Make Me a Match, Volume 2 by Various Authors

Make Me a Match, Volume 2 by Various Authors -- An Anthology
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Paranormal, Erotic Romance

Review Copy Received from Author

Summary:

Whether he knows it—whether he wants it—every man in these stories is headed for his perfect match. Dating services, matchmakers, family introductions, even unlikely friends... the means may differ, and the road probably won't run straight, but "happily ever after" is guaranteed at the end. It's about romance and heart, but some steamy attraction never hurts! Be it a perfect stranger or a crush from long ago, all it takes is a little help to find that certain someone and "Make Me a Match."

Jaime's Review:

Stormy Weather by Chrissy Munder

Summary:

Meteorologist Grant Singer is sick of dates who only want to bed the TV "weather guy". But the matches from the online dating service he signs up with are even worse. In fact, the only thing that makes the endless dinner dates bearable is Craig, the cute waiter at his favorite restaurant. Luckily for Grant, Craig never misses one of his forecasts….

Jaime’s Review:

This was a lovely tale of two guys who manage to find one another through the crowd, even though they don't quite know right away what they're looking at. I rather liked Craig and his simple resolve to be content with his life. He has a certain surety that he will meet the right guy, eventually, even if he hasn't, yet. Maybe that's the optimism of youth, but I think it's also about his personality, being open to chance. Grant's not so sure Mr. Right exists after his recent dating fiascos, but he's willing to try, and that's always a plus.

This really is a sweet story despite the sex scenes, which generally tend to push any story from sweet to at least sensual. In this case, they are well done and somehow manage to retain the sense established in the story of honest, uncomplicated love. The characters are easy to like, their situations are easy to sympathise with, and you just want them to see each other and more importantly, recognize each other. I like the way the story closes with them still being just who they are, honest and tender, and you just know it's all worked out for the best

Score Two for the Good Guys by Maria Albert

Summary:

Cat is convinced her psychical therapy client, civilian hero Jeremy Masterson, would be the perfect match for her big brother, Detective Rick McFarlan. The trick is hooking the tough cop with the gentle social worker without arousing her wary brother's suspicions that she's matchmaking again. With the help of some friends, the two men are introduced at a party, and sparks fly. Unfortunately, instead of igniting a fire, Rick manages to go down in flames. Will Jeremy give Rick a second chance to prove that Cat was right after all and Jeremy is the soul mate Rick never expected to find?

Jaime’s Review:

Soul Mates is such a nice theory. It's really hard to make me believe in the idea, so an author who can pull it off gets my vote, for sure. Maria Albert has created an atmosphere where it seems at least plausible. Then she introduces surly Rick to skittish Jeremy, and it seems like the perfect match, until the men get past the "Hi, nice to meet you." stage. Their interaction at the party is part shocking and part inevitable. Reading it was exactly like witnessing it first-hand. You're not sure if you should offer sympathy or back away in horror. You only know you should stop looking and mind your own business, but you can't quite manage to look away.

There's a little more bite to this tale, with the characters having some serious issues to deal with. I found the largish cast to be a bit confusing, and chaotic. This story is really good, fully realized, but with so much going on, I can see it might have worked being expanded to something longer, as well. It would have been nice to get a better look into the characters',--especially Rick's-- lives. So much of the relationship in this story happens in the last quarter of the book, to me, it felt a tad bit rushed, perhaps to get it in under word count.

Still, it's a compelling tale of bravery on many levels, and I enjoyed it as it is. I would have invested a lot more of my reading time in these guys. They're worth it.


Fragments of a Fiery Sun by M. Jules Aedin

Summary:

Exiled from his native land for his politics- and his preference for men- Kelan is looking for a new start in America. The last thing he wants is to get entangled with a gang of thieves the minute he steps foot on the New York City docks. But pickpocket Midge thinks the handsome Irishman is just what the gang- and especially their leader, Toby- needs.

Jaime’s Review:

I liked this tale. It was a bit of a twist on the standard Oliver story, one just about any m/m writer I know imagines at some point. I know I did. It's not a retetling of Oliver Twist. More a nod to the tradition of pick-pockets and sticking together, looking out for one another, and making family where one didn't exist before.

I liked the match maker in this story. She's not just trying to get her friend laid. She's making sure her little family, the only thing she really has in a city that overlooks and ignores her and her kind, is whole. That means making sure every member has what they need, and in this case, Toby needs love she can't give him. She's quick to test Kelan and find him a match for Toby, and firm in making Toby see the benefits of the arrangement.

The plot is just about right for the word count in this story, too. It's simple, just enough conflict and tension to keep me interested, but not too much to fit into the format. The characters are all well rounded, unique enough to hold their own, and not be confusing.

This is a great example of a story fitting into the confines of the word count and being an entertaining, interesting read.


Some Delay Expected by Sean Kennedy

Summary:

Kyle hates when his best friend Missy tries to set him up- which doesn't stop her from doing it anyway. So maybe he was less than fair dismissing Sam as a loser after a single cup of coffee. When a winter storm strands the two college students on the Amtrak train on their way home for the holidays, the least he can do is give the guy a second chance, right?

Jaime’s Review:

I found this story a bit difficult to get into. Like Sam, I wasn't too enamoured of Kyle starting out. I didn't ever really get a feel for him or understand his reason for being so harsh. Mostly, I just thought he was damn lucky Sam gave him the second chance, and not the other way around. There were a couple times in this story I got confused between who was who. Sometimes, they were very much alike and it got hard to figure out who was talking and who was doing what.

The banter between Kyle and Missy was never dull. The dialogue between Sam and Kyle sometimes had me chuckling. All in all, this story had some fun moments and a satisfying ending. I would have enjoyed it more if the characters had been more to my liking, but that is definitely a personal bias.

Hot Property by S. Blaise

Summary: Robbie's mother has her heart set on a match between her son and his childhood playmate Jamie- who Rob can't even remember! He's far more interested in his new real estate client the delectable Jay Grant. Is it possible that mom really does know best?

Jaime’s Review:

Called it in one! This was not a surprising story for me. I knew the ending on the first page, and still, I enjoyed it. Robbie's angst over whether or not he blew his chances with Jay. The story was so well drawn that even though I figured out the twist early on, I was still compelled to keep reading and find out if things worked out for him.

Jay was a bit of a mystery, which often happens in so short a story told from one POV, and I would have liked to get to know him a bit better. I thought he was a good match for Robbie, though, even if he was a bit sneaky. I did wonder why he didn't come out and tell Robbie what was going on, and his reasons were never really explained, but it all worked out for the best in the end.

Waves of Love by John Simpson

Summary:

Ken is so happy with his lover, Jack, that he wants his friends to be happy, too. Setting up Jerry and Dale on a vacation cruise, he can't resist tagging along himself to give love a little push. He never dreamed he'd enjoy matchmaking he'd enjoy matchmaking so much!

Jaime’s Review:

What's not to enjoy about matchmaking when the end result is communal? This was a nice story with a happy, at least for now, ending. It was a little off-putting for me, told as it was from the match-maker's point of view, and I felt very far removed from the men supposedly falling in love. They were decidedly secondary characters in this tale.

What worked for me was the glimpse into the inner workings of a guy's mind, and the reminder that sex and love do not work the same way for 'them' (guys) as it does for 'us (women). If the sex was communal for these two couples, the love between the narrator and his spouse was not up for grabs. I found it really interesting to see the separation between sex and love.

Thirty by Zahra Owens

Summary:

In Mallick's world, life begins at thirty- the age when he through working and ready to meet his life mate. But even though Varr is a Matchmaker himself, they seem to have little in common. Could the match be a mistake, or is Varr the man he's ready to Bond with for life?

Jaime’s Review:

I think this might have been among my favourite stories in the book for me if it had just reached that next level. It was pretty choppy, in some places, time passes and events are skimmed that I would have liked to experience with the characters. The world depicted in tantalizing glimpses could have been much more thoroughly explored in a longer work, as could the abilities the characters are gifted with. Much of the word count is taken up with developing the relationship, which is good, but for me, not enough time was devoted to delving into how this complex society works, especially given that that very complexity brings about the crisis of the tale.

For me, this last story just isn't nearly done justice with this short structure. Too much is left out of the struggles the couple has to endure before they come together. The conflict is all told, while the resolutions are shown, and seem to come too fast, too easy because the conflicts are not given fair weight. The potential for a really good story is there, but it just isn't realized in this format.

These characters are so sympathetic, so easy to like it's good to see them get their happiness, but I didn't feel their pain the way I could have, given more time. I felt robbed on this one, because I really, really wanted it to be longer, deeper, just more!

Overall, this anthology had some hits and some near misses. It was, overall, an enjoyable read. One thing I noticed that bugged me just a bit was the propensity for meddling females in the lives of gay friends and family. Does that really happen? I'm not convinced.

Rated 3 1/2 Delightful Divas by Jaime!



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