Running away from your problems – and I am not talking about a life-threatening situation here- is never really a solution. And yet it can seem like the only way at first, especially if you’re not ready to face the issues that caused the problem in the first place. In this novella, Nathan has to confront the consequences of his past actions when he runs into the love of his life again – and it’s still tough. The question of whether he has grown and matured enough to face the truth twenty years after he ran away and be honest about who he is, is the central theme of this novel.
Nathan left the small Australian town he grew up in years ago to become a doctor in Sydney and now he has returned to settle down and find the man of his dreams. He may not have been ready to come out twenty years ago and he is still fearful of people’s reactions to an openly gay. Even though Nathan’s fear is based on a single incident (getting caught kissing Damien when they were teenagers), I can see how this has influenced his behavior. And returning to the same environment that prompted him jumping into the closet, so to speak, is anything but easy.

Damien is out and proud and refuses to be anyone’s “dirty secret”. He is slightly less complicated than Nathan and pretty Zen about most things, but it has taken some tough experiences like a breakup with a lover for him to get there. I loved how Damien stood his ground about the need to be open about their relationship if they did get back together - he is no longer prepared to hide in the closet.

A fresh start when you’re forty is not always easy – but it can be very liberating. Both Nathan and Damien had unresolved feelings for each other and I loved watching them get their second chance. They very much needed to finally deal with what happened in their past. Meeting again years later and still getting along really well, both men begin to reconsider their relationship. They are clearly still very attracted to each other, possibly still in love. It's torture for Nathan, and the incident that makes him realize it is time to come out and grow beyond where he was surprised me – in a good way. Not a boring moment in sight!

As a side note, the setting was really well described and played a major role in my enjoyment of this novella. I knew I was in Australia throughout. Nice details from the weather to the environment, the food, and details like what the characters were wearing made me remember my time living in Sydney and helped the story come alive. Another factor was the author's language - Australian words, slang, and spelling throughout. I loved that.

If you like stories with lots of depth despite their shortness, if you enjoy second chances for mature lovers, and if you’re looking for a read that is entertaining, interesting, and just mysterious enough to make it slightly suspenseful, then you will probably like this novella as much as I do.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
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