Review: Fraternal Devotion

Fraternal Devotion by D.K Jernigan, Alisha Steele, Leigh Wilder, Azalea Moone, and K.Piet/S.L Armstrong
Storm Moon Press
Novella: 143pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
When you pit knowledge against emotions, there's the no-man's land in between those two opposing forces where taboos lie. Incest is one of the untouchables, a taboo that even in alternative cultures is often still looked on negatively. But how can something that feels so right be wrong? In Fraternal Devotion, the focus is on brotherly love--in every sense of the word. These are tales of love, lust, devotion, and passion as real as any other romance. Why should the fact that the two men are brothers take away from that? This collection may challenge your assumptions and beliefs, but may also melt your heart. Not to mention steam up your glasses.

Keith is a Humanist Corpsman, sworn to protect society from the mutated ranks of the Infected. When his own team betrays him, however, it's his long lost brother, Riley, who takes him in and makes him choose between War and Peace and Brotherhood. After nineteen months apart, Brandon Patrell, of Analgesia, is convinced it will take more than a home renovation to keep his playboy brother, Ethan, from running away again. But as Ethan resumes his old mind-games, Brandon is determined to tease back for once, even if it means risking everything in a game of all or nothing. A dozen years after discovering his father's suicide, Cale returns home and finds his older brother Derrick showing the same signs of melancholy. But as much as he wants to help his brother, he fears being sucked back into that world of Depression, Love, and Swimming Pools.

Jeremy has been On Clouds of Obsession since long ago glimpsing his brother, Matt, naked in the locker room. Years later, with Matt due to be married in a week, Jeremy takes a chance after Matt's bachelor's party that could jeopardize their relationship, not to mention the impending wedding. Songwriter Andrew lives life On the Edge, using drugs to quiet his uncertainties about his ongoing relationship with his twin, Ben. Disheartened by Andrew's empty promises, Ben begins to pull away, forcing Andrew to choose between letting go and finally finding the strength to stop running.

Review:

All the ways I have been excited to read Fraternal Devotion, and all the ways I am happy I read it. This book went to front of the line, just because I love me some bromance of the sexy kind. I gobbled it up in no time, and was slightly disappointed there weren’t a lot more stories. I Wanted Moar!!

War and Peace and Brotherhood by DK Jernigan
Keith is apart of society of fighters sworn to protect humanity from the people they call the infected. So this infection is transmitted sexually, and the form varies depending on the individual. One can become a shifter, while the other gets super speed this infection affects everyone differently. Keith is the leader of his Corps group, and they are to stop the evil infected from hurting and infecting others.

So while kicking ass and taking names, Keith longs for the brother he lost 3 years ago. Having been in love with him, Keith fears he somehow pushed him away. Now he has his family of fighters or so he thinks, their hatred runs for anything deemed different, and Keith being gay is different. He finds himself at the end of a bullet fired from the people he trusted and is saved by the last person he expected.

I liked this story, and found the world created very complex and original. I think the most fascinating part of the story is the evolution of humans and their newly achieved powers. I did not really feel the romance in this once because I felt like Keith was backed in a corner and took the most logical way out. Yes, I knew he had feelings for his brother but the overall delivery made it feel very rushed and I didn’t really believe in them. I just wanted a bit more to make it a bit more fleshy.

Analgesia by Alisha Steele
Brandon is annoyed because his older brother is back home and he is just too freaking tempting for his own good. When it comes to Ethan it’s hard to be around him without wanting him, and he doesn’t seem to know boundaries. The brothers have a history, and it’s that history that caused Ethan to run like fire was on his heels.

I loved the hell out of this one, and man did it cause severe pants losing. This story being the longest of the all stories really touched on all my naughty buttons. It really did a wonderful balance of providing their relationship as lovers but never letting the reader forget that they are brothers. They fight, argue, and constantly tease each other and it just amplifies the naughty. The writing is fantastic and provide a realistic elements in a playful manner (I liked that). Analgesia was just made of awesmazingness.


Depression, Love, and Swimming Pools by Leigh Wilder
Cale is back home for Spring Break, a home he rarely visits, a home he moved almost 400mi from. He is running from things from his childhood and being home brings it all back. Especially his brother Derrick who just lies about in the pool house. Derrick suffers from depression and other mental issues and Cale is just trying to escape it all. They like to run, and will keep on running until they start confronting their issues.

I have mixed feelings about this one, so mixed. I feel it’s too heavy hitting for such a short story and would have worked better as a novella/novel. I feel like Derrick is too broken to be making decisions, and Cale just keeps getting pushed in a corner. His decision to sleep with his brother doesn’t feel like his own and them being together just did not work for me.

On Clouds of Obsession by Azalea Moone
Jeremy has wanted his brother something fierce since he saw him naked in locker rooms at school. Obviously, he knows his feelings won’t be reciprocated but a boy can dream. Suddenly his brother Matt is engaged to be married and it’s sorta pissing him off. Jeremy finds an opportunity to feel Matt up after his bachelor’s party and he’s passed out drunk. Suddenly Matt is awake and they’re having sex “Say What”. The next morning just might be a walk of shame.

This one did not really work for me. I think the representation of both characters really turned me away from this one. One minute their hot and the next their cold. I found them indecisive and I feel as if they have no chance at making it work long term. This is one brotherly love I couldn't get down with.

On The Edge by S.L Armstrong and K. Piet
Fraternal twins Andrew and Ben have been inseparable in both life and love. They have a long sexual history, been having sexual relations since they were 14 and now its 11 years later. While Ben has admitted and accepted that, he is in love with his twin Andrew has taken the other road. He wants his brother, but the guilt and shame of that want eats away at him and so he has resorted to hard drugs to help him cope. Ben knows his brother struggles with their relationship, because he pushes him away after but he goes back every time only to face the same hurt.

This story is so hard hitting and makes it hurt. It is the most realistic of the bunch which makes it the most painful to read. It delves a little into what siblings would have to in order to live freely together. Ben and Andrew have ostracized themselves from family and friends, and you can feel how it affects the brothers. With Andrew’s fears, it’s like adding salt to a wound because it all becomes for naught.

These authors really know how to make a character hurt and bring out all your emotions. I feel sad for Andrew because I can understand his fear, shame, and guilt. Yet, I would really like to punch him in the face, 11 years is a long time not have your feelings figured out (cowardly). Ben I would dearly like to kick because he’s an enabler, and a bigger coward for keeping Andrew in drug-filled lust so he wouldn’t have to be without him. I would love to see more of these brothers because they need some fixing.

Overall, I l really enjoyed the anthology. It wasn’t just sex on pages, most of the stories offered up some solid plot with good characters and little dose of reality. Not the awesome I was expecting but I am glad with it. Though I am going on and on about plot and such, I liked it cus I love brothers doing each other ^_~.

4 Pants Off