REVIEW: The Curious Thing about the Apartment Vent - R.D. Noland

The Curious Thing about the Apartment Vent Book Cover

Title: The Curious Thing about the Apartment Vent
Author: R.D. Noland
Genre: Gay Romance, Coming of Age,
Publisher: Raymond D. Noland
Release Date: April 28, 2023
Format: kinde
Pages: 156
Source: Amazon

Just because you're alone, doesn't mean someone doesn't know your business...

Lucas, the closeted son of a preacher who just graduated from Florida Atlantic University, returns home and is forced to make a life-changing decision--can he live a lie and marry his lifelong BFF, who his overbearing parents have been plotting to matchmake him with for years? Or, will he stay in Florida and start a new, more open life that he knows they will never approve of?

Tyler, a talented artist on the edge of seventeen, is about to finish high school, and is looking forward to becoming a proper adult and fully exploring his sexuality. However, he soon discovers there's a kink in his plans--his father has decided to rent out the studio apartment he's been living in, putting an end to the independence he's enjoyed until now.

Lucas answers an advertisement for the apartment, and sparks fly from the very first moment the boys meet--though both are reluctant to explore things further, since it wasn't what either of them had planned for their futures.

But sometimes life isn't that simple, and doesn't always go exactly as planned...

Review by Gloria Lakritz

Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

When I saw the cover published on Face Book. It was on one of my favorite book sites, showing the cover pic and the title; which caught my interest. I also have heard good things about this author….I thought it might be a mystery; as you can see why by the cover with this review.

This book was not the scary thriller as I thought. It was a charming, sweet, coming out story of two young men very much needing this happy ending.

Like most of the coming out books, these youngsters were brought up in more rural areas of the U.S. and to make their lives even worse, some of them had fathers who were church leaders. Lucas was one of those young men whose father was a preacher and he was gay. His best friend Ivy all thru school were expected to marry by both sets of parents, when he graduated college. We begin this story on this wedding day, at the church, when he returned home from school.

Leaving Ivy at the alter was not his finest moment, but a must for him to find a place for him self. Traveling to where he knew, back to Florida where he had graduated was where he came. First thing he needed was an apartment and fate stepped in.

Tyler s almost 18, soon to graduate H.S. His Mom has passed away, living with his Dad in their small home. Tyler has been living in the small apartment downstairs and has been loving the freedom it has given him being able to sneak in a boy or two so his Dad doesn’t suspect he’s gay.

Lucas responds to the ad that Tyler’s Dad has advertised. Dad is hoping to to be able to afford helping Tyler use monies for college. Tyler is an up and coming artist and wants to study that field in school. Their first meeting is when Lucas is being interviewed for the apartment by Tyler’s Dad. Both boys are smitten.

The author’s mention this was thru Covid was a nice touch and since I was a resident of Florida on the Tampa side for 24 years; his mention of the hurricanes, especially Ian, was in my thoughts as well.

As you know nothing is easy, or goes as planned, but the story is sweet and hopeful and just the right length on a rainy Saturday afternoon with your drink of choice . (mine was a cabernet)