Faces of Angels

Rating:
Summary: An Engaging Romance with a Hot-Button Political Punch
Review: Harry Preston's novel, Faces of Angels, is a romance in the best tradition of Vanessa Cartwright. Preston, an experienced romance writer himself, and drawing upon the techniques of the romance novel itself, has, in this well-plotted and engaging love story, inadvertently turned his attentions to what has become one of today's hot-button political topics: gay marriage.

Faces of Angels affectionately relates the story of Greg and Lloyd, two men who meet in the workplace, kindle a relationship based upon mutual respect, and eventually fall in love. But, as often happens to men in a romantic relationship, they face the disapproval of family and the misunderstanding of friends, destructive forces that create an unbearable tension that threatens to destroy their relationship.

Greg is an out of work school teacher who takes a job in a local nursery, having been asked by its owner to keep an eye on the inexperienced young manager, Lloyd, and help him in the administrative chores of the business. When they first meet, Greg and Lloyd are years apart in both age and understanding. But Greg, who is also facing the recent death of a long time lover, is ready for a new relationship, and, at first sight, falls desperately in love with the young and handsome Lloyd, who gives him hardly a glance.

Before long, Greg begins to see Lloyd as a diamond in the rough, a young man in whom, through his instincts as a school teacher, he sees a lot of potential. But Lloyd is, in fact, simply a hustler with a pretty face, a man who is in the habit of hopping from bed to bed, stomping on hearts along the way, just to earn the approval he so desperately seeks. It is only a matter of time before Lloyd begins to sense that Greg's attentions are more than just business, finds him attractive enough, and decides to take advantage of the situation.

Greg's fatal flaw, however, is that, in his desire for a relationship, he is as much interested in improving Lloyd as he is in loving him, falling, unfortunately, for the "you're perfect, I love you, now change" routine. Thus, in his haste for finding affection, he attempts to turn Lloyd into the ideal lover, instead of accepting him for the person he is and nurturing their relationship as it grows, an attitude that quickly leads to Lloyd's resentment.

Preston's skill as a writer shines as he follows Greg and Lloyd through the various stages of their rocky relationship, until their common experience eventually takes the two men from the level of casual physical intimacy to the ultimate ecstasy of mutual respect and love, ending in a final rejection brought on by family pressures neither are capable of resisting.

Preston writes simply and directly. His dialog flows naturally and is a pleasure to read, no doubt a result of his years of work as a screenwriter for movies and television. The situations his characters find themselves in as their relationship develops are convincing in their everyday reality, drawing the reader into a familiar world in which to get to know these two interesting men. Finally, the homophobia expressed by Lloyd's family for the love he comes to give to Greg, the vulnerable older man, has a realistically unsettling feel of the current disapproval perpetrated upon gay relationships by today's evermore conservative society. What seems at first glance to be a pleasant romantic fiction turns out to be a sensitive portrayal of two men who learn to love each other deeply, even as they unsuccessfully face condemnation from the world they live in.

Romance novels are an escape into a fantasy world, a way to experience vicariously the affection we may not find in our own lives. Faces of Angels is a story in this grand tradition, but one that unexpectedly draws the reader into a deeper human tragedy, at the same time warmly creating a portrayal of an unconventional romance that rings as true to life as the predictable love story one would normally expect to find in popular fiction. Faces of Angels is a novel sure to please those willing to move past the restrictions of traditional values.

Rating:
Summary: really an eye opening
Review: wow! i never expected this book to make such an emotional connection with me as it did. it was really wonderfully written and even though a few words could have been simplified, i found the idea of what the author was trying to say come across very clear. i had such a feeling of annoyance with Greg for putting up with Llyod but i realized that when you're in love, you don't think quite clearly. i would definately recommend this book. the only complaint i may have had was the ending. i think Mr Preston hit teh nail on the head with the idea of the book but could have provided us with a more defined ending. give us some continuation of Greg's life. will he meet someone else, will he and Llyod reconcile. other than that, great read and a very powerful message

thanks Mr Preston