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Apron Strings
A successful business man and philanthropist, Neil has the sinking sensation he's having less stellar results in his personal life. He thinks his lover Danny is slipping away from him, now that his own career is taking off. Despite all Neil's careful attempts to treat him with respect and care, Danny spends more and more time daydreaming, and Neil's pretty sure he isn't the star of those dreams. Danny just wants Neil to share the dream, even if it means pushing him beyond his well-established routine.
10 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2009
42 people want to read
About the author
Jaime Samms
93 books278 followersJaime Samms is a plaid-hearted Canadian who spends the too-long winters writing stories about love between men and the too-short summers digging in the garden. There are dust bunnies in the corners of her house—which she blames on a husky named Kai. There are dishes on the counter—which is clearly because teenagers! There is hot coffee in the pot and the occasional meal to keep her from starving—because her husband is remarkable and patient.
A multi-published author whose work has been translated into French, Italian, and German, Jaime delights in the intricate dance of words that leads her through tales of the lost and broken hearted men she writes about to the love stories that find and mend them.
And when the muse is being stubborn, she also makes pretty things with yarn and fabric scraps because in her world, no heart is too broken to love, and nothing is too worn or tired it can’t be upcycled into something beautiful. All it takes is determination and the ability to see life a little bit left of center.
A multi-published author whose work has been translated into French, Italian, and German, Jaime delights in the intricate dance of words that leads her through tales of the lost and broken hearted men she writes about to the love stories that find and mend them.
And when the muse is being stubborn, she also makes pretty things with yarn and fabric scraps because in her world, no heart is too broken to love, and nothing is too worn or tired it can’t be upcycled into something beautiful. All it takes is determination and the ability to see life a little bit left of center.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 23, 2015
*** 2.5 Stars ***
This story felt confused to me and I could never quite get a handle on who these characters were or who they wanted to be. Also, some of the relationship difficulties and details just didn't jive with my expectations for such a long-established relationship.
Not awful, but certainly not Samms' best work.
This story felt confused to me and I could never quite get a handle on who these characters were or who they wanted to be. Also, some of the relationship difficulties and details just didn't jive with my expectations for such a long-established relationship.
Not awful, but certainly not Samms' best work.
October 16, 2009
This was the story, or rather it was the discussion of this story, that got me looking at Jaime Samms' writing. And oh I'm so grateful!
Jaime's stories are very much character driven; you just know that, if her men were the slightest bit other than they are that the story would itself would take a very different direction. Jaime's story is the characters, their growth, either independently or together, or actually both; they are what drives the tale to its natural conclusion. There is no other way that Neil or Danny could behave any differently because this is who they are.
Clear? Yeah as mud I'm sure. But I am constantly fascinated with both Jaime's men and their stories... and I sincerely hope that there are many more to come!
Jaime's stories are very much character driven; you just know that, if her men were the slightest bit other than they are that the story would itself would take a very different direction. Jaime's story is the characters, their growth, either independently or together, or actually both; they are what drives the tale to its natural conclusion. There is no other way that Neil or Danny could behave any differently because this is who they are.
Clear? Yeah as mud I'm sure. But I am constantly fascinated with both Jaime's men and their stories... and I sincerely hope that there are many more to come!
September 2, 2023
4.5 stars. Just loved the idea that communication is so crucial to a successful relationship. Neil is so strong and shows his vulnerability. The reversal of roles was well done. That it's an established couple made it even better.
Reread: Yep, still loved it. I felt more for Neil this time, this big guy who's trying to be everything his love deserves and not really understanding it's okay to let someone else help out too.
Reread: Yep, still loved it. I felt more for Neil this time, this big guy who's trying to be everything his love deserves and not really understanding it's okay to let someone else help out too.
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October 28, 2010Apron Strings is a very nice short story. It’s about two long-term lovers, living together for the last 5 years and with an apparently perfect life; but routine and also silences are wearing their relationship, both of them knows that but no one has the courage to speak aloud, until maybe it’s too late.
When the relationship started Danny was young and penniless, a struggling artist he relied on Neil’s kindness to move on with his life. He was also very experienced and maybe with a kinky side, but Neil was very vanilla and maybe also a bit shy, and Danny didn’t want to scare him away: the love of the man was more important than having kinky sex or being careless, and so Danny decided to settle down and becoming a perfect house-husband.
Now five years later, nor Danny or Neil are changed, but Danny is regretting a bit what he left behind. He is still in love with Neil, Neil still represents his safe haven, but sometime Danny’s mind wanders far away, to another time and place. Neil feels that he is losing his lover, if not forever, at least for little tiny bit of moments, and he doesn’t like it; but he has no the streak to impose to his younger lover to stop doing it, less to fill that void.
I didn’t have the feeling that their love was in danger, sure they had trouble, but the love between them was clear. How Danny always searched Neil to be comforted, how Neil’s vanilla side was something Danny cherished more than finding annoying, how when he was forced to sleep alone, he felt abandoned, those were all signs that Danny was still deeply in love with Neil, for the same exact reason he was five years before. And even if he was wounded, Neil has never let it go the hope to find a solution, and night after night he came back home to Danny; sure he slept alone, but at least he was there, waiting for the courage to speak to Danny, or in the hope that Danny did the first move.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/11...
When the relationship started Danny was young and penniless, a struggling artist he relied on Neil’s kindness to move on with his life. He was also very experienced and maybe with a kinky side, but Neil was very vanilla and maybe also a bit shy, and Danny didn’t want to scare him away: the love of the man was more important than having kinky sex or being careless, and so Danny decided to settle down and becoming a perfect house-husband.
Now five years later, nor Danny or Neil are changed, but Danny is regretting a bit what he left behind. He is still in love with Neil, Neil still represents his safe haven, but sometime Danny’s mind wanders far away, to another time and place. Neil feels that he is losing his lover, if not forever, at least for little tiny bit of moments, and he doesn’t like it; but he has no the streak to impose to his younger lover to stop doing it, less to fill that void.
I didn’t have the feeling that their love was in danger, sure they had trouble, but the love between them was clear. How Danny always searched Neil to be comforted, how Neil’s vanilla side was something Danny cherished more than finding annoying, how when he was forced to sleep alone, he felt abandoned, those were all signs that Danny was still deeply in love with Neil, for the same exact reason he was five years before. And even if he was wounded, Neil has never let it go the hope to find a solution, and night after night he came back home to Danny; sure he slept alone, but at least he was there, waiting for the courage to speak to Danny, or in the hope that Danny did the first move.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/11...
August 11, 2010
God damn, for a short story this one just playing big with my heart! It features only two people: Nick and Danny, who have been together for five years. Nick is always a "good" guy, a bit too white-bread. While Danny dreams to have something out of the routines they have been having, even if he loves the older guy very much. It's one of those moments, when two people who are still in love, trying to figure out what to do to save their relationship from dying down. Trying to find a way to communicate what they want. It's really, really wonderful. Love how they try the solution. Totally packs a wallop.
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July 15, 2013★★☆ rounded up to ★★★
When I read books by Jaime Samms I am often emotionally wrung out by the end ... I probably would have rated this short story higher if I hadn't read it on a day where I was dealing with so much angst in my own life ... I liked that it as a story about an established couple ... sometimes it's nice to see that love can endure.
When I read books by Jaime Samms I am often emotionally wrung out by the end ... I probably would have rated this short story higher if I hadn't read it on a day where I was dealing with so much angst in my own life ... I liked that it as a story about an established couple ... sometimes it's nice to see that love can endure.
April 4, 2016
There were high points.
I was confused. Neil was controlling, but not controlling.
Danny wants some spontaneous sex, where Neil dominates him, but Neil is to vanilla...yet then his solution is to swap roles.
Now...Danny topping Neil, was pretty good. That was the highlight. Otherwise, I couldn't figure out what Danny wanted, or what Neil's normal was.
I was confused. Neil was controlling, but not controlling.
Danny wants some spontaneous sex, where Neil dominates him, but Neil is to vanilla...yet then his solution is to swap roles.
Now...Danny topping Neil, was pretty good. That was the highlight. Otherwise, I couldn't figure out what Danny wanted, or what Neil's normal was.
August 1, 2011
Enjoyable story, very emotional and packed a punch for being a short story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews