Many gay romance novels, like hetero romance novels, only hint at any real intimacy between the otherwise loving characters. It’s understandable. At what point does romance cross the blurry line between ‘romance’ and ‘erotica?’ At what point does the quantity or the details of the intimacy embarrass or offend a non-gay reader? Should the author hold back on the full, honest nature of the intimacy the characters share in order to appeal to a more general audience? The answer is often ‘yes,’ in order to reach as many readers as possible. But, it could also be argued, why read gay romance in the first place if you only want to revel in tantalizing angst and (hopefully) eventual emotional fulfillment? You can get that in hetero romance just as easily. And without any ‘icky’ gay details that might offend.
All of which is to say the Double Dare trilogy takes a different route from most gay romance novels. The reader becomes immersed not only in the love, devotion, respect and even awe that characters exhibit for one another. We also see how that devotion is expressed physically. Erotically, if you prefer. Because, let’s face it, physical, erotic love is a valuable part of real life. Or, at least it should be. Readers of the Double Dare trilogy will not be denied the full measure of each character’s love for another. And if that limits the audience, so be it. Those who do read it deserve the full, loving experiences of this diverse group of very special people. (And they seem to have appreciated it!)
