His Fair Lady by Kimberly Gardner

91VEMxmCM1L._SL1500_Title: His Fair Lady
Series: Exception to the Rule, #2
Author: Kimberly Gardner
Genre: New Adult/Transgender
Length: Novel (200 pages)
Publisher: Loose Id (April 1, 2014)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4.5Hearts
Blurb: Mark Talleo is something of a dog with the ladies. Any girl, anytime, anywhere is his motto until he meets Josie Frazier. The long lean redhead not only shares his love of musical theatre, but her smoky sexy voice and infectious laugh drive Mark wild and haunt his every step. Equally fascinating is his sense that she has a secret, one he is determined to uncover on his way to becoming her leading man.

Josie does have a secret, one she guards with her whole self. Although she has always known she was female, her name used to be Joey and she’s still biologically male. As much as she yearns for love and acceptance, her fear of rejection is just as strong.

Mark’s need to know the truth is matched only by Josie’s need to hide it. But when malicious gossip reveals her deepest secret, the price of honesty may turn out to be too high to pay. But if each can accept that the woman he wants is the woman she is then at last he may find His Fair Lady.

ISBN: 978-1-62300-707-2

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/his-fair-lady.html

Reviewer: Prime

Review: I’ve read a few books, which feature a transgender main character, but this is the second of such books that has really got to me with actual emotion. I really sympathised with both main characters. Although, I have to admit that personally in my mind, this particular in terms of transgender relationships is only second to Carol Lynne’s Hawk’s Landing, part of the Cattle Valley series. But that is totally off the point.

This story is a standalone story as part of the Exception to the Rule series. However, we do get a quick update of the previous couple featured in book 1, Chris and Kevin. Quite happily, though, not only do we hear about Chris and Kevin’s relationship, we also find out how much they have progressed as a couple. Very satisfying to read.

His Fair Lady starts a few years after Almost Heaven. Chris’s younger brother, Mark, is now in college. He’s also a bit of a ladies’ man. He spies a girl in class and becomes intent on pursuing her. That girl is Josie – was once Joe. She lives full-time as a woman now. She was incredibly lucky to have very supportive parents, who let her be who she is and never held her back. She also has a BFF and guard dog I love, Kyle. (Kyle’s story is in book 3 and I reviewed it before reviewing this title).

One thing in college that brings them together, other than a couple of classes, is the college theatre production, My Fair Lady, hence the title of the book.

Both Mark and Josie have their share of drama but everything is done to the point without, thankfully, the addition of any drama queen hissy fits. Really, don’t like those. The relationship between Mark and Josie reminds me of the awkward start of relationships in teen years. In that way, everyone can relate to that, particularly some awkward make out scenes. However, their relationship also shows the maturity of long-lasting relationships.

I like, in fact I prefer, the fact that Josie’s identity as a female wasn’t handled with all the shock and fanfare I’ve read in other books. Instead, all the emotion was based on Josie struggling to be herself under the fear (though I’m not sure I would call it fear) of being found out and the consequences in terms of Mark and basically everyone at college. That to me also felt realistic.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *