Cuddling

by G.S. Wiley, Rowan McAllister, Dawn Douglas

What happens after "happily ever after"? No matter how long they've been together, the couples in this anthology find that keeping a relationship alive takes work. Whether it's job conflicts or family issues, the seven-year-itch or just plain stuck-in-a-rut routine, these men face the challenges of keeping the spark alive with humor, creativity, and romance.

Stories included

At First Sound by G.S. Wiley
Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones
Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn
Dream Lover by Nico Jaye
Happy Holidays by Anna Butler
Home on the Range by Anna Martin
How to Date Your Husband by AC Valentine
Like an Old Sweater by Elizabella Gold
Looking Back by Rob Rosen
Quarter Moon Over a Ten Cent Town by Stephen Osborne
Reboot by S. H. Allan
Remember When by River Clair
The Cat's Out of the Bag by Rowan McAllister
The Making of a Family by Caitlin Ricci
The Responsible One by Eva Clancy
The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2013

About the author

G.S. Wiley is a writer, reader, sometime painter, and semi-avid scrapbooker who lives in Canada.

Visit G.S.'s web site at http://wileyromance.googlepages.com/.

Reviews

[Deeze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town By Stephen Osborne

A lovely sweet and amusing story of how easy it is to fall into a misunderstanding rut.

I loved Dylan and his determination to try to change.

John I wanted to shake.

Cody I want to meet lol. He was a great guy, I hope maybe one day he can meet a guy and we get to hear his full story lol.

Still not sure how I feel about Mrs Gardner. She was a bit of a conundrum lol.

I do like Mr Osbourne style of humour and this had just the right touch to give me a chuckle or two, while I still felt the emotional pull of these two guys.

4 stars


Cupcakes for Two By K. Lynn

While this was a sweet little story, it failed to comply to the book blurb.

Instead of a story about what comes after the HEA, this story was just about two guys getting to start their HEA.

A nice read but not what I was expecting .

2.5 stars


At First Sound By G.S. Wiley

A sweet and rather sad story, but only sad in that the time period made this a forbidden love. The love itself was wonderful to see. A beautiful love story.

3.5 stars

Dream Lover By Nico Jaye

This was a true romantic story. No angst or drama, just a glimpse into the life of two guys who are working for their HEA.

3 stars

Happy Holidays By Anna Butler

I never really felt anything for this one. It was OK, kind of cute, but nothing to really get me interested.

2 stars


The Responsible One By Eva Clancy

This was more the kind of story I was expecting. Hints at trouble in paradise. I loved the uncertainty that allowed my mind to conjure up scenarios, even if I was wrong lol. Mild D/s but due to length nothing I couldn't handle lol.

3 stars


Home on the Range By Anna Martin

An OK cowboy read, just nothing to really get stuck into.

2 stars


The Cat’s Out of the Bag By Rowan McAllister

I liked the idea and I think in a longer more detailed telling this could work better for me. As it was I felt no real chemistry between these two guys, and to be honest had no idea why they had been together for 6 years.

2.5


Like an Old Sweater By Elizabella Gold

A nice little short. Likeable characters. But something just felt missing.

2.5

Change of Heart By Rhidian Brenig Jones

This one was much more my style. Loved the build of tension, loved Finn's honesty, and I adored the romantic conclusion. A definite win for me.

4 stars


The Thing I Love Best About Mitch By Dawn Douglas

I wish this had been longer. I would of loved to see Mitch and Tyler meet and follow them to where they are now.

3 stars

Looking Back By Rob Rosen

Interesting idea, shades of Total Recall. Loved the romantic idea of this one.

3 stars

Reboot By S. H. Allan

The most romantic one so far. I loved this one. Rock star and a computer whiz = perfect for me.

This one brought tears of joy to my eyes, but there were a few times I felt that Flynn needed a slap upside the head lol.

4.5 stars


The Making of a Family By Caitlin Ricci

A tear jerker for sure, but just too short to do it justice.

2.5 stars

Remember When By River Clair

Sweet little romantic tale. I loved Ben's idea of remembering, but I think Aarons was actually the more romantic.

3.5 stars

How to Date Your Husband By AC Valentine

Another sweet and fun read. Loved the way this one unfolded, and the ending was the sweetest.

I did need to look up Puppetry of the Penis, and was amazed to find a video of it, on my local radio station no less, but damn that looked rather painful lol.

3.5

Overall a 3 star rating.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a nice comfort read!
Not all stories were good, but most of them were pretty great.

These established couples needed different things. Either to spice things up a bit, to take the next step in their relationship, or to find their way back to each other. It was all very romantic and each story had a nice and heartwarming HEA.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this anthology should be called "men who think their man is cheating on them but he really isn't"! Because I feel like that's what every story has been about. Yes there are a couple stories that deal with spicing things up in the relationship, but many if them seem to be "is he cheating on me?" Still, I'm enjoying it and will leave a full review at the end.

Stand outs include:
Remember When by River Claire - so sweet! I loved the memories they chose and how they remembered them by.
Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town by Stephen Osborne - some funny moments and great characters!
Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn - super romantic!
Reboot by S. H. Allan - loved the characters and the end was so so sweet.
The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas - very sweet.

I liked that many of these were sweet without being sappy or sickeningly sweet. A couple kinda teetered on that line, but most of these were solid short stories for me. There were 3 that I really skimmed to get through quickly and I enjoyed the rest.

[John Inman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a time when I wasn't crazy about short stories, either writing them or reading them. But after reading two of the Dreamspinner anthologies now I've come to appreciate them more. I thought this anthology was really well done. Some of the stories are better than others but that's true of any anthology. On the whole it was a very good collection. The standout story for me was Stephen Osborne's QUARTER MOON OVER A TEN CENT TOWN. In fact, he was the reason I bought the book to begin with. Love his writing. But all the other writers did an outstanding job as well. I really enjoyed these stories, so maybe I'll go back now and check out some of DSP's older anthologies. Yeah, it's funny. I'm really starting to like short stories.

