The five delightful short stories in Second Chances are male/male romances with erotica. I must disclose that I don’t read a great deal in this genre, but my lack of familiarity with it didn’t keep me from enjoying Second Chances. As the title indicates, the authors of these stories present us with characters who suffer the collapse of a romantic relationship or the hope for one. The “second chance” takes a different and quite interesting form in each story.

In “Non-Negotiable” by T. D. Green, Jake, 28, was in a three-year college relationship with Alex, also 28, who broke it off without any explanation when they were 22. Now Alex finds a way, via a business deal between their employers, to attempt to insert himself in Jake’s life again. Jake will have none of it. I see in my notes for this story these two words: “wonderful seduction.” Part of the seduction is Green’s writing: “Gathering the shreds of my dropped mask was like scooping armloads of water.”

In “Heart of Glass” by L. J. Harris, Zack, 27, leaves San Francisco for Australia to get away from the man he was to marry before he found him in bed with a former boyfriend. Then he discovers homeless Heath, 28, who is washing car windows at a stop light. Two years earlier he left a straight marriage and a good but “suffocating” life. What I especially liked about this lovely story is that it’s written in sections told in the first person from either Zack or Heath’s point of view (and titled with that man’s name). So we nicely see each of them as the other does.

In “Better Together” by DaNay Smith, Greyson and Dominic began an eight-year relationship when they were both 20 and in college. Dominic’s career keeps him at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Then Greyson decides to leave Dominic to pursue his own career in the art world of New York. What I admire about this well-constructed story is that otherwise reasonable career choices cause the breakup. But how can Greyson leave the man he’s in love without suffering regret? How, for that matter, can Dominic not long to be with the man he loves?

In “Dirty Martini” by Bette Browne, Daniel’s the drunk at the end of the bar, and Nathan, 28 and a few years younger than Daniel, is the bartender who knows what the problem is. Nathan’s lover left him a year ago. Two months ago Daniel found Adam, his lover for the past three years, in their bed with another man. Nathan refuses to serve Daniel another drink and makes certain he gets home safely. I fell for this story. Daniel later has a vague recollection of a good-hearted and good-looking man helping him. Some hot sex might be just what he needs.

In “Notice to Appear” by C. C. Lorenz, Josh fell for Carter in his boyhood. Carter, four years older than Josh, was the high school lifeguard at the beach who saved him from drowning. After Josh graduates from college, he runs into Carter, now a teacher in the middle school they both attended, in a courtroom experience that Josh considers humiliating. This is a sweet story. Does a gay man who didn’t fall for an attractive older boy exist? Didn’t we all dream of something more with him when we both became men?

(As originally reviewed on Rainbow Book Reviews. Please visit http://www.rainbowbookreviews.com for other reviews that may be of interest.) ( )