Title: Pictures On Silence
Series: N/A
Author: D.W. Marchwell
Genre: Contemporary/Opera/Animal Rescue
Length: Novel (256 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (December 2nd, 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts
Blurb: When discredited journalist Duncan Spencer is given the assignment to interview world-famous operatic baritone Barkley Reinhardt, he knows it’s fluff, but he’s earning a living and he hopes it can take him one step closer to recovering his career as an influential and serious journalist. The singer is surprisingly more interesting than Duncan expected, and Duncan decides Barkley, with his reputation of being increasingly difficult and demanding, would make an excellent subject for a biography. When they meet, Duncan is surprised to find that Barkley has become jaded, is dissatisfied with fame and a life of touring, and deeply desires to pursue drastically different passions.
Although they are worlds apart in careers and interests, mutual fear and desperation rushes Duncan and Barkley into romance. But neither man has taken the time to really know the other, believing instead that what one needs, the other can provide. And then, when Barkley finds out that Duncan is planning to write his biography, he assumes Duncan is just like so many others: seeking only to benefit from his fame. How can a romance that started out so wrong-footed survive after such a blow?
Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4406
Reviewer: GiGi
Review: An interesting window into the world of opera singers.
I learned a bit about performing, different types of operatic singing, what goes into training and that was an interesting part of this story. On the flip side, the story did not delve much into reporter Duncan Spencer’s career as a journalist, though maybe the opera was more interesting and less known. These two have many differences, and though those obstacles would divide most people, their chemistry is strong enough to pull them together, that and their mutual love of furry four-legged creatures.
As the story sweetly meanders along, we see the true extent of Barkley’s love of his furry friends, and the length he will go to help rescue shelter animals destined to be put down. At first, I thought this might swing into an unhealthy hoarding situation, but as the story expands to include a rescue farm, the concept of fostering, and Barkley’s determination, I felt better. By the way, I thought it very clever that such an animal, and dog lover in general would have the name Barkley, just had to add that!
The tension builds, as a very jaded Barkley show’s his ultimate distrust of Duncan when he discovers the biography file on his laptop. He quickly leaps to some very wrong assumptions and shuts Duncan out. That isolation only serves to cause both of them pain, but can the relationship be salvaged? You’ll just have to find out. This story was a wonderful escape, introducing me to some new areas, opera, and animal rescue, that I had not explored before.
I recommend, this and Marchwell’s other titles, as they are a great addition to any readers shelves.
Thank you for the wonderully kind words, Gigi! And thank you for the recommendation; it’s very much appreciated.