Tony and Lyle are an unlikely pair in this romance that focuses on homosexual partnerships. Tony is outgoing and brash, Lyle quiet and subdued. Tony likes loud parties and being the center of attention; Lyle is the classic wallflower. Their relationship has its ups and downs, as does, but when Tony reports that he has AIDS, Lyle steps up and becomes his support and his caregiver.

Marian and John have a beautiful home in Upstate New York and share a baby son, Roland, who is Marian’s chief focus as she looks for sources of worry each day. Marian is the typical mother, who not only mothers her children but John’s brother Tony and Tony’s partner, Lyle. When things change on the anniversary of Tony’s death, Marian finds herself deep in “worry mode.”

Robert is a young man looking for his place in life, attracted to Lyle and welcoming the opportunity to accompany him on a weekend trip to a friend’s house. Robert is not prepared for all of the issues that will arise out of his relationship with Lyle, and Lyle’s relationship with John and Marian. The character development of Laura Ponti is worth the read.

The author has written a comfortable story about everyday people dealing with the issue of homosexuality. There is a note of familiarity in the story that brings to mind the drama of Judith Guest’s Seventies’ creation Ordinary People. Adults who like to have their ideas challenged and enjoy stories about damaged characters seeking to redeem themselves will enjoy this story. There are limited passages of sexual detail, but they are done with innuendo and description more than with physical details.