Adam’s about to discover how much drama a mid-life crisis can be. He’s obsessed with Mannix, the nude model in his art class. But Adam has been married to Wade for nearly two decades, and they don’t have an open relationship.
Little do they know that Fabien, a warlock from the Afterlife, has secretly cast a spell of lust on Adam and his potential toy-boy.
As things begin to heat up, Adam’s guardian angel, Guy, steps in. But what’s the best way to save the relationship? Should Guy subdue Adam’s wandering passions or instigate a steamy threesome?
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REVIEWS:
Thanks to Sarah for her 4 Star Review
“…this is a story about the interactions between humans and the divine realm and a collection of philosophical musings on love, sex, and monogamy in gay relationships.”
Thanks to Nephy for her 4 Star Review
“…despite the complexity of the weave, the story doesn’t feel complex when you’re reading it. It has a good flow and a three-dimensional feel to the characters and the story.”
Thanks to Emily for her 4 Star Review
“And yes, Guy steals the show again for me. I loved him in book one, and I loved him even more in this book.”
“So, if you like surreal fantasies and a plot that actually requires you to think while reading it, I would definitely give this series a try. The book is well written and edited, and it is a fun story. Plus, all the cultural references definitely upped my enjoyment.”
Thanks to On Top Down Under for Kazza’s 4.5 Star Review
Will it be for everyone who reads gay fiction/romance? Not really, but if you like intelligent writing, humour, a spec-fic/fantasy style story that is also contemporary, this is a terrific read. It is sweet, witty, clever, and not without bittersweet moments as well.
Thanks to Amos Lassen who pondered gay fidelity for my second novel
“Klehr certainly knows how to tell a story but I am still not sure if we were laughing at the characters or at ourselves.”
Thanks to reviewer Ulysses at the Prism Book Alliance for his 4 Star Review of my second novel
“It is not exactly what I expected, but ultimately this story offers a powerful love song for readers willing to listen.”
“…I found myself pausing as I read, thinking back over my own long lifetime as a gay man in a rapidly shifting world.”
Thanks to Andra for her thoughts
“I really liked the blend of supernatural with reality though. The guardian angel thing is always a hit for me because I love the idea of being protected and some kind of ethereal being following you around during all the mundanities of your life.”
Thanks to The Reading Addict for her review
“There are lovely vivid images evoked in the story…”
“My best analogy would be the sensation of funhouse mirrors where art imitates life imitates art…”
AUTHOR READING (from previous edition of the book)
EXCERPT ONE:
He had the perfect vee-shaped torso. The kind that would turn on a dozen potential lovers if he wandered into a gay bar. And while his faultless crew cut was artificially red, his other natural features were as intense as James Dean’s. I could go riding in his sports car, feeling the breeze as we headed to Lover’s Lane. He’d admire me with his penetrating eyes before undressing me for a lovemaking session so powerful, not even a night with a handpicked selection of porn stars would compare.
But unlike anyone I’d ever met, he was blessed with soft charcoal-colored wings. This was Guy’s boyfriend, Joshua. I was back at that thespian drinking haven, the Pedestal, at some stage between going to bed and waking up the next morning.
I tried not to drool at this bad boy, while picturing myself taking off his well-fitted leather jacket, slowly. I wanted to let out an orgasmic moan, before any foreplay had begun.
“I think you need to sleep with Mannix,” he said. He sipped on a Bloody Mary.
“Joshua!” his loving partner reprimanded.
“Joshua, we tried,” I said.
“And what happened, sweetheart?”
“He freaked out. He gives us all the signals and then runs off in terror.”
“Tsk, tsk. Now why would he do that? You’re not exactly on the ugly scale.”
“Thanks,” I replied. “I think.”
“Joshua, that’s not the issue here,” Guy said. “I’ve been watching over them, and they’re getting obsessed with Mannix. And just as odd, Mannix is obsessed with them. It doesn’t make sense.”
“What’s there to make sense of, Petal? They’re grown men looking for a bit of spice. This Mannix dude is the spice. Supply and demand. No problem.”
“But Guy has a point,” I said. “This is doing my head in. One minute, Wade and I are respectable grown men, the next we’re one step away from toupees and face-lifts.”
“And is this causing you two to argue? Fight? Split up?”
“Strangely, no.”
I picked up my cocktail, resting the top of the glass on my lower lip before sipping slowly.
“Joshua, it’s still causing drama,” continued Guy. “Adam and Wade have their heads in no-man’s land, and Mannix is just as bemused.”
“Oh my darlings, they’re men. Adult men. Every one of them. That which doesn’t kill them, will make them stronger. Or separated but I can’t see any hint of that. Can you, Adam?” I nodded tensely. “There, you see, Guy? It might be causing a bit of grief, but in the end, they’re men. Once they stop questioning it with their emotions, they’ll solve it physically and wonder why they didn’t get down and dirty sooner.”
I sat with the two angels, none-the-wiser. That dark-skinned woman was back on stage. Sultry jazz was her genre of choice today, and her small ensemble cruised into mellow tones that could set you adrift on a small boat. As she crooned the first lines of “Someone To Watch Over Me”, Guy sang the words with her under his breath.
Around me, the mismatched furniture complemented the mismatched cast. A lone African woman, wearing more colors than a peacock’s tail, stood transfixed as if the singer was secretly robbing her soul. Her fingers tapped on an imaginary piano, and her wide-eyed stare gave me goose bumps.
An old lady, dressed in clothes her own granddaughter would wear, clutched her wine glass like it was a precious jewel. At the same time, she gazed into the eyes of a mature athletic man who looked like he once had a passion for ballet dancing. Their loving gaze reminded me of the way Wade sometimes looked at me.
“So, Joshua, you think we’re making too much of a big deal about this?”
He rubbed the tip of his sculptured jawline as Guy casually leaned toward him. “Adam, darling, there are men who put themselves through hell and back trying to do the right thing. They won’t act until they work out all the final consequences. And let’s face it, as much pontificating as humanly possible is not ever going to let you know the final outcome, really! And there are men who are a lot more spirited and take life as a challenge. Go forth and take the risk and see where it leads you.”
“Joshua, Adam understands that,” Guy said. “But there’s Wade to consider. What if their marriage falls apart?”
“Darling, seriously. From what you’ve told me, they’re not going to fall apart. It’s all just a bit of fun. Mannix is a new appliance, like a fridge or a vibrator. Something that has a use. And think, Adam. Think of the uses you can come up with, with your new appliance.”
FAN ART:
EXCERPT TWO
“My darlings, listen to yourselves. You are one of the most ‘together’ couples I know, gay or straight. But all it takes is this little play-bunny to enter your lives and you both act like Pepé Le Pew pining after what you can’t have!”
This was the most stern she had ever been with us. She loved us to death so I guess we were the last people on earth she wanted to see hoodwinked by some wholesome-acting vixen.
Our friendship with Maude was based on openness from day one. She cast us in a play she was work-shopping at the theater group, and we were instantly drawn to her unapologetic spinster status. She took one day at a time, appreciating her posse, never wanting to complicate her life with just one companion. Wade seemed to study her like a poker player weighing up his next move.
“I love you, Maude, but trust us, you’ve got the situation wrong.”
“Have I, Wade? You still know little about him.”
“We’ve met up with him a couple times.”
“And tell me, boys, has there been any flirting?” We didn’t answer. “I rest my case.” She opened the pantry door where she’d stashed more bottles of red. “I think it will take another few glasses for me to talk sense into you.”
Before any debate could be entered into, she unscrewed the top and poured. Although Wade expressed concern about driving home inebriated, I welcomed the top-up, even if it was close to midnight with a work day ahead. The crisp raspberry-like scent enticed our palettes.
“Right, my sweethearts, a little perspective. After you met him, Adam, when did you next catch up?”
“We went for a drink that night.”
“All three of you?”
“No,” replied Wade. “I was at dance class.”
“Uh-huh. You chat. You like each other. Then who contacts who?”
“We invite him around for dinner,” I answered.
“Quiet night?”
“Pretty quiet,” said Wade. “We had dinner, chilled out, then he had to go home to his flatmate as something was wrong.”
“Uh-huh. What happened?” Again, we didn’t answer. “You actually don’t know, do you? You never thought to ask. Are you actually sure this guy has a flatmate, or is it a boyfriend?”
I searched my wine glass for an answer. No mystic visions appeared. Now I knew I was tipsy. Thankfully, Wade was my designated driver.
“And do you get the feeling he might be interested in one of you, more than the other?”
“Oh definitely not,” Wade said. Like me, he also studied his glass for an answer. “He’s taken an interest in both of us, and yes, now that I hear myself say it, it is a bit bizarre, but trust me, Maude, there is no ulterior motive.”
“Maude,” I added, “I appreciate your concern, but trust us, there’s nothing sinister going on here. Just a bit of mutual infatuation, nothing more, nothing less. We’re grown men. We’re not about to do anything foolish.”
“Adam, we’ve all witnessed too many couples split up when a touch of spice was added, as you know. I’m determined not to see the same thing happen to my closest buddies. Besides, the politics of who to invite to what occasion is something I don’t want to go through again.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I added, “but… “
“Remember when I told you about the time I accompanied Jean and Simon to the circus and witnessed the trapeze artist flirt with Simon. They ended up running away together to live on a farm, while Jean took on the arduous hobby of stalking. First the letters, then the phone calls, followed by those crazy ticking gifts. I don’t want to be meat in the sandwich again, and I’m determined not to see my boys split up.”
kevin klehr 