We all know the fairy tale. The handsome prince comes riding up on his white stallion and rescues the beautiful princess from her enchantment with a single kiss. Then they ride off together to live happily ever after. But what if the person longing for that handsome prince is a man himself? And, why not?

Neil Plakcy's The Handsome Prince is a mix of traditional and contemporary stories, each with its own unique fairy-tale atmosphere. Sometimes the prince is the one who needs rescuing, as in “Chauffeur Prince” and “Creosote Flats and the Big Spread.” Sometimes the true prince is the other guy—like the tales told in “The Virgin Prince and the Rebel Chief” and “Reckless.” There is humor and charm in these stories, with an underlay of passion and desire. The one thing these stories have in common, along with the original fairy tales, is a happy ending. These stories drip, quite literally, with romance. Whether it’s a HEA—happily ever after—or a HFN—happy for now—when these guys find their princes, hot steamy sex ensues. Here’s to stories (and heroes) that make us swoon!