Title: Tarnished Gold
Author: Brita Addams
Genre: Historical (early 1900’s), BDSM kink
Length: Novel (350 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (March 25th, 2013)
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Heat Level: Explicit
Blurb: n 1915, star-struck Jack Abadie strikes out for the gilded streets of the most sinful town in the country—Hollywood. With him, he takes a secret that his country hometown would never understand.
After years of hard work and a chance invitation to a gay gentlemen’s club, Jack is discovered. Soon, his talent, matinee idol good looks, and affable personality propel him to the height of stardom. But fame breeds distrust.
Meeting Wyatt Maitland turns Jack’s life upside down. He wants to be worthy of his good fortune, but old demons haunt him. Only through Wyatt’s strength can Jack face that which keeps him from being the man he wants to be. Love without trust is empty.
As the 1920s roar, scandals rock the movie industry. Public tolerance of Hollywood’s decadence has reached its limit. Under pressure to clean up its act, Jack’s studio issues an ultimatum. Either forsake the man he loves and remain a box office darling, or follow his heart and let his shining star fade to tarnished gold.
Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3667
Reviewer: Pammie
Review: This story revolves around the lives of Jack and the man he loves, Wyatt.
It’s hard to believe that this story starts almost a century ago. It’s bright and vibrant, and I was happy to lose myself in the 1920s. In this era, the stars were the “property” of the studios, and no one would be seen unless fully made-up, not a hair out of place, and immaculately dressed.
Jack is no different on the outside, but behind closed doors he lives a very different life. Then he meets Wyatt. Their relationship starts off well, but Jack initially tries to abide by his mentor Eric’s advice of ‘not being touched’. He soon realizes he can’t live that way, and soon he and Wyatt are as married a couple as you can envision.
When his studio finally insists that he has to marry, and tuck Wyatt away where no one can see him, Jack takes a stance. He refuses to deny his life or the man he loves.
There is a D/s aspect to Jack and Wyatt’s relationship, but that isn’t the main part of it. Instead it’s about two people with a deep love for one another.
I loved reading the mix of historical events with fictional romance, although it is loosely based on an actual real-life romance of the time. I also liked the way the author concluded the story with a 25 year anniversary. It’s a shame that some actors, even today, don’t feel able to be publically ‘out’.
I recommend this to anyone who likes history, romance, adversity overcome, a dash or two of hot sex (some lightly kinky) and a HEA.
Reviewer: Cat (♥♥♥3Hearts)
Review: leans with dreams to make it big and to go to California with his lover from home and be a star. His first disappointment happened on the way to the ferry to leave, when he finds that Emory, his lover isn’t going. He goes alone and finds a room and makes some friends. Then, the story moves a bit quickly from then to five years later when he is working, still as a server in a restaurant and meets Eric. He falls quickly for the man who tells him to leave the restaurant and trust him. Eric promises to make him a star.
The story really begins here.
Jack would do absolutely anything for Eric, but Eric makes it know right away that he will never, ever be anything more than a friend to Jack. There are lots of twists and turns as we go through Jacks life in his career and personal life.
I took to this story right away, loving it. Once we got to the part with Eric, I was OMG it’s awesome. It had angst, love, and hate. I couldn’t put the book down. I had one problem; however, the dialogue was so hard to follow at time. I couldn’t always tell who was talking, even with just two people talking. It was really rough when there were more, but I was hooked so I went on. I read for hours and I am sure I ran through an entire box of tissue when I thought the story was almost over. I was shocked to see I was at only 60 percent in. I just knew there was a big bad twist coming and practically chewed my nails. I was a bit disappointed, however, when the twist didn’t really materialize. At least, not how I expected and then it was rather soft and the rest of the story got a bit repetitive and slow. However, I still really liked the story and the relationship of Jack and Wyatt. I am a sucker for a love that can endure all these hardships. The story line was good, the characters every last one AMAZING, and the sexy pretty hot.
Recommendation: If you like men searching for a dream, heartbreak, broken hearts, finding a dream, Actors, Directors, historical fiction set in the early 1900’s, Scandal, difficult choices, spanking and a HEA this one is for you.