Mark’s Opening Gambit by Lee Brazil

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Nice novella, a variation of the Cinderfellas meets Prince Charming theme mixed with Blue Collar vs White Collar. Mason is a good boy, he is helping his mother raising his younger brothers and sisters, he is working the night shift so that his mother can work by day while he is looking after the kids, he left school at 16 years old to take a full time job even if he was not a bad student. In few words he is almost perfect, caring, handsome, maybe not so driven by the need to better himself, but that can be also a plus in some situations.

Mark is exactly at the opposite: from a very wealthy family, he is always trying to prove himself to his parents; the only rebellion is that he decided to not become a lawyer like they wanted but he instead opened a chess parlor, even if his parents own the building where he has his business. But even if they know Mark is gay, they have simply decided to ignore it, and Mark is always hiding his true feelings to them, arriving to the point to almost go back into the closet.

When Mason meets Mark, the fact that an cultured and handsome man like Mark is willing to give him a chance is prize enough for Mason to not question Mark’s request of being “discreet”; I didn’t like very much the attitude of both men: Mark since at almost thirty years old it would be time to grow a backbone and oppose to his parents; Mason since it seemed to me he has no self-esteem, he doesn’t consider himself much, and so, even if Mark is not treating him with the right respect, he doesn’t see any reason to comply.

Both Mason and Mark have to grow a little and to break the bond with their family; Mason only a little, his mother is wonderful, but Mason has to start to think to his future, and Mark for sure has to stop to try the easy way and go out into the real world and fight for what he wants.

http://www.breathlesspress.com/marks-opening-gambit

Amazon Kindle: Mark's Opening Gambit
Publisher: Breathless Press (April 5, 2012)

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