An Act of Generosity by Sharon Maria Bidwell

[reviews_and_ramblings]

This is another of those little jewels that the somewhat overlooked Changeling Press catalogue can offer if you dig a bit. Of course I was helped on my discovery thanks to the name of the author, Sharon Maria Bidwell, one of the first gay romance author I read, and one of my favorite too.

This is only a novella, but it’s a nice and sweet novella, an office affair theme with just that touch of angst that will not unbalance the overall romantic feeling of the story. Robert is the classic English gentleman; when the former lover of his late stepbrother asks him for money, Robert knows she will spend it in drugs, but he also knows that she has a teenager son, not his stepbrother son, but nevertheless the last contact with his beloved relative. Robert gives her the money, hoping she will use part of them for the boy. He doesn’t imagine that the same boy will use that money to change his life and coming back years later to thanks him.

But when Lee meets again Robert, he realizes that the gratitude he was carrying for all those years is developed in something more: Lee, a young gay teenager boy, idolized Robert like the perfect lover, the prince charming coming to save him, and in all his following relationship he was searching the Robert’s clone. And now that he is in front of him, that Robert is interested, and gay, and that he hasn’t recognized him, Lee is unwilling to let his only chance to love being tainted by the doubt, Lee is sure that, if Robert knew who he is, he would not even give a chance to their love.

Despite this being only a novella, the plot is well developed, the balance between story and sex is perfect, and even the supporting character, Robert’s business partner Phil and his p.a. Anna, have enough development to make them real characters and not only someone in the background.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1438

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Comments

[merith.livejournal.com]

I really wanted to like this story, but I stopped liking (and reading) it shortly after Lee moved in with Robert. Maybe I should go back and give it another shot.

I think maybe I'm getting a little tired of too much sex interfering with the romance in a story. If I wanted to read erotica, I would get erotica and not romance. Maybe it's just me whining.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Well, we haven't to forget that Changeling Press IS and Erotica publisher, for that reason I was expecting for the sex to be a good share of the story. I think that, despite it having a lion share, it didn't eat all the story, and that is why I liked this novella.

[merith.livejournal.com]

I guess since I picked it up from All Romance, I didn't pay attention to its original publisher. Must do so from now on. :)

Totally understand

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Merith. I'm the author, and I totally understand your comments. All I can say is that many authors out there feel the same way as some readers like yourself. Alas, there's a shortage of publishers willing to take less explicit work. My very first long novel originally had no sex until Chapter 12, but during edits I added something around Chapter 8, if I recall correctly, and even then that is rather 'late' for erotic romance. It's just not what the publishers want and publishers go on what sells the most. Changeling only accept shorts and so their books are often more heavily laced with sex owing to the works having to be more concise because of length. I often get away with a surprising lack of sex my titles for Changeling books. I don't care for sex without story, but I'm happy to read books with no sex or lots as long as it's incorporated well. I'd happily write both sorts of work as well, if I can find suitable markets. All the best, Sharon