This book was nothing short of intense. It was something far beyond that.

I actually don't know how to describe my feelings/do a review about this. Best friends, messy and complicated beginnings, messy mess in between.

This book was as much, if not more, about Michael's downfall and eventual recovery than it was about any single relationship. (And we all know my thing for addicts.)

But the relationship stuff, with all its grit and beauty, I savored. It was just warm and familiar enough to balance how absolutely raw and vulnerable it felt.

The book isn't funny or light, but it is ridiculously engaging (I got to 90% at 2am last night and I am PAYING)
I will just end this by saying this book was crazy pants good. Crazy.Pants.Good.

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This is a fantastic novel on so many levels, I hardly know where to start. The setting is a gay-friendly school in Brooklyn, and both main characters have escaped from dysfunctional families in Queens. Well, escaped is a relative term, as you will see when you read the book, but in theory they have their own lives. Both of them are young teachers, and the issues they encounter are brutal and real both inside the classroom and in their personal lives. They are best friends, have been for twenty years, but when the sexual tension that is clearly between them explodes, they quickly become more. Yet this is no fluffy romance. Their demons are very real, the angst is considerable, and the internal and external obstacles they have to overcome almost tear them apart.

Michael is Puerto Rican and has just been dumped by his boyfriend of two years, he is constantly drinking, not easy to get along with at work, and his family is so messed up it beggars description. Michael has no idea how to deal with it all, but he also doesn’t really have a role model or something to live for. His road to a more livable life is long and hard, and the author doesn’t sugarcoat anything.

Nunzio is Italian and has his own problems, but he is much clearer on what he wants. Not that he articulates what that might be, but he seems a little less adrift in life’s storms. He is a great supporter for Michael, without being obsessive or restrictive, and I didn’t envy him his task of trying to build something with Michael that, for most of the books, seems totally out of reach for both of them.

If you are looking for a sweet romance, this is not the book for you. If you’re ready for a gritty story about two real men with real problems, one that will grab your attention, then give this a try. I felt as if I had stepped into a different world and followed the events while trying to catch my proverbial breath. Recommended for anyone who is interested is a multi-layered character study set in a tough part of the world, and with players who continued to amaze me with their resilience and determination despite everything they had been through. Nothing is easy for these guys – and that makes the ending more worthwhile and very satisfying.


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

4.5 stars

This book floored me. I got soooooo turned on for the sex parts. The heat factor alone made for an excellent read. I was pissed by some actions, saddened by others. There's angst and drama. There's sweetness. I loved it because it made me feel so much. I thought that Michael's break down was interesting and heartbreaking, but I did want more of Nunzio and less of that part. I will continue the series. When this one ended, I was craving more.
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4.5 stars

This book floored me. I got soooooo turned on for the sex parts. The heat factor alone made for an excellent read. I was pissed by some actions, saddened by others. There's angst and drama. There's sweetness. I loved it because it made me feel so much. I thought that Michael's break down was interesting and heartbreaking, but I did want more of Nunzio and less of that part. I will continue the series. When this one ended, I was craving more.
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This was a well written story, but kind of depressing. Will carry on with the next one and hope it is happier ( )