Title: Succulents
Author: Chris Owen
Length: 5,600 words
Publisher:Torquere Press
Genre: m/m Contemporary Twincest Romance
Rating: B-
Blurb:
Twins Gil and Wayne seldom get to work together in the field even though they share their landscape company. It’s a hot morning when Gil starts a yard for Wayne, but it’s Wayne who gets hot and bothered at the sight of his brother. Questions of privacy are at the front of Gil’s mind — right up until he falls in the pool. After that, it seems that anything can happen behind suburban fences!
Previously published in Toy Box: Twins
Review:
This short twincest story tells of twins Gil and Wayne. Together they run a landscape gardening company with Wayne providing the knowledge of plants and the creativity, and Gil providing the business knowledge. However, today Gil is out of the office and filling in for Wayne’s second in command. Shovelling dirt isn’t really Gil’s thing, but when Wayne comes to help, he finds that honest dirt and man sweat is something that leads to an extended lunch break in the shady part of the garden.
Chris Owen always writes a good story and here I felt she had got the balance right between showing the men as siblings and lovers. Like brothers everywhere, these guys get along one minute and the other minute are sniping, fighting and wrestling for top position. I liked how Wayne knew his brother so well that he was aware of all his moods, and how to get Gil round to his way of thinking. The pair might be identical, but their personalities are very different. Gil is moody and prefers buildings and noise whilst Wayne has a lighter, sunnier disposition and loves the peace and quiet of the garden. Yet both men love each other and that comes across strongly in the story.
At such a short word length, this was never going to be anything too detailed but it worked as a slice of life between this unconventional established couple. I would have liked to know more about how they cope with the wider world and whether anyone other than themselves knows that they are lovers as well as brothers and business partners. As it is, aside from a certain amount of cautiousness about being out in the open, the twins exist in a bubble of their own within the story.
Those who enjoy twincest stories will find a lot to like here, especially if you’re looking for a realistic pair of brothers and a hot sex scene. Those who need more in terms of the implications of such a relationship may be more disappointed. As for me, it passed the time nicely and I enjoyed the story.
