of the story (mystery, fantasy, etc.), a major, if not THE major, narrative arc will be the creation, development, and resolution of the emotional relationship between the main characters
b)whether graphic and detailed, or chaste "fade-to-black", sexuality will play an important role in this relationship, but will remain subordinate to the emotional connection
c)while realistic obstacles and conflicts are expected, and a certain degree of angst is often encouraged, gritty quotidian problems, difficulties and prejudices are generally downplayed in favor emotional ones, in order to sustain the fantasy (e.g. gay-bashing might be alluded to, but probably not shown; neither hero will have AIDS, or any STD; "coming out" may be traumatic but not deadly; and the protagonists will generally have the wealth, power, intelligence, supernatural skills, or just general good luck to avoid the very real consequences of homosexuality in most historical times and cultures)
d)along the lines of c), there will ALWAYS be a happy ending: if not necessarily a Happily Ever After (HEA), at least a good possibility of Happy For Now (HFN)
The development and popularity of m/m romance is often traced to the simultaneous success of yaoi / shonen-ai manga imported from Japan on the one hand, and the explosion of "slash" fanfiction, especially on the internet, on the other. These influences can be seen in some of the unfortunate trends that are still prevalent in m/m fiction: the so-called seme / uke dynamic, the reliance upon rape and other forms of sexual violence to create conflict and "angsty backstory trauma", male characters who "read" as stereotypically female (the often derided "chicks with dicks" syndrome), the fairytale handwaving of historical homophobia (no, the eighteenth-century British Navy was NOT okay with having officers carry on open affairs with dashing pirates!), and what some see as an overall appropriation and "fetishization of the Other" in terms of gay male sexuality.[3]
In addition, as a genre that relied heavily on self-publishing and independent e-publishing in its earliest days, m/m romance often suffers the general pitfalls of inadequate production values, hasty editing, cringe-worthy covers, and overall poor quality.
So, in an effort to represent this popular genre, I asked for permission to build up a small "core collection" in my public library. Although my community is VERY conservative, heavily Southern Baptist and traditional, I have had some success in introducing other "controversial" types of materials -- specifically "urban fiction", erotica, and graphic novels (comic books) -- and my Director, though reluctant, gave me permission to "see how it goes" -- with the condition that I personally read and evaluate each title added, in order to "be prepared for any problems." (All credit to Director J--- C----; although she is uncomfortable with the topic and finds any discussion of it distasteful, she has given me free reign and full support.)
So, my criteria for selection for this start up collection:
a)First and foremost, the books must be in print. This was harder than it sounds, since practically every recommended title was primarily (and in some cases ONLY) sold as an e-book.
b)The titles must be available through standard library book wholesalers: Baker and Taylor, Ingram, BWI, etc. Although our library has the flexibility to order through Amazon and even directly from independent publishers, many libraries do not. Once again a problem, since many small presses (and print-on-demand sources) cannot afford to deal with these jobbers.
c)The books must have multiple positive reviews -- "standard sources" (e.g. newspaper reviews, library journals, etc.) preferred, but considering the nature of the genre, widely read and cited online review sites (e.g. All About Romance, Dear Author, etc.) would be acceptable. Amazon and other "amateur" review sources were not. This was to prepare ourselves for the inevitable public challenges.
I finally purchased and added twelve titles to this collection.
Some general observations:
These were, on the whole, very readable books, and I indeed enjoyed most of them. Copyediting was still sloppy, but that's getting worse all over the publishing field. In terms of professional presentation, the Running Press books were far and above the best of the bunch, and all had drop-dead gorgeous covers to boot.
For the most part, these books were free of the grosser failings of the genre. There was still a large degree of fantasy and fetishization going on: for example more than half of the books were first person narratives, and in every case the narrator was the more stereotypically "female" of the pair -- younger, more "delicate" in appearance, physically weaker, usually with a more "arty" career, often with an angsty backstory of sexual and emotional abuse. There was also a nigh universal reliance on the Straight Female Best Friend (the flipside of the Gay Best Guy Friend so overused in some mainstream romances) to act as emotional support, sounding board, and source of straight talk about relationship difficulties.
On the whole, I didn't find the use of stereotypes and tropes more problematic than similar fantasy shortcuts in mainstream romance (or indeed, any genre) fiction, but I do think that it deserves to be mentioned.
The frequency and explicitness of sex scenes ranges widely, but is roughly comparable with those in comparable mainstream romances, although it might appear shockingly graphic to those who are unaccustomed to descriptions of same sex relations. I, personally, was neither titillated nor offended; but I'm not a particular fan of the "good parts" in any kind of romance writing, so I'm probably a poor judge. I will note that while mainstream straight romance almost always tends to use sexual intimacy as a stand-in for and marker of emotional intimacy, the two seem to be more separate in (this sampling) of m/m romance. Some readers may react to this positively; others may find it distressing, especially those who are expecting such conventional tropes as the Magic Hoo-ha and its male counterparts.[4]
[1] "Gay fiction", in contrast, is usually used for fiction (genre and literary) that attempts to realistically portray the life experiences of QUILTBAG persons, and most of the authors are QUILTBAG persons or allies. There is, of course, considerable overlap between the genres; Josh Lanyon, for example, is one of the bestselling authors of m/m romance, and longstanding authors of gay fiction such as Michael Thomas Ford and Mark Richard Zubro are well-loved among fans of m/m fiction.
[2] Actually, now I kinda want to write one. Anyone care to brainstorm in the comments?
[3] I must confess, when I was in library school, I never ever thought I would find myself explaining the distinction between "M/M romance" as a genre designation and "Gay men -- Relationships" as a subject heading, using the phrase "Straight females fetishizing male homosexuality" to my very sweet, very shy, very Southern Baptist, very gay male Fiction cataloger. AWK-WARD.
[4] No, really. That's the term commonly used. I've always wanted to submit a scholarly article titled "Glittery Hoo-has, Mighty Wangs, and Do-No-Wrong Dongs: Conventions of Monogamous Sexuality in Popular Romance Fiction." And then submit it to the Board of Trustees as part of my annual performance review.
------------------
My list, along with impressions and evaluations of each specific titles:
Alex Beecroft. FALSE COLORS.
Gorgeous, lush prose and an eye for historical details earns this Georgian naval yarn all the lavish praise it has garnered. John Cavendish has taken his first command, and clashes immediately with his Lieutenant, Alfie Donwell. But they eventually strike up a firm friendship, which (in Alfie's case, at least) could be something more -- something that the Navy punishes by death. While the h / h actually spend the bulk of the narrative apart, they are never far from each other's thoughts; and the poignancy of their yearning, and the very real societal and personal obstacles that keep them apart, create an almost tangible pain in the reader. While there are a few graphic sex scenes, there's none between the h/h until the last few pages, but is definitely worth the wait. Anyone who has fantasized about Aubrey/Maturin slash is dying to pick this one up. Destined to be a classic. A+
Erastes. TRANSGRESSONS.
Erastes is one of the "big names" in m/m romance, so I had high hopes of this one. And it is a brilliantly told story -- an intense, layered, nuanced tale of two men, lovers in their youth, torn apart to fight on different sides of the English Civil War. Erastes's writing is both epic in scope and rich in detail; brutally authentic and honest, yet drenched in metaphor, symbolism, and archetype. However, what this is most emphatically NOT is a "romance". It doesn't merely stretch or defy genre expectations, it actively scorns them. The protagonists are neither likeable in themselves, nor more as a couple than the sum of their individual personalities -- indeed, for the vast bulk of the story they are far apart, and in relationships (quite physical, even kinky) with others. Physical relationships are not only decoupled from emotional ones, but actively opposed. The overall tone is grim, bloody, horrific, and despairing; the final encounter of the h/h holds not a hint of a HEA. I cannot fault the author for remaining true to her setting and themes, and as a work of historical fiction I would give it the very highest marks. However, as part of a "romance core collection", I can only give it a D.
Ginn Hale. WICKED GENTLEMEN.
A bit of jewelled perfection, although the mannered prose might not suit every taste. Still, the fabulously imaginative world -- a vaguely steampunkish English city, a few hundred years after the Jesuits have successfully invaded Hell and converted its rulers, leaving the descendents of the demons to eke out a miserable existence as a ghettoized oppressed minority -- and two irresistible characters -- Belimai Sykes, the degraded and cynical Prodigal, with an iron-clad inner integrity; and Captain William Harper, morally upright and pure star of the human Inquisition but not without his own dark secrets. Two closely tied novellas give each their own viewpoint, as they negotiate their treacherous, corrupt world and form a bittersweet, touching relationship. (Bonus points for the absolutely stunning cover) A+
Donald Hardy, LOVERS' KNOT.
Two romances for the price of one, as extensive flashbacks of a tragic youthful affair interweave with and shape the tentative relationship between Jonathan Williams, new master of a remote Cornish estate, and his longtime close friend, Alayne Langsford-Knight. The restrained prose, delicate treatment of sexual encounters, and blessed absence of cliched stereotypes are as refreshing as the unusual historical setting in Edwardian times. The ambiguous presence of the supernatural is clearly meant as a nod to the ghost stories of Henry James, although the mannered speech of the protagonists and the quaint ruralisms of the rest of the cast give off a faint whiff of "ye olde Englysshenesse" rather than authenticity. Still, both heroes are immensely likeable and believable, both alone and together, and even the villains are sympathetic and comprehensible. Above all, the intense, palpable yearning that permeates every conversation and glance between the h/h is a thousand times more passionate than the most athletic sexual gymnastics in much more graphic books in this genre. Pitch-perfectly tuned for the old fashioned swoony romantic. A solid A.
Sean Kennedy. TIGERS AND DEVILS.
This isn't so much a "love story" as it is a story about love: romantic and sexual love, sure, and the love for sports as both an athlete and a fan; but also the love of friends, of family, of one's home, one's career, and how all these loves can help us, hurt us, and hold us to life. As such, it's a story that anyone can read and relate to. I'm not much of one for sports stories, and I finished this one still hazy about what Australian Rules Football entails, and I don't much care; but even though I'll probably never fall into a mad passionate affair with a closeted gay celebrity athlete, I've experienced stupid miscommunications, misplaced pride, and the combination of embarrassment, comfort, pain, and joy, that love can bring. Sex, while important to the story, is presented discreetly; far more central is the convincing and realistic friendship and intimacy that grows between the two heroes. Funny, tender, wise, and sweet. A
J. L. Langley. THE TIN STAR.
When Jamie, the (more-than-a-decade) younger brother of his best friend gets kicked out of the house for coming out, it's a no-brainer for Ethan, owner of the Tin Star ranch and closeted gay man himself, to offer him a job and a place to stay. A contemporary cowboy m/m romance, which promises to deal seriously with the issue of homophobia in a very insular, conservative, religious, hyper-masculine culture? Oh yes, I am so all over that, like orange on cheesy poufs. But this wasn't that book. Langley shovels almost too many plot conflicts into the storyline: not just the family rejection and general homophobia of the town, which leads to harassment, sabotage, legal threats, and even violence, but also the age difference, the conflict between friends, political issues, business dealings, and the still-relevant debate between being "out and proud" vs "minding my own business and expecting everyone else to do the same." But they're all shoved out of the way in order for Teh Hawt Sexxors, every few pages, in every imaginable locale and position and with exotic toys, until I just wanted to say "I get it, I get it, can we get to the story please?" And then we get back to the story, and dramatic life-threatening issues have been relegated to a few cartoonish villains and off-screen solutions. Hot puppies, time for Mohr Sex! C-
Josh Lanyon. FATAL SHADOWS.
First of the Adrien English mystery series, and as near as I can tell, Lanyon's first novel; and it shows, in the rough prose and extremely silly plot. A serial killer seems to be stalking gay men, and bookseller Adrien English isn't sure if he's being framed as the culprit -- or the killer's next victim. There's only the barest hint of a love story here, and the sex (while graphic) is not precisely part of a romantic arc. It might be more accurate to call this a "GLBT thriller", more akin to the writings of Mark Zubro and Fred Hunter. Nonetheless, Adrien himself is SO endearing, that it would be hard to resist gobbling up the rest of his series, nor rooting for a Happy Ever After to his increasingly tangled love life. B-
Josh Lanyon. SOMEBODY KILLED HIS EDITOR.
First of the Holmes & Moriarity series, this is far more assured than the former title, both in style and plot. It's also more of a conventional romantic suspense story, with plenty of Big Misunderstandings, longing looks and spicy sex to heat up a semi-parody of a traditional cozy mystery that's slightly too pleased with its own cleverness. Christopher Holmes, once a bestselling mystery writer with his career now on the skids, finds himself in an isolated lodge with a murderer on the loose -- and an ex-lover on the prowl. As in all of Lanyon's books, the heroes are truly guy-ish guys -- even when bemoaning their own conforming to stereotypes -- rather than the fantasy figures seen in some offerings in the genre. B+
Brooke McKinley. SHADES OF GRAY.
An intense, angst-rich love story with plenty of graphic sex, and a bit of unfortunate overtones of "Gay For You" (GFY), as a conflicted FBI agent falls for the drug smuggler he's holding in protective custody. The gritty tone fulfills the theme hinted at in the title, where the "good guys" are all morally compromised, scarcely possible to differentiate with the sleazy murderous villains. This may be how "real life" works, but I prefer a touch of fantasy in my stories. I'd like to be able to root for the heroes, and not have to choose between true love and just deserts. If this sort of sordid ambiguity is your thing though, this is a well-done story. B-
Tere Michaels. FAITH AND FIDELITY.
Deservedly recommended as the best of the oft derided but still popular GFY subgenre. Two New York cops -- a straight-arrow recent widower and a ladies' man in the throes of a midlife crisis -- find an unlikely friendship turning to something even more unlikely. Both the protagonists are likeable, but not annoyingly perfect or hot, and struggle believably with their attraction. The side characters (even the kids, for a wonder!) are sweet and funny. Despite the title, there's a bit of infidelity (not to mention sequel-bait), but it makes sense in context and actually moves the plot. A guilty pleasure, to be sure, but a pleasure nonetheless. A-.
Jordan Castillo Price. PSYCOP: PARTNERS.
The first two novellas in a gritty urban fantasy series about Victor Baynes, who uses his powers as a top-level medium to work for the police. Victor's first person voice is sardonic and filled with self-loathing, as he relies on heavy drug use to keep the dead people that constantly hound him at bay; he cannot even admit to himself that his new lover, a non-psychic cop (or "Stiff") might possibly care for him. It's hard to blame him, as there are no real emotional sparks in their relationship; the first novella indeed is little more than a series of explicit sex scenes strung together by a thin paranormal murder plot. The second begins to flesh out the world and the characters significantly. D for the first, B for the second, to average out to a C.
Hope it's useful, or at least entertaining.