'Absence of Color' by Kiernan Kelly

Although it may not have seemed like it at first, Michael, in 'Absence of Color' by Kiernan Kelly, is a fortunate man. After his partner Connor dies, Michael's brother, Sam, insists that Michael lives with his family which keeps Michael from withdrawing from life. Kiernan Kelly's concept of confining the 'Black Times' in a mental box is an extremely effective way of portraying how Michael chose to deal with his sad memories. Michael is also fortunate when he meets kind-hearted Bill. He finds it difficult to believe that someone would be that considerate, especially after the abuse Michael suffered at Connor's hand which severely damaged his self esteem. Fortunately, Bill's patience and nurturing help Michael realize that he is a good person and does deserve a loving relationship. This knowledge allows him to let go of the negativity Cooper brought to his life and opens up his heart in order to move on so he and Bill can establish a home together. It is quite a feat to tell such a sweet, happily ever after love story while including domestic abuse and its repercussions but Kiernan Kelly does it very well.


'The Prodigal' by Eden Winters

“The Prodigal' by Eden Winters portrays the harsh reality faced by Mark, a young gay man thrown out by his father and struggling to survive. Eden Winter does a superior job of capturing Mark's sheer desolation--hating his current life and mourning his past. 'The Prodigal' brought me to tears more than once as I suffered along with Mark in his battle to endure. More than anything, Mark wants to go home, but he assumes he isn't welcome. I was so relieved when Mark found help and was very grateful for the men who assisted him. I felt sorry for him and his family, especially his father who learned a painful lesson about misspeaking in anger. It was heartening to see that Mark is able to return home to those who love him. This gives him a much deserved opportunity to start over.


'The Magic of Moving Houses' by G.R. Richards

'The Magic of Moving Houses' by G.R. Richards was an odd story for me. The notion of magical moving houses was interesting, but there seemed to be some discrepancies that I couldn't explain. One discrepancy was that Gareth seemed much younger than twenty-two and Dylan seemed much too young to have a daughter Mandy's age. The first half of the story read like a fairy tale romance, cute and almost sweet; but the second half was erotic, physical and almost crude at times. I also had a problem believing that Gareth and Dylan could go from being neighbors who'd never even spoken to each other, to being passionately involved in a matter of hours. The characters' behavior was so inconsistent that it made it difficult for me to form an emotionally attachment. For someone else, 'The Magic of Moving Houses’ may be enjoyable, but for me, it was disjointed and illogical.


'Comeback' by G.S. Wiley

'Comeback' by G.S. Wiley is the sad tale of Felix, a very successful actor who'd become a drug addict. Drugs had cost him everything—his career, his friends and his lover, Mark. After Felix is finally clean, he tries to restart his acting career, however, almost no one takes him seriously. Even though he'd destroyed so much in the past, I felt sorry for Felix and felt his embarrassment and humiliation as he tries to restore his credibility. I was angry because other people wouldn't give him a fair chance. They merely assume he'd fall back into his old ways. G.S. Wiley reminds us of the destructive force of drugs while telling a love story which demonstrates that with love and forgiveness, happy endings are always possible.


'Return to the Mountain' by P.D. Singer

Even though I thought that Gary in 'Return to the Mountain' by P.D. Singer, got what he deserved because of his lying and stealing, I still felt very sorry for those around him that he'd deceived, most of all for his lover, Seth whom he'd hurt the deepest. When he tries to make amends, at least Seth realizes that love between them will only work if he protects himself and if Gary is genuine in his desire to change. Everyone deserves a second chance, but considering the circumstances, I'm not sure that I could be as forgiving as Seth was. I was never totally convinced that Gary had changed enough to matter, but for Seth's sake, I tried to be happy about it. Although I was relieved that Gary came home to Seth, I felt that their reunion was bittersweet at best. I especially liked how P.D. Singer uses Gary's vice of being a con man as a vehicle for redemption, creating a happy ending for everyone.


'Oilsmouth' by J. Rocci

Steampunk is not something I am familiar with and even though I tried to keep an open mind, I was still leaning toward not liking 'Oilsmouth' by J. Rocci before I even read it. However, that would have been a big mistake because I was captivated by J. Rocci's writing style as she wove the story in such a way that I fell totally in love with the characters, despite of how unconventional they were. Kit and Edge's devotion is almost tangible; it is clearly apparent that being together was the most important thing in their lives. I formed an emotional attachment to Kit and Edge and especially enjoyed their unique personalities. The only problem I have with the story is that I want to know more about these uniquely charming men! I am grateful to J. Rocci for giving me my first introduction to this unusual, but captivating genre.


'Light the Fire' by J. L. Merrow

'Light the Fire' by J. L. Merrow is a funny love story with a serious side about the attraction between Kurt and Matthew. They are definitely an “opposites attract” match. I liked the qualities of each of them; Kurt is reserved and serious while Matthew is gregarious and bouncy. Although I appreciated his struggle with the feeling of being unfaithful to his deceased partner, Raoul, I was grateful when he was finally able to admit he had fallen in love with Matthew and wanted him in his life. I loved Matthew's persistence and appreciated the fact that there was much more to him than was immediately apparent. I thought it was very poignant that Kurt involved Matt in the process of saying goodbye to his memories of his partner, Raoul, as Kurt and Matthew begin their new life together.


'Pack Horse' by Lee Benoit

What made 'Pack Horse' by Lee Benoit poignant were the descriptions of life in the Kentucky hills and the hill people's expressive style of speech which added a lot of color. I appreciated the irony of Wendall finding man love in the mountains where he had been sent to keep him away from other men. Although 'Pack Horse' didn't flow well when developing Henry and Wendall's relationship, there were definitely some endearing moments, such as when Wen referred to Henry as Grizzly and Henry called him Doll. I especially loved their bantering, which was apparently foreplay. I was amused by the way Henry let Wen know he was gay. Wen's admonition of, "Don't go getting ideas, grizzly," then came the reply, "If you was a damsel, I wouldn't." 'Pack Horse' is an endearing story about the love of two very different men who find common ground and together are able to make a home for themselves.


'Home Is the Hunter' by Syd McGinley

'Home Is the Hunter’ by Syd McGinley tackles the 'Don't ask, Don't tell' issue as it presents the story of Kynan, a soldier who returns from war, discharged for being gay, and Topher, his lover. Kynan and Topher's relationship was vague to me. In some ways, I was lost, like I'd gotten there in the middle of the story and didn't know what had happened beforehand. There was so little information given about their past that I struggled to understand what their current situation was. I couldn't tell how they felt about each other presently and, honestly, they were a couple that I'd love to have known more about. This aside, it becomes quickly apparent that a strong bond of tenderness lies between Topher and Kynan and that they do love each other and want to stay together. From that starting point, they were able to reestablish their relationship, set priorities, and they even discovered a way to be together while satisfying Topher's desire for a permanent home and Kynan's desire to travel.



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