Last Call by D. J. Manly is a homoerotic contemporary romance.

Patrick and Josh have been best friends ever since they started college two years ago. Josh never really talks about his family, and Patrick is surprised when Josh not only finds him a job for the summer but invites him to stay at his family's ranch. The job is working at a restaurant/motel that his aunt runs. All Patrick knows about Josh's family is that his parents are divorced, and when they arrive, Patrick is flabbergasted when the dreamy cowboy he sees is in reality Josh's father Dakota or Dak. Josh's behavior towards his father becomes stilted especially after someone in town makes a comment about him visiting the town pedophile. Patrick asks Dak about these problems and the story unfolds about Dak being accused of propositioning a student when he was a teacher years ago. Patrick knows that the accusation is false even though there is no proof. As the summer unfolds, Patrick begins to understand how past events have colored both Dak and Josh's lives. As Dak and Patrick become closer, Patrick begins to recognize that they may never be together unless the past can some how be resolved. Will Patrick find a way to help Josh and Dak or is Dak and Patrick's love doomed to fail?

Mr. Manly has written an incredible story about a difficult contemporary social issue. The notion of falsely accusing someone is terrible when you think about they long term effects it can have on everyone's lives. It was not only Dak and Josh, but the young man William's life was never the same. I can't imagine how terrible it was for Dak and Josh during the trial and the aftermath. Patrick was able to see the situation in an unbiased manner as an outsider and try to help them overcome the stigma when he placed his faith in Dak from the very start. It was beautiful and sad to watch as Patrick and Dak became closer when the past kept intruding into their lives. Thanks go to Mr. Manly for a wonderful story.

Reviewed by: Teresa