Not only are these overtly referenced throughout, in Will's dialog, but the story is constructed in exactly the same manner.

This book makes a lot more sense if you're a fan of classic Hollywood films 1930-1969. To be happy, Charlie will have to put his shattered heart in Will’s hands and invite him to stay. Charlie wants Will more with each moment they spend together, but to have him, he’ll have to risk the security of his quiet life. He’s never stayed long with one person, either. But Will has never stayed in one place for long. Someone like Charlie, older, educated, kind and loving, in pain and achingly lonely, obviously wouldn’t want to keep Will around, much less let Will fuss over him, so he goes for what he thinks he can get, and makes it clear he’d like Charlie to be his new daddy.Ĭharlie discovers it’s a role that suits him perfectly because Will needs care, and Charlie loves to give it. Beneath the flirtatious exterior, Will has been looking for home since he was kicked out as a teen, and views the soft romances of old black-and-white movies as something he will never be able to have. To Charlie’s surprise, lively, sexy Will does his best to get invited into Charlie’s apartment and then doesn’t seem to want to leave. That is, until a classic-film-loving twink named Will moves into the apartment across from him and throws flirtatious quotes from classic movies at him from his balcony.

He’s fine with his books and his cat, and sees his future as one without a partner by his side. He takes care of his family, friends, neighbors-everyone but himself. After an accident left him in chronic pain and his boyfriend abandoned him, Charlie Howard settled down to teach at a community college and hide from the world in his apartment.

Play It Again, Charlie by R. Cooper