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Bill & The Kid: A Queer Family. A Troubled Child. A Secret. A Crime.
Not yet published
Expected 1 Oct 26A story about love and its opposite, where love wins.
Liam is fourteen. Until lately, he's been happy. No one understands the change. His parents are worried. His teachers have given up. His friends are dropping him one by one. No longer interested in the world, he spends his time plugged in and shut off. But he does what he's told and answers when spoken to, while sinking into the lowest profile he can find.
After many interventions, all unsuccessful, his mother, Ruth, has an idea. Why not send him to spend the summer with her two favorite uncles? The trip will be long. He'll be going alone. But she hopes that the new surroundings will help him break out of his shell. They call it a vacation, but it's a last resort. The story starts here.
Happy together, Bill, a seasoned high school teacher, and Anton, a health care professional, welcome Liam into their home. They're ready to do anything for him, but unprepared for how difficult that turns out to be.
But Bill persists. With the help of a few of his students who joyfully lighten the load, he works to find the boy he once knew. But Liam's not alone in his tortured mind. Unknown to anyone, including him, a monster lurks inside.
Yet, no matter the challenge, love will prevail because it weaves its way through every thread of the story: the romantic love between Bill and Anton; the growing affection between Bill and Liam; the maternal bond between Ruth and Liam, and the eternal friendship between Bill and Ruth.
Please note. Bill & The Kid contains scenes of sex between men, but contains no descriptions of what happened to Liam. Whatever happened, happened before. The The future is now.
Liam is fourteen. Until lately, he's been happy. No one understands the change. His parents are worried. His teachers have given up. His friends are dropping him one by one. No longer interested in the world, he spends his time plugged in and shut off. But he does what he's told and answers when spoken to, while sinking into the lowest profile he can find.
After many interventions, all unsuccessful, his mother, Ruth, has an idea. Why not send him to spend the summer with her two favorite uncles? The trip will be long. He'll be going alone. But she hopes that the new surroundings will help him break out of his shell. They call it a vacation, but it's a last resort. The story starts here.
Happy together, Bill, a seasoned high school teacher, and Anton, a health care professional, welcome Liam into their home. They're ready to do anything for him, but unprepared for how difficult that turns out to be.
But Bill persists. With the help of a few of his students who joyfully lighten the load, he works to find the boy he once knew. But Liam's not alone in his tortured mind. Unknown to anyone, including him, a monster lurks inside.
Yet, no matter the challenge, love will prevail because it weaves its way through every thread of the story: the romantic love between Bill and Anton; the growing affection between Bill and Liam; the maternal bond between Ruth and Liam, and the eternal friendship between Bill and Ruth.
Please note. Bill & The Kid contains scenes of sex between men, but contains no descriptions of what happened to Liam. Whatever happened, happened before. The The future is now.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 1, 2026
About the author
Patrick Doyle
10 books194 followersI don't know why writing came to me exactly, probably a mix of too much reading and not enough sleep, but it's become my second nature. Or maybe my first. Writing is a release (the imagination, the mental travel), but it binds me too (the discipline, all those hours). Writing is more than storytelling, although telling stories is the best. Writing helps make sense of life. By having to be honest on the page, I have to be honest with myself and there's no better feeling than when my writing connects.
That said, here's my schtick. Fiction about gay men tends to be slotted into two categories: literary or MM. My novels, I hope, go somewhere else. I make no pretense of being the next Stuart Douglas or Ocean Vuong. Neither do I write with pre-fab characters or tired tropes. But I believe in happy ends or the glimmer of one. Otherwise, why write?
So far I've written nine books: a series of loosely related mystery adventures (Jordi's Day, Tony's Dream, Beau's Dilemma); the Pierre & Bill trilogy (Pierre & Bill: A Love Story, Pierre & Bill Now, Pierre Before Bill), that tells the story of a most unusual couple. Along the way, I've written a more intimate mystery (Van Alone), a fantasy/sc-fi (Seeing Sean), and a political thriller (Catching Hanif's Eye). All queer as heck.
My new book, 'Bill & The Kid: A Queer Family. A Troubled Child. A Secret. A Crime,' (due October 1, 2026) is a story about love and its opposite where love wins. In a way, it picks up where the Pierre & Bill series left off, but this is a brand new story that lives on its own.
I write fiction, meaning it's all made up. But the more I write, the closer to the bone I get. Writing always involves looking in. Sometimes, everything else is a red herring.
I live in Montreal with my partner and not far away from the child we raised. I live in French, write in English, and work in both. I try to bring that experience to my novels. All my protagonists are faced with the challenge and excitement of loving someone from another world. I’ve been there. It’s worth the trip.
That said, here's my schtick. Fiction about gay men tends to be slotted into two categories: literary or MM. My novels, I hope, go somewhere else. I make no pretense of being the next Stuart Douglas or Ocean Vuong. Neither do I write with pre-fab characters or tired tropes. But I believe in happy ends or the glimmer of one. Otherwise, why write?
So far I've written nine books: a series of loosely related mystery adventures (Jordi's Day, Tony's Dream, Beau's Dilemma); the Pierre & Bill trilogy (Pierre & Bill: A Love Story, Pierre & Bill Now, Pierre Before Bill), that tells the story of a most unusual couple. Along the way, I've written a more intimate mystery (Van Alone), a fantasy/sc-fi (Seeing Sean), and a political thriller (Catching Hanif's Eye). All queer as heck.
My new book, 'Bill & The Kid: A Queer Family. A Troubled Child. A Secret. A Crime,' (due October 1, 2026) is a story about love and its opposite where love wins. In a way, it picks up where the Pierre & Bill series left off, but this is a brand new story that lives on its own.
I write fiction, meaning it's all made up. But the more I write, the closer to the bone I get. Writing always involves looking in. Sometimes, everything else is a red herring.
I live in Montreal with my partner and not far away from the child we raised. I live in French, write in English, and work in both. I try to bring that experience to my novels. All my protagonists are faced with the challenge and excitement of loving someone from another world. I’ve been there. It’s worth the trip.
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August 31, 2026ARCs available on Booksirens.
https://booksirens.com/book/E0TRQ5I/K...
https://booksirens.com/book/E0TRQ5I/K...
Review of advance copy
Тільки богиня знає, в якому я зараз, тільки дочитавши цю історію, стані. Колись я навчуся читати анотації та тригерні попередження на початку, але це явно буде не з цією книжкою. Чомусь, після першого прочитання анотації, я уявляв цю книгу милою, затишною, трохи меланхолійною історією про те, як хлопчик відправляється на літні канікули до дідуся та дідуся.
І в перших главах ці очікування дійсно мали шанс. Ліам їде з Британії в США до своїх дідусів, але всі підозри і неприємні відчуття починаються з другої чи третьої вже глави. Хлопчик замкнутий, невеселий, він забувається в думках, а в якийсь момент взагалі починає лунатити. Це все викликає дуже сильні підозри у дідусів, Білла та Антона.
І з кожною наступною главою мені ставало все складніше читати цю книгу. Проблема не в поганому написані чи нецікавому сюжеті. Ні, книжка написана чудово, сюжет чіпляє, а персонажам віриш (в певний момент мене так сильно розсердив Антон, що я почав вголос лаятися на цього болгарина). Проблемою стало те, що я почав дуже сильно співпереживати за Ліама, згадувати своє дитинство та те, що мені довелося пережити. То ж доводилося в читанні цієї книжки робити перерви, іноді після кожної сторінки, щоб просто пройтися, подихати та заспокоїтися.
То ж книга дійсно чудова, якщо вона змогла викликати такі сильні емоції, але зараз мені хочеться лише сховатися під плед та скоріше забути цю книжку. І це, звісно, не провина автора. Це моя і тільки моя провина, що не читаю попередження на початку книжки про аб’юз та педофілію.
В цілому це дуже добре написана історія. Вже третя книжка від цього автора, яку я прочитав, і кожна заслужено отримала від мене п’ять зірочок. З нетерпінням чекатиму на наступні книжки Патріка Дойля.
І в перших главах ці очікування дійсно мали шанс. Ліам їде з Британії в США до своїх дідусів, але всі підозри і неприємні відчуття починаються з другої чи третьої вже глави. Хлопчик замкнутий, невеселий, він забувається в думках, а в якийсь момент взагалі починає лунатити. Це все викликає дуже сильні підозри у дідусів, Білла та Антона.
І з кожною наступною главою мені ставало все складніше читати цю книгу. Проблема не в поганому написані чи нецікавому сюжеті. Ні, книжка написана чудово, сюжет чіпляє, а персонажам віриш (в певний момент мене так сильно розсердив Антон, що я почав вголос лаятися на цього болгарина). Проблемою стало те, що я почав дуже сильно співпереживати за Ліама, згадувати своє дитинство та те, що мені довелося пережити. То ж доводилося в читанні цієї книжки робити перерви, іноді після кожної сторінки, щоб просто пройтися, подихати та заспокоїтися.
То ж книга дійсно чудова, якщо вона змогла викликати такі сильні емоції, але зараз мені хочеться лише сховатися під плед та скоріше забути цю книжку. І це, звісно, не провина автора. Це моя і тільки моя провина, що не читаю попередження на початку книжки про аб’юз та педофілію.
В цілому це дуже добре написана історія. Вже третя книжка від цього автора, яку я прочитав, і кожна заслужено отримала від мене п’ять зірочок. З нетерпінням чекатиму на наступні книжки Патріка Дойля.
Review of advance copy
Wow! Ruth's son is struggling and she can't find a reason. In hopes that a change will help the boy she sends him to Bill and Anton for summer vacation in the hopes that Bill will be able to reach him. It's a difficult road to try to get past the teen's walls. Just as progress is being made Liam disappears. After he's found one of his new friends reveals something they found online that could help explain Liam's troubles. The investigation is dramatic and the results disturbing. Bill and Anton prove again that they are the anchor for this found family.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews