| Title | : | Knave of Broken Hearts (Love in Laguna, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1632169622 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781632169624 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 224 |
| Publication | : | First published August 3, 2015 |
How come the minute Jim decides to be responsible, he finds himself taking care of his kid brother, getting a proposal from a wealthy woman, making a deal with the devil, and winding up in the hospital—when all he really wants is the Knave of Broken Hearts?
Knave of Broken Hearts (Love in Laguna, #2) Reviews
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gay men as rape barbies: the definitive case.
fuck spoiler tags—dis some mind-poison right hurr. i'm out for blood.
so, this book is a gigantic no for me.
why, you ask?
because
this reviewer said:
I hated that Ken was [roofied and almost gang-banged (hated only because I really liked Ken and the scene had me practically climbing the walls praying Jim would get there in time), but I hated it more that Jim and Ken didn't report the fuckers. I really hated that. Like, what? Then I hated it even more that as a direct result of not turning those fuckers in earlier that Ken was almost raped again by the gang-bang squad later in the story!
Grrr!
and then that same reviewer said:
...I cannot believe I forgot to rant about the multiple sexual assaults that occur!
1. The first time Ken and Jim have sex Ken is roofied and Jim takes him home to sleep it off. Jim, after being uncomfortable in a chair, finally lays on the bed and goes to sleep. He dreams he's getting his dick sucked and wakes up enough to come hard. When he fully awakes Ken is back asleep and he passes it off as something that maybe didn't happen. But later Ken recalls it slightly - so it did actually happen.
2. The second time they have sex it's right after a guy Ken screwed once but kind of won't leave him alone takes advantage of Ken getting him wasted drunk and is then blowing him to Ken's repeated protestations and pleas to stop. Jim breaks it up and then proceeds, when Ken begs him (still drunk here), to fuck him.
3. Another time they have sex Ken is passed out asleep in his office chair and Jim comes into his office, takes down his pants and swallows his cock. Ken wakes up in time to come.
and then
another reviewer said:
Ken is almost raped by a group of guys at a club. He's brought there by a date and then the date's friends drug him with the intent of a gang bang. AND THEN KEN AGREES TO ANOTHER DATE WITH THE GUY. WHAT?! I mean, the attempted rape was totally unnecessary but not DNF worthy. But then Ken decides to keep dating the guy (not Jim) even though he doesn't like him to begin with? That's bananas. And then the first sexual experience between the two MCs is yet ANOTHER example of dubious consent. Jim is asleep and Ken is drugged. Not sexy. I started skimming after that. And then Ken gets drunk and forced into sexual activity AGAIN by another guy. Jim saving the day in both instances but it had me screaming at my phone "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME TANAKA?" And then of course immediately after being forced into oral sex that he doesn't want, Ken asks Jim (who is in theory straight and has no sexual experience with men) to fuck him. AND JIM SAYS YES. Even though he knows Ken is too fucked up to really consent.
but basically all you need to know is what
this reviewer said:
Consent - it's a thing, y'all.
honestly, parsing what all that might mean becomes even more completely nuts when you consider that this lolling, simpering, walking fuckhole of a man is supposedly a doctor.
pass the phenobarbitol; my love life is dire and i hope to be nearly-raped twice so that i can find a man.
go home, MM.
yer drunk.
-
3 very conflicted stars... I'll tag any spoilers ahead.
Gahhh! What to say?! Parts of this story were REALLY good, just like the incredibly charming
Knight of Ocean Avenue. However, parts of this book made me want to tear my hair out.
Some people categorize this as a gay-for-you... it really isn't. Only someone deaf, dumb, and blind wouldn't have realized they were gay for 27 years when they secretly wacked off to yaoi and had trouble getting erections with women. Jim, come on, man.
I liked Jim, overall. He was a very well-meaning, sexy, rough-edged guy who won me over throughout the course of the book, despite . I also liked Ken, the multi-talented doctor, who feels pressure from his traditional mother to make an approved marriage. Their chemistry was... decent, though I've read much hotter, but I liked the contrast of them together. I also liked that they both had some history and mystery about them.
What I didn't like was how Jim was so easily manipulated by everyone. He was like a puppet with other people pulling the strings for the majority of the book , and I HATED the fact that the two MCs didn't really get together until the very end of the story. Not nearly enough time, IMO, for them to develop "love" feelings; they just didn't spend enough one on one time together sober!!
When I think about the particulars of this book, I get sort of angry. There are many of my pet peeves present in this story. But when I think about my overall feeling that I got while reading this book, I realize that I liked it, despite some of the choices that the author made. Apparently, I have a soft spot for this series.
Looking forward to the next book where the two characters actually date EACH OTHER a little bit instead of other people.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review** -
This is the second book in the Love in Laguna series. The first book, Knight of Ocean Avenue, is one of my favorite books of 2015. This book is quite different than the first book. While both stories center around men discovering their sexually later in life, the characters were like night and day.
Jim Carney is one of Billy Ballew’s hardest working construction workers. We met him in book one and in book two he is entrusted with a large project while Billy and Shaz are on their honeymoon. (Yay!)
Jim takes this new job title very seriously and sees it as a way to get a leg up in life. Jim has been on his own since he walked out of his parent’s house when he was 16 and hasn’t had many breaks since then. Just when it seems Jim has a good handle on his career, his 18 year old brother shows up at his door after getting kicked out of his house for being gay. As much as Jim loves his brother, this is just one more piece of stress in his busy life.
Jim needs to take a physical so he can be added to the company’s insurance and all is not well with Jim physically. He is diagnosed with a heart murmur and needs to see a cardiologist. That cardiologist is Ken Tanaka, a man that he-thought-he-was-straight Jim finds incredibly beautiful. The attraction is mutual but Jim is fighting his feelings, worried that he really isn’t gay, just attracted to this one man. Ken on the other hand merely lusts after the big, straight construction worker.
So, in the course of the story, Jim starts dating the project boss he is working for because he thinks it will help Billy’s business. Also, her father is a billionaire looking for talented people to work on his buildings. Jim thinks playing nice with his daughter will give them all a leg up in the field. But he is torn by his attraction to Ken.
Ken starts dating a young Japanese man because his family is very traditional and expects him to marry and have children since he in an only child and needs to carry on the family line. He appreciates the fact that his parents are finally bringing him male suitors instead of female, but he wants to choose his mate himself. He is the king of the one-night-stand and has not felt those strong feeling for another man yet.
Since Jim and Ken are kind of dancing around each other for a long time, their relationship doesn’t start until about the 60% point. And that isn’t a relationship as much as it is some quick, clandestine blow jobs. Ken gets himself into a few damsel-in-distress situations where Jim comes to his rescue and as Jim’s stress level increases, so does his heart problem.
As you can probably tell from my short summary, these two are nothing like the sweet, nurturing, expressive couple from the first book. Jim and Ken have a much harder edge and the positive emotion between them comes very, very late in the game. (I say positive emotion because they almost immediately feel jealousy when the other is with other people, even though no mutual feeling are exchanged.)
I really did enjoy this book, but it wasn’t nearly as good as the first book. Trying to top that masterpiece is a pretty tall order! I am going to recommend Knave of Broken Hearts with a warning that this is a completely different book, other than a few of the same characters from Knight of Ocean Avenue.
Side note: While I know the characters for book three are Shaz’s friend from the first book Ru Maitland and movie star Gray Aston, I hope that Ms. Lane will continue the series and focus on Jim’s adorable brother Ian and his new boyfriend Rico. Because these two are quite a bit younger, they have many, many hurdles to jump before they can reach a HEA. I’d love to witness that!
Advanced review copy of
Knave of Broken Hearts provided by
the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been crossed posted to
Jessewave
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ETA: ...months later.
Okay, I've calmed down.
Due to several scenes including drunk driving, attempted sexual assault, sexual assault, miscommunication, and gross stupidity this story was not one that I ultimately enjoyed.
Though I did like several of the characters that was not enough to see past the negative aspects for me.
Original rant and expletive filled review: -
The writing style and editing didn't suck, and I liked the secondary characters Constance and Ian, but this book made me increasingly ragey with every page I read.
There is so much dafuqery in this book, it would take far too much time to outline it all. All I'll say is that I pretty much only recommend this for readers who don't mind the fact that the main character (Jim) sexually assaults the other main character (Ken)... twice.
Consent - it's a thing, y'all. -
4.5 STARS
Out of all the books I've read and loved by Tara, the Love in Laguna series is turning out to be a real fave. In fact Knight of Ocean Avenue was such a fabulous read I think I'd probably have to say it's my top Tara Lain read up to now, so a pretty hard act to follow. Knave of Broken Hearts might not have quite matched up to Billy and Shaz's story, which was utterly delightful, but it wasn't far behind.
Once again this engaging opposites attracts/GFY story, had the trademark pairing of the more manly hunk and his effeminate counterpart, but I have to say that in this it’s changed up slightly, as even though Dr Ken Tanaka does have the recognisable touch of swish about him, I think because of his career, he doesn't come over quite as outrageously flamboyant as some of her other outwardly gay characters. He's out, even to his conservative, traditional Japanese family, but his style and flair is muted slightly...more classy than outre. Although he does the floppy hair, manliner, black nail polish and tight...tight...jeans on one memorable occasion! RAWR!!!!
Ken is heart stoppingly beautiful...sigh...which has the handsome, seemingly straight, but secretly obsessed Yaoi loving, construction worker Jim Carney reassessing his sexuality after meeting the gorgeous Aisan doctor, who really does fulfill all his X rated anime fantasies. Like the lovely Jim, I also have a thing for asian men and the stunning cardiologist Ken Tanaka had me drooling...just what the doctor ordered... scuse the pun!
Even though they meet fairly early on in the book and cross each other's paths regularly after that, it does take a while for them to finally 'get together' if you get my drift. It's sort of a slow burn attraction, where personal and professional boundaries and other outside influences, including past and present family conflicts and obligations, unsavoury boyfriends, predatory females, work dilemmas and impending health problems, all conspire to stop them from acting on the attraction that's apparent the moment Jim sees Ken rocking some sexy, sensual dance moves at Billy and Shaz's wedding reception....
For rest of review follow Link->
http://bit.ly/1DgvcSm
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3 Yaoi Stars
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Why 3 stars......well, after a few days of pondering this book, I find it is what it is. 3 stars, and yes, it's hard to rate because I waited on pins and needles for this book. Gosh, I was so excited to get my hands on it. And, I could not believe that I did not feel the love as others did.
Ok....
BEWARE*******Possible Spoilers ******BELOW
What did not work for me...
1.The overuse of Yaoi mixed Asian descriptors. No, just no....it just set the book off on in the wrong direction for me.
2. Jim gosh, he was a we bit off, his love for Yaoi felt very mental.
3. Jim & Ken's chemistry. Well, it was missing.
4. Their romance was filled with heart-longing , miscommunication, horrible assumptions, and mishaps.
5. The length of time it took for this relationship to be a relationship.and the dating of other people. The relationship really begins at the 95% point of the book.
This Book and What I Loved
1. Love Ken ( disiked Jim, because his character was a bit to flaky with the GFY and his love for Yaoi)
2. Adored Ian and Anderson both were freaking awesome to read.
My most favorite part was the hospital scene, was my absolute fav! But, that did not save this book. I wanted to star this book higher but as time goes by, I find myself more and more disappointed about the story life. So I have to be true to myself 3 Stars. -
DNF 60%
I loved Tara Lain’s Genetic Attraction Series and I was expecting this book to be as good as those…but Oh My Goodness!!! I’m sorry Ms Lain…but I just did not like Knave of Broken Hearts (Love in Laguna, #2) …I really tried to like it…but I gave up around 60%!!
I could not get into any of the characters….Ken…a doctor??? Really??? Didn’t feel real to me.
Jim…what, he’s GFY??? Never!! He’s been j@##$$ off when he looks at Yaoi pictures!!! What the hell are those I asked myself…so off I went googling….and learnt something new…as described on google…Yaoi (properly [ja.o.i], informally /jaʊi/), also known as Boys' Love (BL), is a Japanese genre of fictional media focusing on romantic or sexual relationships between male characters, typically aimed at a female audience and usually created by female authors.
Oh I see!!! So that’s why butch and manly Jim luvs Kern…because he reminds him of a Yaoi!!! So, Jim….you did not GFY at all…you have been in the closet for a very very very long time!!!!!
So, why the hell does it take him so long to admit and get it together with sexy and cute Ken….because by the time I gave up…nothing had happened between these two!!!!
You know, as I kept turning the pages I wondered if this was the same author of the books I have read by Tara Lain.
I really hate giving up on any book….and hate it even more giving a bad review…but I had to be honest about my feelings….and that’s what this review is about…what I thought about the novel. I am sure that there are readers out there that will enjoy this one…but me…NO.
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Audio 3.75 Stars
Story dnf @ the last hour of the audio
One hour left in the story and the MCs aren't even a couple yet! 🙄 Nothing but a bunch of secrets, lies, misunderstandings and sneaking around. 😤 This story is sure to end in a rushed and unsatisfying way. No thank you...good bye!
-
2.75
I didn't connect with the characters like I did in the first book.
There's a lot going on here and I found that the relationship between Jim and Ken felt lost in the shuffle and a bit of an afterthought once all the other bits and pieces were sorted through. -
BIG red flag in the blurb: "his yaoi dream comes to life in the form of cardiologist Ken Tanaka"
Excuse you, but Asians are not your "exotic" sex dreams. Get your fetishizing whitey Orientalist shit out of my face.
*laments* when is Orientalism going to go out of style? *looks around pointedly at recent Met exhibit* apparently not yet...
See, there's a reason I don't tend to like reading things, especially M/M, with Asian characters, and I'm looking at a prime example.
Also, wow, "Ken is a major player"-- "oversexed Asian" stereotype much? I mean, is it possible that it's handled well and subverted? Possibly, but *looks pointedly at blurb* my hopes are NOT high.
See also:
Julio's review, wherein he cites many other reviews warning others of the multiple sexual assaults that happen. -
'Knave of Broken Hearts' is the second book in Tara Lain's 'Love in Laguana' series and sadly it came up as second rate when all was said and done. There were issues many, many issues and if you want a full accounting of them just carry on reading the reviews posted here because I'm going to address the issue that while it was not as relevant as others it still struck a cord with me and that issue is the parents in this book. All told we encountered 3 different sets of parents first we have Ken's parents...traditional Asian, controlling every aspect of their son's life, especially his mother (Dear Mama-chan there are actual laws against arranged or forced marriages). No reservations here folks I want to shake this woman because if it hadn't been for her and Ken's misguided sense of duty to his parents especially his mother he never would have dated what's-his-face thus avoiding the roofie experience and further dates. He didn't like what's-his-face from the get go.
Then we have Jim. His father was simply 'a bag of dicks' end of subject. Finally we have Constance, who seemed to me to be a pretty amazing woman in spite of her father and his misguided meddling because in the end she gave so much better than she got from any of the men she was involved with no wonder she wants to stay single.
Three adults from 3 different families and yet none of them had a truly loving and supportive family. I have to admit I was left wondering why it seems so hard to create a story where the characters or at least some of them have this. But mostly at the end of it for me the moral of this story was 'You can't please everyone. So you might as well please yourself.' Seriously consider it..if Ken had done as he wanted and pursued a relationship with Jim a lot of his issues wouldn't have happened, if Jim had returned Ken's interest like he truly wanted to and told his dad to jump off a cliff how much of what happened to him wouldn't have happened? And how soon would our MC's have been that much happier?
As Catherine stated in her review "There is so much dafuqery in this book." I believe that sums it up quite nicely.
2.5 stars rounded down because still no 1/2 stars here on GR & I don't round up for books where all the parents suck. -
DNFing at 27%. I’m not feeling this story and, after reading some friends’ reviews, I’m stopping now.
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1 "That's sexual assault. MULTIPLE TIMES?!" star
I'm fucking shocked. I liked the first book in this series and was really looking forward to reading the sequel. I enjoyed how the author portrayed Chase in Book 1 as feminine but strong. This book just went completely sideways around 40% and then was downright awful after that. I rarely give 1 star reviews. And I mean rarely. So here's why...
