M/M Challenge Review: The Prayer Waltz by KZ Snow

For eight months, the peculiar circumstances surrounding the sudden death of Steven Brandwein’s lover, an enigmatic ex-priest, have weighted his mourning with mystery. Desperate for emotional closure, Steve makes a journey he’s put off for years: he travels to the town that was once an integral part of his late lover’s life. Steve hopes his pilgrimage will help him better understand Frank, serve as a final farewell, and allow him to move on.

His visit to St. Jerome’s Church one snowy, silent night proves more consequential than he’d ever anticipated. Evan McAllister, an unassuming man still grieving over the death of his son, befriends Steve. As their bond grows, they both make startling discoveries—not the least of which, for Steve, is that he’s ready to love again.

Yes Steven enters St. Jerome’s Church knowing that it was the former work-place of his deceased lover, Frank. He’s not quite sure what he’s going to accomplish by being there in the church – or even there in the town – but he feels a pull and he’s going with the flow. A sweet woman who is working in the church encourages him to light a candle for whoever he’s missing and he does so with a prayer – part of which was the following which I just loved:

…don’t know why any good man should feel pressured to deny his nature, what the fuck is wrong with people, please fix them, douse them with enlightenment or give them a kick in the ass or something, this shit has got to stop,…

It was just wonderful to have read the prayer and know that it was truly from the heart – and he wasn’t worried about his language or wording, etc. He just seemed like a really genuine person and I pretty much liked him right off the bat.

After Steven leaves St. Jerome’s he goes to the bar across the street where he begins to talk to Evan who had been at the church cleaning the floor. When the two get to talking they discover that they have something in common, Frank. They head back to Steven’s hotel room so that they can talk privately and their stories come out. How Evan and Frank had a somewhat relationship before it died out for unexplained reasons and Steven and Evan’s relationship and how strange that truly was. The two men hit it off and start spending time together. What begins as just a mutual information gathering begins to be a friendship with more emotional aspects.

This was just a wonderful book. I loved how the small common thread that the men shared just grew over the course of the story. For as nice and wonderful as a priest as Frank seemed to be it’s discovered that he definitely had some secrets that he kept from both Evan and Steven. It’s never told exactly what those secrets were but I found myself not caring as much. Frank was an unknown, really, and because of his death he would remain that way. He was just the link that brought Steven and Evan together.

Since the story is told from Steven’s point of view I didn’t get to know Evan quite as well as Steven but what I saw I really liked. He had a great sense of humor and didn’t mind sharing it with Steven.

Evan regarded me. His smile was reflective. “No. Opening your heart is never pathetic.”

The assertion touched me. I lifted my head far enough to kiss his shoulder. “I think you’re a big sap, Evan.”

“Maybe I’ve cut down too many pine trees.”

I grimaced. “Oh God, that was bad.”

He chuckled. “I know.”

“Then why’d you say it?”

“Because I didn’t want to say fuck you.”

“Why? Do you like me now?”

Evan answered by cupping my dozy cock. “Duh.”

I laughed.

“I’m a sucker for a man who licks my chest. Just keep doing it. Maybe more hair will grow.”

“Shit, Evan. I’d suffocate.”

I’ve already said that I liked Steven but there were times where he really touched me in the way that he thought of Evan.

Without realizing it, I was like a kid filling his pockets with things he found special—broken toys and pencil stubs, rocks and candy wrappers. Things other people wouldn’t even notice, much less save and cherish. Only it was bits of Evan that became my treasures: the smooth gleam of his shoulders, the sensual drip of water from the tip of his nose and cock, the glisten of droplets within his coal-black pubic hair. And all those careful movements of his large, rough hands and broad, tender mouth.

Though the book is about two men overcoming their grief and the story is sad at times, it wasn’t a depressing story at all. It showed that grief can be overcome and healing can be done in many different ways – and possibly ways that you least expect. The Prayer Waltz is a well written story that will definitely be re-read many times.

Rating: 5 out of 5

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