The title derives from a line by Quentin Crisp - "My dear, do not give your love to one of those millionaires of love. Give it to someone who really needs it."
This little witticism aptly sums up the alluring Radomir, who has a sexual energy that captivates both men and women in equal measure.
Anyone who has suffered from the agonies of romantic obsession and unrequited love will empathize with Nevis, the protagonist of David Leddick's new novel The Millionaire of Love. In Nevis's beloved Radomir, Leddick accurately depicts the charming, selfish, beautiful young men who lend so many of our lives both delight and despair. Composed of shifting viewpoints and tones, set in locales as varied as Paris, Crete, the Loire Valley, Turin, Miami, and Sandusky, Ohio, this novel is infused with the deep regret we all must face, sooner or later, when the object of our passions proves unattainable.
- Jeff Mann, MA
Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, Virginia Tech
This moody and introspective novel of obsession follows the intertwined 'but not quite' relationship between the wealthy patron Nevis and his would-be charge, Radomir, an unconventional beauty thirty years younger.
But this is no modern-day Death in Venice; Nevis is far too self-aware of his history with men, and that history forms part of this contemplative novel. Radomir, on the other hand, becomes more than the unattainable prize, the heartbreaker, the 'millionaire of love, ' as we see how he has carefully constructed himself over time.
Nevis and Radomir spend the years spinning through each other's orbits, changing each other's lives as they dissect their own. Leddick deftly characterizes each of them as well as minor characters, and gives Nevis and Radomir the authentic voices that carry the book.
--Jonathan Cohen
Author of Bear Like Me
Leddick deftly chronicles the inexhaustible love Nevis has for Radomir, the object of his obsession--complete with hot back massages and erotic fantasies. Readers will find this book much like Nevis finds Radomir--sexy, fascinating, and utterly irresistible.
--Gary M. Kramer
Author of Independent Queer Cinema:
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The "millionaire of love" is richly loved and desired, yet he is unable or unwilling to return the favor. That doesn't stop him from taking advantage of the one who unselfishly loves and cares for him the most.
In his most recent novel, David Leddick creates a tapestry of feeling and unfilled desires that is unsettlingly familiar, a mosaic of introspection and inner conflict that is compelling and stunningly beautiful. Leddick aptly explores the overlapping contours of undying passion and never-ending obsession, of heroic persistence and dreaded folly that any of us can fall victim to when faced with unrequited love.
Passionate, unrelenting, obsessive, and beautiful, The Millionaire of Love will capture your heart.
--David M. Pierce Author of Elf Child
