Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
Jonas Hunter is a high-class body for hire with a small, exclusive, mostly male clientele who pay big bucks for his undivided time and attention. Discretion is Jonas's middle name ~ he can play his role to the hilt for the client's benefit and at the same time disappear seamlessly into a crowd, safely anonymous.

He's persuaded to take on a new client who is everything he despises in a man: the effeminate, tantrum-throwing, attention-seeking bad boy of Paris haute couture named Nicky Bryant. Nicky's shows are outrageous and always good for a front cover, and his appearance never fails to turn heads. But Jonas soon learns Nicky is a carefully maintained facade himself.

As a fiery attraction grows, Jonas and Nicky have to find a way to walk the tightrope between their public and private personas. They'll need to learn to love and trust each other around the other people in their lives if they're going to share their hearts.

BOOK REVIEW:
Facade was an excellent novel. Despite being longer than most m/m erotic ebooks (at 236 pages in its paperback format), it totally held my attention with its complex, organized plot, with its depth of characterization and, last but not least, its heart-stoppingly gorgeous sex scenes.

Jonas Hall is a very exclusive, very expensive, high-class gay male 'escort', discreet, sexy, open to fulfilling his client's fantasies, whatever they may be. He's slightly older: picture George Clooney in this role. Nicky Bryant is a young, flamboyant fashion designer, on the cusp of superstar fame in the haute couture world. Picture Johnny Depp. When Nicky wants to hire someone for sex, Jonas comes highly recommended. Jonas isn't in the market for new clients, isn't really interested in Nicky's type (outrageous, temper tantrums, effeminate), but upon meeting him, he is entranced. Nicky's persona is a carefully constructed facade, covering an insecure, sensitive ~ and amazingly attractive ~ man.

Despite all the odds against them, Jonas and Nicky are falling in love. Both men have always carefully avoided sharing their innermost selves to avoid just this outcome, because with love comes hurt and jealousy and misunderstandings and separations. Can Nicky trust Jonas, who isn't willing to give up his day job? Can Jonas adapt to Nicky's peripatetic lifestyle? Can they be emotionally faithful, when physical faithfulness isn't on the table?

Note: Jonas prefers men; this is an m/m novel, in my opinion. However, if you are averse to reading a book that includes any sexual activity involving a female, you should note that he satisfies his clients' fantasies whatever they may be, and if that means including a woman as watcher or participant, he does that. However this is a very minor part of the plot, which is a story about the relationship between Jonas and Nicky.

Zahra Owens has done an exceptional job of developing the characters of these two men, plus a cast of secondary characters, against a complex and riveting plot. I highly recommend this book.

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