The Backlot Gay Book Forum discussion

There are some similarities in characters and plot between this standalone story and Wilgus' Shaking the Sugar Tree series. Both have a MC who is unashamedly gay, trying to survive on a low-pay job and having to raise a child with some developmental difficulties, whilst juggling love with a hot boyfriend, and having to fend off religious small town bigotry from family members and upstanding god-fearing local denizens.

Having said that - Hen's character stands apart from Wiley's - in his approach to life, as much as what life has inflicted upon him. The romantic love interest MC (Sam) is far less complicated in this book as well - but still a good-guy!

What stands out most for me is the cast of amazing secondary characters who Hen has to interact with daily/regularly - customers at the check out or on his own gardening service/business, family members, church members, law enforcement and social services staff ... most of whom were so well defined they almost stepped off the page and started speaking aloud in with their southern drawl tones! I had some hysterical moments with the antics and attitudes of these characters - wow do people like these really exist?

There are good guys and bad guys - and sometimes, the bad guys are characters least expected to be bad. And the great thing is that some antagonist characters are sufficiently well-rounded that I could see where they were coming from, despite their horrid bigotry. I loved this book - as much as the Sugar Tree series and I wonder if Wilgus will give us an update on where Hen, Sam and Ishy will be a few years down the track.

Thank you Mr Wilgus - you are now an auto-buy for me.