Blue Umbrella Sky

Milt, a widower, and Billy, a recovering alcoholic, find peace in each other in Palm Springs, Calif., in this slow-paced contemporary. After Milt’s husband dies following a lengthy illness, Milt wants to run away from everything. He moves from Ohio to California to start over, but he still isolates himself. When a flash flood forces him to accept his cute neighbor’s hospitality, a friendship begins to develop. Although Milt is attracted to Billy, he is firm in not wanting to take their relationship further, which makes Billy’s persistent pursuit of him somewhat uncomfortable. Their relationship changes very little from their first introduction to the point when they become romantically entangled, and with more time devoted to Billy’s AA meetings than character development, Milt and Billy’s attraction ultimately feels flat and unsatisfying. Readers who want a gay romance with low drama might appreciate the story, but its appeal is limited. (Mar.)