Man it was hard to give this 5 stars!!! I am a total GIRL when it comes to a HEA. I don't like movies without them (ie. message in a bottle), and I don't like books without them. Well, except for this one. I really do think the book Light of day helped a little, but this story was beautiful. We watched these men fall in love, as crazy as it seems, it almost seems ok in the end. I am overlooking the end and sticking with the positive, the better to have loved and lost, than to never love at all, I am just glad I was along for the ride. Thank you Ms Brown for the book and thank you even more for the sequel for soft hearted girls like me that want everyone to be happy and loved. This is a beautiful and bittersweet tale of two men who are pushing against the boundaries of their lives, but don't quite manage to break free from them. While Max, eponymous night porter at a London hotel, is clearly quite tired of the endless cycle of one night stands with lonely guests, Robert is bound by a life of celibacy-until-heterosexual-marriage -- a life that doesn't really have room for his attraction to men. The connection between Robert and Max is palpable, and readers are constantly teased by what might be, if only they manage to break free.The writing in this novella is excellent, drawing one in from start to finish. My only real complaint is that the sex scenes, while generally hot, do seem to ignore the issue of refractory periods sometimes. While I appreciate that these guys are horny and really into each other, it does pull me out of the narrative when they're able to get it up again within minutes of orgasm. Unless the person you're writing about is Jack Harkness, I'm not buying it. Nonetheless, this is only one small complaint, and otherwise, I only have praise for this work.As part of Dreamspinner Press's "Bittersweet Dreams" line, it's no spoiler to say that this book doesn't have a happy ending -- but what I do love about it is that even though the ending isn't happy, it's not without hope. The narrative is left slightly open, allowing readers to hope that one day Max and Robert will break free of their constraints -- whether it is together, or with somebody else.
What do You think about The Night Porter (2010)?
I really enjoyed this despite the lack of an HEA. Very sexy and ya gotta love London.
—hafsy
Great read. There is no HEA but it packs a very powerful punch for a short story.
—gen
I sooo would have liked a happy-end ! But maybe it is more realistic this way..
—shishir195
