... On Erotica: Reading + Recs (LGBT / Het / Ménage)

While posting my thoughts about Jeff Mann's Purgatory: A Novel of the Civil War I noticed that although I read plenty of erotica throughout the year, I have not been posting regularly about my erotica reads. As a matter of fact going through my blog and list of reads, it seems that sometimes I even neglect to list as read some of those books or novellas.

I think I stopped blogging regularly about erotica sometime in 2010?  I'm not sure if this happened because I tend to read this sub-genre in the form of collections or anthologies. I read anthologies slowly (short stories in between other books), and sometimes it takes me so long to finish them that by the time I'm done, I just don't post a review, or maybe it's something else altogether, but I DO read and enjoy them.

Gay Erotica:

For example, right now I'm reading Strawberries and Other Erotic Fruits by Jerry L. Wheeler, his latest collection of erotic reads. Wheeler did a terrific job of editing Tented and just seems to have such a great handle on erotica that I couldn't pass up reading his collection. I don't have it up under the "Currently Reading" list of books on my sidebar, but I'm about 25% through this book already. Wheeler also edited another anthology recently (December 2011) that I want to read, Riding the Rails: Locomotive Lust and Carnal Cabooses. That book includes some of my favorite erotica writers: Jeff Mann, Gavin Atlas, Jay Neal, Dale Chase,William Holden, Rick R. Reed, 'Nathan Burgoine, Jeffrey Ricker and Erastes! A great group of writers.

And, I've read the following gay erotic anthologies or collections, but either never listed or blogged about them here.

Frat Boys: Gay Erotic Stories edited by Shane Allison (Cleis Press)
My Name is Rand by Wayne Curtois (Lethe Press)
Bearotica: Hot & Hairy Fiction edited by R. Jackson (Bear Bones Books)
The Back Passage by James Lear (Cleis Press)
The Secret Tunnel by James Lear (Cleis Press)
A History of Barbed Wire by Jeff Mann (Bear Bones Books)
Tented: Gay Erotic Tales From Under the Big Top edited by Jerry L. Wheeler (Lethe Press)

I've read more in this category, but am not going to list them all. Of the books listed above, I highly recommend  A History of Barbed Wire by Jeff Mann and Tented: Gay Erotic Tales From Under the Big Top edited by Jerry L. Wheeler. Also for those who enjoy the unusual, My Name is Rand by Wayne Curtois is a trip and a half!

I actually recommend all the stories listed above: Frat Boys: Gay Erotic Stories edited by Shane Allison is hot and sexy and it has a great mixture of stories about college boys and their sexual adventures (Lambda, Lambda, Lambda). Bearotica edited by R. Jackson has some favorite writers of erotica in there: Jay Neal, Dale Chase (love Chase!), and Thom Wolf . From the James Lear books I recommend The Back Passage over The Secret Tunnel. These are fun erotic mysteries set in England -- BUT, expect lots and lots of sex in these stories. Note that "erotic" comes before "mysteries," so don't be surprised at the amount of sexual scenes in the books.

Erotica and Ménage/Multi-Partnered Erotica:

I'm still reading Samantha Kane's Brothers in Arms series. I read the last two books in that series at the end of last year, and I also read my first book by Megan Hart:

Love's Surrender by Samantha Kane
Love's Fortress by Samantha Kane
Tempted by Megan Hart

The Brothers in Arms series is long and one that I believe tends to be repetitive because in some ways they all end up with the same or similar (M/M/F) type of happy ending. However, those first few books are so good that the whole series becomes addictive, particularly once the characters become familiar and readers connect with them, and that's something that Kane does quite well. She establishes that connection between the reader and her characters. So read on... I know I will!

Megan Hart is a writer whose works came highly recommended. Unfortunately Tempted just didn't do it for me. I didn't really find this story erotic, and although I enjoyed her writing style it felt more like a women's fiction book that attempted to be erotic but failed -- at least it did for me personally -- perhaps because I was expecting the story to be geared towards erotica. I think I gave it an average grade because Hart's prose is excellent and as something besides erotica, the story works well enough. However, I have not given up on Megan Hart. I have Dirty in my TBR and have been told that this is THE book. So I will give Ms. Hart one more shot.

TBR:

I also have quite a few books in my TBR and I'm always buying new books (old and new releases).  For example I just purchased two old releases, Between Dances by Erasmo Guerra, a gay Latino writer who has two interesting books (different genres) that I want to read -- this book is a Lambda Award winner for erotica, and Tales From The Sexual Underground by the prolific and ever-popular writer Rick R. Reed.

And I have ménage and het erotica in droves, and a few polyamorous stories too. I have books lying around the house all over the place, plus quite a lot in my Kindle -- some of them are PNR erotica which I tend not to read. I also have a couple of series to catch up on --  Lorelei James. However, I do have other types of pretty raw erotica from authors whose works are well known and others whose works I've never read and whose names I've never heard before. Maybe I'll just post about my erotica reads once in a while again, some of them are pretty wild, while others are tamer than you might expect, and depending on taste, most of them can be lots of fun to read! :D

Impressions: Brothers in Arms Series by Samantha Kane

A couple of years ago, I read The Courage to Love by Samantha Kane, the first book in her Brothers in Arms erotica series. This past month, I decided to read a few of the other books in this series and as result re-read The Courage to Love to refresh my memory.

There were a few different aspects to this book I really liked: the setting is historical England, male protagonists Jason and Tony are ex-soldiers who fought in the English/French war, female protagonist Kate is a lady turned mistress who after falling on hard times is shunned by the ton.

Does this sound like another historical romance? It might be, except Kane gives it an interesting erotic twist. Jason and Tony began sharing a woman as soldiers during the war. They found that it allowed them to maintain a much needed human connection and alleviated battle trauma - a type of disconnect and inner isolation. That bond continued after the war ended, until they found themselves loving and wanting to share it permanently with a woman through marriage.

That is the basis for the entire Brothers in Arms series. During the war, hoping to help a few of their fellow soldiers cope with their own trauma, Jason and Tony shared with them their new-found solution, their bond. Slowly, those soldiers paired up during the war, making up a tight circle of friends who after the war continued to share this lifestyle. Eventually, they all yearned for the same thing: a woman who would share their lives permanently, a family.

Although there's an eventual "happily ever after" to all the stories and emotions are involved and addressed, the erotic in this series is the core. In The Courage to Love, the sexual scenes between Jason, Kate and Tony are scorching hot and amazing. But Kane also incorporates subtle homoerotic hints that build slowly and get hotter as the story progresses. By the time the whole story unfolds, there's loving all the way around and heat sizzles off the pages. Kane doesn't leave anyone wanting.

This homoerotic build-up is also found in some of the other books I've read as part of this series. As in The Courage to Love-Book 1, in Love Under Siege-Book 2 and Retreat from Love-Book 5, the male protagonists share strong bonds, but don't realize their true needs until the woman they love becomes part of that bond. In Love's Strategy-Book 3, the sexual relationship between the men is established before they approach their lady, giving this installment a different perspective. The females encourage these relationships, are lusty and loving of their men.

The above-mentioned similarities make this series feel repetitive after a while. Also, the fact that all these men need to or must have this type of relationship to go on with their lives after the war, makes the improbability factor creep in. It does make for highly erotic, scorching situations and Kane certainly knows how to write those beautifully. The couples are all likable, lovable and sexy, but the stories do tend to get mixed up after a while.

Two books that stand out for me in this series:

• The Courage to Love was fresh and new, however after re-reading it, I realize that it still holds up as a stand out with the best homoerotic build-up in the series, and excellent threesomes all around. 
• Retreat from Love has some of the most erotic M/F, M/F/M, M/M/F, M/M scenes of the whole series in addition to emotional angst galore and an interesting storyline to back it up -- I'll never look at leather gloves the same way again! 

Love Under Siege was more of an average read for me and I thought Love's Strategy was the shortest and least developed of the four books, making it the weakest installment.

If you like M/F, M/F/M, M/M/F, M/M with your erotica, these books are sizzling! Definitely high on the erotic scale. However, I do recommend that they be read far apart from each other for better enjoyment.

Genre: Erotica/Historical setting

Complete Brothers in Arms Series:
The Courage to Love - Book 1: Grade B
Lover Under Siege - Book 2: Grade C
Love's Strategy - Book 3: Grade C-
At Lover's Command - Book 4
Retreat from Love - Book 5: Grade B
Love in Exile - Book 6

Visit Samantha Kane here.

