Review: Good Reading!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 26, 2013
There's nothing a big, interfering Italian family can't fix. Vince is having a mild mid-life crisis. After three failed marriages, he's wondering if maybe he should try playing for the other side for a while. He's suppressed any and all feelings for men since he was a teenager but maybe now that he's almost forty he can finally find his true self. Enter Trey, a younger man with a troubled family life but who may just be what Vince needs. Vince not only needs to come to terms with his sexuality and his real needs but also with his huge Italian family. A family that is determined to be involved every step of the way.Family Man is a warm, charming story about two men that find love amid family drama. Trey has an alcoholic mother and a dependant grandmother while working two jobs and trying to finish college. Vince has an interfering family that is loud, large, and very opinionated. Falling for each other is pretty easy but making it work amid the chaos takes work. It's a kind of work that is lovely to watch unfold. The two men have a great relationship with real chemistry and a nice progression. They are instantly attracted but don't fall into bed right away. Instead that excitement and desire of first meeting someone with great chemistry is shown to great effect. Their passion builds slowly, step by step, in concert with their relationship. When the two finally sleep together, it's easy to believe these two are deeply in love.The writing really shines here with two styles blending well. The narrative alternates between first and third person (Trey and Vince respectively). The characters are three dimensional with a lot of flaws and strengths. They fit well together, leaning on each other and playing to each other's strengths. There's some nice depth to the issues brought up, dealing with addiction in the family and the fear of being gay in a very traditional and religious family. Vince's family especially is wonderful and one of those amazing, annoying, but fabulous groups of people that seem too good to be true even with all their drawbacks.It's hard to find anything to criticize with such a well-written book. It's ends a bit too easily and the family does take care of everything a bit too much. These easy resolutions do take some of the reality away from the book, but I personally didn't mind so much. In the end I think fans of the author will really quite like this one and enjoy it for the heartwarming message.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews