A San Francisco Romance: The Story of Ryan and Leland

It is 1974 and it has been seven years since Ryan McClure moved to San Francisco from the sleepy East Bay. Moving to the city was to be a new start for him. Leaving regrets and sadness behind he moved to the city to be a free man. Free to be gay, free to choose his own path in life. Seven years later the bright shine of the city had tarnished and left him lonely. No relationship, no boyfriend of any kind, left him with only contentment for the life he had. Lucky to find a job he loved working in The Exeter House on Nob Hill. It was the finest hotel in the city. A good boss, and a small circle of friends he occasionally went out with was his life now, and quiet evenings at home were his life. The disco scene had pounced on the city, and dance bars sprouted up like weeds. Not a great dancer, and definitely not into casual hookups left him with the desire to stay home and read a book.Little did he know that a simple lunch with friends, and a brief look at the new owner of the hotel would present a challenge he was not sure he was ready for.Leland Carter's adult life was centered around responsibility. First was the business degree from Harvard, second was assuming control of the family business. Never one to shirk responsibility, Leland never considered a personal life, and relationships were out of the question. A dalliance here and there, or an escort were not out of the question, but committing to a relationship was never considered. His purchase of The Exeter House gave him the opportunity to hold onto one of the most cherished memories of his youth. While exploring the city once he completed business a spur of the moment desire to have a drink was about to send him on a journey that would unravel years of habits that kept him safe and secure. Being open and flirting with a bartender was unusual for Leland, but one glance down the bar at the striking man with the copper hair sent a jolt of reality as to what was lacking in his life.Two people with widely different backgrounds and values are thrown together. Personal fears and challenges need to be overcome if they are to have any semblance of happiness.There is romance, tenderness, some explicit sex, and the story takes place during the rise of the gay movement in San Francisco. 97K words

• | Author: Brandon Carlisle
• | Publisher: Independently published
• | Publication Date: Jun 14, 2018
• | Number of Pages: 369 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 1983126845
• | ISBN-13: 9781983126840