Sincerely this story surprised me since it’s not at all the light romance I was expecting, it has some deep layers that is a joy to discover.

Van is a former big star of Hollywood, former for two reasons: first he is no more in the prime of his age, over 40 years old is no more a hit for Hollywood blockbuster, and second he was outed by a jealous ex-boyfriend, and big name star and gay in Hollywood seem not to well match. So, as many before, he accepts to play an Off-Off and again Off Broadway play for a Summer festival, so off that it’s not even in New York, but in a quiet little town, St. Charles, two hundred miles west of Manhattan.

But since the first night he goes to visit St. Charles and the Globe theatre, Van understands that he is not embarking in an amateur enterprise, and both director than set designer are really professional, and above all Shane, the set designer is also a very handsome young man, and also very gay. Perspective for a nice summer is on the horizon, but Van soon realizes that he doesn’t want only a summer fling: despite Shane’s young age, and Van’s involvement in a world that is miles away from St. Charles, Van starts to desire for something real and lasting.

Other than a nice romance and some good sex scene, the author fits in the story also some committed matter like the challenging of May / December relationship, the trust in love and in your lover, and the importance of safe sex. When Van was young he had a relationship with an older man, a man who also helped him in his rising career as an actor; it was not a bad relationship, but it’s now clear to Van that it was not love: both men involved obtained what they wanted and in the end nothing left. But despite this experience, Van has not preconceptions against a May / December relationship, and not only since he is now the December side of it: I have never felt like Van gave much importance to the age difference, maybe also helped in it by the fact that Shane is not a man with self-conscious issue and he has no real need of Van to improve in his career.

More attention I think the author gave to the trust between lovers, a notion that works in two different situations. First when it’s time to talk about safe sex and past relationships, and there is a moment that a luck of trust, or better an imprudence of one of them put in danger all their future chance of a long lasting relationship. Second when Van admits his discomfort in being the submissive partner during sex, not really for a preference in sexual position, but more for the lack of trust in his previous partners, trust them to be sensitive enough to care also for their partner pleasure.

So yes, this extended novella was really a nice surprise, once that I recommend more people to give it a try.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602728046/?tag=elimyrevandra-20