Reviewer:
Alex at Rainbow Reviews
Publisher:
Dreamspinner Press (Dec. 10th 2012)
Pages:
210
Buy
Link: http://bit.ly/SLEqez
Everyone
needs a little help now and then. For gay Muslim Sayen Homet, that help first
came from his understanding mother, who brought him to America from the Middle
East. Now that he’s working his way through Stanford Medical School, his help
comes from a secret sugar daddy. But Sayen might be able to end their
arrangement soon now that he has a boyfriend he can depend on, A student
Campbell Reardon. Campbell is more than willing to support Sayen, even if it
means coming out to his conservative family.
But
when Campbell takes Sayen home to meet his parents, everything falls apart.
Campbell doesn’t realize how his boyfriend pays for school… and neither of them
knows Sayen’s sugar daddy is Campbell's father, Blake.
While
everyone involved struggles to overcome their shock, it becomes obvious Blake
will do anything to keep Sayen. Campbell and Sayen love each other, but in the
face of so much hurt and betrayal, love might not be enough to hold them
together.
This
is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. I picked it up and
finished it in just over three hours because I simply could not put it down. At
its end, I had tears in my eyes and I don’t know if it is because the story was
so lovely or because it is so well written. I highly recommend this brilliant
multicultural, contemporary male/male romance novel. Stunning in its ability to
be both simple and complex, Mr. Chin captures the nuances of the Muslim
lifestyle and that of the wealthily political family with equal aplomb,
instilling the story with thorough, emotional passages that give great depth to
both the lead characters, Sayen the Muslim medical student and Campbell the
wealthy son of a judge, and the supporting cast alike.
Impoverished,
but brilliant, medical student Sayen stays abreast of his tuition fees because
he has a wealthy, albeit secret and married, sugar daddy as a lover. Well-to-do
fellow med student, Campbell, has repeatedly made advances to him and is slowly
wearing him down. He is attracted to Campbell whom he has much in common with
and who is his own age. Plus there would be no need to hide a relationship with
Campbell, but realistically Sayen cannot give up his entire medical future
simply for a relationship. Without the money to finish his education, his
promise to his mother will be broken and his plans to help others won’t pan
out.
All
bets are off when Campbell seduces him one evening, confessing love and
offering to foot his bills. Forced to make a decision and realizing that what
he feels for Campbell is growing ever stronger, Sayen breaks up with his sugar
daddy and the two students become live-in lovers.
The
subsequent trip home to meet Campbell’s parents rivals the 1967 movie “Guess
Who’s Coming to Dinner” in charm, humor, and complexity.
Never
straying from the escalating romance between the two leads, the novel holds a
wealth of equally powerful tales concerning family dynamics, secrets, and the
fears that bind. Magical and powerful, each chapter of the book held me in
throes of anticipation and read like an entire story on its own. Alan Chin
utilizes evocative atmosphere, emotional subtlety, and brilliant characterization
to convey a beautifully moving story in a concise, extremely captivating
manner. I found myself rereading entire passages simply for the ripple of
delight I felt at the wordplay. Realistic and heartwarming, with an excellent
attention to detail, dazzling lovemaking scenes, and a fantastic supporting
cast, the book is a treasure hiding behind a rather humorous and pimped out
cover.
Upon
reaching its end, I was smiling even as a tear rolled down my cheek. I realized
that I held something truly rare and precious in my hands… a male/male romance
novel that I, for one, will savor again and again. Thank you, Alan Chin, for
sharing this poignant and enthralling tale; I’m off to find your other books.
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