Book: Mask
Author: Teodora Kostova
Genre: M/M Romance
Adam Fischer doesn’t believe in second chances. Heartbroken after his lover Charlie leaves him to chase his music career in L.A., Adam is convinced that meaningless one-night-stands are all life has in store for him.
Until fate drops Penn Shields in his lap.
Penn is a young, talented designer fresh out of college who has just landed his dream job as a wardrobe assistant in Queen Victoria theatre, where Adam is performing in a popular musical.
He’s also Charlie's brother.
The last thing Penn wants is to follow in his brother’s footsteps, especially since they haven’t spoken in years. However, the attraction he feels for Adam grows with each day, and soon resisting it proves to be futile.
As Adam and Penn get to know each other intimately, they both realise that first impressions may be deceiving, and that, sometimes, second chances come in the same packaging.
*explicit sexual content, graphic language and adult themes. Recommended for readers 18+ only*
The night passed in a blur of music, dancing, laughter, and glasses clicking together. The smile never left Penn’s face, and he looked like he was having the most fun, even though he switched to sparkling water after the second cocktail. Adam loved dancing with him, holding him tight as Penn wiggled that delicious ass against Adam's hips. He loved the way his skin smelled when it was flushed and sweaty, and couldn’t help but kiss him every chance he got.By 2:00 AM the club started to wind down. Jared and Fenix were still dancing, holding each other as they swayed to the slow, sexy rhythm of the current song. Penn placed his empty glass on the table and turned to look at Adam over his shoulder. Adam knew that look. That look promised some very naughty things happening to him in the near future.Turning to fully face Adam, Penn moved to straddle his hips and lock his hands behind his neck. He then dipped his head and gave Adam a teasing, sensual kiss, just lips moving against lips, until Adam groaned and buckled his hips to meet Penn’s.“Wanna dance?” Penn asked as he separated their mouths. Adam shook his head vigorously and hooking a hand behind his neck, bringing Penn down again. He kissed him urgently, demanding instant access with his tongue. Penn allowed him in, grinding their hips together in the slow rhythm of the song, and moaning obscenely as Adam cupped his ass and squeezed.Just then, the song changed. Hearing the first notes of Nix’s latest ballad, Penn froze. His mouth was slack against Adam's and his fingers were surely leaving red marks on Adam's neck.Did he always have that reaction when hearing one of his brother’s songs? Or was it just because he was there with Adam?Adam didn't care. He didn't want Penn to feel like that.“Hey,” he whispered in Penn’s ear, moving his hands from Penn’s ass to circle them around his waist. “I see you.” Penn cast him a surprised, confused look, the hesitation and disbelieve in his grey gaze grabbing on something inside Adam and twisting it until it hurt. “Alright? You,” he said, pointing a finger at Penn’s chest, and placing his palm right over his heart. “You,” he repeated in a whisper, closing his eyes against the moisture that had suddenly appeared there.Penn touched their foreheads together and Adam felt him nod.For now, that small gesture of agreement would have to do.
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Foxy Rating = Four stars
Apparently this is the second book in a series and a follow
up to Dance, however I did not read the first book and it did not impede on my
enjoyment of this read. It can therefore be read as a standalone. This is Adam
and Penn’s story.
Adam is an actor and performing in a play at a London theatre.
He is recovering from heartbreak after his lover, Charlie, leaves him to pursue
his rock band dreams in America. Adam now refuses to be put in a position to be
hurt again so he leads a life of one night stands and hook ups. That is until
he meets Penn, who shocks the life out of him as he is the spitting image of
his ex. Well he would be as Penn is Charlie’s twin brother.
Although the twins are identical in looks it is their
personalities and values that set them miles apart. Adam finds himself becoming
more intrigue by Penn, the new theatre wardrobe assistant, but is this because
he feels Penn is a substitute for Charlie or was Adam with the wrong brother in
the first place? The story transpires of the pair both fighting a losing battle
with their attraction to each other.
I liked how this touched on depression and how the
unreasoning of self-issues can weave doubt in the mind, such as it did for Adam
who is a constant worrier that he will end up like his mother. It takes a
caring soul that Penn is for him to gradually learn to understand his issues
and how together they can work through this. There is a lot of angst and soul
searching for both of them in this book but it comes to a near tragedy to force
them (mainly Adam) to meet these demons head on.
I’m not a fan of feminising a male character in m/m romance
and at first I felt this was happening to Penn with the dressing in silk etc,
but it wasn’t until I grasped and understood this diverse and wonderful character
that he is that it all clicked into place. I felt kind of ashamed to put that
assumption in my head and loved the message in this book in that everyone is
unique and are there to be accepted for who they are.
I really loved both main characters and thought the
chemistry and integration of their romance was wonderfully done. The secondary
characters also gelled the storyline and made me eager to go back and read
Dance which is already on my kindle.
A highly engaging and enjoyable read. Four stars.
Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband and my son. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job a few years ago when I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do what I've always wanted to do, but never had the guts to fully embrace. I've been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among other things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Nintendo Wii game by a kid.
Don't be shy and get in touch - I love connecting with my readers.
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