Made Man by Evan Gilbert
Dreamspinner Press
Contemporary M/M
ISBN: 978-1-61372-549-8
Reviewed by Lisa




Successful crime author Eli Calero enjoys his life in sunnyPasadenaas an openly gay man.  He’d like to ignore the invitation to his high school reunion back inForest Lake,Missouri, however his best friend has decided he needs closure for his long scarred over broken heart caused by a boy back home so long ago.

His school years were a repressed nightmare until a supposed friend ‘outed’ him and made things even worse.  From then on Eli was an open target for jocks and bullies alike.  He also did his best to hide his feelings for one boy in particular, Kevin Murphy, the son of a powerful mob boss.  The night Kevin knocked on Eli’s door changed everything.  Their secret affair lasted all through high school and Eli was under the impression they would leave town together until Kevin left him for a girl and broke his heart.  Finally, Eli will lay his shattered heart to rest.  At least that was the plan till he runs into a man with his boyhood lover’s smile.

The tears and triumphs of teenage years come full circle in Made Man.  Emotionally powerful, Eli faces his demons and finds the twists in his books are nothing in comparison to real life.  Drama, passion, a surprise or two give Made Man an edgy intensity that drives this story.  The hollow feeling inside Eli will finally be filled, perhaps. Fascinating and satisfying in equal measure.