Vespertine

by Indra Vaughn and Leta Blake

[Angie]

A priest and a rockstar walk into a bar....Kidding! Although that was my first thought upon reading the description of Vespertine. But it sounded really interesting so I had to read it! Nicky and Jasper were in love as teenagers, but then Jasper let Nicky know that he was going to become a priest. Seventeen years later, he runs an LGBT youth center for his church and Nicky is a rockstar whom he hasn't seen since that Summer everything changed. Now, Nicky is back in town after a stay in rehab and it's almost as if he never left.

Vespertine was really great. I was a bit worried that this was going to become some sleazy tale of a priest gone bad, but it's not like that at all. Jasper is extremely devout and felt this calling down to his bones. When he and Nicky are first reunited, there's this distance between them and Jasper is honestly just wanting to be there for him as a friend. He helps Nicky stay sober, he offers a listening ear, and a shoulder to lean on. In turn, Nicky helps with the kids at the shelter. But the more time they spend together, the more old feelings arise.

I really admired Jasper. He's an out, gay, Catholic priest and he won't let anyone tell him that that's wrong. He's known this is what he wanted to do since he was a kid, and now he's doing even more good than he ever thought. One of the main plot points revolves around the LGBT center, because the church wants to open it to all kids and refuses more funding until that happens. Jasper works hard for these kids to have a safe, comfortable place to go, and if that means separating from the church to do it? Well, maybe that was his true calling.

Vespertine was just really good. It broke my heart in places, because these men truly love each other but couldn't be together. Now they're trying to find a way that doesn't compromise either of their goals. I also liked how Nicky's addiction wasn't shown as miraculously cured by a brief stint in rehab and the power of love. Sure, those things are making it possible for him to get better, but it's going to take more than that for him to stay sober.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.