A Careful Heart

...a story about the power of love and how it can be found right under our blind noses. And that love can show itself in many different ways. This was a very powerful book with a powerful message. Everyone should read this one, it will change your heart.

Reviewed by Patrice Leonard

I would have thought it unlikely that a beautiful, romantic novel could include domestic abuse, but the author of A Careful Heart has proven me wrong. Ralph Josiah Bardsley uses the story of two close friends to introduce this oft-neglected subject in queer romance. A Careful Heart follows Travis Gaines and Stephen Davis from childhood to their early twenties. One finds romance, and the other thinks he has but pays a high price for his ‘perfect guy’ and ‘perfect life’. The family dynamics of both characters are drawn well, giving us sufficient information to augment the story without lingering and taking the focus away from the main characters – although I have to admit a great fondness for one character’s father.

Travis and Stephen grow up next door to each other in a small northern New Hampshire town. Being born only a month apart, they grow up as brothers who face life’s hurdles and milestones together. Travis is athletic, popular and handsome whereas Stephen has no sense of his own good looks, and is shy, intelligent and eventually nicknamed ‘The Ghost’ by his friend. No one really notices Stephen unless he speaks up, but as the best friend of Travis, he suffers no bullying or harassment. They survive high school where, towards the end, Stephen accidentally finds out his friend is gay. He isn’t upset by the discovery, just by the fact that Travis didn’t tell him – as they usually share everything. Stephen also finds out that Travis and even their parents thought Stephen was gay too, but he admits he has never been attracted to a man – or to a woman as yet, either.

They separate for College, which Stephen seems to enjoy more than Travis does, and most importantly, Stephen falls madly in love with Melissa. Their romance lasts for quite some time while Travis has hook-ups but nothing vaguely romantic. Stephen and Melissa’s rather quick and confusing break-up is probably the only reason I have for not making this an A grade review.

Stephen and Travis can’t wait to start the exciting part of their lives when they move in together in Boston where they both have entry level jobs. Travis works in the financial district and Stephen in advertising and design.

The novel is divided episodically by years. I found this slightly jolting but usually because I didn’t want the part I was reading to end. Of the two main characters, I loved quiet, gentle Stephen the best. Travis is introduced as a rather brash, overconfident and slightly insensitive young man, so the author tends to syphon emotions to the reader via Stephen and an important character, Gabe, whom we meet later in the book.

I loved the elegant use of metaphoric descriptions and narrative. The author utilizes surroundings, the weather, even restaurant design and bars to convey emotion and heighten expectation....

As I mentioned at the start, there is a story of domestic abuse in this novel. It is an important part but not the main story. There are no explicit sex scenes, but the relationships, interactions and dialogue are so beautifully written I didn’t realize until the end, and I didn’t miss them. The sexual tension is there, the love is there, the blossoming of a relationship is there – everything else is off the page, which makes the physicality of the domestic abuse scenes so vivid and disturbing. However, do not let this put you off a wonderful book; this subject needs to be brought into the light. The violence is in the writing and is never gratuitous. Violence in relationships can affect anyone, as A Careful Heart compellingly proves.

There is an HEA, and an HFN and I highly recommend this novel. I loved the writing and the romance so much that I am going to read this author’s back catalogue.

Reviewed by Beverly Jansen

How in the world am I going to review this?

In a word: POWERFUL

This is not a romance novel. This is a story about love. There are some beautiful relationships and there are some ugly relationships in this story. But you won't find any of the typical romance tropes or even any on-page steamy scenes.

If I had to categorize it, I'd say it falls under Women's Lit. Except that it's not Women's Lit. It is a intent and shocking view into the lives of four gay men.

The story starts when two friends are very young and follows them as they grow up and become adults. We see them mature. We follow in their steps as they acquire knowledge about themselves along the way.

I have to admit that once we moved on from the early years of their lives, I was completely enthralled by Stephen and Travis. I couldn't seem to get enough of them. I had a very difficult time putting this book down to live my life because I wanted to keep reading about theirs.

The overriding theme of the story is love. Love between friends. Love between families. Love between partners. It's not a happy story even though there are happy parts to their lives. It has a melancholy overtone and even a few gut-twisting reveals.

Again, the word at the forefront of my mind as I finished reading was POWERFUL.
"...he would never be able to repay the kindness of helping him to find a new normal."

Reviewed by Fabi Gower

A finely crafted, wonderful story; it touched my heart in all the right places.

A Careful Heart is the first book I’ve read by Ralph Josiah Bardsley and what a wonderful introduction to his writing! I’m not sure if this will make any sense but I’d compare this to any of the best women’s fiction stories I’ve ever read by authors such as Kristan Hannah or Robyn Carr just to name a couple. The thing is this isn’t women’s fiction, it’s an LGBTQIA story that spans several decades.

Travis Gaines and Stephen Davis grew up together in a small northern New Hampshire town and they’ve been best friends forever. After a sporting event Stephen sees Travis kissing another boy. He’s not horrified and Travis knows he won’t tell what he’s seen.

As time goes by the two best friends go to different colleges and Travis gets a chance to stretch his wings as a young gay man. Stephen falls in love with a girl at his school and things are still great between the two best friends even though they are both changing and growing into their adult selves.

Stephen is heart broken when his girlfriend breaks up with him and Travis tries to console him. After graduation Stephen and Travis move in together and begin their adult lives in Boston.

To say much more would give away too much of the story. I felt this story down to my very soul and I cried many tears as I read certain portions. I normally read only romance stories with my current preference being for M/M books. I picked this one up based on the description and I’m so glad that I did.

It’s a wonderful coming of age; new adult; family relationship; finding one's self story all rolled up together. It’s also a heartbreaking story about how two different young men with similar backgrounds make such different choices and how the consequences of those choices affect both of them.

I absolutely couldn’t put this book down once I started reading it and found myself totally engrossed and captivated by the story to the point that I read way into the early hours of morning so that I could finish it.

There is no way my review can do this book justice but I hope you will give it a try anyway. There is little to no sexual content in this story but that’s because it’s not about the sex; it’s about a wonderful, enduring friendship and the different paths taken by two best friends.

I would definitely read more books from this author.

Reviewed by Susan Rollison

Loved the story, characters, attention to Boston detail. I would want to be friends with these characters in life.

Reviewed by Michael Smith