Ever Fallen in Love by Zoe Strachan

Title: Ever Fallen In Love

Author: Zoe Strachan

Publisher: Sandstone Press

Published: July 2011

ISBN: 978 1905207732

Rating 3/5

The cover on this doesn’t really tell you anything about the story, and isn’t one that I would pick up off the shelf based on the cover alone.

Richard falls for the shady Luke whilst at university.  Luke comes across as untouchable, and in many ways he is for Richard.  It was unclear if Luke was also gay – he torments Richard by openly flirting, dating and going after anything in a skirt….whilst  Richard still sees something in him that sparks a mounting desire. 

This is the first book I’ve read where main characters are gay, and it wasn’t your average love story.  Luke doesn’t seem to acknowledge Richard’s feelings, even though he hints at a fling with an older male to make ends meet….but he says it in such a way that comes across as shame rather than acceptance.  Luke leaves Richard hanging, something Richard never truly gets over. 

This touches on coming out, first experiences, living with memories, rejection and acceptance of who you are.  I was hoping for a romance but came away feeling a little empty with the way the story finished....there is no romance for Richard as he continues with his self imposed seclusion from the world….a thought provoking book, for me anyway.


Book synopsis:

Richard fell for Luke at university. Luke was handsome, dissolute, dangerous; together they did things that Richard has spent the last decade trying to forget.

Now his career is on the brink of success, but his younger sister Stephie’s life is in pieces. Her invasion of Richard’s remote west coast sanctuary forces Richard to confront the tragedy and betrayal of his past, and face up to his own role in what happened back then.

In this compelling, visceral tale of how not to fit in, Zoë Strachan takes us on a journey through hedonistic student days to the lives we didn’t expect to end up living, and the hopes and fears that never quite leave us.

Source – Many thanks to the publisher, a copy was received for an honest review.