A More Perfect Union

by B.G. Thomas, J. Scott Coatsworth, Jamie Fessenden

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States made a monumental decision, and at long last, marriage equality became the law of the land. That ruling made history, and now gay and lesbian Americans will grow up in a country where they will never be denied the right to marry the person they love.

But what about the gay men who waited and wondered all of their lives if the day would ever come when they could stand beside the person they love and say “I do”?

Here, four accomplished authors—married gay men—offer their take on that question as they explore same-sex relationships, love, and matrimony. Men who thought legal marriage was a right they would never have. Men who, unbelievably, now stand legally joined with the men they love. With this book, they share the magic and excitement of dreams that came true—in tales of fantasy and romance with a dose of their personal experiences in the mix.

To commemorate the anniversary of full marriage equality in the US, this anthology celebrates the idea of marriage itself--and the universal truth of it that applies to us all, gay or straight.

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Gay, Short Stories

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2016

About the author

B.G. Thomas lives in Kansas City with his husband for nearly fifteen years and was legally married in 2014. Ehey have a fabulous little dog, Sarah Jane. He sees his wonderful daughter just often enough to miss her when she isn't there! He has a romantic soul and is extraordinarily lucky to have many friends.
 
He loves science fiction & fantasy, horror, romance and more, has gone to SF&F conventions his entire adult life, and been lucky enough to meet many of his favorite writers. He is a “Star Trek” and Joss Whedon fan from way back!
 
He has written all his life, it is where he finds his joy. In the 90’s, he wrote for gay magazines, but stopped because they wanted him to cut out story and romance, and write only sex.
 
Then through a few friends, he discovered the growing market of M/M Romance and was thrilled beyond words. FINALLY, a way to write the stories he always wanted to write. Adventure, romantic comedy, science fiction, and more, but with gay characters. And he wouldn't have to fade to black! People wanted to read the erotic as well. Plot and sex! HURRAY!
 
B.G. Thomas very much believes in The Law of Attraction and that "thoughts become things." A lot of things all started happening at once. He heard the words, "Leap, and the net will appear," and something re-kindled inside. He sent out a story and was thrilled when it was almost immediately accepted.
 
He believes that we are divine expressions of the Universe, each and everyone. "It is never too late!,” he states. “Pursue your dreams! They will come true!"

Reviews

[CrabbyPatty · Rating 4 out of 5]

On June 26, 2015, President Barack Obama stood in the Rose Garden and made this remark about the Supreme Court Decision on Marriage Equality: " ... today, we can say in no uncertain terms that we’ve made our union a little more perfect. That’s the consequence of a decision from the Supreme Court, but, more importantly, it is a consequence of the countless small acts of courage of millions of people across decades who stood up, who came out, who talked to parents -- parents who loved their children no matter what. Folks who were willing to endure bullying and taunts, and stayed strong, and came to believe in themselves and who they were, and slowly made an entire country realize that love is love."

Dreamspinner Press' "A More Perfect Union" shares four stories that are a fitting celebratory anthology for the first anniversary of the historic Supreme Court decision.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth - Alex and Gio have been together for ten years, and while Gio wants to get married, Alex does not. One night Alex comes home in a bad mood to find Gio making a special dinner. Alex argues with Gio, storms out, gets drunk, turns off his cell, and awakens the next day in a motel only to learn Gio is in the hospital in a coma with burns, after a fire destroyed their home.

Family drama ensues because Alex cannot make medical decisions for Gio, but with the help of a friendly nurse, he is able to spend the nights with Gio and starts telling stories about various items from their home - the little teddy bear Alex won for Gio at the fair, the ornate headboard they purchased in Mexico, etc. In Gio's coma, he hears the stories and the items start populating his foggy dream-like world. When Alex returns to their home and finds a set of wedding rings in the remains of Gio's bedside table, he realizes what Gio was going to ask him that night of the fire. A well-deserved fairy tale ending to this sweet story.

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy - Jeordi and Tom, from nowhere Kentucky, live in a trailer and work minimum wage jobs with no insurance, but they have each other. When Jeordi is injured and taken to the hospital, his family attempts to keep Tom from his side. Trying to get married in their hometown, they are denied a license (think hell spawn of Kim Davis) and end up making a special trip to Washington DC in search of a marriage license, meeting an older gay couple who helps them, saying:

We’re brothers. We’re part of the brotherhood of gay men. We take care of one another. That’s just what we do. We’re family. Sometimes our other families don’t understand us, the real us, but your gay brothers understand exactly. We take care of one another when and where we can.

Destined by Jamie Fessenden - Jay and Wallace first meet years ago in the mid 1990's and eventually find their way back to each other. But their HEA is only the beginning, as they move into together, support gay rights legislation in their state, buy a house (with their first offer perhaps turned down because they are gay), survive family struggles, get a dog, and have a lovely Victorian / pagan wedding. I liked how we readers are invited to share Jay and Wallace's lives over an extended period of time.

Someday by B.G. Thomas - Lucas has loved Dalton since he was five and six-year-old Dalton taught him to tie his shoelaces. Lucas never wavered from that love, but it took Dalton a lot longer to realize he felt the same way. A sweet story with a cartoonish villain tossed in, but a beautiful HEA.

I received an ARC of this anthology from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

On June 26th, 2015, love won when SCOTUS announced that same-sex marriage ought to be legal, and thus made it the law of the land. In the United States, finally, FINALLY, LGBTQ men and women were allowed to marry their partners. Many of them had been waiting for years, such as George and Jack in Dallas, TX, who married after 56 years of being together.

Let that sink in for a moment.... 56 years, they waited for their love to culminate in I-Dos, something that het couples take for granted. Het couples like Brittany Spears and whats-his-name who got married on a lark in Vegas with an annulment 55 hours later, couples like Kim Kardashian and whatever-his-name who filed for divorce a mere 72 days after their big fancy wedding. Sanctity of matrimony?

When the news broke this time last year, I cried buckets of tears, out of happiness for my friends who were now finally granted the same rights I've always had - to marry the person they loved. I watched the many proposals, ceremonies, and rejoiced with all of them in the face of their happiness.

I raged with them when the likes of Kim Davis (herself married 4 times) and that despicable Judge Roy Moore decided that they didn't have to follow the law and refused to issue licenses. And fought to have the right of bigotry. And lost.

So, here we are, one year later, and the world hasn't ended, and our globe is still turning, and yet, the LGBTQ community is still being persecuted, hated on, with many of them in danger of losing jobs or denied housing because full protection against discrimination still doesn't exist for them in many states. Still fearful to come out, still being murdered simply for who they are and who they love.

But that's not what this book is about. No, this book celebrates four (mostly) fictional relationships, all written by four gay married men, who all bring a unique perspective to their stories, but who all celebrate love as it should be celebrated.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth:

Alex and Gio have been living together for a while. They're in love, but Gio wants to get married, and Alex doesn't. After a massive fight, Alex runs off to cool his heels.

When a fire nearly takes Gio from him, Alex must confront the fact that as his boyfriend, he has no legal standing, and Gio's mother has him removed from Gio's hospital room.

This was actually a difficult story to read. We see Gio's struggle to come out of his coma, while he remembers certain things from their relationship, and we see Alex's bitter regrets and fears.

There were tears I'm not ashamed of, and I'm happy to report that they do get their happy ending - this is a romance after all.

This was a very engaging story that clearly shows how desperately LGBTQ couples needed this ruling, to obtain the legal rights to care for their partners.


Jeordi and Tom - Michael Murphy:

Tom and Jeordi live together openly in the rural South, where gay men are still spit upon, and where families tend to want to pray the gay away.

Jeordi's parents are like that - always trying to steer him away from his "sinful lifestyle", and even going so far as to stage an intervention.

None of that goes over well, of course, and it only serves to fuse Tom and Jeordi closer together.

A car accident sends Jeordi to the hospital where his mother, aided by the rest of the family, tries to keep Tom away. They're not married, you see, and Tom has no rights. Just reading about it made me so angry!!

But Jeordi knows what his family is capable of, and he ain't having it!!! I cheered when he read his mother the riot act - good for him!

Damn bigots!

But there's sweetness too, especially when we get to see the couple on their own and get a glimpse into their strong relationship. They stick up for each other, and they just fit each other.

There's even more bigotry toward them when the author reminds us that in rural Kentucky the Clerk of Court doesn't seem to think she has to do her job and can invoke her religion to deny them a marriage license. I had RAAAAAAGE again!

But Jeordi is not deterred in the least and takes Tom on a magical flight to Washington, DC, where with the help of a sweet gay couple, they get the wedding they've wanted.

I really enjoyed reading that part of the story and was happy for them.


Destined - Jamie Fessenden:

Jay and Wallace first meet at an LGBTQ group, but quickly forget about each other. Until they meet again, but Jay's not single... until he is, and they embark on a relationship. The author tells us that this is basically the story of him and his husband, and I was fascinated to read it.

It's a sweet story, despite the many setbacks the two men encounter, and it was ever so lovely to read about them. Very enjoyable, and I felt incredibly close to them both, especially considering what I know of Jamie and his husband Erich via Facebook.

Very well written and engaging.


Someday - B.G. Thomas:

Lucas meets Dalton on the first day of Kindergarten, and it's love at first sight. He tells his mother that he's gonna marry that boy some day, and is not deterred when his mother tells him that boys can't marry boys. Lucas will find a way.

Their teenage years aren't easy, especially since Dalton's family is very conservative, but eventually Dalton, who by that point has also fallen hard for Lucas, stands up for himself and his boyfriend.

Still, marriage isn't possible, not where they live, and a commitment ceremony isn't what Dalton wants. This causes some discord between them, but Lucas keeps waiting anyway.

Until the day comes, that sweet day when they can get legally married after waiting so many years.

A beautiful story.

****

All four stories in this anthology are worth reading, my friends. I'm happy I did.

Recommended.


** I received a free copy of this book from one of the authors. A positive review was not promised in return. **

[Serena Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

To commemorate the June 26, 2015 decision of the US Supreme Court to legalize marriage equality by writing and publishing this anthology is a heartwarming and beautiful idea. And while each of these four stories written by four married gay men are different, they have one thing in common. A quiet, or not so quiet, and in all cases fierce joy that finally their love and commitment are seen as equal, recognized as equal, in the eyes of the law. I adored each story, admired each couple’s hard-won victory, and celebrated their success with them – if only in spirit.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth
Alex and Gio belong together. They have lived in the same house, they love each other deeply, and even though they have the occasional fight - or maybe because they have the occasional fight - they are a couple. Then Fate interferes, and suddenly they are about to lose everything.

