The Light Reflected - Paperback

by Will Freshwater (Author)

Winner - Book Excellence Awards
Finalist - American Book Festival Award
Honorable Mention - New York Book Festival Awards
Honorable Mention - Southern California Book Awards

"A sexy, poignant gay love story about men from different sides of the wharf." -- KIRKUS.

"The subtle intoxicant of The Light Reflected isn't beer or any other alcohol. It isn't even the flatly erotic and matter-of-factly described quick sex, either, but the charm of the telling, the enchanting straightforwardness of the teller, and yet too the shy, light flirt of suspense throughout. It is garnished with youthful tenderness and an almost tragic innocence that reminds us that we were all foolish and hopeless but also fiercely sensual and intrepid all at once." -- MICHAEL CARROLL, author of Stella Maris and Other Key West Stories.

"An unflinching exploration of two flawed but well-meaning people-one a dreamer who makes his dreams come true, and the other who lives on his fantasies, which don't often have a lot to do with reality. A really spectacular read." -- STEVE KLUGER, award-winning author of Almost Like Being in Love.

What do you do when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams? For three long years, Max Balais has been working a series of dead-end jobs, bagging groceries at the local A&P and working as a cod fisherman, to support his mom and sister. At twenty, he's finally ready to escape his small life in Provincetown and fulfill his dream of becoming a famous musician. Young and handsome, Max is about to get everything he thought he always wanted, but there's just one catch.

Max's existential angst about leaving his old life behind is made worse by the arrival of an idyllic summer, riddled with a colorful cast of characters, and the return of Danny Cavanaugh, Provincetown's most eligible bachelor and Max's best buddy. As the eldest son of one of the most wealthy and influential men in town, Danny is torn between fulfilling his father's expectations and pursuing his own dreams. A series of fiery exchanges and steamy misadventures generate enough heat to make Max and Danny's friendship catch fire. What starts out as a casual summer romance soon turns into much more as the two young men get a chance to trade places and discover that sometimes, when you are looking for your heart's desire, you don't have to look any further than your own backyard.

Just when it seems like Max has figured out a way to have it all, a twist of fate threatens to take Danny away from him forever. Afraid of losing the only man he's ever loved, Max makes a bargain with the Devil. But will it be enough to keep Danny, or will Max's gambit bring his whole world crashing down?