Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Gay on a Train
AUTHOR: K.C. Wells
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 232 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 6, 2020
BLURB:
I’m straight. So when a gay guy on the train asked me out on a date, why the hell did I say yes? And why am I excited about seeing him again?
Okay, let’s start again…
I thought I was straight for all of my twenty-six years. I dated women. I slept with women. And yeah, occasionally I’d wondered what it would be like to experiment with a guy. We’ve all done it, right? A couple of times at least? Only, I never did more than wonder.
But after one conversation with him…
I still don’t know why I said yes. It wasn’t as if he was flirting with me – well, not much. All we did was talk. And then he asked me out.
Okay, so it would be a new experience. I can roll with that. But what if he wants to sleep with me? How about that?
I’m nervous. I’m confused. And as for the whole ‘I’m straight’ thing?
Yeah. I’m rethinking that. Big time.
And I can’t wait for Saturday till I see him again.
REVIEW:
Gay on a Train is a sweet, leisurely, and sexy story about the fluid nature of sexuality and falling in love. The book champions the idea that labels aren’t always necessary because sexual identity can take many forms and can change over time.
Lee and Daniel meet on a train where Daniel asks Lee for a date. But Lee is very straight. Or so he thinks before he blurts out “yes” to Daniel’s invitation. As the book progresses, Lee struggles to find a label for his new sexuality as he experiences a gay bi something awakening, he doesn’t know what. He initially calls himself “mostly straight with a dash of gayness” but that eventually changes. Once he settles on an identity, he owns it.
In the space of a week, my whole worldview had changed. What shocked me was how little it had taken for me to accept this shift in myself. Maybe part of the reason for that was the fact that those thoughts and feelings had always been there – I’d just had them on mute. Or maybe I’d ignored them. All I know was, I was nervous, I was still excited, and I didn’t have clue which way was up anymore.
The writing is so good. For example, during their second date, they spend the evening just kissing. It’s highly intimate, erotic, and sensual. Ms. Wells brings all the senses alive with her prose.
Both main characters are compelling. Daniel is captivating and confident, straightforward in what he needs from Lee, whereas Lee is more complex. In the early days of dating and during his journey of self-discovery, we witness him at times tentative, sexy, and bold, and then we watch him experience brief moments of uncertainty which he quickly overcomes.
There’s a solid cast of characters backing up Lee and Daniel. Lee has four roommates, among them Mick and Niall, who are the first people Lee confides in, and he discovers they have valuable advice. Lee’s sister and brother-in-law are likewise super supportive. On Daniel’s side are his close bi friends, Troy and Caroline, the latter who is particularly helpful to Lee in parsing through the complexity of sexual identity.
The sex is scorching hot. Let’s just say there’s the best rimming ever. “You shook my world,” Lee says. And who doesn’t like a gay sex virgin who delights in every new sensation, eager to try every position and experience. He’s all in. So to speak. But there are a few too many scenes for my liking and I started skimming so I could get back to the story.
One quick niggle: after the build-up to Daniel dancing in London’s Pride parade, I would’ve enjoyed more written about the parade participants and the general atmosphere at Pride, as well as descriptions of Daniel’s sexy dancing, the choreography, etcetera. It was an unfortunate let down; it could’ve been an opportunity for Ms. Wells’ readership to vicariously experience Pride in all its glory for ourselves.
It’s unusual for a coming out book to be angst-free, but that’s just what you get with Gay on a Train. Heavy angst is sometimes right up my alley, but lately I’ve been craving novels gentler on my soul, and this fits the bill. This book is uplifting and positive and I feel privileged to watch Lee and Daniel fall in love. There’s a lovely epilogue one year out that provides a wonderful HEA. I found this to be a very pleasurable read and I hope you do, too. It’s a perfect summertime book.
RATING: 
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