My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In 1969, idealistic hippie Gary Fairchild lives for love, protest, and the promise of peace. When he invites Richard Ronsman—a closeted, conflicted farm boy facing deployment to Vietnam—to join him at Woodstock, neither expects the three-day festival to change their lives. Amid rain, music, and emotional vulnerability, the two forge a deep bond that defies their differences. As Richard heads to war, their connection survives through letters and longing. And when he returns for Christmas, a simple angel ornament becomes a symbol of hope, healing, and the enduring power of love in the face of fear.
I loved this story which was a deeply emotional journey through cultural upheaval, personal awakening, and the enduring power of love in the face of war. I loved that Gary embodied the spirit of the 1960s counterculture—peace, protest, and emotional freedom—while Richard represented the pressure to conform: to family expectations, masculine ideals, and patriotic duty. Their connection challenged these binaries, showing how love can bridge ideological divides and offer a third path: authenticity. I liked that their relationship unfolded under the shadow of war, making every moment urgent and precious. The theme of love in wartime highlighted how connection becomes a lifeline—how letters, memories, and small tokens (like the angel ornament) carry emotional weight when time and distance threaten to sever bonds. I also loved that three days in the mud shouldn’t be enough to change a life—but for Gary and Richard, it was. The story explored how brief, intense experiences can leave permanent emotional imprints, and how love doesn’t need longevity to be profound—it needs truth. Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.
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