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Caregiver
It’s 1991, and Dan Calzolaio has just moved to Florida with his lover, Mark, having fled Chicago and Mark’s addictions to begin a new life on the Gulf Coast. Volunteering for the Tampa AIDS Alliance is just one part of that new beginning, and that’s how Dan meets his new buddy, Adam.
Adam Schmidt is not at all what Dan expected. The guy is an original—witty, wry, and sarcastic with a fondness for a smart black dress, Barbra Streisand, and a good mai tai. Adam doesn’t let his imminent death get him down, even through a downward spiral that sees him thrown in jail.
Each step of Adam’s journey teaches Dan new lessons about strength and resilience, but it’s Adam’s lover, Sullivan, to whom Dan feels an almost irresistible pull. Dan knows the attraction isn’t right, even after he dumps his cheating, drug-abusing boyfriend. But then Adam passes away, and it leaves Sullivan and Dan both alone to see if they can turn their love for Adam into something whole and real for each other.
Adam Schmidt is not at all what Dan expected. The guy is an original—witty, wry, and sarcastic with a fondness for a smart black dress, Barbra Streisand, and a good mai tai. Adam doesn’t let his imminent death get him down, even through a downward spiral that sees him thrown in jail.
Each step of Adam’s journey teaches Dan new lessons about strength and resilience, but it’s Adam’s lover, Sullivan, to whom Dan feels an almost irresistible pull. Dan knows the attraction isn’t right, even after he dumps his cheating, drug-abusing boyfriend. But then Adam passes away, and it leaves Sullivan and Dan both alone to see if they can turn their love for Adam into something whole and real for each other.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2011
22 people are currently reading
925 people want to read
About the author
Rick R. Reed
118 books1,046 followersReal Men. True Love.
Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.
Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”
Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.
Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.
Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”
Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
November 3, 2011
It is very hard to separate myself, my life, my friends and my losses from a book like this. I was in my early 20's when the "gay cancer" started to be talked about, and was 30 in 1991, when this book is set. I remember when my best friend since I was in 6th grade tested positive, dropped out of sight and eventually died alone in Marin County, because he was so afraid we would see him wither and die. I remember my roommate, a kind, gentle man with a beautiful tenor who sang in his church choir had to be hospitalized time after time with pneumocyctis pneumonia and I started seeing KS lesions, and his eyes dulled with cataracts. And how I thanked God every day after my first test was negative, when I had night sweats and sore gums and thought the worst. And how we went to more funerals than any group of young men should ever have to go to. And how we prayed for a cure, or even better medications than AZT, and how slowly some of our prayers were answered. And how we kept on loving and living.
This isn't my story, but in an odd, loving way, it is. Mine, and every man out there who lost a loved one to this cruel and ugly disease.
Dan and his partner Mark move from Chicago to the warm climate of Tampa for a fresh start. Mark's slow slide into addiction forces them to run away from their home and try a new place, a new life, with new friends. While they look for work, Dan decides to become and "AIDS buddy" with a local outreach agency.
Adam is a wisp of a man, blonde and cute, snarly and tough as nails and a riot. He is also positive, moving into the later stages of his infection, and though he presents a good front, scared. His partner, Sullivan, supports him but is scared what the disease might do to him. Miracle of miracles, he has tested negative, and while he loves Adam dearly, he wants to stay that way.
This is really the story of four men, although two are gone in very different ways throughout the book. It is also a very powerful story about how loss can turn into love. How being willing to surrender and let go can bring strength. How a man's heart can love and lose and still keep beating. And how friendships can grow into more. And most of all, how we all have to remember to keep memories alive and keep living through the losses.
Mr. Reed had written a gentle lullaby of a book here, and it sang me to rest with loving memories of lost ones, dear friends, and shared joys. Thanks.
Tom
This isn't my story, but in an odd, loving way, it is. Mine, and every man out there who lost a loved one to this cruel and ugly disease.
Dan and his partner Mark move from Chicago to the warm climate of Tampa for a fresh start. Mark's slow slide into addiction forces them to run away from their home and try a new place, a new life, with new friends. While they look for work, Dan decides to become and "AIDS buddy" with a local outreach agency.
Adam is a wisp of a man, blonde and cute, snarly and tough as nails and a riot. He is also positive, moving into the later stages of his infection, and though he presents a good front, scared. His partner, Sullivan, supports him but is scared what the disease might do to him. Miracle of miracles, he has tested negative, and while he loves Adam dearly, he wants to stay that way.
This is really the story of four men, although two are gone in very different ways throughout the book. It is also a very powerful story about how loss can turn into love. How being willing to surrender and let go can bring strength. How a man's heart can love and lose and still keep beating. And how friendships can grow into more. And most of all, how we all have to remember to keep memories alive and keep living through the losses.
Mr. Reed had written a gentle lullaby of a book here, and it sang me to rest with loving memories of lost ones, dear friends, and shared joys. Thanks.
Tom
November 23, 2012
One of the best things about this book is that, despite the mock protest in the prologue, it does read exactly like a memoir. The plot is complex, the characters imperfect, and the resolution is satisfying despite some bittersweet moments. That prologue put me off slightly (it's hard to hit the right tone when pretending to write from the outside about your own book) but stick with this story - as soon as the narrative actually began I was hooked.
This is an account of Dan, a young man who moved to a new city to help his boyfriend escape addiction, and who volunteers for the AIDS Alliance buddy program as a way to meet people and be useful as he looks for work. His assigned buddy, Adam, meets him at the door on Dan's first visit in a black dress, pearls and kitten heels. Adam is funny and wry and acerbic and brave and foolish. He lights up the story in the scenes he is in, and drives much of the rest of it. A wonderful character, even though he's not one of the romantic leads.
One of the reasons this also feels like memoir to me is that there is just a slight distance in the writing, so that the sometimes agonizingly painful moments here are intense but not all-encompassing, at least for me. It is emotional, but not angsty. It feels true, and is an engaging read, and probably my favorite work from the talented Rick Reed. Recommended.
This is an account of Dan, a young man who moved to a new city to help his boyfriend escape addiction, and who volunteers for the AIDS Alliance buddy program as a way to meet people and be useful as he looks for work. His assigned buddy, Adam, meets him at the door on Dan's first visit in a black dress, pearls and kitten heels. Adam is funny and wry and acerbic and brave and foolish. He lights up the story in the scenes he is in, and drives much of the rest of it. A wonderful character, even though he's not one of the romantic leads.
One of the reasons this also feels like memoir to me is that there is just a slight distance in the writing, so that the sometimes agonizingly painful moments here are intense but not all-encompassing, at least for me. It is emotional, but not angsty. It feels true, and is an engaging read, and probably my favorite work from the talented Rick Reed. Recommended.
November 10, 2011
What can I say? I'm an avid reader who devours massive amounts of books each year, and I've been fortunate enough to have found many to love and cherish. Then I read Caregiver, or rather, I didn't so much read it as experience it, for it touched me in a way that's beyond mere words on a page.
This is a unique love story, for it tells of different kinds of love, and how they shape the protagonist, Dan's life. There is the love for a dying man, Adam, who helps Dan possibly more than Dan helps him. There's Mark, a man who brought pain and joy to Dan's life, and ultimately Dan had to open his hand and let Mark fall, lest both of them go down together. There's Sullivan, steadfast, faithful, and hurting. There's an expression used in this book that really struck a chord with me: "people come into our lives for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime.." That expression is proven true in Adam, Mark, and Sullivan. All were necessary parts of Dan's life and had an important role to play.
I remember the late 80's, early 90's, when a horridendous disease struck without warning, laying waste to so many lives. We were horrified. Couldn't modern medicine do anything? Thankfully, we've made medical advances since those dark times, but so many bright young lives were lost. Caregiver is a poignant tribute to those hard times and those who died so tragically. I cried the hardest when I read Dan's final letter to Adam, telling him that if he could have held on a few more years, that treatments could have given him a better, longer life. If only we'd had such things back then.
That said, though this book deals with heavy topics like AIDS and drug abuse, it isn't dark. Yes, I cried, both sad and happy tears, but the overall message is one of hope, triumph over dispair, and that those who are gone live on in our hearts forever. I'm rating this book five stars because that's all that's allowed, but Caregiver transcends ratings. It's in a class by itself. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. And Mr. Reed? You have my wholehearted thanks for sharing this tale with the world. Yes, I'm getting sappy, but for awhile you actually let me walk in another's shoes, totally bringing me into the lives of these four men, and here's hoping that I'm walking away a better person for having known them.
This is a unique love story, for it tells of different kinds of love, and how they shape the protagonist, Dan's life. There is the love for a dying man, Adam, who helps Dan possibly more than Dan helps him. There's Mark, a man who brought pain and joy to Dan's life, and ultimately Dan had to open his hand and let Mark fall, lest both of them go down together. There's Sullivan, steadfast, faithful, and hurting. There's an expression used in this book that really struck a chord with me: "people come into our lives for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime.." That expression is proven true in Adam, Mark, and Sullivan. All were necessary parts of Dan's life and had an important role to play.
I remember the late 80's, early 90's, when a horridendous disease struck without warning, laying waste to so many lives. We were horrified. Couldn't modern medicine do anything? Thankfully, we've made medical advances since those dark times, but so many bright young lives were lost. Caregiver is a poignant tribute to those hard times and those who died so tragically. I cried the hardest when I read Dan's final letter to Adam, telling him that if he could have held on a few more years, that treatments could have given him a better, longer life. If only we'd had such things back then.
That said, though this book deals with heavy topics like AIDS and drug abuse, it isn't dark. Yes, I cried, both sad and happy tears, but the overall message is one of hope, triumph over dispair, and that those who are gone live on in our hearts forever. I'm rating this book five stars because that's all that's allowed, but Caregiver transcends ratings. It's in a class by itself. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. And Mr. Reed? You have my wholehearted thanks for sharing this tale with the world. Yes, I'm getting sappy, but for awhile you actually let me walk in another's shoes, totally bringing me into the lives of these four men, and here's hoping that I'm walking away a better person for having known them.
August 16, 2013
Nothing I say in a review could ever do this book justice. I was already a fan of this author but this book cemented it. I can't remember the last book I read that affected me in the way Caregiver has. I laughed, I cried (a lot) and I fell head over heels in love with all of the characters. This is a story about the pain of loss, real friendship and love. I cannot recommend it enough. This immediately jumped on my all-time favorites list.
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews.
This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews.
This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 25, 2011
If you are looking for a light romance you will not find it in this book. What you will find here goes far beyond anything you could ever imagine. The pages of “Caregiver” contain a story of not two but four people, a story so touching and heartbreaking that it will move you to tears. And yet, this story is not what one would call a typical tearjerker. Yes, you will cry reading it, and yes, in the end you will be rewarded for all the anguish you have suffered. This book has a happy ending, a happy ending of sorts. Because, really, can one expect a true happily ever after when AIDS is involved?
As I have already said, “Caregiver” is not a story of two people only. And no, not everyone gets their happy ending, which only proves how close to real life this book is. You will love Dan and Sullivan. But you will love Adam, too. And in some way, you might even find it in yourself to sympathize with Mark. I certainly did.
As for Adam, his presence can be felt on every page of the book. Did it bother me? Not at all, though normally it would. I’m not going to deny that I like it when a book focuses on two main characters only. But as I have already mentioned, this book goes far beyond what you could imagine. It will exceed all your expectations. And although it will crush you, it will give you hope, it will give you faith, too. You will believe that your presence on this earth truly does matter, that whatever you did in the past of which you are not proud, will not change how the ones you love feel about you. You will believe that even years after you are gone, a part of you will always be with people you loved and who loved you, in their memory and their hearts. And then, there’s a belief that everything happens for a reason, que sera, sera, (whatever will be, will be). And finally, there's a hope for a second chance. A hope for a light that will shine even in the darkest of hours. A hope for loving again and being loved in return. This book will also show you that love cannot exist without trust. They are intertwined, they are a foundation of a real relationship. This book will convince you that both a love for another person and grief after losing them can mend broken hearts, can help them heal.
I will say this again, “Caregiver” is not a typical love story, but it is a love story nonetheless. The merging of two lost souls who found each other when everything seemed lost.
I don’t think I need to tell you this, and yet I will. You will not be laughing while reading this book. Don’t count on that. But… from time to time a small smile, and yes, sometimes even a bitter one, will grace your lips. And don’t even think that after reading this book you will be the same ever again.
Mr. Reed’s book is one of those that touch something deep in your soul. It is a very thought-provoking book. One, that leaves you deep in thought long after you put it back on the shelf.
There’s no other way to say this, “Caregiver” is one of the most heartwrenching, most beautiful books I have ever read. I highly recommend this book. Five stars is simply not enough!
Mr. Reed, you have just got yourself a big fan! Thank you so much for writing "Caregiver". Your book will stay with me for a long time to come.
As I have already said, “Caregiver” is not a story of two people only. And no, not everyone gets their happy ending, which only proves how close to real life this book is. You will love Dan and Sullivan. But you will love Adam, too. And in some way, you might even find it in yourself to sympathize with Mark. I certainly did.
As for Adam, his presence can be felt on every page of the book. Did it bother me? Not at all, though normally it would. I’m not going to deny that I like it when a book focuses on two main characters only. But as I have already mentioned, this book goes far beyond what you could imagine. It will exceed all your expectations. And although it will crush you, it will give you hope, it will give you faith, too. You will believe that your presence on this earth truly does matter, that whatever you did in the past of which you are not proud, will not change how the ones you love feel about you. You will believe that even years after you are gone, a part of you will always be with people you loved and who loved you, in their memory and their hearts. And then, there’s a belief that everything happens for a reason, que sera, sera, (whatever will be, will be). And finally, there's a hope for a second chance. A hope for a light that will shine even in the darkest of hours. A hope for loving again and being loved in return. This book will also show you that love cannot exist without trust. They are intertwined, they are a foundation of a real relationship. This book will convince you that both a love for another person and grief after losing them can mend broken hearts, can help them heal.
I will say this again, “Caregiver” is not a typical love story, but it is a love story nonetheless. The merging of two lost souls who found each other when everything seemed lost.
I don’t think I need to tell you this, and yet I will. You will not be laughing while reading this book. Don’t count on that. But… from time to time a small smile, and yes, sometimes even a bitter one, will grace your lips. And don’t even think that after reading this book you will be the same ever again.
Mr. Reed’s book is one of those that touch something deep in your soul. It is a very thought-provoking book. One, that leaves you deep in thought long after you put it back on the shelf.
There’s no other way to say this, “Caregiver” is one of the most heartwrenching, most beautiful books I have ever read. I highly recommend this book. Five stars is simply not enough!
Mr. Reed, you have just got yourself a big fan! Thank you so much for writing "Caregiver". Your book will stay with me for a long time to come.
October 6, 2016
This read was a quite unexpected experience. Everything begins with a not very well narrated audiobook, which took me a while in adjusting the speed and my concentration to fallow the story. Almost never in that particular situation some experienced listener can do anything, just because a product is not good. There are two options. First and the most preferable- stop doing and DNF it. Second- try to open much more of your brain cells, ignoring this flat voice(in the narrative parts) and imagining all those emotions are coming to the surface. Kind of a way a visionary does.
Do not forget to mention: while I was considering my decision, I was encouraged by a reader of our circle, who has a very strong bond with the reads from this author.
And.... I was a visionary.
And I'll never be more grateful for that my decision.
I'm not going to do an overview of the plot-line- you can read the synopsis which is pretty self-explanatory. But the book is most realistic contemporary MM romantic story I've ever read- no polished in a manner the most stories do. Including complex relationships (forget for instalove, and they lived happily ever after, and everybody is fine. Actually it happens but just not so easy and 'over a night', and not a literal way), imperfect and real characters (the AIDS during the 90s, which has been a real death sentence; drug use; cheating; childhood abuse and neglect in the past. Do not assume it's depressing and overdone), very well balanced(dialogues and descriptions) and well drawn writhing. By the way, there are hot sexual tension and sex scenes, but not in a way we are used to- using some guide for 'How to bottom\top like a porn star. Step by step.' Just like everything else is realistic and entirely on point. Actually a bit more for my taste.
I really loved all of the elements of the story, and I thought they were assembled very well and I'll definitely check this author other works.
Dear Dan Shoemaker,
The book I held in my hands is not only culmination of your realization about the elusive nature of love. It’s about me. It’s about you. It’s about all of us, especially if we are lucky enough to have loved someone, even if only briefly. Thanks for that gift of love. Just like he gave you exactly the same gift….
Best wishes,
Pavellit
Do not forget to mention: while I was considering my decision, I was encouraged by a reader of our circle, who has a very strong bond with the reads from this author.
And.... I was a visionary.
And I'll never be more grateful for that my decision.
I'm not going to do an overview of the plot-line- you can read the synopsis which is pretty self-explanatory. But the book is most realistic contemporary MM romantic story I've ever read- no polished in a manner the most stories do. Including complex relationships (forget for instalove, and they lived happily ever after, and everybody is fine. Actually it happens but just not so easy and 'over a night', and not a literal way), imperfect and real characters (the AIDS during the 90s, which has been a real death sentence; drug use; cheating; childhood abuse and neglect in the past. Do not assume it's depressing and overdone), very well balanced(dialogues and descriptions) and well drawn writhing. By the way, there are hot sexual tension and sex scenes, but not in a way we are used to- using some guide for 'How to bottom\top like a porn star. Step by step.' Just like everything else is realistic and entirely on point. Actually a bit more for my taste.
I really loved all of the elements of the story, and I thought they were assembled very well and I'll definitely check this author other works.
Dear Dan Shoemaker,
The book I held in my hands is not only culmination of your realization about the elusive nature of love. It’s about me. It’s about you. It’s about all of us, especially if we are lucky enough to have loved someone, even if only briefly. Thanks for that gift of love. Just like he gave you exactly the same gift….
Best wishes,
Pavellit
October 29, 2011
This book is so much more than a love story, it is about human nature, an era in history that encompassed enormous suffering for AIDS sufferers, and yet, it is also a story about hope. It is fascinating how Rick Reed develops the characters and leads us through their story, using Dan as the focal point, but providing deep insights about the three other men as well. As much as it made me cry in places, I was totally hooked from page one and couldn't put it down.
If you are looking for a story about human nature, a man who learns about different kinds of love and grows enormously when he does, and are ready to be touched deeply, you will love this story as much as I did.
If you are looking for a story about human nature, a man who learns about different kinds of love and grows enormously when he does, and are ready to be touched deeply, you will love this story as much as I did.
November 27, 2011
So clearly and very easily a 5 star story. I was drawn in immediately and it didn't let go until the last word...and a part of me is still there and will remain there for a long time. That says a lot when an author can get his hooks in you and instead of loosening as you read they just get tighter and tighter. Caregiver is just that kind of book. I loved it but I hated the anquish and grief and now my mind won't let it go.
This is a story that needed to be told and one that everyone should read regardless of gender or orientation. Powerful and real, these are the words that come to mind when I think of what I just read. Romance? Not so much. Love? Absolutely!
This is a story that needed to be told and one that everyone should read regardless of gender or orientation. Powerful and real, these are the words that come to mind when I think of what I just read. Romance? Not so much. Love? Absolutely!
March 25, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Despite being recently re-released, Caregiver is a story that remains rather timeless and, while we hear less and less about the deaths related to AIDS, we are no closer to finding the cure that will eradicate the deadly virus that plagues the world. Caregiver is not just a depiction of the life of a man who struggles with and, ultimately, succumbs to the disease, but a testimony to those friends, family, and partners who must watch their loved one travel the grim road the disease lays out before they pass away. The story deals with things like survivor’s guilt, fears of contracting the disease, the feelings of despair and anger over dealing the disease’s ravages on the body and the stigma attached to having it. This is a brutally honest depiction of three men who find themselves thrown together and who must each deal with the fallout of living a life in a time when the drugs developed to combat AIDS are still fairly new, being gay is still not accepted by many, and fear is very real and daily companion.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Despite being recently re-released, Caregiver is a story that remains rather timeless and, while we hear less and less about the deaths related to AIDS, we are no closer to finding the cure that will eradicate the deadly virus that plagues the world. Caregiver is not just a depiction of the life of a man who struggles with and, ultimately, succumbs to the disease, but a testimony to those friends, family, and partners who must watch their loved one travel the grim road the disease lays out before they pass away. The story deals with things like survivor’s guilt, fears of contracting the disease, the feelings of despair and anger over dealing the disease’s ravages on the body and the stigma attached to having it. This is a brutally honest depiction of three men who find themselves thrown together and who must each deal with the fallout of living a life in a time when the drugs developed to combat AIDS are still fairly new, being gay is still not accepted by many, and fear is very real and daily companion.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
March 23, 2013
I enjoyed many things about this book, including the fluid and atmospheric language, the fact that it was bittersweet without becoming maudlin, and the interesting characters. I also liked the little bits now and then that subtly remind the reader that the story is set over 20 years ago. The way the main story was framed by prologue and epilogue also worked well. But I think my favorite thing about the book was that it felt real. The situations and emotions were complicated and messy, just like in real life. There were no cardboard heroes or villians, no easy answers or unrealistically happy endings.
My only complaint--and it's a minor one--was that I didn't feel that Sullivan's character was as well fleshed as the others. I felt like I knew Dan, March, and Adam very well, but Sullivan remained a bit more of a cipher. But that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book as a whole, and I highyl recommend it.
My only complaint--and it's a minor one--was that I didn't feel that Sullivan's character was as well fleshed as the others. I felt like I knew Dan, March, and Adam very well, but Sullivan remained a bit more of a cipher. But that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book as a whole, and I highyl recommend it.
January 11, 2012
*This review may contain mild spoilers*
This is my first book by Rick R. Reed and, from what I gather going through his other titles (which are mainly of the horror and crime genre), it’s not a typical example of his work.
The story takes place in the year 1991 and it’s about Dan Calzolaio, a man in his early thirties, who moves from the North (Chicago) to the South (Tampa, Florida) with his partner, Mark, in an attempt to make a fresh start in life. It’s not exactly something he wants, he likes his life in Chicago, but Mark’s addiction to coke has become uncontrollable, severely affecting not only the practical aspects of Mark’s life (like ruining his job as a car salesman) but their relationship as well. So Dan agrees to Mark’s suggestion to move to Florida, wanting to give their relationship yet another chance and trusting Mark will really leave his bad habits behind.
While job hunting, Dan spends his free time volunteering for the Tampa AIDS Alliance, and that’s how he meets Adam Schmidt, his AIDS buddy, who is already suffering from the disease. Adam’s sparkling personality and his determination to enjoy whatever time he has left to the fullest sweep Dan off his feet and win a special place in his heart. Dan also feels a strong physical pull towards Adam’s partner, Sullivan, but he suppresses it as inappropriate.
Before long, though, things take a dramatic turn, with Mark jumping off the wagon and also getting arrested for cruising, something that serves as the final nail in the coffin of his relationship with Dan, which ends unceremoniously. To make things worse, Adam ends up and eventually dies in prison and Dan and Sullivan are put in a position where they finally have to confront their feelings for each other.
While I feel this story is honest in its intentions, my general impression is that, even though all the necessary ingredients were there, it didn’t take off.
For starters, I didn’t see the need for all those different POVs, I believe it could have worked better if it were a single (Dan’s) POV book since it seemed Dan was the focal point of the story.
Also, the characterization felt a bit superficial. I didn’t really empathize with the characters, apart from Dan maybe, but that was kind of inevitable because most of the story is told through him. The fact that Dan got to spend only a couple of days with Adam (they met twice) before the latter was put in prison thus stopping any kind of interaction between them didn’t help convince me about all those feelings of deep friendship and love Dan claimed to have for Adam either. How can you love someone so much when you barely know them?
Their correspondence while Adam was in prison didn’t really count towards building and strengthening their newly established friendship because they already claimed they cared about each other profoundly in those letters.
Adam feeling the same way about Dan and Sullivan seeking consolation and comfort in Dan (a person neither of them knew anything about and either of them had spent a mere hours with) like there was no one else in their lives felt strange and inadequate. But maybe relationships were different and easier twenty years ago.
Another thing that felt strange and contrived was the way Adam was arrested. Granted, he had a record and he was in violation of his parole and he would have ended up in prison sooner or later but Sullivan calling the cops on him was a major WTF moment. Adam attacked Sullivan, I get it. But they supposedly shared a past (their relationship span a number of years) and they had supposedly gone through much worse. Sullivan calling the cops and having Adam arrested (at that point he didn’t know Adam had a record or that he had violated his probation) felt totally out of character.
Furthermore, the way Dan and Sullivan’s relationship grew after Adam passed away lacked real depth; where the characters’ words and reactions didn’t feel simulated, they felt cloaked with unnecessary drama and too many tears.
The idea that Adam could have planned for Dan (or whoever his AIDS Buddy would have been, really) and Sullivan to end up together because he felt he had to find someone to take care of Sullivan after he passed away didn’t work for me.
I believe everything would have worked better had the book been longer, had the author provided the characters the space and the appropriate situations and the necessary page time to make everything more believable, more realistic and insightful, less hasty and maudlin.
Still, like I said in the beginning of this review, this story is honest and simple, it doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t. And I appreciate that in a book.
Dreamspinner Press kindly provided me with a copy of this e-book through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review
This is my first book by Rick R. Reed and, from what I gather going through his other titles (which are mainly of the horror and crime genre), it’s not a typical example of his work.
The story takes place in the year 1991 and it’s about Dan Calzolaio, a man in his early thirties, who moves from the North (Chicago) to the South (Tampa, Florida) with his partner, Mark, in an attempt to make a fresh start in life. It’s not exactly something he wants, he likes his life in Chicago, but Mark’s addiction to coke has become uncontrollable, severely affecting not only the practical aspects of Mark’s life (like ruining his job as a car salesman) but their relationship as well. So Dan agrees to Mark’s suggestion to move to Florida, wanting to give their relationship yet another chance and trusting Mark will really leave his bad habits behind.
While job hunting, Dan spends his free time volunteering for the Tampa AIDS Alliance, and that’s how he meets Adam Schmidt, his AIDS buddy, who is already suffering from the disease. Adam’s sparkling personality and his determination to enjoy whatever time he has left to the fullest sweep Dan off his feet and win a special place in his heart. Dan also feels a strong physical pull towards Adam’s partner, Sullivan, but he suppresses it as inappropriate.
Before long, though, things take a dramatic turn, with Mark jumping off the wagon and also getting arrested for cruising, something that serves as the final nail in the coffin of his relationship with Dan, which ends unceremoniously. To make things worse, Adam ends up and eventually dies in prison and Dan and Sullivan are put in a position where they finally have to confront their feelings for each other.
While I feel this story is honest in its intentions, my general impression is that, even though all the necessary ingredients were there, it didn’t take off.
For starters, I didn’t see the need for all those different POVs, I believe it could have worked better if it were a single (Dan’s) POV book since it seemed Dan was the focal point of the story.
Also, the characterization felt a bit superficial. I didn’t really empathize with the characters, apart from Dan maybe, but that was kind of inevitable because most of the story is told through him. The fact that Dan got to spend only a couple of days with Adam (they met twice) before the latter was put in prison thus stopping any kind of interaction between them didn’t help convince me about all those feelings of deep friendship and love Dan claimed to have for Adam either. How can you love someone so much when you barely know them?
Their correspondence while Adam was in prison didn’t really count towards building and strengthening their newly established friendship because they already claimed they cared about each other profoundly in those letters.
Adam feeling the same way about Dan and Sullivan seeking consolation and comfort in Dan (a person neither of them knew anything about and either of them had spent a mere hours with) like there was no one else in their lives felt strange and inadequate. But maybe relationships were different and easier twenty years ago.
Another thing that felt strange and contrived was the way Adam was arrested. Granted, he had a record and he was in violation of his parole and he would have ended up in prison sooner or later but Sullivan calling the cops on him was a major WTF moment. Adam attacked Sullivan, I get it. But they supposedly shared a past (their relationship span a number of years) and they had supposedly gone through much worse. Sullivan calling the cops and having Adam arrested (at that point he didn’t know Adam had a record or that he had violated his probation) felt totally out of character.
Furthermore, the way Dan and Sullivan’s relationship grew after Adam passed away lacked real depth; where the characters’ words and reactions didn’t feel simulated, they felt cloaked with unnecessary drama and too many tears.
The idea that Adam could have planned for Dan (or whoever his AIDS Buddy would have been, really) and Sullivan to end up together because he felt he had to find someone to take care of Sullivan after he passed away didn’t work for me.
I believe everything would have worked better had the book been longer, had the author provided the characters the space and the appropriate situations and the necessary page time to make everything more believable, more realistic and insightful, less hasty and maudlin.
Still, like I said in the beginning of this review, this story is honest and simple, it doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t. And I appreciate that in a book.
Dreamspinner Press kindly provided me with a copy of this e-book through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review
October 30, 2011
Unconditional love means loving someone just as they are, without expectations. It's an ideal concept, which many people don't understand. Unconditional love only works if it's reciprocated in kind and is the only state in which one can achieve fulfillment. In 'The Caregiver' by Rick Reed, as supportive and loving as Dan is with Mark, and as Sullivan is with Adam, neither are involved in a love relationship which is unconditional. Both men deserve such a relationship and this story is about their struggle to secure one.
Dan is a great person who loves Mark and goes above and beyond trying to help him. Unfortunately, Mark is so self centered and irresponsible that he doesn't recognize Dan for the blessing he is and is therefore not capable of appreciating him. I have to admit being a little frustrated with Dan at first. I was wondering what such a nice guy was doing with one who obviously did not share his level of commitment and, even worse, made choices that endangered both of them. I was thrilled when he finally realized the damage staying together is causing both of them and finds the courage to ask him to leave. It's obvious that as long as they stayed together, neither would be happy—Dan because he was trying too hard and Mark because he wasn't trying at all. I found myself practically shouting at him, telling him he could do so much better! It's only after Mark leaves that Dan is able to reclaim his self respect. Sullivan is in a similar abusive relationship, being used and taken for granted by his lover, Adam. Sullivan tries his best to be there for him, to love him, to pick up after his messes, literally and figuratively, and to forgive him over and over again. A time comes when loving someone like this becomes an unbearable burden. At this point, the price for continuing such a relationship is simply too high to pay. When this happens, walking away is the only way out of the relationship which carries with it feelings of resentment and disillusionment.
Although it isn't apparent at first glance, there's a big difference between Mark and Adam. Mark is a selfish, immature, irresponsible person who blames his problems on everyone, his mother, life in general and everything such as his drug and alcohol problems, therefore avoiding being responsible for it himself. Until he's literally thrown out, Mark continues to destroy not only himself, but Dan in the process. Even after he's clean, he still doesn't get it. He's even selfish enough to want to rekindle a relationship with Dan, not being able to see that it never truly worked to begin with. Besides the fact that Adam is dying from AIDS, he approaches things differently. He's not willing to stop his destructive behavior, but he's perceptive enough to realize how much he's hurt Sullivan and, in his own way, tries to make amends. In the process, he brings Dan into his life and they form a quick but strong bond and also introduces him into Sullivan's life. By design, Adam sets into motion circumstances which put Dan and Sullivan on the path to finding the love they so richly deserve.
This is a poignant story covering some intense, real life issues. It's not an easy story to get through, but the passion with which Rick portrays the important, thought provoking messages it carries about love and life, make the journey more than worthwhile. I'd recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a deeper look at things and an opportunity to learn from them. Thank you, Rick, for inspiring me.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online
Dan is a great person who loves Mark and goes above and beyond trying to help him. Unfortunately, Mark is so self centered and irresponsible that he doesn't recognize Dan for the blessing he is and is therefore not capable of appreciating him. I have to admit being a little frustrated with Dan at first. I was wondering what such a nice guy was doing with one who obviously did not share his level of commitment and, even worse, made choices that endangered both of them. I was thrilled when he finally realized the damage staying together is causing both of them and finds the courage to ask him to leave. It's obvious that as long as they stayed together, neither would be happy—Dan because he was trying too hard and Mark because he wasn't trying at all. I found myself practically shouting at him, telling him he could do so much better! It's only after Mark leaves that Dan is able to reclaim his self respect. Sullivan is in a similar abusive relationship, being used and taken for granted by his lover, Adam. Sullivan tries his best to be there for him, to love him, to pick up after his messes, literally and figuratively, and to forgive him over and over again. A time comes when loving someone like this becomes an unbearable burden. At this point, the price for continuing such a relationship is simply too high to pay. When this happens, walking away is the only way out of the relationship which carries with it feelings of resentment and disillusionment.
Although it isn't apparent at first glance, there's a big difference between Mark and Adam. Mark is a selfish, immature, irresponsible person who blames his problems on everyone, his mother, life in general and everything such as his drug and alcohol problems, therefore avoiding being responsible for it himself. Until he's literally thrown out, Mark continues to destroy not only himself, but Dan in the process. Even after he's clean, he still doesn't get it. He's even selfish enough to want to rekindle a relationship with Dan, not being able to see that it never truly worked to begin with. Besides the fact that Adam is dying from AIDS, he approaches things differently. He's not willing to stop his destructive behavior, but he's perceptive enough to realize how much he's hurt Sullivan and, in his own way, tries to make amends. In the process, he brings Dan into his life and they form a quick but strong bond and also introduces him into Sullivan's life. By design, Adam sets into motion circumstances which put Dan and Sullivan on the path to finding the love they so richly deserve.
This is a poignant story covering some intense, real life issues. It's not an easy story to get through, but the passion with which Rick portrays the important, thought provoking messages it carries about love and life, make the journey more than worthwhile. I'd recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a deeper look at things and an opportunity to learn from them. Thank you, Rick, for inspiring me.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online
March 5, 2012
I have just finished Caregiver.
I have to say that it was skilfully written and a real page turner.
It was also a challenging read for me (not in a bad way) let me explain. Most of the M/M romance that I have read has been easy. Boy meets Boy, Will they Won't they and none of the difficulties that they face have ever come across as insurmountable, And here you have caregiver set against drug use and the advent of the Aids Crisis, and Adams illness, incarceration and death in a prison hospital.
I loved the characterisation, I really liked Dan and Adam, and am so glad that Dan had the strength to say that he loved Mark, but was no longer in love with him.
I did realy enjoy the book
I have to say that it was skilfully written and a real page turner.
It was also a challenging read for me (not in a bad way) let me explain. Most of the M/M romance that I have read has been easy. Boy meets Boy, Will they Won't they and none of the difficulties that they face have ever come across as insurmountable, And here you have caregiver set against drug use and the advent of the Aids Crisis, and Adams illness, incarceration and death in a prison hospital.
I loved the characterisation, I really liked Dan and Adam, and am so glad that Dan had the strength to say that he loved Mark, but was no longer in love with him.
I did realy enjoy the book
December 6, 2011
How can I write a review of this book? I can't, I can only tell you about the journey this book took me on.
I was in college in FL where this book takes place, at almost the same time this book takes place.
I remember when AIDS was new and unknown, education and information was scarce and understanding even rarer.
But even without AIDS, lovers die, addiction exists, healing happens and life goes on.
There are parts of this book that are so close to what I have experienced that it was very difficult read, but it was so worth it.
I might not reread this story, at least not for a long while, but it will stay with me.
I highly recommend this book.
I was in college in FL where this book takes place, at almost the same time this book takes place.
I remember when AIDS was new and unknown, education and information was scarce and understanding even rarer.
But even without AIDS, lovers die, addiction exists, healing happens and life goes on.
There are parts of this book that are so close to what I have experienced that it was very difficult read, but it was so worth it.
I might not reread this story, at least not for a long while, but it will stay with me.
I highly recommend this book.
December 26, 2011
Phenomenal. I can't begin to express how deeply I have been affected and touched by this story on so many levels for different reasons. Instant favorite.
October 26, 2015
2012 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
October 27, 2011
I finished CAREGIVER last night, the latest release by one of my favorite authors, Rick R. Reed. CAREGIVER is Mr. Reed’s semi-autobiographical account of his own, personal experience as an “AIDS buddy” (volunteer companion), and how this experience changed his life forever. The story depicts not only the protagonist’s experiences as he is getting to know and ultimately care about a very courageous and unique individual who happens to have AIDS, but it also chronicles this man’s experiences with the other individuals that he encounters along the road on this journey. I don’t want to give away plot details because I don’t want to spoil anything for other readers, but this story touches on a number of emotionally-charged themes—loss, betrayal, regret, fear, guilt, change, healing, and forgiveness—but ultimately, CAREGIVER is nothing short of a love story. It is a love story on multiple levels, bittersweet yes, but ultimately triumphant.
I approached this book reluctantly, not because I didn’t think it would be well-written (well-written is a hallmark of all of Rick Reed’s work), but because I knew reading it would be a bit of a personal risk. Why? Because when the AIDS epidemic first hit the media in the mid-1980s, I was in my early 20s. Like everyone else at the time, I was scared. Because I didn’t know what else to do, I started volunteering as a buddy for a local AIDS organization in the Midwest. I continued buddying through the mid-1990s. Over nearly a decade, my buddy-client relationships were varied, ranging from warm and loving to bitter, hostile, and one even a little threatening. Like Mr. Reed’s protagonist, along this road I met a number of remarkable people who changed my life forever—for the better, I like to think, looking back on it all now. Over the course of that time I also attended a lot of funerals and memorial services, and made a lot of panels for the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. I can say with all honesty that I remember every single one of those men when I allow myself to think about them, but like many Midwesterners, I have a real knack for compartmentalizing—just one memory at time, never letting the enormity of it all sink in. That has always been just too big of a bite to swallow. What CAREGIVER did for me was to hold a mirror up to my own life, it paralleled my own experiences so very closely that reading it brought me to my own personal catharsis—a catharsis that was long overdue. As I said, I’ve made an art of not examining the past too closely, but there are too many remarkable people we have lost who deserve to be remembered.
I recommend CAREGIVER enthusiastically to anyone who lived through those awful years when a positive HIV-diagnosis was a certain death sentence, to anyone who lost someone they cared about, to anyone who knows someone battling against HIV/AIDS currently, to anyone who wants to understand better the sometimes cavalier attitude of those of us who, miraculously, still live on, and to those who appreciate a compelling love story.
I approached this book reluctantly, not because I didn’t think it would be well-written (well-written is a hallmark of all of Rick Reed’s work), but because I knew reading it would be a bit of a personal risk. Why? Because when the AIDS epidemic first hit the media in the mid-1980s, I was in my early 20s. Like everyone else at the time, I was scared. Because I didn’t know what else to do, I started volunteering as a buddy for a local AIDS organization in the Midwest. I continued buddying through the mid-1990s. Over nearly a decade, my buddy-client relationships were varied, ranging from warm and loving to bitter, hostile, and one even a little threatening. Like Mr. Reed’s protagonist, along this road I met a number of remarkable people who changed my life forever—for the better, I like to think, looking back on it all now. Over the course of that time I also attended a lot of funerals and memorial services, and made a lot of panels for the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. I can say with all honesty that I remember every single one of those men when I allow myself to think about them, but like many Midwesterners, I have a real knack for compartmentalizing—just one memory at time, never letting the enormity of it all sink in. That has always been just too big of a bite to swallow. What CAREGIVER did for me was to hold a mirror up to my own life, it paralleled my own experiences so very closely that reading it brought me to my own personal catharsis—a catharsis that was long overdue. As I said, I’ve made an art of not examining the past too closely, but there are too many remarkable people we have lost who deserve to be remembered.
I recommend CAREGIVER enthusiastically to anyone who lived through those awful years when a positive HIV-diagnosis was a certain death sentence, to anyone who lost someone they cared about, to anyone who knows someone battling against HIV/AIDS currently, to anyone who wants to understand better the sometimes cavalier attitude of those of us who, miraculously, still live on, and to those who appreciate a compelling love story.
February 23, 2014
This book is definitely worth reading. It is a well crafted story of what happens after Dan meets Adam. In the story we also meet Mark and Sullivan. All four characters are unique and all are hurting in some way. Life and relationships are not easy.
"It made him think about fate, about timing, and about how people appeared to one another at times when they most needed each other. His mother used to say that people came into our lives for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime."
It was a beautiful story, very sad at times but also very inspiring.
Update in February 2014 after listening to the audio book.....
This re-read was so interesting because it was via listening to the audio book. I still loved this story the second time around - it was beautiful, sad and inspiring.
There was a real sense of the time and place provided by the references to music of the time and wonderful descriptions of the hot and humid Tampa location.
I was totally swept up into the life of Dan and the unexpected journey he finds himself on. From meeting Adam, his AIDS Alliance buddy, to dealing with Mark, his very troubled and drug addicted boyfriend, to befriending Sullivan, Adam's boyfriend as they both deal with Adam's struggle.
Adam is a highlight of the book as he confronts the ravages of his disease. From the first moment he is introduced, he makes an impression. Everyone should be so lucky to have an Adam in their life - obviously not the heartbreak and death - but someone who can show what life is really all about, someone who can teach us about love and courage.
In terms of the audio, I think Taavi Mark did a wonderful job of narrating this story. I enjoyed the quality of his voice and found it suited the style of the book and the characters. He provided good distinction between the character voices and the pacing was excellent.
Visit my blog if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place! Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
"It made him think about fate, about timing, and about how people appeared to one another at times when they most needed each other. His mother used to say that people came into our lives for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime."
It was a beautiful story, very sad at times but also very inspiring.
Update in February 2014 after listening to the audio book.....
This re-read was so interesting because it was via listening to the audio book. I still loved this story the second time around - it was beautiful, sad and inspiring.
There was a real sense of the time and place provided by the references to music of the time and wonderful descriptions of the hot and humid Tampa location.
I was totally swept up into the life of Dan and the unexpected journey he finds himself on. From meeting Adam, his AIDS Alliance buddy, to dealing with Mark, his very troubled and drug addicted boyfriend, to befriending Sullivan, Adam's boyfriend as they both deal with Adam's struggle.
Adam is a highlight of the book as he confronts the ravages of his disease. From the first moment he is introduced, he makes an impression. Everyone should be so lucky to have an Adam in their life - obviously not the heartbreak and death - but someone who can show what life is really all about, someone who can teach us about love and courage.
In terms of the audio, I think Taavi Mark did a wonderful job of narrating this story. I enjoyed the quality of his voice and found it suited the style of the book and the characters. He provided good distinction between the character voices and the pacing was excellent.
Visit my blog if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place! Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
December 14, 2011
Oh Adam! Poor promiscuous Adam. How I hate what happened to him. I hated how he spent his last few days in jail. Hated that he was riddled with that unforgiving disease. Hated that his life was cut so short. In a different decade things might have turned out so different for the poor young man.
I really enjoyed Rick's writing, once again - different from the other books I have read. But I have not read them all yet :)
I enjoyed that Adam stayed with Dan throughout the story. I loved that Mark was able to get the help he so desperately needed but worried that he would relapse because he didn't have the backbone to hold onto his sobriety. I thought that being with Dan again might have helped but realized that it wouldn't have made any difference to him having a relapse since he had to want to stay clean for himself.
I felt that Sullivan, in the 90s, was ill prepared to cope with Adam and AIDS but then who WAS prepared for it then... I think he would have been different with Adam 10 years later when more was known and the risks and precautions were clearer. Hell, even a couple of years later would have worked in their favour. But Sullivan was scared and ignorance was bliss. Poor Adam had to go looking in all the wrong places because he didn't have Sullivan to lean on but Sullivan just couldn't risk compromising his health so he ended up more a roommate to Adam than a lover. But, he still loved the man Adam had been (though that wasn't enough for either of them, was it).
The speed at which AIDS took Adam was horrifying and was so heartbreaking. :*(
I really enjoyed Rick's writing, once again - different from the other books I have read. But I have not read them all yet :)
I enjoyed that Adam stayed with Dan throughout the story. I loved that Mark was able to get the help he so desperately needed but worried that he would relapse because he didn't have the backbone to hold onto his sobriety. I thought that being with Dan again might have helped but realized that it wouldn't have made any difference to him having a relapse since he had to want to stay clean for himself.
I felt that Sullivan, in the 90s, was ill prepared to cope with Adam and AIDS but then who WAS prepared for it then... I think he would have been different with Adam 10 years later when more was known and the risks and precautions were clearer. Hell, even a couple of years later would have worked in their favour. But Sullivan was scared and ignorance was bliss. Poor Adam had to go looking in all the wrong places because he didn't have Sullivan to lean on but Sullivan just couldn't risk compromising his health so he ended up more a roommate to Adam than a lover. But, he still loved the man Adam had been (though that wasn't enough for either of them, was it).
The speed at which AIDS took Adam was horrifying and was so heartbreaking. :*(
January 22, 2012
I skimmed over the reviews before I read this, but I missed how many people wrote about how this took them back to personal experiences (for those of us who are old chronologically gifted enough to have been adults through the 80s and 90s). It certainly did for me; I remember when I first heard about a disease that seemed to be affecting gay men, and the first time I realized that someone I had known had died from it.
I especially liked the fact that the characters defied easy labeling. I thought I had it figured out: there was Noble Dan, and Dirtbag Mark, and Feisty Adam, and Stalwart Sullivan. And then each and every one of them did and said things that made me want to smack them AND hug them. Which is what real people do; they don't stay "in character" so you can easily decide how to feel about them. Dan's and Sullivan's relationship didn't just come together with a swell of background music - it had a lot of stops and starts and misunderstandings and comfortableness.
The letters at the beginning and end of the story gave a real intimacy to the whole thing; I kept checking to see who was writing them because I kept thinking that it would be Rick instead of Dan. There were some really angsty bits, but ultimately what I took away was that we all have to face the consequences of our decisions, and the ability to do just that is what makes us grow.
I especially liked the fact that the characters defied easy labeling. I thought I had it figured out: there was Noble Dan, and Dirtbag Mark, and Feisty Adam, and Stalwart Sullivan. And then each and every one of them did and said things that made me want to smack them AND hug them. Which is what real people do; they don't stay "in character" so you can easily decide how to feel about them. Dan's and Sullivan's relationship didn't just come together with a swell of background music - it had a lot of stops and starts and misunderstandings and comfortableness.
The letters at the beginning and end of the story gave a real intimacy to the whole thing; I kept checking to see who was writing them because I kept thinking that it would be Rick instead of Dan. There were some really angsty bits, but ultimately what I took away was that we all have to face the consequences of our decisions, and the ability to do just that is what makes us grow.
March 6, 2012
This book was excellent. The subject matter of the story was both heartbreaking and exceptional. It was beautiful to see how two guys get together and overcome their grief, their struggles and accept their fate in an environment filled with uncertainty and at a time where everything about their sexuality is questioned.
Every character added depth to the story, every struggle helped the characters develop fully. It was an exceptional read that left me drained emotionally and made me really feel for every gay man that has gone through this and persevered.
Every character added depth to the story, every struggle helped the characters develop fully. It was an exceptional read that left me drained emotionally and made me really feel for every gay man that has gone through this and persevered.
April 8, 2013
4.5 StarsMy impression of this book is that this felt very real and honest but the author held back just a little. This may be because parts of this story is based on the author's real life work as a volunteer Aids worker in Florida and Adam's experience mimics those of the friend he met there as a result. The other reason may be because he's also trying to create some kind of romantic story and not have it overwhelmed with sadness. But it cannot help but go through your mind that what happened to Adam happened to so many others. This book reminds you there were also survivors like Dan & Mark & Sullivan. This is an imperfect story. We don't get enough of Adam and Dan together to see how they develop such a deep friendship and bond. The way the couples reform is also a little too neat. But I believed all the emotions & in the story of Adam, Dan, Mark & Sullivan.
November 8, 2011
As I started reading I thought "I've read this book"...and then I realized it was just that I had vividly lived it back in the early 90s. That's how good Rick Reed is. He takes a reader into this world we feel we know, especially those who recall this period in our 'not so long ago' history. I can remember it like yesterday & that's what good story telling is all about. With heart. Compassion. Humor through tears. He mixes these four men together with a title that can assume multiple meanings and gives us real people that we can relate to in our own lives. Bravo, Mr. Reed, for stepping so bravely into this type of writing and taking your readers on a moving journey.
November 1, 2011
I loved the book. The characters were well developed, the story line fluid, yet focused, and the emotions visceral and real.
It wasn't a story about whomping sex and it wasn't just for pleasure and light-hearted feel-good reading. It was a serious, heart-warming, thourhgt-provoking tale of what it means to love; loving oneself in ordder to accept the love from someone else.
As someone who has lost someone close to me, I also appreciated the way Rick handled the concept of how people remain with us, even if they aren't physcially around us anymore.
A wonderful book.
It wasn't a story about whomping sex and it wasn't just for pleasure and light-hearted feel-good reading. It was a serious, heart-warming, thourhgt-provoking tale of what it means to love; loving oneself in ordder to accept the love from someone else.
As someone who has lost someone close to me, I also appreciated the way Rick handled the concept of how people remain with us, even if they aren't physcially around us anymore.
A wonderful book.
November 21, 2012
Although this was well written, I couldn't bring myself to like any of the characters other than Adam. The other 2 MCs seemed not too bright and a bit calculating and just basically ungenerous souls. I guess I like to think that love makes us go to extraordinary lengths for those we love, whereas in this book love just makes the MCs go a teeny bit further than friendship would...
November 18, 2011
Wonderful story. Heartbreaking and heart-warming nevertheless. Story that made me smile while tears run down my face.
Thank you.
Thank you.
December 12, 2011
Read it. Loved it! Added it as a fav.
February 22, 2021
Necesitaba algo sencillo después de un par de libros más "espesos" y este me pareció una buena opción.
Me gustó la historia y su planteamiento, los cuatro personajes protagonistas son atractivos y complejos, pero me resultó tan superficial en el desarrollo de los temas y de los protagonistas que no fui capaz de disfrutarlo. Este es un libro de esos que necesitarían muchas más páginas para poder desarrollar bien la historia... creo yo! 2.5* máximo
Me gustó la historia y su planteamiento, los cuatro personajes protagonistas son atractivos y complejos, pero me resultó tan superficial en el desarrollo de los temas y de los protagonistas que no fui capaz de disfrutarlo. Este es un libro de esos que necesitarían muchas más páginas para poder desarrollar bien la historia... creo yo! 2.5* máximo
October 16, 2023
very moving, review to come
February 12, 2012
Slight Spoiler Alert!
As it says in the end of the book, "love stories cannot be confined to formulas." True enough--many romances are cliché. Still, I find it hard to call this exactly a romance. A wedge of life in the early 90's, it's a flashback to the beginning of the AIDS crisis when KP and terrible infections were the expected finale of every AIDS victim. Reed brought the bitter truth of the past back in a lively, painful fashion.
He also dealt with the heartbreak of drug addiction and the damage it so often inflicts on relationships.
Compared to others of his work, I congratulate him for handling the serious topics so well; this book is a change from the others I have read by him. Also, I'm pleased to note the very small number of grammatical errors which I only bring up because I believe I had complained about so many in other works of his.
At times, I felt that clichés were overly used. Also, unless I totally missed something, I don't see how the sort of "novel within a novel" helped the story line. I'm not sure why the book had to be the "memoirs" of someone. I think it would have been as powerful or more so as a stand-alone.
As far as a romance goes, there was definitely a romantic theme, though I think the other overarching themes of the AIDS epidemic and drug addiction, ultimately leading to personal growth, were the most poignant pieces. Well done and quite worth reading.
As it says in the end of the book, "love stories cannot be confined to formulas." True enough--many romances are cliché. Still, I find it hard to call this exactly a romance. A wedge of life in the early 90's, it's a flashback to the beginning of the AIDS crisis when KP and terrible infections were the expected finale of every AIDS victim. Reed brought the bitter truth of the past back in a lively, painful fashion.
He also dealt with the heartbreak of drug addiction and the damage it so often inflicts on relationships.
Compared to others of his work, I congratulate him for handling the serious topics so well; this book is a change from the others I have read by him. Also, I'm pleased to note the very small number of grammatical errors which I only bring up because I believe I had complained about so many in other works of his.
At times, I felt that clichés were overly used. Also, unless I totally missed something, I don't see how the sort of "novel within a novel" helped the story line. I'm not sure why the book had to be the "memoirs" of someone. I think it would have been as powerful or more so as a stand-alone.
As far as a romance goes, there was definitely a romantic theme, though I think the other overarching themes of the AIDS epidemic and drug addiction, ultimately leading to personal growth, were the most poignant pieces. Well done and quite worth reading.
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