I love re-reading books - the joy of reconnecting with the characters, discovering new details of the story and day-dreaming about what happens after the last chapter.
As a I way of introducing myself, I thought I would share my favorite re-reads. All four are pretty well known, so I thought I would focus on what spoke to me about the story. So - spoiler alert, maybe?
Tight Quarters by Annabeth Albert
I read the whole Out of Uniform series while in bed with Covid. Strongly recommend the series, not the virus. (Get vaccinated, everyone!)
For me, Tight Quarters was the stand out book in the whole series. I love how both Del and Spencer defy gender norms - soldier who likes to get fucked, a take-change journalist who is also a ballet dancer. As a couple and as individuals, they contain multitudes.
For Real by Alexis Hall
Alexis Hall rightly is one of the icons in M/M romance. Although this feels a bit heretical, I didn’t enjoy Boyfriend Material and was kinda of meh on How to Bang a Billionaire.
For Real however, is one of my favourite books of all time. I lived in London the same years this book was set, and so many of the details of the book, from home envy, fears of the night bus, the east London caffs and the long shadow of the 7/7 bombings, were perfect.
And that’s before getting into the nuanced exploration of power, submission, consent. The opening scene in the club gives me shivers no matter how many times I read it. And it also has some of the most powerful lines I have read about looking after an aging relative.
Yes, it’s erotica, but it’s also a beautiful book.
Seditious Affair by KJ Charles
Could you write a list about m/m romance and not include KJ Charles?
Seditious Affair is the regency romance I had always hoped to read. The ugly facets of that period are a core part of the story, both in the plot and in the atmosphere. (The short line about Silas’ stillborn son who never had a chance is heart breaking partly because it isn't a big moment). And yet the story is also rooted in that fact that people of the past had the same desires and needs as people do today.
Silas and Dominic are magnetic characters. Also we need to more civil servant romantic heroes. There, I said it.
Something Human by AJ Dumas
To me this book is all about human connection, what we owe ourselves and our communities. AJ Demas does a stunning job of creating a vivid fantasy world, for all that the first half of the book basically takes place in three rooms.
Rus and Adares are very different types of heroes, one a courageous warrior and the other a leader of men. I loved the way the story played with perspective, telling the same events with very different base understandings of what was taking place.
What unites it all?
If I was pick one factor that unites my interest in all of these books - it is the compelling characters. None were perfect, but I enjoyed spending time with all of them. (I dream of sequels for all of these books.) All of four relationships also navigate significant external power differences to find their own internal equilibrium. I don't know if 'power equilibrium' is a trope but I find it hugely compelling.
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