To Love and To Cherish: an anthology of lesbian love and marriage (print) [Paperback]

Stephanie Rose (Author), Allison Wonderland (Author), Jean Roberta (Author), Jolene Hui (Author), Kissa Starling (Author), Adrianne Brennan (Author), Moondancer Drake (Author), Ann Cory (Author), Beth Wylde (Editor), Lara Zielinsky (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 4, 2010

Marriage (Marry) - To unite intimately. The act of taking as an intimate life partner by a formal exchange of promises. Equality (Equal) - Evenly proportioned or balanced, like or alike in quantity, degree, value, etc.; of the same rank, ability, merit. When I consider marriage, and love, two chief sources come to mind. The Bible, and The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. In the former it is defined as leaving one's childhood home and cleaving to one another only. In the latter the prophet expresses it, "You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore." Both are spiritual texts, and romantic. And both mention nothing of laws. When conception of this project began, the title immediately sprang forth, "To Love and To Cherish". This simple yet profound statement purposely evokes the importance of the marriage vows and we, the women of SapphicPlanet, hope it speaks to the equality of same gender committed relationships in comparison to heterosexual ones. Being married, whether one is queer or straight, is all about security, protection, and forming a safe haven for both partners to grow and love and add to the family that surrounds them. The fourteen stories in this collection invite the reader in to share the joy, laughter, angst and passion of women in love that are committed to building a future together. Who hasn't suffered the perils of planning the perfect proposal only to have it all fall apart? Such is the hilarity to follow in author Stephanie Rose's "The Anti-Proposal." What about executing the wedding of your dreams? If you thought you had interfering mothers-in-law, check out who gets involved in "My Big Fat Greek Pagan Lesbian Wedding" by Adrianne Brennan. Finally there are every day moments when we show our commitment to one another, like the tending of hearth and home in Adriana Kraft's "Embracing the Fire."

Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: loveyoudivine Alterotica; 1st edition (February 4, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600544134
• ISBN-13: 978-1600544132
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,279,488 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Politics aside, the reality of why same sex marriage is important., May 28, 2010

By 

Bob Lind "camelwest" (Phoenix, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: To Love and To Cherish: an anthology of lesbian love and marriage (print) (Paperback)

With the subject of same-sex marriages still likely to remain timely for the foreseeable future, this diverse anthology of lesbian love stories - all centered around the decision, reality or aftermath of such commitments, to the extent permitted under local laws - presents a beautiful look at what this seemingly-political concept is really about. And, as a gay man, I could relate to many of the feelings expressed by the women depicted in the fourteen stories told by various lesbian authors.

My personal favorite of the stories was "The Anti-Proposal" by Stephanie Rose, which is a hysterically funny retelling of how the "perfect night" (to ask her partner to marry her) became anything but that. Also liked "My Big Fat Greek Pagan Lesbian Wedding" by Adrianne Brennan, which deals mostly with reactions by family members to the upcoming "nontraditional" nuptials, and "Together Forever" by by Beth Wylde, about an ill-timed proposal that coincides with California passing Proposition 8, ending same-sex marriages in that state.

While the politics of such marriages aren't the focal point of the stories, the publishers recognize the importance of equal rights, and are donating 100% of the proceeds of the print book to Marriage Equality USA. Bravo on that action, as well as for an engaging (pardon the pun) read. Five stars out of five.

- Bob Lind, Echo Magazine

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A collecion to cherish, March 7, 2010

By 

Victor J. Banis "Victor J. Banis" (West Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: To Love and To Cherish: an anthology of lesbian love and marriage (print) (Paperback)

This is as exuberant a statement on the beauty of woman to woman love as one is likely to find. There are fourteen heartfelt stories included in the anthology, too many for me to attempt to review them individually. They represent fourteen different points of view and are of varying degrees of erotic intensity. Setting the parameters, as it were, are two unique stories: Allison Wonderland pens a charming tale, The Felicity of Domesticity, of two little girls who knew already as children that they were destined to be wed. And in This Magic, Meg Leigh gives us a haunting and all too rare glimpse from an older sister's point of view, as she looks back through the mists of time at the love she knew. But I don't mean to suggest that anything in between those two extremes is at all inferior. The characters here are a wonderfully divergent bunch of women, struggling to define their relationships, to come to terms with themselves and with family, and to explore their unique sexuality. The stories are charming, sad, sexy, slapstick funny. There's hardly a taste in reading or a style in writing that isn't well represented here and I can confidently assure the reader who invests in a copy that she or he will close this book knowing that the money was well spent. Plus, all the proceeds from the book go to Marriage Equality USA.

An excellent tribute to a genre, a gender, a lifestyle, and a welcome addition to the literature of love. Well done, all.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine collection and a solidly recommended read, September 11, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Love and To Cherish: an anthology of lesbian love and marriage (print) (Paperback)

Gay love has often been labeled as sodomy, an act of pure lust. But for many women, there is much more than lust involved. "To Love and To Cherish" is a collection of stories, lesbian erotica of sorts, with a focus of relationships that are much more than just the sex in the equation. Marriage is a common element, making this collection unique with an overlying message. "To Love and to Cherish" is a fine collection and a solidly recommended read.