Great tightrope walk on both sides of the law. Too much sex for me in this short a story. Both Nick and Will were well fleshed out. Sam and Gil were the perfect addition as Nick's friends. ( )

3.5 Stars ( )

Well, this one is for sure a book which tests all my belief in romance, you know, love is forever and possible between two people, maybe three but more than that... it's not for me. And in my mind sex and love are together (yes I know, I'm old and boring...) and so when my men meet in a romance, cheating is not allowed and jealousy is a normal feeling. What can I think of a romance where one character is an hustler, and he continues to be an hustler even after his lover proposes him? And when I say 'propose', I mean it in the 'old' way, a marriage proposal, meeting the parents and building a nest together!

Nick is a almost forty Vice NYPD detective. He is an average guy in all for all, good with kids, loving family even if not so much happy of his chosen lifestyle (but they are catholic, what can you pretend?), some good friends to spend Friday nights... apparently no steady relationship, if not that Nick is bringing on a nine months secret affair with an hustler, Will. William is a former runaway boy, now almost thirty but with the look of a twenty years old boy. He is smart and friendly, and always available for Nick when he wants sex, and he gives it for free. Nick and Will have almost a routine: Nick calls, if Will is turning trick, he leaves a message and Will calls back as soon as possible; they went to Nick's house, they spend a night full of sex and pleasant time, and then Will turns back on the street for the next customer... All perfect if not that lately Nick is tired to have to let Will go the morning after; he is tired to wonder what Will is doing and with whom he is doing that. Nick is also scared since there is a serial-killer who is stalking young prostitute and hustler, and Will seems right his target.

If you manage to pass over the 'moral' issue of Will's choice of work, and the fact that he refuses to 'leave' the dark side to have an happily ever after with Nick (how would you react if Julia Roberts, when Richard Gere arrives riding a limousine, will answer him that she is quite happy being a prostitute?), I must say that I like Nick and maybe I like even better Will. Nick is easy to like, he is gentle and caring, even comprehensive, and he patiently waits NINE months before express his uncomfortable feeling on Will's life. Will maybe is a bit more difficult to comprehend, but he had not a simple life and maybe he reacted in the only way for him to stay alive; but I feel that he loves Nick, and that he doesn't want to consciously hurt the man.

So yes, even if in strange 'circumstances', I found my romance, and I liked it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HJV5R4/?tag=elimyrevandra-20