Lawyers In Love by Shawn Lane

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Most Likely to Succeed by Shawn Lane

This is a light funny romp, with a Cinderfella atmosphere that I find really charming and sweet. In the first scene, Clark Sterling's employees are pulling out the shorter straw to decide who has to go and say to the boss that he is late for a meeting. From this presentation, you could have the idea that Clark is a scaring man, maybe cold and aloof. And instead he is a man with a tender heart who falls a bit to often for romance. The new clerk of the firm is obviously the man who has to enter the lion's lair: Thomas is young, cute but very clever. Actually I believe he is even more clever than Clark.

Clark is a self-made man, who probably had a bit of complex due to the abandonment of his father when he was still very young. He climbs the rank of society thanks more to hard work and tenacity than being ruthless. And I like also that he has integrity, he doesn't hide that he is gay, even if he also doesn't flaunt it as a flag (see the comment on the ban on gay marriage): Clark is quite at comfort with himself, he had bad love experience in the past, but he is not embittered and closed, he still believe in true love and he is still willing to give to love a chance. And so when young and pretty Thomas enters his office with starry eyes, he is lost.

Thomas has a little crush on his boss. He probably unconsciously chose to work for his firm for that reason: Thomas is a very good student, and probably he had a list of firm ready to hire him, but he chose Clark, and I'm not saying that he chose Clark's firm, he chose just Clark. Not that he is planning to seduce his boss or a torrid office affair... Thomas has still not realized that he is in love with his boss, and it will be Clark's task to hunt him down, even if Thomas is not at all a shifty prey.

Actually the big affair is only a question of few days, barely a week: in two weekends spent mostly in bed and at Disneyland plus some days at work, Clark and Thomas go from being employee and boss, to lovers, to possible life partners, to being torn apart by a stupid mistake. If not for the fact that both of them are incurable romantics it would have been not possible; and instead the story stands, and it's funny and enjoyable. I loved to see how Clark, piece by piece, dismantled his cool behavior (if he ever had one), to let you glimpse a different man, a bit naughty (public sex...), a bit housekeeper (breakfast in bed...), and a lot perfect dream man (big and posh house with hot tub). And I like also Thomas, who, other than being obviosly intelligent and good at work, is also a man who is fair enough to not lie down on a relationship that he knows not being the real thing, but who is also willing to risk everything when the real thing arrives.

There is one thing I didn't like, Clark's secretary... all right she has in mind only the good for Clark, and there is not even a personal reason to mistreat Thomas, but she didn't manage to rub my good side. I also found quite tactless that she spoke of Clark's past without his permission. I don't know, but I'm always fond of old faithful secretary, godmother style, and Agnes for me didn't enter the category.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/MostLikelySucceed.html

Amazon Kindle: Most Likely To Succeed
Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC (April 23, 2009)

Car Wash by Shawn Lane

Very nice Cinderfella story, Kevin is a 24 years old pretty boy who is having a downtime; laid off from his job, almost starving and with a rent to pay he has no money for, he accepted a car wash job, but also there, troubles are arriving. And then a knight in shining armour comes to rescue, only that instead of an armour he has a very expensive suit and instead of a stallion he is driving a Maserati. And he is not even a stranger, Michael was the Kevin’s best friend’s older brother, the one Kevin tried to seduce when he was 15 years old, and the one who of course refused him since he was too young. Kevin was already a little prissy at the time, and instead of trying to understand Michael’s words, he severed all relationships with him and his brother Danny.

9 years later, Kevin is still as prissy as before, but now he is also legal and Michal has no more reason to refuse him; problem is that Kevin is also very high maintenance, and even if Michael comes as strong as a tornado, when he overlooks to woo Kevin in the right way, Kevin is soon ready to highlight his lacking skill as boyfriend. I really loved Kevin’s attitude, even if broken, even if starving for food and also love, he is ready to throw all of it away just for principles. It’s also true that Kevin has big self-esteem issues, and that he is lacking the support of a loving family, leaving him more starving for affection than food or anything else.

Amazon Kindle: Car Wash
Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC (August 19, 2009)

Series:
1) Pulling Away: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/443548.html
2) Car Wash

Amazon: Lawyers In Love
Paperback: 228 pages
Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC (July 13, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602728593
ISBN-13: 978-1602728592

Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle