For The Men: And The Women Who Love Them by Rose Caraway

For The Men: And The Women Who Love Them Reviews

• 
  Mike

  The Devil walks into a bar looking for souls and action until meets his match. What does cutting hay in the summertime have to do with the farmer's daughter? How do cyborgs love? What goes through the mind at the BDSM club or in the garden running with scissors? Those are some of the stories in For The Men, others explore the thoughts of space pirates and men watching their wives with others, as well as men on the receiving end in the end as it were. There are car chases, biker gangs, truck drivers, gentle handymen and ex-wealthy ex-wives—don't forget the rodeo cowboys either. Drop by for an escape to other climes in troubled times.
  
  Not every story is a five star story, a few are just one scene without that crafted beginning, middle, and end wrapping it up with reader satisfaction. But not everybody can be O. Henry. Others are very well crafted stepping into the minds if the characters and pulling off that good writers trick of showing what the character is thinking and feeling by showing the reader what is happening or with a subtle turn of dialog.
  
  The book is a solid 4-star, with tight editing, good layout and a wealth of enjoyable reading by 25 writers giving the reader what they came for. It is a recommended read.
• 
  Terrance Shaw

  Let me state up front that I am one of the authors whose work is included in this anthology. (My story is #3 ‘Making Hay’) While it would not be ethical for me to comment on my own work, I would, nonetheless, like to celebrate and commend some of the truly great writing from my fellow contributors.
  
  This anthology is, by design, extremely diverse in terms of style, theme, subgenre, kink, flavor, fetish and fancy, yet, as editor Rose Caraway states in her introduction, the aim of the project is to “welcome men to partake in the erotic … [giving] permission to and [offering] acceptance to both men and women, because the gained strength that comes from our intersecting sexual paths can create a level of intimacy that is more fruitful than you can imagine.” In the stories she has chosen, Caraway also emphasizes the “significant overlapping” of male and female desires—“How dare we reject the idea that there can’t be any crossover between us!”
  
  And crossover there is aplenty here! The stories range from the exquisite literary creations of Adrea Kore’s ‘Dance for Me’ and Emmanuelle de Maupassant’s ‘Labyrinth’ to the hard-boiled men’s-magazine homage of ‘Breasted’ by Landon Dixon and ‘Balls and Strikes’ by T.J. Seate, along with the gritty and occasionally-ironic urban fantasies of ‘The Devil Went Up to the Bronx’ by Daily Hollow, ‘Undercover Cop’ by Erin Pim, Simon Drax’ action-packed ‘The Binding of the Babe in the Backseat’, ‘Soft on the Inside’ by Lynn Lake, and “The Bust’ by Marc Angel.
  
  ‘73A’ by Jade A. Waters, and ‘MILF and Cookies’ by Spencer Dryden give us the classic steamy ‘handyman’ fantasy as narrated from both male and female points of view, while Tamsin Flowers’ delightful ‘Rope Burn’ most satisfying answers the question of what rodeo folk get up to after hours. Kink and fetish get their due in Dorothy Freed’s ‘Love Sling’ (featuring wonderful dialogue and her characters’ refreshingly realistic sense of humor), ‘Take It Like a Man’ by D. Lovejoy, and D.L. King’s acutely-observed ‘Cupcakes and Steel’. Paranormal erotica is represented by Winter Blair’s sexily spooky ‘Lonely Spirits’,
  
  Daydreams and fantasies abound, from Rachel de Vine’s ‘Hitchhiker’ with its travelouge-like trajectory and well-constructed sense of erotic inevitability, to the unexpected three-way action of ‘The After Party’ by Josie Jordan. Lusty co-workers mix it up on the job in Chase Morgan’s high-tech ‘Night Watch’ and ‘Picturing You Naked’ by Rachel Kramer Bussel.
  
  I especially enjoy the sci-fi-inspired stories here: ‘Wayward Drift’ by Alan Dusk is a clever, slickly written mashup with the gritty bleak-future feel of ‘Firefly’ and the steam of great strip-club movies like ‘Exotica’, while T.J. Christian’s wonderfully twisty, dark, Blade-Runner-ishly brilliant ‘Enhanced’ is a little genre gem.
  
  ‘Odd Man’ by Sonni de Soto employs second-person point-of-view to reveal character in a way that feels truly new—this story would be a masterpiece in any genre. I was also pleasantly knocked off my feet by Charlie Powell’s ‘Winning Big’ with its surprisingly acute observations of character, which are always, nonetheless, wonderfully entertaining.
  
  In short, there’s something here for everyone. Check it out! You won’t be disappointed.
  
• 
  Emmanuelle Maupassant

  Twenty five stories, showing that erotic fiction isn't just for women and isn't just romance-oriented.
  Love the ethos of this collection and delighted to have my own story featured (I'm the author of 'Labyrinth' - which is placed at the end of the anthology).
  
  A diverse, satisfying, indulgent read, introducing the reader not only to new names in erotic fiction, but to a range of styles. Truly a chocolate box of assorted treats.
  
  Some tales explore the theme of ‘watching and being watched’, our desire to exhibit ourselves sexually, the thrill of revealing, and concealing. Others explore dichotomies, particularly relating to power: giving and receiving, vulnerability and strength. There are tales of temptation, infidelity, and jealousy, passion fulfilled and thwarted.
  
  There are unusual settings, with sci-fi and supernatural elements, and tales of desire in the 'everyday'.
  
  Erotica: not just for women, not just for men. For everyone who wishes to delve the sexual psyche and explore their own palette of desire.
  
• 
  Aruhn Littlejohn

  I received a copy of this to provide an honest review.
  
  It's great to see erotic literature aimed at men (and women who love them). While much of what is already out there can definitely appeal to both, it's often marketed with tag lines calling it for women. Erotic literature has so much potential that could be missed by focusing so much on just women. Rose Caraway calls on men to enjoy the stories in this anthology with plenty of variety and debauchery. This collection challenges the notions of men's sexuality being sold in mainstream pornographic video as being solely physical, one-dimensional, and unimaginative.
  
  While it's great for anyone, “For the Men” serves as an excellent collection for men who may be new to erotic fiction or looking to find something new. There's such a wide variety here that anyone should be able to find a handful of stories to enjoy. This isn't just in regards to the kinks and sex acts either. Different genres, settings, relationship pairings, and moods offer a little bit of everything.
  
  I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection and would consider a few of them among my favorite erotic short stories. The stories are wonderfully told. Language is used so well throughout the collection. Landon Dixon truly writes like he's having just as much fun with words as his protagonist in “Breasted.” In my favorite, “Undercover Cop,” Erin Pim sets a tense scene that couldn't get any hotter. Even a sweeter story like Spencer Dryden's “MILF and Cookies” brings thick sexual tension in such a simple scenario.
  
  Rose Caraway and the authors she selected really bring it in “For the Men”. These stories are fun, they're imaginative, sensual, and best of all, they're exciting! That's what makes this book so hot, it's not just about explicit descriptions of intercourse, but all of the other wonderful things that along with it.
  
• 
  Alyssa

  I received a copy of this book to provide an honest review.
  
  This erotic collection offered a great variety of stories ranging from contemporary, sci-fi, thriller, some paranormal themes, even some humor. This is the third anthology I have read that was edited by Rose Caraway and I really enjoyed it! (As I did with the others)
  
  As always there are some stories that I found to be a HUGE turn on and really well written and those were:
  Take It Like a Man by D.Lovejoy
  Balls and Strikes by J.T. Seate
  Lonely Spirits by Winter Blair
  The After Party by Josie Jordan
  Picturing You Naked by Rachel Kramer Bussel
  
  I think the great variety of stories in this book make it something that erotica lovers will enjoy. Definitely pick this one up!
  
• 
  Dorothy Freed

  Superlative collection. Rose Caraway has outdone herself. Personal standouts for me include: The Devil Went Up To The Bronx, by Daily Hollow, Dance For Me, by Andrea Kore, MILF and Cookies, by Spencer Dryden, 73A, by Jade A. Waters, and Hitchhiker, by Rachel de Vine. My story is Love Sling. I'm proud to be included.
• 
  Melina Greenport

  When I saw the line up of writers in this book, I knew I had to read it. These authors are my teachers (and learning is so very much fun). This collection ranges in tone from humorous to sultry, suspenseful to endearing, bratty to obedient. Every story included is arousing as hell and the writing is damn good erotica. This is a super fun book.
• 
  Jordan Monroe

  Something in here for literally everyone; a wonderful romp!
• 
  Diana

  Sadly I can not remember the phrase that came to mind after reading one of the stories in this book; but it perfectly describe everything I felt for it.
  
  This is not the first book I've read in the genre or even from the Sexy Librarian, and while I can't say I've been around, it is something I have thought about, but this felt like a first for me. It kind of felt like an awakening.
  And maybe it kind of is. I've been reading erotic anthologies and novels for seven years now but something felt different with this one; it was like a first taste and like a whole new world was introduced to me.
  
  Now, honestly this isn't a genre that I flaunt when I read it (mainly because I'd rather not have to explain it) but it's also not one I hide away from or lie about. It's not a separate shelf where no one else will see them, they're right up there with all my other books that I've enjoyed. (Well, actually this is my first paperback everything else is ebook, but you get my point.) While I'm not flaunting, I'm also not not known for reading it.
  
  I can't give this book entire credit because this has been a built up for my in the past year but it definitely helped push me into the final realization: read what you love and love what you read; who cares what any one else thinks, embrace it!
  And as an extent: be who you want to be.
  
  
  Clearly, I really enjoyed these 25 stories; they all had something to make them different and that kept me turning the page for more. Despite being familiar with more than a few of these authors it did feel like a first time and I kind of love it for that.
  
  It was kind of like falling into a rabbit hole and not wanting to come back until I'd found everything I could about it. It left me wanting so much more.
  If I hadn't been a fan before this definitely would have made me one.
• 
  JT

  This is a great collection of erotic short stories written for the male readers who may never have read erotic stories before and for guys who already know how hot one can get from reading a well written sexy story.
  
  These stories cover the range of genres fro sci-fi to historical settings fro humor to horror erotic [sic] tails. Any first time reader or old hand voyeur will find themselves getting hot and sexy at bedtime reading one of these well written tails of passionate sex.
  
  I enjoyed reading each and every one of these stories as did my wife. They make a great warm-up for some hot and passionate fun.
  
  Please note , I need to be fair and let you all know I received a copy of this collection with the promise of a fair review from Rose Caraway and Stupid Fish Productions.
  
  This is a fun book to read. You will enjoy it. If I didn't think it was good, I would have returned it to Rose and said so here.