Encore

Book 5 of the series ... Roger and John story ... Oh my , heartbreaking at times, full of love at times but most of all ... Brilliant way to deal with two characters that were perfect for each other but the sad reality of the time and others that could not understand what they meant to each other. The story takes a long look at almost 35 years of Roger and John's life and relationship. There are moments that I wanted to scream at them if I could have. Moments of crying my heart out and moments that I laughed with them. Since the moment they met in 1971 , they became best friends .... endure Roger's mother criticism of the friendship and the fear of rejection of admitting that they wanted to be together in front of others. Time passes, errors , omissions and then changes ... Eye opening to the reality that when you truly love someone no matter what, you are going to be fighting for them ... I don't want to give away the story .... But I need to say this .... Roger and John deserve to be happy and I am glad they did ... Love is not a matter of gender ... It is a matter of the heart.

This was definitely not the story I was expecting when I picked up the book, but I admit that it blew me away nonetheless.
It's not an easy feat to tell a couple's story and maintain the readers' interest throughout, especially with a timeline as broad as this one. However, Shira made it such that I couldn't put the book down.
Roger and John were amazing characters to get to know. I loved that I got to see their growth both as individuals and a couple. Shira Anthony guided the reader through Roger and John's journey from high school students to adulthood without wavering in her delivery. She continued to develop the characters while still bringing forth their connection and telling their story through the years. I appreciated having the chance to experience how they evolved from friends to lovers, the ups and downs of their relationship through the passage of time and ultimately how their love had evolved and matured with the years.
Roger and John's truly was a love story. I loved it!

For me, this was the saddest book in the series but also the most emotionally provocative. Her main characters were so well drawn that it seems like I felt every emotion they felt throughout the book. Sometimes I wanted to hug them and sometimes I wanted to choke them. Throughout the book, I was frustrated because of all the time they wasted and then sad, but happy when they finally came together for good. These characters were so real to me that I think it will be a long time before I stop grieving for the time they spent apart and the time they might not have left together.
As always, the writing is excellent, as is the story. The sex doesn't overwhelm the story - it's there and it's good but the story is the main focus, which is a plus for me. This book, as do all the books in the Blue Notes series, stands alone with peeks at the main characters from previous books.