[Nico Jaye]

Established couples m/m anthology. Rowr. Now available from Dreamspinner Press! ^__^

[Thomaidha Papa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/

Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn 3.5

Oh wow, I don’t know what I expected, but this was really, really short. No matter, as short as it was it made up with its sweetness, literally.

Matt and Jacob have been friends since they were seven and boyfriends for five years now. Fifteen years they’ve been by each other’s side and now that they’re finishing college real life awaits. But one thing remains more real than anything; their love for each other.

On their fifth anniversary though Matt has a special surprise for Jacob. Let’s say something akin to a trip down memory lane.

Loved it. Yes, I know. Normally I don’t care much for sweetened and mushy stories, but once in a while I love to indulge that little girl hiding deep inside me with “aww-inspiring” love stories.

At First Sound by G.S. Wiley 3

A very nice story about to actors in the late 20’s I’m suspecting. One a former actor, Soren, with no hard feelings for his lost career. The other, Booby, feeling trapped in the copy/paste style of his scripts. Both in love, both hiding it from the world for having it wide in the open would only mean the end of it all. At their two year anniversary Soren’s surprise manages to make Bobby see what’s really important in his life.

I don’t know, I liked, of course I always like stories of the past, but there was something about it. There was this feeling, like a building anticipation for something. I kept expecting the shoe to drop you know, but no, this is another sweet little story of two lovely men celebrating their love.

What made me an impression and captivated me was Soren. This character was so very interesting and made me want to know him better. Yes Bobby has his appeal too, his relationship with his family (his mom) enticed me and made me wish for a closer look, but it was Soren that captured my deep interest. You think we might see a more developed version of this story? I sure hope so.



Dream Lover by Nico Jaye 3.5

Ah, a lawyer and a freelance writer. Can it work? Can a person who has such a demanding work schedule make a life with a person whose lifestyle is so unpredictable? The opposites do attract indeed, yet how long do they keep that flame burning without crashing them down?

Aww damn, what a sweet and hot and sexy and sentimental story this one was. Yup, I gotta say I fantasized some angst for it in my head as shown above in my introduction, but even without it this story was quite lovely.

Brady (the lawyer) is one hell of a dreamy lover indeed and Chris, well, let’s just say there aren’t many who’d be as understanding as he was.

A lovely story for two contemporary fellas full in love with each other.



Happy Holidays by Anna Butler 4

“Do you know what day this is?” A harmless question right? No matter how you examine it, what angle you approach it, or how much you shake it. It seems quite harmless…

Oh the humor bleeding in the lines of the text is delicious. You just gotta love Anna’s playfulness. Ah I’m still laughing with this story. It’s fun-tastic! Meh I just loved these guys.

And guess who my favorite character was here. No guess! Lol, yeah it was Kit.

Kit and John have been partners and lovers for fifteen years. They started small and finally their designing firm is handling more accounts than they can manage. It’s all good though, they manage just fine and their boundaries of where work stops and where their life picks up make for a good settling.

But Kit’s been playing little games lately out of nowhere. Games that always keep john on his toes. After fifteen years together they still have their time of fun, but what is the meaning of this constantly repeating question day after day after day?

Did I say I loved this little story? No? Damn, oh well, I loooved it! There!



The Responsible One by Eva Clancy 3.5

Snow White on steroids? Damn, what a line. I’m so stealing this. Moving on!

Being in a relationship and having secrets? Hmm, how long do you think that will last, especially when those are sexual secrets? Nothing remains hidden forever, and while it does it eats you alive from inside out. Sometimes, sometimes it’s just better to let your truths out. You never know what might happen, and people might surprise you.

Yeah, I’m making it sound so much more interesting and intriguing than it really was, not fair of me. But, it was hot! It actually turned kinky, with a lite D/s touch that surprise-surprise was well written. And you know me, I just love that take control-give control situations. Nothing ever depicts trust the way such scenes do.

So Owen is having a real problem with his lawyer boyfriend. Typical of a lawyer really, they all put work above it all, even love. Letting him down every damn time is really pissing Owen and things need to change. Now!

So after Tom leaves for work yet another Saturday, Owen attacks the house like Snow White on steroids. (Gosh, I loved this line, still chuckling with it) He goes on and cleans everything to let steam off, which surprisingly he does. But when he takes it a step further, checking out Tom’s cloths for things he might want to give to charity so their wardrobe takes a breath, he discovers a hidden plastic bag in one of Tom’s suit bags.

Yeah, what came next was a mixure of events that ranged from HOT to sweet and lovable and damn it. Just read it, you’ll love it. I sure did!



Home on the Range by Anna Martin 3

Whoa, whoa boys, stop fighting. Meh, what is it with cowboys and their temper? But as fast as they light, that fast they cool down in this story at least, for we’ve seen some strong-headed cowboys in several books keeping at it for years.

But anyway, here the temper is short lived and something spicy since the after-fight snuggling is pretty good. And who can blame Colt really. Being away for months trying to find investors for his ranch, Colt comes back to find his husband, Gray, has hired someone else to run the ranch. Now from what I gathered there was some fright of change and a spark of jealousy that caused Colt’s yelling, but damn, you can’t expect an artist like Gray to run a ranch on his own, right?

And while it was lovely reading about cowboys again I had this unexpected feeling when the end hit me full force and out of nowhere. It felt like I flat out smashed in an invisible door. God, my head hurts.

The Cat’s Out of the Bag Rowan McAllister 3

“I’m average in almost every way: cock, looks, height…” There, that line right there was the one that made me think “yup, I’m gonna love this shorty”. But when the furries came out I melted.

Ah what a blast this story, how much fun it was. There is Michael, the diva, the drama personified, with the overacting imagination and the overwhelming personality. And man that temper, those waterworks, the sniffling. He really made me want to slap him a few time just for the sake of seeing if that was his kink. :)

And then, there was Joel. Sexy Joel with his little secret that got blown to pieces when he got busted from his of six years boyfriend. Joel, Joel didn’t you know lies have a very short span of life.

But all is great, because despite the incredibly dramatic storming out of a relationship act Michael pulled, the next kiss-and-make-out night was pretty hot and kinky what with the tuna casserole and the tiger-print bedspread and god, how can one forget the leopard briefs.

It was so fun I’m still on a playful mode. J



Like an Old Sweater by Elizabella Gold 3

Temptation, temptation, I wonder why is it so thrilling. Even as Jeff reminds himself of having a boyfriend for seven years, he can’t help but be tempted by wickedly sexy Tim, with his charming grin and strong come-and-get-me vibe. But then again Ethan is the famous author, always having people throwing themselves at him, proposing him and… Surely Jeff deserves some attention of his own, even as he’s just a librarian.

But no matter how the hectic life of an author takes away their time of the day, no matter the mundane things that come and overshadow their life together, one thing’s a constant. Their love!

So when everything might seem to reach rock bottom, their playfulness rises for the occasion and turns things upside down, changes the mundane to sparklingly sexy, and turns the lovers of seven years to near teenagers and their love games to a fun ride of joy.

As for me, well, I might not have liked the intro into the story, but I definitely jumped aboard as it progressed.



Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones 4

My oh my! What happens when after years of “ordinary” a new face comes in the picture? What happens when the cold tendrils of doubt slither down your spine and grip your heart?

Of course nothing and no one would ever matter if you didn’t feel like you’ve settled a bit too much and took some things for granted. It wouldn’t matter at all I might add f you had evolved in your relationship, grown with it, instead of staying stagnant, rooted in spot.

But there you have it, things have stayed stale for too long and a youthful predator is rounding the corner. What do you do when you don’t know how to do it in first place?

Lovely and quite British. I couldn’t take my eyes from this read. Charlies dignity in confronting his lover, the very cool head and that “iciness” Englishmen are so often accused were simply delicious. I can feel the taste of it still. And of course the turnabout after the confrontation, I believe this was the best one yet – Wilde is such a honey-trap isn’t he? – even as the idea has been exhausted in this anthology.

But as I said you simply can’t resist this one.

The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas 4

Well damn! I wanted to be playful and funny about this story too, and at first it seemed like I could really go down that path, but Hell if it didn’t turn me to mush by the end of it.

Tyler; there are many things he loves best about Mitch. He loves best the fact that Mitch’s growling voice when he irritated can make undergrads shake in their boots, yet has no power over him. He loves best the fact that ever since day one they met he knew this was the man for him. He loves best the fact that it took years for this amazing guy to give in to his love, but when that happened he gave it completely. He loves best the fact that as crazy wealthy as Mitch is, you’d never thought it if you took a look at him, or his house, or his car, or his furniture. He loves best the fact that Mitch can turn him inside out without even touching him. But what Tyler loves best about Mitch is…

Well read it already. You’ll love it; the mixture of humor, playfulness, eroticism and heady sexual intensity, and love is pretty fabulous. Hell, as I said, it turned me to mush. Who’d have thought eh?

Looking Back by Rob Rosen 3

Ah, the uncertain future, the stagnant present, and the truly gone and over with past. Yet can a trip down Memory Lane revitalize the present and shed light to the future?

At this point I must make a statement about the futuristic feel of this book. A computer that merges shared memories and wearing a helmet lets you see it as if a video? Fabulous! Fantastic! Brilliant! Moving on!

It is so very difficult to escape familiarity. We crave it, we long for it, we seek it, but when we get it, what then? Does it start suffocating us? Or is it the fear that familiar things are not exciting anymore. That when we don’t say that L word often enough, the feeling itself will get transparent and fade away with passing years? What does it take to wake up deeply buried under the press of time feeling? Can they, truly awaken?

Well read this lovely little story to get a glimpse of that. For what it’s worth I liked Mack best.

Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town by Stephen Osborne 4

Absolutely delightful being introduced in this story by the town’s Gossip, Mrs. Gardner, whose age shall remain unknown, in a voice full of the humor.

“It’s almost as if they’re regular people” she will say when giving us the intro of Dylan and John’s life together. And good God you want to strangle her so much, yet at the same time strangely you don’t.
But back to the story of this delicious couple whose sunny days are now being cast in gloom and doom when at one of their parties John finds Dylan kissing his best friend in the middle of the living room, surrounded by the other guest. While of course that was attributed to a truth or dare game, John’s mind began a downslope into the pits of doubt and fear. All the while Dylan is wondering why on earth is his lover slowly slipping away from him.

In his delirium and stupidity Dylan convinces himself that his lover is more attracted to his own type of men, the macho, butch guys who fight MMO and can hold their own. So of course he would ask John’s best friend to teach him how to box. Can you see the hilarity yet?

You will not be able to resist that brilliant writing of this little story, as the author’s narrative voice is so much fun, so hilarious. I’m still laughing my head off.

Reboot by S.H. Allan 4.5

Who needs enemies when you got such delightful friends? I certainly wouldn’t want to be best pals with Mike.

It is like that, one night out with their friends that a misunderstanding happens. Flynn getting in an argument with Mike and Josh being distracted by his overly intruding work, that he missed parts of the argument and when in need to put his fifty cents he completely screwed up.

One thing led to another and before he knows it he’s finding his lover withdrawing farther and farther away from him. The inevitable approaches fast and their working schedules seem to add to that chasm between them.

Oh dear me, I nearly thought this story would have a HEA, but to be sure there is one and damn it if it wasn’t gorgeous. Absolutely perfect and filled with emotions that swept you away. Lovely, lovely story indeed.

