Rival Within

4.5 Stars ~ \"As a young boy, Tom had been prone to impure thoughts. His teenage years had been agony, but he’d learned to deal with his… predilections. He’d pushed down the nefarious desires, locked them behind a thick wall of ironclad will. Not since his youth had he acted upon such things. So why was he considering it now? Why with this… this…. Why him?\"
1952. Tennessee. An unforgiving time and place in the United States for racial inequality, gender inequality, and most assuredly, for any sexual orientation that deviated from the \"norm\". This is the world Tom lives in. A world where he constantly tamps down his unhealthy urges, and lives only for the love of his son, duty to his wife, and responsibility to his small town. A bleak and dismal existence, to be sure. When a tornado comes bearing down, a brief but intense moment of passion in the basement of the jail, with Ben, changes Tom's world forever.
\"Ben wanted Tom like he’d never wanted anyone—why? Perhaps it was loneliness that was the driving force, or maybe he’d simply met Tom at a point in his life when he was tired of life on the edge and was ready to settle down. Could it be possible the crazy dream of warmth and safety had affected him more than he’d realized?\"
Two strong men. Tom, riddled with guilt, constantly feeling the weight of his sin against his wife, his family, his community, and his God, but tempted beyond belief, to have what he craves. Ben, tired of being judged his entire life, more than aware that his desires could get him killed, and yet unable to deny what he wants and needs. It was fascinating to watch the internal struggles, not to mention the physical battles between Tom and Ben, as they each tried to get what they wanted. And, yet, I think seeing them develop strong, real feelings for each other, regardless of their internal demons, is what made me truly care for both of them.
'The Rival Within' could've been a very simple, straightforward story. However, as I've come to anticipate from SJD Peterson, this was a much more involved and complex tale. Almost nothing about it was what I expected. I knew there would have to be a conflict, a threat to reveal Tom's secret, and I wasn't surprised to find it in the disgusting Sheriff Cronkite. But the author did an excellent job of keeping me riveted to the page. I was pleased, and surprised, that the love story between Tom and Ben didn't take a \"usual\" turn, so I was kept suspended waiting to see what would happen next. Interestingly enough, Tom's wife, is a character I could admire and respect, while also feeling a great deal of sympathy and empathy for her.
\"Ben took another shuddering breath and brushed his lips against Tom’s. “—I love you and I want you and me to spend the rest of our lives right here on this little patch of land. Just us. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Nothing I wouldn’t give to make you happy.”
Thank you, Jo. You made me feel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews