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apostrophen's review
5.0
One of the best things about anthologies for me will always be finding authors - whether they're "new" or "new-to-me" - and this year's Best Gay Romance collection has introduced me to some fantastic writers.
The charm of the "new-to-me" authors was strong. [a:Eric Gober|6964936|Eric Gober|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1363234531p2/6964936.jpg]'s "Strange Propositions" had me grinning, wincing, and left me charged and ready to race out and make noise - much like the characters facing Prop-8 in this piece set back when that abysmal turn of events occurred. "True in My Fashion," by [a:Paul Brownsey|6580349|Paul Brownsey|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] was a sly and fun tale about a single (and mostly harmless) little white lie that takes on epic effect between a loving couple. "Sight," by [a:Jordan Taylor|3394496|Jordan Taylor|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1336942833p2/3394496.jpg] had me holding my breath and hoping for the couple in question - both of whom were just pig-headed enough to potentially ruin something wonderful. [a:James Booth|246321|James Booth|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]'s cute YA tale "Falling" had the perfect mix of awkwardness, nerves, and risk that I love in young adult tales, and left me grinning. "Spill Your Troubles on Me, Love," by [a:Georgina Li|4320819|Georgina Li|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] is frankly brilliant - two men on the wrong side of poverty, health, and safety who have found something to treasure and hold tight. Much like Li, [a:Kevin Langson|7771268|Kevin Langson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]'s story, "Brooding Intervals" navigates a rougher feel than most of the tales, but does so in a way that never strays too far from the romantic destination, even as the uncertainty and fragility of two men who have a habit of hooking up for no-strings cautiously approach spinning a thread or two.
There are, of course, names I know. [a:Jameson Currier|97712|Jameson Currier|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1277844993p2/97712.jpg] writes a delightfully romantic story in "My Adventure with Tom Sawyer" that lets you know that once again, Cochrane and Lambert have chosen tales that aren't necessarily what you'd expect, and yet just as moving. Typical "boy meets boy" isn't the only way to reach a romantic conclusion, and "My Adventure with Tom Sawyer" (in which a man recovers from a broken bone and a fractured sense of hope in the company of a young straight man) is a perfect example of this. "The Invincible Theare" by [a:Felice Picano|26766|Felice Picano|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1245515896p2/26766.jpg] is a brilliant period piece and unique romantic tale both - the progression, revelation, and ultimate conclusion are just magical. Also, [a:Tony Calvert|7179861|Tony Calvert|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], who I first met in [b:Foolish Hearts: New Gay Fiction|18051991|Foolish Hearts New Gay Fiction|Timothy J. Lambert|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371519366s/18051991.jpg|25335752], returns with another light and fun story, "Dandelions," that drips with a cute southern charm and a meet-cute start that would be perfect on a silver screen. And [a:Alex Jeffers|531530|Alex Jeffers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1368302283p2/531530.jpg], who I have long adored, brings his trademarked speculative fiction angle to "Shep: a Dog," a story where nothing will be what you expect, but that's exactly why you'll love it. "There's No Question it's Love," by [a:N.S. Beranek|7033191|N.S. Beranek|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1365945301p2/7033191.jpg], is a short but sweet tale of a couple in love, and how important it is - especially when you're already together - to shore each other up when it matters most. "Quality Time," by [a:Lewis DeSimone|754573|Lewis DeSimone|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1330377721p2/754573.jpg] goes where few romantic tales go - into fatherhood, reconstituted families, and the damaged foundations that can make so much of the future feel uncertain, all while leaving the reader with a moment of beauty just perfect for the tale.
Then there are some of my fellow "Fools." [a:Shawn Anniston|5047191|Shawn Anniston|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], who I first met in the table of contents in the very first anthology in which I had a story, [b:Fool For Love: New Gay Fiction|5153509|Fool For Love New Gay Fiction|Timothy J. Lambert|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328748325s/5153509.jpg|5220513], touches on a new romance that might not quite fit what others expect - and does so with a gentle grace and a really satisfying ending that had me grinning from ear-to-ear, even if there was only hope. Similarly, the tale from my hero [a:Rob Byrnes|487561|Rob Byrnes|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-e89fc14c32a41c0eb4298dfafe929b65.png], "Carver Comes Home," is another story that dances on either side of hope (and has a great tip of the hat to his story from [b:Men of the Mean Streets: Gay Noir|9535382|Men of the Mean Streets Gay Noir|Greg Herren|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1288841206s/9535382.jpg|14421559]). And [a:David Puterbaugh|5047189|David Puterbaugh|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] brings the collection home with "Save the Last Dance for Me," a story that - frankly - left me sniffling as much as grinning.
Anything edited by [a:R.D. Cochrane|2131405|R.D. Cochrane|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] and [a:Timothy J. Lambert|483000|Timothy J. Lambert|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] is on my automatic buy list - it's a joy to work with them, and always a joy to read anything they've touched. If there's a singular theme to these stories, it might be the traces of hope from hopelessness, but that might be too tight a straightjacket to force on the table of contents. These stories are romantic, and fun, and lead me to that perfect balance between satisfaction and a desire to know "what happened next?"
The charm of the "new-to-me" authors was strong. [a:Eric Gober|6964936|Eric Gober|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1363234531p2/6964936.jpg]'s "Strange Propositions" had me grinning, wincing, and left me charged and ready to race out and make noise - much like the characters facing Prop-8 in this piece set back when that abysmal turn of events occurred. "True in My Fashion," by [a:Paul Brownsey|6580349|Paul Brownsey|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] was a sly and fun tale about a single (and mostly harmless) little white lie that takes on epic effect between a loving couple. "Sight," by [a:Jordan Taylor|3394496|Jordan Taylor|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1336942833p2/3394496.jpg] had me holding my breath and hoping for the couple in question - both of whom were just pig-headed enough to potentially ruin something wonderful. [a:James Booth|246321|James Booth|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]'s cute YA tale "Falling" had the perfect mix of awkwardness, nerves, and risk that I love in young adult tales, and left me grinning. "Spill Your Troubles on Me, Love," by [a:Georgina Li|4320819|Georgina Li|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] is frankly brilliant - two men on the wrong side of poverty, health, and safety who have found something to treasure and hold tight. Much like Li, [a:Kevin Langson|7771268|Kevin Langson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]'s story, "Brooding Intervals" navigates a rougher feel than most of the tales, but does so in a way that never strays too far from the romantic destination, even as the uncertainty and fragility of two men who have a habit of hooking up for no-strings cautiously approach spinning a thread or two.
There are, of course, names I know. [a:Jameson Currier|97712|Jameson Currier|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1277844993p2/97712.jpg] writes a delightfully romantic story in "My Adventure with Tom Sawyer" that lets you know that once again, Cochrane and Lambert have chosen tales that aren't necessarily what you'd expect, and yet just as moving. Typical "boy meets boy" isn't the only way to reach a romantic conclusion, and "My Adventure with Tom Sawyer" (in which a man recovers from a broken bone and a fractured sense of hope in the company of a young straight man) is a perfect example of this. "The Invincible Theare" by [a:Felice Picano|26766|Felice Picano|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1245515896p2/26766.jpg] is a brilliant period piece and unique romantic tale both - the progression, revelation, and ultimate conclusion are just magical. Also, [a:Tony Calvert|7179861|Tony Calvert|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], who I first met in [b:Foolish Hearts: New Gay Fiction|18051991|Foolish Hearts New Gay Fiction|Timothy J. Lambert|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371519366s/18051991.jpg|25335752], returns with another light and fun story, "Dandelions," that drips with a cute southern charm and a meet-cute start that would be perfect on a silver screen. And [a:Alex Jeffers|531530|Alex Jeffers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1368302283p2/531530.jpg], who I have long adored, brings his trademarked speculative fiction angle to "Shep: a Dog," a story where nothing will be what you expect, but that's exactly why you'll love it. "There's No Question it's Love," by [a:N.S. Beranek|7033191|N.S. Beranek|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1365945301p2/7033191.jpg], is a short but sweet tale of a couple in love, and how important it is - especially when you're already together - to shore each other up when it matters most. "Quality Time," by [a:Lewis DeSimone|754573|Lewis DeSimone|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1330377721p2/754573.jpg] goes where few romantic tales go - into fatherhood, reconstituted families, and the damaged foundations that can make so much of the future feel uncertain, all while leaving the reader with a moment of beauty just perfect for the tale.
Then there are some of my fellow "Fools." [a:Shawn Anniston|5047191|Shawn Anniston|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], who I first met in the table of contents in the very first anthology in which I had a story, [b:Fool For Love: New Gay Fiction|5153509|Fool For Love New Gay Fiction|Timothy J. Lambert|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328748325s/5153509.jpg|5220513], touches on a new romance that might not quite fit what others expect - and does so with a gentle grace and a really satisfying ending that had me grinning from ear-to-ear, even if there was only hope. Similarly, the tale from my hero [a:Rob Byrnes|487561|Rob Byrnes|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-e89fc14c32a41c0eb4298dfafe929b65.png], "Carver Comes Home," is another story that dances on either side of hope (and has a great tip of the hat to his story from [b:Men of the Mean Streets: Gay Noir|9535382|Men of the Mean Streets Gay Noir|Greg Herren|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1288841206s/9535382.jpg|14421559]). And [a:David Puterbaugh|5047189|David Puterbaugh|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] brings the collection home with "Save the Last Dance for Me," a story that - frankly - left me sniffling as much as grinning.
Anything edited by [a:R.D. Cochrane|2131405|R.D. Cochrane|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] and [a:Timothy J. Lambert|483000|Timothy J. Lambert|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] is on my automatic buy list - it's a joy to work with them, and always a joy to read anything they've touched. If there's a singular theme to these stories, it might be the traces of hope from hopelessness, but that might be too tight a straightjacket to force on the table of contents. These stories are romantic, and fun, and lead me to that perfect balance between satisfaction and a desire to know "what happened next?"
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