The Making of a Family by Caitlin Ricci

This story took me back a little. Alright, not a little, more like a lot. It started weirdly with a leaving scene. As Arden gets an early plane to return back home he expects to find his lover, Serio, there and happy for him. What he finds instead is Serio trying to leave the house, their life together, with only a note as an explanation.

The reason behind Serio’s attempted escape for me was not enough to evoke such a decision. I didn’t like him, and I found Arden overly understanding. In addition this story was very mournful, so gloomy, and the length of it wasn’t sufficient to explore the “lost-child” theme. Some emotions simply need more space to properly evolve.

As it was the MC seemed simply thoughtless, rash, and lacking understanding for the man with whom he wanted a family.

Didn’t like it so much.

Remember When by River Clair 4.5

Is how you remember meeting the love of your life the same as said love remembers too, or are those memories slightly different and not quite what you thought it were?

When Ben takes Aaron through the places they first met, had their first kiss, first said “I love you” and a treat for their fifth anniversary, he envisioned it quite differently from how it turned out. It didn’t help that Aaron’s memory was not on the same page with is. So it was natural for him to brood and snap and think that they were not on the same page in their life too.

But sometimes people surprise us so much that the only thing left to do is cling tight and never ever let go.

Fabulous little story, loved it. There was a time where I thought Aaron couldn’t possibly save this on, but damn. Lovely job on making Aaron so damn adorable and irresistible. This couple is one of my favorites out of this Anthology.

How to Date Your Husband by A.C. Valentine 4

Oh this was fun. How to spice up your marriage in five dates.

After ten years being with a person do you think there are things you don’t know about him? If so, you’re in for a treat, because as always people never cease to surprise us.

And that is exactly what Mike learns when he makes up his mind to drag his husband Ryan in this little scheme. The way I saw it, it was fun and funny. Too many things made me smile and laugh out loud. Some events even evoked that “awww” sound from my mouth. I loved both characters and was amazed how different they were ten years previous (mostly Mike), and I went fanning myself when certain hidden kinky fantasies made their appearance. The professor really had his role down to a T and damn it if Mike wasn’t sexy as Hell.

I think this story was a hit as well.

And right here ended this Anthology. Normally I don’t like them so much, but this one crawled its way into me. I quite enjoyed it and if you’re looking for a number of stories that will make your heart beat faster, your emotions to rise and consume you, and have a fabulous time through the duration, don’t hesitate. I think it’s totally worth it.

Thommie

[LiveYourLife BuyTheBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars - KAPOW!
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review

Overall this anthology was pretty great. Sixteen stories full of Love & Romance.. Joy & Fear.. Heat & Passion.. And of course Cuddling.

The first story I want to rave about is Home on the Range . We have Colt & Gray, who have been together for ten years. Colt is a rancher and Gray is an artist. Colt has been away from Gray for a few months working on ranch business and when he comes home he finds that his husband has hired a new ranch manager and yeah, the new guy is hot. Tempers start to fly and accusations get flung around but the love these two have is not something that can be broken. I think what I loved most about this short story was the author gave just enough back story that I wanted to actually read it. I want the author to sit down and write what happened when these two met. So Anna Martin if your reading this review, please oh please write Colt & Gray’s before story. :)

The Cat’s Out of the Bag was laugh out loud funny. Michael thinks his boyfriend Joel is cheating on him while he’s gone on a business trip but what he finds out is that things are really not what they seem and like the title says The Cat’s Out of the Bag or box in this case.

Change of Heart ~ The feeling you get when you don’t think the person you’re with wants you anymore. When your significant other is looking in someone else’s direction. Are you really what they want? Can you give them what they need? Charlie knows Finn is looking for more but can he give it to him? And will it be enough to keep him forever?

Looking Back ~ What happens when you think time is slipping past and you can’t remember the how’s or the why’s that got you together in the first place. How about spending lots of money to use a machine that will let you and your partner share memories. See how they saw you when you first met. Let them see what you saw in them. See if that all-consuming love is still there.

The Making of a Family had me crying. Losing a child, I’m told, is one of the hardest things a parent can go through. Being a mother myself, I never want to imagine not having my child with me. When Arden comes home he is shocked to see his boyfriend Serio, is leaving him. He comes to realize that he has completely forgotten the date of their child’s death and it has devastated his partner. But what if you forget so you don’t have to feel that loss or the pain that comes with remembering. Maybe two years is enough time to start thinking about starting a family again.

Remember When ~ Aaron is so busy studying, he is in his own world. Ben wants to do something special for their anniversary but there is only one problem. Walking Aaron down memory lane doesn’t seem to work so well when Aaron doesn’t seem to remember their past.

And last but not least we have How to Date Your Husband . Mike thinks his and Ryan’s relationship could use some sprucing up. When he finds and article in an old magazine promising that in five easy dates you can put the spark back in your marriage, Mike knows he has to convince Ryan to give it a try. Let’s just say one of those dates included a show called A revival of Puppetry of the Penis. And that’s all I’m going to say.

[MostlyDelores · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8 stars - carefully calculated using long division!

Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn
At last, some realism in M/M romance! Boyfriends in their last year of university celebrating their anniversary with seasoned steak, secret recipe mashed potatoes, green beans (keeping warm in the microwave!), and a bottle of wine from their collection. Somebody really has their finger on the pulse of today's gay youth.
Heavy-handed exposition and stiff, unnatural dialogue.
1 star

At First Sound by G.S. Wiley
Good. Love between two actors in early thirties Hollywood.
3 stars

Dream Lover by Nico Jaye
Nice little bonbon of a story.
3 stars

Happy Holidays by Anna Butler
Mildly humorous idea (of celebrating obscure holidays) is hammered into the ground until it squeaks.
2 stars

The Responsible One by Eva Clancy
It started out rough and got a little better.
2.5 stars

Home on the Range by Anna Martin
Disappointing
2 stars

The Cat's out of the Bag by Rowan McAllister
Good? Entertaining drama queen MC, anyway.
3 stars

Like an Old Sweater by Elizabella Gold
The quinoa and asparagus salad was the most interesting part.
2 stars

Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones
I was so startled by the abrupt change in quality from the rest of this pretty tedious collection that I had to bring in a second opinion.
Mature, intelligent, surprising.
4 stars at least

The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas
Nothing special, but I'm a softy for an environmentalist.
3 stars

Looking Back by Rob Rosen
Interesting idea but too short.
2.5 stars

Quarter Moon over a Ten-Cent Town by Stephen Osborne
Central couple was dull and plot was dumb, but the secondary characters were funny.
2.5 stars

Reboot by S.H. Allen
Annoying tropes but good details.
3 stars

The Making of a Family by Caitlin Ricci
Short and sad and hopeful.
3 stars

Remember When by River Clair
Beautifully sweet and sentimental. I got a little teary.
4 stars

How to Date Your Husband by A.C. Valentine
Nice. Hot and romantic.
4 stars

[Melyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall 4.5/5.0

Cuddling is what at first appears to be an anthology that would be filled with sweet romantic stories that have no angst or heartbreak. The stories run from bittersweet to light and humorous. I enjoyed all of them but there were a few that I found stayed with me more than others.
Those being:

Remember When by River Claire (Aaron and Ben - sigh, We may not remember things the same or the same things but what they do remember was so sweet)

How to Date Your Husband by AC Valentine (This was also happy sigh worthy - fun and romantic)

Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones (Oh this one pulled at my heart - a bit sad but with a very romantic gesture and reminder to not take each other for granted)

Reboot by S. H. Allan (opposites, self doubts and insecurities and romantic gestures - really did not like the couple that they had coffee with but enjoyed the ending)

Quarter Moon Over a Ten Cent Town by Stephen Osborne. (more doubts and insecurities along with lack of communication and a town busy body. Humorous)

[Marlobo ♥ epilogues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Average rating - only finished reads- is a bit above 3. I'm giving 4 stars because the stories by River Clair, Dawn Douglas and A. C Valentine are wonderful.

Cupcakes for two - Kim Lynn 3 stars
At first sound - G.S. Wiley 1,5 stars
Dream lover - Nico Jaye 2 stars
Happy holidays - Anna Butler dnf
The responsible one - Eva Clancy 3 stars
Home on the range - Anna Martin 2,5 stars
The cat's out the bag - Rowan McAllister 3 stars
Like an old sweater - Elizabella Gold 1 star
Change of heart - Rhidian Brening Jones 3,5 stars
The thing I love must about Mitch - Dawn Douglas 4,5 stars
Looking back - Rob Rosen 2,5 stars
Quarter moon over a ten-cent town - Stephen Osborne 3.5 stars
Reboot - S. H. Allan 2 stars
The making of a family - Caitlin Ricci - dnf
Remember when - River Clair 5 stars
How to date your husband - A. C Valentine 4,5 stars

[Stephen Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always interesting to see which stories people pick out as their favorites. Mine were The Cat's Out of the Bag by Rowan McAllister (funny, funny, and such a good voice), Looking Back by Rob Rosen (clever and inventive), Reboot by S.H. Allen (lovely, loved it loved it loved it)and Remember When by River Clair (sweet, funny, and fun). I did skip over Quarter Moon Over a Ten Cent Town by some guy named Stephen Osborne. Maybe I'll read it someday.

[Adrianamae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like always, this anthology was a mixed bag. Stories that stood out (for me) where Rowan McAllister's "The Cat's Out of the Bag" and "Quarter Moon over a Ten-Cent Town" which had me in stitches. Both were excellent and I wanted more!

[Portia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite anthologies this year. It was nice to read about mostly established couples, some who were just connecting, others who need to reconnect, but all very much in love with their partners. Highly recommend.

[meep · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. cute
2. skipped
3. freaking cute
4. skipped
5. skipped
6. ugh sooo cute!
7. omg amusing lol. i snorted quite a few times :3
8. eh- skip
9. skipped
10. wish it was longer t_t
11. interesting? eh skip
12. O M G peeping old lady LMAO
13. awww
14.. T_T so sad
15. cute
16. OMG SO FREAKING CUTE!

[Susan Laine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the stories feel a bit similar, but the positive feel, sweet romances, and hearty humor go a long way in making this a comfy anthology to snuggle up with.

Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn

Jacob and Matt have been together forever, first as best friends growing up and now as boyfriends. As the end of college draws near, their lives are once again changing, but they know they will face the future together. Their anniversary seems like a perfect time for Matt to remind his boyfriend that all they have, all they are, started with “Cupcakes for Two.”

This was a wonderful, sweet start to the anthology. From Jacob’s point of view we get insight into a loving romance, a relationship that has endured since childhood. This story is given through poignant yet mundane dialogue I loved reading. Both men are realistic, well-drawn out characters that it was an absolute pleasure to read about them. And when the first story in an anthology brings tears to your eyes, you know you’ve got a great book in your hands.

At First Sound by G.S. Wiley

In 1932, Bobby Carling is an up-and-coming young Hollywood actor. His fans love to read stories about his wild partying, but they don’t know Bobby’s secret: he’s in a loving relationship with an older man. Soren Sjovold was once famous as silent-movie star Silvestro Sardini, but with the advent of “talking pictures”, his heavy accent doomed his career. As they approach their two year anniversary, Bobby still wonders how Soren can accept the injustices of his career and of their relationship, but Soren has a surprise to remind his lover what’s really important.

This was a cute story about Bobby, a one-cowboy-role actor, who is very successful. In secret he has lived for years with Soren, a retired actor who never fit any role when the talkies came. Their anniversary celebration was held in a theater setting, and the Swedish comments were amusing. Yet the story was so short it felt a bit lacking, without a point, but nonetheless a cute little tale.

Dream Lover by Nico Jaye

Although Brady’s job as a corporate attorney is demanding, Chris has learned over the years to cope with the strains of his lover’s schedule. Even when Brady misses his own birthday surprise, Chris is more resigned than angry—it’s not the first time he’s come in second to Brady’s job. However, Brady comes home with a surprise of his own that just may introduce something into their relationship Chris never dreamed was in the cards.

Work does get in the way of most relationships once the newness and first crush has worn off. Chris wishes his big-time lawyer-lover Brady were around more, especially when he even misses his own birthday due to business. But… Brady has a few surprises for Chris, and that made this story rise from the sad mood to happy and bubbly. And the hot sex was good too!

Happy Holidays by Anna Butler

John Hogarth and Kit Lewis have been domestic partners as long as they’ve been working partners, running a small but growing design agency in New York. After fifteen years together, Kit wonders if they’re getting stale and takes a typically creative approach to inject a little romance and excitement back into their love life.

I swear, if I hear “Do you know what day this is?” one more time… Kit and John have been together for fifteen years, and then Kit comes up with something to keep things lively in the bedroom. Creative. While Kit is bursting with good ideas, John is at first confused, then happy to be lead around by his dick to wherever Kit wishes. This story had lots of humor and a wonderful established relationship, excellent writing and a good pace.

The Responsible One by Eva Clancy

After five happy years together, things between Tom and Owen have grown strained thanks to Tom’s job. When Tom leaves Owen at home to spend yet another Saturday working, Owen stumbles on a stash of porn Tom’s hidden away. Does Tom have secret desires he’s never admitted to Owen? And if so, what does it say about their relationship that he’s never spoken up about them?

This one reads a lot like a larger novel. We get both points of view, Tom and Owen, who learn something new about each other after five years of being together. This is an emotional, romantic and sexy tale, with some realistic dialogue, both rows and making up, and hot sex.

Home on the Range by Anna Martin

Colton Maverick has been away from his ranch for over four months, looking for an investor to save his floundering business and leaving his artist husband, Alistair Graystone, in charge. Gray hasn’t let Colt know how badly he’s struggled in his absence or that he’s hired a ranch manager to help out. When Colt returns home without warning, Gray doesn’t have time to tell him before Jared shows up, and Colt angrily accuses Gray of sleeping with the younger man. Will saving the ranch lead to the end of their marriage?

Husbands of many years, Gray and Colt have to face the facts their relationship and their lives aren’t going as well as they’d thought. This reads like a realistic depiction of a long-time marriage where the couple thinks they know things so well they don’t need to talk about what’s troubling them. Finally, as always, the bough breaks, and it’s time to face the music. A good cowboy story.

The Cat’s Out of the Bag by Rowan McAllister

When Michael learns that his boyfriend of six years lied about being on a work trip, he assumes his lover is cheating on him and stages a breakup scene that would make any diva proud. Unfortunately for Michael, everything doesn’t quite go as planned, and he learns a secret about Joel that he never expected… a furry little secret he’s not sure how to deal with.

Michael is quite the drama queen, acting out like a teen on a temper tantrum, but it’s so over the top it’s pretty funny. And Joel’s secret isn’t as dastardly or devastating as all that. To each his own. Thankfully Michael’s mom is a voice of reason. Not all secrets deal with cheating, and when Michael manages to get his head out of his ass, he handles things pretty well. A good furry story.

Like an Old Sweater by Elizabella Gold

Jeff is about to turn thirty, and he’s not happy. His job as a librarian feels stifling, while Ethan, his boyfriend of seven years, leads a seemingly glamorous life as a popular author and blogger. Ethan keeps coming home late from book signings and conferences, which worries and frustrates Jeff. When a cute college student begins flirting with Jeff, can he resist the attraction of another man’s attentions?

An established couple, settled from comfort to boredom? The simplest things start to annoy, every comment merits an argument, every perceived slight becomes a matter of life and death, or proof of cheating. Jeff has an admirer at the library and Ethan is always away on business as a successful writer. But there’s nothing a good roll in the sheets won’t cure, especially for two men who get worked up over nothing and who still love each other. A nice little story, even though I was a bit confused at times about whose point of view I was getting.

Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones

It’s the last thing Charlie Langridge wants to accept but he has to face it: after five happy years together, his beloved Finn has fallen for another man. Another man who’s younger, better looking, and far, far sexier than humdrum, run-of-the-mill Charlie. Better, perhaps, to surrender with grace and let Finn go. But deep in the heart of the mildest of men, there is a core of steel—if only Charlie can find the strength to fight for the man he loves.

Charlie is sure his boyfriend Finn is cheating on him. Where’s the line drawn? Actual sex or merely wanting, being flattered and tempted? There is a difference, though, between thinking about something and acting on one’s impulses. The two men need to talk things through, about what all this means for their relationship, what the future holds. Being ordinary doesn’t mean there can’t be surprises and excitement, as this good little story shows when Charlie and Finn take a step in a new sexual direction, one they were always headed for in the end.

The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas

Tyler Freeman is two days away from receiving his PhD when Mitchell Masters, his live-in lover of two years, asks what he’d like for a graduation present. There’s something Tyler wants more than anything, but it isn’t a gift money can buy. And it isn’t going to be an easy request for Mitch to grant.

When your first meeting with a prospective partner’s family goes all wrong, when the whole gay thing isn’t even addressed, it’s natural to feel apprehensive about trying again. But Tyler knows the best thing about Mitch, and they have a rapport to make things happen. A cute little story.

Looking Back by Rob Rosen

For their ten-year anniversary, Glenn buys Mack a session at Memory Merge, where computers allow couples to view their collective pasts in the hope of rekindling their cooling love affairs. As Glenn and Mack witness their first times together, they discover that seeing their history through each other’s eyes can shed new light on old, nearly-forgotten memories.

This was a fun little walk down memory lane, literally, with the aid of technology. Glenn and Mark feel like they’ve lost the spark, so they look back to find what was missing. New details about the past come to life before their very eyes. It is important to remember that as time passes it can feel like love has waned, when it fact it has grown deeper. I liked this inventive little story, very upbeat and romantic.

Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town by Stephen Osborne

Dylan Reed, head librarian of sleepy Flemyng, Illinois (population 1100) and his lover, ex-marine John Mackelby, have been together long enough that the townsfolk almost accept them as “regular people.” But behind the peaceful façade, there’s trouble brewing. John is spending more and more time at work, often coming home after Dylan’s gone to bed. And Dylan’s suddenly started meeting mysteriously with John’s best friend, Cody. Can the suspicions both of them harbor possibly be true, or can they find their way back to the days when they each thought the other hung the moon?

Sometimes witnessing something can make you believe there’s something going on, when there isn’t. Misassumptions and lack of communication lead to a few bruises and bruised egos here, but the instinct to protect the one you love is always there. This was a wonderful tale, written with humor and spice. I liked this one a lot. The story itself is not that unique, but the way it was told made me smile throughout. The ending had me laughing out loud.

Reboot by S. H. Allan

Josh works in a high tech job that takes up most of his time and attention. Flynn, his boyfriend of five years, is a rock singer, often on the road for weeks at a time. When the stresses of their jobs interfere with their life together, Flynn vows to “fix it,” but Josh is afraid Flynn’s idea of fixing it may be to end their relationship. Will Josh be able to show Flynn how much he means to him before it’s too late?

Being so engrossed in work that you don’t pay attention to what’s happening around you can go horribly wrong, especially when loved ones are concerned. One wrong comment, and the shit really hits the fan. This tiny tale read like a longer piece, which I liked. In fact, I liked the whole story. When Flynn does his thing on stage I was practically jumping up and down on my seat, rooting for him. A great, realistic and human tale of misspoken words and beautiful singing and loving through the thick and thin. And what an awesome name for a band!

The Making of a Family by Caitlin Ricci

Exhausted after a grueling business trip, Arden can barely wait to return home to his boyfriend Serio’s tender loving care. The last thing he expects is to find Serio with his own bags packed and ready to leave. Arden knows things haven’t been great between them lately, and Serio’s hurt that Arden doesn’t even know what’s wrong. Arden’s convinced, though, that what the two of them share is too strong to let go, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make things right.

Losing a child is the worst possible thing that could happen. And it happens to a lot of people at once, but the parents especially. Serio can’t get past it while Arden is trying to. Arden uses work to hide from the loss, but Serio can’t do that anymore. A confrontation is inevitable, or they go their separate ways. This one is a total tearjerker, so have napkins at the ready. The emotional toll of losing something so precious is beyond imagining, but the author delivers in spades. I felt the loss so deeply that I was gushing like a waterfall. A beautiful story.

Remember When by River Clair

Ben and Aaron have been together five years, but the demands of Aaron’s grad school studies keep them from celebrating the milestone events that mean so much to Ben. Determined to arrange an anniversary to remember, he plans for them to revisit the places they’ve shared special moments—their first meeting, their first kiss, the first time they told each other “I love you.” By the end of the day, though, Ben wonders if he and Aaron are even on the same page if his boyfriend can’t remember the important moments in their past.

What are relationship milestones? This little story shows us that what is significant to one, can be less that for another. Doesn’t mean there isn’t caring and that the spark of love has died. Ben and Aaron are a realistic couple who sometimes argue over nothing, like people do, but who love each other and long for the days when things were fresh, exciting and new. A great story of real life and true love.

How to Date Your Husband by AC Valentine

Ryan and Mike are stuck in a rut but still in love after more than ten years together. When Mike finds an article offering love-life tips in an old magazine, he suggests trying them as a way to add some spice back to their lives. Ryan thinks Mike is crazy, but he’s willing to do anything to make Mike happy, even if it means dating his own husband.

Spicing up one’s relationship by going back to dating. Be it experimental theater, or transparent underwear, or discussing sexual fantasies, trying new things goes a long way in showing the two men what they already knew but tended to overlook at times: That the two husbands who never really dated love each other and belong together. A wonderful upbeat and funny ending to the anthology.

[GayListBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:  I love a good anthology. I use them to find new for me authors and for quick pick me ups. This one was terrific. A series of short stories focused on renewing a forever love. We all know love is hard work, and these were all fine examples from many walks of life, showing the effort.

I also love mature love stories. Love after the flash and fire and now in the coals and deep burn are the most satisfying. These felt like a fantastic epilogue at the end of a fantastic novel. You are drawn into the story quickly, invested in the main characters and cross your fingers as relationships are renewed, restored, and just refreshed.

You will finish before you know it! There are several that are amazing and all of them are better than good. I recommend this anthology highly.

I did have a few favorites in the bunch. How to Date your Husband was on the top of the list. Along with The Thing I love about Mitch and Cupcakes.

All of them are fantastic and you will reread them again and again. I might have even taken some notes for my own marriage…*plots first date recreation*

Reviewed By Beans

Stories included are:

At First Sound by G.S. Wiley
Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones
Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn
Dream Lover by Nico Jaye
Happy Holidays by Anna Butler
Home on the Range by Anna Martin
How to Date Your Husband by AC Valentine
Like an Old Sweater by Elizabella Gold
Looking Back by Rob Rosen
Quarter Moon Over a Ten Cent Town by Stephen Osborne
Reboot by S. H. Allan
Remember When by River Clair
The Cat's Out of the Bag by Rowan McAllister
The Making of a Family by Caitlin Ricci
The Responsible One by Eva Clancy
The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Cuddling" is one of those things I usually don't read - an anthology. I like novels more than short stories; but I will say this one called out to me for one specific reason - every story is about a long-term gay couple dealing with the changes that happen to relationships over time. I like the idea that we might go past the Happy Ever After and look into the future.

Well, OK. Most of the couples in this anthology have been together a grand total of five years. A few for seven - and I think only one for over a decade. Yikes, folks, five years for me was still honeymoon time. We bought our first rings at ten and then upgraded at 25. I guess time moves faster in m/m world. Or slower. And of course nobody is ever over 40, because obviously life and romance end at 40. Um...

A favorite in this series was "Change of Heart," by Rhidian Brenig Jones - because the Brits (Welsh in this case) just seem to be better at English than Americans. Not fair, but true, for some reason. "The Making of a Family" by Caitlin Ricci touched me surprisingly - quite short, and dealing with grief, something that can damage a relationship invisibly over time. Been there, done that, survived it. "At First Sound" I loved because it is set in Hollywood in the 1920s, and deals with long-term lovers who are in the movie business, and deals with how they cope in a very hostile world (although maybe not so much different, ironically, than Hollywood still is in some ways). I also liked S. H. Allan's "Reboot," about a computer wizard and a rock singer - can't quite put my finger on it, but it was thoughtful and introspective in a way that was authentic for me.

All in all, a really pleasant diversion, looking at couples who have committed to each other, to monogamy. We don't honor that enough in the long run, I sometimes think.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good anthology. It didn't blow my mind, like Snow on the Roof or Dr. Feelgood, where I absolutely loved all the stories, but here I liked most of them and several did really stand out, like At First Sound by G.S. Wiley, Home on the Range by Anna Martin, The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas, Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town by Stephen Osborne, Reboot by S. H. Allan, Remember When by River Clair, How to Date Your Husband by AC Valentine - I seriously loved them. There were also a couple of just really sweet stories about the couples taking the next step in relationship - proposal - so cute! The only ones that didn't work for me were the stories about near cheating or emotional cheating - to me it sometimes even worse than the actual physical act - and one of the characters like prided himself that he wanted to sleep with another guy for weeks and he distanced himself from his long-time boyfriend, but hey at the end it was all good, because he had finally decided he wants to spend his life with only one person - said boyfriend. Pissed the hell out of me.

[Natalija · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories. Some more than the others, but my favourite has to be "At First Sound" by G.S. Wiley. I don't know why, but this particular story stuck with me.

Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn - 3
At First Sound by G.S. Wiley - 4
Dream Lover by Nico Jaye - 3
Happy Holidays by Anna Butler - 3
The Responsible One by Eva Clancy - 3
Home on the Range by Anna Martin - 3
The Cat’s Out of the Bag by Rowan McAllister - 3
Like an Old Sweater by Elizabella Gold - 3
Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones - 3
The Thing I Love Best About Mitch by Dawn Douglas - 3
Looking Back by Rob Rosen - 4
Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town by Stephen Osborne - 3
Reboot by S. H. Allan - 4
The Making of a Family by Caitlin Ricci - 4
Remember When by River Clair - 4
How to Date Your Husband by AC Valentine - 3

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review at Hearts On Fire Reviews

As always with an anthology, there were stand out stories that hit me just right and some that were a little less for me. All the stories here involve established couples who are reconnecting or maybe worried about losing that special person.

[S.H. Allan]

This contains my story but I want to read all of it. The stories sound so good! All the ones I've read so far are great. I'm honored to be part of such a great anthology.

This is the synopsis of my own story, Reboot:

Josh works in a high tech job that takes up most of his time and attention. Flynn, his boyfriend of five years, is a rock singer, often on the road for weeks at a time. When the stresses of their jobs interfere with their life together, Flynn vows to “fix it,” but Josh is afraid Flynn’s idea of fixing it may be to end their relationship. Will Josh be able to show Flynn how much he means to him before it’s too late?

[jules0623 · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of DSP's better anthologies. There were one or two stories that I skimmed after the first few pages, but overall, the stories were good although they felt slightly repetitive by the end.

[Rissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! What's not to love? I love anthologies! I love established relationships! And happy endings...very satisfying book! ;)

[Julio Genao]

Change of Heart - 3 stars

atypically good.

[Susan Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anthologies - a chance to find new authors and re-connect with old favorites. And I can dip into and out of an anthology quickly for each story. Having said that, I love Cuddling. This anthology is about established couples. We get to see them in their relationships. I enjoyed every story in this one. But I have to pick 'How to Date Your Husband' by A.C. Valentine as my top one.

[VVivacious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cupcakes for Two 4*
At First Sound 3*
Dream Lover 4*
Happy Holidays 3.5*
The Responsible One 5*
Home on the Range 3*
The Cat’s Out of the Bag 2.5*
Like an Old Sweater 2*
Change of Heart 1.5*
The Thing I Love Best About Mitch 4*
Looking Back 3.5*
Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town 2.5*
Reboot 3*
The Making of a Family 3*
Remember When 5*
How to Date Your Husband 5*

[Emeziel · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this anthology, so many sweet stories to read :)

[Vivid4674]

The thing I love best about mitch- 3 star
1st person pov, coming out, age gap, sweet, wishing for sequel

Cupcakes for two- 4 star
1st person pov, ya, friends to lover, commitment, marriage, wishing for a prequel, sweet, light-fluffy, loved it

Reboot- 5 star
1st person pov, amazing, geek, rockstar, marriage, swooning marriage proposal, angst, cute pet, tender, sweet, loved it, wishing for more

At first sound-2 star
1st person pov, age gap, actors, cute pet

[Arch Bala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick Thoughts on Anna Martin’s Home on the Range:

Ugh. Just so feel good. I loved reading shorts with established couples in it. I could easily see Gray and Colt in the ranch setting spending their days together working and just loving each other. Another wonderful short story from the author. Bravo!

[Blue Dragon · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The first few stories in anthology should hook you, not turn you off reading the rest of the book.