Title: Architect of Love
Author: John Charles
Print Length: 123 pages
Publication Date: December 1, 2016
Publisher: Manifest Vision Publishing
Categories: Gay romance, m/m, erotic
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32879323
He could work miracles with His Hands
Lance Bartner loved working with his hands, made his living refinishing furniture. Nights out were for fun with friends and the occasional hook-up. Though the L word had never been spoken, he would have enjoyed a relationship had the right man crossed his path. But who would want a laborer like Lance? He wasn’t college educated, didn’t live in a fancy loft condo, didn’t drive a Lexus, and didn’t even
own a suit.
Forrest Dentren, was an architect and city planner who had become a local name when his design for the Monroe City Center was chosen as one of the top three contenders. Well educated, extremely well built, and as both men and women put it, just plain hot. Some said he was married to his job, others said he was too picky, many said he didn’t want to share the spotlight.
One hot, uninhibited sex-filled night
When Forrest broke his routine and went clubbing on a weeknight, he spotted Lance. The attraction was immediate from both sides of the dance floor. They both felt it. A few drinks later, still feeling it, they left for Lance’s apartment.
It was never supposed to turn into anything more than one time.
Two people from opposite ends of the world, no roadmap, not directions, no ideas how to make it work.
Architect Of Love is a hot and steamy, gay romance novel with no cliffhangers. It is the second book in The Fated Soulmates series and can be read as a standalone.
This is a steamy and yet also endearingly sweet romance. It’s pretty low on angst or drama, though there’s a little bit of tension between the main characters. It’s also both a slow-burn and not. It starts off with an intense, hot encounter between the Lance and Forrest, which they repeat. In between, they make a go of a romance. Their fumblings are realistic, and I alternated between being amused and face-palming at their awkward path toward a relationship.
I’ll admit, this isn’t usually the sort of book I’d have picked up. It’s a cross between fluff and erotica, neither of which are my cup of tea. However, I ended up enjoying the story for what it was—a terrific entry in its genre. I loved both Lance and Forrest as characters. They’re the sort of people I would want to know in real life. And huge thanks to the author for creating women side characters who are also worth reading about.
If you’re looking for something with a lot of depth, a literary feel, or delving into modern social issues, this is not the book. While it does touch a little bit on class difference, and that’s the main source of tension between Lance and Forrest, it doesn’t go very far with that line. It’s resolved pretty easily by the end. I ended up thinking Forrest was a bit unfair toward Lance about it, failing to understand his point of view.
Although I felt a whole lot of chemistry between Lance and Forrest, I actually ended up liking Lance’s occasional friend-with-benefits, Dale, even better. I’m a fairly open-minded sort, and I’d have loved to see the three of them make that work, whether as a triad or Lance having two partners (or simply keeping his FWB relationship with Dale, who was paired off as well). I certainly hope we get to see more of Dale in a future installment because he was my favorite character.
All in all, I ended up enjoying this in spite of it being outside my usual taste. I like the author’s writing style, and I would definitely give his other books a shot.
For a sexy good time, characters to love, and a good combination of sweet and spicy, this gets 8/10 fountain pens.
Heat Rating: 4/5 ink wells
Review also posted at Divine Magazine.
As a youngster, I not only had trouble reading, I couldn’t string two sentences together. Reading was a chore, but I had to read for school and work. In my sophomore year of college, with the help of my aunt and several courses I learned to get past my, until then undiagnosed, dyslexia. After that, reading actually started to become fun. Now I read constantly.
My desire to become an author developed through the years as my own children grew. We read books every night. When they were little I read to them. As they grew, and learned how to read, they read to me.
We congregated on the couch, or on one of their beds, and read stories together. It was fun, crazy, and sometimes frustrating. There were times when schedules made group reading difficult, but individual sessions were managed most nights.
During those years of family growth, I developed the desire to write my own books. Initially I thought about writing children’s books – and developed outlines for a couple of them. As my children grew and began reading different genres, my desires changed, too.
Then I discovered the gay themed suspense thriller – I couldn’t get enough.
I started writing gay (male/male) themed novels, using my pen name John Charles and never looked back. I enjoy the romance aspect that only two men can have. I find developing a character that is passionate about his life and the life of his lover is a turn on to many readers as well as to me. So I try to develop that passion in my books and endeavor to make each character special.
The plots in my novels come from real life situations. I have always believed that real life is more interesting than anything a person could make up. I listen, keep my eyes open, and let the world give me the ideas that make my stories believable and interesting.
I find myself enjoying writing more than anything I’ve ever done in my life.
