“And when at last you find someone to whom you feel you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter—they are so rusty … from being kept in the small cramped dark inside you so long.” ― Sylvia Plath
BLURB: Charlie is the quintessential bear. Big, muscular and hairy. But that isn’t the type of men he’s attracted to. He is drawn to men like Taylor—short, smooth, and sexy. Taylor is Charlie’s idea of the perfect twink. But there’s something about Taylor Charlie doesn’t know. Taylor is unsure about a lot of things, but when he sees Charlie, he instantly knows he wants him. The only issue standing in his way is how Taylor views his own masculinity. He’s afraid that Charlie will leave once he knows the secret Taylor wants to keep hidden. Can he be transparent with Charlie and allow him to look behind the image he’s so carefully constructed?
REVIEW: Ethan Stone and Sara York did a fantastic job of expressing Taylor’s inner turmoil. As a straight woman it is very hard to understand how Taylor feels deep inside himself. Reading about Taylor really got those feelings across. This story showed how much hate and harassment Taylor has to go through just to feel comfortable in his own skin; it also shows how even some members of the gay community refuse to accept everyone in the QUILTBAG.
Taylor meets Charlie at the local Adult Store. After one hurried experience at the glory hole, Taylor runs out before Charlie can return the favor. The second time these two meet up, Charlie isn’t letting Taylor get away so fast. Charlie takes Taylor out for coffee and basically strong arms him into a dinner date.
Taylor is wracked with worry about telling Charlie his secret. Will he be met with derision, like he gets from his family and former friends? Maybe he will find someone that can accept him just as he is. There isn’t a long courtship, but there is a strong connection between the two men from the beginning. One lesson Taylor and Charlie both learn is to not judge a book by its cover since neither man is exactly how he seems.
This is a fantastic story and my only complaint is that it wasn’t longer. I would love to see these authors revisit Charlie and Taylor. I loved their dynamic and I could just imagine the sparks that would fly between these two. Seriously, head out and get you a copy of Transparency. I highly recommend this book.
You can buy Transparency here:
