Overview
Michael Warner has been drifting in a numb haze since the death of his lover, who was killed by a drunk driver. As the anniversary of the wreck approaches, Michael’s grief grows more suffocating. Yet he must find a way through the maze of pain and secrets to live for their troubled young daughter. Out of the darkness comes a voice, a lifeline he never expected to find—Rebecca O’Neill, a development executive in the studio where he works as an electrician. Rebecca, a former celebrity left scarred from a crazed fan’s attack, has retreated from the limelight, certain no man can ever get past her disfigurement. The instant sparks between her and Michael come as a complete surprise—and so does her almost mystical bond with his daughter. For the first time, all three feel compelled to examine their scars in the light of love. But trust is hard to come by, especially when you’re not sure what to believe when you look in the mirror. The scars? Or the truth?
Synopsis
BUTTERFLY TATTOO—the story of a man, grief-stricken from the death of his male lover of 12 years, who finds himself falling in love with a woman also scarred by life—is a groundbreaking novel made timely by the headlines currently surrounding love and sexual orientation. Beautiful, lyrical, tender, it does what every great book is supposed to do: it transports the reader into other people's lives, hearts and minds. In the process, BUTTERFLY TATTOO teaches us of the universality, and boundary-free nature, of love.
Publishers Weekly
Making a compelling case for bisexuals who recognize no gender boundaries when it comes to true love, Knight's engrossing romance includes another keen twist regarding families. Michael Warner, Hollywood electrician, “quasi-queer of the somewhat straight variety,” and his cute stepdaughter, Andrea Lauren Richardson, meet Rebecca O'Neill, a former actress turned producer, after a power outage at her office. The attraction's immediate for the adults but Rebecca's assistant, Trevor, warns Rebecca that Michael is gay. Michael's grieving the loss of his partner, Dr. Alex Richardson, who died in an accident a year earlier that left Andrea with physical and emotional scars, something Rebecca understands since she also bears scars from a brutal stalker attack. Knight handles this unusual tale with admirable delicacy and adds a twist worthy of an Emmy-winning soap opera, involving paternity and surrogacy. As Michael, Rebecca, and Andrea plant new family roots, Knight's weepy and affecting story presents bisexuality as viable a concept as homosexuality or heterosexuality. (Feb.)