100 Stories 100 Days

Cabin Fervor by Jim Provenzano

Ernie and Jase are boyfriends and Broadway chorus boys who are out of work. In the early days of covid, they break up the monotony and anxiety of pandemic life by helping out Sam, an old friend. He urges them to get out of the city, his cabin upstate is a perfect getaway.

Rural life is big change for them. Slowly, but surely, the boys become accustomed to their small-town neighbors, and the realities of living in the middle of nowhere.

Surrounded by the forest, woodland creatures, and not much else, they find several ways to pass the time. One is by making a provocative video in which Ernie does a suggestive striptease in the snow while belting out a tune from the movie Frozen. Their viral fame as sexy online content creators is fun, but who will save them when they find a mountain lion in their kitchen one morning? An old friend perhaps?

Cabin Fervor is a great short that takes a peek at how one special couple copes with the unique struggles of staying happy and healthy during a pandemic. This story offers heart, humor, and just a touch of political commentary.

Thank you, Jim Provenzano, for this fun/sexy story of plucky resilience. Kudos to artist Dave Cantero for the cover illustration that delightfully captures Ernie’s big moment.

The Case of the Boy in Blue by Amanda Meuwissen

We’re all familiar with the hard-boiled cliché of a troubled dame walking into the office of world-weary private dick. In The Case of the Boy in Blue, instead of a gorgeous blonde, it’s a beautiful boy named Westley Valentine who needs Leonard Quill’s help.

He’s looking to bring Decker, the man who killed his mother and framed his father, to justice. The proof they need is in the basement of a club. That night they deal with some of Decker’s goons and get the photographic evidence they need. Back at Quill’s apartment they develop the film (discretion is important in his line of work) and spend the night in the same bed getting to know each other a little better.

Westley is gone in the morning, has Quill been played for a chump? The kid has taken the photos to the police, which means there’s now a big target on his back. He finds Westley at his ransacked place. Decker is there too. There’s a tense standoff before Roxanne, Quill’s bodyguard/receptionist, swoops in to help take down Decker and his men.

The problem is, Decker was only a small part of a vast criminal network.

Will Quill, Westley and Roxanne continue their fight for justice on these dark and gritty city streets? I sure hope so.

I really loved this short story, told in the noir style of classic detective fiction. I liked the chemistry between the two heroes and I’m dying to know more about Roxanne, the mysterious and gorgeous bad ass.

Now that Quill has solved The Case of the Boy in Blue, I hope there will be more of this intriguing trio’s adventures in crime solving.

Thief of Hearts by E.D. Parr

Nice guy lawyer Blake fears he is no longer attractive because of a facial scar he received while protecting one of his clients. The window washer outside his office window sure likes what he sees. When Blake and Alex find themselves alone in an elevator, they press the stop button and have in a hot and hard quickie.

Alex is not a real window washer though. It’s a cover he’s using to case the upper floor, home to a jeweler dealing in rare gems. Alex’s life of larceny is really more of a hobby since he donates the objects he purloins to those in need. If he can have a little fun with Blake at the same time, where’s the harm in that?

A few days later, Alex puts on a sexy show for Blake outside his window. He invites Alex into his office, and they engage in a satisfying fuck in Blake’s private bathroom. They both want more and agree to see each other that later night.

Blake can’t help but wonder – why does Alex’s full name sound so familiar?

A meal and some conversation back at Blake’s house leads to more scorching hot sex. Alex spends the night. He could get used to this. He’s starting to fall for Blake, who just might be the right guy worth giving up his life of crime for.

Blake sees a magazine article that reveals real Alex’s identity. He is Alexander Ryan, the son of a famous classical pianist and a musician in his own right. Blake knew he’d heard that name before.

They’ve both fallen hard and fast. After making love that night, they plan their future together. Alex gives up his Robin Hood act, he has an amazing new man in his life to better occupy his time.

Thief of Hearts is an enjoyable short and sexy read. I liked both Blake and Alex, two men who were dedicated to helping others, each in their own way. They also both proved to be quite dedicated to giving each other multiple orgasms. These guys definitely knew how to bring the erotic heat.

The Light by May Archer

Circumstances have led Mark to the quaint town of O’Leary. One afternoon, in the bakery where he picks up a few shifts, he explains to some of the locals that he once had a romance with Fran, the reclusive guy who lives in a cabin just up the mountain. Mark has stayed in town as long as he has because he’s hoped that one day, he would casually to run into the man he just can’t seem to forget.

That hasn’t happened and Mark decides that he’s going to go up there, see Fran, and finally get some sense of closure. After wrecking his car in the snow, Fran comes to his rescue. It turns out that Fran never forgot Mark either. Life events led them down two different paths, and now that they’re together again, it’s almost as if no time has passed at all. They quickly get reacquainted and make sweet love in the cozy warmth of the cabin.

The next morning, half of the town comes up the mountain with a snowplow to see if Mark is all right. He is fine. In fact, he’s better than fine, he’s precisely where he was always meant to be.

I love (like, seriously love) sweet, low-angst, small-town stories. It’s like the author somehow read my mind and whipped up the perfect gay romance just for me. Mark and Fran are two absolutely wonderful cinnamon-roll heroes who, after some time apart, were able to find their way back to each other and get the happily ever after they always deserved.

The Light is a charming, sexy/sweet, second-chance novella set in the May Archer’s Love in O’Leary series. While series characters do make an appearance, this story can be read as a stand-alone.

Warning: Mark is damn good baker. After reading this story you might start craving one of his special creations. Blueberry pancake cupcakes with maple frosting? Yes, please.

Love in 24 Frames by C.S. Poe

Declan is a CPA in New York City who makes stop-motion animated movies in his spare time. He’s so devoted to his hobby that he rents extra studio space to shoot his films.

He’s secretly been in love with Shota, the studio front desk receptionist, since the day they met. But he can never manage more than a few awkward words whenever they talk. One afternoon, Declan takes refuge from the winter weather inside a corner café and finds that Shota works there as well. They share a bite and Shota gives Declan his number. They begin a slow courtship, Declan bringing meals that Shota can eat at his desk each night. One late evening Declan invites him back to his place where they watch some of his movies. They curl-up and spend a comforting night in each other’s arms.

When a jealous artist places Shota’s job in jeopardy, Declan comes to his defense and keeps him from getting fired.

Using his talent as an animator, he is finally able to show Shota just how much cares in a newly finished film short.

Gay romance just doesn’t get any sweeter than Love in 24 Frames. Watching Declan and Shota take their first tentative steps towards love and eventually reaching their HEA, is deeply satisfying. Through the power of a slow build, the author has a us rooting for these nice guys from the very first page.

Caught Looking by Adrianna Herrera

Yariel is a superstar shortstop in the Major Leagues. Hatuey is the team’s interpreter. They’re are in a panic – worried that they’ve placed their decade long friendship in jeopardy by spending one explosively passionate night together. Yari insists it can’t happen again, but Hatuey has different plans.

They’ll be headed to the Dominican Republic for a series of charity events and it’s during that time together that he’ll prove to Yariel that that he’s not as straight as everyone once thought.

On the private plane to the DR it’s proves easy to get Yariel hot under the collar. They almost join the mile high club, but Yari pulls back. Hateuy knows this is what they both want. What they both need. Since going on the offensive didn’t work, the new plan is to make Yariel come to him.

Staying in the same suite at the resort where the team’s fundraiser will be held, they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other for long, but they’re interrupted by Hatuey’s father. They then spend the afternoon at the sports camp Yariel sponsors and later in the evening go to a black-tie gala.

At an exclusive after party, Hatuey proves to be very popular. Perhaps purposely provoking Yari’s jealous streak will snap him out of it and get him to admit that they’re meant to be. He fumes as he watches from the sidelines. When he can’t take it any longer, he drags Hatuey back to their place – he has to have him, or he’ll die. These two definitely don’t lack passion and they don’t do anything halfway.

They spend the next several chapters engaging in sex so intense that it’ll set the digital pages of you ereader on fire, which really shouldn’t come as a surprise because everything they do is so intense. The way they fight is intense. They way they fuck is intense.

Now, without a shadow of a doubt, they both know that they belong together, now and always. In an epilogue set a year later, they still can’t keep their hands off each other and Yariel has a special Valentine’s Day surprise for Hatuey, one that’ll assure their bright and happy future together forever.

I’m a big fan of Adrianna Herrera’s work, but this time I think she’s truly outdone herself. Not only are the sex scenes crazy, off the charts hot, but the deeply held passion that these to characters have for each other is evident on every single page and in every single moment that they share. Yariel and Hatuey are loyal friends and intense lovers (there’s that word, intense, again). Their chemistry is explosive, and I can’t think of a better example of a ‘friends-to-lovers’ trope written so expertly.

If you’re looking for a novella that packs a lot of emotional punch with a ton of sexual heat, then Caught Looking is the story you should be reading.