Publisher:
Voodoo
Lily Press
Published: June
28, 2014
ASIN: B00LDEWOK6
Genre: Romance, M/M
Book
Format: E-book
Obtained
via: Reviewers personal copy
Reviewed
by: Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com
Rating:
4.5
Malcolm
Hale has fled his old life. After curiosity sparked an unexpected but
eye-opening encounter with another man, he’s left his no longer fitting
marriage and soul-destroying job. When his car breaks down near Naples,
Florida, Malcolm stumbles towards the first place he sees only to find himself
on the grounds of a luxury gay resort called Lavender Rose.
The
beautiful man behind the reception desk, Tristan Bellers, offers Malcolm a job
as his assistance almost immediately. With nothing to go back to and no plans
for the future Malcolm accepts and soon finds himself relaxing into the
seductive and private world filled with beautiful men and tantalizing
sexuality.
Tristan
and Malcolm become closer and the future looks promising until a hurricane
blows in and a killer, out to fulfil his selfish desires, decides it is the
perfect opportunity to strike.
I’ve said it before and you’ll just have to bear
with me while I say it again; Theo Fenraven weaves magic with his words. I wish
I knew how he does it; how he manages to convey so much with so few, carefully
chosen and beautifully positioned words. The pacing in this book is just about
perfect. The reader learns everything they need to know about the characters
and the resort if and when it becomes relevant. No huge chunks of back story
ruin the reading rhythm in this book and I didn’t encounter a single instance
of ‘where the hell did that come from’
either.
Both Tristan and Malcolm piqued my interest from
the moment they were introduced. And then they grew. Neither is exactly what he
appears to be at first glance and both of them show their deeper layers as the
story progresses. Tristan may initially come across as camp and over the top,
but he soon reveals himself to be a sensitive and very perceptive individual.
And I loved how Malcolm seemed to grow into himself as the story progressed,
surprising himself once or twice as he finally embraces his true nature and
follows his desires. For that I can even forgive him his hate of black
licorice.
On a side-note, the various references to Voodoo
Lily throughout the story made me smile. It could have been cheesy or
self-indulgent but somehow seemed to fit, especially given the resort’s name.
Lavender Rose contained one paragraph that made
me stop, blink and sigh. I read it, read it again and knew I had to highlight
it and put it in my review because the image it created just blew me away.
“Heaving a mental sigh, he again wondered when he
would meet someone he could give his heart to forever. While he’d loaned it out
plenty, he’d always gotten it back, sometimes much faster that he preferred and
in worse shape than when it had gone out.”
‘Lavender Rose’ has it all; a
beautiful love story, engaging characters and a thrilling threat in the
background. This is a relatively short yet perfectly formed and ultimately very
satisfying story.
It is almost exactly six months since I first
read a book by Theo Fenraven. ‘Blue River’ gave me a wonderful
introduction to his writing and made me hungry for more. When I read ‘Transgression’
shortly afterwards I knew I had stumbled across one of those rarities; an
author who can transport me to whatever world they feel like and make me at
home there. ‘Wolf Bound’ confirmed that versatility and Lavender Rose proves
once and for all that a good author can write across genres without losing any
of their voice or storytelling qualities. I count myself lucky there are still
several books I haven’t read. And while I’m tempted to just devour all of those
back to back I’ve decided to pace myself. I guess I’m going to keep those
remaining stories for times when I need a very special reading treat. I have
absolutely no doubt they will prove to be exactly that.
This is an objective review
and not an endorsement of this book.
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