Reviews at Musings

Upcoming Reviews:

Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale is a book I've had on my TBB list ever since I saw it highlighted at the Galaxy Express last March under their 'Steampunk' recommendations. A book I looked forward to reading and saved to savor like candy for the end of the Challenge. *g*

Out of Bounds by T.A. Chase was an erotic trip through the world of sports. He addresses the prejudices still rampant in that world and the pros and cons of being "out" for an athlete -- but also the decisions that must be made by the man. I'll be reading more T.A. Chase.

Reviews Posted at Musings:

The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal, a historical romance from a new-to-me author. I was curious about this book and just had to give it a shot. My thoughts are posted at Musings as more impressions than review mode. A book that surprised me in more ways than one.

No Limits by Alison Kent is a contemporary romance book that I won at the author's website in a contest. This is another new-to-me author and I read this book without any expectations or knowledge as to style. This book had an interesting mixture of characters and atmosphere.

Islands by Samantha Kane, a beautiful love story set in World War II with wonderful characters and atmosphere. This one made me sigh.

Summer has taken its toll and I'm not reading as much as I usually do, but I'm right on track with the M/M Challenge. One more to read, and after this week... one more to review. So, that's okay, right?

After I'm done with those... I'll have to tackle the huge TBR pile this challenge has created... all the wonderful new authors discovered and backlists to investigate. It seems I'll be overflowing with hot new reads to keep me warm come the winter. :) Plus, this second half of the year, I'm planning on reading more Fantasy / Sci-Fi Romance and Contemporary Romance.

See you at Musings!

Edited: All reviews can be found here at Impressions. 

M/M Review: Islands by Samantha Kane

Lieutenant Commander Gabriel Conlan, United States Navy Seabees, knows he's not in Kansas anymore when he steps off the launch at the small island of Ile Dorée and sees gorgeous Frenchman René Dubois waiting for him on the dock. The year is 1943, the place is the Pacific and the world is at war. Free from the censure of the military, Gabe has an explosive affair with René. But when the world intrudes, Gabe denies René and tries to forget the best sex of his life.

The only westerner on his small Pacific island, René is desperately lonely. When the tall, lanky American steps onto his dock, René knows his life will never be the same. He teaches Gabe how to make love to a man and, unexpectedly, falls in love. René will brave prejudice, Japanese Zeros and Gabe's reluctance to find love at last.

Gabriel Conlan is a man of his times. A man who is used to being in command and control as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, but also a man who maintains that same control on his emotions. He knows that he can't let his true self show for a moment or his credibility and career will disappear in an instant. His self-contempt and repressed longings are made evident early on in the story, as well as his lack of experience in the love arena. Oh, he knows what it is to have sex with another man, but love? That, he has never experienced.

René Dubois is a Frenchman and the only westerner in a Pacific Island where he is responsible for all its inhabitants. A lonely and passionate man, René grew up in France where he was accepted as a gay man from an early age. He wears his passionate nature and capability for love like a second skin. Gorgeous and confident, René oozes the type of sensuality and determination that scares Gabriel.

In Islands, Samantha Kane writes a love story heavy in atmosphere and 1940's period details. She makes you feel as if you were there in the Pacific Islands during WWII during those terrible times of war and danger, and yet she provides that oasis for a short period of time where these two characters met and changed each other's lives forever. From the way Gabe held his cigarette, to the pacing of their dialogue, this felt like a period piece. I could visualize it as I was reading it.

Secondary characters and backgrounds are not neglected in this story either. Ms. Kane gives us rich details about the culture of the island and its inhabitants. The Fa'afafine are highlighted in this story as they play a part here. These are young men who think of themselves as females and are treated as such from the time they are children. They dress and act as females and are highly respected within the culture. We also meet other servicemen -- Mr. Watson's story parallels Gabe's, although in a supportive role. Gabriel and René stay as the focus.

For me, this book was a romance with wonderful erotic scenes. The way René seduced Gabriel and showed him a man could be loved was more than erotic -- I found it moving. Gabriel's doubts and reservations didn't have a chance... not after René called him "Mon Ange" the first time. Their trials and tribulations take place within a short period of time, but the resolution to their conflict takes time. I think this is one of the parts I most appreciated about Islands.

Ms. Kane delivers a complete story with compelling characters, wonderful atmosphere and an intensity to her scenes that left me more than satisfied with this book. For me, Islands is a keeper and it will be re-read.

M/M Romance: Grade A


Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile August 2, 2009