Last Summer

By: Ford Michael Thomas Ford

Narrated by: Blake Somerset

From the critically acclaimed writer, Michael Thomas Ford, comes a highly anticipated first novel that follows the intertwining lives of three men, set against the backdrop of summer-time in the breezy coastal community of Provincetown.

At 33, Josh has become tired of his life, leaving his old self behind with the hope of making a fresh start. Toby, who is only 19, finds himself moving to Provincetown to seek solace after his family has kicked him out of his Midwestern home. Reilly, who has been a lifelong resident, is still unclear about his own sexuality and has long wondered what his fantasies about other men might mean.

Everything is about to change when Reilly meets Joshua and the two strike up an odd friendship--that's when Reilly knows, for sure, that he isn't just fantasizing anymore.

©2003 Michael Thomas Ford (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Not breaking any new ground but very entertaining

If you could sum up Last Summer in three words, what would they be?

Heart-warming
Funny
Relatable

What other book might you compare Last Summer to and why?

Last Summer reminds me of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City as it follows different characters in a span of one summer.

Which character – as performed by Blake Somerset – was your favorite?

I loved all his characterizations but Emerline was particularly touching to me.

Who was the most memorable character of Last Summer and why?

Josh was the most memorable for me as I could really relate to his experiences. I had a lot in common with him.

Any additional comments?

As my headline says not breaking any new ground but the story was written in a very personal style that really drew me in to the characters and their experiences. I really didn't want it to end and I so wish that MTF would write a sequel to this very touching story.

A fun, satisfying listen

I have come to thoroughly enjoy Michael Thomas Ford's complex and intertwined story lines. I am glad to meet and get to know each of his richly drawn characters. Although the resolutions are somewhat "predictable" they are also satisfying and the journey towards their destinations are filled with interesting (and, frequently, steamy) twists and turns. I'm ready to listen to another one of his in this vein.

Another great book

I'm fast becoming a Michael Thomas Ford fan. An idilic view of life in Provincetown, a best case scenario for a gay movie super star and an instant family for an middle aged lesbian.

Loved It

I'm a fan of Michael Thomas Ford's, and was thrilled to see his books on Audible. I fell in love with the characters and there stories. Black Somerset does an outstanding job narrating. Looking forward to listening to Looking For It, and Changing Tides Thank you Michael Thomas Ford for sharing your creations, and thank you Audible for making it available in audio 💙💙💙

What a story!

I'm sad it's over. Such a great book. Will definitely recommend to friends. I can't wait to read more of Ford's work!

too much of nothing going on

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

There were way too many characters in this book. More than once I had to ask myself "Who is this person?", "Has this character been in the book yet?", "Who is this character?" Overlapping and mixing so many different stories and lives into one story is a good idea, it just didn't work out very well for me in this one.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Blake Somerset?

Yeah. I enjoyed his narration.

What character would you cut from Last Summer?

Too many to list. I realize not every character is going to be exciting or interesting to everyone, but there were just too many in this one. After getting about 2/3 of the way through this book I started hitting the :30 forward button, to skip past the story lines that seemed like too much filler.

Mediocre writing, predictable plot

This story is so saccharine I now need an insulin shot. The reader is as lifeless and predictable as the story.
According to this author, the only way to depict happy, well adjusted gay men is as monogamous. In other words the ideal gay relationship is a carbon copy of the 1950’s style straight relationship. Is there no one who can imagine a different route to gay happiness?