Title: The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel
Series: The Actor’s Circle, #2
Author: Bey Deckard
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (78 Pages)
Publisher: Bey Deckard (September 12th, 2015)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts
Blurb: All James wanted was a little solitude at his favorite resort: bright sunshine overhead, soft, white sand underfoot, and a hammock to read in while the warm breeze rustles through the coconut palms and almond trees. However, when an old acquaintance shows up, and James is obliged to share “his” beach, a profound exchange over a bottle of rum leads to a lust-fuelled encounter in the dark.
Reeling from the intensity of the drunken tryst, James decides to cut his vacation short rather than face what he’s kept hidden under mountains of denial.
However, his escape is thwarted when Rudie, handsome and plainspoken, calls him out on his behavior and makes him see that life needn’t be spent running away from his desires.
Set at a rundown old resort on a small Caribbean island, The Last Nights of The Frangipani Hotel is a story about letting go of fear and learning that passion and love can be found in the most unexpected of places.
Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Nights-Frangipani-Hotel-Actors-Circle-ebook/dp/B014RZQ54I
Reviewer: KathyMac
Review: As the author narrates the story, mostly threw the voice of James, an actor on hiatus who craves silence and a solitary existence, we find him where he vacations on an island in the Caribbean surrounded by the solitude he craves. The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel will pull you in, as though you are there on the island watching from the distance.
Bey Deckard is a masterful storyteller and with his descriptions and details that set up the backdrop of this story, you have a perfect visual of two men, both different yet so much alike, looking to belong…to something or someone.
Rudie, also an actor, stumbles onto “James’s beach” looking for his own rest and relaxation. At first, James is a little put out that he now has company encroaching on his island, as he likes to refer to it, but he soon realizes that having company is not so bad.
James’s denial runs deep about his wants and desires but the hidden truths that have plagued him for many years are starting to surface, as he watches Rudie from a distance. The big question is will he be able to accept the change that Rudie has brought out in him? Will he be able to turn his brain off and enjoy their moments together?
James has a couple of bouts of panic but Rudie brings him back with his words and understanding. He even experiences a bit of jealousy and is surprised by the intensity of his feelings. However, he knows their time is coming to an end and he wants to make the most of it.
Rudie has darker needs that he is not afraid to voice. As their last days dwindle down, James succumbs to his own needs that are no longer hidden in the recesses of his mind. Giving Rudie what he begs for without restraint and an urgency he has never felt with anyone else, he accepts his true self.
“Teeth bared, I nearly shook with panic and anger and desire as I pushed his legs apart. He didn’t resist. I threw myself down on him, my weight sinking him into the mattress as I grasped my cock and guided it, thrusting into him hard.”
— James
Their time together behind the shutters and closed doors are sometimes rough and miscalculated, but no less intense and moving. They also share pieces of themselves with no expectations in the light of day.
James arrived on the island a lonely and somewhat critical man but he will leave with a new outlook on his future and new possibilities to explore. He finds himself smiling at what lies ahead, but more importantly…the man that he will see.
An incredible short story that is packed full of emotions and new discoveries. If you read, The Complications of T, you will catch a small reference that will bring a smile to your face and if you didn’t it wasn’t relevant enough to throw you off kilter.
Bey Deckard is brilliant with writing lyrical prose and this story is no different with its smooth and flawless execution. One of the things I love best reading stories by this author is I always learn something. Whether it’s new words, phrases, or a spot on the map, I always take away new knowledge and I love that.
I highly recommend this novella to anyone who loves to fall into a story where the author cloaks you with words and descriptions and you are mesmerized until the end.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *