Exina's Reviews > Lost Along the Way

Daniel is a weatherman in Denver, lives with his boyfriend Chase (whom he refers to as his husband) - they have been together for fifteen years. But Daniel’s job is boring and unsatisfying, and his relationship is dying.

When Daniel loses his parents in a car crash, he goes back to his hometown Laramie, and tries to deal with his parents’ house. The house is full of clutter and it seems impossible to finish the job. Landon, a neighbor and a friend of his parents’ helps Daniel to deal with all the stuff in the house. Weeks pass, and Daniel and Landon are getting close to each other.

The story is actually about Daniel discovering and accepting that his long-term relationship with Chase is over and starting a new life with Landon.

A magic cookbook appears from nowhere, in which each meal has some kind of special effect. With the help of the cookbook Daniel is starting to see clearer his life and relationship.

The cookbook is the only “mystical” element in the story, and it is not explained. It’s just thrown into the plot as a device to get things into motion.

There is too much focus on Daniel and Chase’s relationship, and I also missed the excitement of Daniel and Landon getting together. First, I felt it too slow, but when Daniel (view spoiler)[finally breaks up with Chase, they move in together too quickly (hide spoiler)].

The story is told from Daniel’s viewpoint, in first person. It’s a very limited narrative, and he didn’t even manage to make me like him. Chase and Landon are one dimensional: Chase is boring and cold and kind of a loser, Landon is perfect and wonderful and amazing.

Unbalanced story, poor “fantasy” element, steamless erotic scenes, unlikeable characters. Palm reading and horoscopes are not my things either.

I liked Landon and his wind sculptures, though.