Monday, December 31, 2007

Man Love Reviews

My new favorite phrase is "man love". It can mean so many things such as my appreciation for hot men getting it on with each other. Lately I have been reading many ebooks that center around a lot of man love. Many of these are homoerotic stories. Now for some readers, you maybe a vanilla type of person who likes the typical straight man and woman love. I stil tend to read those over gay romances or the menage a trio's tales that are out there. Most things shock me, still including tree sex books (which I still have nightmares about) but once in awhile there is a non-traditional book that comes out of left field and blows me away (blows har har) and doesn't make me uncomfortable in the least. I actually have two ebooks that made me hungry for more man love. One is about two men in 19th century England and the woman they share and the other takes place in an alternate universe, but very much reads as a regency novel with one very much alpha hero and the other that is comparable to a heroine.

Samantha Kane has a series called The Brothers in Arms books which all showcase men lovers who end up sharing a woman between them. The latest one is At Love's Command. Ian and Derek have been lovers for 5 years and are practically soul mates. They have fought in wars together, live with each other and share everything. But Ian must marry Sophia, who he has been engaged to for over twelve years. Ian likes both men and woman, where as Derek is more of a lover of men, but will sometimes join in the fun with a woman if Ian wants to. But Derek is worried because Ian has a special place in his heart for Sophia. Ian wants to share his love with both of them and hopefully Sophia and Derek will come to love each other and they can have one big menage of a marriage.

The one thing about Kane's stories I find a bit funny is that in her Regency England, everyone is fine and dandy with these marriages of two men and one woman. No one bats an eyelash. They all share one big bed and have lots of sex. LOTS of backdoor fun going on. I do enjoy the relationship Ian and Derek share and when they are on one one, it is down right steamy. Sophia took a little warming up to because her daddy beats her and her brother... well he did something very horrible to her. But when Ian, Sophia and Derek start enjoying each other at the same time, it was quite fulfilling. So if you want a taste of great man love with some menage action, Samantha Kane is the author to pick. I wouldn't be surprised if I find her books fron and center in the romance section right next to the other authors who go out on a limb with their non-traditional stories. You can find it at Elloras Cave.

Another author who has started quite a following is J.L. Langley. After Lisabea was raving about My Fair Captain I just had to read it. Well let me tell you, Langley will be the one author to watch in 2008 for writing incredible homoerotic romance. This was such an emotional, romantic and beyond sexy book. My Fair Captain is a combination of sci-fi with a touch of regency historical romance. The alpha male in this story is Intergalactic Navy Captain Nathaniel Hawkins who is on a mission. He even goes to a planet that is named Regelence. Nate looks good in a uniform and has a beard. I usually don't find my heroes sexy with facial hair, but Nate is one handsome hair beast. Chest hair yah! So when Nate goes to see the King, he doesn't realize his is about to fall in love and hard. His love literally falls into his arms from a tree. Prince Aiden Townsend is only nineteen, lives to paint and draw and has his head in the clouds. Nate is a goner. Aiden practially swoons whenever he sees Nate. They end up having some passionate clutching going on with major kissing and all with tongues. One thing leads to another and Nate has compromise Aiden. See on Regelence, gay marriage and love is the norm. The "wife" is called the consort and the husband is called husband and later on will be called father. Nate will be the hubby and Aiden his consort. These two are married and have alot... ALOT of sex all over. Langely can sure write some incredible sex scenes. Plus Nate has a interesting pierce on one of his body parts and something else about this was interesting because no one ever mentions it. I give JL kudos for writing about Nate and his piercing. Aiden really likes Nate's piercing also. The bedroom scenes between these two are just as worthy as a male and female romance and so downright erotic. They also have nicknames for each other and Nate can't help but call Aiden- "mine." Le sigh!
If you are on the fence about whether to read homoerotic books, I recommend My Fair Captain. It is the perfect book to ease you into reading about some great man love. You can find it as Samhaim Publishing and will be out in print in Spring of 2008 at all major book retailers.
Katiebabs- hurrah for man love! Double le sigh

21 comments:

Lone Chatelaine said...

I was just looking at Samantha Kane's books online last night. I will definitely be ordering At Love's Command. Mmmmm :)

lisabea said...

Katie(babs)is one naughty girl, huh???

*sniff* I'm happy you liked this book. That Nate is SOMETHING, isn't he? I've read this book twice, now, and can't wait for the next in the series. With Caution is my second fav. by JL Langley. Garsh can she write some wonderful characters.

I'm supposed to start that Samantha Kane...I will, I swear. I just need to get through the holidays.

Chantal said...

I do like m/m books. Both mainstream romance and erotica.
I don't like how Samantha Kane writes it though.
I find it all very unreal, and it reads as if she forgot to do any research on how they talked, dressed and acted in that era. Maybe it she had writen them as contemps I would have liked them better. I don't know.

lisabea said...

Chantal~I agree about the dialog. I wrote Cheesy? Check. Unintentionally hilarious? Check.

http://lisabea.blogspot.com/2007/11/courage-to-lovesamantha-kane.html

Still, I read the books because they are fun, different and quite entertaining. And, uh, hot.

But JL? Loves me some of that JL.

Teddy Pig said...

I just put it in Gay Fantasy Regency

lisabea said...

Regency Man Love, In Space!

KT Grant said...

Now I have that phrase from the Muppet Show in my head "MUPPETS IN SPAAAAACCCCEEEE..." LMAO
I do like the term Teddy came up with.
I want some more Nate and Aiden love!

Stacy~ said...

"My Fair Captain" sounds really good, kinda romantic and very, very hot. I've added it to my list. Lisabea, loved your review.

lisabea said...

Stacy~ I'm going to have a book group celebration of My Fair Captain within the next week or so. If I get my act together... Take a peek over at Teddypig's site for the Christmas istallation.

sula said...

yes, that christmas story on teddy's site was just the way I like 'em. hot and spicy!

I did enjoy the Kane book but her style is definitely different than JL. I can totally get an alternative Regency universe but the real Regency universe being cool with husband/husband/wife combos? I dunno. Seems a bit more like fantasy to me (albeit a pretty hot fantasy) and that tends to take me out of the story just a teeny bit. Still, good fun and bring on more man-love!

lisabea said...

Christ on a freaking crutch I cannot type. Grh.

the word is:installation. *redfaced*

Chantal said...

See, I didn't even find it (the Samantha Kane book) entertaining. I gave it a C-.
I don't know why her brothers in arms book are so popular.
Ick.

KT Grant said...

Chantal: For some reason I like how Kane shows the emotional and romantic side of two men together.
Or maybe she can write hot menage a trios sex scenes! LOL
I recommend My Fair Captain one hundred percent. Talk about some great man love there.

lisabea said...

Katiebabs, I'm almost finished with the new Samantha Kane. It's her best, isn't it? Wow. I'm hoping to write something up later today. We'll see. I take back my snarky comment because this book is terrific. You can't possibly believe it's plausible, but who cares? It's fiction!

I have a cold AND I am chaperone at ski club today. It's zero degrees. Brrrrr. Achooo.

KT Grant said...

My favorite of Kane's is her first one, but this was pretty good. Ian and Derek are so smoldering together.
I can't wait for Very's book!! That is one I am dying for!
Skiing in this chily weather?? It is 20 degrees in NYC. My nose almost fell off. No Nose in a book for Kate.

Chantal said...

Katie(Babs), You convinced me, I just bought My fair captain. Argh, like I need more books to read, lol.
I'll try to read it soon.

I'm still not going to read any more Samantha Kane though. Blech.

KT Grant said...

Chantal:
I think you will like My Fair Captain very much. Langely is a very different writer from Kane.
And those sex scenes between Nate and Aiden are very hot. **G**

lisabea said...

Chantal, let me know what you think. I'm going to host a book group day and, ta da, MFC is the book we will all be weighing in on! It should be sometime in the next week.

gotta actually write some stuff first.

Katiebabs: loved your comment re: LOS over at Sybils.

KT Grant said...

Hey Lisa!
LOS was number 11 on my top 100 romances of all times. Jessica is one of my all time favorite heroines. What other woman in literature tries to shoot the hero? AWESOME!! And he begs.. gets on the floor and begs like a dog begs.
Tell me when to come to book day! *G*

Chantal said...

Jessica is da bomb!
That was the best scene in the book. She shoots him!!! Perfect.

I so need to re read LOS.

Chantal said...

Lisabea, will do :)