Two parallel romances, fifty year apart!

Incredibly good! Robert spends his life clubbing, doing drugs and steroids, and going to the gym. He’s doing the bare minimum at work and is in danger of losing his job. His best friend, Jonathan, constantly berates Robert while borrowing (and never returning) his money, clothes, and booze. Life gets more and more complicated as the two get tangled up with drug dealers and free-loading, unfaithful boyfriends. It’s modern life for gay men in their twenties. When he meets his neighbour, Michael, and his friend, Stephen, all he sees are two ageing gay men. He doesn’t realise that fifty years ago Michael and Stephen were living very similar, but illegal, lives, grappling with the same sorts of issues.

This was such a wonderful glimpse into the lives of modern / historical urban gay men! Everyone thinks they’re the ones who invented the wheel, but being human at any time in history has commonalities. Either Robert’s or Michael’s story would have made a compelling book, but comparing and contrasting the two together is just perfect and the similarities between Jonathan and Stephen reinforce the messages brilliantly. These characters are all so well-written, so sympathetically flawed and utterly human. 🎧 Best of all, UK actor Nigel Pilkington’s narration is pitch-perfect for every character, one of the best audio performances I’ve encountered (currently free on the Audible Plus catalogue)!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!