It’s Another Fine Mess, indeed! Edited by Syd McGinley, this collection of stories is all about what happens when men, young, old, married, or dating, fall into some very interesting complications, and it was almost more fun seeing them fall into it then seeing them find their way out. All together and separately, these stories put me through the gauntlet of emotion. But it was so good, so fun that I actually found myself reading it all within two days.

There’s passion, action, drama and a spark between each character and all the authors brought their individual stories to life, no matter how short. Some of the stories feature characters from other stories, and while I haven’t read many of the stories involving them, I enjoyed meeting these men and learning their back story, each which was explained in a subtle mix of fact and dialogue, the mark of a true writer.

I also suggest that you do grab the stories these men are from because I can guarantee a rapid obsession with wanting to know just what happened before they showed up here. There are some big names in here, and I highly recommend this to those who like to see the highly sensual and sometimes dangerous turns life can take in the blink of an eye.

Dragonwalker by Lee Benoit

A quick romp into fantasy, Lee Benoit leads us through the life of Endicott, better known as Endi, a delightful if painfully naïve young man with quite possibly the most unique gift any dogwalker will ever have. I loved this story for the utter uniqueness of dragons mixed in with the normal world. I adored Endi as he charmingly stumbles into one mishap after another. Good thing for us that he has an elegant psychiatrist David Espada and the burly, delicious Chief Burgess to keep him in line. A perfect quirky tale all around!

Blood Rubies by Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks

This is the danger-stuffed tale of Thomas Harrison and his ruby-lusting Moroccan lover, Samir. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time as Samir and Harrison hunt for the Eye of the Dragon, a huge ruby that Samir’s obsessed with. The story moves fast and both characters are sharply defined and strongly detailed, and I honestly felt as if I’d stepped back into the time of thieves and deadly treasure hunts.. I did feel a bit disappointed that Samir was so willing to sacrifice so much for a gem, yet he proves that it’s quite possible to get your cake and eat it too. This story has it all, pirates, treasure, bloody murder and a surprisingly romantic ending. I enjoyed it!

Hunter’s Kiss by Margaret Leigh

Vampires are a tried and true premise of writing, but Margaret Leigh keeps it fresh and entertaining as two lovers, Casey and Jack, are split apart when Casey becomes a vampire and Jack…well, Jack would just like to live to see another day! But not without his lover and so begins their tale. I was hurting for these two as I watched Casey resist the evil lure of his new vampiric nature while Jack, with the help of vampire hunter, Malcolm, tries to hunt him down, hoping to save him even after near death. This is love right here, and it fairly screams off the pages, overshadowing even the erotic zing that underlines it. With action, passion and a love that won’t die, Margaret Leigh definitely penned a winner here!

Finding Trouble by Misa Izanaki

Cute and romantic, Finding Trouble is the story of kitsune Dante, a bartender of The Body Shop and Kale the owner. Sweet-faced and probably a little too stubborn for his own good, Dante was an instant favorite with me as he tries to not only ignore his attraction to his faintly paternal boss but also set out to do what all young men want to do: get lucky. Misa Izanaki pens a tale that manages to convey a lesson while being vastly entertaining. Kale is a perfect hero: domineering, handsome and together with Dante, they ignited the page with their chemistry and banter. I was a little bothered on occasion by Dante’s childishness, yet for me, he redeems himself with his utter adoration of Kale. Oh and that lesson? Never go home with strangers – unless you’re friends with someone named Kale! Definitely a great read.

Magenta by Camilla Bruce

One of the most purely erotic and dangerous stories in the anthology, Magenta is the taut, sensual tale of Scarlet, the great thief and Red, the deadliest man I’ve ever read about. I didn’t notice their chemistry immediately, as I was instantly captured by what was happening to Scarlet who resembled at that moment, the very unlucky fly in a very sticky web. But it blossoms slowly as I realized that Red is not only a cold-blooded man but a beautiful one. Camilla Bruce leads an erotic dance between two men that are perhaps more suited to each other than either know and perhaps more interested in stealing the other’s heart than anything else (though Red might like all the stuff Scarlet stole back). Smoky, dangerous and sensual, I was as struck by this story as Scarlet was by Red. A brilliant story on all points.

