Review: Indigo: The Cat's Meow

Title: Indigo: The Cat's Meow
Author: Lucius Parhelion
Publisher: Torquere Press
Publication Date: 27 December 2011
Reviewed Format: ebook
Length: 72 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5

Blurb:
Good jobs were hard to come by in 1930, even in booming Southern California, even in Hollywood. Fred Doyle was relieved when the chores his brother Charlie conned him into taking over, serving as handyman and cat sitter for their landlady's son, accidentally led to decent work with Carl Belasco, youngest and sharpest of the Production Heads at Metropolitan Pictures.

But now Fred and Carl are being drawn together by more than painting woodwork on weekends, trying to keep track of Mr. Flurry the cat, or even correcting errant movie directors. They're realizing that a more intimate and illegal taste they share is turning them toward each other. Too bad that onlookers, including the ever-conniving Charlie, may notice the growing attraction before Fred and Carl do.

Given this tangle, a quick trip to buy decorating supplies on romantic Catalina Island is likely not the wisest of ideas...

Review:

Main Characters:
Fred is a soon-to-be-CPA sleeping on his brother's couch. Seeking hourly work to avoid taking a job with the family construction company, he's pleasantly surprised to find regular work as Carl's personal assistant, something at which it quickly becomes apparent he excels. He's grounded and knows how to get done what needs to be done, but he's not above irreverence and doesn't take himself too seriously. His narration gives the story a decidedly light-hearted air and casts him as quite a likable guy.

Carl is a bit harder to get a read on, filtered through Fred's point of view. He's a powerful producer with a bad habit of keeping potential paramours--those of a lavender hue--close at hand in any way that fits. I rather liked him, though I can't pin down his character enough to determine why.

Chemistry:
So much of what is between Fred and Carl is in what is not said that it was hard to see their interest in each other at all until quite late in the story. Once it came out, it was a slow slide into acting upon that attraction, and much is still left in the spaces between; what sex there is in the end is tastefully implied, rather than splashed across the page. It's easy for me to see Fred and Carl together for the long haul, too, which never hurts.

Secondary Characters:
Although there is a decently-sized secondary cast, the one who steals the scenes is naturally Mr. Flurry. His frantic pawing under the bathroom door at bath time is downright adorable. Fred's brother, Charlie, is fun as well, especially when he rides to defend Fred's virtue, much to Fred's chagrin. Even the incidental characters are breathed with unique life that makes them a pleasant, integral part to Fred and Carl's world.

Story:
Much of the plot revolves around the work Fred and Carl are doing to Carl's mother's house while she is away. The development of their relationship, both personal and professional, falls into the cracks and comes out in relief, shown in its absence.

Writing:
The writing itself is an absolute delight, lyrical and dreamy. Things flow so beautifully from point A to point B that it's easy to get lost in it.

Overall:
You don't need to love historical romances to love this story, but it's an added bonus if you do. Excellent writing and impressively-drawn characters lend a timelessness that makes it easily accessible to anyone looking for a lovely, light romance.