MM Reviews: A Lonely Year

Title: A Lonely Year
Author: Fandango
Genre: Romance | Drama
Type: Original Fiction
Rating: PG-13

You know these steps like you know the shape of your hands, know the front door, that windowsill with the same dead pot of flowers (except those dead flowers look very much alive, if not a little frostbitten, and the longer you stare at them the more it feels like your knees are sort of falling out from beneath you).

Through a few moments of insane courage and a healthy dose of self-hatred, Gus finds himself on Dex’s doorstep. Right away he notices that things aren’t exactly as he expected them to be, and it feels a little like the world is falling out from under him.

It’s too late to go back now though, and without either one of them remembering exactly how they got there, they’re standing face to face in the winter cold.

They don’t totally know what to say to each other, even though there is definitely the feel that important things have gone unsaid.

Gus never does leave with exactly what he came for.

The halted, blunt style of Fandango’s A Lonely Year mimics the interaction between its two main characters. It brilliantly showcases that time doesn’t always heal, and love is never fair.

Bringing to life the very real pain of being the one who cares more, this story is one of relatable fears and heartbreaking circumstances.

Fandango continues to get better with time. She never fails to surprise me with her understanding of human fears, relationships, and emotions. The only thing that could ever surprise me more is her unfaltering ability to put that understanding into words.

Special thanks to sheepcat; and Goddess_Of_Muse for editing!