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Reviews
5 Big Stars for DADDY'S MONEY
Sayen Homet is a young Muslim man, working his way
through Stanford Medical School as best he can. His mother
already sacrificed considerably to get him to America, and
could not help him pay for school, so Sayen found another
way: hooking up with an older man, his secret Sugar Daddy.
When Sayen meets Campbell Reardon, another med student
with whom he feels an instant - and lustful - connection.
Campbell is also rich, and is more than willing to support
Sayen financially, so he ends his arrangement with the
older man. As the young couple continues to date, Sayen is
brought to meet Campbell's parents, and learns that his
former "Sugar Daddy" is Campbell's father!
One would think the story ends there, but that's really
just the start of the action, as various emotions,
prejudices and grudges surface on the part of the young
couple, Campbell's father (who is still in love with Sayen
himself), Campbell's mother (who doesn't sit well with the
news of her husband's affair), and sister Halle (who is
pregnant with her Muslim boyfriend's baby.) It's a roller
coaster ride, well-written and engaging in the hands of
one of my favorite authors. Don't miss it! Five stars out
of five.
- Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
Rainbow Reviews gives 5 Stars
This is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever
read. I picked it up and finished it in just over three
hours because I simply could not put it down. At its end,
I had tears in my eyes and I don’t know if it is because
the story was so lovely or because it is so well written.
I highly recommend this brilliant multicultural,
contemporary male/male romance novel. Stunning in its
ability to be both simple and complex, Mr. Chin captures
the nuances of the Muslim lifestyle and that of the
wealthily political family with equal aplomb, instilling
the story with thorough, emotional passages that give
great depth to both the lead characters, Sayen the Muslim
medical student and Campbell the wealthy son of a judge,
and the supporting cast alike.
Impoverished, but brilliant, medical student Sayen stays
abreast of his tuition fees because he has a wealthy,
albeit secret and married, sugar daddy as a lover.
Well-to-do fellow med student, Campbell, has repeatedly
made advances to him and is slowly wearing him down. He is
attracted to Campbell whom he has much in common with and
who is his own age. Plus there would be no need to hide a
relationship with Campbell, but realistically Sayen cannot
give up his entire medical future simply for a
relationship. Without the money to finish his education,
his promise to his mother will be broken and his plans to
help others won’t pan out.
All bets are off when Campbell seduces him one evening,
confessing love and offering to foot his bills. Forced to
make a decision and realizing that what he feels for
Campbell is growing ever stronger, Sayen breaks up with
his sugar daddy and the two students become live-in
lovers.
The subsequent trip home to meet Campbell’s parents rivals
the 1967 movie “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” in charm,
humor, and complexity.
Never straying from the escalating romance between the two
leads, the novel holds a wealth of equally powerful tales
concerning family dynamics, secrets, and the fears that
bind. Magical and powerful, each chapter of the book held
me in throes of anticipation and read like an entire story
on its own. Alan Chin utilizes evocative atmosphere,
emotional subtlety, and brilliant characterization to
convey a beautifully moving story in a concise, extremely
captivating manner. I found myself rereading entire
passages simply for the ripple of delight I felt at the
wordplay. Realistic and heartwarming, with an excellent
attention to detail, dazzling lovemaking scenes, and a
fantastic supporting cast, the book is a treasure hiding
behind a rather humorous and pimped out cover.
Upon reaching its end, I was smiling even as a tear rolled
down my cheek. I realized that I held something truly rare
and precious in my hands… a male/male romance novel that
I, for one, will savor again and again. Thank you, Alan
Chin, for sharing this poignant and enthralling tale; I’m
off to find your other books.
- Rainbow Reviews
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Excerpt
Campbell Reardon watched a woman’s
face, red and dripping with sweat, scrunch into a mask of
pure agony. Her breathing became loud, frantic, crescendoing
into a scream. “Oh God! What’s happening?” Her panting
accelerated, wet sobbing breaths on the verge of
hyperventilation. She leaned back on the table with a sheet
draped over her elevated knees.
Her husband held her hand, stroking her forehead. “Breathe,
sweetheart. Concentrate.”
The woman’s moans built into another scream.
On the far side of the room, Nurse Peggy Warren prepared
bathwater and blankets. She had a bird’s narrow lips,
bottle-red hair with forties-era bangs, and a Carolina
accent that always sounded slightly pretentious. Beside
Campbell, crusty old Dr. Crill studied his wristwatch,
timing the pains. Campbell was feeling his usual sting
of resentment that came whenever he had to work with Dr.
Crill. The dinosaur should have retired when I was in
diapers. He was convinced that the reason Crill treated him
with disdain was not the fact that he was a handsome
twenty-six-year-old with wavy blond hair, perfect teeth, and
brimming with life, but rather that everything about
Campbell spelled money—manners, posture, grooming.
Everything except the nervous expression he could feel on
his face at that moment.
“Late again,” Crill snapped. “How many times have I warned
him?”
Crill glared at Campbell with hard, unfathomable eyes until
good manners forced Campbell to look away. He turned his
head to stare out a bank of windows overlooking Stanford
campus, but what caught his attention was a moth with
squiggly yellow markings on its wings battering itself
against the inside of the windowpane.
“I’m sure he’s only moments away, Dr. Crill.” Campbell
continued to watch the moth, somehow hoping it would find a
way back outside, to break free and ride the wind. He
yearned for a miracle, and he knew that his desire had more
to do with Sayen than the moth.
The woman in labor screamed again as agony arched her back
off the table.
“Be strong, sweetheart,” her husband crooned. “Breathe
deeply.”
She reached up and slapped her husband’s face once, twice.
She tried for a hat trick but he pulled out of her reach.
“Don’t tell me to breathe you turd… DO SOMETHING! Make them
give me the fucking shot!”
“We have plenty of time here,” Dr. Crill said to Campbell.
“I’ll be at the nurse’s station checking on other patients.
Send the nurse for me if the baby crowns.”
Campbell nodded.
“And Campbell, if Sayen is not here by the time I return,
I’m washing him out of the program. We take medicine
seriously on this campus, and that means showing up on time,
every time.”
“We don’t know what’s keeping him,” Campbell snapped, his
anger leaping into the red zone. “It could be an emergency.”
The expression on Crill’s face revealed he did not like the
tone the conversation had taken. He closed his eyes,
obviously trying to determine if he was over reacting. “What
do you think he’d prefer, Campbell, washing out of the
program or setting him back a year?”
Campbell turned his attention to the windows. The moth still
battered itself against the glass. “Are those the only
choices, killing his dream or throwing him deeper into debt
and delaying graduation by a year? Well, thanks. I’m sure
he’ll be humbled with gratitude.”
Crill’s eyes narrowed as they followed Campbell’s stare to
the window. “As well he should be. Few people get to
choose.” He stood silent, no doubt waiting for a proper,
reverential response. When none came he said, “Very well.”
Crill picked a pad of paper from a nearby table, strolled to
the window, lifted the pad, and smashed the moth.
Campbell willed his face into neutral as his anger turned
into shame, which stemmed less from ingratitude than from
the dangerous way he had allowed himself to reveal his
contempt when it could have been so easily concealed. That
was a weakness that could get him drummed out of medical
school, and he vowed never to allow himself that response
again. His only hope of becoming a doctor was to placate
Crill and all the other arrogant bastards like him in a
self-effacing manner. And that I will do, no matter what.
Campbell’s chest squeezed tight. His lungs labored and his
eyes watered. He reached into his pocket for his inhaler and
lifted it to his mouth. One squirt brought sweet relief, and
that helped calm him.
As Dr. Crill breezed out the doorway, another wave of pain
rocked the patient. She grabbed her husband by the
shirt-collar and squeezed. He fought to suck air into his
lungs. As the pain rolled away, the husband pulled back,
gasping for breath. He staggered to Campbell and clutched
his arm. “Doc, you gotta give her that shot.”
Campbell glanced at the doorway, thinking he should probably
go after Crill, but clearly not wanting to. “I wish I could,
Mr. Bishop, but I’m a student here. I’m not allowed to
administer drugs without a doctor’s supervision.”
“There must be something you can do. I mean, look at her.
She’s in agony!”
Mr. Bishop clenched Campbell’s arm so tight he was in pain
himself. Campbell could feel beads of sweat breaking onto
his forehead. “Dr. Crill will be back any second. As soon as
he’s here, I’ll administer the shot. I promise.”
Another scream sent Mr. Bishop back to his wife’s side to
dab her forehead with a damp cloth.
Nurse Peggy turned on Campbell like an attack dog. “Her
pains are under a minute. I’ll get Dr. Crill.”
Campbell rushed to put himself between Nurse Peggy and the
door. He held out a hand to stop her. “We have to wait for
Sayen,” he choked. He gave himself another blast from his
inhaler.
The patient’s groans were constant. Her screams grew razor
sharp. “Please, Doc,” Mr. Bishop pleaded, “do something.”
“I’m not making that poor woman suffer another second,”
Nurse Peggy snapped.
“Peggy, no. Please don’t!”
“Screw Sayen!” She hurled past Campbell and jerked open the
door, but then froze by what she saw in the corridor.
Campbell cocked his head to the left so he could see out the
doorway, and what seemed to fill the long hallway was Sayen
on his skateboard, flying toward them like a charging bull.
“Hold the door,” Sayen yelled only moments before he
rocketed into the delivery room. He leaned back on the
board, screeching to a halt, then popped the board up and
caught it with expertlike ease.
Sayen returned Nurse Peggy’s glare as the ends of his mouth
lifted. “Hey, Pickles, you look more sour every time I see
you. Lighten up and enjoy life.”
“Stop calling me that.”
Campbell stepped close to Sayen, and as he did, he felt that
familiar weakness come to his chest, that feeling of
awkwardness he always felt around this beautiful man. Sayen
had a long face, bushy eyebrows suspended above deep-set
eyes, the suggestion of a moustache set over impossibly thin
lips, and a prominent Adam’s apple that constantly battled
against his starched collar. “Crill is ready to wash you
out. I’ve been stalling for time.”
Sayen grabbed Campbell’s wrist and turned it to check the
face on Campbell’s Rolex. “I’m exactly on time.”
Campbell felt the heat from Sayen’s fingers on his wrist. He
was always amazed at how this lovely man generated so much
energy, as if he held an entire universe of burning life
deep within, a brilliant comet streaking across an empty
sky. “On time for Crill means ten minutes early. You know
that.”
Another scream from the patient sent Nurse Peggy hurrying
out the doorway.
“We both know that decrepit boob can’t even see his watch,”
Sayen spat. “This has nothing to do with being late, and
everything to do with him being a homophobic swine.”
“No argument there.” Yes, Campbell knew the truth of it all
too well, and he felt a wave of admiration for this Muslim
man who had the courage to be completely out. He also felt a
tiny twinge of shame for not having the same pluck. In
Sayen’s excited state, he had yet to let go of Campbell’s
wrist. “If you’re timing my pulse, let me assure you, now
that you’re here my heart rate has doubled.”
Sayen dropped Campbell’s arm. “We better scrub up before
Pickles comes back dragging that knuckle scraper.”
They walked to the sink, rolled up the sleeves of their lab
coats, and, side by side, soaped and scrubbed.
Campbell felt waves of coziness. He seldom had the chance to
be this close to Sayen. He could feel the energy radiating
from him, and that warm strength comforted him. He nudged
closer, but Sayen moved further away.
“Have dinner with me tonight,” Campbell said in a low voice.
Sayen glanced up, lifting one eyebrow. “You know I’m in a
relationship.”
“Ah yes, the mystery man. Nobody believes he’s real.”
Sayen rinsed his hands. “He’s real alright. He just travels
in different social circles.”
“He’s married?”
“Fuck off.” Sayen grabbed a towel and dried his hands. He
turned his back on Campbell and slipped on rubber gloves.
Campbell cast his towel aside and lifted a glove. “I’d show
you off regardless if I had a wife. Don’t you think you
deserve better than that?” He stared into Sayen’s eyes. It
never failed to amaze him that a man of North African
ancestry, with thick, jet-black hair on his head and fine
hair covering his arms, would have eyes the color of the
sea. But then a purple spot below Sayen’s lips caught his
attention. “You have a smudge of jam on your chin.”
Sayen held up his gloved hands, hesitating. Campbell felt a
burning desire to lean forward and lick that sweet jelly off
that bronzed skin, but instead he pulled a white,
monogrammed handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to
Sayen. He smiled. “Keep it.”
Sayen hesitated again, until Campbell said, “It’s only a
hankie, not an engagement ring.” Sayen dropped his head,
taking the handkerchief and cleaning his chin, then he
slipped it into his pocket. He glanced at the patient, at
her spread legs. His head jerked back to Campbell, a mask of
panic etched his face.
“What’s wrong,” Campbell whispered.
“That’s my undergraduate-English teacher, Miss Bishop.
Jesus, I can’t do this.” He pulled the white handkerchief
from his pocket and dabbed his forehead, leaving a faint
line of purple.
