Review: Because of Roses by Richard May

Title: Because of Roses (A Daily Dose 2015 Story)

Author: Richard May

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Pages/Word Count: 26 Pages

At a Glance: This is my first read by Richard May, and I have to say it was a very good story, well put together.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: After the death of his longtime partner, American attorney Dan Evans is reassigned to his firm’s London office. It’s a change his life sorely needs. While admiring roses in a small village in the Cotswolds, Dan meets Martin Saint John. Martin, still fit and attractive at seventy, has also lost his partner, and now spends his time growing roses, meeting friends in the pub, and going to church on Sundays, content with his quiet life. Roses and tea progress to spending weekends together exploring the countryside, but the differences between Dan and Martin go beyond the fifteen year age gap. If they can open their hearts and accept love—instead of accepting its absence—they might find a second chance at happiness. All because of roses.

Review: Daniel Evans has worked in the New York Office of Patents for nearly forty years, but when he is offered a position in London, he takes it without hesitation. After three months of living in one of the firm’s temporary apartments, Daniel finds a permanent place to live.

Daniel and Bob, his partner of twenty-seven years, had planned to live in a small town once they were retired, but those plans changed when Bob passed away almost two years before, and now Daniel is making this move alone. His real estate agent has found him a cottage in the village of Little Helms. It’s close enough to the commuter line to London, but he has his doubts about the cottage: the front yard needs work, and his six-feet-two-inch height isn’t really compatible with the low doorways. But, he fell in love with the kitchen.

As he and the real estate agent leave to discuss the purchase of the cottage, Daniel hears a snipping sound and notices a man across the way clipping roses. As Daniel calls “hello,” the man turns around and waves. Martin Sinjin lives in the cottage across from Daniel’s, a man who is, by Daniel’s estimation, somewhere in his seventies. Martin is a special man. He puts a lot of time and love into caring for his roses, and he and Daniel have something in common—Martin also lost his partner Tom to cancer.

Martin offers a wonderful friendship to Daniel; they go furniture shopping together, go out to dinner, Daniel cooks for Martin. Martin even offers to pick Daniel up at the commuter station. He is just there for Daniel at every turn. Daniel would like more with Martin, but is a friendship all he’ll ever have?

Because of Roses is a nurturing story. Just as Martin took care of his roses, he took the same care with Daniel, and sometimes things just need time and attention to make them blossom. I liked the fact that age was not a factor in Daniel and Martin’s relationship, and the message that love can happen at any time in our lives. This is my first read by Richard May, and I have to say it was a very good story, well put together.

 

You can buy Because of Roses here: