Book Review: Nate and the New Yorker by Kevin Klehr

Cameron has it all. He’s rich, lives in Manhattan, and even has a cross-dressing butler. But then he meets Nate, an Australian who’s bitter about love. Cameron is determined to turn this realist into a dreamer by sharing his world of classy restaurants, Broadway shows and fabulous parties. And while Nate’s friends see the makings of a fantasy romance, it’s Nate who has to learn that in order to open his heart, he has to face a painful secret.

The premise of this book seemed interesting when I first read the synopsis. Seeing opposites work through and embrace their differences is a storyline I often enjoy. Unfortunately, the lack of chemistry between the main characters, the abundant exposition and the eventual twist at the end left me a little disappointed. 

I can definitely see what the author was trying to do in the portrayal of Cameron and Nate. Cameron comes from a life of luxury who has the ability and resources to be a dreamer. Nate, on the other hand, grew up modestly and works as a waiter in his friend's cafe, so he's much more realistic about life in general. However, both characters ended up being unlikable, Nate moreso than Camerson, in my eyes. While Cameron is a braggart, Nate acted as though nothing was good unless he had some control over it. When Cameron treats Nate to a trip to New York, Nate does nothing but complain the whole time because he feels he needs to pay his own way. Cameron makes it clear that it's his treat and he just wants to spoil the man he likes. That's still not good enough. Nate makes every excuse he can to make his point and it became tedious after a while.

Then there's Nate's ex. I don't want to give too much away concerning him, but while reading, I often wondered why he was so prominent in Nate's life and why in the world they broke up at all since they seemed so good together. You'll have to read the book to find out exactly why their relationship fell apart.

All in all, this was a good effort by the author, but it just did not work for me.

               The author provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Buy Links
Wilde City Press | Amazon

~ M