Samhain Publishing, $3.50, ISBN 978-1-60504-468-2
Historical Romance, 2009

Ava March’s Object of His Desire is a wholesome kind of gay historical romance – it doesn’t preach, it doesn’t pretend to be literature for anyone interested in taking up the gay affirmative action as a cause, and it certainly doesn’t hesitate to get down to the bottom of the Marquis… er, I mean the bottom of the business by showing readers the pumpies. If you like to read about hot boys cornholing each other, you are at the right place.

Henry Shaw is not my kind of hero because he has a tendency to whine and indulge in dramatic histrionics when he’s madly jealous, but fortunately, there are many ways his mouth will be kept from whining and moaning in this story. Henry attends the hedonistic party of Arsen Grey, the object of his infatuation, but alas, all he gets to see is Arsen getting down with those icky creatures called women, eeuw. Well, he will soon has his chance at showing Arsen what it feels like to be, er, loved long and hard.

Oh, and there are some token mention of finer feelings, but really, don’t be shy. Admit that you like the hot male-to-male action and you will be loving every minute here because judging from the quantity of the heavy action, that is the most important reason to read this short story. And I have to admit, those scenes aren’t too bad. But mostly, I’m thankful that Henry is kept busy throughout most of the story so he doesn’t pull a Moaning Minnie on me.