This is a delightful book, full of drama, friendship, love and hope. The action moves between New Zealand (the author’s home country) and Germany, both of which are lovingly described with plenty of interesting detail. Smashwords labels it as a ‘European’ book but New Zealand plays a much larger part than Germany and is a refreshingly different background, especially for European and American readers.

Keeley is an expert on safes and security, working in Germany. His business partner, who is also his lover, is killed in an explosion and Keeley, injured and grieving, returns to New Zealand to recuperate. The story follows his relationships with his friends and his family. Both have some rocky moments and there is tragedy, but there is a growing love affair plus the strong support of others to give Keeley hope for the future. Keeley is an unusual hero as he is also fighting against the effects of a chronic illness which has dogged him from childhood and we see both his determination and courage, and the effects his condition has had on his life. There is medical hope, as well as romantic hope, in the unfolding of the plot.

Eventually, Keeley has to return to Germany, to investigate problems connected to the explosion and there is excitement and even danger, with more friends to help. This part of the story is in effect a ‘thriller’ but the novel as a whole is more of a family saga so it is a difficult book to define by genre. The fact that Keeley is gay is simply accepted by his friends and by his sister. It also distances him from other family members but perhaps not as much as his illness does.

This is a book about a gay man, and it is a love story, but it is much more than that. It is a mainstream novel, full of twists and turns and memorable characters, in which the very engaging hero happens to be gay and to fall in love. But he also happens to have a medical problem, and a business problem, both leading to drama. So it is not a niche novel. Nor is it in the main erotic, though there are a few scenes where the author allows the reader to see Keeley’s sexuality and share his feelings.

I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see more stories where to be gay is considered normal and where gay love is celebrated but not regarded as exotic. I have left a review on Smashwords and would be so pleased if more people would read the book and add their reviews. I have talked to the author, online, and know she is rather unsure of her book’s possible impact on readers. This is her first novel and I certainly hope it will not be her last. Please go and read it! You won’t be disappointed!

(Available on Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/37581)

 

Wilde Oats is published three times a year, in April, August and December. Click here to be automatically informed of new issues when they are published.