Love Most Inconvenient

D.J. Manly

Publisher:
Liquid Silver Books

Release Date:
September 1, 2008

Genres:
Gay/Lesbian M/M
Erotic
Anthology

ISBN:
eBook
9781595784858

Bookmark Rating:

Reviewed by
Yosha

Review Posted:
October 2008

In this three story anthology, D.J. Manly explores three stories of male/male love. Each of these tories embodies an inconvenient love.  Some come along like a tornado – one slips up silently.  All of them offer something new and interesting to think about. 

In NO VACANCY, Manuel Sanchez comes home from an extended absence for work to find his door locked, his windows closed up, and a stranger in his bed.  John is that stranger.  And he has a bat, a really big bat.  John has no idea who Manuel is.  From that moment, NO VACANCY careens off into slapstick humor that closely resembles the old “Who’s on First?” routine.   

When I first read this story, I rolled my eyes but kept going.  That’s pretty much my general response to anything slapstick.  And, the first time I read the story, I just blew it off.  But, when I read it a second time, I found myself laughing out loud at John’s silliness and Manuel’s tough guy response.  When they finally took the plunge with each other, I had a big goofy grin on my face.  No, the sex wasn’t funny.  Manuel and John are funny together, simply because they have absolutely nothing in common.  Except attraction.  When they finally get close to each other, it’s all about the heat. 

In RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES, Paul has a great career a great life and is still lonely because Mr. Right has not appeared.  Mr. Wrong, Marco Delino, is front and center.  Marco is the hottest DJ in town and the hottest man around.  Period.  He scares Paul silly.  When another man comes into the picture, Paul thinks he’s met Mr. Right.  Paul is wrong, all the way around.  And, before he figures it out, he will go through a lot of heartbreak and a lot of growing up.  At several points in the story, I wanted to smack Paul upside the head and yell, “Snap out of it!”  Fortunately, Marco provides to be more than Paul thought.  Yup – Mr. Right. 

RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES was my favorite of the three stories.  For me, it had the most emotional depth.  Paul is a man who runs and hides from the thing that he says he wants most.  From the man that offers it.  Instead, Paul picks the man who is not what he seems and then finds that he cannot give him up, even when Paul knows he should.  Marco is a man who knows who is he and what he wants.  He does not defend his choices, weathering the judgments others make about him.  And he is willing to walk away if necessary.   

In MY NAME IS DANE, we get a story of mistaken identity.  Mark’s brother talks him into taking some pretty drastic steps to vindicate their pregnant younger sister.  Mark and Frankie think they got the right guy, but Dane isn’t him.  Actually, he is the right guy – but for Mark, not his sister. 

Mark and Frankie’s crazy kidnap leave Mark and Dane alone, with little to do except get to know each other.  Of the three stories, this one made the least sense to me.  I didn’t understand why Mark and Dan found each other attractive, considering how they met.  And, while I admired Mark’s willingness to stand up for his sister and brother, I found it hard to accept that these two could find a common ground. 

If you are a fan of M/M stories, this anthology is definitely worth your time.  D.J. Manly writes strong characters and interesting plots.  And, there’s never a shortage of hot sex.

Buy the eBook at
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