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Angels of Mercy #1
Elliot: His Summer of Love
On the cusp of his senior year at Mercy High, Elliot Donahey, an out but terminally shy gay young man who keeps to the shadows – never wanting to be seen or noticed – suddenly finds himself in the arms of the highest profile jock on campus, local star quarterback, Marco Sforza. Their lives, and those closest to them will never be the same.
Set against the backdrop of competitive sports, this character study work deep dives into the lives of these young men who each must "play the game" so Marco can continue to play the game he loves. They are just trying to find some small slice of happiness to call their own amidst their hellish final year of high school.
Author's Note: Angels of Mercy is first and foremost, a character study. A great deal of it is inner-monologue. Elliot will pause the action, will break momentum as he grapples with his world – all the while flipping a finger to the fourth wall. He knows you're there. It was far more important to me as its author (and a gay man) that the reader come away with the whys of Elliot’s choices in how he navigates his often tumultuous world. The same can be said of Marco (his jock boyfriend) who will pick up the tale with Volume Two (due summer of 2015). I’ve read much queer literature and what I find rather interesting is that for the majority of it, very little is written about the character’s headspace. When you live in a world where you constantly have to be vigilant as you navigate through, it can make for some very powerful storytelling. That is my goal in writing these boys’ lives. I want the reader who may not be queer themselves to come away with what it might be like to be in a gayboy’s shoes – constantly polling and pulse-checking your world because your very survival depends upon it. All of that while you hope, you secretly pray, that you’ll find someone who will see you too and find they can’t live without you in their world. A small slice of happiness to call your own. And though you do everything to keep to yourself, you may still run into those who find your very existence threatens who they are and how they think the world should run. I pull no punches with this work. They are hormonally charged eighteen year old young men who are sexually active. While the sex is present in the work it is not gratuitous in that the main character does evolve from his physical intimacy with his high-profile boyfriend. It is not a genre romance read either, though it has a very strong romance threaded in the work. These elements bring a light to their world that attracts all the wrong attention. In a time where more queer youth are coming out to their teammates and their loved ones, I find that work of this nature is both timely and necessary to tell. I hope you'll find it as interesting and provocative a read as I believe it is.
Set against the backdrop of competitive sports, this character study work deep dives into the lives of these young men who each must "play the game" so Marco can continue to play the game he loves. They are just trying to find some small slice of happiness to call their own amidst their hellish final year of high school.
Author's Note: Angels of Mercy is first and foremost, a character study. A great deal of it is inner-monologue. Elliot will pause the action, will break momentum as he grapples with his world – all the while flipping a finger to the fourth wall. He knows you're there. It was far more important to me as its author (and a gay man) that the reader come away with the whys of Elliot’s choices in how he navigates his often tumultuous world. The same can be said of Marco (his jock boyfriend) who will pick up the tale with Volume Two (due summer of 2015). I’ve read much queer literature and what I find rather interesting is that for the majority of it, very little is written about the character’s headspace. When you live in a world where you constantly have to be vigilant as you navigate through, it can make for some very powerful storytelling. That is my goal in writing these boys’ lives. I want the reader who may not be queer themselves to come away with what it might be like to be in a gayboy’s shoes – constantly polling and pulse-checking your world because your very survival depends upon it. All of that while you hope, you secretly pray, that you’ll find someone who will see you too and find they can’t live without you in their world. A small slice of happiness to call your own. And though you do everything to keep to yourself, you may still run into those who find your very existence threatens who they are and how they think the world should run. I pull no punches with this work. They are hormonally charged eighteen year old young men who are sexually active. While the sex is present in the work it is not gratuitous in that the main character does evolve from his physical intimacy with his high-profile boyfriend. It is not a genre romance read either, though it has a very strong romance threaded in the work. These elements bring a light to their world that attracts all the wrong attention. In a time where more queer youth are coming out to their teammates and their loved ones, I find that work of this nature is both timely and necessary to tell. I hope you'll find it as interesting and provocative a read as I believe it is.
540 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2015
2 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
S.A. Collins
11 books55 followersAs a co-host of the WROTE Podcast, SA Collins hails from the San Francisco Bay Area where he lives with his (legal) husband, their daughter and, wonder of all wonders because he only just broke 50, a whirlwind of a granddaughter. Their home is filled with laughter and love. A classically trained singer, and a theater actor for many years (under another name), Mr. Collins is all about the story telling and the spell a good yarn can weave for an audience. This is Mr. Collins foray into writing but, as with all his creative endeavors, he leaps right in and figures it out as he goes along. It's been a winning combination thus far so why break a working formula?
http://wrotepodcast.com
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http://wrotepodcast.com
http://violetquillredux.com
http://sacollins.com
He can be reached -
e. | sacollins@sacollins.com
w. | www.sacollins.com
t. | @sacollinsauthor
g. | google.com/+sacollins
kik | sacollinsauthor
fb. | facebook.com/authorsacollins
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 3, 2015
Reviews are not something I normally do. And I am too old to be a fanboy. But having read “Angels of Mercy – Volume One: Elliot” [as well as his previous works, “Shrill of Sparrows” and “Henry O’Malley, Omega”], I find myself not only writing a review but also eagerly anticipating Mr. Collins’ next volume(s).
Collins has woven a rich tapestry of memorable, authentic characters. “Angels” is a unique, delightful and insightful presentation of Elliot’s struggles, both interpersonally and intrapsychically, of being a gay young man finding his first love. Given Elliot’s foibles, one wonders whether “Angels” is an autobiography, or an autobiography passed off as a novel. In any event, Collins’ characters exhibit a vividness that immediately draws the reader in. Written in the first person, the reader begins to care deeply about Elliot.
Elliot and his world require a massive book. Yet my greatest complaint is that the book is too short. I hope Mr. Collins will see fit to share with us Elliot’s earlier years.
The dark side of the story is, of course, the effect of homophobia. Its presence colours Elliot’s view of the world, causing him to constantly be wary. Seduced by the new-found security of his relationship with Marco, Elliot begins to grow more assertive and, perhaps, a bit less cautious. The end result is tragic and heart-rending.
“Angels” is no fluff piece. It stands out from contemporary “gay literature” or, heaven forbid, “M/M Romance”, and easily stands with Thomas Wolfe’s “Look Homeward, Angel”, E. M. Forster’s “Maurice” and Edmund White’s “A Boy’s Own Story.” “Angels” deserves to be read by gay and straight alike. Perhaps it should be required reading for members of PFLAG or adopted in human sexuality courses.
If you are gay, “Angels” will ring true. If you are the parents of a gay son, “Angels” will provide insight and understanding, as well as a few “a ha!” moments. If you have gay friends, “Angels” will likewise give an appreciation of their world. And if you simply enjoy immersing yourself in a rich, authentic story, “Angels” is for you, too.
Collins has woven a rich tapestry of memorable, authentic characters. “Angels” is a unique, delightful and insightful presentation of Elliot’s struggles, both interpersonally and intrapsychically, of being a gay young man finding his first love. Given Elliot’s foibles, one wonders whether “Angels” is an autobiography, or an autobiography passed off as a novel. In any event, Collins’ characters exhibit a vividness that immediately draws the reader in. Written in the first person, the reader begins to care deeply about Elliot.
Elliot and his world require a massive book. Yet my greatest complaint is that the book is too short. I hope Mr. Collins will see fit to share with us Elliot’s earlier years.
The dark side of the story is, of course, the effect of homophobia. Its presence colours Elliot’s view of the world, causing him to constantly be wary. Seduced by the new-found security of his relationship with Marco, Elliot begins to grow more assertive and, perhaps, a bit less cautious. The end result is tragic and heart-rending.
“Angels” is no fluff piece. It stands out from contemporary “gay literature” or, heaven forbid, “M/M Romance”, and easily stands with Thomas Wolfe’s “Look Homeward, Angel”, E. M. Forster’s “Maurice” and Edmund White’s “A Boy’s Own Story.” “Angels” deserves to be read by gay and straight alike. Perhaps it should be required reading for members of PFLAG or adopted in human sexuality courses.
