Walking Wounded by Lee Rowan
John and Kevin were lovers. They met at the military academy, they fell in love at first sight and spent a wonderful year together. Then the life and maybe some hidden fears kept them apart and they left each other not without regrets.
Seven years later, John has retired from army after a mental breakdwon in Bosnia, and a following attempt to suicide, and Kevin is out of a recent scandal and waiting to decide what to do with his life. For the first time in their life they can choose what to do in their life without ideals or family duties to decide for them.
And when finally they have the courage to take in hand their life, they discover that living together is not so impossible and the future could be a bright one, if only Kevin's past can be thrown behind their back.
John is an idealist. He believe in justice and in the force of good men. He is a quite strong character but is strenght lies in his mental piece and in the man he loves. Without that man by his side he has not found the force to go on and his nerves gave way. Someone has said that the most courage men are those who feel fear.
Kevin is an army brat with an hidden feeling of resentment for his father. He has to prove himself, to demonstrate he is good like his father, that he is better than his father. And a gay man doesn't fit this equation and so, when time is up to make a choice, he chooses to be a "good" man and to leave his lover. But when all the world he has fought for crash around him, the only man he wants by his side is John.
The love between John and Kevin is sweet and quiet: between them there aren't harsh feelings, they don't regret the past and when they are put in front of danger, they react together and not trying to solve everything alone. These are two charcaters who balance well. Even if the novel speaks about war and homophobia (and deals with matters like same sex marriage and homosexual parenthood), the feeling I have experienced reading it is of peace.
And BTW: Wonderful Cover too! I think one of the most beautiful gay covers I see till now...
Amazon: Walking Wounded
Amazon Kindle: Walking Wounded
Paperback: 204 pages
Publisher: Cheyenne Publishing (December 7, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979777372
ISBN-13: 978-0979777370