Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: The Biggest Lover: Big-Boned Men’s Erotica for Chubs and Chasers
EDITOR: R. Jackson
AUTHORS: Listed below with their individual stories
PUBLISHER: Bear Bones Books / Lethe Press
LENGTH: 256 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 12, 2016
BLURB:
We have all heard the term Rubenesque as a compliment for plus-sized women. The baroque painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens was fond of painting women of the day that were curvaceous and full-figured. The men in his art were not. What is the comparable term for men? Because not every gay man is obsessed with twinks who list the number of visible rib bones on their Grindr profile. Or men who can remember the number of reps at the gym but not their phone number. Some of us appreciate buying in bulk and that includes looking for love. Or just plain sex. Thank goodness for Bear culture which embraces girth. During Bear Week in Provincetown the stores do not even bother to sell clothes smaller than an XL and a man’s virility is often like the potency of moonshine: the more Xs on the jug the better, so XXXL is a chub in high demand.
ANTHOLOGY REVIEW:
I’m always nervous about reviewing an anthology, especially since at Love Bytes we feel it is important to rate the individual stories in addition to the entire anthology. There were some stories in this one that I loved, but I’m going to be honest and tell you there were also a couple I loathed. There were quite a few in the “good/average” range to “liked it a lot” or even “loved it”. There was even one that earned the “Fantastic” rating.
I’d recommend the book. As I said, there are a couple that I really didn’t like, but the rest were good, with bursts of light every once in a while. It is a volume of erotica, so the stories have more than their fair share of sex. So if you don’t like sweaty man sex…you might want to skip this one. If you’re into the bigger, hairier, sweatier, steamier type guys, then the book would be a good fit for you. Below, I’ve included a very brief comment on each story and my individual rating of each.
ANTHOLOGY RATING: 
(Actually 3.69 Average, but I rounded up)
STORY REVIEWS / RATINGS:
Fur Ball by Hank Edwards
A cute little story about a cat who plays matchmaker. I’m a cat guy and I loved meeting Furball and the guys! Rating 4.5
A Man of Substance by Dale Chase
A historical period piece about a pretentious stage actor in San Francisco around the turn of the 20th century and what happens when he discovers he really has been looking for “a man of substance”. Rating 4.0
What the Hell? by Ben Bauchlein
A story about techies, and what happens when the tech doesn’t work like it is supposed to. And also about the hot tech guy who shows up to fix it! I definitely missed out on some things when I used to go to conferences, if that story is anything to go by! Rating 4.0
The Last Gift by Jeff Mann
The story of a man named Jamie, on the wrong side, (or maybe the right side) of 50, thinking he has had his last shot…but then he discovers a hot chubby cub over breakfast one morning in London. Again with the ending! Just like Mr. Mann’s book “Cub”…left me in mid-air! Rating 4.5
The Last Gift (Boys to Men, Men to Giants) by Jack Fritscher
This one was definitely not for me. The whole scene with comparing his dick to his dad’s dick while holding them both in his hand was frigging creepy as hell, and then when his dad squatted over him while he jacked off…yeah, no. And if there had been one more taking something as “a complement and a compliment” line used in the story, I would have just skipped the rest of it. At the end of the story, I wished I had. Take my advice, skip this one, unless you’re into stories about penises being increased in size to 130 square inches. Rating 2.0
Temet Nosce by John Genest
This story proves that I can like a story and loathe a character. We’ve all met a “Don” at one point or another in our lives! Rating 4.0
Rainy Day by Charles O.V. Lyons
This one was ok. I never really connected with the MC. It was about a break-up and I guess moving on, but it was too short for me to ever connect. Rating 3.0
He’s Five One, He’s Beautiful, And He’s Mine by Jay Neal
This is one of my favorites in the book. Just something about the author’s voice, particularly in the beginning of the story. It just drew me in. Rating 4.5
Filled by Tom Farley
Oh, this one I didn’t like at all. I knew I wasn’t going to when it talked about the one guy being forced to eat the other guy’s dirty butthole. And the forced feedings, and forcing a whole can of shortening up the guys butt. No…just no. Rating 2.0
Burning on the Edge of the World by Matthew Bright
The fantasies of a teenager finally realized as an adult. When a man goes home after years away, he catches up with the guy he has never forgotten. I liked this one. Rating 4.0
Hustler’s Endgame by Landon Dixon
A pretty young thing shows up at a pharmaceutical convention. No one knows who he is, but lot of eyes are on him…particularly the eyes of Brent, a middle aged married man who just might be talked into sowing his wild oats… Rating 3.5
Golden Walrus by Jerry Rabushka
I liked this one a lot. One man who has been hiding for years behind his foot long pony tail, and another man, Jewish and sixty pounds overweight, meet in the gym when one asks the other to spot him…the rest is history. Rating 4.0
Dionysus Tamed by Jay Starre
The reimagining of the relationship between Zeus and Dionysus. Since they are supposedly father and son in the pantheon of Greek Mythology, it kind of had an incest feeling to it to me. It was a good enough story, other than that. Rating 3.0
Coming in the Night by Skye Eagleday
A grimoire from a dead man’s library, and a librarian who doesn’t enter it in on the manifest leads to a meeting with an Incubus who just might change the man’s life forever. Rating 3.0
Heavy Set by Shane Allison
Two boys who work at a movie theater end up sleeping together. It didn’t really excite me. Full of things like “a mouth is a mouth” until the one kid realizes he likes dick as well. Rating 3.0
Tag Team by Larry Faulkner
The story of the making of a wrestling tag team. It was a pretty good story. Hero worship and finding the “one”. Rating 3.5
The Nip Man by Daniel M. Jaffe
Dirk is sure he is the only guy in his small town into nipples. Oh how he dreams of them. Then he finds he has overlooked an obvious spot to find out more about them. Rating 3.5
The Story Next Door by Karl Taggart
This one I liked a lot. Perry is surviving after his partner Frank died of a heart attack. He has published his first book (porn) and is content. Then the new neighbors move in and start swimming naked. What’s this? Perry is popping a boner for the big hairy half of the couple. Luckily he can’t be seen since he is higher up! Or can he? Rating 4.5
Moby Dick by William Holden
I really liked the way the author took the tale of Moby Dick and transferred it to the pursuit of a great white whale of a man. Good story. Rating 4.5
Indivisible by Dylan Thomas Good
This one confused me a little. It hinted at an Arabic setting, but seemed almost futuristic. I never really understand what was going on…well, except for the Prince finally realizing some truths about himself. Rating 3.5
A Slice of Pi by ‘Nathan Burgoine
By far the best story in the book in my opinion! I thought this actually read like something I would read as a standalone. I loved it. Rating 5.0
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