"A gripping story of sexual awakening and coming to terms with the need to be loved. Highly recommended!"

There are so many aspects to Body and Soul which are excellent. Firstly, the characters. Here is the strength of this novel. The author knows his characters, very, very well; this shows in the consistent and very individual way they act. This is not a plot-driven story; it's character-driven. In this book, the characters are the jam which holds everything together.

There is a lot of self-discovery going on in this story, particularly for Luca. I must say, it is very well-written.Overall, it's insightful and very much helps the reader to not only understand Luca, but also start to care about what happens to him. The author also understands how important 'speech' is to not only develop the characters, but also the plot.

This is a story of self-discovery; of a man who is trying to balance his work with the church with his feelings for another man. The 'sexual' elements of the story are well-handled and always sensitively written. And the dilemmas the characters must face are interesting and thought-provoking.

I would happily recommend this novel to anybody who enjoys a character-led story. Also, the LGBT community might very well enjoy - and relate to - many of the problems facing this young man. Finally, anybody who is interested in the topical subject of church and how it's possible to be a member of a church and also be gay, would find this interesting. Overall, a stimulating and well-constructed story.

A Wishing Shelf Book Review

thewsa.co.uk