Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
Sam and Hank met as high school juniors and hit it off almost immediately. Their bond of friendship continues to grow stronger during college, until Sam makes a scary discovery about himself: he's been batting for the wrong team. Unable to confess his suspicions to anyone, especially ladies' man Hank, Sam takes a job in Denver after graduation, far enough away from everyone he knows to give himself plenty of time and space to figure things out on his own.

Although Sam and Hank stay in touch while they're apart, it takes three long years for Sam to finally realize that his decision to move away came at too high a price. Craving the company of his family and friends again ~ especially Hank ~ Sam decides to put in for a transfer back home. When Hank finds out that Sam is moving back, he insists his longtime friend move in with him. Against his better judgment, Sam agrees, and he immediately finds himself in a constant battle to keep his secret under wraps.

BOOK REVIEW:
This story rings so true, it’s sometimes painful to read. The author captures perfectly the longing, the bone deep need for that special someone, and the horrible reality that you can’t have him.

Hank was presented as perfection personified. Maybe he was, but I suspect he was just as flawed as Sam, and we get a glimpse of this right at the end. But because the story is told in Sam’s first person narrative, we can only view Hank as Sam sees him. And Sam thinks Hank is the best thing since pre-lubed condoms.

Almost the whole book was taken up with Sam’s tortured, agony piled upon agony need for Hank. Several times I felt like yelling at my computer, “Just tell him already!” but I’m glad Sam wasn’t listening. That would have spoiled the reality. We men often prefer to hang onto what we have, fearing we’d lose even that in the quest for more.

Hats off to Ms Bishop for penning this vivid portrait of the fucked-up reality that sadly is all too many gay men’s private lives.

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