John Irving, In One Person (Simon & Schuster, 2012)

A brilliant novel that explores the complexities of desire and sexual identity.  The protagonist, William Abbott, grows from a naïve but unusual and courageous Vermont boy to a somewhat jaded New Yorker.  His sexuality is fluid, but so is that of many people he encounters in a rich life.  The author and the narrator are deeply sympathetic to the confusions of life.  The book is built around a wonderful portrayal of genuine friendship across genders and over time.  Sexually explicit, but for good reason.