Dan Stagg is a tough guy working club doors in New York for a few bucks. He used to be a Marine but that ended when the fact that he was gay emerged. Losing his job doesn't help his attitude, and when an Italian man offers him a good fee for minding a wealthy man's secretary, he's dubious about the legality of the matter but needs the money. It's that or the French Foreign Legion. A Glock is supplied and instructions to take the individual out of town.

THE HARDEST THING Stagg does is get Stirling McMahon out of NY without treating him any worse than a bruised arm. He's a gorgeous pampered, sulking brat and has neither respect for his close protection worker nor the ability to take care of himself. But out of the routine, in rural White Mountains inns, the young man relaxes and soon reveals himself as gay. Stagg doesn't need much invitation. Stirling reveals that he was paid to pretend to be secretary to a wealthy real-estate developer and accompany him to weekend conferences. This sort of thing is pretty common, he claims. Someone with a grudge against his boss threatened the man's family and Stirling too. Or did they? Stagg is already suspicious that some setup is under way, and when a man tries to shoot them in their motel room it's clear to him that Stirling's boss wants rid of the young man and has set Stagg up as a fall guy.

Survival is the name of the game in the remainder of the story and I was somewhat surprised both that every man in the north of the state appears to be gay and that fugitives would take so much time to indulge. As in many gay-themed novels we meet no credible women so this will really just appeal to a certain readership. There is plenty of action and second-guessing to keep us reading but strong language and violence are to the fore. James Lear has previously written several gay novels, some set in London where he lives, and THE HARDEST THING will please his fans.

Book Summary

Once a major in the U.S. Army, Dan Stagg fell afoul of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. In his late 30s, tall, and muscular, Dan is prone to violence, always upholding what he views as justice. He’s offered a great deal of money to protect the young male “secretary” of a powerful real estate broker. The vain, shallow—but most of all hot—young man’s idea of protection includes sex. Dan quickly realizes something strange is going on: he’s being used as a shield for a much more sinister operation and must chose between easy money and sex or the ideals that he embodied in the Army. Why should he do the right thing—particularly when the army betrayed him? The Hardest Thing is a sexy gay mystery as only James Lear can write it: filled with lots of gay sexual encounters, romance, sweat, violence, and conspiracy.

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