What Binds Us [Kindle Edition]

Larry Benjamin (Author)

Book Description

Thomas-Edward is only a teenager when he escapes his working-class neighborhood. He's ready for anything—except the arrival of Donovan Whyte in his life. Sophisticated and dazzlingly handsome, Dondi quickly becomes the center of Thomas-Edward's universe, introducing him to a world full of drama, passion and feuding families.

When their relationship fizzles, they remain uneasy friends until Dondi invites Thomas-Edward to his family's summer house. Thomas-Edward is immediately attracted to Dondi's mysterious brother, Matthew—and finds himself hopelessly drawn to both men.

As time passes, Thomas-Edward develops a unique bond with both brothers as they orbit around each other, although he knows only one of them can be his lifelong love. Will the three of them be able to find a way to hold on to each other? Or will love, its loss and the threat of death destroy their connection once and for all?

60,000 words

Product Details

• File Size: 365 KB
• Print Length: 204 pages
• Publisher: Carina Press (March 19, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0070Y4EG0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,204 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Story that Stayed with Me Long After I Was Finished Reading March 31, 2012

By musiclover13 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

Wow! That's really the only word that can truly express my feelings towards this book.

It's 1977 and Thomas-Edward is starting his freshman year at Penn State. His roommate, Donovan "Dondi" Whyte, immediately captivates him. Dondi is charming, witty, and extremely magnetizing, and Thomas-Edward easily falls under his spell. As their friendship grows, they become lovers. Thomas-Edward is in love, but Dondi tells him he can never be what he wants. That free-spirited nature breaks Thomas-Edward's heart over and over again until he meets Dondi's younger brother, Matthew. They share a connection and bond like none other, and Thomas-Edward eventually realizes that, while he loves Dondi, Matthew is the man who holds his heart. When unforeseen tragedy strikes, the three men come together as a means of support and solace.

Larry Benjamin has crafted a beautiful tale of love, loss, discovery, redemption, concession and revelation. All of the characters are well-developed. I particularly appreciated the fact that the book's pace moved pretty quickly and was not weighed down by an overabundance of flowery language and set up. It felt as though I was sitting in the room with the characters and merely observing their lives.

There is one quote from the book that particularly struck a chord with me and can be applied to all of our lives.

"It's taken me my whole life to understand that the only thing between birth and death is love, that love is life."

What a happier world we'd live in if more people understood this powerful lesson!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Will Read Everything This Author Publishes March 19, 2012

By JAScribbles

Format:Kindle Edition

Note to potential readers: this book is a love story, not erotica. I don't give out five star reviews on books very easily. They need to leave a lasting impression on me. This one did.

What Binds Us is a truly amazing love story. From beginning to end, this book beautifully describes every form love can take - friendship, longing, family, envy, hatred, and letting go. I cared for all the characters from the moment they were introduced and didn't want the story to end. The author offered layer upon layer of relationships that kept me reading - in fact, I almost completed the book in one sitting. Not because it was a short novel, but because I wanted to stay with these people.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Carina Press for the review copy of this book. This author has a rare talent and I will read everything he publishes. I enjoyed the references and symbolism of The Great Gatsby. I think What Binds Us captured some themes of this famous classic, but portrayed them in a much more effective way.

For readers looking for a true love story, stop here and enjoy this amazing offering.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Entrancing novel about love and family April 7, 2012

By K. Branfield

Format:Kindle Edition

Larry Benjamin's What Binds Us is an entrancing novel about love and family. Thomas-Edward Lawrence is swept into the Whyte family when he falls for the charming and effervescent Dondi. Ever-elusive, Dondi continues to wander in and out of Thomas-Edward's life. Completely welcomed into the Whyte family, Thomas-Edward feels an immediate connection to Dondi's brother Matthew. The three men forge a bond that withstands all of the happiness and tragedy that life brings.

What Binds Us is a well-written romance with a unique plot. The characters are three-dimensional and appealing. Told in first person from Thomas-Edward's perspective, the reader is fully engaged in this fast-paced and engrossing narrative.

What Binds Us by Larry Benjamin is a compelling character study that is rife with strong emotions. It is a powerful story that demonstrates valuable life lessons about acceptance and the true meaning of family. Sometimes dramatic and heartbreaking, What Binds Us is always uplifting with a strong undercurrent of love.

Definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys a heartfelt love story.

More About the Author

Larry Benjamin considers himself less a writer than a wordsmith - an artist whose chosen medium is the written word rather than clay or paint or bronze. His passion is words.

Larry's first novel, "What Binds Us" was released by Carina Press in March 2012. "Damaged Angels", a collection of short stories, was first published by Bold Strokes Books in October 2012 (eBook edition), with a paperback edition due to be released April 8, 2013 (Beaten Track).

He has recently completed his third book, the gay romance, "Unbroken", to be published Summer 2013 (Beaten Track).

He lives in Philadelphia, PA, USA with his partner of 16 years and their two dogs.

For more about Larry and his writing, visit his website at www.larrybenjamin.com