Review: Another great beginning for a series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 1, 2013
I can't imagine waking up after being in a coma and discovering I can't remember the last three years, but that's exactly what happened to Noah. He wakes up in the hospital wanting his lover, his partner, Clark, only to discover that Noah is missing the previous three years worth of memories and Clark is no longer with him. 'Home Again' is the first book in the 'Home' series by one of my favorite authors, Cardeno C., and she once again shows her versatility in writing by gifting me with a sweet love story, definitely some drama which is handled well, and an overall realistic story.The structure of this story is quite brilliant, actually. It's written in dual first person with past and present commentary. That sounds like it would be confusing, which I was afraid of initially, but there is no way that the impact of the story would have been as great if the author had written it differently. This way you see the picture of how Noah and Clark met, at thirteen and seventeen respectively, and that something clicked with them immediately. Not in a sexual way, at least not from Clark's perspective, but a soul recognition, something they both really needed. Clark was going to be losing his mother to cancer and it had only ever been the two of them, he was in a new school and had gotten to be friends with Ben, Noah's older brother. Noah was definitely a little lost, sneaking out at night to go to parties and get laid, defying his parents at every step, confusing them because he was nothing like Ben. Ben was the perfect kid, athlete, scholar, gorgeous, popular, and even did volunteer work. Noah had purple hair, black guy liner, earrings, and they'd converted the third garage with soundproofing for his bedroom. Are you getting the picture? From the moment they met, Clark saw Noah as "mine" and knew it was his responsibility to take care of him and protect him.The fascinating thing about this story was that because of the time switches, it wasn't until halfway through that I discovered why Clark and Noah were no longer together three years after when Noah thought it was. I got to watch their friendship grow as young men through Clark's memories, while simultaneously watching Noah's thoughts in the present and the loving way Clark cared for him in the hospital, each turning of the page bringing me closer to why and how and what now? Seeing Clark taking care of Noah and supporting him through the teenage angst of running away and drug use because he was terrified of telling his parents he was gay. Watching as Noah went away to boarding school, recommended by Clark as a place he could be away from home and be himself, while Clark went to college. Having Noah come back to Clark when he was sure he'd find someone else.Listening in the hospital as Clark tells Noah what happened on the day after the last date Noah remembers was heartbreaking. And, wow, that was a tough scene. And, so I'm literally a passenger on these pages watching how their love story began, how it progressed, how it was perfect, how it imploded, and how it all came back together. It was a hell of a ride. I adored this story and am so glad that I read it. Thank you, Cardeno, for giving me another story to love and re-read.NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews