Sutphin Boulevard (reviewed by LenaLena)

Title: Sutphin Boulevard (Five Boroughs #1)
Author: Santino Hassell
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Release Date: July 31st 2015
Genre(s): Contemporary
Page Count: 264
Reviewed by: Lenalena
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5
Blurb:

Michael Rodriguez and Nunzio Medici have been friends for two decades. From escaping their dysfunctional families in the working-class neighborhood of South Jamaica, Queens to teaching in one of the city’s most queer friendly schools in Brooklyn, the two men have shared everything. Or so they thought until a sweltering night of dancing leads to an unexpected encounter that forever changes their friendship.

Now, casual touches and lingering looks are packed with sexual tension, and Michael can’t forget the feel of his best friend’s hands on him. Once problems rear up at work and home, Michael finds himself seeking constant escape in the effortless intimacy and mind-blowing sex he has with Nunzio. But things don’t stay easy for long.

When Michael’s world begins to crumble in a sea of tragedy and complications, he knows he has to make a choice: find solace in a path of self-destruction or accept the love of the man who has been by his side for twenty years.

When you look at the bare bones of Michael’s story, there are so many things that could have gone wrong in the execution of this book. This could have been a tear jerker extraordinaire, and in the hands of an Amy Lane or a Josephine Myles it probably would have been. If that is your thing, good for you, and you’ll probably miss the swimming pools full of manly tears and emotional puking, but, personally, I am glad to be spared the buckets of angst. On the other hand, this book could have been plain depressing, given the subject matter of loss, depression and alcoholism. It is a testimony to the quality of Hassell as a writer that this book is neither. Instead, it is sharply funny, intense and engaging. I read most of it with a smile on my face (except where it turned into a grimace) and that is really quite a feat, if you figure what it’s about.

Michael’s voice feels completely authentic. He tells his story of getting stuck in a role that he doesn’t want and getting caught in a downward spiral of grief, frustration and bad coping mechanisms in such a matter of fact, no-nonsense kind of way that you can’t help but follow his journey with bated breath. When he finally hits rock bottom and starts to crawl his way back out, you can feel his pain and frustration and tentative hope, but at no point is the book emotionally manipulative.

Michael’s home life with his dysfunctional Puerto Rican family is painted vividly and so is the behind-the-scenes look at Michael’s work at a New York City high school. This colorful setting plays a large part in how solid and real this story feels and the book would be worth reading just for that. The combination of the flawed, but engaging characters (Michael, Nunzio, Raymond and David in particular), the heartfelt story, the unflinching look at difficult subject matters, the realistic world the characters inhabit, and the palpable love between Michael and Nunzio make this a book you won’t easily forget. Also, the sex is hot. No, really, I usually skim all sex scenes in m/m because they’re boring. These are… really not boring.

The end is a little abrupt, and personally, I would not have minded to witness a little more of Michael’s recovery, but there can’t be any doubt in anybody’s mind that Michael and Nunzio are getting their HEA.

I remember Hassell posted a question on some forum or other a couple of years back to ask if we thought there would be any interest in a romance novel about an alcoholic teacher. The consensus was that if he wrote it we would read it. Thank god he took the advice.