Silver and Gold by Devon Rhodes
I was teased by the cover of this book since I like some Silver Romance here and there, and also a good and nice May/December relationship. And so the story of the older businessman who enters an hairdresser saloon to have his grey hair touched up, and instead finds himself in bed with the young hairdresser was really a good teasing. After reading it, I can say that the story is good and nice, perfectly in theme with the season, but it’s not either a Silver Romance or a May/December one.
Geoff, the businessman, is barely 40 years old, so really to young to be a Silver Romance hero, and Abe, the hairdresser, is 30, so yes, maybe there is a slightly age difference, but Abe is not exactly the twink that usually is in the role for being the May side of the relationship. The impromptu of the story is both original and one that makes you think: when Geoff was in college he was in love with a fellow student, Jesse. For Geoff, a late bloomer, Jesse was the first love and someone he has never forgotten, even if Jesse not only dumped Geoff to marry a woman, but he also cheated him with that woman when they were together. So, to the majority of people, Jesse should be not an happy memory, but as usual, you can’t really forget your first love. Geoff ran away and married himself a woman, it’s not clear if that woman knew of Geoff’s homosexual experience or not, in any case the marriage was good but maybe a little cold, they were more best friends than lovers, and when it ended, with the woman really falling in love with another man, they divorced without drama. Now Geoff has heard from Jesse, divorced himself, and it’s planning a reunion for Christmas.
After all the years spent in a “comfortable” marriage, Geoff is not used to look to himself with a critic eye, and so he wants to change, he wants to look younger, young as he was the last time he met Jesse. It’s impossible, and Geoff probably doesn’t realize that he gained something with the age, an aura of success and independence that is like honey for bees. Abe not only decline to cover up the silver on Geoff’s hair, but he practically tricks Geoff in going out for dinner, and from that moment on, they were inseparable. What started as a Christmas fling, at least from Geoff’s side, but also from Abe, I didn’t have the idea that at first was nothing more for him, deepens in a good relationship with possibility, but Geoff’s meeting with Jesse is near, and it’s hard for Abe to fight with a 20 years long lasting memory.
As I said the story is nice, probably I felt like they were in bed and having sex a bit too soon, but on the other side Abe had to convince Geoff that he was making a mistake with Jesse, and he had only three days to do that. Another thing that made me wonder was Geoff’s role in bed: from what we know of him at the time of his relationship with Jesse, he didn’t struck me as a full top, more, I would have bet for him to be a bottom, the shy and geeky guy who looks upon to the jock who was Jesse. And instead with Abe he is always on top, like if with the age, he also gained another role in the sex play… maybe the reason is also that Abe comes out like a really emotional character, someone who can be easily hurt and who inspires protective feelings.
I don’t know, I think it could be interesting to see what it will be of this relationship, something of nice there is for sure, but I think both men have yet to really test it with life and time.
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