Review: Convincing Leopold

Title: Convincing Leopold
Series: Convincing
Author: Ava March
Publisher: Loose Id
Publication Date: 28 June 2011
Reviewed Format: ebook
Length: 33,689 words

Rating: 4 out of 5

Blurb:
Mr. Leopold Thornton finally has the man he's loved for a decade, yet he can't believe his good fortune. A reformed rake and a conservative solicitor? Can it possibly last? To add to Leopold's worries, Arthur's spending more time at the office...with a handsome new secretary. Desperate not to lose Arthur, Leopold does the only thing he can think of -- use pleasure to keep him.

Mr. Arthur Barrington truly wants their relationship to work. Sinfully beautiful and devoted to him, Leopold's the opposite of Arthur's staid ex-lover. And Leopold's given up his old vices, putting those concerns to rest. Yet lately, all Leopold wants is sex -- in the study, in the carriage, and at Arthur's office, no less. The sex is amazing, but juggling demanding clients and a demanding lover leaves Arthur exhausted and worried perhaps he and Leopold aren't suited after all.

It takes one disastrous night for Arthur to realize how much Leopold means to him. But convincing Leopold he loves him, all of him and not just his body, proves difficult. For Leopold’s disappeared and Arthur hasn't a clue where to find him.

Review:

Main Characters:
Arthur has come far in the three months since he and Leopold began their relationship. Work is as taxing as ever, and his new secretary, Fenton, isn't helping to alleviate the load as much as Arthur had hoped. The bright point is the time he spends with Leopold, whether at his bachelor's apartment or Leopold's townhouse. He's ruffled by Leopold's constant pressure for sex, but can't find it in himself to turn Leopold down outright, leaving him exhausted and tetchy, wondering if he and Leopold aren't compatible after all.

Although he finally has the relationship he'd been craving with Arthur, all in Leopold's world is not roses. He's filled with doubt that Arthur sees him as anything but a convenient body, as he's convinced that surely he has nothing more to offer--something that he sees as proven when Arthur allows work to pull him away. He spirals into depression, masking it at first with brash seduction and later succumbing to it when it seems to him that Arthur has pushed him away for good. He's terribly vulnerable, defining himself by what he has to offer Arthur, desperate to keep them together, whatever it takes. I absolutely adore him, especially when he's irrational; it breaks my heart to see him suffer, and I can't help but hold my breath to see how things turn out for him.

Chemistry:
Arthur and Leopold are still an attractive couple, but, while the dynamics between them have shifted since they first came together, they haven't shifted enough. Leopold is extremely aggressive sexually, seducing Arthur anywhere and everywhere, including Arthur's office (much to Arthur's chagrin). Arthur, on the other hand, wants Leopold's company more than he does sex. Exhausted after long hours at his desk, sex is perhaps the last thing he wants most nights, but Leopold fails to read Arthur's signs and bulls his way through Arthur's resistance to give them both a tumble. As the story progresses, it's interesting to see how the dynamics play out and how they shift as the motivations behind them are revealed. I particularly enjoyed Arthur's actions after Leopold's disappearing act, and Leopold's revelation of why he behaved the way he did.

Secondary Characters:
There is actually a supporting cast this time, with a few notable players, though not many have a consistent role. Arthur's former lover, Randolph Amherst, makes a move. Arthur's assistant, Edward Fenton, pines. Leopold's footman, Jones, interferes. There are a few others who come and go, but most are really only window dressing. This isn't really a problem; again, this isn't a long book, and too many secondary characters could easily overwhelm the relationship between Arthur and Leopold. I think that a good balance was struck here.

Story:
The story is driven by assumptions and miscommunications, rather than events. Much of it is taken up with Arthur's waffling and Leopold's overcompensation; it's quite late in the story when the disastrous night rolls around. Because there's such a lead up, it does drag a bit in the beginning, but it's interesting enough to see how they evolve and interact with each other and the world at large that it is never terrible.

Writing:
Although the fragments I'd complained about in Convincing Arthur are still present, they for whatever reason didn't bother me as much. This book read in generally much more smoothly than Convincing Arthur did; even when the plot dragged a little bit, the writing kept things interesting and moving along.

Other Thoughts:
I really appreciated the reveal of Leopold's need for Arthur's undivided attention and his reactions to its lack. Depression--mental illness in general--isn't commonly addressed in male/male fiction, especially historical male/male fiction. Although it was never explicitly stated that Leopold suffered from depression, he certainly exhibited symptoms. Even better, I liked Arthur figuring out that Leopold's father was coddling him rather than living vicariously through him, and Leopold's disappointment at his father's motivations. (I felt so bad for Leopold, really. To find out at nearly-thirty-years-old that your father caters to your every whim because he doesn't think you can make it on your own is rough. Fortunately, he doesn't let it overwhelm him.)

Overall:
Evolving characters and an interesting relationship dynamic kept the pages turning in this book, even when the plot itself got a little bogged down. I found it fascinating to see the journey from where they began to where their story ended, and only wish that it was possible to see how they continued to evolve.