A young couple go on a camping holiday in Africa with her parents and older sister, but on arrival discover sister's friend and her husband were invited but sister did not book enough tents so her friends have to share with them, as they are from that country they find some surprising behaviour and customs.
Beth and Larry are in their junior year of college together. One night, they admit to each other that another couple, Sam and Rhonda, really turn them on and they try to see if the other couple are interested in swapping mates.
The Gathering is continued in a second volume, Book II. Part of the Hartstein universe
John Franck, 41, a sex addict, thus far has hidden it from his wife, but his shrink encourages him to make a recording of some of his conquests and Argie, his wife happens on it. What happens after this is the main story of the gathering in Houston.
Jeff is unemployed, living at home with his mom, and has developed an odd fetish that drives him into complete sexual obsession. He has gone from panty sniffing to shoe fixation and even armpit scents that drive him over the edge of sanity itself. At the end of his rope on unemployment benefits, he takes a job at a Woman's Shoe Boutique. He is in a state of sheer bliss inhaling the scents of dozens of females each and every day. Then his mom takes charge.