+Giveaway
Blurb
Surviving on alcohol and antidepressants, Mark staggers through his unhappy
marriage and watches his London architectural business head for the rocks. When
another nasty argument with his wife sends him to the gym to blow off steam, a
tall, dark stranger enflames a part of him he’s denied all these years, trying
to convince himself he’s not “weird.” But Mark’s not weird, he’s gay. And after
a taste of Attila’s lips, nothing can put that genie back in the bottle…
marriage and watches his London architectural business head for the rocks. When
another nasty argument with his wife sends him to the gym to blow off steam, a
tall, dark stranger enflames a part of him he’s denied all these years, trying
to convince himself he’s not “weird.” But Mark’s not weird, he’s gay. And after
a taste of Attila’s lips, nothing can put that genie back in the bottle…
Review
This was my first M/M and I admit proudly Mr. La Roche has converted me!
His first person point of view was vivid, exciting and completely captivating. From the moment Mark came home from drinks with his mates after work and was accosted by his knife wielding wife my mind was blown.
There was truly no telling where this story was going to take me. It’s clear
our hero is unhappy, he’s spent a lifetime living to please others, and ended up
in a slump with no end in sight. It made me rather sad because it’s clear he’s
not a bad person and his wife is a complete nutter. Then enters Attila,
with his big brown eyes,interesting past, and impeccable taste. He’s just too
perfect to resist. Their relationship is unconventional from the start. Meeting
at the gym, they leave for drinks where Mark proceeds to get drunk. Attila
insists he comes home with him to sober up, and gives him food for thought that
leads him to admit he is indeed gay.
Despite the attraction and Mark’s willingness to explore his new found
identity, Attila’s not about to mess with a married man. This made me squeal in
delight! It showed what Attila was made of, and what they had was
going to be so much deeper than a fling. This was a hero I could love easily.
Mark and Attila’s road to happily ever after is rocky. Between Mark’s divorce,
and Attila’s recent relationship baggage they stumble along their way, argue, and
question what they’re doing. But in the end they always come back together,
and really that’s what love is. Accepting the person you want to be with in all their flawed glory.
Tristram captures a moment in time where a man connects with his true self for
the first time. It was a beautiful journey I felt privileged to witness.
Learning to be who we really are despite what others may think is a learning process for all of us. Mark just happened to learn much later in life. The sex scenes were steamy without being graphic, and I was satisfied with the mixture of emotions and physical contact, but wouldn’t have minded seeing more.
This was a great read; the romance was real spicy and intriguing. If you’re curious about M/M romance, this is the perfect place to start.
His first person point of view was vivid, exciting and completely captivating. From the moment Mark came home from drinks with his mates after work and was accosted by his knife wielding wife my mind was blown.
There was truly no telling where this story was going to take me. It’s clear
our hero is unhappy, he’s spent a lifetime living to please others, and ended up
in a slump with no end in sight. It made me rather sad because it’s clear he’s
not a bad person and his wife is a complete nutter. Then enters Attila,
with his big brown eyes,interesting past, and impeccable taste. He’s just too
perfect to resist. Their relationship is unconventional from the start. Meeting
at the gym, they leave for drinks where Mark proceeds to get drunk. Attila
insists he comes home with him to sober up, and gives him food for thought that
leads him to admit he is indeed gay.
Despite the attraction and Mark’s willingness to explore his new found
identity, Attila’s not about to mess with a married man. This made me squeal in
delight! It showed what Attila was made of, and what they had was
going to be so much deeper than a fling. This was a hero I could love easily.
Mark and Attila’s road to happily ever after is rocky. Between Mark’s divorce,
and Attila’s recent relationship baggage they stumble along their way, argue, and
question what they’re doing. But in the end they always come back together,
and really that’s what love is. Accepting the person you want to be with in all their flawed glory.
Tristram captures a moment in time where a man connects with his true self for
the first time. It was a beautiful journey I felt privileged to witness.
Learning to be who we really are despite what others may think is a learning process for all of us. Mark just happened to learn much later in life. The sex scenes were steamy without being graphic, and I was satisfied with the mixture of emotions and physical contact, but wouldn’t have minded seeing more.
This was a great read; the romance was real spicy and intriguing. If you’re curious about M/M romance, this is the perfect place to start.
Excerpt
Neither of us spoke. Alex leaned against the wall huffing and puffing, and I
wondered if this would break our friendship. Of course, I knew what he was
saying was all true when looked at logically, but I had to ask myself, when was
love ever logical? When Attila had cast me aside and said that he couldn’t get
involved with a married man, I knew what he really meant to say. He meant that
he would want me if only I weren’t married.
