Mike Monaghan is the bartender at the Engine Room, a meeting place for the small but thriving community of gay men in Cold Falls, new York. As Mike...
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Dec 29, 2011
Dolphe
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While this is a superior, darker effort to "Last Summer", it retains the author's biting humor. It suffers; however, from almost too many characters. Ford creates interesting and well-drawn characters, but the sheer number means that many of the more intriguing damaged souls get short changed in the story telling. The best reads often benefit from the best editors and there is not enough evidence of that editing here. I certainly look forward to reading more of the author's work; howev
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Jun 14, 2009
Aaron
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With Ford's second novel, he shifts the setting from Provincetown, Massachusetts to a small town in northern New York called Cold Falls. While that might be different, he still centers his story on the shared experiences of a small group of people. Each of them is looking for it, but the "it" is not what you might expect.
Mike is at a turning point in his life. He lost his whole family when their car was hit by a drunk driver when he was in high school. Now, he is a bartende More...
Mike is at a turning point in his life. He lost his whole family when their car was hit by a drunk driver when he was in high school. Now, he is a bartende More...
Sep 30, 2010
Alex
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As we follow the stories of six men whose lives weave together in a small New York town, we are shown the good, the difficulties, and the heartbreak of relationships. We are given a gamut of men, with those who are looking for love, those who have given up hope of finding someone, those who are in denial about their sexuality, those in a committed relationship and those who have lost their partner and struggling to return to "the scene" as an old man.
The accounts are somet More...
The accounts are somet More...
Aug 30, 2010
Mark
rated it: 
Enjoyable gay read. I like books like these because they're like LOGO specials and series you'll never see. I like the mix of characters and they're mix of problems. I like also that it's not set in a major metropolitan area and that they're a good bit of sex to heat up the proceedings. The author hasn't given us much physical description of the characters which on the one hand allows the reader to drop people from his own life directly onto the character. but the downside is before the get
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Dec 30, 2010
Ryan
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This was a reread for me and one that I love even more every time I read it. Michael Thomas Ford, in every book I've read of is, does a fantastic job of creating believable characters that even when they are doing horrific things, the reader is still able to relate to what's going on. And that's what this book is about for me, the characters.
The book tells the story of nine gay men as they navigate through life from Halloween night to New Year's Eve. The time span is pretty short More...
The book tells the story of nine gay men as they navigate through life from Halloween night to New Year's Eve. The time span is pretty short More...
Feb 23, 2010
I was wandering a lot around Michael Thomas Ford's novels, never deciding to buy one since, first there were so many to choose from that I didn't know where to start and second I was worried to become addicted and knowing me if I liked one than I for sure I would have bought all of them. So I waited and waited and then in a gay bookstore they were all there, looking at me from the shelves and they are so pretty with those covers that I picked one. The saleswoman told me pick one random, they are
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Jul 28, 2009
Joe
rated it:
Another gripping book from Michael Thomas Ford. I was frequently frustrated by the closeted characters, but felt that in the end, I was deeply satisfied with this book. This one falls firmly in the category of gay folks making their own families. A genre I love. One great thing about Ford is when he writes dirty, he really nails it. I don't think I've ever been turned on through such violent scenes. Thank you for creeping me out! Loved it!
Mar 10, 2011
Merith
rated it:
This is one of my favorite Michael Thomas Ford stories, even with the hard to read parts. It's almost a collection of loosely connected stories where the same characters interact with one another. At least up until near the end when all the thread woven throughout come together in a tapestry.
The brutality is real and abhorrent; the love found between friends to lovers a soothing salve.
The brutality is real and abhorrent; the love found between friends to lovers a soothing salve.
Jun 15, 2008
Writerlibrarian
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Set in a little town in upstate New York, we follow the lives of 7 men, all at turning points. There are some really nice parts in this novel. I especially liked Simon's story. How to you live after losing your partner of 40 years ? How do you let go ? Simon visits Walter's grave, talks to him. There's an universal truth here. Doesn't matter that Simon is gay, that his partner was a man. Ford succeeds in letting the reader see through Simon's eyes. The budding love story of Mike and Thomas mirro
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Nov 15, 2011
Drew
rated it:
I had heard great things about this book, and I went into it not knowing what it was about. Although I am a hetero female, I enjoyed reading from a gay male's point of view of life. A little sexually graphic but a very enjoyable and well-written read.
Jul 14, 2010
Don
rated it:
Not Ford's best but worth reading. The book revolves aroung the lives, loves and breakups of seven men in a small upstate New York town. Ford manages to capture the intricasies of life in these men.
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May 06, 2008
Jennifer
rated it: 
Although I read the entire book, I found it more depressing than enjoyable. I enjoy gay and lesbian fiction, but there was so much unnecessary sex in this book that it took away from the actual story line.
The scenes with Pete Thayer, a blatant homophobe who harbors homosexual tendencies, were especially explicit and, in some cases, disgusting, and I felt they did nothing to explain his beliefs and his character.
There are lots of good fiction books out there dealing with g More...
The scenes with Pete Thayer, a blatant homophobe who harbors homosexual tendencies, were especially explicit and, in some cases, disgusting, and I felt they did nothing to explain his beliefs and his character.
There are lots of good fiction books out there dealing with g More...
Jan 22, 2011
Arne
rated it:
I laughed; I cried; I thougtht is was great. Then I took my medication and everything was alright. ;-)
Jan 23, 2010
Deidre
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Such wonderful character portrayal. Reminds me so much of Armistead Maupin.
Dec 19, 2007
Peter
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i love this book. it had twists turns romance, comic wit. and people with real life situations. not that bogus crap you seein the movies. read this book.
Jul 18, 2008
Jon
rated it:
Another good read from Michael Thomas Ford; a tender and endearing, romantic love story between bartender and an unlikely partner. I loved it!
Feb 14, 2007
Kealii
rated it:
Five different points of views of the aging gay man, and his own ways of coping with the question, "Will I ever find love?"
Jan 26, 2008
Kate
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This is a look inside of 7 friends lives and how in a small town everything can connect for good and bad results.
Feb 13, 2012
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