I'm just speechless. I will have to really think in the future if I want to read this author again. I'm still left with this uneasy wonderment of "Did the author just do that to me?" -
Oh wow. This was a wild ride. But something about this book left me with a sour after taste. Stellar writing as always though from Tara.
-
I was supposed to hate this story. Jim & Ken are not the most likable MCs. A denial closet queen, a gay player, both of them can't get their heads out of their asses, can't stand up against people who are bringing them down... You know...
But I felt their story can happen for real. I know a lot of men have their struggles in coming out and settling down. So instead of getting annoyed at them, I was unconsciously sympathetic to them. The story was quite authentic.
Another thing, like
Knight of Ocean Avenue, it was well-rounded. Some angst, some humor, some romance, some steam, everything was there. And I appreciated it and I might starting to become a fan of Ms.
Tara Lain.
I gotta note that the last 10% was somewhat rushed. But it didn't dampen my satisfaction after I finished the book.
Overall, this a good follow-up. Not amazing as the first, but Jim & Ken's story can hold up on it's own.
3.5 STARS! -
In una sola parola: delizioso. Terzo libro che leggo di quest'autrice (il secondo nella serie "Love in Laguna") e devo dire che adoro il suo modo di porgere le storie, con delicatezza e un filo di ironia, senza sfumare gli aspetti dolorosi ma insistendo comunque sulle cose belle.
Ecco, libri così ti fanno bene.
Jim è un personaggio a cui ci si affeziona, è una gran brava persona ed è pure un bravo fratello. Ce la mette tutta per essere all'altezza, dopo che per troppo tempo non è stato ritenuto tale.
Su Ken Tanaka non posso dire nulla: anch'io vedevo immagioni yaoi che mi scorrevano davanti, tanto che pure le scene hot mi apparivano come in un fumetto...
E poi quando sulla scena sono apparsi il fratellino talentuoso di Jim e il suo nuovo amico, il mio cervello cominciava già a correre avanti.
In conclusione, è un libro che mi è piaciuto molto e che consiglio se volete fare una pausa da romanzi dove state a macerarvi nei tormenti. Qui le problematiche non vengono ignorate, anzi, i fratelli Carney devono rimboccarsi le maniche e fortificarsi contro il mondo, ma c'è molto spazio anche per svagarsi e apprezzare il lento avvicinamento della coppia protagonista.
Unica perplessità: ho trovato poco credibile imbattermi in una una famiglia che caccia non uno, ma ben due figli (gli unici figli maschi, peraltro) perchè gay. Siamo di fronte a una famiglia dell'alta borghesia, istruita, socialmente inserita, e che ha comunque due eredi a cui tramandare il capitale (e non sono soltanto i giaèpponesi a temere il fatto che il proprio nome familiare si estingua). Quindi posso comprendere tenere il muso, biasimare, ma arrivare a cancellare i figli... mah. -
I didn't like it so much. It was a far cry compared to the first book. It was very low on steam and their love story was so stretched I somewhat lost interest in the story. But it's still okay, I mean, i did love how Jim's struggle about his sexualiy was written.
-
DNF!!!!!
I really enjoyed Book 1 but this book not at all. -
Wow, this was certainly different than the first one in this series ! I loved seeing some of the previous characters, but the new main guys were a different story. Ken, Cardiologist and player, is from a strict Japanese family. He doesn't want to marry who his mother picks out for him. Jim is given the task of running the construction job while Billy and Shaz are on their honeymoon. He's tired of trying to like women, and realizes he likes Ken. Jim, has always had a fetish of Japanese porn, and Ken fits that groove.
These two just weren't likable to me. They lacked backbone, morals, and steadiness. We have deception, Jim's brother dropping in, Constance wanting Jim, conniving measures by her Dad and Jim's Dad, lots of creeps in the mix, too.
Ken is drugged and nearly raped, twice in this book ! Jim saves him the first time. Finally after Jim's emergency heart surgery, Ken and Jim get their heads together.
I liked the end, but the two main guys were strange to me.
Ken was weird for a doctor, too loose, stalking Jim, a repeated victim, and flighty. Jim was a closet gay nearly his whole life, and now decides he wants Ken, but still dates Constance under threats from his dad.
These two just weren't likable to me. They lacked backbone, morals, and steadiness. I liked Ian, Constance and Ian's cat, Anderson. Of course I liked the guys from the first story, too. But this one just felt off because Jim and Ken never really spent time together, got to know each other, or developed a bond of any kind. Give it a try and see what you think.
===== -
Another sweet and satisfying story.
I liked Jim, despite sometimes getting a little frustrated with his not being gay while getting off on gay manga thing. But he is still a good guy that tries so hard to do the right thing, even if he does it the wrong way.
Ken was sweet, but I really wanted him to stand up to his mother or have her see what she was doing to him.
As for the big nasty I really wish Ken had joined up with the others to support them. I get the feeling they were not as lucky as Ken. I wanted to see that trio jailed BIG TIME.
Overall a sweet but at times intense read. Just my cup of tea. And a surprise outcome with Constance. I was not a fan of her at first but I got to admit I liked the way she handled things at the end. -
*looks at friends' reviews*
No.
And
[...]he’d wrecked his best friend’s life over some yaoi graphic novels
First thing first, there is a difference between graphic novels, manga and comics.
2nd, I'm afraid, it's going to sound stupid/sexist/judgmental but I've to ask: yaoi? Really?!
-
Overall book rating: 4.4 My heart stars
Audio book: Narrator - K.C. Kelly 4 Stars
Book cover: 3 Stars
I love this book!!!! For me it was better than the first one, Yes I am not big in "fem" books but I liked it but this one was better for me.
Jim Carney was just - shame I felt so sorry for him. His father what a tool!!!! And I just fell in love Ken Tanaka. -
Another fav from Tara Lain!
Ms. Lain is becoming a auto-buy author! -
https://elmaliest.de/knappe-der-gebro...
und ja, ich habe beim 2. Lesen meine Meinung geändert :-) -
I loved the first book in this series, but this one was just ok. I had some problems with liking Jim. I felt like dating a woman he knew he wasn’t attracted to wasn’t fair to her. She was really good about it when she figured out he was gay, but that didn’t make it ok.
-
3.5 stars
-
So. I'm sufficiently pumped full of pain killers to finally write this review without giving a fuck anymore. If you feel like I'm yelling the whole time despite having already calmed down a bit? You're right.
The short version is: I hated this book. I hated it with a vengeance and the only reason I finished it at all is that I wanted to get the complete fucked up picture before starting my rant.
The long version will contain spoilers on top of spoilers, although in this case, I'd like to think of them as trigger warnings. Because that's what this book would have needed right from the get-go. Among other things.
Now, where to start.
How about the racism and fetishizing then?
Ken, the cliché gay player/successful doctor, is not able to stand up for himself when it comes to his Japanese family, especially his mother. She's controlling, she doesn't accept him and pushes him on other people like a price cow/bull/whatever. I'm a European White Girl with many things I have no clue about, but when I call "clichéd bullshit" in a context like this? It must be bad, okay? It must be really bad.
Also, in what world is the fact that a white clueless, closeted guy fetishizes an Asian MC to the point where he doesn't even think of his "crush" by his name but "yaoi man". Really? Really?! Ken could have been anyone, ANYONE, as long as he was an Asian PoC, Jim (and the author) could happily fap over him. Because that's all he was good for, apparently. A fetish. Not a person, a PoC, a human being. But an "exotic" fetish to wank over.
Third. I'm in no way an expert on comics, manga, yaoi or bara. But. At least I know there is a difference? As in: If you have absolutely no clue what you're talking about, do some damn research before you appropriate something that is not yours? Just a thought.
And even if I was willing to completely put aside the shitshow that is romanticized&feitshized racism in this book - which I am very much not - what else was there? A couple of gang rape attempts - yes, plural. And just to complete the fuckery, it's the same gang trying to rape Ken twice because after the first time, of course he would agree to a second date with one of the assholes. Right? Right. Of course. The sexual situations between the two MCs made it so much better though. Because they weren't flat out rape... all the time. There was also a healthy dose of dub-con, non-con, coercion and "only" sexual assault. It's a rapeculture-trigger-shitshow from beginning to end.
In conclusion, if I could give this book dumpster fires instead of stars, there would be at least five. If I could rate it 0 stars, I'd take that too. Because even 1 star is too much for this atrocity. And I'm not even sorry for being vulgar and loud. -
Voto: 4.5
Il primo volume di questa serie mi è piaciuto tantissimo, e questo non è da meno. Ve li consiglio entrambi, anche se sono collegati solo marginalmente, perché qui si riparte proprio con il matrimonio di Billy e Shaz, i nostri vecchi protagonisti che hanno coronato il loro sogno d’amore.
Billy, prima di partire per la luna di miele, affida la supervisione della sua neonata impresa edile al suo elettricista, l’impenitente scapolo Jim. Lui, malgrado si senta un tipo poco affidabile, non vuole deludere la fiducia dimostrata da Billy, che ritiene un caro amico, pertanto si sforza di lavorare in modo integerrimo e di darsi una raddrizzata in generale: via alcol e sbronze a tutte le ore, basta con le ragazze che finora ha cambiato come i fazzoletti usati – e che tanto sembrano attirarlo sempre meno.
Durante una visita medica per l’assicurazione, Jim scopre di avere un problema al cuore e viene indirizzato, per un consulto, dal cardiologo giapponese Kenji Tanaka, che incarna tutte le sue fantasie più spinte. I due, a onor del vero, hanno avuto modo di interagire brevemente anche al matrimonio di Billy, ma la cosa sembrava morta ancor prima di cominciare. Invece l’attrazione c’è, ma è tutta una strada in salita, piena di buche e retromarce e scossoni. Mettiamoci pure qualche incidente e i semafori sempre rossi.
Rispetto al primo libro, questi due protagonisti hanno una storia familiare e personale molto più complessa e complicata.
Ken, da bravo figlio nipponico, si sente in obbligo di compiacere la famiglia – in particolar modo, la madre autoritaria e impicciona – per non macchiarla di disonore.
Jim, che è fuggito dalla sua famiglia d’origine, si ritrova comunque a confrontarsi col peso del proprio cognome, con delle aspettative che non vuole deludere verso il suo capo, con un fratellino di cui si sente responsabile e con un passato che non ha mai chiuso davvero. Tutto questo lo porterà a scelte sbagliate, a bugie sempre più grosse e a vicoli ciechi.
C’è molta carne al fuoco, ma la trama è ben sviluppata e coinvolgente. Abbiamo dei personaggi interessanti – alcuni positivi, altri meno – e delle belle sorprese, come Constance, che all’inizio appare odiosa, ma poi vi stupirà.
Ho trovato la resa italiana molto buona e piacevole. L’unico appunto al testo riguarda Andrea, la simpatica assistente di Ken, che diventa brevemente Angela (lo stesso nome di un altro personaggio presente), ma è una svista dell’autrice e non della traduzione nostrana.
In questo volume abbiamo modo di conoscere anche i futuri protagonisti di questa saga e non vedo l’ora! Ma intanto, se non l’avete già fatto, vi consiglio di recuperare il primo volume e poi di gustarvi questo. -
*** 3 YAOI STARS ***
Dr.Kenji Tanaka
Jim Carney the blue collar.
Well, I read yaoi. And reading this is like reading a yaoi in a novel.
I mean, the conflict, the drama, the stupidity of the MCs, the drama, the clumsy sex, the drama...
Did I mentioned 'drama'? Yeah, that. Complete with a denials, and some fucked up repeated twist.
I mean, come on, Ken and Jim are both adult, Ken, with very high education, and Jim, well, Jim. Both are easily manipulated by almost everyone.
Ken is like a ken doll in yaoi comic book, he's handsome, cutie pie, and a doctor, while Jim, even his father is a rich man, he's a blue collar worker.
It's opposite attracts for sure, again, like yaoi.
So, since I'm a yaoi reader, I won't complain much. This is what yaoi supposed to be written.
I even had to postponed it for sometimes, and reading again after I'm in the mood again.
But I think for some readers who's not reading yaoi, this is a little too much.
And the ending was not very satisfying, at least for me. I need a better ending, and a stronger chemistry between Jim and Ken.
I liked Billy's story better.
And as for Constance, I liked her. A lot.
