Stand by You

Romy Meyers and Brendan Walker are an unlikely duo. Their friendship was forged in the worst moment of Romy’s life and consists mostly of silence and text messages. After Romy escapes a brutal relationship, he depends wholeheartedly on support from Brendan and their close-knit group of friends. But even that may not be enough when the past insists on intruding into present times. Arthur sets his smooth, gently paced romance in the familiar, harrowing world of gay men struggling with identity and desperate for acceptance. Romy is ashamed of his past, and Brendan fears losing the love of his family. The harsh topics of PTSD, rape, and recovery are balanced by surprising moments of tenderness and vulnerability. In depicting the hurts of living and the healing comfort of love, Arthur hits all the right notes. The satisfying conclusion resolves both threads of the story in an appealing and realistic way. (Oct.)