Glitterland

July 15, 2013
Pseudointellectualism meets gay romance in Hall’s debut. Self-absorbed British writer Ash Winters is a young man struggling with bipolar disorder and the aftermath of a suicide attempt. His perceptions of himself and others evolve quickly as he develops a relationship with fashion model Darian Taylor. Under Darian’s influence, the former hermit slowly returns to a more social state. The stock romance is enlivened with the occasional bits of dark humor and beautifully risqué moments, interspersed with an overabundance of mental illness details. The juxtaposition of unlikable Ash’s literary and intellectual viewpoints with Darian’s superficial lifestyle (and painfully rendered Essex accent: “You’ll do ahwight, janarwhatamean?”) is cleverly used to spotlight the propagation of relationship stereotypes, but the unlikely and unexpectedly charming pairing of Darian and Ash, and the resultant drama of their worlds colliding, eclipses development of other characters—leaving them mere set decoration to prop up the two leads.

September 12, 2022
There is a lot to be titillated by in this delightful gay romance from Hall (Boyfriend Material), the first in his Spires Series. Ash Winters, a reasonably successful London novelist with bipolar disorder, meets Darian Taylor, a glitzy, self-tanned Essex fashion model, at a nightclub. After a few initial hiccups, these polar opposites fall into a shockingly successful relationship as Darian’s good cheer coaxes Ash into situations outside of his comfort zone. Though Hall has a sensitive hand with Ash’s mental illness throughout, the happy relationship results in an almost unbelievably huge alteration in Ash’s personality and approach to the world. Hall writes Darian’s dialogue in Essex dialect—suggesting, for example, that the inscription to Ash’s latest novel should read, “To the geeza what I slept wif and then done a runner on in the middle of the night, making ’im feel like a right slapper?” This near-caricature has a distracting effect and distances readers from the narrative, especially as none of the other characters speak with comparable dialectical mannerisms. Still, Hall’s trademark humor and heart shine through. It’s a cheery, hopeful love story proving that those with mental illness can have just as much fun—and sex—as those without. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callahan, Handspun Literary.

December 15, 2022
A one-night stand sparkles far beyond first impressions. Ash Winters is trapped. His life has to be defined by his routines, which he clings to as his only hope as he recovers from severe depression and a suicide attempt. He avoids contact with friends, his sex life is unsatisfying, and his promising career as a writer has been derailed. But he feels obligated to make it from London to Brighton for his friend's stag party, and it's good that he does, because across the dance floor he sees Darian Taylor, a charming, baffling, "glittering pirate of a man," an aspiring model from Essex. They have an electric sexual encounter, but Ash runs away, a panic attack having been triggered when he wakes in a strange place. He's plunged into another depressive episode. When he reemerges, Darian finds him at a book signing, and despite his anger, they reconnect (quite intimately, over Ash's desk). As they continue to spend time together, Ash starts to think maybe he could build a new life with Darian--but eventually he pushes Darian away so cruelly that he might not return. This is a republication of Hall's first book, originally published in 2013, and this new edition has some changes but will be recognizable to readers of the original. Most importantly, it still includes the same extremely Essex voice ascribed to Darian with every sentence of dialogue; this isn't for all readers, but it is remarkably consistent ("hunjed pahcent" comes up a lot), and even when Darian borders on farce it can't dampen the clear passion the two men have for each other. Hall's command of tropes and ability to consistently deliver fantastically explicit writing remain top-notch, though fans will notice that while this book is solid, the writing is a bit clumsy compared to recent releases, with some confusing dialogue formatting that can detract from the story. Still, there's a reason this book, which is the first in the cult favorite Spires series, has had avid readers for years, and it's because it has the heady combination of red-hot sex scenes with genuine emotional connection that Hall does so well. The clear content guidance at the start of the book is a grace note that underscores the blunt but sensitive treatment of Ash's mental health and shouldn't be skipped. A shimmery and sexy start to the reissuing of a beloved m/m contemporary romance series.

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