The Lodger, That Summer

Book excerpt: It’s a hot summer Down Under and everyone’s got sex on the mind. Eighteen year-old James has had a tough year. Having lost his mom to cancer and fought through grief to finish high school, he’s now got secret desires to contend with. It’s Christmas in Sydney, and he’s ready to cast his worries aside for the summer holidays, a time of poolside parties, bush walks and ocean swims. But who is the seductive young man who’s moved into the spare room? In this steamy coming-of-age novel, James and the men around him discover transformative new desires with the power to up-end lives or, possibly, unlock a brighter future. This promising debut explicitly captures rites of passage in an era of fluid sexuality and elusive masculinity. In this short kaleidoscopic novel, four men act on new sexual desires, and in doing so, clarify who they are, who they want to be, and perhaps even what they stand for. With an authentic voice born of lived experience, Levi Huxton deftly and movingly portrays how sexual desire can lead us to come of age and re-invent ourselves, however old we may be. Finalist, 2022 Lambda Literary Awards Winner, 2022 Passionate Plume Prize "Levi Huxton offers a rare reading experience: erotic, sexy and intellectually engaging." - DNA Magazine, April 2022 9.5 out of 10 - "Erotic and honest, readers will be wrapped under the spell of the main character, who has all of the others in his grasp. Authentic characterizations remind readers that life is frequently about letting go and embarking upon new adventures. The author capably creates emotional depth, making the conclusion especially impactful. A poignant and thoughtful storyteller." - The 2021 BookLife Prize "The Lodger, That Summer is Mr. Huxton's first published work. While brief in length, it is intellectually challenging and shows great promise for the future." - Rainbow Book Reviews "The Lodger, That Summer is a captivating, sexy, gritty, complex coming-of-age story. A perfect blend of fantasy and reality, Huxton's characters are flawed and intriguing, and his writing is smooth and addictive. I can't wait to see what he writes next." - Marley Valentine, author of Without You "This book is not a romance and it is not intended to be one. It is, however, many other things. It is a highly charged erotic tale, a coming out story, a coming-of-age story, and a sexual awakening, but it also drives deeper to target and expose those hidden parts of a man's soul. It is great to have found a new voice in author Levi Huxton with this debut book. His candor creates not only a melancholy spirit to parts of the story, but also an atmosphere that is tinged with tension, anticipation, and hope."- Joyfully Jay "Refreshing and beautifully written, while gritty and erotic at the same time." - Reviews by Amos Lassen "Lush, one of my top reads of 2021. This book is not for the faint of heart. Its raw clarity is probably my favorite part." - A.M. Johnson, author of Love Always, Wild