Nets of Wonder
"Genuine and intellectual, Nets of Wonder sojourns into a refreshing, realistic gay love story. Robert Heylmun’s novel is a genuine, well-written, heart-wrenching, and heartwarming story of love, pure and simple. Heylmun is a descriptive, passionate writer. From the first page of this literary romance, he draws readers into the world he has created for Will and his various paramours. In the first chapter, Will is moving into a new apartment with his wife, Ellen, and the discussion of the apartment immediately sets a cozy scene: “Will took a contented breath in this inviting room, envisioning his books lined up on those shelves along with his papers and school work strewn on the desk.” All of Will’s qualities are summed up in this short description; readers know much of what they need to know about him from that sentence. Heylmun incorporates literary and cultural references throughout the novel. Once Will meets George in New Orleans, there are intellectual discussions; and, one of the issues Will struggles with when he is with his partner David is that sometimes their discussions are too literary for David, who happily bows out. The story begins when Will is beginning his journey as a gay man. He is married, but he lusts after a male classmate at the university. When he acts on his feelings, he sets about a whirlwind of change in his life and the lives of others. These changes propel him into the gay world of 1969. Each failed relationship teaches Will another lesson, and he slowly develops into the confident, happily coupled man he is in 2009. It is refreshing to come across a gay love story that isn’t focused on sex. There are very tasteful sex scenes in this book, but Will’s life and the lives of his gay friends do not revolve around sex, as is the case in many gay romance novels. Their lives include sex and their sexuality, but there are many other pleasures they partake in throughout the novel—food, music, company, and beautiful cities. Lynn Evart, Clarion Review"