Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher: Pride Publishing 

Genre:  Gay Romance

Tags: Historical, Sexy  

Length: 40 Pages 

Reviewer: Kazza 

Purchase At:  amazon, Pride Publishing  (**July 28th release)

Blurb:

October 1943. Manhattan, New York.

Peter Corcoran has been a Friday night regular at the Starling Club for so long that he has his own seat at a back table. From here, he watches the battalion of stunning single ladies take turns dancing with the most handsome man in the whole establishment. That attractive man is not only his best friend but also his roommate—and it won’t be one of the drop-dead-gorgeous women who Daniel Bennet goes home with at the end of the night.

When the closed apartment door cuts off the rest of the world, Danny gives him the first of a series of burning kisses—kisses that never cease to shatter Peter’s universe. But the tiny, cynical voice in the back of his head has him doubting their strange, secret charade and wondering if their romance could ever be more than just an indulgence at the end of the week, when prying eyes aren’t looking…

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of homophobia.

Review:

This is the first book by Aver Rigsly. I actually requested it because I was in the mood for historical and short. I enjoy the art of short storytelling and time is of the essence for me right now. It delivered a good size bite for me, definitely enough to fully engage and provide escapism. It’s hard to build character depth in forty pages but the author delivered well. Some of the time Peter and Danny spend at Starling’s, a local dance hall, but more time is spent when the door is well and truly closed on their shared apartment.

Both Danny and Peter are likeable and they have distinct voices: Peter doubts that someone as hot as Danny can love him when all the gals at Starling’s think Danny’s all-that. Danny has no such doubts. Even if this is the case, that Danny is his, that the words and actions he reveals to Peter are true, how can they share a life of love in 1943 without the requisite woman to settle down with behind a white picket fence?

This novella is a sexy tale with heart and likeable characters who are given a decent degree of depth within the word count. The 1940’s world was primarily contained in a bubble, it’s about two men who can’t be seen to be in love at this juncture in time. However, that doesn’t stop Peter from wanting it and Danny from showing him how they can have it if they want it… if Peter can believe.

Overview:

Starling’s Again is well written and edited, sexy, and gives a reasonable sense of time/place with nice characters. You are aware that being in love with someone of the same sex is difficult, risky, but it also delivers believable hope. Looking forward to see where this author goes from here. 4 Stars!

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