Book Reviews

Book Blurb

A gentle, cosy, and touching romance set in mid-1980's Yorkshire.

Simon Peters knows he’s Mr. Average. He works at the local library during the day and goes home to his modest and lonely house at night.

Mark Smith was kicked out of home by his drunken father for being gay. Buying a bus ticket, he travels as far as his meagre savings allow. He’s taken in by Jake, but soon realises the man’s darker, criminal side. Trapped, Mark is forced to work the streets.

One evening, when the loneliness becomes overwhelming, Simon gathers up his courage and goes to the red light district of the town to buy a little human companionship.

As the weeks pass and the weather turns colder outside, both Simon and Mark find warmth and friendship indoors.

When an explosion kills Jake and injures Mark, Simon has to make a decision. Can he offer Mark shelter and nurse him back to health without revealing his true feelings for the man?

Book Review

This story delivers what the title says: it is about the ‘first flames of love’ between Simon, a librarian, and Mark, who has run away from home after his father got really upset when he found out Mark is gay. Their romance is slow to develop, both of them uncertain about themselves and their chances with the other man. It is a quiet story which grows emotionally more intense as Simon realizes he loves Mark. I liked that it is set in England and that two very normal men are the main characters.

Simon's self-esteem couldn’t be much lower and being who he is, a shy, retiring librarian, he doesn’t even know what to do for companionship. The few attempts he has made were unsuccessful, so he retreats back into his shell. His desperate attempt to find another man to ‘cuddle’ with (he doesn’t dare imagine anything more) leads him to a male prostitute. Luckily, the first contact is with Mark who is in trouble because he got taken advantage of by an unscrupulous pimp. Mark not having any real desire to keep selling his body opens up the possibility of something more for the two of them.

Mark remains a bit of a mystery since Simon tells the story in first person. What I did get to see showed a man who needs love and understanding as badly as Simon does. He also doesn’t think he deserves someone special and has no idea what to do to change his life. I only got to see him through Simon’s eyes, but what I did see, I liked.

If you want to read about normal men, with problems and issues that match, if you like a quietly developing love story that takes its time to go from the first sparks to the initial flame, and if you want a happy ending, you may like this story.



DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by JMS Books for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novella, 130 pages/30180 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	07-March-2011
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://amzn.to/2b0Rf6x