Dane Connelly is an optimistic guy, even if his outlook on life is very simple.  With his job as a janitor at the local university and his career as a low level boxer, Dane has everything he needs…except a boyfriend.  Then during his rounds cleaning the university library Dane comes across the man of his dreams. Unfortunately there’s just one stumbling block – he doesn’t know the man’s name or even if he’s gay.  Still, Dane holds out, hoping that if nothing else he will end up with a new friend.

Noel Atherton leads a very structured life, tightly controlled by his father.  However, the talkative janitor brings up feelings in Noel that he does not recognize. When his father discovers their relationship a chain of events is unleashed that ends in tragedy and brings Noel and Dane closer.

The Janitor is an offbeat read that commences with an intriguing premise where Dane is a simple man in all ways possible, except sex. Noel is worldly in all ways but sex. I found it disconcerting and slightly off putting by the constant references to Dane’s lack of intelligence by everyone around him, including himself, even while highlighting his naïveté and genuine good nature.  Noel, on the other hand, does a significant change that is hard to believe as he goes from being almost asexual and completely under his father’s thumb to a rebellious and dominant sexual partner.  Still, The Janitor will serve as a sexy distraction for a day at the beach.