Two Views of Love in the 60s

Well, I am a child of the 1960s, born in 1961, and I remember how very different the country was at that time.  The start of the Sexual Revolution, and I can still see all the vans and hitchhikers heading north to Woodstock as my family was on the way to Tampa to visit my Aunt on the bay.   All the times we made reel to reel tapes for my brother, who was in the Marines and stationed in Viet Nam.  And the slow move, here in the South, to Civil Rights (yes, even then).

So when I found two very different books about love in the 60s, I was intrigued.  And wonderfully surprised.

"My Big Brother" by Ike Rose

Ed is turning 18, just registered for the draft, and having his first legal beer with his dad and another potential new stepmother.  It's 1968, he's legal, a bodybuilder, and gay.  And looking forward more than anything to seeing his older stepbrother Johnny (well, they aren't really anymore, since Ed's father divorced Johnny's mother several years before).  Johnny protected him from bullies after their parents married, and he always had a little case of hero worship for him.  He was devastated when their parents divorced, and Johnny's mom relocated them to California.

Johnny is a hero - wounded in Viet Nam saving four congressmen and several of his buddies, he is leaving the service and making good on his promise to be there for Ed's 18th birthday.  He  hasn't seen the younger man in four years, and doesn't know he has been bodybuilding.

That's not the only thing they don't know about each other.

When the two men see each other after all these years, that little crush explodes in a big way.

Can these two guys have more in common than they think?  And can it be something real?

This fun, sexy and erotic story revisits a time when things were changing, and gay rights was just around the corner.  Ike Rose takes a somewhat taboo subject and makes it adult without being smutty, sexy without being dirty.  And most of all, very very sweet and loving.  Some crushes can develop into something more, and some loves can grow. 

"One More Soldier" by Marie Sexton

Will is a 28 year old mechanic, living in an apartment complex, and enjoying the occasional rushed coupling.  It's 1963 and gay isn't acceptable.  It's a hot summer, and he takes time to cool off at the complex pool.

Bran and his mother move into the complex, making a new start.  Bran meets Will at the pool, and makes an immediate new friend.  Even though he is just 11, Will is willing to take some time and make this young boy feel special.  Wanted.

As the years pass, the two become better friends.  Will helps Bran learn to swim, do his homework, makes him feel better about himself.

Then Bran drops out of school and moves away.  Only to come back as a confident and sexy 18 year old.

Can Will see Bran as anything other than the young kid he was when they first met?  And will something special and lasting happen, with the specter of Bran being drafted looming?

This story is so very special.  So lovingly told.  So hopeful.  So heartbreaking.

I cannot recommend this moving and inspiring story more highly.  And to tell any more about it would be to ruin it.

Buy it.  NOW.



In fact, give both of these stories a read.  They are vastly different treatments of the times, love and relationships, but both are worth taking a chance on.

Tom

"Maroon: Donal agus Jimmy"

Review - "Maroon: Donal agus Jimmy" by PD Singer

Finely crafted historical romance

Very Highly Recommended

Donal is a carpenter, working the shipyards in 1911 Belfast, creating wonderful fixtures for two gigantic liners being built by Harland and Wolff, shipbuilders.  Living near the yards, he rents a room with part of his wages, but takes the rest home for his family.  The times are hard, and he has siblings to think about, especially his sister who is looking to marry her beau.  Won't be an issue for him - he finds himself looking at the lads.

Jimmy is a boilermaker, working on the big steam engines and fittings.  Cheery and young, he is from a local family, living with an uncle who is preparing to marry, so he has to move out soon. 

Donal and Jimmy, along with 12,000 other workers on the docks, line up every week for their pay, and strike up a friendly chat while waiting on queue.  Donal is quietly drawn to this handsome man, but doesn't dare do anything except smile and have a  nice chat. 

Donal's sister has lost her job, so he needs to send the family a little more money every week.  Maybe they can meet up for a pint, be friends, maybe even...be roommates.  That will solve the money problem, right?  And nothing else has to happen.  Jimmy isn't like that anyway, he guesses.  So they move in together.

When their friendship deepens, and becomes something more, will these two young men be safe?  The times are tough, they dare not be public, and the political climate in Ireland is turbulent - Home Rule is blowing in the wind, and Jimmy may be forced to act.  As they formulate a plan to immigrate and Jimmy scopes out the landscape, will his voyage aboard the maiden journey for one of the behemoth liners - the Titanic - tear them apart forever?

Donal and Jimmy are such creatures of their times.  Their wary and tentative romance so haltingly entered into, and the two of them so nervous about what to do with each other.  Their love is slow to start but so very very believable. 

This is a MUST READ.  I am normally not a fan of historical fiction of any genre, but this...this was a revelation!  This wonderfully rich and gentle novella was so sweetly innocent, these two young men so beautifully drawn, the relationship so nicely realized, and the detail just amazing.  The time Ms. Singer took to build this story and fill it in with so much love just astounds me. 

Buy this fantastic book.  Today.

So very highly recommended.

Tom

"Quinn's Need"

Review - "Quinn's Need" by SJD Peterson

Worthy and terrific follow up

Highly Recommended

"How does someone get an elephant out of a room without shit breaking?" 

It has been a year since Lorcan made his choice to stay in Indiana with Jess and make a life.  Even though he and Quinn love each other, there has been too much hurt, and he just...can't...leave Jess.  So Quinn stays at the Whispering Pines Ranch and burns with anger and hurt.  And drinks.  And treats everyone else badly.

When Quinn finds The Push, a local D/s bar, he finally finds an outlet for his anger, using every sub who will bend for him.  And meets Ty, a young man who craves the punishment Quinn is only too happy to give him.  And give it to him Quinn does, taking what he needs without qualm.

When Lorcan and Jess decide to move back home to Pegasus and work Jess' family ranch, that means facing Quinn again.

"The only thing he knew for certain was that something would get broken."

The anger that each feels for the other, and the hurt, is still there.  After seeing each other, they know the love and passion is still there too.  But Lorcan is committed to Jess.  And after one kiss, Quinn knows his heart still belongs to Lorcan, and Lorcan's to him.  And, if he can use Ty's body, maybe he can make it all work.

"Only the extent of the damage was unknown."

When an accident happens, the delicate balance between all these men crumbles, and the tensions break.  Will things ever be the same for these four men, and will love have a chance?  Will all of the unspoken things will be faced, and all the elephants in the room be named?  And how much damage, and to whom, will they leave in their exit?

SJD Peterson had crafted a fine, emotional and devastating, yet oddly hopeful, followup to "Lorcan's Desire" with "Quinn's Need".  The three men - Quinn, Lorcan, and Jess - are all lovingly drawn, with faults and cracks and desires and virtues.  Each has wants and needs, and each are aware that what exists between Quinn and Lorcan is still unfinished business.  There is a crackling tension that carries over into this book, even a year later.  Their incompleteness is so true to their characters - Jess quietly complacent in his acceptance, Lorcan internalizing and doing his version of the right thing, and Quinn scowling and physically acting out his pain.

The new factor is Ty.  He is all need and want and submission.  At least on the surface.  And here, Ms. Peterson does what she does so well.  She thrown a lump of clay on the wheel, and then gently shapes and works the material under hands until she forms something complex and layered and distinct and perfect.  With Ty, we first see him as a receptacle for Quinn's pain and anger.  Then he slowly takes shape, and we see a hurt and needing young man, used and abandoned, slow to trust and falling in love.  Only to be crushed down one more time.

We see Quinn and Lorcan and Jess grow in their own ways, sometimes hurtfully and sometimes with joy, and we see how abandonment affects each of them, in their own ways.  And we get angry with each, and then forgive them.  Because, really, how can a man act against his own nature.

And what I really like here is Ms. Peterson has made these men real.  Not one of them is a hero.  They are just men, going through life looking for love, and hurting others in their search, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.  But there are no punches pulled here.  Not quarter asked for, and none given.

And when the elephants in the room are named, they face them.  Name them.  And do their best to deal with them.

But not all of them.  And thank God, there will be a third book in this amazing series.

I can't wait.

Tom

Derek Adams

Review  - Derek Adams

Short and so sweet and hot

Recommended

Let me preface this by saying, I have been getting many requests from writers to take a look at their works and offer reviews or feedback.  It's surprising, an honor, and something I take very seriously.  Some I have enjoyed tremendously, and some are not exactly up my alley.  I have committed to be honest and fair, and only post reviews that have something positive to say, be it about the book or in constructive criticism, to the reader or the author.  I hope I have lived up to that promise.  Also, I receive some of the books I have reviewed free from either the author or the publisher.  They are clear, as am I, that in receiving these copies at no charge, I am in no way promising a good review.  Just my honest opinion.

With that bit of housekeeping out of the way, one of the unexpected emails I received recently was from Derek Adams, asking me if I would take a look at his works.  He tends towards shorter works, which is a new thing for me to review.  I received three emails that day asking me to look at works - I was stunned, flattered, wary.  LOL  So I responded, Derek send me a few of his works to look at, and when I saw I had read one before, I was excited. 

Because this guy, he can write.  And he can can switch up styles.  He is alternately funny, touching, erotic, silly and romantic.  And I would love to see what he can do with a longer work.  I looked at several of his stories, including:

"Between Hell and El Paso"
Trinity is a young Texas guy, naive, good looking and gay.  Kicked out of his grandmother's house, nowhere to live, he hits the road, landing in Austin with no money, no job and no friends.  He quickly meets  Joey, a go-go dancer at a club, gets a job there, and settles in.  When he comes to the attention of a Senator and a rodeo star, his life starts to change.  But will he find love, or danger?

"Love of My Life"
Billy and Wade went to high school together.  Billy was poor white trash, Wade the star quarterback,
destined for big things.  They had an unlikely affair, then Wade married, and Billy went to work, waiting tables at the country club where Wade and his wife go several nights a week.  Will life give them a second chance, or is love passing them by one more time?

"Rich and Famous"
Jimmie Jack is young, dumb and hot.  And wants to be rich and famous.  When his part time booty call Sheriff kicks him out in a ditch, he meets Boyd.  With his Lycra shorts, he gets his wish - to be rich and famous.

"Second Chance"
Nick is single and nursing his heart after catching his long time lover cheating on him.  A lot.  When he stops a robbery attempt in the neighborhood, he is interviewed by Matt, a hot detective.  When he needs medical attention, Matt rushes him to the hospital.  Matt is intrigued and starts looking for reasons to see this interesting young man again.  Will he work up the nerve to ask him out?  And can Nick give love a second chance?

"The Case of the Missing Twin - Parts 1 and 2"

Miles Diamond is a private investigator.  He kind of fell into it, like he falls into a whole lot of things.  Like other guys pants.  When he is hired to find the supposedly dead Daniel Travis by his very much alive and secy twin brother, Miles begins a transcontinental romp that leads him from city to city, country to country and man to man.  Hot men, hot fun, and tongue firmly in cheek, Miles is a red hot mess of fun.

Most of these are quick reads, all are good, some fun, some serious.  Take a ride and enjoy.  This guys knows what he is doing, and you are in safe hands.

Tom

"Texas Winter"

Review - "Texas Winter" by RJ Scott

Nicely done sequel - with heart and love

Highly Recommended

"The world, for me, and all the world can hold, is circled in your arms, for me there lies, within the lights and shadows of your eyes, the only beauty that is never old."

With those words of love, Riley married Jack at the end of the last book in this series, "The Heart of Texas", committing himself to the relationship that started as a way to get back at his father.  Jeff was able to forgive Riley for manipulating him into the marriage, and make it a real partnership.

As "Texas Winter" picks up, Riley and Jack are living on the D ranch, exploring their love, and settling into this new and passionate relationship.  Riley is able to talk Jeff into taking some time off for their honeymoon, and the two share some quality bonding time together away from both families.  Until Riley's peace of mind is shattered by a call from his sister Eden, informing him of the arrival of his daughter.  The daughter he never knew he had.

As Jack and Riley return back home to deal with this unexpected addition to their lives, Riley also is contacted by his father, Jim, about a business...irregularity...involving his brother Jeff.  As he becomes more and more distracted and upset and distant from his husband, will Jack and Riley find a way to make all these new changes work in their new and sometimes fragile relationship?  Or will it all prove to be too much?

This is a worthy and, in some ways, superior, follow up to "The Heart of Texas",  RJ Scott has written a true love story - about the love between two men, between family, between a father and daughter.  Some of this love is quiet, some loud, some passionate, some gentle.  Love grows here, and love is found.  New love is formed.

We get to see Riley struggle and turn to Jack for strength.  And we see Riley there for Jack, in ways he never expected.  We see both men learn how strength takes many forms, how sometimes it's a touch, or a kind word, or passion, or quiet calm in the eye of the storm.

Most of all, we see the beginning of a new family.  Riley grew up in a "quiet mausoleum", devoid of love except for his sister, and was given a taste of how family can be when he saw the loud love and laughter of the Campbell household.  When he and Jack and their new daughter come together to bond as a family of their own, we are treated to a softening and strengthening in Riley that is wonderful to see.

While there is action in this book (the mess Jeff leaves for his brother to clean up puts Riley's life in danger yet again), this is a much more controlled, quiet ballad of a book, where "The Heart of Texas" was more a rock opera.  The heart of this book is in its core - love.  And really, the best reads always come back to that center.

Job well done, Ms. Scott!

Tom

"The Christmas Throwaway"

Review - "The Christmas Throwaway" by RJ Scott

Beautiful, haunting, hopeful

Very Highly Recommended

So I guess a couple of things you should know about me are that I was CFO for a residential treatment center for abused adolescents for the past ten years, and that I am a gay man.  Some of the kids were gay, some not.  All had suffered some level of abuse - mental, physical, sexual.  These were 12 - 17 year old kids, most of whom were abandoned or neglected, beaten, raped, prostituted out.  We were one step down from psychiatric hospitalization, and some of the stories I could tell you...you cannot imagine.  Really.

And I loved so many of these kids.  The boys and the girls.  But there were a few special kids, and one in particular, who was a throwaway, a young person tossed out of their homes for being gay, or for getting on a parent's nerves, or whatever, but tossed out with nowhere to go and usually no money.  Mom and dad not in the picture anymore, thank God, but he and his sister were...thrown away... like some of us would throw away garbage.  This particular young man had a lot of issues, and his life was hard, but he and I bonded over my dog (we could bring our pets in and he learned empathy from working with pets, and he loved my lab Samantha).  He was 15 or 16, and just opening up about his sexuality, and just a beautiful and kind and sweet young man and if I could have adopted him I would have in a freakin minute.

Anyway, that is my background.

So, in this fantastic, stunningly crafted tale of humanity and hope, Zachary is a 17 year old throwaway.  A young man tossed out of his home for being gay, beaten and broken, a little over a week before he turned 18, with just a few dollars in his pocket and the clothes on his back.  The week before Christmas, Zachary's dad drives him out from home at gunpoint.

Ben is a police officer, working back in his hometown, fresh out of college, coming back home to work to make a difference and to keep the people in his town safe.  And he chances upon Zachary, asleep on a bench in front of the local church, exhausted and tired, on Christmas Eve.  When he sees this fragile young man, something in him makes him take the young man home for a meal, a shower and a warm bed, rather than rousting or arresting him.

When Ben takes him to his mother's home, Zachary sees what family can be - loving, fun, sharing, looking out for one another rather than being afraid, beaten and controlled.  Will Zachary find the strength to take a stand for himself and what he wants in life?  And will the budding attraction between Ben and Zachary bloom into something special?

RJ Scott has written a touching, heartbreaking and heartwarming story of hope, giving and receiving, and Christmas miracles.  I was so deeply touched by the delicate, sentiment here - pure Christmas spirit without the glitter or schmaltz, tenderness without overkill.  I read this novella last year, and loved it.  When I brought it back up from my archive this year, I was reminded how truly special this story is.

And, to finish my story from earlier, this beautiful young man who I began to love, like a son, ran away right before Christmas from our facility, and I only saw him one more time.  He was prostituting himself, living with an older man who was his pimp.  When I approached him, he was strung out, looking for a fix, and recognized me.  His come on stuttered to a stop, and he took off before I could get the words, "Let me help" out of my mouth. 

Not all throwaways find a home.

If you can, spare a prayer for him this Christmas.

Tom

"Unshakeable Faith"

Review - "Unshakeable Faith" by Lisa Worrall

Sentimental love story at its best

Highly Recommended

Brody inherited his Pappy's bar.  Funny thing for a guy with an architect's degree, ready to start his career to do, but family comes first.  So he puts his plans on hold and takes over the bar, building on the family success.

And one day in walks...well, he doesn't know his name.  "Paul" is what they called him in the hospital, when he woke up there three months ago after being stabbed and beaten nearly to death.  And with no memory of how he got there, who attacked him, or who he really is.  He just knows when he overhears the doctor talking about transferring him to a long term care facility that he needs to get the heck out of there.  Down to his last dollar, and with only the clothes on his back, he wandered in and met Brody.

When Brody hears the man's story, and sees how lonely (not to say handsome) he is, he makes a spur of the moment decision to offer him a job and a place to live.  With him.  When "Paul" accepts, Brody suggests he picks a name he might like for himself.  He settles on...Nash,a name he sees in the newspaper.

Brody and Nash become good friends, and while Brody would like more, he doesn't know if Nash is gay.  Hell, Nash doesn't either.  Until he sees Brody being hit on, and Oh HELL no. He has to do something!

A couple of months later, they are in love.  In a committed relationship.  Even have a dog together.  Then Nash runs an errand for the bar, and disappears.  Brody and his friends frantically search for Nash for almost two weeks, then see him being taken away in a limo on tv.  Seems he IS really Nash - Nash Walker, cutthroat businessman and millionaire.  Who has been missing for six months.  Who now has his memory back, and, it seems, now doesn't remember Brody.  Nor, evidently, does he care to.

But Brody isn't willing to let Nash, his Nash go, that easily.  When he tracks him down to his office, will Nash remember him, or will Brody be heartbroken one more time?  And what lengths will Brody go to to get HIS Nash back?

Lisa Worrall has taken inspiration from "Random Harvest", a 1942 movie in which Ronald Coleman, a WWI vet with amnesia, falls in love with a singer only to have an accident, which restores his old memories only to wipe out his new ones.  She has updated to story for a modern audience, added the "gay", but retained all the sweetness and romance of the original version. 

And that is the very strength of this lovely, sweet and heartwarming reworking - the romance.  Brody is a wonderful creation, tall, handsome, big-hearted and full of love for his man.  And Nash, such an open and caring man, then so very closed off and harsh and cruel when he gets his memory back.  What better thing to put between two men meant for each other than a broken version of one of them?

Brody is every guy's (and let's face it, gal's) dream - a big hung of a man who is willing to drop everything and chase after his man in the name of True Love.  It takes talent to not make that a cliche - and Ms. Worrall has that in spades.  She wields a light touch, adding in enough action - there is a sub plot involving the multiple attempts made on Nash's life - to balance the sweetness factor with some weigh.  But she gets all so very very right here.

I also love the supporting characters - Wyatt can come live with me anytime.  His unconditional acceptance of his lifelong friend, and eventual love of Nash is touching rather than the schmaltz it could have been.  It was just so...right...what Ms. Worrall did with him, with Brody and Nash, and with all of the people in Nash's life. 

This is a perfect book for this Christmas season.  Unashamedly sentimental, loving, gentle, with a happily ever after for us to enjoy.  Sit back, make some hot chocolate (or a cuppa for my English friends <wink>), put your feet up and just enjoy.  Because, trust me, sweet sweet lovin' doesn't get much better than this.

Tom