If you are gay, “Angels” will ring true. If you are the parents of a gay son, “Angels” will provide insight and understanding, as well as a few “a ha!” moments. If you have gay friends, “Angels” will likewise give an appreciation of their world. And if you simply enjoy immersing yourself in a rich, authentic story, “Angels” is for you, too.
April 8, 2016
(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews with a copy provided by the author for an honest review. Rated 3.5 out of 5.0 stars.)
I asked to review this book after having read some of the reviews for it on both Amazon and Goodreads. I’m a fan of long books, and thought this might just fit the bill for me. It did, and it didn’t. Let me explain.
I really enjoyed the story of Elliot and Marco in some respects. In other respects I didn’t like it at all. The author did a fantastic job at making me like the character of Elliot and also making me LOATHE his character as well. There was a point at roughly 60-65% that I almost decided to take a “did not complete” because of some things Elliot did, or didn’t do as the case might be.
Elliot Donahey, is a high school senior, working at the family owned Dairy Queen, which he affectionately refers to as “the Q”. Business hasn’t been very good, and they are struggling to stay in business with little or no customers. Then one day while Elliot is there by himself, the school quarterback hunk, Marco Sforza, comes in and confesses his undying love to Elliot. Turns out he has been stalking Elliot for two years getting up his courage to approach him. Yeah…I didn’t get the realism there either.
From there the two guys enter into a relationship…with lots of sex…but hidden from the world. There is some insta-love (in my opinion the stalking time doesn’t count) and all of sudden they are in love, promising to marry each other and live happily ever after. Well…if they can avoid the school bullies. One issue I had with them was sometimes they acted like they were in their mid-twenties and other times they acted like they were twelve. Never did it feel like two eighteen year old high school seniors. There was a lot of angst, and a lot of second guessing himself on Elliot’s part which, while good in the beginning, began to wear on me until as I mentioned above, I almost quit reading.
I wanted so much to love this book, but I’ve got to be honest. It was one of the longest reads I’ve had in years. It took me what felt like forever to plod through it. I liked the story, but it could have been far, far better with several thousand less words. At times the story seemed to repeat itself, and there was so much detail and minutiae between actions that I sometimes forgot where I was and would have to flip back a few pages.
There is also a twist in the story with a mysterious guy, named “Angelo”, who shows up once in a while that I figured out before the end of the book, when something happened that totally infuriated me.
I have book two in the series, but I’m not sure I’ll read it right away, mainly because of the “Angelo” twist which I’m still stewing about….who does that??? Book two is 700+ pages, which is too much for my schedule right now anyway. And if I’m being honest, I wasn’t like “oh I’ve got to read the next book” when I finished this one. The author’s writing is above average and the story was good, but even the dramatic cliffhanger isn’t really enough to make me grab book two right now.
I asked to review this book after having read some of the reviews for it on both Amazon and Goodreads. I’m a fan of long books, and thought this might just fit the bill for me. It did, and it didn’t. Let me explain.
I really enjoyed the story of Elliot and Marco in some respects. In other respects I didn’t like it at all. The author did a fantastic job at making me like the character of Elliot and also making me LOATHE his character as well. There was a point at roughly 60-65% that I almost decided to take a “did not complete” because of some things Elliot did, or didn’t do as the case might be.
Elliot Donahey, is a high school senior, working at the family owned Dairy Queen, which he affectionately refers to as “the Q”. Business hasn’t been very good, and they are struggling to stay in business with little or no customers. Then one day while Elliot is there by himself, the school quarterback hunk, Marco Sforza, comes in and confesses his undying love to Elliot. Turns out he has been stalking Elliot for two years getting up his courage to approach him. Yeah…I didn’t get the realism there either.
From there the two guys enter into a relationship…with lots of sex…but hidden from the world. There is some insta-love (in my opinion the stalking time doesn’t count) and all of sudden they are in love, promising to marry each other and live happily ever after. Well…if they can avoid the school bullies. One issue I had with them was sometimes they acted like they were in their mid-twenties and other times they acted like they were twelve. Never did it feel like two eighteen year old high school seniors. There was a lot of angst, and a lot of second guessing himself on Elliot’s part which, while good in the beginning, began to wear on me until as I mentioned above, I almost quit reading.
