SAVING ALEXANDER by SUSAN MAC NICOL

Reviewed by Jenny and Gitte

 Gitte and Jenny:  5 truly outstanding stars!

Gitte: I knew after reading ‘Stripped Bare’ by this Author that she was something special and was going to end up as a one-click for me in the m/m genre. So I was not surprised that I ended up loving ‘Saving Alexander’ just as much. The writing, the characters, the story, well this book was un-put-down-able, I absolutely loved it. It was so beautiful, emotional, passionate and suspenseful. It had me in floods of tears but it also made me laugh. ‘Saving Alexander’ was extremely well written and the depth of the characters and the storyline, well it was spot on in my opinion.

The journey our characters went on, past and present, their strength and the size of their hearts, well it pretty much did me in. It was quite horrific at times and I had to stop reading once or twice because my heart was breaking. But overall, this is such a beautiful heart-felt love story. You felt the same didn’t you Jenny?

“You are an amazingly brave man. You have more strength than anyone I have known. If anyone can overcome their demons it’ll be you. And I promise to do anything I can to help you do that.”

Jenny: I certainly did G…and then some.  I went into Saving Alexander with anticipated excitement following your enthusiasm for this authors previous work and  I have to say I was not disappointed. In fact, if anything, my expectations were exceeded because this book gripped me from the first chapter and kept me there completely enthralled until the end. I couldn’t put it down, reading well into the night and I have been thinking about it non stop since finishing it. Such was the impact the story and the characters had on me. The writing was flawless, the story was heartbreaking , evocative, passionate, sad and extremely beautiful and this author really does possess a talent for painting a picture for the reader with her words.

“Do you really want to hear all the sordid details of my little life? Remember, sometimes you get what you ask for.” – Alex
“Yes, I want to hear.” Sage

I “felt” every single moment of  the friendship,  torment, loss, love ,pain and the complexities of healing such deep emotional scars. I shared every feeling with Sage and Alex and I was there with them for each and every moment. Sage and Alex, two characters whom I will never forget.

Gitte: So we meet Alex, a famous and successful Author who comes across all mysterious, composed and polished. This façade hides a broken and damaged man who’s had an absolute tragic and horrifying life. Alex strives for normality and struggles with any type of relationship. He’s trying to overcome his past the best way he can through therapy and a man named Eric.

‘If he let the memories in he’d go crazy.’

Eric terrified me on so many occasions, hurting and forcing our lonely Alex beyond what this gorgeous, funny, sweet and passionate man deserved or truly needed. Alex’s past still very much lives in his present and despite harbouring feelings for a man who was the inspiration for his famous book character, he feels completely unworthy and knows his ‘relationship’ with Eric will always be the breaking point.

‘He was simply a paying customer with a set of rules that his “Principal”, Eric, would enforce..’

Alex hides his past well from everyone, no one knows where he came from and who he truly is. Seriously this man had my heart in his hands and I fell in such love with him.

‘I’m a fucked up human being and I’ll never be normal….”

He sure was something special wasn’t he Jenny, those eyes…sigh…?!

Jenny: Oh Gitte, I loved both these men for so many reasons.  Tortured, beautiful self-deprecating Alex who had such a horrendous and painful past and who still relives it daily and whose method of coping tore at me. This man had built up walls and his misdirected self loathing broke my heart.

“I just want to be normal.” – Alex

Alex, a man who had to overcome such adversity was both brave and inspiring.  The unraveling of Alex’s story was painful to read and had me in tears, I had to take stop and take breaths a couple of times before reading on. His recounting of his story undid me, I felt every intense and moving moment of his despondency and I cried with him and for him.

“Please don’t give up on me”. – Alex

This author enabled me to experience every ounce of the desolation and despair felt by Alex as he fought the internal battle within himself and I cherished every ounce of the love and devotion offered to him by Sage.  Don’t even get me started on Eric. I despised that man with every fibre of my being. He disgusted me.

Gitte: Then we have Sage, the gorgeous and sexy actor who’s loved and lusted after by many, gay or straight. This guy can charm the pants of the most reluctant admirer, no question. Sage is funny and kind, sweet and sexy. His heart is huge and when he falls he really falls. He pushes past even the hardest relationship boundary despite being a man who’s been hurt in the past and who’s not exactly had an easy life either, suffering a great loss as a teenager.

Sage gets the role in the upcoming TV adaptation of Alex’s books. Upon meeting Alex in person our Sage is immediately attracted and found wanting the creator of his TV character.

‘What is it about this man that brought out the man-slut in him?’

The chemistry and attraction between Alex and Gage is so intense and beautiful. I felt it and I completely understood and believed it. They were well and truly soul mates, giving each other themselves fully and completely.

“He’s driving me crazy…He’s funny, he’s pretty cute and he’s sexy as hell. I hardly ever think about anything bad when I’m with him. He makes me laugh….” – Alex

When Alex gets the guts to let Sage into his past I broke down. This man showed such trust and Sage’s reaction, well…I had tears. The tenderness and love, the compassion and understanding. It blew me away.

“You make me feel whole again….You’re my saviour.”

‘Saving Alexander’ has everything you could wish for. It’s a dangerous read emotionally as you’re taken on a scary and passionate ride where you meet some pretty beautiful and special characters and see just exactly what love is capable of conquering!

I never wanted to call ‘Chrysippus’ nor did I want to call ‘Tallulah’. LOVED this story…LOVE this Author!

Jenny:  Blushing, sexy, stoic Sage with the cheeky persona  who wore his heart on his sleeve….. I absolutely adored him. What a perfect ally this man was for Alex. This man would suppress his own feelings and hurt for the betterment of Alex.  Where Alex saw weakness and loathing in himself, Sage saw strength and beauty.  These two men complimented each other and they both completely stole my heart.

“All I see is one amazingingly strong and sexy man who just wants to make a life for himself….” – Sage

The passion, the heat, the love, the pain and the connection between these men was spine tingling and I wholeheartedly agree Gitte that  Saving Alexander was everything I had hoped for and more…much, much more. My heart was in my mouth at times as I anticipated moments I knew would crush me and the moments of suspense had my stomach in knots.

This intense, passionate, moving, sexy, and deeply emotive story is one that will stay with me. Like you G, this author has definitely earned a place on my 1Click list! Are there enough superlatives for this book? Let me try….Outstanding, magnificent, suspenseful, heartbreaking, emotional, beautiful…..superb. A definite must add for those TBR’s.

“I think I just want to hold you close and go to sleep and forget all this craziness for a while.”

SAVING ALEXANDER
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