In the three years that Campbell had known Sayen, this was
the first time he had ever seen the man so unnerved. He laid
a calming hand at the back of Sayen’s neck, gentling him
like an unbroken colt. “I thought you’d jump at the chance
to rip the guts out of a homophobic Bishop.”
“This is no joke. She and I were really close. I can’t deal
with her like this.”
“You can’t walk away from the people you care for, Sayen.
She’s a woman in pain, and we’re going to help her bring new
life into the world. Just focus on the baby.”
Sayen glanced at her spread legs again as sweat beaded on
his forehead. “Shit, it’s crowning. What should we do?”
Campbell shrugged his shoulders. “You’re going to deliver a
baby, what else?” He walked to the patient’s spread legs and
lifted the sheet higher. He moved to Mrs. Bishop’s side and
took her hand. He nodded to the husband, then to her. “Looks
like someone is anxious to see its parents. It won’t be long
now.”
Gloved and masked, Sayen advanced on Mrs. Bishop’s spread
legs, but then he froze.
Campbell, aware that his friend’s distress had deepened,
came to his aid. “What now?”
“There’s blood oozing out.”
“For Christsake, move over.” Campbell shoved Sayen aside and
bent between the patient’s legs. Mrs. Bishop’s constant
cries could shatter glass, but Campbell stayed calm, working
to support the baby’s head as the tiny body emerged into the
world. “Mrs. Bishop, I need you to push now. Push as hard as
you can.”
Sayen turned away as more blood appeared. He continued to
dab his face with the handkerchief, which became completely
damp.
“You owe me dinner for this,” Campbell said over his
shoulder, “and I’m hungry for sushi.”
Sayen leaned over the sink but managed to hold his stomach
down. He glanced up at his image in the mirror and visibly
tried to pull himself together. “You know I can’t afford
sushi. How about Mickey D’s?”
Campbell shook his head, secretly please that he had gotten
a dinner commitment out of this lovely man. “My dime. Sushi
To Die For on 3rd Avenue, seven-thirty. And don't be late.”
Campbell pulled the baby away from the mother. “It’s a girl,
Mrs. Bishop,” he said, holding it up for the parents to see.
Campbell held the infant while Sayen cut and tied the cord.
They stood together at the foot of the bed while Campbell
tried coaxing the baby into breathing. It didn’t respond.
“Slap it’s butt,” Sayen hissed.
Campbell shook his head. “We don’t do that any more. That
was covered in one of the many classes you missed.”
“Fine, Mister Adorkable, do something!”
On her own, the baby balled her tiny fingers into fists and
let out a cry that let the whole room know she was a
fighter.
Relief swept through Campbell. He held that tiny bundle of
bawling life in his hands as he gazed into Sayen’s fatally
blue eyes, and he felt something pass between them,
something so warm and natural it felt, well…loving. There
was no other word for it. Caught in the wonder of seeing new
life emerge into the universe, so frail and so dependent on
him, he felt his infatuation for Sayen blossom into
something deeper, some unknown force he could only call
love.
They moved together as if joined at the hip to the waiting
bath water, and worked as a team to fastidiously wash the
tiny, pink body. Campbell felt warmth pour from Sayen as
they fawned over the infant. It seemed as if their three
bodies became one glowing force of nature, bound by some
invisible strength. But even caught in this cocoon of
heartfelt feelings, Sayen seemed to pull back.
“I can’t believe you’re so hot to be strapped down with one
of these,” Sayen said. “I mean, they cry, keep you up all
night, cost a fortune, and they smell.”
The baby continued to cry as Campbell lifted it out of the
bathwater. “They give you unconditional love, which is
something I’m in short supply of lately.” He wrapped the
infant in a blanket and handed her to Sayen. Nuzzling into
Sayen’s protective embrace, she stopped crying. Sayen
pressed his cheek to the baby’s forehead, humming a soothing
tune.
The baby seemed to smile. Both men shared a wonder-filled
moment, drawn close to each other, with the baby between
them. They could almost kiss.
Sayen broke away from the moment to cross the room and press
the baby into its mother’s arms. Mrs. Bishop’s tears were
now joyful. She cuddled her infant, then grabbed Sayen’s
hand and pulled him toward her like a fish on a line,
kissing his cheek. A line of red moved up from Sayen’s
collar to cover his entire face.
Mrs. Bishop grabbed her husband and kissed him. “It’s a
girl. Honey, we have a baby girl. I love you. I love you so
much.”
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