Title: The Great Wall
Series: Made In China, Book #1
Author: Z. Allora
Genre: Contemporary/ light BDSM/Yaoi
Length: Novel (231 pages)
Publisher: MLR Press (July 27th, 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: There’s no gay in China so what’s the drummer of Made in China supposed to do about loving his male best friend when his family thinks he’s engaged to the girl next door?
Jun “Styx” Wong’s heart and mind battle to determine his destiny. His mind tells him to be a good Chinese son and marry the girl his parents chose, but his heart longs for his best friend, Jin, and life with their new band. “Jun” means honesty, but he’s not even honest with himself. A quest to eradicate his feelings for Jin nearly ends his life. Styx’s near death serves as a wake-up call for Jin, whose blond hair–legacy of his German father–marks him as different. Jin harbors secrets of his own. His experiences prepare him to take the drastic measures needed to help Jun overcome the walls surrounding them. Because there is no gay in China…
Product Link: http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=ZA_MDCHN
Reviewer: GiGi
Review: I think I’m really starting to develop a passion for Yaoi, and this book hits the spot! There is plenty of heartache, drama, desperate people taking desperate measures, and of course beautiful boys and rock stars. This story has a rather deep plot, and serious drama and really painful situations for the usual Yaoi plot. This is great, because even though Yaoi is fun boy love, I love angst with my romance! The scenes involving autoerotic asphyxiation were seriously handled and the danger very real. I appreciate the authors attempt to get across to the audience the dangers inherent in such behavior. Another thing I enjoy about this type of storytelling is the way the author tries to get a Western audience to understand Eastern concepts of medicine, sexuality, family, tradition, and art, in many cases quite successfully. I also like how the BDSM elements develop from a rather natural progression, instead of the usual staged scenes and shallow temporary tricks.
So sure, pick up this well written tale of two beautiful boys finding love against all odds — but it’s deeper than that, and very rewarding! I can’t wait for the next book in the series!