The Road Home by Michael Thomas Ford
This is only the second book I read by Michael Thomas Ford, but I think he is quite the master in writing story of modern gay men who would like to be traditionalist and conservative, but in the positive meaning of these words. Burke is apparently a successful man living an enviable life in Boston as a professional photographer; he has everything he dreamed about when he was growing in a small town in Vermont, and he would do everything to not having to renounce to it. But when a car accident forces him to face the reality that he actually has no one who really cares for him, if not his family, it’s there, in that small town in Vermont that he goes back.
As a teen, Burke was not a repressed or problematic kid, but more a bit reclusive, and not at ease to express his feelings, but that was more a normal attitude in his family than his fear of rejection. For a reason or the other he has never done a real coming out to his family and friends, that more or less applied the don’t ask don’t tell rule: everyone knew but no one admitted. Rather than facing it, Burke preferred to erase everything, his family, his youth, his friends; the man living in Boston is a different one, someone who has no connection with that life. When he comes back home, to Burke is like entering an unknown universe, even if nothing has changed, he doesn’t recognize the environment, his own childhood room is something stranger, he doesn’t even remember the books he probably coveted so many year ago (like a very “used” Gordon Merrick’s novel).
When he meets Will, the 20 years old son of his childhood best friend Mars, Burke is not able to split the old Mars with the young Will; Mars, who was Burke first experience with sex, even if it was not something Mars wanted to even acknowledge (I think that for him was simply another way to get off), is now someone completely different, and for that reason between them there is not really any reunion, they barely speak to each other. But with Will everything is different, above all when Burke finds out the kid is interesting in him more than his dad’s old best friend. At first I thought Burke was projecting in Will his father, that he was trying to live with the kid the unrequited love he was not able to fulfil with Mars. But then I read something different, Burke was projecting in Will the teenager he was, the one who wanted out from the small town to finally live an openly and happy gay life.
Burke was, and still is, reflecting his family’s attitude on the small town: since in his family no one was willing to understand was Burke really was, and it was not only the gay thing, also his career and dreams, Burke automatically thought the small town was the same, and a life there meant for sure a life in denial. As soon as Burke is able to understand that it was not a rejection, but more a lack of communication, he also starts to see the small town in a different way; not only that, he also finds people who can be really good friends and maybe more, an unexpected happily ever after.
There is an historical subplot regarding two men living during the Civil War, it’s not really something that changes completely the feeling of the story that is still a contemporary one, but more a nice addition; the only thing that I can see as a parallel between now and then, is that those men were able to accomplish something the modern day Burke is not able to, living comfortable with themselves even in a place and time that was all other than accepting. Searching info about them to Burke is almost to prove that they were not happy, that something happened, a tragedy; Burke will be able to understand, and accept, that only life got between them, only when he is able to accept that no one is against him and his happiness, if not himself.
Last nice note, is the figure of the old gay man living an happy but somewhat sad old age with a whole lot of good memories of his past life; this is a figure that I have already find in Looking for It, and it’s so real and well described that I think it’s the representation of someone in the author’s real life, or at least someone he would be glad to exist. It’s probably the hope of any modern man, gay or not, to arrive to an old age without regretting your past.
P.S. I need to thank you Michael Thomas Ford to point me to the perfect explanation of my Inside Reader serial post: "Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man far better than through mortal friends" --Silas Weir Mitchell
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/finditem.cfm?itemid=16860
Amazon: The Road Home
Amazon Kindle: The Road Home
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Cover Art by Steve Walker - "Tender in the Grass", 2007, 36" X 48", acrylic on canvas
This is only the second book I read by Michael Thomas Ford, but I think he is quite the master in writing story of modern gay men who would like to be traditionalist and conservative, but in the positive meaning of these words. 
1) I found making this list more difficult than I'd supposed! Nevertheless, my number-one choice was never in question. During a period of time when I was reading and writing science fiction and fantasy, I picked up the oft-recommended Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner. This is incredibly well-done political intrigue, fantasy without magic. The world-building is exquisite. Set in a Regency-like city where lives are worth little and self-interested nobles betray each other at a drop of a hat, the details of Kushner’s world and her characterization are wonderful. At the heart of the story is a romance between two men, Richard a swordsman and Alec a noble who has run away from his family and is now slumming it with a death wish. 
2) The Charioteer by Mary Renault. This is simply a gorgeous book. There’s sadness and joy in it. Set during World War II, it’s hard to see these young men having been sent off to war and the aftermath of it. The slowly developing relationships are fantastically done, and I found it very moving. I couldn't tell you who I cared more deeply for, the idealistic Laurie or the more pragmatic but very-hard-on-himself Ralph. Beware, there is a love triangle of sorts, even if I never found the outcome of that in question. (And I felt for the third man.) 
Wolf Town by Joely Skye