Yesterday’s Names

Title: Yesterday’s Names
Author: Vivien Dean
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: Contemporary M/M, exhibitionism
Length: Novella, 55 pages
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

A Guest Review by StaceyR

Summary Review: This fun and touching read puts a whole sexy spin on local hospitality.

THE BLURB
For Jonathan Lynch, traveling to Italy isn’t about having fun. It’s about fulfilling a promise he made to the one person in his life who meant the most to him. It’s about saying goodbye.

Before he can work up the nerve to perform the task he came to do, however, he decides he deserves one night in Rome to forget all his pain. The sexy Davide is the perfect answer to the escape Jonathan seeks. But when Davide offers his friendship as well, a much-needed shoulder to lean on, Jonathan can’t turn him down.

Since Jonathan’s already alone in the world, a caring friend who is willing to stand beside him is exactly what he needs…

THE REVIEW
Jonathan lynch, a 34-year-old history teacher, has come to Italy to fulfill a last wish of his grandmother, the woman who took him in, raised him, the only person in his life who knew he was gay. The task he’ll carry out the following day will cut his last ties to the woman who meant the most to him. Told from Jonathan’s first person point of view, his grief over the loss of his grandmother is palpable, a sadness that’s lightened by the humor in his slightly self-deprecating tone. To take his mind off his grief, he decides to hit the streets of Rome in search of a gay club he’d looked up online, and hopefully find some company for the night, a luxury he rarely indulges in his closeted life back home.

Once he arrives he’s not sure he can go through with his plans, stunned by the men spilling out into the street, laughing, drinking and dancing, “…carousing like it was the end of the world, and this their last blowout.” Coming face to face with the kind of freedom he’s always yearned for but knows he’ll never claim for himself, he’s about to bow out when he bumps into a sleek and handsome local. Davide is all charm and light, subtly coaxing Jonathan to give the club, and him, a chance. Davide…how sexy is that name? Davide’s realistic dialogue adds a richness and authenticity to the location. He seems to sense Jonathan’s sadness and knows just what he needs to ease his body and mind. By the time Jonathan’s headed back to the hotel, his spirits are lifted (maybe a little melted) and he’s not quite so sad about his travels for the next day. Little does he know his warm welcome to Rome has just begun.  I don’t want to give away any fun surprises 🙂

I did have some doubts about the legality of Jonathan’s final task for his grandmother, and I was a tad pouty over the vague ending, a definite HF(right)N. As usual, with characters I’ve come to really like, I wanted some stronger certainty for happiness in their combined future—okay, I really wanted to bottle Davide up and keep him for my very own!

All in all, a very enjoyable jaunt to Italy.