A Complement of Lovers … is an amazing book. Set in the early nineteen-sixties it transports the reader to a world of nostalgia (for one who has lived through those times) and quite masterfully makes alive the times and the struggles of a group of young adults who are learning to stand on their own two feet and to make sense of and come to terms with their inner lives, drives and uncertainties. Don has a way of making his characters come alive in such a way that it is easy to see reflected in them one’s own journey through exciting, confusing and surprising times. I marvel at his ability to make you feel that you personally know these people and can identify with them. The story, told from the point of view of a young man named Rodney, is about his inability to … sexually express himself without the fear of being rejected. Meg, who seemingly has her life together, is his deliverance. As it ends, the reader is left with a real desire to continue to follow [the lives of] this couple …and… see how things turn out. Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

5.0 out of 5 stars More Than A Love Story! Myrna Ward July 11, 2015 I found A Complement of Lovers to be a very compelling story. The central characters and their individual journeys were very well defined and portrayed in such a way that kept your interest throughout the entire book. Rodney’s search to resolve his undefined sexual feelings injects a mystery component that kept my attention to the end. This was more than a love story. It portrays the very human struggles of the human condition.
I heartedly recommend the book and have ordered the next in the series. Can’t wait for it to arrive! Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

5.0 out of 5 stars Unknown Era Grasshopper July 11, 2015 A Complement of Lovers is a book of self discovery. Rod and Meg uncover themselves, as much as circumstances allow and what makes them tic as they travel the roads of life together. The author invites the reader to embark on self reflection. Who am I as male? Who am I as female? What programming have I received from my parents, from society, and from social upbringing that is valuable and what needs to be discarded? Because of this, Rod and Meg deal with many struggles in their lives, marriage, sex, death, confusion, career. Will Rod and Meg ever figure out who they are? This is a personal question that each must answer, myself included. Hop in for the journey. You might discover more about yourself in the process. Format: Kindle Edition

5.0 out of 5 stars A tale of an innocent lover Nick November 15, 2013 This amazing love story took me back to the 1960s when young people like Rodney and Meg were struggling in a vacuum to come to grips with who they were and what kind of lives they wanted to lead. Their innocence and naivete accurately reflect how things were in a time when it wasn’t polite to speak realistically about sex.

This novel features gripping characters and a story that compels the reader to stick with an inventive plot to the last page. I was expecting a gay story, as the author is known for writing realistic tales of gay life, but his successful shift to a straight love story was both a surprise and a delight. Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

5.0 out of 5 stars A change of pace Carlton Kirby July 2, 2013 For readers familiar with Don’s previous work, this one book will definitely be a change of pace.
It introduces us to a couple of great new characters and carries us along on a rather interesting journey through part of their life. I can’t wait to see the new chapter and what is in store for them! Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique and touching love story Naqshi May 21, 2013 Change of genre, from short stories to novel, not an easy task for a writer. In “Complement of Lovers”, his first ever novel, he maintains same standards, set in his previous short stories books.

This great touching love story revolves around two characters Rodney and Meg and is about fascinating theater life of Sixties, on and off the stage. Rodney, a young man, is unable to resolve his dilemma, “What does he want in love” even after making several dates with different girls. Meg, a strong and confident young girl, my favorite character of this novel, despite facing hardships of life, stands tall.

Complement of Lovers is a unique, unusual and one of its own kind love story, looked slow in start but picked the pace soon and gripped me as I turned over page after page. In the end, I just felt being an audience in theater, watching this love story on stage. A great read for those who are always eager to read love stories. Format: Paperback

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book Sandra/SD April 12, 2013 This book is a well written story that takes one into the art of acting, the theatre and the lives of it’s players. Well worth reading! Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect book for the Mad Men set! Halle Eavelyn “Writer Guru” April 4, 2013 If you’re tired of getting your fix of the 1960s in just an hour a week on Mad Mad, this is the perfect book for you. Set in DC during the Camelot years, the book takes you deep into the world of the local theatre scene and deeper into the minds of the heroine – a woman with a mind of her own – and its anti-hero, a self-absorbed good guy who seems to just want to get laid but underneath is asking all the hard questions. It truly captures the feel of the era – set as it is not only at Arena Stage but also in the restaurants, nightclubs and jazz clubs of Washington DC, and gives terrific insight into the experiences of the times – now quaint and other-worldly. Further, it captures the scent of both the singles scene and the closeted lives of those who are not what they appear to be. A terrific read! Format: Paperback

5.0 out of 5 stars extra thrill Jaap Cové April 3, 2013 I loved reading A Complement of Lovers, just as I loved watching Revolutionary Road with DiCaprio, because it’s that sentiment that I got from it. Don Schecter took me along with him to an era just before my time that I nevertheless somehow recognize and am nostalgic about. Excellent story, love the theatre stuff, and very cleverly written. Brody is a character that you can only love, because he shows how he needs that extra thrill to enjoy having sex, that’s so hard to describe, yet Don manages to do exactly that. The cover deserves a prize as well. Highly recommendable! Format: Paperback

4.0 out of 5 stars A lively depiction of more innocent times pearl lauferon March 26, 2013 This novel, in its exquisitely detailed presentation of the 60s, as seen through the eyes of an unusual product of his times, is sometimes reminiscent of Rona Jaffe’s work. Read through the lens of a modern reader, the characters’ naivete does stretch credulity some, yet there is something endearing about the two main characters that leaves you wanting to know more about them. The book also offers an honest view of theatre from behind the curtain – from the points of view of actors who have small but important parts in various productions. Book reads at a steady clip and keeps you turning the pages. Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Eugene Allison, Aug 8, 2012… picked up your new novel and thought I’ll make 3 nights reading with it. …I began the book and it mesmerized me … I read it in one sitting and loved it.