Alex turned back towards me. He glanced at his watch. “Look, it’s just about
opening time. Shall we—”
“Absolutely.” I switched on the answering machine and flicked the sign on the
door to ‘closed’.
“Wine bar?”
“Wine bar it is.” I locked the door behind me and fell into step.
I didn’t so much walk from the office as float. I passed along the Embankment
without even noticing the river. Reality hit me only when Alex pressed a glass
into my hand and led me to a seat by the window.
There is something about wine before noon that loosens the tongue and
dissolves inhibitions. My head was light before the first bottle was done.
Alex’s cheeks were flushed, but then again, that was usual for the time of day
as the effects of the evening had still to wear off. He ran his fingers through
his rumpled hair and turned his glass.
“It makes no difference to me, you do understand that, don’t you?” he
said.
“What makes no difference?”
“Well, you know if you are gay. It doesn’t change anything. Not between
us.”
“Thanks, Alex. I do appreciate that. For a moment I thought…but I would have
been a bit surprised if it did.”
“I’m still in shock. How can you change overnight? I mean, have you ever
tried it?”
I knew this would be the big issue, not just for Alex, but for everyone I
knew. Including me.
“No. Never. I’ve wondered, but I always convinced myself that I was just
weird. I’ve lived with the feeling that I don’t really belong in the world
around me for so long. But now, I know. I really do know, and I feel like a huge
weight has been lifted off me.”
Alex peered into his wine as if he’d found a goldfish. “Don’t you think you
should…erm…” He looked up at me. “Don’t you think you ought to try it out before
you throw your lot in with this chap? And that’s if he even wants you, which
sounds far from settled to me.” He drained his glass and went to the bar,
leaving me to contemplate his wisdom.
Deep down, I knew he was right, but I hadn’t a clue how to go about it. In
any case, wouldn’t it all just kind of happen now with Attila? Maybe I should
leave Diana and set up a bachelor pad, let things take their course rather than
rushing. But that didn’t seem right. I hadn’t rushed out to find Attila; I
hadn’t actually gone in search of anyone. Attila had just jogged into my life.
That was how the best things in life happened, wasn’t it?
wondered if this would break our friendship. Of course, I knew what he was
saying was all true when looked at logically, but I had to ask myself, when was
love ever logical? When Attila had cast me aside and said that he couldn’t get
involved with a married man, I knew what he really meant to say. He meant that
he would want me if only I weren’t married.
Alex turned back towards me. He glanced at his watch. “Look, it’s just about
opening time. Shall we—”
“Absolutely.” I switched on the answering machine and flicked the sign on the
door to ‘closed’.
“Wine bar?”
“Wine bar it is.” I locked the door behind me and fell into step.
I didn’t so much walk from the office as float. I passed along the Embankment
without even noticing the river. Reality hit me only when Alex pressed a glass
into my hand and led me to a seat by the window.
There is something about wine before noon that loosens the tongue and
dissolves inhibitions. My head was light before the first bottle was done.
Alex’s cheeks were flushed, but then again, that was usual for the time of day
as the effects of the evening had still to wear off. He ran his fingers through
his rumpled hair and turned his glass.
“It makes no difference to me, you do understand that, don’t you?” he
said.
“What makes no difference?”
“Well, you know if you are gay. It doesn’t change anything. Not between
us.”
“Thanks, Alex. I do appreciate that. For a moment I thought…but I would have
been a bit surprised if it did.”
“I’m still in shock. How can you change overnight? I mean, have you ever
tried it?”
I knew this would be the big issue, not just for Alex, but for everyone I
knew. Including me.
“No. Never. I’ve wondered, but I always convinced myself that I was just
weird. I’ve lived with the feeling that I don’t really belong in the world
around me for so long. But now, I know. I really do know, and I feel like a huge
weight has been lifted off me.”
Alex peered into his wine as if he’d found a goldfish. “Don’t you think you
should…erm…” He looked up at me. “Don’t you think you ought to try it out before
you throw your lot in with this chap? And that’s if he even wants you, which
sounds far from settled to me.” He drained his glass and went to the bar,
leaving me to contemplate his wisdom.
Deep down, I knew he was right, but I hadn’t a clue how to go about it. In
any case, wouldn’t it all just kind of happen now with Attila? Maybe I should
leave Diana and set up a bachelor pad, let things take their course rather than
rushing. But that didn’t seem right. I hadn’t rushed out to find Attila; I
hadn’t actually gone in search of anyone. Attila had just jogged into my life.
That was how the best things in life happened, wasn’t it?
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Mr. La Roche is also giving away a free ecopy to one luck winner! To enter comment below. Contest ends September 6th.
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