Valuing Only Us

by Cory Desmond Wolfe

Overview

In a high-stakes game of wealth and power, ambition can be a dangerous game. When two young men find themselves entangled in a web of manipulation, will their dreams of success lead to triumph or heartbreak?

Ted Sullivan, a former farm boy turned top wealth advisor, and Alec Young, a privileged heir seeking his own identity, find themselves entangled in a high-stakes game at Kauffman Schwartz. As they rise through the ranks at the investment bank, their secret romance fuels their ambition to create a revolutionary new company. But when Ted is snubbed for an Innovator Award and Alec's manipulative relationship with the daughter of a wealthy investor threatens their bond, both their relationship and moral integrity are at stake.

Haunted by their past traumas, Ted must confront his fears and learn to assert himself against toxic colleagues, while Alec grapples with the weight of his father's expectations. As they exploit connections and manipulate their way to success, they risk losing everything: their company, their relationship, and their very souls.

In a world where loyalty is tested and ambition can lead to ruin, will their love be enough to save them, or will their dreams turn into nightmares?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798991301800
Publisher:	Self
Publication date:	01/22/2025
Pages:	306
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Cory earned his B.S. at W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. He works in finance. Despite his career taking a business turn, his true passion is storytelling, and the way stories are told and presented. He lives in Idaho with his husband and cuddly felines.

Editorial Reviews

2024-10-17
In Wolfe’s novel, friends and partners dive headfirst into the fierce corporate world to realize their dream of starting their own company.

When investment bank Kauffman Schwartz passes out innovator awards, wealth advisor Ted Sullivan goes home empty-handed. The plan had been for both Ted and his friend, investment banker Alec Young, to win in their respective divisions at the Arizona company; that would have been a great selling point for their future private equity firm, Sullivan Young, which has been their dream since they met six years earlier as KS interns. They’ve also been lovers for some time but have kept their romance a secret. (While Ted is openly gay, Alec hides his own sexuality from his conservative family, which includes an abusive father.) Complicating matters, Alec is also dating Emma Peterson, whom he’s using to get access to her “consulting titan” dad—this is another element of Ted and Alec’s long-term strategy to get investments for Sullivan Young. The two are fully aware that they may have to resort to cutthroat means, such as when handling Ted’s colleague, the “innovator” who wins and flaunts the award that Ted wants. Most of the people surrounding them are just as ruthlessly ambitious as they lie, deceive, and sometimes commit outright crimes. In many instances, when Ted and Alec feel as if everything is on track, something unexpected throws them off course. But when one particular event forces them to accelerate their plan, there’s no turning back; either their dream will become a reality or they’ll lose it all.

Wolfe effectively develops two strong leads. They come from drastically different backgrounds: Ted grew up on an Oklahoma farm and Alec’s father runs a successful business selling industrial machinery. At times, they seem avaricious; Sullivan Young focuses on green energy not to benefit the environment but because “there is money to be made in alternative energy.” But these two, who clearly love one another, are more devious than malicious, and many of the sneaky things they do are in response to someone else’s arguably worse offense. (That, however, may change as they move closer to their goal.) While Alec has suffered hardships in his past, the portrayal of Ted feels more intimate, exemplified by his first-person narration alternating with Alec’s third-person perspective. (Ted is haunted by a dark secret that gradually comes to light, and he struggles to overcome self-esteem issues.) Although many of the characters are unsavory, especially in the latter half, two are welcome exceptions: Ted’s ever-sympathetic cousin Dana and Alec’s warmhearted younger sister Alice. The author rounds out the narrative with memorable visual descriptions, as when he equates relief with “witnessing the emergency helicopter swoosh in after being stranded on a mountaintop, inundated by spiteful snakes and cold-blooded reptiles.” This all leads to a final act and an ending that readers won’t likely forget anytime soon.

An uncompromising and engrossing tale of striving for success among greedy opportunists.

Kirkus Reviews