Love Unearthed - Paperback

by Michael Hartwig (Author)

Luca always accepted that growing up in a gay family in Rome would be challenging, and that coming out as a gay man would be equally daunting. But Luca guards another secret, one that is perhaps more difficult to navigate. He has special gifts, magical ones. He can travel back in time. He has a keen sense of intuition, and his imagination is powerful. He is a wizard. So, when Luca spots a terribly delicious man in the Vatican Museums in front of an ancient Christian sarcophagus depicting Jesus as a magician (it really exists), he immediately feels a connection and knows there's something karmic in their crossing paths. Luca and Donato fall under each other's spell, two college gay men whose libido is unbridled, but they face headwinds as Donato's father is a conservative and homophobic politician. Luca begins to doubt his intuition as the relationship sours and he heads to Provincetown with his family to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of his two grandmothers, Oliver's moms. But Luca isn't the only one with relationship problems. His dads, Oliver and Giancarlo, hit a bump in the road - a confounding and unexpected development in an otherwise solid marriage. Luca, Francesco (his brother) and Oliver hit Ptown, teaming with alluring men, and prepare for Anna and Rita's party. While their sojourn on the Cape includes all the tempting treats and intrigue the resort has to offer - particularly the seductive men at Tea Dance, Boys Beach, and along Commercial Street - it's all bittersweet as Luca and his father nurse their broken hearts. The plot reaches a climax as Anna and Rita gather with friends and family to celebrate, a stark contrast to the unraveling of Oliver and Giancarlo's marriage. They wonder if the longevity of their love is an anomaly or a model for others? They glance out over the crowd and wish they could wave a wand over their family and make everything right. But they've learned to trust the chrysalis of time, the grace of the universe, and the magic of Provincetown to knot the threads that dance between their loved ones. They aren't disappointed. Secrets, ancient and modern, are uncovered, making it possible to mend hearts and rekindle affections. The story celebrates the subterranean forces that draw us together and the imagination and courage that make love endure. It is a tender coming of age tale full of love and magic, set in Rome and Provincetown. It is the third book in the Cords of Rome trilogy.