Review: Wonderful
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 19, 2013
I was fascinated to be reading a debut novel that was so very good! The writing was wonderful and I truly felt I was reading an established author. I was drawn to a story about young men, just starting out in college, discovering themselves and their sexuality. It was easy to care about Michael and Sean and that feeling grew throughout the whole story.Michael grew up one of three children, the only boy, with a single mom after his father died. He's mostly a city boy whose mother raised him to be open-minded and accepting of everyone. He's come to university to study linguistics and he's sharing a house with four other students. Sean grew up the eldest of two boys to a farming family on the Isle of Wight. Money left to him by his grandmother is what's financing his education. His dad wanted Sean to follow in his footsteps and be a farmer, so saying no to his father simply added to the strain that relationship has always had.Michael and Sean end up being roommates and discovering how much they have in common: movies, books, viewpoints, and neither has ever had a girlfriend, and they develop a very strong friendship. When Sean's little brother is killed in an accident it's Michael who is there for him and becomes his rock pulling them even closer together. Their housemates, Julia and Evan, are wonderful, Evan being out and proud. Their only discord is the other housemate, Adam, a raging homophobe who makes all their lives miserable until they file a complaint and Adam is forced to move.When both Michael and Sean start to view the other in a sexual manner, they each, individually turn to Evan, their Fairy Godmother, for advice. What commences when they both admit to being attracted to one another is incredibly sweet. Two virgins discovering love at a healthy and slow pace is very tender and romantic. It was also seriously hot as Michael and Sean became more and more adventurous. Unfortunately, real life was bound to intrude with Michael getting hate phone calls and when they go to Sean's home over Easter, they get outed and Sean's father throws him out and disowns him. And, so, the tests of their love begin with each of them struggling in a violent, vicious, and narrow-minded world, wanting only to love each other in peace. Thank goodness for Evan, the very best of friends.I very much enjoyed this story. It is loving and sweet with moments of out of this world hotness. It's a beautiful story about two men finding themselves and each other. A story not to be missed.NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews