Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Diego’s Secret
AUTHOR: Bryan T. Clark
PUBLISHER: Cornbread Publishing
LENGTH: 255 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2018
BLURB:
Gay Romance
When two men from different cultures meet, there may be sparks, but what about their values, principles, and social circles? Can love win over attitudes, judgments, and pre-conceived perceptions?
Eight years ago, at the age of seventeen, Diego Castillo came to the United States illegally from Mexico. Working long hours in the family landscaping business, he now shares a tiny apartment with his two machismo brothers in Southern California. Diego has worked hard to keep his desires for other men a secret from his brothers. He’s worked just as hard to keep his undocumented status a secret from the world he now lives in.
Thirty-two-year-old Winston Makena is beautiful, intelligent, and intimidating. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but no amount of money can relieve the enormous grief he is suffering from his husband’s sudden death. He is one of Diego’s best accounts and lives a life in stark contrast to his gardener’s. Winston’s wealthy upbringing has influenced his ideas, leading him to certain biases.
Winston believes he could never love again. Diego believes that his family’s lives depend on him keeping his secrets. What neither of them know is that the heart knows no such boundaries. Will social divisions, ideology, and secrets destroy both their chances for happiness? Can love really conquer all?
REVIEW:
Diego owns a small but successful landscaping firm. When he meets the husband of his former mentor, who passed away a year ago, he has no idea what to think. He is an illegal, a strong Catholic man and a so far in the closet gay man. The man who seems to be coming on to him is rich, white and, since he was married to his male friend, obviously gay. But these two are worlds apart. How can their attraction cause anything but pain and a loss of his big time contract?
Somehow these two just never worked for me. Specifically Winston never worked for me in this relationship. Without thought to how condescending he can be, he pursues the closeted young man that is so far from what he is used to being around. Diego is sweet and innocent. He is a hard worker and devotes his life to his brothers. Family is everything. Even if they don’t deserve him. What bothered me was that Winston wants to date him but makes the stupidest, off color remarks that should have sent Diego running from the start. His “illegals” quips really irritated me. Especially after he learns of Diego’s past and his secrets. In all honesty, Diego was way too good for Winston and Winston never deserves him. I know that Winston is good at taking the blame and apologizing after he figures out how stupid he was but it got old real fast. And him taking Diego to the gala, a man that is not only not “out” but way out of his comfort zone. At the very least he should have gotten him the suit for the event.
In the end, Winston did redeem himself but it was a bit too late with too many wrongs for me. I had looked forward to this because of the mixed race issues but it fell flat for me. To much stupidity to make it work. A long, slow angsty burn.
RATING: 
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