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Goodmans Hotel
"Goodmans Hotel", a full length novel, is a gay love story set in 1990s London. Mark, a City high-flyer, is irresistibly attracted to Tom, a manual worker from a tough neighbourhood. Both men have been marked by past ordeals.Conflict between powerful cabals in the City firm cause Mark to leave, with a generous pay off. Tom’s boss, Andrew, a determinedly independent small businessman, convinces him he should put all his resources into setting up a gay guest house, the ‘Goodmans Hotel’ of the title. There he hopes for release from the heartlessly competitive norms of his old working life.He takes in an eighteen year old runaway, Darren, who is escaping from his parents’ religious bigotry. Mark comes to think of Tom, Darren and Andrew as his ‘family’. A crisis forces Mark and Tom apart, until eventually the family are reconciled and reunited in the final chapter, their understanding deepened by the challenges they have faced.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2002
2 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Alan Keslian
4 books1 followerI was a Gay Liberation Front activist in London in the 1970s, among other things setting up West London GLF and organising gay dances attended by hundreds in Fulham Town Hall.
I have experienced and benefited from the huge change in attitudes towards Gay men and Lesbians in England and elsewhere during recent decades. During my teenage years, in the UK any sex between men was a crime, whereas now civil partnership offers a legal status on a par with marriage, and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation is increasingly outlawed. This transformation has huge implications for gay relationships, and my motive in writing is to explore the impact of this new freedom and portray its effects. My first novel, Goodmans Hotel, was published in 2003. My second, a more humorous book, Closer Than Breathing - A Light Gay Odyssey - came out in 2009. I believe my readers’ time is valuable, and try hard not to waste it.
I live with my partner in West London, and am a member of GALHA, the LGBT section of the British Humanist Association.
I have experienced and benefited from the huge change in attitudes towards Gay men and Lesbians in England and elsewhere during recent decades. During my teenage years, in the UK any sex between men was a crime, whereas now civil partnership offers a legal status on a par with marriage, and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation is increasingly outlawed. This transformation has huge implications for gay relationships, and my motive in writing is to explore the impact of this new freedom and portray its effects. My first novel, Goodmans Hotel, was published in 2003. My second, a more humorous book, Closer Than Breathing - A Light Gay Odyssey - came out in 2009. I believe my readers’ time is valuable, and try hard not to waste it.
I live with my partner in West London, and am a member of GALHA, the LGBT section of the British Humanist Association.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 18, 2018
If I belive the dedication at the front of my copy, this book has been hanging around on my to-read shelves for 13 years... it seems I bought my copy at London Pride 2005. Better late than never, I suppose!
This is a slightly odd book, though in the end a sweet and fun tale about logical families.
The style is very engaging and makes it quiet the page turner. And this is rather in spite of the plot. The first half of the book has almost nothing to do with the hotel. Although it provides some background, it almost feels like a different story and could certainly have been summarised for the sake of consistency. Although the subject matter of that first part is quite dry (the narrator's career has an IT bod in a posh accounting firm in the City - IKR!), it still oddly enjoyable, thanks again to the writing.
The second part is more obviously about what the title advertises and sees much more happening. As such it is a little more messy, including in the language which is not quite as polished.
There are in my view two main nagging points in that second part though:
First, the character of Darren, although he is 18, and has managed to build himself a life of sorts (however stunted) in London after being kicked out by his parents, is treated by the other characters AND by the author as if he were 12. I found this very annoying.
The second point is the narrator's reaction to a revelation about the post of another character. It so highly overblown that it becomes an obvious plot device for the author to add a little drama to the story. The secret is also linked by the author to other elements of the story that have absolutely nothing to do with it. This was rather distracting.
It is far from perfect but I've read much, much worse recently, coming under the "gay lit" heading.
This is a slightly odd book, though in the end a sweet and fun tale about logical families.
The style is very engaging and makes it quiet the page turner. And this is rather in spite of the plot. The first half of the book has almost nothing to do with the hotel. Although it provides some background, it almost feels like a different story and could certainly have been summarised for the sake of consistency. Although the subject matter of that first part is quite dry (the narrator's career has an IT bod in a posh accounting firm in the City - IKR!), it still oddly enjoyable, thanks again to the writing.
The second part is more obviously about what the title advertises and sees much more happening. As such it is a little more messy, including in the language which is not quite as polished.
There are in my view two main nagging points in that second part though:
First, the character of Darren, although he is 18, and has managed to build himself a life of sorts (however stunted) in London after being kicked out by his parents, is treated by the other characters AND by the author as if he were 12. I found this very annoying.
The second point is the narrator's reaction to a revelation about the post of another character. It so highly overblown that it becomes an obvious plot device for the author to add a little drama to the story. The secret is also linked by the author to other elements of the story that have absolutely nothing to do with it. This was rather distracting.
It is far from perfect but I've read much, much worse recently, coming under the "gay lit" heading.
December 6, 2012
I have to say that this was a very long and drawn out story. The whole first 3/4 of the book was so freaking boring. It broke my heart to read about Andrew towards the end. And it pissed me off to read about Darrens boyfriend just going off with that other guy. But the part in the story that truly pissed me off was this in reference to Tom where Andrew says this to Mark, "Yes. Doesn’t stop him picking up other men from time to time though, does it? Does that make you unhappy?" And Mark says, "No. It’s part of his nature. I don’t think about it." God I hate the idea of cheaters, either be with him or don't. UGH.
September 15, 2013
Ahh my first actual LGBT novel! And boy, was it full of gay stuff... Freud would be proud of the amount of sex and aggression in this one.
I felt like I was reading a diary because of the heavy details and mentions of things that don't seem to be important at all. Plus, there doesn't seem to be a climax. It was just a long narrative of a period of someone's life. Thankfully, it was a pretty interesting story, if you don't mind the bad temperamental characters, the boring narration of the protagonist's work, and the fairly open-ended ending. The touch of reality is really refreshing (I would assume it's realistic, although I don't know what gay men from London are actually like).
I felt like I was reading a diary because of the heavy details and mentions of things that don't seem to be important at all. Plus, there doesn't seem to be a climax. It was just a long narrative of a period of someone's life. Thankfully, it was a pretty interesting story, if you don't mind the bad temperamental characters, the boring narration of the protagonist's work, and the fairly open-ended ending. The touch of reality is really refreshing (I would assume it's realistic, although I don't know what gay men from London are actually like).
February 3, 2011
From GLBT Bookshelf September 2010 Rummage Sale
Another very British story. I didn't find Mark a very sympathetic character a lot of the time. He had moments where he was very likeable, but more often he was either irritating or too easily influenced - perhaps a little too real for good escapist reading.
The romance is not a strong theme in the book. It is there in a restrained and rather British way. I spent a lot of the book wondering who Mark would be with at the end. Mark matures and grows through the story which covers a couple of years of his life.
Another very British story. I didn't find Mark a very sympathetic character a lot of the time. He had moments where he was very likeable, but more often he was either irritating or too easily influenced - perhaps a little too real for good escapist reading.
The romance is not a strong theme in the book. It is there in a restrained and rather British way. I spent a lot of the book wondering who Mark would be with at the end. Mark matures and grows through the story which covers a couple of years of his life.
December 31, 2011
This book wasn't terrible. It was fairly well written and the writing flowed nicely but I found it incredibly dull. It wasn't that I disliked the characters or anything but I just found myself not caring what happened to any of them. I finished the book, I would never abandon something unless it was dreadful, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. If you like quiet, unassuming novels where nothing very much happens then you could do worse than this one but if you're expecting fireworks and excitement then it's not for you.
October 11, 2012
Great story about the running of a gay hotel. I found myself drawn to the characters and sympathising with them (might be because I run my own business and know all the ups and downs). The only downside to the story was it felt like it took too long to get started and ended very suddenly. Otherwise it's wonderfully written, very British, and I'd love to see another instalment. If you've liked books like Hotel Babylon, this might be one to try.
July 9, 2012
I thiink I will keep this book on my kindle to read when I am suffering from insomnia. Too wordy. Too detailed. Too restrained & stiff upper lip British. I would rather do house work than read this book.
Originally posted on Amazon.com
Originally posted on Amazon.com
August 27, 2012
Who would of thought such an ordinary "good man" could make such interesting reading? The writing is so skilled and detailed, the characterization so true and the "ordinariness" so accurate that even details of financial meetings in the city seem readable.
June 23, 2012
I had to push myself to read this.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews