Taste Test: Spring Fling

Title: Taste Test: Spring Fling
Author: Sean Michael, Cassidy Ryan, Kiernan Kelly
Publisher: http://www.torquerebooks.com
Genre: Contemporary, paranormal, GLBT (M/M)
Length: 46 pages (18K words)
Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

THE BLURB

In Something Better by Sean Michael Manny works at Stallions, a gay resort. When he spots unhappy guest Dan on his time off, he tries to show the guy a good time, but will Dan’s ex get in the way?

Suddenly, Finally by Cassidy Ryan has Casey leaving best friend Josh behind, worried he’ll ruin their friendship with his need. But when Josh shows up with a baby in hand, Casey can’t send his friend away. Can he live with what he learns about Josh?

Kiernan Kelly gives us Zero’s Fist, where pack alpha Zero has to fight for his pack, and finds an ally in his ex-lover Dante, which is the last thing he expects.

THE REVIEW

Something Better by Sean Michael 4.25 stars out of 5

Manny works at Stallions, a gay resort, but this particular week he’s on vacation, kind of a busman’s holiday, as he’s staying at the resort as a customer. When he spots his favourite guest, Dan, all alone he was curious as to the reason since the last time he had seen him he was in the company of his hot looking boyfriend. Turns out that Dan had been dumped by his BF for another man and Dan was feeling quite sorry for himself. Manny sets out to cheer up Dan and in the process helps himself to the merchandise that he had been checking out all week.

Manny and Dan made a great looking couple and they were looking for the same thing, a good time. Manny didn’t have to work too hard to convince Dan that he was a stud — even though he was a bit down after being dumped — after all, who wouldn’t be down? And everything picked up steam from there. After getting the short version of each other’s life story it was anchors aweigh as our friends get to know each other really well in the pool and head off to Dan’s room to continue the “getting to know you” stage. But just when things are getting interesting Dan’s ex shows up and tries to horn in on the party.

This story was the shortest in the anthology but packed quite a punch as the sex made up for the length. Whenever I read a Sean Michael story I realize again why he has so many fans. There are very few writers who can give a reader as much story packed into so few pages as he can. His prose is superb and he draws pictures with words without needing any help from a pencil and paper, or paint on canvas, and I could see the vivid scenes described without the aid of anything but my imagination. Something Better is a short hot read that is well worth the investment and if I had one wish it is that I would have liked to spend some more time with Dan and Manny.

Suddenly, Finally by Cassidy Ryan 4.25 stars out of 5

This is a story about best friends who had been separated for 10 years. Casey had moved away from home because he was in love with Josh but he knew it was hopeless since Josh was straight and therefore there was no future for them together. Josh was a man whore and Casey didn’t want the heartache of loving him while watching from the sidelines as he sowed his wild oats with every woman in town. Casey had never told Josh about his feelings and left to lick his wounds in private while he put his emotions on the back burner.

Then one day the doorbell rang and an older looking, disheveled and unwashed Josh was standing on his doorstep holding a baby. Casey didn’t know what to think or whether he should invite him in but friends supported each other and he let him back into his home and his life. It seemed that the baby’s mother, Vivienne, had turned up the day before and dumped him on Josh. Apparently she was returning to her modelling career and her last instructions were, if Josh didn’t want Noah, the baby, he could give him up for adoption. So Josh was manfully trying to learn Parenting 101 on the fly. But there was one person he wanted in this time of need – his friend Casey!

This was a really heartwarming story about two old friends reconnecting but the best part was how they coped with the baby who seemed to have noxious smells clinging to him by way of his diaper. They rediscovered their connection to each other and Josh apparently realized that his friend Casey was a hot piece of manlove and much more than a friend. I am not usually fond of “gay for you” stories but Josh’s character seemed to be quite authentic in the context of his feelings for Casey, and the twisted humour around dealing with the baby, his bodily functions and his other needs helped to make the story very appealing – two helpless males and Noah, the cute baby who twisted his men around his tiny fingers.:) I really enjoyed Suddenly, Finally which is a really fun story.

Zero’s Fist by Kiernan Kelly – 4.25 stars out of 5

This story almost made me grow muscles, there was so much testosterone in it. Zero is the leader of a wolf pack which he had wrestled, literally, from his father, the previous leader, and he has all the accoutrements of new his status including his size denoting that he is not someone to be trifled with. He has a bar named after him which is his territory, the classic 65 Harley Panhead motorcycle which is his pride and joy and anyone who touches it had better be prepared for the consequences, the tattoo of a howling wolf, and the black leather jacket appropriately emblazoned with “Zero’s Fist” on it. Zero does have a soft heart but you’ll only find it if you’re small and female.

His only Achilles heel is his former lover Dante who had left the pack immediately after Zero became leader. If there was one thing that Zero couldn’t rationalize it was why he hadn’t made Dante his mate, despite his feelings for him him, but someone like Zero would not admit to loving another wolf because that would be a weakness. Now there’s a new threat to the pack and Dante is back, but Zero isn’t sure if he wants his help. But when Zero’s life is in danger Dante saves him and he realizes that there are some things that are more important than false pride. Could Zero’s and Dante’s love for each other survive the posturing and struggle for power that they both want? Will their love for each other make whoever wins their personal battle inconsequential?

This is probably the most exciting of the three stories and it was the longest. Dante and Zero had many issues but the major one was that they were both alphas and neither wanted to roll over for the other. The story is about power both in a personal relationship and externally within the larger wolf community outside the pack. I liked the protagonists and the author did a very good job with the supporting characters as well. Zero’s Fist held my interest and the pace was fast and furious. The lovemaking was just as exciting as the fighting and was more intense because of the fighting.

If you like danger and violence and love strong characters who fight to the death for what they believe in, then you will love Zero’s Fist. I certainly did!

Zero’s Fist contains scenes of violence and may not be for everyone