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The Beard

Status: Complete Content rating: Teen
   (4 reviews)
Your story preference
Genres: General Fiction, Romance,
Sub-genres: Coming of Age, Contemporary Romance, Family Drama

About this story

Cole Pritchard is perfect—rich, charming, untouchable. Dale Andrews is… not. So why does Cole suddenly need him to play the part of his boyfriend?

It’s not love, it’s politics. Cole’s father is running for reelection, and a little well-placed romance could fix his image problem. But as the fake dates pile up, so do the real feelings—and soon, Dale’s not sure where the act ends and the truth begins.

A sharp, heartfelt story about secrets, trust, and the messy, beautiful risk of falling for someone who was never supposed to be yours.

It started as politics—then it got personal.

This story was previously posted to Gay Authors and is now returning.
Copyright © 2012 dkstories; All Rights Reserved.
  • Classic Author
  • 12/09/2012 (Updated: 12/13/2012)
  • 16 Chapters
  • 77,028 Words
  • 179,126 Views
  • 120 Comments

Story Recommendations (9 members)

  • Action-Packed 4
  • Great Pacing 8
  • Great Characters 9
  • Immersive World 6
  • Fresh / Original 5
  • Counldn't Put It Down 4
  • Suspenseful 3
  • Gave Me Chills 2
  • Funny 4
  • Feel-Good 4
  • Emotional Impact 5
  • Smoldering Chemistry 5
  • Like 28
  • Love 5

Table of Contents

Select Chapter
  • 1. Chapter 1
    • 4,341 Words
    • 13,917 Views
    • 10 Comments
  • 2. Chapter 2
    • 5,549 Words
    • 12,687 Views
    • 9 Comments
  • 3. Chapter 3
    • 4,641 Words
    • 10,675 Views
    • 5 Comments
  • 4. Chapter 4
    • 4,540 Words
    • 10,142 Views
    • 7 Comments
  • 5. Chapter 5
    • 5,175 Words
    • 10,194 Views
    • 5 Comments
  • 6. Chapter 6
    • 5,011 Words
    • 9,517 Views
    • 8 Comments
  • 7. Chapter 7
    • 4,927 Words
    • 10,587 Views
    • 6 Comments
  • 8. Chapter 8
    • 5,145 Words
    • 10,631 Views
    • 9 Comments
  • 9. Chapter 9
    • 4,881 Words
    • 9,886 Views
    • 5 Comments
  • 10. Chapter 10
    • 4,573 Words
    • 10,025 Views
    • 6 Comments
  • 11. Chapter 11
    • 4,775 Words
    • 10,125 Views
    • 4 Comments
  • 12. Chapter 12
    • 4,759 Words
    • 9,781 Views
    • 12 Comments
  • 13. Chapter 13
    • 4,759 Words
    • 8,405 Views
    • 4 Comments
  • 14. Chapter 14
    • 4,791 Words
    • 10,348 Views
    • 4 Comments
  • 15. Chapter 15
    • 4,747 Words
    • 9,867 Views
    • 2 Comments
  • 16. Chapter 16
    • 4,414 Words
    • 12,319 Views
    • 23 Comments

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Brayon

Brayon 42,116

   3 of 3 members found this review helpful 3 / 3 members

This is a fantastic story full of love, and politics. Dale is a High School teenager who is asked by Cole to be his "Beard." Lots of character development, great dialogue, and fun scenes follow the offer, that turn this into a fantastic read. I highly recommend this story to anyone that like politics, sports, and teenage characters.

  • Love 3
Cane23

Cane23 33,261

   1 of 1 member found this review helpful 1 / 1 member

All's fair in Love, War & Politics.

This unique story combines elements of high politics, coming of age, discovering sexuality and love, friendship, family, high school emancipation and much more... Author rises some questions of ethics and morality in politics, wondering how far our protagonists are ready to go to achieve their goals. If goal is good enough, even noble - does the goal justify the means?

Story starts when Dale Andrews accepts to be 'the beard' - fictional boyfriend to his friend Cole Pritchard in order to help his father win the reelection for Kongers. What looks like a political manipulation at the beginning, grows in a struggle for good causes - triumph of love, acceptance and principles. During the story, we follow Cole's personal growth, as transformation from an Ugly Duckling to a beautiful Swan. @dkstories intelligently hide his best cards at the beginning, so slowly, as story goes, readers discover more and more about characters and their personal histories. 

Hidden in GA archive, this story is a jewel that should be rediscovered again by new readers. 

  • Like 2
ReaderPaul

ReaderPaul 22,771

  

Usually a "beard" is a female who acts as the girlfriend of a gay male so that he appears to be straight.  However, Dale Andrews reluctantly agrees to become a "beard" to Cole Pritchard so that Cole will appear bi or gay.  This is supposed to make it easier for Cole's father to change to a more gay friendly political stance.  However, several several other factors seem, at times, to interfere with some of the aims of Cole and Dale.  Then there is the mysterious "Foundation" later in the story --

A fascinating read with some humor, some seriousness, and also some serious questions that are raised -- and often answered --  It was too bad this did not get a sequel before "dkstories" ceased writing on the Internet.

  • Like 1
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