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Aroused
Sean Wolfe Has A Reputation. . . . . .for writing some of the steamiest, smartest erotica between two covers. Now, the author of the wildly popular Close Contact is back with another collection of stories as literate as they are provocative, written with a voyeuristic intimacy that recalls a XXX-rated Christopher Isherwood. Reflecting the sexual seasons of a gay man's life--spring, summer, fall, and winter--there is something here for every man. . .stories of newfound eroticism as charged as it gets; of men on quests for their deepest desires and sexual selves; of couples looking to keep their sex lives alive and exciting; and of older men fearlessly redefining sensuality. Step inside and discover. . . A magical gift card that grants a lucky birthday boy three of his deepest, hottest wishes. A substitute teacher who gives a cocky young student private instruction in a bathroom stall. One hot card game between five college buddies that brings all new meaning to "five-card stud." And in one delicious novella, a high-priced call boy experiences everything he can in search of that most elusive high--true love. . . Confessional. Personal. Deeply erotic. And 100% hot. These twenty-one stories prove that when it comes to hot sex, intense pleasure, wicked fantasy, and deep desire, it's always the right season. . .
- GenresGay EroticaLGBTGay
364 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 16, 2010
This book really delivers on the promise of "...the stories in Aroused reflect the sexual seasons of a gay man's life". I liked reading all of them, from the ones in early spring to the ones in late winter. There is also a longer novella in the middle which folllows one couple through all four life-seasons. I think I liked that one the best of all the stories.
The idea of presenting the role that age plays in the way gay men look at their lives - and their existing or potential partners - really worked for me.
The idea of presenting the role that age plays in the way gay men look at their lives - and their existing or potential partners - really worked for me.
January 10, 2024
As someone who has read a lot of gay fanfic and erotic stories online, there's a part of me that enjoys getting that nostalgic rush when I pick up something that harkens back to reading them as a teen. I found Aroused during my Thanksgiving break at a HPB, and added it to my TBR so I wouldn't blank on it. Kensington keeps on amazing me with the variety of books they publish. True, I've mainly found cozy mysteries and erotica, but at least we got queer ones, too!
I do want to hand it to Wolfe for taking on an ambitious concept and sticking through it as Aroused builds. The messaging can get heavy-handed at times, yet Wolfe doesn't diminish the importance of romantic and sexual connections in a gay/queer man's life. My favorite stories were "The Honeymooners," "A Call Boy's Tear," (although it had a kink I'm not a fan of) and "Like Riding a Bike." These show Wolfe's sentimentality the best. No matter each couple's circumstances, the endings do show a deeper connection and trust the rest of the anthology lacks.
This is best read in smaller doses. Reading two to three stories at once/over a day really showed Wolfe's preferences in men, their "endowment," and sex acts. For the most part, Wolfe's writing didn't really ignite something for me beyond the sex acts themselves. There were some weird descriptions, some of which I shared in my status updates (and continued). I don't think I've ever seen someone's anal cavity be described as feeling like an Icy Hot pack. I found myself laughing awkwardly, making inside jokes (the common one in the first half was a line from the second Total Drama Aftermath episode in World Tour. The second half was singing Slayyyter's "Throatzillaaa"), and screaming, "Are you kidding me?" rather than feeling the full fantasy. This experience harkened back to reading Him my junior year of high school, but I will say Wolfe prioritized chemistry between his characters when they hooked up.
The anthology also falls into tropes I've already seen plenty of in gay fiction and which I'm tired of. Does anyone state exactly how tall they are, how much they work out, their c**k size, and what their body looks like on dating app profiles now? This "inventory" makes the character feel conceited and vain rather than get me keyed up about what they looked like (teen me couldn't say the same thing). I think Fangs really tipped me off it, because now when I see this trope, I go:
The days of finding it sexy are over. I'd rather be attracted to your personality and how you treat me first. I think that's also the ace side of me showing.
While I don't think I'll swing back to Wolfe in the future, I'll keep my eyes peeled for any other queer books Kensington put out in the 2000s (beyond that one author my local library had whose name I don't remember) and if they're still putting titles out. If not, I know another publisher that can help a guy out from my teen days.
I do want to hand it to Wolfe for taking on an ambitious concept and sticking through it as Aroused builds. The messaging can get heavy-handed at times, yet Wolfe doesn't diminish the importance of romantic and sexual connections in a gay/queer man's life. My favorite stories were "The Honeymooners," "A Call Boy's Tear," (although it had a kink I'm not a fan of) and "Like Riding a Bike." These show Wolfe's sentimentality the best. No matter each couple's circumstances, the endings do show a deeper connection and trust the rest of the anthology lacks.
This is best read in smaller doses. Reading two to three stories at once/over a day really showed Wolfe's preferences in men, their "endowment," and sex acts. For the most part, Wolfe's writing didn't really ignite something for me beyond the sex acts themselves. There were some weird descriptions, some of which I shared in my status updates (and continued). I don't think I've ever seen someone's anal cavity be described as feeling like an Icy Hot pack. I found myself laughing awkwardly, making inside jokes (the common one in the first half was a line from the second Total Drama Aftermath episode in World Tour. The second half was singing Slayyyter's "Throatzillaaa"), and screaming, "Are you kidding me?" rather than feeling the full fantasy. This experience harkened back to reading Him my junior year of high school, but I will say Wolfe prioritized chemistry between his characters when they hooked up.
The anthology also falls into tropes I've already seen plenty of in gay fiction and which I'm tired of. Does anyone state exactly how tall they are, how much they work out, their c**k size, and what their body looks like on dating app profiles now? This "inventory" makes the character feel conceited and vain rather than get me keyed up about what they looked like (teen me couldn't say the same thing). I think Fangs really tipped me off it, because now when I see this trope, I go:
The days of finding it sexy are over. I'd rather be attracted to your personality and how you treat me first. I think that's also the ace side of me showing.
While I don't think I'll swing back to Wolfe in the future, I'll keep my eyes peeled for any other queer books Kensington put out in the 2000s (beyond that one author my local library had whose name I don't remember) and if they're still putting titles out. If not, I know another publisher that can help a guy out from my teen days.
May 15, 2023
This book was really interesting but it was very graphic and I just don’t like that type of writing
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews