Plus Ones by Hank Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

To start out, I have to admit I'm not a big fan of weddings, especially the five figure extravaganzas that seem to be the norm these days, so a book that features a number of the darn things might be one you would think I'd avoid. However, a book by one of my favorite authors about gay weddings is different. Not because the colors are brighter or the guests are sexier, but purely because until recently, for many men, getting married has been an impossible dream.

This subtext of the political and cultural importance of the occasion runs lightly in the background of Hank's tale about two men who sincerely want their HEA. They want the white picket fence, the shared pet/s, the certainty of knowing they have someone to share the rest of their life with.

In real life, many men have found this future and even more are looking for it. This book is about the latter. The sheer number of the false starts they make along the way is quite believable given tales I've heard from gay men today.

Using at times, hilarious and at other times, pounding sex we see the two men weave their way around the metaphorical dance floor like one of those progressive dances where they meet up by chance only to swing away with a new partner.

This isn't a case of the big misunderstanding that could easily be solved if only they talked. To have a misunderstanding you have to have a relationship that can be threatened in the first place. This is more two men both burned by love, not daring to act on gut feelings while the object of their affection seems involved with someone else.

I really enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the insight into the wistfulness, despair and the insecurities often covered up by sarcasm and flippancy that I would imagine is quite common in gay men and their relationships. Often being too scared to commit for fear of being made vulnerable to hurt as they have been so many times before.

The weddings that take place in the background, particularly that of their friends Alden and John act as a beacon of hope for the men in the book and probably reflects the situation in real life as does the bigotry and hatred that still threatens from the outside.

I once asked the noted writing guru, Debra Dixon, how to introduce conflict into humorous romance as any book without conflict is boring. Her immediate response was embarassment. Hank uses this deliberately to portray his slightly clutzy hero Evan. This sort of character easily creeps into a reader's affection.

The object of his lust, Paul, without having any of these audience grabbing attributes comes across as more aloof, but that's okay. Two people the same wouldn't work and Paul's slight off-handedness is more a product of his being betrayed on more than one occasion by people he gives or nearly gives his heart to. He recognises his faults in a very telling scene towards the end, when his boss, John, asks him to be his best man.

Hank has also done a wonderful job of portraying his secondary characters, the unforgettable Miggy and the pathetic Meryl. Even Jeremy and Adam in a few short words take on a life of their own.

"Plus Ones" has everything readers are demanding in m/m romance. There is romance, emotional involvement and lots of hot sex. Sure, for most of the book the sex is with other people, but the quality of the sex with different partners was never the problem, it is the people they are having the sex with. The little things that turn them off like the high pitched voices or weird kinks and psychological problems. To me, this is a realistic view of the world of gay men dating even if possibly concentrated and embellished for our amusement.

I have been a fan of Hank's writing for a while now, but I think "Plus Ones" is a step above the rest. There is still the light humor he does so well, but underneath that is this testament to marriage and what it means to so many gay men.

View all my reviews

Twice-Caught by Syd McGinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great follow up to "Out of the Woods"!

Any book told from the point of view of a protagonist who is not privy to all the facts but relies on his inherent common sense will create a skewed view of the world he inhabits. So it continues to be with Tarin.

Underlying the continuing charming story about Twice Caught and Beak-Face there is a depiction of a society where one sector is kept ignorant, and kept in their place even though they are cherished. This makes an interesting parallel with our own world (in different parts and at different times) if you translate "boys" to "women". Not that I'm suggesting that is the point of the story, but the problems that can occur when one sector is artificially kept down definitely resonates.

Yes, the men are harsh, paternalistic and at times stupid but not intentionally so. Over time, the changes that are already happening - thanks to Tarin's catalytic arrival in their midst - will continue to improve the way they think and operate. You can see the officers beginning to see flaws in the way they opertae already. So, unlike some reviewers, I don't "hate" the men. Most of their mistakes and faults stem from ignorance.

But are they the oppressors? Or is it the Mothers who deliberately keep them in a state of borderline survival, forcing them to co-operate and find their own solutions?

Bad-Egg Jadon was an over the top villain (again seen through the eyes of one very biased boy) so it will be interesting to see what sort of character will provide the conflict should there be a further book in the series.

I see lots of potential for future stories both for our hero and other characters. Especially now Tarin has gypsy status. I, for one, would love to learn more about his world and how it came to be as devastated as it is. Anyway, I'm sure he'll have to find a cow, even if it's only so he can eat truly great pizza.

While you read, take the time to unravel all the different references to our culture in the books, songs, nursery rhymes, stories, terms. That's half the fun.

Once again, Syd has delivered with a book that satisfies on so many levels. A heart-warming love story, a fascinating world, an interesting look at the ways society operates along with so many distinct and interesting characters.

The book is also a great example of what can be done with limited viewpoint. We don't have to be in every character's heads to work out what they're like. Not that Tarin tells us outright, once again, the clues are there in what he sees and hears, it's up to the reader, using a more experienced view of life to interpret the clues and detect the real nature of the character.

"Twice Caught" caught me. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down and when I finally did, my biggest reaction was relief and satisfaction that Syd hadn't let me down.

(What is even better is that, unlike with "Out of the Woods", I didn't notice and typo's!)



View all my reviews