We all want what we cannot have. Recognition is craved by those denied it. Freedom becomes treasured when it is prohibited. Love feels urgent when it is forbidden. In Twenty Years Together (2026), Tom Rob Smith walks us through this paradoxical journey of Danny and Luis, whose twenty-year relationship has blossomed, despite having been restricted by one thing so far—the potential to marry. Now that this barrier is broken by the legalisation of same-sex marriages, Danny longs to spend another twenty years with Luis, only this time as a married couple. The novel unravels the tapestry of emotions that interfere with their relationship following Danny’s proposal. Perhaps, we all wish for a wedding but are we all prepared for a marriage?

Honest and sensitive, Twenty Years Together begs the question: why do we marry? Some because it is the right thing to do, some because it is expected of them and some because they couldn’t before. Throughout the novel, Luis questions what marriage is meant to offer him and Danny. Is this marriage supposed to make the love grow more? Is it supposed to legitimise their relationship to the world? Is the relationship not enough as is? What is expected of the marriage? Rather than offering a straight answer, the author explores these questions through a contemplative journey that lays bare each character’s hidden obstacles. Both characters are defined by their past selves, particularly, Luis’s insecurities surrounding his sexuality and history. The novel is especially effective in communicating both viewpoints with sensitivity. The third-person narrative grants readers insight into conflicting perspectives. Danny’s desperate desire for marriage and Luis’s hesitation to carry that label is presented in a layered manner, carefully unpacking the complexities of their motivations.

Perhaps Danny may be pushing for too much. He is hellbent on this wedding being ideal and conventional—enough for their relationship to be admired, acknowledged and celebrated. While Danny has struggled with being too intense it is possible that this marriage could simply be his desire to celebrate their relationship in a way that was not available to him before. The novel examines the emotional effects of marginalisation with remarkable nuance. Rather than highlighting overt homophobia Smith instead dissects how years of misunderstandings and subtle exclusions can shape one’s self-acceptance and sense of belonging. Danny’s need to prove that Luis is his life companion does not come from doubting the love they share but from him being told that his love is somehow insufficient and required justification. As Smith perfectly grasps it, “What you have is enough, it's just that you’ve been told it isn’t.” What makes this exploration so compelling is that it is illustrated differently for each character. For Danny, the lasting scars of marginalisation manifest through his desire for validation and certainty. Contrastingly, for Luis, they emerge through the habit of living for others and withholding the most vulnerable parts of himself. The author implies that these wounds don’t disappear merely through acceptance of identity but linger around. This understanding is precisely what gives the novel its emotional weight.  

Smith beautifully narrates both characters reconciling with their pasts, their families and the things they’ve kept concealed. The proposal does not only help them fix what is broken but also portrays the idea that true mutual recognition, supersedes the love they share. Twenty years ago, Luis believed that no one could love him more than Danny. Now, twenty years later, he believes no one can know him more than Danny. We see both characters grow as they confront the challenges thrown their way with honesty and understanding. This novel investigates love and all that must come with it to make it last.