Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Peter had thought that Oliver was gone forever, but fate offers him one last chance to reunite with the man he loved and lost.

Peter’s undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Dazed and confused, he finds himself at a community center he once frequented a long time ago. Going inside, he meets his old friend Oliver. There’s one problem—Oliver’s been dead for twenty-two years, lost to the ravages of AIDS in 1992. Suddenly the impossible has become possible, giving Peter a second chance with a man he had thought lost to him forever.

Peter finally admits his feelings for Oliver, long hidden beneath layers of denial and grief. Oliver owns up to the reckless mistakes he made in life, the drugs and casual sex that led to his untimely demise. Unfurling the mysteries of how they have come to be reunited, Peter and Oliver embark on a weird and wonderful journey through their past and present lives, embracing the whirlwind romance they could only dream of when Oliver lay dying.

 

Book Review

'Reunited' by Victoria Zagar is the story of two men who missed their opportunity to be together during life, but who were given the opportunity to be reunited in death, in a satisfying, but unexpected manner.

Peter struggles through his life without Oliver, but never forgets him. No one else in his life ever comes close to holding a candle to him. Even when Peter gets married and has a daughter, he doesn't love his wife the way he should. Peter does love his daughter, who is his saving grace and makes it all worth it. While seriously ill himself, Peter's thoughts are still about Oliver and the deep regret he feels for never having had the opportunity to express his love. Peter becomes disoriented and wanders into a community center which holds special meaning to him since it is connected with better times. To his surprise, there are people there. One man in particular seems familiar to him. After talking with him for a while, Peter realizes that it's Oliver who has been dead for twenty-two years! When he finally gets over the shock, Oliver explains that Peter is actually dead as well and that Oliver has been waiting for him for all that time.

Oliver becomes his guide on the other side, explaining how things are different there than when they were alive. They do some reminiscing about how things would be different now than they were in the past, especially about being gay now as opposed to then. Deciding they want some privacy, they move on to a cottage which Oliver had often dreamed of owing. There, they engage in some carnal activity which they never got the chance to express in life. They eventually end up in the small flat that Peter and Oliver shared all those years ago where they seem to be happy. There's one thing bothering Peter; he wants his daughter to know he's happy and have the opportunity to say good-bye. The challenge is finding a way to do that.

Victoria's vision of the afterlife is quite unique, certainly different than I've ever envisioned it. I found it quite interesting that the men looked, not like they did when they knew each other, but as if they had both aged accordingly. It's something I'd never considered. The story does not show a lot of the characters’ past lives, and the emphasis is on the physical side of their reunion, rather than the emotional aspects. However, if you would like to read a short, easy to read about life on the other side, dearly departed, ghosts, and sex, then this story may just fit the bill. Thanks, Victoria, for your unique vision.

 

 

 

 

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

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Short Story, 13957 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	06-March-2015
Price	$2.50 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/reunited