It’s been far too long since my last venture into the world of the Rainbow Alley, its characters, and its intensely emotional stories, and I was glad to finally return. As much as I hate the Greenbacks, a merciless street gang that has destroyed so many lives already, I was also curious about the men trying to escape their grip, like Skate and Denny (secondary characters from previous books). And I wanted to know how those are doing who have already escaped, like Jimmy from book three and Marky from book one. Their lives are so intertwined and riddled with so many secrets, that whatever happens to some of them affects them all. And that was particularly true for this book – a lot of the past comes up and is illuminated while Skate and Denny struggle toward a life free of violence and unwanted interference. I loved how ‘Face to Face’ answers many questions and brings a big part of the story arc to a very satisfactory conclusion. It does mean I recommend you read the first three books in the series before this one, or else you will miss some of the details and won’t be able to enjoy the full impact of this story.

Skate is on the run from the Greenbacks ever since he tried to save Jimmy’s life, and the guilt of not succeeding is eating him alive. But so is the fact that he can’t seem to protect his best friend, Denny. Eight months later they may have survived and escaped the gang leader’s attempts at revenge, but it is winter, and the cold added to the lack of food is about to kill them. Skate would do anything to protect Denny, but he can’t admit his true feelings because he keeps telling himself he is not gay. His journey toward the truth is long and hard, Denny and others get hurt while Skate tries to deal with the truth, and he almost dies more than once. What a mess!

Denny has a hard past: abused and then thrown away by his bible-bashing parents, he has been on the streets and selling himself for years. He is deeply in love with Skate and will do anything to get them some food, clothing, shelter that might keep them from freezing. Neither of them wants to go back to the Greenbacks, but there comes a point when they may have to. Instead, they end up in Jimmy’s old apartment where Rolly can rescue them. But even the safety Rolly offers comes at a price, and Denny isn’t sure it’s worth paying. And when he faces the question of sticking with Marky, who is like family to him, or keeping himself and Skate safe, Denny doesn’t even have to think about it. He races right back into the arms of danger and almost-certain death - proving that there are some things more important to him than survival.

‘Face to Face’ is an excellent title for this novel – it summarizes the central conflict and its ultimate resolution perfectly. Skate and Denny are meant for each other, and on some level they both know this. Skate’s issues with accepting that he is gay prevent them from becoming as close and as happy as they could be. Despite his hesitancy, their physical relationship exists long before he admits who he is to himself, but as a result they never look at each other when having sex. The first time Skate acknowledges his sexuality and understands how much Denny means to him, ‘face to face’ becomes a symbol of his love for Denny and his promise to be honest about his feelings. Looking someone in the face is a meaningful sign of openness, and while it takes Skate a long time to get there, it is a beautiful and powerful moment when he does.

If you like psychological and emotional thrillers that expose the characters’ core, if two men who face life-and-death decisions while dealing with their emotions are your thing, and if you’re looking for a read that is as brutally honest about the reality of street gangs as it is about the power of love, then you will probably like this novel. It’s a great addition to the series, and even though it left me drained and emotionally raw, its message of hope was also uplifting and encouraging enough to keep me coming back for more.


NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )