Brian and Lee's long friendship defied the norms in many ways; not the least of which was the unspoken rule (applicable to escorts and clients alike) that "The advice that you will find on the web for someone thinking of calling an escort is that you should never call an escort if you're looking for a friend. An escort should not think of a client as a friend."
The big question that remains is: "Is it possible then to go from an escort-client relationship to a relationship of best friends and for that new relationship to last?"
If Brian and Lee's experience is any indicator, the answer is a resounding "yes," and their memoir tells of this transformation and how it happened.
As readers absorb the world of gay escorts and their clients, those whose experience lies outside this milieu learn much about the escort business and its possibilities and unwritten rules.
From Lee's struggle with a dyslexia he didn't know he had until it was diagnosed when he reached adulthood and his entry into escorting to resolve his ongoing financial issues to how he was initially controlled by older man Patrick, who made sure his contacts consisted of unattractive men, the story winds through Lee's experience and then Brian's life.
Each receives equal attention as Brilee surveys how they entered into the escort world from different backgrounds and expectations, their encounters with each other, and the elements that would build an unexpectedly long-lasting friendship.
Also included in the story is the background of Britain, the ravages of AIDS and its social and psychological effects on the gay community, and shared experiences in travel and social encounters which were initially tempered by caution: "It was difficult at first for Lee to believe that Brian was someone he could trust, someone who really loved him and would always care about him."
One might expect a romance with such connections, but another special note to the story is that Brian and Lee are loving best friends. This operates outside of a love relationship and raises questions of identifying partners and best friends separately, and how a best friend can exist alongside and within a partnership or marriage relationship.
Gay Escort and Client to Best Friends for Life ultimately considers the roles and influences on connections between friends, what makes for a long-term friendship, and how that differs from a love relationship.
These questions and more, set against the backdrop of evolving friendships, relationships, and experiences, make Gay Escort and Client to Best Friends for Life a standout not only in LBGTQ literature; but for anyone interested in how close relationships are maintained, evolve, and grow against all odds.
It should be noted that Alexander Brilee is a pseudonym for the two authors of this dual memoir. It was written together by Brian and Lee, which are pseudonyms used throughout.
Any library strong in memoirs, LBGTQ literature, or probes of friendships and lifelong connections will want to add Gay Escort and Client to Best Friends for Life to their collection.
- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
LBGTQ readers interested in memoirs of love, friendship, and growth will find Alexander Brilee's Gay Escort and Client to Best Friends for Life: A True Story embraces the full flavors of experience of gay lifestyle and friendship story. It's a read especially recommended for those who look for the added touch of different perspectives—a rare format for a memoir to take.
Brian and Lee's long friendship defied the norms in many ways; not the least of which was the unspoken rule (applicable to escorts and clients alike) that "The advice that you will find on the web for someone thinking of calling an escort is that you should never call an escort if you're looking for a friend. An escort should not think of a client as a friend."
The big question that remains is: "Is it possible then to go from an escort-client relationship to a relationship of best friends and for that new relationship to last?"
If Brian and Lee's experience is any indicator, the answer is a resounding "yes," and their memoir tells of this transformation and how it happened.
As readers absorb the world of gay escorts and their clients, those whose experience lies outside this milieu learn much about the escort business and its possibilities and unwritten rules.
From Lee's struggle with a dyslexia he didn't know he had until it was diagnosed when he reached adulthood and his entry into escorting to resolve his ongoing financial issues to how he was initially controlled by older man Patrick, who made sure his contacts consisted of unattractive men, the story winds through Lee's experience and then Brian's life.
Each receives equal attention as Brilee surveys how they entered into the escort world from different backgrounds and expectations, their encounters with each other, and the elements that would build an unexpectedly long-lasting friendship.
Also included in the story is the background of Britain, the ravages of AIDS and its social and psychological effects on the gay community, and shared experiences in travel and social encounters which were initially tempered by caution: "It was difficult at first for Lee to believe that Brian was someone he could trust, someone who really loved him and would always care about him."
One might expect a romance with such connections, but another special note to the story is that Brian and Lee are loving best friends. This operates outside of a love relationship and raises questions of identifying partners and best friends separately, and how a best friend can exist alongside and within a partnership or marriage relationship.
Gay Escort and Client to Best Friends for Life ultimately considers the roles and influences on connections between friends, what makes for a long-term friendship, and how that differs from a love relationship.
These questions and more, set against the backdrop of evolving friendships, relationships, and experiences, make Gay Escort and Client to Best Friends for Life a standout not only in LBGTQ literature; but for anyone interested in how close relationships are maintained, evolve, and grow against all odds.
It should be noted that Alexander Brilee is a pseudonym for the two authors of this dual memoir. It was written together by Brian and Lee, which are pseudonyms used throughout.
Any library strong in memoirs, LBGTQ literature, or probes of friendships and lifelong connections will want to add Gay Escort and Client to Best Friends for Life to their collection.