Happy Halloween...Trio of Shorts.....

While I am not planning to spend the evening sitting in the great outdoors, freezing my tookus off waiting for the Great Pumpkin, I do profess to love Halloween. Call it what you will - Samhain, All Hallows Eve, a great excuse to dress up and gorge on chocolate....it just rocks. To celebrate this most fab holiday, we at Guilty Indulgence bring you a taste of some otherworldly romance, with a twist. Three short stories from Torque Press!

The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day, J. Rocci, Torque Press, 2011

Lord John Blakeney has been living with the curse of the werewolf for almost a year and fears that he can no longer control the beast. Exhausting his search for a cure, he is determined to attempt one last antidote at the advice of a London alchemist. He needs transportation to a crag where the sun and the moon align in a lunar eclipse on All Hallow's Eve. When a pickpocket places a note in his pocket that leads him to a pub, he's approached by Donal Gambrill, air ship captain and a man he fell in love with years ago. Gambrill is convinced to fly him to the crag on the Totentanz, his dirigible, and during the journey, Blakeney and Gambrill find that their former attraction is still burning bright. But if the cure works, they may have more time than Blakeney can imagine.

This short most certainly falls into the Steampunk category - one that I am not strongly familiar with. The sensation of Victoriana exists and has a classic hauntingly romantic feel like an old Victoria Holt novel. But the focus on the mode of transport - dirigible, and the cure for his lycanthropy, makes this oddly romantic tale that "something other" and somehow I grew quickly to like it.

The chemistry between Donal and John is sexy - that kind of push me/pull you tug you feel with an old lover you never really got over. The mystery in reconnecting, answering those questions lovers generally don't get the chance to ask in hindsight, builds on that romantic element and the magic doesn't stop. What would you do to make things "right" for that second chance at true love?

Ghostly Indulgence, Berengaria Brown, Torque Press, 2011

Nurzhan and Spyridion are ghosts. The only night they can become corporeal is All Hallow’s Eve, when they should be busy haunting. Hopefully, there will be some time for fun, as well. They’re determined to get to know each other much better on this one special night. But how can they live a whole year without touching each other again?

I love rowdy ghosts. I really love rowdy ghosts who want to do more than scare people. If I had one day to be corporeal, I'd take serious advantage of it - and boy do these boys do just that! Not only do they get "busy", they make the house practically come down around their ears - and the prize they win because of it is so worth it! A totally quick, erotic read any fan of paranormal m/m will enjoy!

Lion Tamer, a Hammer story, by Sean Michael, Torque Press, 2011

Single Hammer Club Top Christopher is dressed up for the club's Halloween party as a lion tamer, complete with whip. He's an expert with the whip; he just needs to find someone special to use it on. Will newcomer and sexy kitty Travis be just what he's looking for?

Saving my favorite for last: like dessert, this was one sticky, sultry treat. Totally decadent, sexy as hell and just a wee over the top...all in 22 pages! Christopher is a Hammer Club regular, Travis is totally not. Brought by friends and dumped in a corner, he has that vulnerable self doubt sub thing that appeals to a proper Dom like Christoper. Their verbal exchanges are sexy, flirty and just reading about their dancing was enough to have me fan my face and grab something cold to drink. Their sexual chemistry is combustible and would be utterly tragic if the reader didn't feel there was a hope that after the last page, the next chapter was just around the corner for these two amazing characters.

Sean Michael has always impressed me with his ability to build a world, characters and story with little fan fare. His men are who they are, back stories are there but don't need to be fully divulged for the characters to feel real and the chemistry is always out of this world. Always a pleasure, this little "sip" is worth the taste!

All in all, not a bad night's read - really quick and easy, romantic and sexy - these men give new meaning to the mystery that is All Hallows Eve! I give them each four chocolate covered strawberries!