ESCORT is precisely the second book I have ever chosen
purposefully with a heroine who was a virgin. It's a trope I
dislike, highly unoriginal, and virgins seem to be all over the
place these days. Then again, there comes along a title that
gives
one hope, and ESCORT belongs to that category because the hero
is truly a male prostitute. Instead of the usual convoluted
scenario of the heroine asking a random dude, or the typical
platonic male friend where both are secretly in love with each
other, the virgin heroine does the logical thing and asks the
help of a professional. I live a dangerous literary life, so I
braced myself and hoped ESCORT would not disappoint.
ESCORT was the first book by Skye Warren I have ever read, and
I think I might have missed much more than I could ever know.
ESCORT is a delicate, fragile, ethereal, and unique work of
art.
Ms. Warren does not succumb to the clichés of the genre: Hugo
Bellmont -- our hero -- is not your typical mountain of
muscles,
nor is he domineering, and all those mind-numbing usual et
ceteras that make my skin crawl. He ended up in the profession
in a realistic manner, and wouldn't you know, it takes a male
escort to act like a real gentleman!
Bea Cartwright remained a
virgin for somewhat extraordinary reasons, and I happily went
along with it because they were so far from the norm. Hugo also
has a hidden agenda, and I wondered how it would play along
with the romance, and I thought it was very well done. In
fact, there is but a minuscule detail that marred the absolute
perfection of ESCORT, for which I do not put the blame on the
author -- who obviously has more important things to take care
of, that is crafting a remarkable story -- but on the
editors or
whoever sees to the finer details. Hugo refers to Bea as "mon
ami" whereas it should be "mon amie," because Bea is definitely
of the female persuasion; hopefully this will be taken care of
in the final edition or subsequent ones. I know it is a trifle,
but some of us are fluent in other languages than English.
What impressed me the most, maybe, is the sublime atmosphere
created by Ms. Warren. ESCORT reads like the best French art
cinema, owing partially to Hugo's childhood. There is an aura
of sophistication that permeates every scene, even though it is
not what Hugo has always known, he exudes class; so does Bea,
in spite of her innocence and her unusual life and upbringing.
ESCORT is an exceptionally quick read, even though the pace is
leisurely, it is not slow; it suits the story, which flows ever
so smoothly. I loved the honesty of the relationship between
Bea and Hugo, how they completed each other in unsuspected
ways, how they unknowingly needed each other to start really
living, and discovering love. I was surprised at how little sex
there actually was compared to the emotional content of Bea and
Hugo's interactions. Both characters were, in their own way,
prisoners in ivory towers who were able to eventually find
freedom. Skye Warren has a profound understanding of art, it's
no wonder as she, herself, proves to be a true Artist, with a
capital A.
From New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren comes a sexy new standalone from the male point-of-view...I'm an escort, which means this date is nothing more than a mutually enjoyable transaction. There shouldn't be any surprises, not for one as jaded as me, but when I walk into the penthouse suite of L'Etoile, everything changes. 1) For one thing, Bea is heartstoppingly gorgeous. Pale green eyes and endless freckles. Curves I want to spend all night exploring, as if her body was made for me. 2) Her innocence makes me want to use my entire inventory of bedroom tricks on her and then invent a few more. 3) Except that... she's a virgin. I can initiate her into the world of desire without letting her get attached, can't I? A few hours of tutoring, and at the end of the night a small fortune will be deposited into my bank account. But once I realize one night with her won't be enough, I'm the one who's screwed.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy