Four Seasons. Two Men. One Love.For struggling film student Isamu Taylor, life’s refrain is about to change from boring documentary about a passionless delivery boy to a blazing and wildly erotic love story.After spending weeks admiring handsome but older Manhattan executive Brian Gilles while delivering brioche to him in Bryant Park, the man of his lusty dreams has just expressed a desire to get … expressed a desire to get to know Isamu better. A night on the town is just the beginning of a whirlwind romance that will span not only four seasons but countless years.
Amid the beauty and charm of Bryant Park, New York City, two men are about to discover that love knows no age or economic boundaries. This is a collection of four short stories starring these two amazing men, their one sublime love, and the park where it all started.
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3.5 stars
I met Isamu and Brian in an anthology a while back and loved them together, so I was excited to read the rest of their story. That meeting starts this collection of quick reads which spans the first year of Isamu and Brian’s relationship. I had a hard time warming up to Brian through a lot of this book. He comes across as arrogant, snobbish, and unbending. That said, he’s a bit of an enigma and often goes from one extreme to the other with Isamu, who is used to stretching a dollar till it breaks, yet is vivacious and happy with his life. Our cranky older man does redeem himself later in the story, and we get the missing pieces of why he is the way he is as the book progresses. In the end, I did come back around and the hopeful and happy conclusion was just as it should be for this pair. Plus, we get the added bonus of some sexy fun with this couple, and they are certainly compatible there regardless of age, income, or lifestyle.
Hot and Sexy!
I read the first short story in this group of four when it was published in a charity anthology just about a year ago. It was a great one with a nice HFN (happy for now) ending. At that time the author stated her intention to publish more short stories about Isamu and Brian and I was so happy to get to read Tales of Bryant.
The book contains the original short story and three new ones about Isamu Taylor and Brian Gilles and spans their first year together. Brian and Isamu’s relationship is a great age gap story. While the age difference between them is only 12 years, there is a significant difference in their social standing. Isamu is still in college while Brian is a successful businessman.
The stories are told in first person from Isamu’s perspective. The connection between these two is pretty hot and the film they make for Isamu’s school project in the first story – WOW! In the second story Brian is supposed to meet Isamu’s parents but it almost doesn’t happen which causes tension to mount. The third story is about Isamu’s struggle to balance work, an unpaid internship, his schoolwork and his lover. In the fourth we finally learn more about Brian’s background.
I have to say that I really enjoyed these stories but felt that Brian was more than a bit of a jerk at times. It seemed like Isamu was doing most of the giving in their relationship except when it came to money (but he did try to pay his own way as much as possible). We pretty much get an understanding of why Brian is the way he is but he wasn’t fully redeemed in my eyes.
I’m looking forward to the next book about Brian and Isamu, Nine Small Sips (A Tales of Bryant Wedding) coming in June 2019. Perhaps Brian will become fully redeemed in this one.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
As Isamu notices at the beginning of the book, his story resembles Cinderella, the gay version of it. Only,he soon finds out that the behind the scenes if the fairytale aren’t always rosy and dreamy. Despite how much Isamu and Brian want each other, they soon have to face the differences between their situations, but it’s hot and entertaining seeing them work things out, overcome doubts and insecurities.
I’ve had a lot of fun reading Tales of Bryant. It’s a brilliant story, with funny, charming characters and a beautiful, steamy romance.
I loved it!
I really enjoyed these four short stories, scenes from a relationship and life shared by Brian and Isamu, with Manhattan’s Bryant Park as a setting, almost a character in all four stories. These men are from different backgrounds – economic, age, heritage… but find equal footing in love, the ultimate leveler, just as the Park itself is a welcoming space for all. The four seasons in the park echo their relationship — from spring and their courtship to summer which brings commitment, and eventually winter which closes the circle, Isamu and Brian navigate the pitfalls and joys of their first year together. All of the ‘feels’ are here, you won’t be left wanting, except perhaps for their story to go on and on. The next time I walk through Bryant Park I know I’ll be looking for a handsome couple eating brioche and drinking coffee…. Highly recommended.
This is a story that is split into four seasons.
Spring is a lovely tale of first dates and new attraction. Isamu is just adorable with his crush and even more so once he realises the feelings are reciprocated.
Summer finds the relationship moving on, but it’s still in flux and finding its feet. There are more struggles here as they fight disappointment, unwanted advances, and parental disappointment.
By Autumn we start to learn more about Brian. He’s still somewhat grumpy and serious but there are flashes of the ice thawing. Isamu is proud and Brian is stubborn.
Winter was… aww hell. Winter was perfect.
I love the way the camera is almost like a third character, or a way of filtering Isamu’s feelings or framing important moments.
What can I say, this was four snippets from a new relationship over the space of a year. But they were snippets that were perfectly chosen, pivotal points of the relationships that made the in between time inconsequential. This is a lovely excellently crafted tale.
Highly recommended
I loved this seasons of love story so much. Each season shows the development and growth of Isamu and Brian’s relationship. From attraction to developing feelings. Through trials and tribulations. To discovering the importance they have in each other’s life. The different stages of love is showcased beautifully in this story.