Genre: Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
Conner MacKay is the last of the TV cowboys, but he’s withdrawn from society—even before a global pandemic forces the world into quarantine. When he meets activist Dante Burke, though, Conner takes a chance. He can’t leave a young Black man on the street in the face of a public health crisis. What kind of cowboy would he be then?
On the surface, Conner and Dante live in opposing realities: midlife versus youth, flush versus flat broke. But their politics, attraction, and close quarters bring them together until the heat between them grows into a burn almost too hot to handle.
Then old dangers breach their safeguards and threaten not their love, but their very lives.
Love in Lockdown is a gay interracial age-gap romance with a happy ever after that goes on for decades.
The Review
This story takes place at the time of the Covid pandemic, when the world fell apart with no leadership, and so much strife and conflict that still continues in the world today.
Dante Burke is a young African American activist with has a love of history. He chose to leave college because of all the unrest and indifference in the country. He committed himself to help folks in the more underprivileged areas of Chicago and volunteered at a clinic that has now been destroyed in the unrest.
Conner MacKay was a Western TV star, director and collaborator with his partner, Kelvin Jones. Things became ugly when western stories were based on historical facts. Age, tragedy and fear ended his career, and he choose to go into hiding.
He is a on the board of the now-destroyed clinic. He sees a young man outside and knowing how dangerous it is to be exposed to the pandemic, he decides to the come to the man’s aid. He can’t find it in his heart to let this young man be homeless at a time when Covid killing so many. He becomes protective of Dante when he finds out the man has asthma. Conner offers him a place to stay and makes sure he has the medicine and comfort to make it through such an indecisive time.
The world’s situation isn’t getting any better. Stuck together, Conner and Dante learn about each other, and gradually begin build a life together.
A sweet lady, Lilly, comes in and cooks for them several times a week.
Dante wants to find a way to pay Conner back for his generosity. Conner, for his part, finds himself enamored with Dante, and the feeling is somewhat mutual. Dante is beautiful and intelligent, and Conner couldn’t be more happy to have him around. As Conner shares his writing about the Buffalo Soldiers, Dante becomes absorbed in the history, and starts to research and write about them too.
Their journey together not simple – they are surrounded by unrest, pandemic, fires and more. Connor fears the hate and stupidity in the world, and he has a dangerous secret, one that could threaten Lilly and Dante.
Davis has written a wonderful age-gap love story that takes place during unpredictable times full of bigotry, homophobia, unnecessary deaths and ignorance. There’s also the unseen danger to Conner and Dante’s lives, and their own thoughts and doubts about each other.
The author goes deep with both Dante and Conner. Dante has an old soul, which keeps Conner young. Their gradual feelings for one another slowly blossom, encouraged by their beauty, intelligence, friendship, and so much more. The story is filled with caring, companionship, romance and a love that touches the heart.
It’s also a story of two women from different walks of life. Dante’s mother Fanny is self-centered, abusive, and doesn’t respect her son. Lilly, by contrast, is a beautiful soul – she loves her children regardless and treats Conner and Dante equally. She’s a goldmine of advice, and not afraid to confront Fanny.
I highly recommend Love In Lockdown – it’s a wonderfully written story about life and love during a time of great uncertainty. This is the first time I’ve read something by R. Frank Davis, and I was impressed and entertained. I hope there are more to come.
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.