I wanted so much to love this book, but I’ve got to be honest. It was one of the longest reads I’ve had in years. It took me what felt like forever to plod through it. I liked the story, but it could have been far, far better with several thousand less words. At times the story seemed to repeat itself, and there was so much detail and minutiae between actions that I sometimes forgot where I was and would have to flip back a few pages.
There is also a twist in the story with a mysterious guy, named “Angelo”, who shows up once in a while that I figured out before the end of the book, when something happened that totally infuriated me.
I have book two in the series, but I’m not sure I’ll read it right away, mainly because of the “Angelo” twist which I’m still stewing about….who does that??? Book two is 700+ pages, which is too much for my schedule right now anyway. And if I’m being honest, I wasn’t like “oh I’ve got to read the next book” when I finished this one. The author’s writing is above average and the story was good, but even the dramatic cliffhanger isn’t really enough to make me grab book two right now.
April 5, 2015
I read this book during it's creation ...Fantastically done ! I have never been so thrilled to write a review for an upcoming author than right this minute. I get bored with a lot of the books on the market today but this is not one of them. Well written, appropriate for our current era, true literature and character study...definitely a must read on every shelf !!
April 30, 2015
I won't bore you with a precis of the book. That is what the blurb is for, and every author sweats blood trying to get it right. So read that instead.
What I will say is that you won't forget Elliot in a hurry. He's the snarky gay high school kid, fiercely intelligent and articulate, who falls for the school jock, delectable Marco Sforza, but anyone expecting a full-on cute gay romance might as well give up here. This is a minutely detailed character study of a young man who isn't afraid to own his sexuality, but watches how everyone else acts with a gimlet eye, peering alluringly out of his Gothic bangs. At first his voice seems to be that of a man much older than he. Among the totally convincing teen speak are some acerbic observations about how gay men are treated in America, and by their own families. But think about it. The concept of the articulate teenager shouldn't be totally alien - Catcher In The Rye anyone?
I'm not suggesting Elliot is in anyway like Holden Caulfield. He is an engaging, funny, sensitive boy that I challenge you not to want to hug IMMEDIATELY. The author's writing is deceptively easy to read, with a literary, lyrical style. His depictions of small-town American life and school are timeless. Ditch the modern day technology and it could have been written in any decade. It oozes Americana without being twee, and charts the highly-charged relationship between Elliot and his border-line obsessed boyfriend with deft affection and accuracy.
The book also possesses other engaging characters, more than cyphers, who add colour and relief when the Elliot/Marco story needs to be balanced out. I loved Elliot's sympathetic but mystified mom and Marco's group of hangers-on. The dialogue is witty and totally convincing.
And now the elephant in the room - the CLIFFHANGER - I say stop bitching about it. If you've read all the way through this chunky read, it means you've already committed to finding out more about Marco and Elliot. By then, they will have wedged themselves firmly in your consciousness. Have faith and stick with it. This author knows his stuff, and I have every confidence that his next book will be just as vivid and stimulating as this one.
What I will say is that you won't forget Elliot in a hurry. He's the snarky gay high school kid, fiercely intelligent and articulate, who falls for the school jock, delectable Marco Sforza, but anyone expecting a full-on cute gay romance might as well give up here. This is a minutely detailed character study of a young man who isn't afraid to own his sexuality, but watches how everyone else acts with a gimlet eye, peering alluringly out of his Gothic bangs. At first his voice seems to be that of a man much older than he. Among the totally convincing teen speak are some acerbic observations about how gay men are treated in America, and by their own families. But think about it. The concept of the articulate teenager shouldn't be totally alien - Catcher In The Rye anyone?
I'm not suggesting Elliot is in anyway like Holden Caulfield. He is an engaging, funny, sensitive boy that I challenge you not to want to hug IMMEDIATELY. The author's writing is deceptively easy to read, with a literary, lyrical style. His depictions of small-town American life and school are timeless. Ditch the modern day technology and it could have been written in any decade. It oozes Americana without being twee, and charts the highly-charged relationship between Elliot and his border-line obsessed boyfriend with deft affection and accuracy.
The book also possesses other engaging characters, more than cyphers, who add colour and relief when the Elliot/Marco story needs to be balanced out. I loved Elliot's sympathetic but mystified mom and Marco's group of hangers-on. The dialogue is witty and totally convincing.
And now the elephant in the room - the CLIFFHANGER - I say stop bitching about it. If you've read all the way through this chunky read, it means you've already committed to finding out more about Marco and Elliot. By then, they will have wedged themselves firmly in your consciousness. Have faith and stick with it. This author knows his stuff, and I have every confidence that his next book will be just as vivid and stimulating as this one.
October 18, 2015
Blog Post: http://gaymediareviews.weebly.com/blo...
Angels Of Mercy-Volume One-Elliot by SA Collins
Elliot a shy guy at Mercy high is out for all intents purposes but he prefers being in the background that is until he meets Marco, the star quarterback and nothing will ever be the same for either boys again.
When Marco makes a play for Elliot and to see his reaction was so funny that this hot quarterback is actually coming onto him was some of the greatest scenes to read. Marco is so persistent and nothing will keep him from the guy he loves even though the object of his attention is having a hard time excepting Marcos love. When Elliot finally gives into the quarterback is when things really start to heat up and the beautiful connection between these guys is something so very special. The relationship starts off and Marco needs to stay in the closet for the time being and Elliott needs to find where he fits into is quarterbacks life.
I really enjoyed these characters, Elliot knows who he is and owns his sexuality and even though he might be shy it's very clear how he's accepted being gay. What really spoke to me was how Marco the hot quarterback liked and went after Elliot. They look like they come from different worlds which they actually are but Marcos attraction to Elliot is so intense that I found myself rooting for them right from the start.
Just loved the self discovery journey that Elliot and Marco took and the great love that they found along the way. The way the author grows these characters together in such a beautiful story was some great writing. I felt connected right away to the great story that these men shared. I quite enjoyed this novel as the setting was so rich and the characters were so well written in depths of pure true honesty. I'm a huge fan of sport genres and was a beautiful setting of true gay romance and what the price of love actually costs. I found the pages flowed beautifully and the author captured their love so brilliantly that I found myself lost in their love. The author was highly detailed in creating this type of story and the characters were developed beautifully. I'm looking forward to reviewing the entire series and I highly recommend Angels Of Mercy: Volume One-Elliot to anyone who loves reading a great true gay romance novel.
"Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review."
Reviewed by Paul at Gay Media Reviews
Angels Of Mercy-Volume One-Elliot by SA Collins
Elliot a shy guy at Mercy high is out for all intents purposes but he prefers being in the background that is until he meets Marco, the star quarterback and nothing will ever be the same for either boys again.
When Marco makes a play for Elliot and to see his reaction was so funny that this hot quarterback is actually coming onto him was some of the greatest scenes to read. Marco is so persistent and nothing will keep him from the guy he loves even though the object of his attention is having a hard time excepting Marcos love. When Elliot finally gives into the quarterback is when things really start to heat up and the beautiful connection between these guys is something so very special. The relationship starts off and Marco needs to stay in the closet for the time being and Elliott needs to find where he fits into is quarterbacks life.
I really enjoyed these characters, Elliot knows who he is and owns his sexuality and even though he might be shy it's very clear how he's accepted being gay. What really spoke to me was how Marco the hot quarterback liked and went after Elliot. They look like they come from different worlds which they actually are but Marcos attraction to Elliot is so intense that I found myself rooting for them right from the start.
Just loved the self discovery journey that Elliot and Marco took and the great love that they found along the way. The way the author grows these characters together in such a beautiful story was some great writing. I felt connected right away to the great story that these men shared. I quite enjoyed this novel as the setting was so rich and the characters were so well written in depths of pure true honesty. I'm a huge fan of sport genres and was a beautiful setting of true gay romance and what the price of love actually costs. I found the pages flowed beautifully and the author captured their love so brilliantly that I found myself lost in their love. The author was highly detailed in creating this type of story and the characters were developed beautifully. I'm looking forward to reviewing the entire series and I highly recommend Angels Of Mercy: Volume One-Elliot to anyone who loves reading a great true gay romance novel.
"Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review."
Reviewed by Paul at Gay Media Reviews
June 3, 2015
Angels of Mercy: Elliot took me inside the head of an intelligent high school senior who uses his vocabulary, and mouth, to smokescreen the hell out of anyone who feels threatening. And, when you're the school's visible candidate for the scrawny gay boy ribbon, everyone feels like a threat.
Elliot's reaction when the school's heart-throb quarterback comes on to him is a beautiful smear of desire, denial, and a search for the hidden camera. Marco is persistent in all things, and he keeps working to prove the validity of his feelings to Elliot. When Elliot finally gives Marco a chance, the young men begin their secret relationship. Marco needs to stay in the closet through the end of the football season. Elliot needs to stay out of the crosshairs of, oh, just about everybody.
What struck me about this work is the adherence to Elliot's point of view. The title character lives in his own head where his distraught beliefs about what people see in him color everything he does. The author paints an emotionally wrought iron border around the misperceptions of teen self-image and uses Elliot's skewed world view to let the reader know there's something deeper going on.
And there IS something deeper going on. I’m anticipating the next book because I’m keenly interested in Marco’s story.
If there was something that didn’t sit well with me, it was the way Elliot related to his mother. Elliot claims there’s past justification for his brusque and sometimes abrasive behavior toward her. Yet in the narrative we never see her be anything other than a supportive single (separated) mom who loves the gay son she may not always understand. I’m curious to see if there’s more explanation in the next book, or if I am just chalking it up to raging teenage protestations of unfairness that are often directed at parent figures.
Overall, Angels of Mercy: Elliot is a very masterful blend of wild emotion, cerebral questioning, and teen self-awareness as two boys deal with their love in the unforgiving high school environment.
Elliot's reaction when the school's heart-throb quarterback comes on to him is a beautiful smear of desire, denial, and a search for the hidden camera. Marco is persistent in all things, and he keeps working to prove the validity of his feelings to Elliot. When Elliot finally gives Marco a chance, the young men begin their secret relationship. Marco needs to stay in the closet through the end of the football season. Elliot needs to stay out of the crosshairs of, oh, just about everybody.
What struck me about this work is the adherence to Elliot's point of view. The title character lives in his own head where his distraught beliefs about what people see in him color everything he does. The author paints an emotionally wrought iron border around the misperceptions of teen self-image and uses Elliot's skewed world view to let the reader know there's something deeper going on.
And there IS something deeper going on. I’m anticipating the next book because I’m keenly interested in Marco’s story.
If there was something that didn’t sit well with me, it was the way Elliot related to his mother. Elliot claims there’s past justification for his brusque and sometimes abrasive behavior toward her. Yet in the narrative we never see her be anything other than a supportive single (separated) mom who loves the gay son she may not always understand. I’m curious to see if there’s more explanation in the next book, or if I am just chalking it up to raging teenage protestations of unfairness that are often directed at parent figures.
Overall, Angels of Mercy: Elliot is a very masterful blend of wild emotion, cerebral questioning, and teen self-awareness as two boys deal with their love in the unforgiving high school environment.
January 16, 2017
Since I am not a writer I don't review a lot of books. I have a hard time putting into words what I'm feeling, but I just have to on this one. I started reading this on Friday night around 9pm. I couldn't wait to read it all the way thru once I read that first chapter. I read all day Sunday and finished that night. I have to say its the first book that has ever drawn me so hard and held me there. I got to know the characters so well and really felt what Elliot was feeling. I immediately purchased the next book. I can't wait to start it. If you love M/M Romance, and we all do, then do not hesitate to read this book.
June 11, 2016
Exceptional! Very long, but oh so worth it! Even though the MC's are teenagers you could feel the love. And folks, the love is real. Very highly recommended, I already have the next book and the companion book. Can't wait to get into both!
Happy reading
Happy reading
March 28, 2017
This was a really good story. The characters were engaging.. the had angst and slow burn and at times it felt a bit long winded but overall i really ennoyed the charatcers and their relationship and love. the writing was very well done also.. im glad i got to review it
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews