Title: A Private Gentleman
Author: Heidi Cullinan
Genre: m/m historical romance
Print length: 252 pages
Publication date: February 14, 2012
Rating: Three Stars
Blurb: To seal their bond, they must break the ties that bind.
Painfully introverted and rendered nearly mute by a heavy stammer, Lord George Albert Westin rarely ventures any farther than the club or his beloved gardens. When he hears rumors of an exotic new orchid sighted at a local hobbyist’s house, though, he girds himself with opiates and determination to attend a house party, hoping to sneak a peek.
He finds the orchid, yes…but he finds something else even more rare and exquisite: Michael Vallant. Professional sodomite.
Michael climbed out of an adolescent hell as a courtesan’s bastard to become successful and independent-minded, seeing men on his own terms, protected by a powerful friend. He is master of his own world—until Wes. Not only because, for once, the sex is for pleasure and not for profit. They are joined by tendrils of a shameful, unspoken history. The closer his shy, poppy-addicted lover lures him to the light of love, the harder his past works to drag him back into the dark.
There’s only one way out of this tangle. Help Wes face the fears that cripple him—right after Michael finds the courage to reveal the devastating truth that binds them.
Review:
Ok, first let me tell you what was good about this. Both characters are flawed. The theme is not 'white knight and damsel in distress', which is a bit overdone. Both of these characters have a good share of human failings and the writer is skilled at presenting them. Especially the addiction one of the characters is struggling with; the frustrations and powerlessness are on the mark. Her power of description can be lovely to the point where you don't care if it's inconsistent. The story line was appealing enough to keep me reading until the end.
That said, some of the dialogue is flimsy and historically inaccurate. At one point, the book feels too long. Whether it is or isn't, the reality is beside the point. It should never 'feel' too long because the reader just might drift off and not come back. I wasn't crazy about the sex scenes; they could use some polish. The drama is a bit syrupy.
All in all, it's an entertaining read. If you can look past the imperfections, you won't be sorry you read it.
Buy it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A-Private-Gentleman-ebook/dp/B00770DHGK/ref=cm_cr-mr-img
More titles by Heidi Cullinan:
Title: Dance With Me
Author: Heidi Cullinan
Genre: m/m contemporary
Print length: 412 pages
Publication date: July 26, 2011
Overall reviewer rating: Four and a Half Stars
Blurb: Ed Maurer has bounced back, more or less, from the neck injury that permanently benched his semi-pro football career, but every time he turns around, dance instructor Laurie Parker is in his way. But when a bargain lands him as an assistant in Laurie’s ballroom dancing class, everything changes.
As Laurie and Ed lose themselves in dance, their lives continue to spin around them: Ed’s injury makes it clear he’s nowhere near recovery, Laurie feels the pressure by friends and family to perform once more, and the community center that has become such an important part of both their worlds threatens to close. Alone, they haven’t had the strength or spirit to face what life has hurled at them. But as the turns of their personal paths lead them time and again to one another, Ed and Laurie begin to think that if they dance this dance together, they might be able to succeed.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: exhibitionism/voyeurism, male/male sexual practices.
Review by Lasha ( Amazon Vine Voice ):
Heidi Cullinan's Dance With Me takes an unusual turn by making one of the protagonists an ex-ballet dancer. Pair him with an ex-semi pro football player and it is one of the more unique pairings I have read in a long time.
The football player, Ed and the dancer, Laurie initially do not like one another. Frequent clashes however, soon turn to attraction and that attraction leads to a romance. What I liked most about their relationship was that it seemed realistic. There were a few bumps before they got together (best drunken hook-up scene ever) and even after they start dating the everyday things that couples experience come to the forefront. It was their relationship that kept me reading.
However, my main issue with Dance With Me was that at times it was a little too dour and depressing. Since Laurie and Ed are two characters that have deep regrets about the way their lives are headed, and even the introduction to each other doesn't dampen those feelings. On one hand, I appreciate the realism, as life isn't always `like a box of chocolates,' but on the other, it took me quite a few readings to finish the book as the overall melancholy feel to the novel was a downer at some points.
While I had mixed feelings about this novel, I did enjoy parts of it, especially the two main characters, so it is recommended with a few caveats as noted above.
The football player, Ed and the dancer, Laurie initially do not like one another. Frequent clashes however, soon turn to attraction and that attraction leads to a romance. What I liked most about their relationship was that it seemed realistic. There were a few bumps before they got together (best drunken hook-up scene ever) and even after they start dating the everyday things that couples experience come to the forefront. It was their relationship that kept me reading.
However, my main issue with Dance With Me was that at times it was a little too dour and depressing. Since Laurie and Ed are two characters that have deep regrets about the way their lives are headed, and even the introduction to each other doesn't dampen those feelings. On one hand, I appreciate the realism, as life isn't always `like a box of chocolates,' but on the other, it took me quite a few readings to finish the book as the overall melancholy feel to the novel was a downer at some points.
While I had mixed feelings about this novel, I did enjoy parts of it, especially the two main characters, so it is recommended with a few caveats as noted above.
Buy it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-with-Me-ebook/dp/B005OD5ZP8/ref=la_B00302LLQM_1_8_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368072171&sr=1-8
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