Alex and Gio’s story made me cry because of the suffering they both went through when Gio got burned in a house fire badly enough to end up in a coma. It made me mad when Gio’s bigoted and harsh mother made it impossible for Alex to be at his side in the hospital because she excluded him since he was not family. I cheered Alex on when he found a way to remain at Gio’s side anyway.

‘Flames’ is an emotional roller coaster and has a perfect ending in more than one way.

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy
Tom and Jeordi don’t have a lot, but they work hard and they have each other. Every day is a struggle, so when Jeordi gets hit by a car on his way to work and ends up in the hospital, things suddenly get a whole lot worse. But when his family interferes and tries to ban Tom from his hospital room, Jeordi fights back. I was glad he was able to do that, because I am not sure what these people would have done otherwise. And then the really amazing part of the story begins – the part where Jeordi proposes.

Jeordi and Tom’s story touched me because they fought so hard to be together, and the fairy-tale-like support they managed to find made everything so much better. They were both so unassuming, and I loved watching things work out for them in the most amazing way.

‘Jeordi and Tom’ reads like a beautiful fairy tale once the horrible early obstacles are behind them.

Destined by Jamie Fessenden
Sometimes love is a journey, and this story is definitely an example of that. Jay and Wallace get so close to never making it as a couple, and not because they have issues, or because they fight. No, it’s simply because they keep running into each other, over years, and just don’t seem to be able to figure out they should stop losing track of each other. Once they do realize they belong together, it still isn’t always easy, but they now know what they want. The daily struggle of being a same-sex couple when some people don’t want to accept that comes through loud and clear here. And sometimes it is the small things that make it just as bad as the bigger obstacles – like not being able to get legally married until the law was finally changed.

I loved following Jay and Wallace on their life journey, and particularly enjoyed the whole wedding preparation and all the details on the day itself. Absolutely beautiful!

Someday by B.G. Thomas
Some couples are just meant to be, and Lucas and Dalton are an excellent example of “destined lovers”. Lucas realizes this much earlier than Dalton, namely when they first meet on Lucas’s first day in kindergarten. Nobody takes him seriously, his mother even tries to make him understand that “boys can’t marry boys”, but Lucas knows better. Watching him grow up and go through the agony of Dalton denying there is anything more than friendship between them was painful. Dalton kisses girls, has a girlfriend, and Lucas is ready to give up and goes to senior prom with another boy – and then a miracle happens and Lucas is back on track with his life plans.

If you believe that sometimes Fate knows what she’s doing, you will enjoy reading this story. I know I did!


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not able to put into words how much these stories have touched me, as I am sure they will millions of others. I was raised in a VERY conservative church and lead a VERY sheltered life. I was almost 23 years old before I met a gay man. That is to say, one that was living openly as a gay man, because I have NO clue how many others had been forced to hide from their families and the world who they truly were for fear of persecution or in some cases death. What a sad world we live in that we allow ignorance be our excuse for our bigotry and condemnation for others! I was a woman of almost 50 years of age before the realities of the situation became known to me. I find it hard to forgive myself for hiding my head in the sand for all those years and hope that the small part I play now in bringing the truth to others helps in some way to make people more educated and aware of the horrible crimes that are committed in the name of religion. The truth of the matter is, if you take religion out of the equation... we all ARE equal as human beings! ONLY religion tries to change that equation. Perhaps their time would be better-spent condemning murderers or people so greedy that they don't care how many lives they ruin to get that all mighty dollar or perhaps they should actually open their bibles and READ what is in there... it is LOVE! Jesus never even mentions homosexuality in the bible... not ONCE! What he did teach on, more that anything else in the New Testament was hypocrisy... over 27 of his teaching were about hypocrisy... I wonder why all of these so-called Christians have never noticed that before? hmmm...

Well, I guess I did have more to say than I thought and if you have made it this far in my review, thank you for listening! These were four wonderful stories that needed to be told and need to be heard... perhaps, someday equality and love will be what makes this great nation of ours stand out from all the other countries in the world!!! I shall always live in hope...

[Sammy Goode · Rating 4 out of 5]

A More Perfect Union is an anthology by four authors who have lived through the turbulent times before and after the journey toward marriage equality for all. These are their stories, fictionalized yet personal, given to us to understand just how important the passing of the marriage equality law was for them. These are beautiful stories; each with the same message love is love.

What happens when life's circumstances rip from you the one thing you thought you'd always have? And what will you feel when you realize that you have taken for granted that one thing for far too long? The first offering in the anthology, a more perfect union, speaks to just those questions. In the story, Flames, by J. Scott Coatsworth, Alex's partner of 10 years is victim to a violent house fire that destroys everything they've collected over their time together. Now in a coma, Gio walks alone in a gray land where only the sound of his partners voice anchors him and gives him hope. Alex is beside himself searing the worst and knowing that the last words he exchanged with the man who means everything to him were angry ones. Can he possibly reach Gio in time to tell him how he truly feels?
First, I love the way in which the story was presented. As Alex sent by Gio's bedside and related stories to his comatose lover, we experienced how those words affected Gio and how they brought him back from the edgy time in again. It was the sound of his partners voice that continually Drew Gio back to the land of the living and the heartfelt remorse that Alex felt in their last moments together before the fire simply pulled at the heartstrings. This was a beautiful love story that spanned a decade and you felt the deep connection these two men had despite the fact that for most of the story Gio lie in a coma unable to respond. I won't spoil the end of the story for you but suffice it to say that it was simply beautiful. Rating: 4.5 stars

Jeordi And Tom by Michael Murphy explores young love and starting a relationship from scratch. Jeordi and Tom are very young and yet very much in love. Living from paycheck to paycheck disaster strikes when Jeordi is the victim of a hit-and-run that leaves him with multiple stitches and abrasions covering his body. To make matters worse, Tom is turned away at the hospital by Jeordi's homophobic mother and some hospital staff. It shakes both young men to the core. It also prompts Jeordi to realize he'd do anything to make sure it never happens to Tom again.

While one might say that this was a bit contrived with amazing things occurring to make every thing work out just perfectly for both Tom and Geordie, there is also much to be said for the positive message in the story. This was one that focused on community, specifically, the gay community stepping in to help some of its own. These boys were dirt poor and unable to obtain a license due to a homophobic County Clerk. What takes place next in the story is the stuff that fairytales are made of. While you are definitely going to have to stretch your imagination a bit and leave your cynicism parked at the door, if you are able to, then this story will touch your heart and then some. It is a story of true love and one can't do much better than that. Rating 3.5 stars

Destined by Jaime Fessenden allows us to believe in a fate that cannot be thwarted. Spanning several years, it looks at the story of Jay and Wallace who meet, meet again and then finally do what it was intended all along, fall in love. While both men may have been tied to the 21st-century via their IT jobs, it is their love of the past that draws them together. However, they live through the most turbulent of times fighting for equal marriage and praying that in their lifetimes they will be able to truly be husband and husband officially.

I have enjoyed much of Jaime Fessenden writing over the last few years. This story was a bit tough for me in that it was more narrative and "told to us" rather than us experiencing it as it unfolded. In fact, time and again I had to push myself to remain in the story and try to be sympathetic to the fight these two men had in finding their happy ever after. For me, when a story is told in predominately prose format, it is truly difficult to engage with the characters emotionally. I truly enjoyed the ending of the story because it was the most action filled in terms of storyline. What I mean by that is the event that was being written about was more engaging than most of the rest of the story. All in all, this was a nice recitation about two men falling in love and creating a life together. Rating: 3.5 stars

Finally we have Someday by B.G. Thomas, which I must admit was by far my favorite in this anthology. Told from a chance meeting of a kindergartener ((Lucas) with a first grader (Dalton) this sweet story traces their lives all the way till their years past college. Declaring that he will marry the big boy who helped him learn to tie his shoes, Lucas never falters in his love for Dalton—even when it seems Dalton is assuredly straight—or attempting to be so. This narrative takes us through highlights in their time together, giving us tiny windows into milestone moments in their long and rocky friendship. Yet through it all, on thing is never in doubt—Lucas will always love the boy who taught him more about life than any other.

The magic in B.G. Thomas’ writing is the sincerity of his characters—their simplistic and deep passion for whatever becomes their defining force. Even when there is a bit of angst in his novels, or in this case, short story, you never feel time is wasted in just trying to pad the page count—rather every moment on page is critical to the development of his plot. His dialogue can be romantic—in some cases almost too sweet and yet time and again he pulls it back just enough to make it realistic and solid. This was a sweeping saga of two lives—of two boys that grew to be men and realized much about themselves and what it is to really love someone. Someday was a rich romance with incredibly sweet and courageous characters. Rating: 5 stars

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

5 stars

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States made a monumental decision, and at long last, marriage equality became the law of the land. That ruling made history, and now gay and lesbian Americans will grow up in a country where they will never be denied the right to marry the person they love.

But what about the gay men who waited and wondered all of their lives if the day would ever come when they could stand beside the person they love and say, “I do?”
In this anthology, four accomplished authors – all married gay men – offer their take on that question as they explore same-sex relationships, love, and marriage. Men who thought legal marriage was a right they would never have. Men who, unbelievably, now stand legally joined with the men they love.

Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
This anthology consists of four stories tied together by the bond of holy matrimony. While I was expecting some sweet stories about men in love getting hitched, that isn’t really what these stories ended up being. They are more, sometimes showcasing the reasons for marriage, sometimes the difficulties getting there. Sometimes they were difficult to read because some of these guys really faced some hatred, all too real unfortunately.
Flames, by J. Scott Coatsworth Rated 4
Alex and Gio have been together ten years. They aren’t married, Alex doesn’t believe in it. When Alex comes home in a “…foul mood from the long difficult day at work” he takes it out on his partner. He is really, really unlikeable at this point. Ten years and you storm out of the house with a “You have to let go of your stupid, unrealistic expectations of me and this relationship.” Now, a new couple? Still rude but maybe. But that’s what he does, storms out, gets drunk and checks into a motel, leaving his Gio there. When it turns out Gio has been in the house when it catches fire, now Alex feels bad.
Because the hospital couldn’t get hold of Alex, who had his phone on Do Not Disturb and didn’t check messages, they called their great friend, Oscar (loved him) as well as Gio’s mother, Cinzia Not a good thing, since Mama hates Alex. Being gay is against the church and Alex has “turned” her son to sin. We are given Alex’s point of view but also Gio’s, from inside his coma. Interesting concept, that.
It is Cinzia who forbids Alex from being with Gio in the coma. They didn’t get off to a great start, partly Gio’s fault for hiding himself, and it’s going to be a tough battle to get this intelligent, church-loving mamma on his side. This is especially important since when Gio doesn’t remember things, even in his coma. Visits are tough even after Alex is allowed to see Gio. “They weren’t so much visits as reenactments, and he longed to pull aside in one of them and have an earnest conversation. To ask him where Gio was, and why.” And what Alex finds in the wreckage of the fire is heartbreaking all the more because of this.
The ending is a little fairy tale but isn’t that what weddings are sometimes?

