Review: A truly amazing story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 13, 2012
4.5 starsTo say I enjoyed this book would be an understatement. It was a well-written, engaging story that I just did not want to put down. The connection these two men have is awe-inspiring and captivating.This is a story about Bobby and Alejo. Friends from the age of six, they've reached all aspects of a relationship in the decades they've known each other. From friends to lovers, breaking up and drifting apart, to getting reacquainted and becoming lovers all over. The feelings they've had for each other for over two decades never disappeared or lessened. Their lives have been made of love, heartache and missed opportunities but now both men have reached a point in their lives when being friends with benefits is no longer acceptable. Bobby's ready to move forward but Alejo might be too set in his ways to finally grab hold of what he desires most. And that's Bobby.I absolutely adored these characters. Bobby and Alejo have such a great connection that I felt like I could feel it. They are both stubborn men and that stubbornness sometimes causes tension between them but their love always brings them back together. They are two completely different people. Bobby is an out and proud lawyer who doesn't much care what people think of him or how it'll effect his family. Alejo is a family man. He's divorced with two kids, owns a restaurant, a devout Catholic and can't have much of a life because of his troublemaker son who's desperate for attention. Bobby's forgiving and understanding but even he gets frustrated by Alejo's constant need to coddle the boy especially when it interferes with the limited time they have together.One of the things I loved about this story was the use of flashbacks. Normally, I don't like flashbacks because when they're not done properly I feel like I'm getting whiplash. Ms. Kovalin, however, has an amazing way of smoothly transitioning the story between the past and the present. We get to see Bobby and Alejo then as teenagers and lovers, we get to see them years later when they meet for the first time after a long silent absence. We get to experience the simmering desire when they realize they're both at a time in their lives when they don't have obligations to other people and that they're once again able to explore what's between them. It's a beautiful story filled with love, hate, desire, and grief and it all shows us who Bobby and Alejo are and how they've come to be in the place they're in.My only fault with the story is I wished there had been more of Bobby and Alejo in the here and now. I felt like, while the story did good in transitioning between the past and present, there wasn't enough of them alone together in the present.Overall, this was an amazingly sensual story about second chances. The characters are lovable and interesting while the plot is captivating. Seeing these older men finally able to grab hold of the love they've had for each other was simply amazing and had me staying up late just so I could finish their story in one go. It's definitely a book I'd recommend especially since I know I could never get enough of Bobby or Alejo.