Tough Guys: Stirring Stories of Rock-Hard Sex

I picked up 'Tough Guys' because I liked the cover. Standing in the aisle, I started reading 'A Taste for Cherries' by Taylor Siluwé because the title entrigued me. He set a sexual tone, without being graphic or smutty about it. It was erotic. I bought the book. I loved it!

This book's cover doesn't cheat us with something that isn't delivered. "Tough Guys" gives us more than 300 pages of just about any brand and extremity of man-to-man sex as penned by some of the celebrated who's-who in gay erotica. If you're into both being dominated or consenting to submission, check out the piece about the submissive student tamed by a fraternity Adonis. If you're into mall cruising, there's a piece about some bored rich kids who find preoccupation in almost any nook and crannie in the mall. For passive aggressives, we have an instruction on how to kindle jealousy to keep the man of our heart close to home. And, what's gay erotica without a prison scenario? Here, a prisoner is grilled (literally and otherwise) by the warden and Satan himself. Surprisingly, though, there are others here that manage to spark some romance that makes the tough stuff less tough and a little more gratifying. Two entries in particular, however, subtly evoke some not-so-nice-to-remember history, such as the tale of sadism involving German Nazis and some twink Russian dancers, and the one about a boy who goes sexually awry by the devastation of war and its influences. This compilation is probably more atuned to those whose tastes cater to basic, out-and-out, rough-and-tumble sex with whatever guy happens to be around. Anyone looking for a hefty shot of romance and tenderness will find some here but should probably look elsewhere for them in larger doses. Either way, on nights when nothing but the carnal urge for simple sex takes charge, this is a lusty hands-on companion (in more ways than one).

I thought this was a great collection of really wonderful, mostly gay male writers. Some of the stories were unexpectedly romantic, others had interesting humor, but all were filled with hot, very masculine, brutal sex. I was also thrilled that the editors brought back some stories that have been out of print for years, including my favorite brutal fraternity tale by Aaron Travis. It's a great collection.