Title: Far Away
Author: Bryan T. Clark
Genre: Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Publisher: Cornbread Publishing
Pages: 266
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
First love can save you … and ruin you …
Eighteen-year-old Noah Rothenberg spent the prefect summer with his first love, the charming and seductive Spiro. He fell head over heels in love from what started as a clumsy crush. But that was twelve years ago. His relationships since have been spectacular failures because of how things ended with Spiro. If he has any hope of moving forward, he needs to find Spiro and get some closure … even if he has to fly halfway around the world to do it. Too bad he instead finds himself falling—again—for the man who ruined him for all other men.
Love isn’t an emotion Spiro Papadopoulos entirely trusts anymore. He’s far too pragmatic for that. His focus these days has to be on his art and caring for his ailing mother. Being with Noah again is easy and feels so right … but is it love? Spiro isn’t sure. Besides, with his entire life being tied to Greece and Noah’s to New York, love might just be a luxury neither of them can afford.
Can Spiro and Noah overcome the oceans and years between them—or will their second chance at love end as badly as their first?
The Review
In the summer of his eighteenth birthday, Noah Rothenberg meets Spyridon “Spiro” Papadopoulos. This starts an awakening for Noah’s feelings in so many ways. Noah is Jewish and comes from a wealthy family. He’s made his way to Lake Winnipesaukee to spend time with his Grandmother and parents. But Noah’s family is certainly dysfunctional ever since the death of his twin, Nathanael. For Noah the visit turns wonderful with meeting Spiro but it eventually turns into disaster.
Spiro has had his share of trouble. He’s comes from Greece to work with his Uncle Eros on the Rothenberg lake house property. He finds a new friend in Noah and as their feelings grow become more involved. Noah already feels that he and Spiro have made a connection and discovers Spiro has an amazing talent at being an artist.
Even though their time together is wonderful, they learn that there’s some that are not so accepting of what they have.
Bryan T. Clark spins an emotionally filled love story about two very opposite people, Noah and Spiro. For me it was somewhat of a “coming out” and “coming of age” tale about two young men from different ethnicities and cultures. The story is especially heartbreaking for Noah. He has to face the hurt and anguish trying to understand why his parents don’t love him and the constant pain of missing his brother. He learns to face the intolerance, bias and prejudice of those around him. He always saw, not only the beauty of Spiro but the beauty of Spiro’s artistry. As years pass, one thing Noah is certain of and that’s finding Spiro.
Spiro struggles with the idea of love, except when it comes to family. At times he seems carefree but he carries guilt and the responsibility to care for and love his family. One thing for sure, distance can very possibly make the heart grow fonder.
With this beautifully written story, Bryan T. Clark also takes us on a wonderful and descriptive journey, from Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, New York and to the beautiful and historical country of Greece.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
