Double Dare

The three volumes of the Double Dare trilogy present more than a succession of dares designed to test Raphael and Luke's devotion to one another. They also entertainingly explore the inevitable establishment of an equally dedicated, and wonderfully diverse, chosen family of gay men, each of whom brings something unique to the story. Fair warning, there are a few explicit scenes of men being intimate with their partners, but at its core, Double Dare explores true love and the sacrifices and commitment it demands from each character. For the most part, Double Dare could be described as a romp. Double Dare II, A Shaman Appears, becomes far more serious (but still plenty sexy) as the family welcomes two more members while they all cope with the arrival of a global pandemic and the angst of the Black Lives Matter movement. And in Double Dare III, the members of the now firmly established chosen family face challenges both heart-breaking and heartwarming.

Michael Curless lives, works, writes, hikes and dines in San Francisco, the crazy, wonderful, diverse city he loves. Although he prefers Cabernet, Mourvèdre and buttery Chardonnays, like Raphael and Alex, when tempted, his favorite bubbly is Schramsberg. He prefers dining in to take-out, except, perhaps, when all of the 'family' is present.