Review - The Thomas Flair by E.J. Russell

Sol and Tony have been best friends since they met in gymnastics training as young teenagers. The Rio olympics should have been the culmination of their lives, even though Sol was only an alternate. After Tony wins a medal on the final day of competition, Sol plans to confess his love for the man he’s had a crush on for years. A sudden revelation makes Tony abandon the Olympic village and his friend, and embark on a career as a thrill-seeking internet sensation. Nearly four years later, Sol is on track to make the team for the next Olympics. Tony decides to rejoin the gymnastic world and stands a good chance of making the team, but can he face his old friend again and mend their relationship?

Although set in the highly competitive world of Olympic gymnastics, you don’t have to be a fan of the sport, or any sports, to enjoy this story. Fundamentally, this book is about two very driven young men, one of whom lost his way for a while but is finding his way back to the most important things in his life. The sporting backdrop provides most of the drama, as Tony and Sol work to make the team as well as build their relationship.

The point of view alternates between Tony and Sol. Sol is younger by a couple of years, but in many ways, he is the more mature of the two. That’s probably due in part to him living with Type 1 diabetes since his early teens. It has forced him to be responsible and consistent. Sol makes a good counter-balance to Tony’s brash personality.

Tony is a natural as an internet celebrity. He is also quite sympathetic as a young man who realizes he has made a big mistake that hurt the one person he cares about the most. Tony’s challenge is very understandable — after having gone so long without talking to Sol, how does he reconnect? The rebuilding relationship mirrors, in some ways, the rebuilding of the men’s gymnastics team in the run-up to the Olympics.

“The Thomas Flair” is available from Smashwords or Amazon (commissionable link).