The Male Male Mystique
“So, how do you feel about gay romance?” This question came up in a reader group recently when a new reader was trying to figure out if they should read the next book in a series because they had never skipped a book, but felt a little uncomfortable knowing the next book was about two men. It conjured up my memory of being in that very space. Despite having LGBTQ+ kids, and several gay family members, it wasn’t something I had ever read about. Not even in regular fiction, never mind a romance novel. And I knew based on the author’s other books that this was likely to be pretty damn spicy. And I didn’t know how to feel about that. Was it weird that I was intrigued and curious? The book had tons of reviews, most really positive, so obviously others had read it and enjoyed it. And I can’t imagine they were all, or even mostly, part of the LGBTQ+ community themselves. So, no, I guess I wasn’t alone in wanting to dive right in. I knew a bit about the characters from other books and they were definitely special to me already. And I started to recognize that I needed their love story just as much as the straight couples whose stories I had already devoured. I read that first book with some trepidation. Then I read it again without my own hang-ups getting in the way. I wanted to read it and recognize it with the same appreciation and enjoyment I read every other romance novel with. And when I finally allowed myself to read it as a love story, just like every other romance novel, I was hooked. I actively started seeking out series with MM stories. And they were abundant. And really beautifully well written, with deep meaningful relationships, between well-developed, fully thought out characters. Just like the straight romances I read. And, wow, that sounded really judgy. But I will own my discomfort in that.
It did not escape my notice that all the MM books I read were written by female authors. And while I didn’t question their gender identity or sexual preferences, I did wonder how they wrote such intensely intimate and intensely personal stories about something they themselves would never experience. And I had to stop myself right there. When was the last time I questioned an author’s ability to write about dragons? Because, let’s be real- writing an honest and beautiful story is not solely dependent on writing only from your personal experiences.
And I did what I usually do- I asked questions. I reached out to 3 of the authors of my absolute favorite MM books and asked if they would share their insights with me surrounding their inspirations and reasons for writing their MM books. As expected, their answers were beautifully honest, and extremely informative. In fact, there is so much to unpack in their answers, I’m going to highlight a few points here then treat you all to a bonus blog with their answers. First, a huge thank you and shout-out to Samantha Cole, A.M. Johnson, and April Wilson for writing such incredibly beautiful love stories and for sharing your insights with me surrounding your MM books. Check out the list at the end of this post for some recommendations of their books.
One thing that resonated with me from all three authors is that they all did the research. They read articles, memoirs, and other MM books, spoke to other authors, attended workshops and conferences, and spoke to friends who fit their characters’ profiles before and during the entire writing process. And they continue to do research and reach out to people in the LGBTQ+ community as they write additional books.
After reading their answers and a few responses to other questions that came up in an on-line group, I started to think about the reality of relationships in general and how we choose to discuss or ignore them. You would think a bunch of people immersed in the romance novel community would openly discuss their love lives, but not so much. I mean, think about it. How do you start a conversation about love? When you meet new people, do you reference who you love and why? How often do you tell the tale of how you found your significant other(s)? Is it an organic conversation with friends and family? Or is it uncomfortable or hidden because your situation falls outside the norms of the company you keep? How comfortable are you when speaking with friends and family whose love lives differ from your lifestyle? Do you look forward to sharing intimate details with your best of friends regardless of whether their lifestyle matches your own? And if you had a source to understand a lifestyle different than your own, without having what you think might be an uncomfortable conversation, would you take advantage of that source? So many questions. I hope after reading this you’ll engage in some discussion in the blog forum or on social media posts about this topic. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.
I’m going to leave you with another common theme present in all of the interview responses, and the majority of replies to conversations in the groups: Love is love. Writing about love between people is universal. The mechanics may be different, but the emotion, sentiment, purpose, intent, and benefits are the same. And that is a truly beautiful thing.
Ruined is book 6 in the McIntyre Security Bodyguard Series and tells Sam & Cooper’s story. It is one of my absolute favorites, and not just because it was the first MM book I read.
Somebody to Love & Somebody to Hold are books 1 & 2 in the Tyler Jamison series and is a spin-off series from McIntyre Security. They tell Tyler & Ian’s story and are independent of McIntyre Security, but in my opinion best appreciated once you have read the McIntyre Security books. Book 3, Somebody to Cherish, is due out March of 2022
The “For Him” series includes Love Always, Wild; Not So Sincerely, Yours; and Dear Mr Brody. Book 4 is currently in the works. Each book can be read as a standalone and features a new couple. However, the couples’ stories are intertwined with characters from the other books in the series and in my opinion this amazing series is best read in order.
Let There Be Light is book 1 in the “Twin Hearts Duet”. It is a must read. Trust me on this.
Topping the Alpha is book 5 in the Trident Security Series. Yes, you can read it as a standalone, but don’t. It tells the story of Jake & Nick and you will be grateful for the background information on both that you’ll get from books 1-4. Trident Security contains elements of BDSM as well, and you will have a better understand and appreciation of book 5 with the knowledge you’ll gain in the prior 4 books.
Option Number Three is book 10 in the “Trident Security Series”. It’s actually a novella, can be read as a standalone, and is a MMF based story. It’s actually one of my absolute favorites, too. Samantha packs a lot of emotion into this story, so be ready for it.
