This is a lovely story which overflows with hope.

Francis is a sex worker. The streets are his home and where he makes his living. He is hardened and cynical and does what he needs to survive. When he goes into the local church to help himself to their pastries he bumps into the pastor's son Randy and strikes up a conversation with him.

Randy is drawn to the hardened young sex worker who comes into the church building. His parents run an inclusive and welcoming church and they are trying their best to redevelop the local homeless shelter but the building refurbishment is not making as much progress as they would have liked. Randy and his parents are drawn to the young sex worker who lives on the nearby streets and when Francis is attacked they open their home to him, offering him food and board and unconditional hospitality.

After being attacked Francis is glad to find some reprieve from the streets but he is very suspicious about the motives of Randy and his parents. Are they really who they say they are? Or is this some kind of weird attempt to convert him? As Francis gets to know Randy's family his hardened walls are challenged and he slowly begin to trust the family even though he feels that their welcome for him will eventually end.

Randy is glad to welcome Francis into their home but this brings a challenge of his own because as he gets to know Francis he starts to feel attracted to him. Randy's parents find this challenging because although they are inclusive and welcoming it is somewhat different to realise that their own son may be gay and so they find that they also have some internal barriers that need to be broken down.

As the weeks go by and the building work is done Francis, Randy and his parents encounter new love and learning which changes them as individuals and as a family.

I enjoyed reading this. I thought all the characters were engaging and realistic. I especially liked Francis and his strength and courage. I also liked the way the story dealt with the issue of faith in a positive, yet subtle way, as Randy and his family work through their own challenges without letting go of love. I thought the story was written well, although I would have liked to have had a chance to actually see Randy confront his parents with his own sexuality. We don't actually get to see this in the story although we do see the aftermath of Randy's coming out.

I enjoyed the way the story deals with faith issues without falling into stereotypical portrayals of religion. So there isn't the homophobic bullying pastor or lots of explaining of scripture, just a family who show radical inclusivity by opening their home, but who are honest about dealing with their own biases and prejudice.

Most of all I liked the different 'voices' of the characters and the way they engaged me as a reader. The characters held my attention and the book was very easy to read and interesting too in the way it tackles some difficult issues.

Copy provided by Riptide via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I tried. I did.
this book went into the DNF pile.
Sigh