Unfinished Business by Lainey Cairo

This story just about blew my mind away. It moves fast and doesn’t stop until the breathless ending. Ex-Detective Constable Ryan Hadley and his lover, Jason Cooper are hiding out/living in Safety Bay. Unfortunately, Jason is the brother of a deceased drug lord and that brings a little bit of trouble to Ryan and Jason. It starts with a busybody reporter and suddenly there’s kidnapping, explosions, gunfire and a whole heap of action as Lainey Cairo shows just how far a man will go to save his lover. I loved Ryan and Jason, two men with extremely different backgrounds but the love between them, surrounded by violence and Jason’s less than perfect past, well, it’s almost inspirational. Oh, and don’t forget Blackie! That dog almost stole the show!

The Alpha Bet by Cassidy Ryan

Fresh, fun and sexy, Cassidy Ryan presents the perfect pair of West and Grey. And not only are these men perfect for each other, they’re self-sufficient, loving and easily the hottest pair of alpha males I ever read. So what can these two men possibly do to become even better? Why, they turn, for a day, into a master and his pet. Easily one of the hottest stories in the anthology, it begins with Gray reminding West of a little bet they made, resulting in West submitting to Gray for a whole day. The consequences of this? A whole lot of “yes, sir” and sizzling sex between two men that unashamedly love, respect and lust for one another as they explore a mild version of what the D/s world has to offer. It even has the perfect ending, sweetly satisfying and quite frankly…well, perfect! Need I say more?

Unravel by Mychael Black

Ever read a story that all but says sex? Well Unravel screams it. Slick, quick and sassy, Unravel is the story of lighting manager Dan and fashion designer Philip. Now, you’ll find many versions of this story: the boss and the employee. But the author flips this concept beautifully, and I loved the spin. Philip is equally matched with Dan especially when it comes to their chosen specialty: spanking with Philip beneath Dan’s hand. A talented author with kinks, leaving me breathless as Philip tries to get his spanking without attaching anything to it. Kind of like a one night stand with Dan’s hand. Except, Dan isn’t so willing for the spanking to end and neither was I! The sex is off the charts in classic Mychael Black style and the emotion that underlines it may not be love (yet) but it’s a happily for now that will leave you smiling.

Jolly Good Idea by Syd McGinley

When you’re dating someone you expect the normal bumps of dealing with your other half’s family. Except in Jolly Good Idea poor Ryan is getting more than his share of bumps as he visits his master Hugh’s family in England. I shuddered with the boy as he meets the family that all but screamed icy English aristocracy. Syd McGinley weaves an interesting tale with twists and turns that definitely left me blinking and guessing. A little slow at some points, I do admit to some distaste toward Hugh whom at times seems almost too autocratic to his boy. And yet, despite those minor points, I found Ryan and Hugh to be an oddly well fitted couple, and as the story steadily paces on, watching Ryan bumble his way into a happy ever after just goes to prove that no matter how bad something looks, there’s always a bright side. A very enjoyable read.

Bruised Knuckles and Bars by Julia Talbot

The anthology ends perfectly with Julia Talbot’s adorably normal couple, Jed Thatcher and Eli Marshall. The story is all down home comfort. Julia Talbot masterfully brings to life two men that are living, well, real life. The story opens with Jed in the police department with his brother after a bit of drunken brawling. The boys are classically brotherly, teasing each other even as they use their illicit get out of jail free methods to go home for the morning when neither Eli or a friend can bail them out (in Eli’s case – outright refusal), but all still manages to end well as Jed makes it up to Eli with some sweet loving. Honestly, I adored this story over all the others. There was nothing unusual, fantastic or different about it, just a man and his lover, growing old together (creaky knees, dogs and all). Without a doubt, a winning story.

Reviewed by: Nicky