The Ties That Bind

The title and cover of this anthology from the relatively new MLR Press implies a little bondage, but that's misleading. The theme is what ties lovers together, be it restraints, need or simple love. There are five stories, though one is actually an excerpt from the popular book "A Bit of Rough" by Laura Baumbach. I don't like excerpts included in story collections, but the novel did start out as a story before Laura expanded it and people new to her writing will appreciate a "taste." I usually don't buy anthologies as I don't want a good story to end, but this is a very good collection. I picked it up mainly because I love JL Langley's work and was looking for something to tide me over until her next book. I never imagined I would like one of the other stories more. "Key to Me" by Jet Mykles is by far my favorite in the collection. The story is seductive, and sexy with a teasing plot that drew me in. Noah is somewhat of a player, bouncing from one lover to the next never finding someone he wanted to stay with - until he starts receiving gifts from a secret admirer. He's intrigued, and becomes obsessed with discovering the giver. The secret admirer finally arranges for them to meet, only Noah must be blindfolded and very lightly bound the entire time. The sex is hot as Noah flirts with a little danger and the possibility of love. Though I guessed the secret lover almost immediately, it didn't dim the suspense as Noah is wooed by the unknown man. The ending was heartwarming, tender and more than a little steamy! I will look for more by Mykles. "Roughly Tied Together" by Laura Baumbach is the excerpt. I'd recommend newcomers just skip this and go straight for the novel - much more satisfying! "Gift of Eros" by Kimberly Gardner was enjoyable, but the ending felt unfinished. Val is a college grad student who has a hot one-night stand (or so he thought) with the new transfer student, Dylan. Only Dylan is much more than he seems. Val finds himself with a choice - the promise of falling in love and it being returned, or taking a greater risk. Dylan and Val are a great couple, and they have piping hot sex, but I felt their story was rushed at the end. Good, but a few more pages would have made it excellent. "Rough Ride" by Laura Baumbach was released previously as an e-book stand alone short story. It features the men from "A Bit of Rough" having some fun in the snow, before heading back for some fun by the fireplace. James and Bram are a wonderful couple, and Laura excels at writing sensuous lovemaking with a "bit of rough"! Readers need not have read the novel and its sequel, but they do make the story better as readers know the men's history together. "One Good Favor" - by JL Langley and Dick D was a surprising and wonderful submission. Langley has an entire paranormal series about werewolves, but I didn't expect this tale to fall in that genre. It was a clever, fun story about a rodeo rider looking for a new horse and finds

I bought this book because of J.L Langley had a short story in it. I was not dissapointed at all by the other stories. I liked it to where I know own almost all of the other books of the other authors. Love the story lines, the romance and the characters.

Wow, wow, wow!!! I am not usually a fan of anthologies because I rarely like more than one or two of the stories, but I love Jet Mykles and J. L. Langley, so I decided to give this a shot. Holy cow, am I glad I picked this one up! This is one of the best anthologies I've ever read...maybe even *the* best. Jet Mykles' story KEY TO ME is the first story. It's about Noah, who has been receiving gifts from a mysterious secret admirer. The gifts get more and more personal, until finally the mystery man suggests a face-to-face encounter. The story only gets hotter from there. I cannot even begin to explain how sexy this story is. It is panty-melting HOT. I wanted an ice bath and an oxygen tank after I finished it. The ending is fairy tale perfect. The "great reveal" was incredibly sweet, and he mystery man was exactly who I wanted him to be. I don't think Jet Mykles is capable of writing a story that's less than wonderful, and that's no exception here. She's a treasure among M/M writers. The next story, ROUGHLY TIED TOGETHER is an excerpt from Laura Baumbach's book A BIT OF ROUGH. James and Bram's romantic dinner turns naughty. If you've already read ABOR, you've already read this story. If you haven't read ABOR yet, this scene is a great introduction to a fabulous book. James and Bram are an awesome couple, and I always enjoy reading about them. The third story is THE GIFT OF EROS by Kimberly Gardner. It is a very cool interpretation of the Greek myth of Eros, involving two college boys. The characters are great, and the sex is scorching hot. This one has a bit of the Sherrilyn Kenyon DARK-HUNTER vibe, just enough to feel slightly reminiscent but not at all derivative. There's an article of clothing in this one that I found strangely disturbing, but it didn't make me enjoy the story any less. This is the first Kimberly Gardner work that I've read, but it certainly won't be the last. The fourth story, ROUGH RIDE, is another Laura Baumbach story featuring James and Bram from A BIT OF ROUGH and ROUGH HOUSING. James and Bram have a hot romp in the snow. This is an original short, not an excerpt from an existing book. It's spicy hot, just like everything else involving James and Bram. The fifth story, ONE GOOD FAVOR by JL Langley and Dick D, is my favorite. It features a rodeo cowboy and a horse shifter. Need I say more? LOL Seriously, I'd pay full price for this story alone. There just aren't enough horse shifter stories out there, and this is the best one I've read. JL is my favorite author of M/M westerns, and this story only helps to cement her position at the top of my list. I'm curious as to what Dick D contributed to the story. This story is so flawless that there's no evidence of it being a collaborative effort. That is some great teamwork! If you're wondering whether the anthology's name implies that the stories are all bondage themed, you're mistaken (as was I). There is some light bondage in a couple of the stories, but the key word i

This book has five good stories by four great authors of gay romance and erotica. Two are by Laura Baumback from her series about Bram and James and three others by three equally fine authors. The first Baumbach story is a section from the first novel about James and Bram, taken from soon after they first met. If you've read "A Bit of Rough,", you've already read it. If you haven't read that book, then, by all means, enjoy the short story as an introduction to the magnificent couple and then read the novels. The other Baumbach story is set some months after the second of the two existing novels when they go for a snow vacation. It is as good as the novels at displaying how much these two guys adore each other, have fun with each other, and how hot they are when they make love. Jet Mykles's story is about a cute blond fellow (Noah) who is intrigued by an anonymous admirer who has been sending him presents and who is ready to reveal who he is and how he likes his sex (mild bondage). The two lovers are delightful and their play hot; it would have been my favorite story in the collection, except that I figured out who the secret admirer was very early on in the story. Still, the two guys have great chemistry, and I thought Mykles did a great job of handling the scene when the admirer first revealed himself to Noah. Four and a half stars. Gardner's story about an ancient Greek god of erotic love finding his soul mate (in our time) in a beautiful classics major at a university is certainly quite hot, and the guys are enjoyable enough, but it lacked a certain pizzaz for me. Still, well worth four stars and a fun read. My favorite story in the book was the J.L. Langley story about a beautiful gay cowboy (all right, it's getting hot and sexy already) and a gorgeous Native American cowboy (oh, Jesus, my favorite fantasy right there!) who is a shapeshifter. From Langley, that sounds VERY suspiciously like something we've seen many times before from her. The difference is that this time the shapeshifter turns (at will) into a gorgeous, mischievous and intelligent stallion, that is, a horse. But the guys only have sex (and it's hot) when he is in his man-form. Throw in Langley's sense of fun and the play in writing this one (it comes through) and the toying with Evan's senses that Aaron did, and it just gets even better. Swallow your skepticism and enjoy a fun and heated ride with this one. Good book, good read. Four and a half stars (Langley story gets five, Gardner gets four), but they don't let me grade in half stars. Enjoy.

Usually I don't like very much anthologies. The stories could be nice, but rarely they are long enough to satisfy my need :-) And even if sometime you find a good story among the others, you still are a bit disappointed by the whole anthology... But... forget what I just wrote, cause Ties That Bind is a wonderful anthology and all the stories are stunning, one better than the other. Key To Me by Jet Mykles: Noah is a young cute guy who can have every gay men he desires. But lately he is not happy, he is tired to cruise the clubs and change a man per night. And also he has a secret admirer who sends him sexy gifts, but never unveals his name. Even if he is intrigued by the stranger man, Noah has also his mind full of unaittanable men: first Mitch, his roommate, and second Richard, his bartender colleague. Both men are straight as an arrow and so Noah has to put aside his wishes, but maybe... The story is very sexy, the slow seduction of Noah is written with growingly tension and the hidden identity of the secret admirer is played in a funny way, even if me, having a real romantic mind, was able to identify the "culprit" since the beginning... Gift of Eros by Kimberly Gardner: Val, short for Valentin, is a classic major. During a class he meets the eyes with Dylan, a strange student. Apparently Dylan is a cute guy, obviously a bottom from the look, but when they have the chance to be alone, he reveals a very dominant behaviour, which immediately draws Val and he is unable to set him free. It's like a fever, more he has and more he wants. But Dylan appears and disappears at his wish, and Val doesn't know nothing about him, only that he is a great lover and Val is beginning to care for him and thinking to change his life and his dreams to be near him. This is, I believe, the debut of Kimberly Gardner, but guys, it's a great debut. Kimberly manages to create the suspence and to startle you with the unpredictable turn of the story in the middle. I can't say more, to not spoil it, but you have to absolutely read it. And it's also very erotic! Rough Ride by Laura Baumbach: I could say that Laura Baumbach makes a cameo appeareance. Her story is the shorter one and it's a sexy scene between Bram and James, the hot couple from A Bit of Rough and Roughhousing. It's always a pleasure to read about this two, that for me will always remain the perfect Alpha/Beta couple. Everytime I read of Bram, I can't forget a dark alley and a cowboy hat! One Good Favor by J.L. Langley and Dick D.: Evan needs a new horse. He is a rodeo cowboy and his beloved horse is just passed away. But he is so lucky to find Gus, a witty horse who believe to be a lap dog. And at the same time he meets Aaron, a strange cowboy who appears and disappears at every stops of his rodeo circuit. Aaron is a Native American man with sparkling blue eyes and with a dominant behaviour who makes Evan melt. They share some hot encounters during the route but Evan starts to desire more. J.L. Langl