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Necking (2010)

by Julianne Bentley(Favorite Author)

3.64 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1615813713 (ISBN13: 9781615813711)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Dreamspinner Press

review 1: I always have trouble reviewing anthologies. Some stories really do it for me, some don’t. I never remember to write down which is which. Necking is dedicated to threesome relationships, men only. Needless to say this is erotica and there will be sex, lots of sex. I’m reminded that turn ons for me are squicks for other people and vice versa (for example, not unsurprisingly rimming is used heavily, one of my all-time squicks but it’s erotica and I wasn’t surprised to see it. I know how to skim so problem solved. Doing it in a dental chair also not my kink but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad story)The ones I enjoyed the most are the ones that hit my genres. Another problem with this sort of anthology, most of it is just contemporary fiction and I knew that going in ... moreso I can’t whine too much. Still, I really liked Skunk Bryan, Spoon (and a Badger) because it was marginally SF and Snowbound for the 1930’s urban fantasy side of it. I also really liked An American in Seville, Down the Middle and Homecoming because there was enough plot to make me happy but all of the stories have their strengths and weaknesses and I think you’ll enjoy this anthology.
review 2: I think I might be taking a break from Dreamspinner anthologies for a while. I think honestly they just put too many similar stories together and this is third or fourth anthology when everything blends together into one long, tiring theme. That’s not to say there aren’t stand out stories on their own and if read piecemeal over a much longer period, several are quite enjoyable. Unfortunately read all at once this anthology blends into a lot of erotica and sex scenes, numerous justifications for why casual sex only bothers those petty and insecure, and light on the emotion and happy ending. Depending what you’re after, this anthology could delight or disappoint. Necking is composed of 15 m/m/m stories and let me say first – almost all of them are incredibly hot. Whatever else may not work in this collection, the sex is incredibly smoking and delicious. There is also no shortage of it. There is so much sex that the collection when read at once feels like endless scenes of hot men, casual sex, and a parade of positions, talk, and fantasy. It’s probably enough to fatigue the most hardcore erotica fan, therefore the best advice I can give is read it very slowly. Read a story here or there, let the anthology stretch out. Dreamspinner tries to cram too many stories, too many authors, and too much sameness into their collections which brings down the great quality the stories can really offer. While a lot of these stories are well written, there’s only so much variety in situations the stories offer so it decreases the enjoyment and originality to put too many together – at least in my opinion. Since the anthology is about hot threesomes, the themes usually involve established couples that are looking to play or even end up adding a permanent third. There are a spattering of three unrelated men coming together for sex and most of the stories end with a happy for now ending holding promise for a happy future. The majority of the 15 stories offered are decent to good (~2.5 to 3 stars or so). A couple stood out above that such as Thank you Note by Jamie Freeman about an established couple having a fling with potential and wonder how to go about dating a new person. The characters are warm, fun, and inviting exactly like the hot sex they get up to. The story is well developed and the sense of fun, adventure, and possibility comes through very well. The sex scenes are a little clinical but the characters help override that. Another great mention is Neighbors by Day, Naughty by Night by Devon Rhodes about a couple that ends up with a naked sleepwalking neighbor and realizes the possibilities could just work out well for everyone. This is another well written story that blends great emotion and sex. Likewise Unwrapped: The Birthday Gift by Josephine Myles introduces a sexy older man that shows a new couple about confidence and trust. This is one of the better stories that tries to touch on the idea of casual sex not altering a relationship. Instead of beating the reader over the head with the lesson that jealousy is petty like some of the other offerings, this story subtly and deftly shows how two people in love can navigate the potential dangers. Not only well written but pretty hot too. The highlights for me were Beautiful Friend by Dar Mavison and Down the Middle by Heidi Cullinan. The former shows three completely different men that come together in a sex based story but alter the ideas of what’s expected. The beautiful, almost fey younger man doesn’t necessarily have to be the bottom partner and two sexy, muscle men who adore him teach some unforgettable lessons. The later story is the only one that touches on angst and offers the deepest emotion. Here an established couple is drifting apart and on the brink of breaking up when they decide to take a chance on a liaison with a younger man. While the sex verges into the territory of fixing serious problems, it’s meant to be just a step towards reconnection. It’s a lovely, well written one at that. Overall I found the anthology to be too bland and same with a lot of sex and light emotion to fully satisfy. The few stories I mentioned are worth reading and on their own would have delivered a great collection. The rest offer hot sex and a variety of stories and themes from cute, funny banter to deeper connections and several are fluff stories with little depth. That’s not bad if you’re looking for that. Just spread it out and you’ll enjoy it more. less

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