This is my second read by Amy Lane and right now I feel like giving myself a not so friendly "pat" for getting to this one just now and for not having MORE of Amy's books on my immediate list. Well, I do have one I'm going to start reading today and I have a few more planned for the following months but I'll have to add up MORE. Though Amy have so many books I"m not sure where to start..
Let's get to our story, shall we?
The story begins with Patrick Cleary having the worst day of his life. He finally tells his father he is gay, only to be totally dismissed, then when going out with his boyfriend, he is being drugged and when on their ride home the car ends up in the river and after his boyfriend crawls out the window he just leaves Patrick behind - to die. Lucky for him, Wes Keenan aka "Whiskey" a biologist who does research work in the area sees the whole thing in front of his eyes and manages to get Patrick out of the car before he drowns. Whiskey decides on a whim to just take "the kid" to his boat house he currently shares with his best friend and fellow biologist Freya Bitner aka "Fly Bait".
Patrick is a very insecure person. Firstly he has (a severe) ADHD and NO ONE supports him on the matter. Meaning everyone just think he is dumb or incapable of functioning. Not only that he often gets accused for his spastic behavior so he constantly feels the need to apologize for who he is. It was so damn sad to keep on reading it and see the effect it had and still has on him. Even when he wants to do a change in his life, to do things he believes in, no one believes in HIM or think he could actually accomplish anything. So when Whiskey and Fly Bait just accept him the way he is, enjoy his company and the help he provide on the boat and with the research they are doing on the frogs in the bay area he finally stars to realize he CAN have a place in this world. He has real friends who believe and him and see his worth.
When Whiskey sees Patrick that night what he sees is "a kid" and that's what he calls him most of the time and that is NOT because Patrick is a kid, he is 23 years old, and it's not because Whiskey is quite older - 36 years old. No, it's because he WANTS him and he rather think of him as too young or somehow not interested than even consider doing any sort of first move on Patrick even though it's obvious he is gay and is sexually attracted to him.
The friendship between Whiskey and Patrick was beautiful to see, yet it was painful seeing how much they want each other without doing any move. On Whiskey's side it's more obvious, but when Patrick explains in DETAIL to Fly Bait why he doesn't change the friendship between him and Whiskey into something sexual - be prepared to be floored and crashed with the intensity of the monologue.
Yet when they finally delve into a sexual relationship it's just so damn beautiful and touching.. There was so much tenderness and love. So much compassion. It was just perfect. Whiskey is perfect and Patrick is so sweet and exactly what Whiskey needed. Also it was amazing seeing the change in Patrick throughout the book and what happens when there is a confrontation with the ones who disappointed him.
It was also beautiful seeing the friendship that forms between Patrick and Fly Bait, or see the strange yet genuine relationship she has with Whiskey. I loved her. She was so damn funny. So sweet and caring even when not wanting to show that she does. She was really a cool character. It wouldn't have been so perfect without her being there a sort of a buffer and another true friend for Patrick (and Whiskey)
Beside the friendship, romance and the personal change Patrick went through there is also the research Whiskey and Fly Bait are involved with. Near the end when they finally find out what's doing the ecological damage it's a lot more personal then they would have expected and it's life threatening as well. I was so consumed with the friendship turned romance I almost forget that part and was surprised of the connections I didn't even consider making.
Beautiful beyond words. Just perfect. I loved the fact that Patrick was "flawed" yet human and someone we can relate to, I loved the journey he went through and what positive environment did for him. I loved Whiskey and how patient he was, how he didn't want to push Patrick, wanted to be sure that he wanted HIM for the "right" reasons. Yeah, perfect. PER-FECT!
Additional Details: Kindle Ebook, 230 pages, 5-6 May 2015 / On GoodReads
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