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Featured Story: Savory, Bitter And Sweet


Renee Stevens

1,481 views

Being the start of a new week, Monday's are also a good time to take a look at some of the different stories that can be found on Gay Authors. With so many great works, it can be easy to overlook one and Monday's provide an opportunity for us to help make one of them stand out and maybe catch your interest. Today, we're bringing you a review by Timothy M. of Percy's story "Savory, Bitter, and Sweet." Enjoy!

 


by



Author

 

Reviewer: Timothy M.
Status: Complete
Word Count: 5,997

 

At my age I’m removed from all the teenage angst of dating, coming out, the high school and college drama – and in truth most of this is alien to me anyway as a European. But I still enjoy reading such stories, if only to shake my head in disbelief, or fondly, sadly or whatever. On the other hand, when I occasionally come across a GA story with mature adults, living realistic if somewhat boring lives with jobs, less-than-perfect relationships, and vague regrets about choices made, I sit up and take notice.

 

If such a story is also well written, has one or more memorable characters, lets the main guy evaluate his life and perhaps make an effort to change it, I’m hooked. One of my favorite short stories in this genre is Percy’s Savory, Bitter and Sweet. I come back to it at regular intervals, perhaps also in the vain hope the author might one day tell us what happened next. But mostly to once again savor the elegant mixture of bitter and sweet moments of attraction and relationships.

 

One of the most important features of the story is the attitude shift Percy forces us to takes together with Ian whose POV we follow. While we all abhor the bigotry of homophobic people, I’m sure plenty of us may have to own up to at least occasional hints of the disdain Ian displays for what he describes as ‘those fey, flamboyantly gay, almost girlish men.’ In fact, one of the pivotal sentences in the story may be ‘Ian had hated knowing that not only was he gay, he was gay for those mincing, femme males.’

 

The encounters Ian has with Curtis gradually make him (and us) view Curtis in a new light, and engenders respect for him due to his competence and poise. My favorite scene is probably the food flirt – which is not what you might think. ;) I also love the descriptions of the clothes Curtis wears and his general looks, as seen through the rather disapproving eyes of Ian.

 

In fact my only complaint about the story is the same thing I feel about a small box of exquisite chocolate: it finished too soon and I crave more. If you do decide to read Percy’s delightful 2012-anthology piece, please add a review begging for another chapter. If enough of us ask, he may relent and tell the next part of this special story. If not, I shall have to be content with admiring this delightful short story whenever I read it, as well as Percy's other masterpieces in this genre.

 


Category: 2012-6 Desperate Ends Genres: Romance Tags: Mature Adult, Adult, Gay, Workplace, Serious Rating: Mature

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  • Site Administrator

Great review, Tim.  I look forward to checking this story out. :)

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Tim, you write the best reviews!

 

I'm putting this story on my "To Read" list, thanks to this review. :)

 

I've read some things by Percy, and I agree that he's a very good writer. :)

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Great review, Tim.  I look forward to checking this story out. :)

 

Thanks Val, I'm sure you'll enjoy it and I'm proud the review caught your attention.

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I'm putting this story on my "To Read" list, thanks to this review. :)

 

:blink:  You mean I've managed to find a story you haven't read and reviewed already?! :lol:

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Percy is the most intelligent, sensitive, thoughtful of writers. Like Tim, my only complaint about Percy is that I always want more. 

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:blink:  You mean I've managed to find a story you haven't read and reviewed already?! :lol:

Ah, Tim, you have me :rofl: and lmao!!! You're too funny!

 

Tis true, I have not read that one yet. :P

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Tim, Thanks for taking the time to review this story of mine.  I'm beyond flattered.  I hadn't read this story in a long time myself.  When I went back through it, I remembered how fond I was of these characters when I was writing.  I'm glad you chose to bring them to light here.  -Percy

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Thanks Val, I'm sure you'll enjoy it and I'm proud the review caught your attention.
well I'm just here cause I had to post
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well I'm just here cause I had to post

 

Welcome to GA!  We're a friendly group.  If you want to see what's going on socially delve into the Lounge area of the forums or click on the New Content to see the active threads across all the discussion forums.  The newest stories are always on the front page but there are a lot of gems to be found in the story archive.  Enjoy!

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