I didn't have high expectations of this novel as it could very easily have been a clichéd flop. As it turned out it was a very well crafted novel : the prose is highly competent, the dialogue convincing and natural, the characterisation is solid and the plot is well paced.
Even though I loved this novel and even shed a few tears at one point, there were a few niggles. What didn't quite work for me was a point of crisis for the couple and the exact circumstances and ensuing fallout didn't seem quite to gel : the motivation is explained but I didn't buy into it, and it stuck out as melodrama that could have been worked differently to achieve the same end. There were also a few instances of predictable plot development: one towards the end which happens to be one of the biggest clichés out there in gay literature in order (and a pet peeve of mine) to resolve things between the two protagonists, and it was a disappointment that the author fell into this trap. There was also a rather transparent matter with a secondary character which when revealed right at the end was really a non-event.
The strengths just about managed to overcome the weaknesses and bring this up to four stars, and ultimately made for a very enjoyable read.