Two promising college athletes meet, each needing something only the other can give him….
When Roger and Brian lock eyes on the first day of school, a friendship is born. Both men are hungry for connection – Brian needs the acceptance, encouragement, and support he never had growing up, and when he finds out his new best friend is gay, it brings his own sexual identity into question. Roger needs a big brother, a best friend, but that will never be enough, especially not when he’s this close to big, strong, handsome Brian.
And both men want something more – careers as professional athletes. For Roger, the demands of the closet, the need to reject the love of a man to fulfill his love of the game, will be a crushing burden. For Brian, his downfall will be the substances he uses to get an edge over the competition, and to suppress his gnawing self-doubt and guilt.
One set of desires will bring them together, the other will force them apart….
Great story of love between athletes in professional sports Given The Circumstances is a great and timely story, and it gives some insight into why professional sports remain one of the last barriers for LGBT acceptance. It also demonstrates how keeping in the closet, just to play a sport you’ve been born to play, can erode one’s sense of self and lead into compensating habits; either ruthless suppression of one’s desires or reckless behavior with drugs or self to numb the pain.
GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES BY Brad Vance From the beginning of this story I was captivated with the two leads, Roger and Brian. I loved every word of their very real story. It’s well-written, characters are fully developed, real and likeable, the story has a great flow, LOVE Brian and Roger… the sexual scenes are realistic, very sensual and OMG steamy! I also enjoyed the sports aspect (you can tell the author did his homework), but what I liked best is the love story (I’m a girl, what can I say) and Roger and Brian’s romance is one…
A Most Complete and Convincing Book This is a gay love story. This is a sports story. This is a “how-to” (or “not to”, as the case may be) manual for parents who create the mold for their children that later becomes the shape of their character as an adult. This is a story with so very many messages about love, life and human nature. And thankfully, the author does not make a point about any of this by bashing us over the head, repeatedly rehashing the point ad infinitum; instead he acknowledges the…