We have all heard the term Rubenesque as a compliment for plus-sized women. The baroque painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens was fond of painting women of the day that were curvaceous and full-figured. The men in his art were not. What is the comparable term for men? Because not every gay man is obsessed with twinks who list the number of visible rib bones on their Grindr profile. Or men who can remember the number of reps at the gym but not their phone number. Some of us appreciate buying in bulk and that includes looking for love. Or just plain sex. Thank goodness for Bear culture which embraces girth. During Bear Week in Provincetown the stores do not even bother to sell clothes smaller than an XL and a man's virility is often like the potency of moonshine: the more Xs on the jug the better, so XXXL is a chub in high demand.
It has taken too long for an erotica anthology to feature such men. As Girth & Mirth founding father Reed Wilgoren stated, “Just as people are coming out every day—men and women realizing their sexuality—new Bears and new Chubbies and new chasers are also evolving in the world. There have to be people waiting to embrace them and show them the way, much as who helped me to become what I am and who I am today.” It is our hope that readers who felt denied of attention and affection will read these stories and realize that love has no weight limit, no threshold, and neither should self-esteem.
21 stories!
21 different authors!
All lovingly reviewed by Fantasy Living with an average of 3.092!
This was an epic anthology!
Epic.
For those of us who love curvy men, this was nirvana. And now you know my secret. I love excess. Tight muscle bound men are hot to look at, and I’ve side-eyed a few of the muscle-heads who work in my building, but I’ve always dated larger men.
Always. Since high school. And people question me, but I say fuck off, because yum, and hot, and beautiful, and this anthology is the proof. So let us move along to the stories, and forget that Fantasy Living’s fantasy lives with excess. Actually don’t forget it. I love big men. Period. And I love these authors for writing stories that celebrate BBM.
Firstly - R. Jackson - as the editor of this anthology, exceptional job. Minimal if any errors, and nothing noticeable. All the writers stories were complete, and made sense from start to finish. It was great not having to worry about grammar from one story to the next. They were all seamless. I didn’t roll my eyes, or highlight words that shouldn’t be there. Perfect. Thank you.
Secondly - great selection of short stories. All were smutty and delicious. Squirming doesn’t do my state justice, while reading some of these stories. Definitely Erotic… some romantic, others just smut, but all unique and satisfying. The authors sure do have some great ideas, some sweet, some devious and twisted, and good communication skills in writing.
Now onto the stories…
Fur Ball by Hank Edwards
This was a really sweet romance, facilitated by a cat named Furball.
Bill spends his days at a crappy, underpaying job, and spends his nights smoking weed, and dreaming about stuff. One night, while he is enjoying his smoke, a cat jumps right onto his lap and starts making itself at home.
After a few nights of the cat visiting, the owner, Don, comes looking for Furball, and the attraction between Bill and Don is immediate.
I really enjoyed the easy dialogue and sexual chemistry between these two. There was nothing rushed about the development of character or plot. It worked really well. The story was believable, and the timeline worked really well. I had a big smile on my face for these two fellas, and wish them a long and happy life.
A Man of Substance by Dale Chase
This is a historical short about stage producer, and actor, William Neville, and the new actor he has his eye on. Only, the new arrival, Patrick Witten seems to be sending mixed messages and besides, as a man of excess, he prefers his men slim and lithe. But there is something about Patrick that William is drawn to, and by golly, he is determined to get this man into bed. Afterall, who wouldn’t want William and his substantial body.
”I begin to plot his undoing because he must, absolutely must be undone. He must be stripped naked and fucked to excess; he must be mounted roughly and possibly whipped. I shall stuff my cock into his mouth and make him suck. I shall spurt gobs of spunk over the whole of him. I shall impose my body on his until he is mine.”
I have to say, I loved William. His arrogance/confidence was a beautiful thing. And his dirty talk, wow. Perfect in titillating the mind. There is something so sexy about a man who is comfortable in his skin, and believes he is beauty to behold. Once the sex happens, it is raw and primal, and the snuggling, adorable. Well written, and fleshed out for a short story, I was impressed and eager to read more from this author.
What the Hell? by Ben Bauchlein
Ben is stuck at a conference and is not having his usual good time. He is restless, but he doesn’t know why. He can easily get laid, but the options don’t appeal, until a confrontation with the tech specialist during a technology glitch right before his speech is due, results in something unexpected.
Short, smutty, and to the point, this story was a little bit dirty, and a lot of fun. Not overly memorable, but great reading at the time. As part of this anthology it worked well, and included masturbation and exhibitionism. Yum.
The Last Gift by Jeff Mann
This story was about an older man, and the reality of being single and aging. One last attempt at a fling for a fifty year old gay man, visiting his lesbian friend in England.
Slightly depressing, because I don’t want to think about being old. Also the reflection of Jamie and Laurel during their visit. About what it was like when they were in their dating prime, and the reality of being older and most people choosing youth over maturity.
Thankfully, this had a great ending, and Jamie did get his fling with a younger man afterall. With an open-ending for readers to decide what happens next, it was great to have some older characters to read about.
Bulk City Gym by Jack Fritscher
This short was ridiculous in its hotness. A guy just out of high school and on his way to college confides in his father that he feels small and wants to bulk up in every way. His father tells him about a program he went to, to bulk up his body and his cock. Of course this conversation could happen… in the twilight zone.
We never get the boy’s name, nor his father. It is told in first person POV, and neither are mentioned. No matter, it is still burn the pages hot. From the almost incest to the monster cock blow-job in the toilet of the aforementioned gym. Pure deliciously filthy smut. It may or may not be wank fodder (who am I kidding, it is total wank fodder). The fact that it is short, leans in its favour. I’m not sure how you can make this a longer story without reducing the effectiveness of it. It is totally ridiculous, and unsustainable as anything than what it is, but it was completely dirty in the best way. I’d like to see what other hot morsels Jack Fritscher has up his sleeve.
Temet Nosce by John Genest
This story starts off with Roy on his way across the country to meet up with a man named Ethan, whom he has been talking to online. Ethan is a big man, and Roy is a self-labeled Daddy. The meeting is their first, and even before Roy touches down at the airport I got the feeling he was regretting his decision to do this.
Once he meets Ethan he is immediately bored. He just wants to get to the sex, and be bossy, and bust his nut. This is where we jump into Ethan’s head, and the title of this story starts to make sense. Because Ethan lives by this proverb, and spent a long time getting to the point where he believes in himself and knows what he wants.
This is a story that works to show the readers that even big men can feel comfortable in their own skin, and know their worth, what they want, and that they don’t have to put up with anyone else’s shit. I really enjoyed the delivery, and the jump from points of view. This is not a romance, but it is a nice story to remind us all that we are worth more than someone else’s perception of us.
Rainy Days by Charles Ov Lyons
Mark and his boyfriend Jamie have broken up. Mark is sad and depressed, reminiscing over the last few moments of their relationship.
This story is a bit melancholy. While still erotic, it’s about sex being used as a band-aid to ignore deeper problems.
Some writing style flaws which may be more of a “it’s me not you”, but otherwise written well and capture both character personalities well. Nothing overly memorable, but certainly a nice addition to this collection.
He’s Five On, He’s Beautiful, And He’s Mine by Jay Neal
A sweet story about co-workers of very disparate sizes getting together after a long shift at Walmart.
A soft-spoken giant, Dwight, and a very short man named Armando find that they fit perfectly together.
This was pretty short, and is more first encounter romance than erotic. The scene is pretty short, and not very memorable. I think if this was longer, it could have been turned into something more.
Unfortunately it didn’t really hit the mark for me. But I wouldn’t discount this author. I liked the concept and with a different plot, I think this would have worked better.
Filled by Tom Farley
This was a wild story. Twisted too. There was lots of food... forced feeding, sex while eating…. using food during sex. It was definitely a fetish story. I was unexpectedly turned on by a fair bit of it. I think it was the darker element of the content that did it for me. There really was something twisted about the main character in this story. And it is pretty apparent as the story progresses what that darker element is.
This is not for the squeamish. I would proceed with caution for those who may be offended by this sort of feeding fetish. For those who enjoy twisted shit, this will certainly entertain you.
Burning on the Edge of the World by Matthew Bright
This story is really sweet. Two men reuniting and re-telling stories from high school. A particular memory of Scott, the bigger man, who was dared to swim naked is re-lived by the main character. The main character (whose pov it is but isn’t named) has had fantasies ever since, which changes Scott’s view of himself once they talk about it as adults.
This story is a bit of a tease. There’s some erotic content but it is more about living a fantasy than hard core fucking. The gentleness to it is almost dream like, and the connection between them is there. It’s left open-ended so it’s either the start of something or closure. Well written, and except for the fact that it is written in first-person and we never get the narrator’s name, it was lovely.
Hustler’s Endgame by Landon Dixon
Tim is a hustler, and has his sights set on Brent for his next game. He lures Brent to hotel room where he proceeds to take charge and give Brent a good time.
The story was hot, with some flaming dirty talk, and Daddy-kink. Well written, and tight plot for a short, I had a great time reading this.
I liked Tim’s personality, even though what he was doing wasn’t really nice. But if everyone wins in the end, it’s worth the hustle.
Golden Walrus by Jerry Rabushka
Hector Leeb is single because he will not settle for anyone who does not accept his Judaism. Barkley Roger is heading up in years and hiding himself away from his old playboy ways, behind a long blond ponytail and a thick bushy mustache. They meet in the gym at the local Y and decide to hook up.
This story kind of goes off on a tangent. Which is cool. I suppose the point is acceptance, and I enjoyed Hector’s ranting about how his faith and homosexuality can co-exist. It gets him what he wants; someone who accepts him for him. And in return, Barkley gets to shed some of his past.
