Genre: Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
A novel about gay men as lovers, parents, children, and friends.
Pierre and Bill have been together for 35 years ever since Bill was a kid. Neither related nor romantically involved, their relationship began with a third man who has long since passed. Like everyone, they face challenges. Theirs, though, are acute as are anyone’s who lives outside the norm. But they overcame those obstacles and in the end, each found a partner and all four men settled down together—along with one little girl.
‘Pierre & Bill Now’ opens several years later and Pierre and Bill are alone once again. Life’s rollercoaster ride has taken its toll. There’s been a separation, a custody loss, and a death. Age, too, has become an issue and, for Pierre, new challenges arise. Bill, on the other hand, is at his peak—professionally, at least. While he engages in sex on occasion, he’s given up on love. So when his job is threatened by insidious allegations, his world falls apart. Until he fights back. And that fight gives Pierre new life. Even now, he’s a scrapper.
Litigation, illness, and ghosts from the past rise up to destroy them. Some will be defeated and others held at bay. There will be losses, though, but they won’t face them alone. Pierre isn’t the center of only Bill’s world. He’s the center of many. Bill, too, has a following. Some of his colleagues may believe the claims made against him, but his students do not. Neither does the new caregiver assigned to take care of Pierre. He cares a lot.
With elements of mystery, erotica, and romance along with a good dose of humor, the novel follows many trails. But love takes center stage. Whether as parents, children, lovers, rivals or friends, everyone wants love, fears losing it, and struggles to make room for more. This is a story about family, too. The family that you choose.
Please note: ‘Pierre & Bill Now’ follows an earlier novel, ‘Pierre & Bill: A Love Story’, but can be easily read on its own. The story is new and events from Pierre and Bill’s earlier years are fleshed out so that the reader will have no trouble entering their world.
The Review
Many years ago, Pierre Tremblay, aka Tonton, met Joe Harris, and they became lovers. They stayed together for a long time. Joe had a son by the name of Bill. When Joe passed on, Pierre legally adopted Bill. Now, more time has passed, and Pierre is eighty-seven. His life is slowly deteriorating, but he stays spunky, upbeat and flirty through it all. He never wanted to be a burden.
Bill, now in his forties, has taken a leave from his teaching job. He’s decided to give Pierre as much of his time as he can, and has taken on being his caregiver. But Bill quickly realizes that he’s bitten off more than he can chew, so he hires Angela as a Personal Support Worker. When Angela is off for a week, Anton Radu, shows up as her replacement.
Bill, Pierre, Danny Ali, Ruthie and Liam Lewis became a family in the earlier years, and faced the ups and downs of life together. Ruthie is now pregnant with her first child. And Danny, Pierre’s young ex-lover, is now a lawyer.
Besides Bill’s worry over Pierre’s health, there’s a mysterious women who claims to be Pierre’s sister and is after his money. Of course, Bill has never known Pierre to have a sister. Then a visit from Zoey, Jack and Jonah, a few of Bill’s students, brings more drama in his life when they ask for his help.
The sequel to Pierre & Bill Doyle is another wonderful story which mentions many of the events that took place in the first book. Pierre & Bill, Now is just as compassionate and heartwarming as the first one. Pierre and Bill are still dealing with people presuming that they were lovers, as well as homophobia and ugly rumors of pedophilia.
Pierre is the shining star of both these books. He wants nothing but to love and be loved. He’s also spry, very flirty and virile even as he ages. Most of all, Pierre wants nothing more than to leave everyone with someone to love, and to be happy for the rest of their lives.
Pierre & Bill, Now is filled with jealousy, misunderstandings, hurt, humor, acceptance, and love that comes in many different forms. Just like the first book, Pierre & Bill, this one also touched my heart. Both novels are well worth reading.
I highly recommend reading Pierre & Bill first, to get a better understanding of all the characters and how they eventually became a family.
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.
