Chasing Smoke by K.A. Mitchell

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Chasing Smoke is about how you never forget your first love and about a little spoiled teenager.

Daniel and Trey were friends as teenager. They were not exactly best friends, their parents were and the kids went along when the parents did. Daniel was the son of a wealthy doctor, living in the best neighborhood of the town; Trey was the son of a police officer, with an comfortable house in an average neighborhood. But it was Daniel who envied Trey; he envied his house, his parents, his life, and desiring all of that, he desires also the boy. Daniel was young and skinny, a bit of a nerd, where Trey was the next door good boy, with a cheerleaders as a girlfriend... even more than one. It's obvious than in a situation like that, when both Daniel than Trey realized that they preferred men on women, they started a secret relationship; Daniel, with all the certainty given by money and youth, was careless and full of hope in the future, and instead Trey was still in the closet, trying to be the perfect good boy that everyone thought he was.

I don't know if the relationship would have lasted, I have the feeling that Daniel was too immature, and Trey too scared. But a tragic fate gave a sudden break: Trey's mother was killed and Trey's father was framed; he went in prison while Trey was welcomed inside Daniel's home as a second son. But Daniel was not able to see Trey as a brother, and Trey was too scared to let his feeling transpire; as soon as it was possible, Trey enrolled in the Army. Daniel saw it as a betrayal, an abandonment, and also him took the first chance he had to let the city.

Years later, Daniel is an agent for Homeland Security, and he is also a playboy on the side. He has openly gay sexual relationship, also long-term relationship, but always without strings attached: as soon as one of his boyfriends try to tight the knot, Daniel runs away. I believe he still has the feeling that his story with Trey is not ended; as I said, if it was given the time to the boys to grew on their relationship, probably they would have realized it was only a teenager crush on the only other gay boy around, but like that, Trey's dreaming image became the forbidden fruit for Daniel, something he couldn't have despite all his money. Any man after him was only a means to forget Trey and didn't work. Now that Daniel is coming back home for Christmas, and Trey is there, working as a police officer in the same department as his father, even if Daniel is feigning indifference, I think he is on the prowl to capture that dream of long ago.

I like Daniel, but I said, I think he is a little spoiled. He always does what he wants, and he is very demanding, in and out the bedroom. Even when he is the submissive partner, I always have the idea that he is the one in command. On the other hand Trey is a more gentle character; it's true, he had not the courage to come out years ago, but I believe it was in his character. Trey is a man that has to ponder every move, to weight the pros and cons, but if you give him time, he always arrives to the right decision. Even years ago, if Daniel had the patience to wait for him, he would have taken the right decision.

The story is pretty sexy, there are a lot of erotic sex scene, where, as I said, Daniel is always in command, even when he is the bottom. He is demanding and eager, while Trey is caring and gentle... it's really interesting how the author was able to mingle so well the characters in and out the bedroom, maintaining their characteristics in both place.

http://samhainpublishing.com/print/chasing-smoke-print

Amazon: Chasing Smoke

Amazon Kindle: Chasing Smoke

Reading List:

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


Cover Art by Anne Cain

Comments

[zamaxfield.livejournal.com]

I first read K.A. Mitchell's Hot Ticket from Samhain, and I was HOOKED. I LOVE her work. I'm never, ever disappointed. She's really first rate and it's such a pleasure to have a new book from her. I got this one the second it came out, and WOW. She really rocks it. (Squee! fangirl moment.) Anyone who hasn't read her is missing out!

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I like the characters' dynamics above all, and I think this one is a good example. Elisa