title: The Soul Bearers
author: Massara, Sylvia
description: Inspired partly by real life events, The Soul Bearers is a story of courage, the gift of friendship, and unconditional love. The story involves three people whose lives cross for a short period of time and the profound effect that results from their interaction. Alex Dorian, a freelance travel writer and a survivor of severe childhood abuse, returns to her hometown of Sydney in an attempt to exorcise the ghosts of her past that have prevented her from experiencing a fulfilling and loving relationship with a male. She rents a room in the home of Steve and the disturbing Matthew, a homosexual couple with whom she feels safe. Alex finds herself inexplicably attracted to Matthew and must battle her repressed sexuality and fear of intimacy. This beautifully told story explores the true meaning of unconditional love, for both oneself and for others. Readers of The Soul Bearers will come away with a deeper understanding of human relationships and of what it means to truly love without condition.