Jeordi and Tom, by Michael Murphy Rated 3.5
Jeordi and Tom are a loving couple, dedicated to each other. It’s too bad that Jeordi’s family has no use for their relationship and will go to almost any length to keep them apart. “Why? Why do I keep subjecting myself to the same crap?” Poor Jeordi, he just wants his family to accept him and his relationship. Instead, they pray and hold healing services to “…cast the devil out of my body” , complete with homophobic ministers. In his parent’s world, the brother who is serving time for murder is still better than being gay.
I have to say – Jeordi’s family is something. You can be a cheater, a murderer, an obnoxious pig but don’t be gay – it will embarrass the family. They can’t even just leave the guys alone, they come over and cause problems. Mother wants him to start living the life he’s supposed to and verbally abuses Tom. It’s awful for them. When Jeordi gets hit by a car on the way to work, things come to a head. His reaction is a testament to how much he loves Tom when his family works to keep Tom away. And it’s a damn shame he had to. The hospital personnel is divided between normal folks and homophobes, so Jeordi has a rough time of it all the way. Add in the fact that they don’t have money and now need to worry about the hospital bill and being out of work, and wow, these poor guys.
It takes the rough patch to get these guys to where I think they were heading all along. They face a lot of hatred and intolerance to be with each other and what better way to show the world who they are together? Well, that provokes another problem when yet more hatred (shades of Kim Davis) is met at the county office that is supposed to give them a marriage license.
From there things take a turn into a little confusing, because they had no money for their electric bill or to pay for a new bike but found it for this trip. But again, it’s fairy tale and this definitely ends up being such for two guys who definitely deserve it. And I’d like to slap Jeordi’s mom still.

Destined, by Jamie Fessenden Rated 4
Jay and Wallace actually meet when Jay gets lost trying to get to the group meeting Wallace is attending and Wallace gives him directions. It’s definitely not love at first sight – they are mildly attracted but surrounded by people (and Jay doesn’t even make it in time for the meeting!).
They end up meeting again later (obviously!) and this time it’s at a point where Jay is realizing everything he’s given up in his life to be successful at his job. “In just five years, he’d lost touch with everything that had been fun and creative in himself. He was no longer Jay.” That’s when you know you need to make some changes.
Jay is with a boyfriend, Doug, when he reconnects with Wallace so it goes nowhere. Doug is so wrong for Jay and they are in a rough patch but Jay’s a good person and doesn’t cheat and doesn’t lead Wallace on.
Wallace, just squeezes your heart. He gets Lasix, after years of hated thick glasses. And he couldn’t wait to “…see if a long-held, secret fantasy had come true – that removing the glasses had finally made him handsome.” Oh Wallace.
Finally, Jay confronts the fact that Doug has been cheating on him, repeatedly. “I’d leave him but he pays the bills. LOL.” And out goes Doug. Now Jay is alone and it’s finally time that Wallace and Jay can try each other out. Of course this takes some searching on Jay’s part, mainly through the old Pagan group where they originally met.
It’s during their getting to know you, Norse study and meetings, that they are the sweetest. Because they are back to Jay and Wallace and Jay and Wallace are lovely. Getting through the relationship takes work and they battle some demons (hello, Wallace’s dad) and decisions are difficult (I mean, Jay likes to walk around nude and we can’t have that with Wallace’s housemates. And then an awkward, wonderful proposal and some househunting happen. I liked this as well, because it was just the day to day look at this couple’s lives. Visiting the animal shelter, trying to find a house, and finally, finally, hearing that all marriage is now legal. And to the wedding!
Their wedding is so perfectly them and Wallace’s brother, Rick? That’s the brother everyone should have. In his Victorian suit, I wanted to high five the man.

Someday, by B.G. Thomas Rated 3
Lucas is five years old when he meets Dalton, a worldly first grader who teaches him to tie his shoes. Lucas knows immediately that Dalton is the “boy he’s going to marry.” Despite his mama assuring him that “boys can’t marry boys even if they are in love”, Lucas never wavers. He just knows.
However, they have to go through a lot of Dalton not liking that, not wanting that, being sometimes mean to Lucas. Even with apologies, I just wanted Lucas to choose someone else. Etienne broke my heart and I wanted it to be him.
While I had hopes that this would be my favorite of the anthology (I love BG Thomas), I was a little disappointed in how much I didn’t like Dalton for most of the story. I tried, I really did. By turns the things with Diego, Rachel, his refusals, just made me sad for Lucas. Who again, never wavered.
Their ceremony was perfection. When Lucas’ mom performs their holy union, it was just lovely. Bringing up the past and acknowledging the changes, Dalton’s vows, the gray and tattered momento, sigh. Perfect.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars

Description ~

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States made a monumental decision, and at long last, marriage equality became the law of the land. That ruling made history, and now gay and lesbian Americans will grow up in a country where they will never be denied the right to marry the person they love.

But what about the gay men who waited and wondered all of their lives if the day would ever come when they could stand beside the person they love and say, “I do?”

Here, four accomplished authors—married gay men—offer their take on that question as they explore same-sex relationships, love, and matrimony. Men who thought legal marriage was a right they would never have. Men who, unbelievably, now stand legally joined with the men they love. With this book, they share the magic and excitement of dreams that came true—in tales of fantasy and romance with a dose of their personal experiences in the mix.

To commemorate the anniversary of full marriage equality in the US, this anthology celebrates the idea of marriage itself, and the universal truth of it that applies to us all, gay or straight.

My Review ~

A More Perfect Union is an anthology celebrating love between two men and their right to finally marry the ones that complete their lives. This anthology releases on the anniversary of marriage equality awarded by the Supreme Court on 06/26/2015 during Obergefell vs Hodges.

The first story in the anthology is Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth. This is the story of long term couple Alex and Gio. Alex fiercely loves Gio but they have very different ideas when it comes to marriage. Gio very much wants to marry Alex, and has asked him once before. Alex on the other hand doesn't think that they need a piece of paper to prove their love to each other. A devastating fire at their home injures Gio and makes Alex rethink his perspective. The story after the fire continues in flashbacks of Alex and Gio's love story finally leading up to Gio coming out of his coma and leading to their very happy ending.

Alex is not the most likeable character, at first, but his love for Gio is so strong that you can't help but change your mind. Gio is his world and he is Gio's world. I loved seeing their relationship in the flashbacks and loved their fairytale ending.

The next is Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy. They are the complete opposite of the first story. Tom and Jeordi are just starting out, two young men living in conservative Kentucky, just moved in together, both working minimum wage jobs but they have each other. Jeordi's family keeps trying to split them up, every single time they see Jeordi. One day on the way to work Jeordi's bike is hit by a car causing him to end up in the hospital. His family is called and things go to hell after that. They attempt to stop Tom from seeing Jeordi even though Jeordi is conscious and asking for him. Hearing the ruckus outside his ER room, Jeordi stops the doctor and goes to get Tom, and basically telling his family to go to hell in the end. This sparks their quest to get married, both for protection from what happened at the hospital, but mostly because they realize they are each other's one and only.

This is one of those sweet stories that you could read over and over again. I loved the older couple that steps in on their journey to getting married, and their sharing their wisdom, time, and help to make it a reality for Tom and Jeordi. They may be a young couple starting out but they realize their journey may never be easy living where they live and that earned them a special spot. I'd love to see a catch up story for these two 5-10 years in the future just for where they end up in life.

The third story is Destined by Jamie Fessenden and follows Jay and Wallace as they meet back in the early 90s on three separate occasions with the final time as their right time. They date exclusively off and on for many years, blending their lives together but not taking the next step, until finally they move in together. They eventually marry in this awesome Victorian-esque ceremony that's a mix of pagan and secular with their friends and most of their family in attendance.

I totally loved this story because both Jay and Wallace were characters I could easily relate to. Wallace doubted he'd ever find someone just for him, and then he and Jay connected their final time and it was all that they could both ask for, even if it took a while to get to their HEA. I enjoyed the way they interacted with each other, their search for their house, and their dog, and the preparations for their wedding. It all led up to a really fun, and sweet story.

The final story is Someday by B.G. Thomas. This starts out with a very precocious Lucas telling his mother after the first day of kindergarten that one day he is going to marry his new friend Dalton. His mom laughs it off and tells him that boys can't marry boys but Lucas is insistent that someday it will be possible and he will do it. The story goes on following the boys through adolescence, and their teenage years with Lucas and Dalton having moments that Dalton pushes aside saying he's not gay. Eventually Lucas faces that he may never have Dalton because he's straight and trying to move forward with his life. Not until the night of prom when Dalton finally admits to Lucas that he wants to be with him. They face so many other things including Dalton's family, and then the rest of their lives kind of fall into place after college.

I really liked watching these two grow from innocent little boys, into the strong men that they finally become. Their friendship being the backbone of their relationship until it was the right time gave the story that extra bit of depth. I will admit that there were a few times that I wanted to smack Dalton but he redeemed himself well with the night of Lucas's prom and their journey afterward.

This was a delightful anthology with just the right stories to showcase marriage equality and the reason so many fought to have the option to marry and be with the ones they loved legally. I highly recommend this book for so many reasons but the most important one is simply Love is Love and these stories get that perfectly.

[Tracy~Bayou Book Junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States of America made same-sex marriage a legal right for all. I remember that morning very clearly. I was running late for work and was standing at the kitchen counter packing my lunch. The news was on in the background when the ruling was issued. The first thing I did was call my uncle and tell him and his husband congratulations. They had traveled from Louisiana to New York the year before to get married after being together for 25 plus years and now they were legally married, not only in New York and Louisiana, but in every other state as well. So when I received the email asking to promote and review this anthology, I couldn't pass it up!!


Flames, by J. Scott Coatsworth

Alex and Gio

This was a sad, but hopeful story of second chances. Not in the typical way we think of a second chance story, but a second chance nonetheless. When Alex comes home angry after a bad day, he takes it out on Gio. He gets mad and storms out, and while he's gone tragedy strikes, and Alex discovers just how fragile life can be.

I'll be honest, I wanted to punch Alex in the face. He was a complete and utter twat. But he slowly redeems himself, to the point that I was absolutely heartbroken for him. He was a well developed character and showed great growth throughout the story.

The story is well written and a real page turner.


Jeordi and Tom, by Michael Murphy

Tom and Jeordi

Jeordi and Tom are young, in love and in a committed loving relationship. Unfortunately, they live in a rural town in Kentucky, surrounded by religious bigotry. When Jeordi ends up in the ER, and Tom tries to see him, it doesn't end well when Jeordi's family interferes.

This was a good story, and sadly their situation is an all too common occurrence. I loved the main characters. They were sweet and loving. I know this was a short story, but I wish the characters had been better developed. I wasn't really sure how old they were, what they looked like, what they did for a living. I don't need a ton of details, but it would have been nice to have been told some of the basics.

I wanted to throw Jeordi family off a really tall building. The people and their religious bigotry make me so angry. I won't preach. I really won't preach, I'll just say this was an enjoyable read. Somewhat unrealistic, but still enjoyable.


Destined, by Jamie Fessenden

Jay and Wallace


This story is all about destiny. When you're destined to meet, yet the time isn't right for you to be together. Jay and Wallace meet again later, and the time still isn't right, but when the time is finally right, and Jay is single, he searches for Wallace and finally finds him. This is their story. It takes us through the progression of their relationship. From dating, to moving in together then to marriage. It was well written, but a bit slow paced at times. The characters were both likable. All in all it was an enjoyable read.



Someday, by B.G. Thomas

Lucas and Dalton

Lucas meets first grader Dalton on his first day of kindergarten. Dalton teaches Lucas to tie his shoe, and Lucas tells his mom he is going to marry Dalton one day. Lucas doesn't accept his mom's explanation that boys can't marry other boys. Lucas knows deep in his heart that it'll happen. Lucas and Dalton become best friends. We follow Lucas and Dalton's story from that day, through middle school, high school, college and into adulthood.

This was my favorite story in the anthology. I loved the characters. They were likable guys you could root for. They just had to get their right to marry. They had to get their HEA. I loved watching them grow, and although I wanted to punch Dalton at times, he redeemed himself. These characters are well developed, the story well written and paced well. I adored Lucas' mom and his best friend, Sam (Samantha). They were both supportive and there for Lucas when he needed then most.

Anthologies are tough to rate, but this one was actually enjoyable. The stories were all about novella length, and not just short stories, so we actually got to know the characters, and the stories all had a plot, something that can be missing in anthologies. The LGBT community gaining the right to marry is so monumental. It was important to these four authors and their husbands and it shows in their stories.

[A.M. Leibowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent anthology celebrating the anniversary of marriage equality in the US. These are four very different stories, and there's a little something in here for everyone. While I didn't love every single one, it's definitely a matter of taste and not a flaw with the writing style. All four are well-written. Three out of the four authors were people whose work I'd previously read, and one was new to me. I really enjoyed this collection overall.

Flames, by J. Scott Coatsworth - 5 stars

This was my favorite of the entries. It's beautifully written and heartbreaking with a storyline that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen. I loved the themes of reconciliation and restoration throughout. While we do get a glimpse of Alex and Gio's history, there's no drawn-out meeting and falling in love. They're already there; this is about how they make their way back from the night which almost destroyed them. Really, really well done.

Jeordi and Tom, by Michael Murphy - 3 stars

This one was okay, but it really felt a bit over the top to me. I suspect that was the point, so it's more personal preference than anything I think is wrong with the story. Jeordi and Tom are both likable, and despite the exaggeration, it still has a sweetness to it that left me with a warm, happy, hopeful feeling at the end.

Destined, by Jamie Fessenden - 3.5 stars

I loved, loved, loved the first half of this. The way Jay and Wallace meet, over and over until they finally figure out how not to make it accidental, is sweet and charming and funny. I enjoyed the way they bond over geeky pursuits. They are so much fun to read about. Unfortunately, the second half isn't nearly as interesting. It's definitely realistic--a bit too realistic, to the point of being uninteresting. I kept thinking something was going to happen, but it's basically extended details on how they do fairly mundane life things. Sure, they have some obstacles, but those are wrapped up tidily and quickly. It stops feeling like it has a whole lot of plot and more like it just needs to get to the marriage part. That said, I do think many readers could probably relate to the ordinariness of it, so it's mostly personal preference and not bad writing.

Someday, by B.G. Thomas - 4.5 stars

I liked this one nearly as much as the first story. It contains all the humor, sweetness, and big heart I've come to expect from the author. Simply charming all throughout. Lucas is such a delightful narrator, and I loved every single one of the side characters. Well, maybe not the homophobes, but I did love hating them. I adored Lucas' mom, and his friend Sam is a trip. This has a little bit of everything--some action, some drama, some steamy sex--all of which point toward the overarching theme of love is everywhere if you know where to look. The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is that like the second story, it's a bit over the top, and like the third story, the plot fizzles after the big tension is resolved. However, I think it manages to pull off both of those things slightly better than the other two. Just a gooey, sweet, delightful read.

Overall rating for the anthology is 4 stars.

**I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review**

[Lynnette Hartwig · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This was an excellent story celebrating the Supreme Courts decision for marriage equality. This was written by 4 different married gay men and I absolutely loved the stories they wrote.

Flames, by J. Scott Coatsworth – 4.5 Stars

This story was almost heartbreaking if it didn’t have a HEA. At first I absolutely hated Alex. I mean how could anyone just walk out on their partner that way and Gio’s mother as she forbid Alex from seeing Gio. I love the character development and loved Gio and eventually loved Alex as he redeemed himself in the end.

Jeordi and Tom, by Michael Murphy – 4 Stars

In this story we deal with two men, one who is dealing with the family from hell. I know that this happens quite regularly in the world of LGBT but when reading it, it really seems to hit home of the struggles that gay men and women deal with. Not just from families but from society. I loved the character development and was happy to see that how the author was able to get give them their HEA.

Destined, by Jamie Fessenden – 4 Stars

This was another really great story. In this story we deal with two mean that met and came back together after several years apart. The character development was great and I immediately feel in love with both Jay and Wallace. I loved how the author brought them back together and loved the marriage ceremony.

Someday, by B.G. Thomas – 4 Stars

This was a sweet story about Lucas who meets his soul mate at the age of 5, Dalton. It was also heartbreaking because Dalton refuses to believe he could be gay. Lucas was steadfast in his love for Dalton even when Dalton was dating girls in high school. I loved when they got married and Lucas mother has the privilege of preforming the ceremony.

This is definitely a must read for everyone who enjoys a HEA.

[Alicia Nordwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth
I felt so, so bad for Alex and Gio when reading this story. I was married to my husband just 3 weeks before we had a major accident, and I was so thankful he was in charge versus my parents when it came to my care when I wasn't able to make my own decisions. That just reinforced the theme of marriage in this anthology, and gave me a whole new appreciation for it.

Someday by B.G. Thomas
I loved how focused Lucas was in the story, and with friends-to-lovers being a favorite trope of mine, B.G.'s story really hit the mark for me. I will say I wanted to smack Dalton a few times but you'll have to read the story to find out why. I will admit I giggled through the whole scene in the except because it is just so classic!

Destined by Jamie Fessenden
Geekdom reigns!! These guys kept coming together based on their shared interests, and that is what I liked most about the story. Sure, they both wanted each other, but things were never right until suddenly they were. This was a feel good story that pulled me in from beginning to end, not the least because they were such huge geeks like me. LOL

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy
Even people without a lot of money have dreams of being just like everyone else! The gritty nature of this story featuring the common man... er, men, who struggle to be together against overwhelming odds was so touching. Not everyone can afford to have the perfect ceremony, but when you say, "I do" that's makes it magical no matter who or where or how it all came about. I also loved the pay it forward theme. By far, this was my favorite story of the four (sorry guys, I can't lie!)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful celebration of love and marriage. In any anthology there are often some stories that are better than others. In this case, however, I loved every story and every couple.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Rainbow Gold Reviews. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

The Supreme Court decision on June 26, 2015, didn’t have the same effect on me as it did for the four authors who wrote this anthology. But I felt a real sense of pride that the country had ruled in favor of marriage equality and that everyone would be able to share in the happiness of marriage that I am able to enjoy.

Someday by B.G. Thomas – I loved, loved, loved this story. In this story Lucas and Dalton met when they were in kindergarten and first grade, respectively. At that moment, Lucas knows he is going to marry that boy. It’s a story of love that lasted over a decade though only Lucas recognizes his feelings and admits to them. Dalton feels the peer pressure of being straight among the school kids, and thinks that Lucas is just confused. However much he protests and even leads Lucas into situations that might get him in trouble, Dalton develops a love that he considers to be brotherly.

Like in a classic high school movie, things come to a head on the night of senior prom. Dalton shows up with his on again off again girlfriend and Lucas who is a year younger shows up with a senior foreign exchange student. Both couples end up at a hotel at the end of the night and I had butterflies in my stomach that these two guys would throw away or regret their first times with the wrong person. What happened was crazy and awesome, and at the end of the night Lucas and Dalton had finally admitted their truths. I was very happy.

Unfortunately, not everyone felt happy for them like I did. Lucas’s mom had let his son’s sexuality grow on her and she eventually accepted him for who he is, but Dalton was not as lucky. For them marriage wasn’t a possibility at that time or even for years after, but the two of them stayed together, grew up and started careers. Until June 26, 2015, and the Supreme Courts recognition of same sex marriage. What happens between Lucas and Dalton then is an absolutely perfect ending to such a sweet story. Life is not a perfect thing, so I can’t say that they have no problems after that day, but the good definitely outweighed the bad and my heart was mush by the end.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth – The beginning of this story was not my favorite beginning ever. When Alex came home from a bad day at work,I could’t fault him for being in a foul mood, but his behavior soon had me feeling frustrated. The amount of anger he let out on his partner was overboard and walking out instead of calming down and working things out proved to be a regrettable mistake.

When Gio ends up in the hospital in a coma, other decisions Alex made or didn’t make also come back to bite him in the ass. While LGBT people were fighting for the right to be equal in the eyes of the law, there are some that would like to also keep a part of themselves different by not participating in what they consider to be hetero-normative rituals like marriage. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism because they can’t get married, or some way to maintain a individuality, I’m not sure, but Alex is one of those who had no interest in marriage and considers it a thing that only straight people do. Unfortunately there is a problem when Gio’s conservative mother shows up and bars Alex from the room. It doesn’t take long for regret to set in.

I admit a part of me wanted Alex to feel bad. I wasn’t a fan of the decisions he made. When a sympathetic nurse allows him in at night and Alex walks Gio through memories of their life together, I found myself forgiving him and wanting Gio to wake up so bad, so they could have their happy ending. What I like about this story is that Alex did realize that stubborness for the sake of being stubborn was not how he wanted things to continue. When he is allowed into the hospital later, it isn’t because he snuck around behind Gio’s mom’s back, but because he was able to convince her of their shared love for Gio. The fact that all parties were able to get along made the ending of this story much sweeter.

Destined by Jamie Fessenden – Destined was a sweet story of meeting the right person at the wrong time. I particularly like that the author based some of the story on his own romance with his husband. Wallace and Jay were my kind of characters. They might be offended if I called them geeks, but that’s as close a word as I can think of to describe them. Learning how to speak the language of Vikings is fun for them and that makes me like them a lot. I’d most likely be hanging out with a comic book reader or glee club member than an athlete.

The two men have much in common, but when they first met Jay was in a relationship with someone else who treated him pretty poorly. When Jay and Wallace do finally hook up, I could feel a really good chemistry between them even though they really only saw each other on the weekends. It wasn’t a hot or explicit story, but they were just really good together. They do face some problems as a couple and in my opinion, Jay’s mother and minister step-father are a much better representation of the Christian beliefs they have than Wallace’s father. As the years pass by they do further their relationship and buy a house that reflects their personalities as well as creating a perfect wedding for them. I love how Wallace takes cares of Jay instead of taking from him and how Jay’s happiness is a priority for him. It was a sweet story all around.

Tom and Jeordi by Michael Murphy – I’m pretty sure that Tom and Jeordi are the youngest of the couples in this anthology. Though they are young and somewhat naive boys who have only known their small town in Kentucky they have have accepted themselves for who they are and found the people they want to be with for the rest of their lives. Even if Jeordi’s family disapproves of their lifestyles. Not much is talked about how Tom’s family feels, but I presume it isn’t as negative of a reaction by the lack of discussion.

Like in Flames, one of the main characters ends up in the hospital, and his partner is stopped from visiting. However, in this book, the patient isn’t unconscious and is able to override the measures to stop them from being together. The couple is also two young men with limited resources so marriage wasn’t something they thought they could have at that point. The circumstances that they went through only strengthens their desire to join together legally. Unfortunately their county has a Kim Davis- like clerk and they have to seek out another way to find their happiness.

The two men take a journey that shows them that there is a bigger world out there than the town they live in, they find help in unexpected places and support from some family members who are more interested in Tom and Jeordi’s happiness rather than their own. This story was very sweet and I loved these two characters together.

I loved these four completely different stories in this anthology. The characters definitely had their share of troubles from homophobic strangers and family members. Some even sabotaged their own stories, but they all managed to stay strong in their love and were secure with the knowlege of who they were and who they wanted to spend their lives with. I am so glad that the characters were able to commit to each other and that their rights as husband and husband would be recognized by the law. There are still people who would like to take away those rights, but their stories and the authors real life stories make me feel there will always be hope and LGBT men and women will continue to fight to keep their right to a happy ever after ending.

10/10 Pots of Gold (100% Recommended) – Compares to 5/5 Stars

[Dani Elle Maas]

review coming on release day @ www.lovebytesreviews.com
Overall RATING 4 Hearts
Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth

In the first story of this anthology we find Alex and Gio a couple who seem to be happy in love and living together. But even in the best couples things happen and when both men have a fight and Alex leaves the house disaster strikes. When Gio ends up in the hospital and Alex needs to fight to be able to see his man, his belief that love is enough changes. He realises that he wants more. Sitting vigil at Gio’s bed he reminds him of the memories they share in an attempt to find a way to get through to him while battling for the right to sit at his bedside. With help from friends and a sweet hospital staff, Alex continues to have hope and to try to get Gio to come back to him while spending time secretly with him at night.

This first story in this anthology is promising. I found myself being swept away in Alex’s mind and memories, wanting to reach out to Gio telling him to fight. Adding Gio’s Italian Mama to the mix and you can expect some fireworks there.

The ending is wonderful and sweet and it made me smile and feel a sense of fulfilment. Great start to this anthology.

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy

The second story brings us to a completely different “world”. When we meet Jeordi and Tom we are in the deep South where both men live together despite the objections of Jeordi’s very religious family.

Also in this story we are going with both men as they struggle to keep their head above water, in this case living with as little as possible. They are still perfectly happy to be together, despite the opposition they are facing and they are facing that big time with Jeordi’s very large family.

When Jeordi finds himself in the hospital after an accident going into work, his family is there with him and despite Jeordi’s pleads to find and contact Tom, Tom doesn’t appear at his bedside.

When Jeordi finds out the reason he stands up, making sure to get his lover and to make a stand. Unfortunately they aren’t only dealing with their family but also with a small-minded town and a lot of people who live there.

Wanting to make sure that what happened never happens again, Jeordi sets out to surprise Tom with a wedding after they find out they cannot get married where they live.

When everything seems to be for nothing, they find help and support can come from anywhere and when they find help from Hank and Bill, their “brothers” from their gay community, Tom and Jeordi experience the best day of their lives.

I wanted to cheer and say bless you Hank and Bill as they made me so happy and thankful that people like that exist and what they wanted back from the boys ? For them to do the same when Hank and Bill encountered a similar situation (bless them).

Author Michael Murphy wraps up the story in a wonderful way including a visit to Jeordi’s parents and some form of unexpected support where Hank and Bill make sure that the men can breathe a little bit easier in the end

Destined by Jamie Fessenden

Unfortunately this third story just wasn’t my cup of tea so to speak. I just couldn’t connect to anything in it, not the characters, not the story and not the way it was written. This story is about Jay and Wallace who reconnect over a long period of time. They meet as strangers the first time, meeting again later and not realizing that they met before and after a couple of years they finally meet when they are both unattached and open to exploring the feelings that have been simmering there through all these years.

The story feels like a telling, a reading of their lives and the events to get them to where they are in the end of the story. Both man get their happily-ever-after with the help of loyal friends but for me I still wonder how they really got together in a way that let to their lives together.

Again I want to state clearly that this is my opinion as I mentioned before I didn’t feel any connection to the story and it’s characters. For a different reader this might be completely different.

Someday by B.G Thomas

The fourth and final story brings us to the lives of Lucas and Dalton. The first time we meet these two guys is when they are in kindergarten. Author B.G Thomas takes us through their lives in his own unique and charming way.

Lucas claims from the young age that he is going to marry Dalton, the only problem besides his mother telling him that boys cannot marry boys, is that Dalton claims not to fall for boys and that he is set to marry a girl one day. Despite that the boys turn into best friends all the way through school.

All the way through school, puberty, experimenting with friends…all of that, both guys remain best friends knowing Lucas is gay and is still and will always be in love with Dalton and Dalton trying to do the “right” thing by his very conservative family and dating a girl.

Lucas also meets a boy which he feels comfortable with even to the point of realizing perhaps he should let go of his fantasy of being with Dalton and take a chance with Etienne. But then faith has it’s ways and at prom night things come to a clashing and surprising turnaround.

Dalton’s family is set on keeping Lucas away from Dalton the minute they find out that perhaps their might be more between them and there is no denying the mutual attraction and sparks flying when both boys have some time together.

But now Dalton and Lucas have what they always wanted they are not letting go, They fight for their happiness with the lovely support of Lucas’ mother. Time and distance cannot keep them away from each other now that they finally got what they have been longing for.

The only thing that still stand is that Lucas said that one day he would marry that little boy in kindergarten. Dalton doesn’t think that will ever happen as he believes he only will marry when everyone can, everwhere in the US.

Will the SCOTUS ruling make sure that Lucas gets what he has been saying from his young age?

Personally I would like to add that I loved the fact that author B.G Thomas included some intense scenes in a wonderful sexy and loving way which definitely added to the relationship and intensity of the story in my opinion

Overall I can only recommend this anthology because I really liked to read this book. There are 4 completely different stories and one might appeal to you more then the other . I enjoyed the time spend to read this and despite it being an anthology the stories worked out really well and felt very complete.

[FantasyLiving · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average 3.5 Hearts

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth

2.5 Hearts

This is difficult. I liked the overall plot of the story, but I didn’t like the execution. I think this is a case of ‘it’s me, not you’ and it has mostly to do with the action that occurred inside Giovanni’s head while he was in the coma. I’m not sure what it was that bothered me, but it’s possible it has a lot to do with the length of time, the scenes, and the message that was conveyed through these coma-dreams. It didn’t work for me. I would put it down to my own personal beliefs.

The scenes where it was about Alex and Gio’s mother, these I felt worked well. Alex’s reflection of his attitude toward marriage, and how he interacted with Gio’s mother was really interesting to me. I liked that Alex really worked through why he felt the way he did, that he challenged his own views, and that of his partner’s mother. Medical emergencies really do bring out the best and worst in people. This is something that scares me the most about bigotry and family. The concept that they make all these decisions based around their own personal beliefs when it may not be what their injured family member would want, is terrifying. This was conveyed very well in this story, and I felt both Alex’s and Gio’s fear surrounding that. This was the strongest part of the story and was written very well.

The plot was focused, and if it wasn’t for my own personal issues around the coma-dreams, this would have been a solid read for me. The writing style was pleasing and the character development was good. I would say give it a try. I think the content is important, and it was communicated very well.




Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy

2.5 Hearts

This story was okay for me until the couple set out to get married. Then it sort of fell down.

Jeordi and Tom were sweet together. I liked the setup of the plot. I thought the direction and the message was strong. Especially the uncertainty that comes with not having legal protection when your partner gets injured. This is something that is taken for granted in so much of society, and as I expressed in the previous story review, is one of the most terrifying aspects of bigotry to me. This truly is what tears my heart out, and makes me really fearful for those whose relationship is questioned by people who have an agenda.

Once Jeordi gets out of hospital, this is where I struggled with the story. The rush to get married without a plan, the melodrama of the language used when they were having issues, the ridiculous flight to another state to get married, this wasn’t well plotted out, and I found it a bit off putting. It wasn’t the urgency with which the union needed to happen, but the writing of it that was the problem. The plot wasn’t tight enough, it felt like the writing was as rushed as the intent to get married. As this was an ARC it’s possible this problem was fixed in the final drafting of the published version. But for me, this wasn’t a winner in it’s current form.



Destined by Jamie Fessenden

4 Hearts

This story was a nice ride. I enjoyed getting to know Jay and Wallace in their own elements before they became a couple. The timeline was really well paced, and both got enough time for the reader to get to know them really well before they came together. This spans over a number of years, but doesn’t drag. The writing style ensured there was nothing boring about this story. It travelled along nicely.

This was a heartwarming story, with the slowly developing commitment Jay and Wallace made to each other over the years. They made a life that worked really well, and adapted when it was time for more. Wallace is an introvert and he still put himself out there for Jay. Jay showed appreciation for this and support Wallace in any way he could. A beautiful loving couple.

Without adding anymore spoilers, I’d say this was a very magical story. I enjoyed the way these two men met, connected, and grew together. I enjoyed the journey, and the outcome. I wished nothing but a beautiful and happy life for these two.



Someday by B.G. Thomas

5 Hearts

I’m such a sucker for high school sweethearts. There’s just something especially sweet and beautiful about growing with someone through those awkward angsty years, and surviving with a relationship into adulthood. It’s the sweetest victory to learn to love unconditionally and to still hold onto each other after the angst and development is complete. To me it’s the ultimate in romance. Gah, I’m a mushy mess right now.

Lucas and Dalton are so beautiful together. Even when they were just friends there was something hopeful and intimate in the way they were together. This was an emotional journey, and a deeply felt one. Told from Lucas’ point of view, he loves Dalton unconditionally and even when he is trying to get through high school while Dalton has girlfriends, his jealousy isn’t a wild vicious thing. It is a deep ache of longing, and he never gets spiteful or hateful. He just longs for things to be different.



The entire story is one of development, choices, maturity, and dreams for the future, while enjoying what is there now. The timeline worked really well in this story, and I enjoyed the way each stage was plotted out. I read this straight through. I had big grand plans to clean my house on my day off, and instead I spent the morning with Lucas and Dalton. Cleaning be damned, these two stole my heart, and I don’t regret a minute of it.

A beautiful coming of age story, with a tight writing style that wasted no words, and everything included was an important moment for the plot development.

I loved this. This is the sort of love I wish for everyone. It was mesmerizing, infectious, and heart melting. Perfect. This is definitely one of those stories that will cling to me for days; make me sigh in memory of the preciousness that is the love between these two people.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars ~ A More Perfect Union is an anthology by four authors who have lived through the turbulent times before and after the journey toward marriage equality for all. These are their stories, fictionalized yet personal, given to us to understand just how important the passing of the marriage equality law was for them. These are beautiful stories, each with the same message: love is love.

What happens when life’s circumstances rip from you the one thing you thought you’d always have? And what will you feel when you realize that you have taken for granted that one thing for far too long? The first offering in the anthology speaks to just those questions. In the story Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth, Alex’s partner of ten years is victim to a violent house fire that destroys everything they’ve collected over their time together. Now in a coma, Gio walks alone in a gray land where only the sound of his partners voice anchors him and gives him hope. Alex is beside himself, fearing the worst and knowing that the last words he exchanged with the man who means everything to him were angry ones. Can he possibly reach Gio in time to tell him how he truly feels?

First, I love the way in which the story was presented. As Alex sat by Gio’s bedside and related stories to his comatose lover, we experienced how those words affected Gio and how they brought him back from the edge time in again. It was the sound of his partners voice that continually drew Gio back to the land of the living, and the heartfelt remorse that Alex felt in their last moments together before the fire simply pulled at the heartstrings. This was a beautiful love story that spanned a decade and you felt the deep connection these two men had despite the fact that for most of the story Gio lie in a coma unable to respond. I won’t spoil the end of the story for you, but suffice it to say that it was simply beautiful. Rating: 4.5 stars

Jeordi And Tom by Michael Murphy explores young love and starting a relationship from scratch. Jeordi and Tom are very young and yet very much in love. Living from paycheck to paycheck, disaster strikes when Jeordi is the victim of a hit-and-run that leaves him with multiple stitches and abrasions covering his body. To make matters worse, Tom is turned away at the hospital by Jeordi’s homophobic mother and some hospital staff. It shakes both young men to the core. It also prompts Jeordi to realize he’d do anything to make sure it never happens to Tom again.

While one might say that this was a bit contrived, with amazing things occurring to make everything work out just perfectly for both Tom and Geordie, there is also much to be said for the positive message in the story. This was one that focused on community; specifically, the gay community stepping in to help some of its own. These boys were dirt poor and unable to obtain a license due to a homophobic County Clerk. What takes place next in the story is the stuff that fairy tales are made of. While you are definitely going to have to stretch your imagination a bit and leave your cynicism parked at the door, if you are able to, then this story will touch your heart and then some. It is a story of true love, and one can’t do much better than that. Rating 3.5 stars

Destined by Jaime Fessenden allows us to believe in a fate that cannot be thwarted. Spanning several years, it looks at the story of Jay and Wallace, who meet, meet again, and then finally do what it was intended all along, fall in love. While both men may have been tied to the 21st-century via their IT jobs, it is their love of the past that draws them together. However, they live through the most turbulent of times, fighting for equal marriage and praying that in their lifetimes they will be able to truly be husband and husband officially.

I have enjoyed much of Jaime Fessenden writing over the last few years. This story was a bit tough for me in that it was more narrative, told to us rather than us experiencing it as it unfolded. In fact, time and again I had to push myself to remain in the story and try to be sympathetic to the fight these two men had in finding their happy-ever-after. For me, when a story is told in predominately prose format, it is truly difficult to engage with the characters emotionally. I truly enjoyed the ending of the story because it was the most action filled in terms of storyline. What I mean by that is the event that was being written about was more engaging than most of the rest of the story. All in all, this was a nice recitation about two men falling in love and creating a life together. Rating: 3.5 stars

Finally we have Someday by B.G. Thomas, which I must admit was by far my favorite in this anthology. Told from a chance meeting of a kindergartener, Lucas, with a first grader, Dalton, this sweet story traces their lives all the way until their years past college. Declaring that he will marry the big boy who helped him learn to tie his shoes, Lucas never falters in his love for Dalton—even when it seems Dalton is assuredly straight—or attempting to be so. This narrative takes us through highlights in their time together, giving us tiny windows into milestone moments in their long and rocky friendship. Yet through it all, one thing is never in doubt—Lucas will always love the boy who taught him more about life than any other.

The magic in B.G. Thomas’s writing is the sincerity of his characters—their simplistic and deep passion for whatever becomes their defining force. Even when there is a bit of angst in his novels, or in this case, short story, you never feel time is wasted in just trying to pad the page count. Rather, every moment on page is critical to the development of his plot. His dialogue can be romantic—in some cases almost too sweet—and yet time and again he pulls it back just enough to make it realistic and solid. This was a sweeping saga of two lives, of two boys who grew to be men and realized much about themselves and what it is to really love someone. Someday was a rich romance with incredibly sweet and courageous characters. Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach Reviews

[Noah Rossberg-Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology involves four stories by four M/M romance authors that show different couples as they meet, grow together and how the same-sex marriage ruling on June 26, 2015 changes their lives, giving them the freedom to marry when it seemed impossible.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth
Alex's partner, Gio, is involved in a terrible house fire that leaves him in a coma and Alex distraught over how to handle the situation. Gio's mother intervenes, telling Alex that she doesn't wish for him to be with her son, even though they are partners and lovers.
Alex gets the idea to talk to Gio to see if he responds at all. After many fruitless efforts, Gio responds with the smallest smile that gives Alex hope. Meanwhile, Gio is trapped in a gray dreamlike world where pieces of his memory slowly come together. He can hear Alex's voice but can't escape his comatose state.
This story was probably the most interesting for me since it was so different from the others. The jumping back and forth from the real world and Gio's dream world was very surreal and made for a fascinating read. Alex recounts stories to Gio about their possessions that were lost in the fire and the memories still attached to them. Eventually, Alex's words reach Gio and the dream world fades to reality.
Rating: 4.5 stars

Jeordi And Tom by Michael Murphy
Jerodi and Tom are a young couple, very much in love despite struggling to make ends meet. Things become worse for them when Jeordi is involved in an accident on his bike that leaves him badly injured. Jerodi's mother and hospital staff refuse to allow Tom to see his partner, basically saying that they aren't a real couple.
Shaken by such discrimination, the two men agree to get married only to be stopped by a homophobic clerk that refuses to recognize their marriage because of her beliefs. They meet an older gay couple who help them out and the two young men discover the very loving community that they belong to.
This story was very clear-cut and followed the traditional story flow of the hero (or heroes in this case) overcoming many obstacles to reach their goal. This was a very nice and romantic story that showed the power of love and community.
Rating: 3.5 stars

Destined by Jamie Fessenden
Jay and Wallace continually run into each other over a span of many years, but neither can quite remember the other one. Eventually, the two formally meet and despite their different personalities, they have quite a bit in common.
The two fall in love and plan to marry and spend the rest of their lives together. But, things don't go smoothly when they have to battle for their basic right to marry and face the expected opposition. Plus, building a life together, buying a house and planning a wedding turn out to be more complicated than either of them realize.
Like Jerodi And Tom, this story follows these two men in their quest for equality and remain strong in overcoming the obstacles that try to prevent that. It's the traditional love story, but the "happily ever after" doesn't come as easily for the two characters whose rights are being unfairly disregarded. It's the love between them that keeps them going.
Rating: 3.5 stars

Someday by B.G. Thomas
As a kindergartner, Lucas has trouble tying his shoes when an older boy, Dalton, happens by and helps him. From that act and seeing Dalton's gorgeous looks, Lucas already makes up his mind that Dalton is the one he will eventually marry. Lucas's mother tells him that boys can't marry boys but Lucas knows in his heart that he and Dalton are meant to be together.
The story spans several years with these two boys, growing up together from elementary to high school then graduating and going onto college. Their relationship goes through several rocky periods where Dalton shows a deep affection and protection towards Lucas, but Dalton declares that he is straight and that nothing more than friendship can happen between the two.
This story had the most engaging plot and realistic characters. Despite the length, the story never feels like it drags on and each chapter shows how these characters grow from boys to men. The characters felt like real people going through this turbulent part of their lives. I loved how Lucas never gave up hope and remained courageous throughout the story, standing up for himself and his relationship with Dalton.
Rating: 4.5 stars

Overall, the anthology is very well-compiled and well-written. Though all stories are fictional, each one has clearly put true-to-life experiences into their stories. The main characters and how they relate to one another and react to the situations around them shows that each author has put a piece of himself into their story.
While all the stories are different, they follow the same theme: love is love. The same theme rings true for this whole anthology.
I highly recommend this one!
Overall rating: 4.5 stars

[Ben Lilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In general I enjoyed all these stories. They weren’t all carefree and blissful, or as I like to say, “Sunshine and rainbows,” but there was love and happy endings. I’ll admit that when I picked up this anthology, I was hoping to see more of a collection of stories based on the real experiences of the authors, because why else would you specifically gather four gay married authors to write an anthology? But Fessenden’s was the only one based partly on his true experiences.

My last criticism would be that each story could have been edited down a bit. There were parts I skimmed because I felt there was a bit too much summary, and those plot points weren’t as important to me. I understand the anthology seemed to stress a complete–from love to after marriage–cycle of marriage, but I didn’t think it was necessary in most cases.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth

Wow. This story was probably the hardest for me to read, and it started out the anthology! What I liked the most about it was that Alex, our main character, was being a bit of a jerk. And honestly, in marriage that happens–our lovers see the best and worst of us. Unfortunately for Alex, after being a jerk to his boyfriend, Gio gets badly burned in an accidental fire and falls into a coma… damn. I still had hope for Alex, and without going into spoilers, let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed in him. It was gusty for the author to create a possibly unlikable character from the beginning. It had a level of reality I appreciated, and a depth I enjoyed exploring as Alex suffered through his stages of grieving.

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy

Here was another accident story, and at first I was like, “Oh noes! Not another one!” but it turned out to be a different kind of accident. For one, Jeordi and Tom are a pretty stable, if poor, couple; for two, Jeordi gets hit by a car, but he’s not in a coma. Also, this story isn’t about redemption. It’s about–at least I thought it was about–how fucking awful Jeordi’s family is, and how some of them eventually come around, but some don’t. I’m being sixty percent facetious and forty percent serious, but I’m also kinda being serious. People are assholes, and sometimes there isn’t anything you’re going to do to change them. Sometimes you gotta let them go. And that’s life.

Destined by Jamie Fessenden

I may be a bit bias for the reasons why I loved this story, and why it was my favorite. There is so much of the author in this one–in every little detail–that I couldn’t help but feel as if I were reading a slightly fictionalized version of true events, which made the reading experience absolutely precious and valuable to me. I love those moments where I see the author poking through the pages, and there’s something about fictionalized nonfiction that greatly appeals to me, both in writing and reading. I highly recommend this story for the realism and the sweet ending, and I greatly wished the anthology had been more like this.

Someday by B. G. Thomas

This was one of my favorite stories of the anthology. I enjoyed the realism around the boys growing up, and I adored how Lucas fell in love with Dalton at first sight, and knew deep down he was going to marry him. It reminded me of a collection of short stories I read by Ryan Van Meter, called If You Knew Then What I Know Now. They were all nonfiction stories, and Van Meter tells one about how when he was in Kindergarten, and he asked a boy to marry him. His mother scolded him, and Van Meter felt horrible, but he didn’t know why he was being yelled at. He and the little boy never spoke again, and he eventually forgot his name. In a lot of ways, I felt as if this story by Thomas healed that part of me that was broken by reading Van Meter’s tragedy.

[multitaskingmomma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Blog Post: Review: A More Perfect Union by B.G. Thomas, J. Scott Coatsworth, Jamie Fessenden, & Michael Murphy

Review by: multitaskingmomma
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

A More Perfect Union is an anthology of four stories written by men who married the men they fell in love with and now celebrates the one thing others enjoyed or took for granted: to be recognized as husbands and husbands in matrimony.

These four stories are written from their differing perspectives. Each one showing their readers the different takes on how they felt when they were still considered second or even, third class citizens in a country that claimed to be blind to race, gender of sexual orientation. Here we see familiar themes and some not very familiar. From the hardships the LGBTQI community faced to be recognized, the fight to make sure the ruling stays and finally their fight within communities where others felt the rule of law should be confused with religion. This is an anthology that celebrates the first anniversary of Marriage Equality in the United States.

Flames, by J. Scott Coatsworth tells of how Alex manages to get around immediate family wishes and sits beside his partner who lies in a coma. Armed with the hope that a beloved's voice can be heard through the chaos of a coma, Geo 'listens' to the stories Alex weaves.

Someday, by B.G. Thomas is the one I had a bit of thinking through before I realized that yes, I did love this story. Here we have two familiar men, Lucas and Dalton, who love each other like none other and yet, one is not the commitment type and the other just wants the ring on his fingers. These men are more familiar to me. I know many who've been together for so long and yet, no matter the hurt it gives their partners, the word marriage is anathema to their very being. True, many people will not understand this but they are out there. Lucas does get his HEA when marriage equality became very real and legal. My only problem is, Dalton who didn't seem to care, or refused to see, that Lucas persevered even to the point of his heart breaking.

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy is a more familiar tale where a marriage licence clerk decides they are not legible for marriage in her eyes. Think: From God, to me, to you. Facepalm all the way through this read, frustrating as it reminds me of the scandalous Kim da Davis drama. As with the real life, both men find saviors in the form of an older couple who helps them get the rings on their fingers.


Now, Destined by Jamie Fessenden, this one made me smile. This story gives us a timeline of how Jay and Wallace lived their lives from the time they met when no fireworks announced the possibility of a happy future together until the time they finally get a good look at each other and realize, they'd been missing on a whole lot of years.

Overall, if the authors wished for an inspiration anthology, giving hope to those who think they don't deserve it, then yes, they have succeeded. There is a whole lot of reality going on here and some may like it but there are some who may crave the fair tale romance that is not so real. HEA all the way, despite the trials and pitfalls met in life.

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delicious quartet of stories to celebrate the first anniversary of marriage equality. Poignant, tense and at times horrific, some are based on personal experience. It's humbling to read these tales of ordinary people who just want to get married, to have legality as well as equality. It isn't about swans and over-the-top nuptials, just the simple fact of being acknowledged and recognised as a legal married couple. That right has been denied for so long, and to hear the things that some couples have been through is shocking, though sadly all too true.

Flames - J Scott Coatsworth

What happens when your partner is involved in a terrible accident and taken to hospital in a coma, but because you are not legally "next of kin" his family are entitled to keep you from seeing him? Alex has made a terrible mistake and is desperate to be by Gio's side and talk him out of his coma, but Gio's mother has other ideas. Alex has always resisted the idea of marriage, thinking it's an unnecessary formality, but now he will do anything to make sure Gio knows he really is committed to him. If he ever wakes up. A romantic tale from a terrific author who knows how to tug at the heartstrings.

Jeorgi and Tom - Michael Murphy

Jeorgi is also involved in an accident, and has bigoted parents who disagree with his relationship with Tom. Despite all the odds, they run away to get married in another state, only to be thwarted by a Kim Davis-like figure who won't do her job on account of her "beliefs." Then their luck changes, and the gay community rally round in the best way possible. A sweet, romantic tale with an undertone of despair from another accomplished author.

Destined - Jamie Fessenden

Jay and Wallace are destined to be together, but somehow, keep missing each other. When they finally do get together, it isn't all sparkles and cupcakes. They have obstacles to overcome and have to stay strong. Their love is the tie that binds them, but this story illustrates that HEA's do not come easily if you're not straight. I love Jamie Fessenden's writing, and his warmth for these characters shines through.

Someday - B G Thomas

A massive story, crammed into a shorter one. It all starts with a shoelace, and turns into a love affair that at first seems unrequited. Lucas is the boy determined to marry Dalton, from their first day at kindergarten. In less skilled hands, this might have seemed stalkerish, but it doesn't. It works, from teenage antics to deep lasting love, Thomas has created a grand love affair between characters that deserve more than just a short story.

So in effect, all four of these tales touch on the problems that gay couples have come up again and again, even since the marriage equality bill was passed. There is a lot of work still to do, yet they are ultimately uplifting, all very different, and massively enjoyable to read. I learned a lot, but also, could not put this book down. The writing is exemplary in all cases, so it's impossible to pick a favourite. Love against the odds, the importance of honesty in relationships, the need to be strong in order to fight for the things that others take for granted. Every Bridezilla should read this, and be bloody grateful she has never had these kind of issues to deal with.

[Morgan Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful collection of “average joes”. Gay men with varying beliefs about marriage and their stories that do all lead to the big event. They all touch on the impact the change in the legal status played in their decisions and how it made them feel about the institution itself.

It’s sweet, touching, fascinating and each story is unique and heart-warming. Well recommended!

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth

Two men, Alex and Gio, lovers of a decade, argue about getting married. Alex does not want to, Gio does. On the night Gio sets to pop the question formally, the two fight and Gio ends up injured in a house fire.

This is the story of his fight back and Alex’s revision of his life without Gio and why he must do what it takes to keep the love of his life with him always.

**

What I liked about this story – besides the sweet HEA – is the discussion of the legalities that marriage offer a couple that are often overlooked or taken for granted. Marriage is more than just a commitment, it holds legal significance and it’s amazing that up until recently that’s been denied to all couples equally.


Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy

Jeordi and Tom are from a small town in Kentucky where they scrape by, financially. When the laws finally change they decide to get married but many obstacles spring up – seemingly to keep them from success. They meet a rich benefactor in the form of an older gay couple who not only help them with their wedding plans but also give them some other wonderful world experiences.

**

What was really lovely about this story is the sense of “family” that gets demonstrated. When your flesh and blood won’t or can’t help you, family becomes what you make of it where you can build it. It’s a really beautiful concept.


Destined by Jamie Fessenden

Jay and Wallace met several times over the years before they became a couple, they they dated for over a decade before deciding to move in together. When the laws changed they had to decide if marriage was right for them.

**

This is a straight out love story that covers years and years. It’s not picture perfect, but the love Jay and Wallace share is. I enjoyed the sense of “rightness” that this couple finally experienced when all the pieces fell into place.

Someday by B.G. Thomas
Lucas and Dalton have been friends forever. For Lucas, he knew Dalton was “the one” when he was in kindergarten, but Dalton took much longer to come to the same conclusion.

**

I love a good “friends to lovers” story and the HEA made this a wonderful story. I just love proposal stories and this was so beautiful!

Overall 4.25 of 5 stars, recommended as a fantastic look at the politics behind the romance and yet, very romantic still.

[Cathy Brockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flames by J Scott Coatsworth 5 meows 0 Purrs
Gio and Alex have been together for over 10 years. Gio wants marriage but Alex sees no reason. They argue and Alex storms out. There is a fire leaving Gio in a coma and Gio's mom refusing to let Alex see Gio.
This is such a beautiful, poignant story. I cried.It is written in mainly Alex's view as he tries to see Gio, bring him out of a coma and get through the tragedy. Then there are small sections in Gio's view in his darkness and light and how he finds Alex again. I absolutely loved this style and the story is brilliant.

Michael Murphey Tom and Jeordy 4 meows 2 purrs
Tom and Jordy have been together a few moths and Jeordie's parents are very Christian and non-accepting. after an accident Jeordie's parents refuse to let Tom in the hospital. Jeordy is waiting for his partner and finds out what his parents do. when they decide to get married they find that thought the law has passed to let them marry not all courthouses will issue the license.

This is another lovely story of two men trying to live their lives normally. I loved how they find friends in unusual places. You really need to read this.


Jamie Fessenden
Destined 3 1 purr
Jay and Wallace seemed destined. They met once then four years later. they still didn't get together yet. LaterJay went looking to find the cute guy he couldn't get out of his mind or remember his name.

This started out very good with the two guys looking for each other. It slowed down bit in the middle after they got together and began the mundane life stuff. I did like that they dated so long and didn't marry until they found the perfect home. It is a beautiful story of two men destined to be together and they seem to be such a perfect match.

BG Thomas 5 1purrs
Lucas Dalton
I loved how this story started on Lucas first day of kindergarten with him telling his mom he was going to marry that boy someday. The story showcases LucasandDalton growing up during high school. There are many twists and turns and surprises. I absolutely loved this story!! hisshhuld have been a full l length book!

TO SUM IT ALL UP I loved two liked one and the other was ok.
If you like anthologies.are fans of Michael Murphey,ScottCoatsworth, JamieFessinden andorBG Thos,looking for new authors to read, need some short stories to fill a bit of time,support gay marriage or love a good romance this is for you!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always supported marriage equality, donated $, and in general, thought I understood the need for it. After reading this, I realized I didn't have a clue. Intellectual knowledge and awareness is good but these stories exposed the heart and emotions in a way nothing else has. I applaud these men and their stories!

[Mrsgeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb. Every story well worth reading.

[Marge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed all four stories.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, it was a great day, wasn’t it? An historical one when the Supreme Court in the US made marriage equality real. I remember sat here in Germany also cheering for joy for my American brothers and sisters, going around with a silly goofy smile on my face all day. And if you’re going to celebrate something then what better way than to write about and bring out an anthology of short stories.

I admit that I’m usually a little reticent when taking on anthologies. Especially when you know before how the stories will all end in this case obviously with a wedding. It’s like dipping into a box of chocolates. Some stories can be deeply satisfying, others leaving you wanting more, others not coming quite up to the mark you would like. However, I’m delighted to say that here four authors have treated me to four delightful stories. SO with no further adieu lets look at the stories together.

Flames, by J. Scott Coatsworth ~ 3.5 Stars

This story deals mainly with the inherent problem of what can happen when your partner ends up in hospital and your visitation rights are stopped due to a parent who doesn’t accept your relationship. It was poignantly written and shows us that delaying on the marriage front can cause heartache without end.

After being rescued, Gio is in a coma in hospital due to the house burning down where he lives with his partner Alex. Alex and Gio had an argument and Alex left the house in a huff and spent the night somewhere else. Although they have been together for a number for years, Alex never wanted to get married as that would be too heteronormative. Oh my, how he regrets this now. I loved the way that during Alex’s talks with Gio we meet Gio in a kind of limbo dreamworld where he dreams about his past with Alex. Knowing that Alex is calling to him but can’t find a way out of this limbo, namely his coma that he is in. He has to let go and follow Alex’s voice to find his way back.

The desperation on both sides to be reunited is heartbreaking and once Gio awakes then there is no doubt for either of them in how this has to end. It is a story about regrets and forgiveness. About overcoming your built in attitudes, especially in the case of Gio’s mother, who eventually sees the love that Alex has for her son is what matters and not what she has been taught all those years by the church and her upbringing. A great story that shows us exactly why marriage equality had to be!

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy ~ 3 Stars

This was a nice tale about two guys who have to face all kinds of bigotry. First of all from Jeordi’s family who are hell bent on trying to convert him back to the right path and see his partner Tom as the bad influence who has corrupted their son. I guess that even today this is still a big problem with some and makes me angry about some of the bigoted attitudes all in the name of religion. Jeordi however remains steadfast and doesn’t let his family interfere with the relationship he has with Tom. Jeordi has an accident which lands him in hospital and as with the story above we see how being not married in this situation can cause all kinds of problems. This story exemplifies the more bigoted attitudes of others but together they are strong and go to Washington DC to get married after their local registrar in the name of her beliefs refused to marry them although it is now the law of the land. Sound familiar? Yes, the face of Kim Davis crept into my mind all over again. The narrative style is very straightforward and was easy to read. It felt to me more like a biographical account of someone’s own experiences. It unfortunately didn't let me connect with the characters in a way I would have liked but it was definitely an entertaining read all the same.

Destined by Jamie Fessenden ~ 3.5

This story deals with what I would only call fate and destiny. If you are meant to be with someone then it will happen. Jay is rather conservative working in a normal job that although he likes doesn’t really represent his more esoteric interests. He goes to a Wycan meeting and meets Wallace. The attraction is immediate but after he loses sight of Wallace and several years later after being in a relationship that has been far from perfect and satisfactory decides to go on the hunt for Wallace. Even that one single chance meeting he never forgot after all those years have now passed. I liked the way that this story shows us that when you meet someone and you feel or know it’s right you should never let that chance slip through your fingers. You need to hold on to it and never let go. This is exactly what jay and Wallace do after finding each other again and to make sure that they are never parted end up celebrating this with a beautiful Victorian style wedding ceremony at the end.

Someday by B.G. Thomas ~ 4 Stars

OK, this story did bring a tear of joy at the end. It’s a difficult thing to write a short story that takes the reader through a number of years but I felt this was done really well here. Lucas meets Dalton while at Kindergarten and Lucas is even at this very tender age besotted by his new best friend. At that age he doesn’t know what it all really means of course but he wants to marry Dalton. It was such sweet and innocent moment when he says this to his mum. I could just imagine this. From here on in we are treated to a wonderful story of how these two remain the best of friends through childhood up to adult life but Lucas’s secret desire to marry Dalton never leaves. When they become teenagers Lucas is out and open thanks to an understanding mum but Dalton’s parental situation is very different and makes it difficult for him to accept who he is.

I love stories that take you on a journey and this one captured my imagination. The dogged belief from Lucas that one day he will marry Dalton, the teenage dramas, the young adult hopes, later forming a solid adult relationship and all the way through this Lucas’s one wish to be able to marry the man he loves. I had the chance to connect with the characters on an emotional level knowing their shared history. When the day comes where he can do this I must admit to choking up a little bit at the proposal and subsequent wedding only to know that Lucas has now got his lifelong wish.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caveat: I only read the Jamie Fessenden novella here, not the other stories. This is a great place to start if you're curious about gay weddings and the emotions involved. I know, for me, one of the greatest moments in my life was going to the County Clerk's office to register and being welcomed with open arms. It felt like I was a first-class citizen for the first time in my life! Fessenden captures a lot of this emotion surrounding the issues: family acceptance, personal feelings, meetings with event planners, negotiating pet ownership, etc.

[Shelley Chastagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth 5 stars!
Amazing writing! I love everything about this story. Alex's grief and guilt just felt so very real to me, as did Gio's confusion. I liked that Alex made the effort to connect with Gio's mom, not fight with her. The ending was perfect.

[VVivacious · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Review. This review can also be found here.

4.5 Stars

This is a collection of four stories that explore the real life implication of the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 26; 2015. In the future no one will ever have to live with the indignation of not being allowed to marry the one they love. In the coming years gay and lesbian relationships will be different because of the possibility of marriage.

But what about those who shied from the thought of marriage because they thought they would never be allowed to or those who fought every step of the way so that there would come a day when their marriages to the ones they loved would be legally and lawfully recognized by all. This anthology explores some such stories.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth – 2 Stars out of 5

Alex and Gio have been together for years but the night that Gio plans to propose, they get in a fight and Alex leaves the house only to later find out that Gio is in a coma. As Alex waits for Gio to open his eyes, he looks back on their life together and regrets the fact that they didn’t get married when they had the chance…

This story has good bones but it isn’t very engaging. A lot of the times the story read like an itinerary of events devoid of the emotions that the main characters must surely have experienced during said events.

This story is written from the perspectives of both characters but Gio’s character is not very well fleshed out and this is most definitely because of the fact that he doesn’t know who he is for most of the story. While the unique circumstances of Gio’s coma fascinated me they failed to establish Gio’s character and since Alex’s character is very well established the fact that Gio’s character is not creates an inherent imbalance in the story.

This story has an interesting premise but it failed to get me invested in the characters mostly because of the fact that the core of this story is mostly hollow of emotions which considering the subject is surprising.

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy – 3 Stars out of 5

Jeordi and Tom have to fight for their love every day in the face of Jeordi’s family’s disparage. When Jeordi’s parents try to keep Tom away from Jeordi while he is admitted in the hospital, Jeordi realises that he needs to do something such that no one can ever keep Tom away from him.

I liked this story, it had much more of a fight in it. Jeordi and Tom are two youngsters in love while everyone around them is against their relationship.

This story has multiple plot lines which are threaded together with a really nice theme of passing on the love.

Destined by Jamie Fessenden – 5 Stars out of 5

This is the story of Jay and Wallace. It chronicles their journey from the time they first met till the time they get married.

This was an awesome story. I loved the introduction and premise of the story.

I really loved Jay and Wallace. Jay is a really vibrant guy and really easy to like but I really loved Wallace. Wallace is a quiet guy, not known to emotional outbursts and appears to be kind of detached from their relationship but the author presents him in such a light that you know that while Wallace may appear detached his heart is very much in the relationship. Despite Wallace’s shy exterior looking at him from Jay’s eyes made sure that we got a good look into the person inside.

Jay and Wallace felt very real and I loved their story and how they ended up together. Moreover I loved all the domestic things they did together like shopping, trying to figure out how to live together, buying a house and learning to live together with a particularly over enthusiastic dog.

Their marriage was a dream and I loved the destiny angle in their story. I wonder if they ever figured out that they had met years before their first meeting.

On the whole I loved the story, it was beyond awesome.

Someday by B. G. Thomas – 5 Stars out of 5

Lucas and Dalton have known each other since they were kids and while life has sent hurdles their way they have always managed to come out on the other side stronger. But Dalton refuses to marry Lucas till marriage equality becomes a reality everywhere in the United States.

This one was so beautiful. I loved Dalton and Lucas and their love which was amazing. This was one couple whose story I didn’t want to see end.

It was a perfect story about love and marriage and how this particular one came to be. This story also highlights how things have changed in the last 25 years or so… in 1990 no one would have thought that marriage equality would have been a thing of the past come 2016.

This anthology has been one awesome read with some amazing stories.

Cover Art by Reese Dante. I loved the cover. It is a perfect representation of what this anthology is all about, two men professing their love by vowing to belong to each other forever.