That Summer of '74

One golden summer in the seventies sets the scene for a 'Prince and the Pauper' bromance that evolves into a timeless MM love story spanning the decades. "This breezy, nostalgic recollection of a post-Stonewall summer in Southern California is rich with characters, tender with romance, and softened with loss ..." Goodreads Seagulls squawk overhead, distant waves crash onto the shore, and inside his art studio Alex Morgan contemplates yet another unfinished painting. Without gallery representation or making a sale for months, he's losing faith in his talent. Broke and sexually frustrated, he's spending more time working as a lifeguard to purchase art supplies and fix up his tumbledown beach house than painting. Alex has to face the brutal truth that despite his long hair, surfer's tan and rippling muscles, he's nearly thirty and nowhere near being the acclaimed artist he wants to be. About to throw in the towel, on his daily jog along the surf Alex spots a young man climbing Sunset Cove's crumbling cliffs. Worried the guy missed seeing the 'DANGER' sign, Alex's lifeguard instinct kicks in. Barefoot, he chases up after a stranger in peril. The enigmatic young man on the cliff's edge turns out to be Rick Stradman, sophisticated, clearly wealthy, and dangerously handsome. After coming to his aid on the cliffs, Alex rescues Rick once again when his car won't start. Inveigling his way into the beach house, Rick discovers Alex is an aspiring artist with money troubles. Seeing promise in Alex's work, revealing he has contacts in the art world and wanting to escape from issues of his own, Rick suggests a solution to both their problems - renting a room in Alex's beach house. Their odd-couple summer share starts poorly. Although only occupying a room, Rick's fastidious tastes rule the roost. Neighbors warn Alex someone's watching his house. Then Alex discovers Rick has lied about key aspects of his personal life. And just as Alex is convinced he's harboring a dangerous fugitive, an unexpected turn of events takes place. Rick's humor, friendship, and unwavering support for Alex's art career seduce him. Suddenly Alex realizes he's in grave danger of doing something he swore he'd never do again - letting a guy break his heart. With his future and heart on the line, will Alex succumb to Rick's irresistible charm and risk losing everything he's ever worked for in pursuit of true love? Fans of Call Me by Your Name and Fellow Travelers will be captivated by the witty, roma