RELEASE DAY REVIEW: 'Family Man' by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton
Title: Family Man
Authors: Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton
Published: September 11, 2017 - 2nd Edition
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Kanaxa
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Erotic Romance
Length: 206 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Self-Discovery; Angst: Light; Comfort/Hurt; Coming Out; Family Drama; First Time; GFY; May/December; HEA; CW: Substance Abuse
About Family Man
Sometimes family chooses you.
At forty, Vincent “Vinnie” Fierro is still afraid to admit he might be gay—even to himself. It’ll be a problem for his big, fat Italian family. Still, after three failed marriages, it’s getting harder to ignore what he really wants.
Vinnie attempts some self-exploration in Chicago’s Boystown bars, far from anyone who knows him. Naturally, he runs smack into someone from the neighborhood.
Between working two jobs, going to school, taking care of his grandmother, and dealing with his mother’s ongoing substance abuse, Trey Giles has little time for fun, let alone dating someone who swears he’s straight. Yet after one night of dancing cheek-to-cheek, Trey agrees to let Vinnie court him and see if he truly belongs on this side of the fence—though Trey intends to keep his virginity intact.
It seems like a solid plan, but nothing is simple when family is involved. When Vinnie’s family finds out about their relationship, the situation is sticky enough, but when Trey’s mother goes critical, Vinnie and Trey must decide whose happiness is most important—their families’ or their own.
First Edition published by Samhain, 2013.
4 HEART READ
REVIEW:
Family Man wasn’t at all what I was expecting in a story written by Marie Sexton and Heidi Cullinan. This is such an intimate look into the lives of two completely different men. Both men’s current existence, based so much on what has happened to them over their lives, is gradually revealed as the story progresses.
Of course I expected a happy ending, but the twists and turns of how these two get there is riveting.
There’s a lot going on in Family Man. Between Vinnie’s journey of self discovery (he’s almost 40 and has never had a satisfying relationship with a woman) and Trey dealing with how his mother’s addictions have taken over his life, the authors set the stage for these two to come together perfectly.
One thing I thought was interesting and very well done is the alternating points of view. Trey is always done in the first person while Vince’s part of the story is always in the third. I was pretty far into the book before I really noticed this, and it struck me how differently I related to the characters just from this one trick. I feel like I got to know Vince more slowly, insights into his character were gleaned over time, and I wasn’t completely convinced he was on the level for awhile. I’m guilty of judging him based on his appearance and typecasting him from his family and their role in the community. As his history is revealed, I started to take him seriously. There’s a lot more to him than meets the eye.
Trey’s character is clear right from the start. He’s a 25 year old man who is bound by his circumstances. He can’t live away from his mother and grandma, he can’t afford to finish school, and he has to work two jobs to make ends meet. He’s drowning under all these pressures and still trying to carve a little life out for himself as well. Doing Trey in the first person lent an intimacy to his character, and the authors totally pull it off.
The man Vince has known, the boy from the block, Trey outwardly appears happy and secure. As these guys get to know each other, and Vince sees what’s really going on, his need to take care of others totally takes over.
I really appreciate the way Trey’s mother’s addictions are dealt with in this story. Trey refuses to allow her to use the crutch of calling it a “disease” or an “illness”. He’s been the victim of her selfishness his whole life and just can’t tolerate it any longer. Living with her keeps him from being “normal” and has destroyed his and his grandmother’s lives. Her repeatedly broken promises have made him afraid to trust and let others get close to him.
The point Trey makes about alcoholics and addicts, how allowing them to call what they have a disease, really hit me. Trey explains that a disease is something that can’t be helped, but an addict has a choice and keeps making their decision over and over again. They choose to dismiss the other people in their lives in favor of their addiction. Growing up with this as a constant factor in his life has really hurt him, and Trey’s story broke my heart.
This is such a sweet, slow-burn of a love story, beautifully crafted with the alternating points of view and all the fun glimpses of life in Chicago.
I fell in love with Vince’s large, traditional Italian-American family and all the humor that went with it. The insight into Trey’s heart and everything he has to deal with in his world really touched me. Family Man is far more than a contemporary romance.
A copy of Family Man was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Dreamspinner Press, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
Don't miss Trio and Annie's Banter Buddies where they chat about their favorite characters, scenes, endearments...and more from Family Man!
Meet the Authors
Heidi Cullinan has always enjoyed a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. Proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality, Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. She writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because she believes there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. When Heidi isn't writing, she enjoys playing with new recipes, reading romance and manga, playing with her cats, and watching too much anime.
For more from Heidi be sure and visit her website!
Marie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.
For more from Marie be sure and visit her website!