Decent writing, in a fun, casual way. A slightly sardonic “older”style between two almost middle-aged men.
Dionysus Tamed by Jay Starre
Zeus is sick of Dionysus’ wily behaviour and is determined to dole out punishment for some crime or another.. seduction I think, oh who am I kidding, I don’t remember because I was only interested in the giant cocks and dripping...everything. This is another fabulous addition to my wank fodder. I didn’t even care about the plot because it was meaningless, and only Zeus pounding Dionysus’ arse truly mattered. Greek Gods have always been a hook for me, and I win. every. time! Thank you Jay Starre…. truly, thank you.
Coming In The Night by Skye Eagleday
Chad finds himself staring at a summoning book that is part of a collection he is curating. He takes it home and decides to try it out. He summons Luka, a shape-shifting Incubus who decides to appear as a heavy and hairy man this time around, because that's what Chad likes.
This was a fun piece of supernatural erotica. The food was almost as erotic as the sex. And it was just pizza. None-the-less, I’d have liked it to be a little longer. The premise was great, and there was a lot to play around with.
Heavy Set by Shane Allison
A guy and his co-worker get together at the end of their shift. Sexy stuff happens.
This is another story where the narration is in first person so the reader doesn’t get the narrator's first name. This seems to be a theme. But I prefer to have a first name, even if it is only mentioned once by the secondary character.
Otherwise, this was hot. A friends-to-lovers story where we are treated to the slow progression of the “straight” secondary character, Kenny, doing not so straight things with the main-character.
Tag Team by Larry Faulkner
I think I have a thing for wrestlers… Especially oily wrestling, naked wrestling, where dicks “accidentally” slip inside holes….
This, unfortunately, isn’t one of those stories, but it is a sweet story between a very insecure amateur wrestling student, and a co-student, who meet at a training camp, both hoping to make it into the big leagues.
There is a very sexy blow-job scene in this story. And the way Shawn worships Hugo, delicious.
I liked the way Shawn boosted Hugo’s confidence, and made him see that being chunky is hot. Well rounded development, and satisfying ending, this story was one of my favourites.
The Nip Man by Daniel M. Jaffe
Ever wonder what it feels like to be obsessed with men’s nipples and live in a small town where you don’t really know anyone?
Nipple-kink isn’t something I’ve ever considered before, but I am really glad I had this experience, in the safety of my own home, instead of at a small-town porn theatre.
If you’re curious about what this is all about, definitely read this story. I have no regrets…
The Story Next Door by Karl Taggart
Perry is a writer, who has lost his lover, Frank, and is quietly celebrating his writers Award on the deck of his home, when he spies his new neighbours having a tryst in their pool.
He decides to write a story about them, while enjoying some voyeurism, until they invite him down to mingle, and meet their friend.
Just hot. Well written, great history, and character balance. I enjoyed Perry’s dialogue to himself/his dead lover, and the exciting things he sees while on his deck.
This was one of my favourite in this anthology. A second chance at love for Perry.
Moby Dick by William Holden
As the story suggests, this is an adaptation of Moby Dick, but instead of an obsession with a real whale, it is a beautifully big man that is the object of Abram’s obsession. Abram spies this busty man skinny dipping in the ocean on his way out of port. He just cannot get the beautiful sight out of his mind and he is determined to catch the elusive man.
After six weeks at sea, completely engrossed in his obsessive thoughts, Abram finally decides enough is enough and leaves his ship to seek out his beautiful prize.
The story started of okay, but wasn’t detailed enough to really impress me. I seriously thought that Abram was going to do something different than he did, based on his psychotic behaviour. The object of his obsession was not a complete character, and even though I got a glimpse of who this man was, it wasn’t enough to convince me of anything. This would have been better if it was a little longer. That aside, the writer was very good, and the idea was fun. I wouldn’t discount this author in future work, based on this glimpse.
Indivisible by Dylan Thomas Good
Prince Al-Damynd is awaiting his father’s death and is being fitted for a new kingly outfit for when the time comes that he ascends. The tailor, an older gentleman arrives, and there is an instant connection.
This was quite naughty. Feeling up a barely-legal prince is naughty. Historical erotica in fine form, the old man and the prince was a pretty sexy concept.
The writing was well done. Lots of showing text. Although for a short story, there was an element of instalove, it still flowed well, and turned this into a thing. A very sexy thing.
A Slice of Pi by Nathan Burgoine
Mathematical genius, Warren, meets lumbersexual Café worker, Bill, while studying for his thesis, and instantly falls in lust.
These two hit it off, and complement each other well. Highly strung Warren needs down to earth Bill to keep him fed, and grounded in the real world, instead of living in his head.
This was really sweet, and a great ending to the anthology. Although it is still a short story, the time span of the story ensured that the characters got to know each other before they got together physically.
I like the writing style and the flow. I enjoyed both characters, and wish them a long and happy life together.
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