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.

Review: Convincing Arthur

Title: Convincing Arthur
Series: Convincing
Author: Ava March
Publisher: Loose Id
Publication Date: 21 July 2009
Reviewed Format: ebook
Length: 24,949 words

Rating: 4 out of 5

Blurb:
Mr. Leopold Thornton missed his chance ten years ago. He isn't about to let this one pass him by.

Given Leopold's reputation for vice and debauchery, Mr. Arthur Barrington has a fair idea why the sinfully beautiful man invites him to his country estate. A shooting excursion? Unlikely. Especially considering Arthur is the only guest invited to the estate. He shouldn't consider the invitation, but a few days of mind-blowing sex could be just the thing to help him get over the heartbreaking end of a ten-year relationship. Then he can return to London to his thriving law practice, and quietly search for an amiable man who understands the meaning of the word discreet and who recognizes the value of commitment.

There was a time when Leopold wasn't such a rakehell. When every night didn't end with an empty bottle of whisky. When he believed in the rewards of patience. When he didn't give himself over to just anyone who'd have him. Old habits die hard, especially when tempted by six feet of solid muscle, but Leopold will only have a few days to convince Arthur he can be the man he's looking for -- that his love is genuine and he's worthy of Arthur's heart.

Review:

Main Characters:
Arthur is a rather sedate fellow who works as a solicitor. He enjoys shooting though he rarely finds the opportunity for it. He also enjoys the intimate company of other men and recently ended a ten-year relationship when he discovered that his partner intended to marry.

He's a bit of a Clark Kent, actually, as those mild manners hide the heart of a passionate romantic, a man who wants someone to grow old with but who isn't above indulging in a long weekend of vice before settling in for the search. He recalls a past friendship with Leopold fondly, and hopes that the weekend in Yorkshire will be just what his heart ordered to get over his unfaithful former-lover.

I enjoyed time spent with Arthur, though I did occasionally want to shake him--it's hard to pass a weekend of debauchery when one is holed up for nine hours with paperwork. I also wish that he hadn't been quite so blind when it came to Leopold's feelings, as he could have saved them both needless angst and separation, but one can't have everything.

Leopold, on the other hand, is quite the wastrel, promiscuous and prone to visiting gambling hells and drinking to excess. He's defined his life by what he'd missed his opportunity for: Arthur. For ten years, he's filled the Arthur-shaped hole in his life with degenerate pursuits and bided his time, waiting for his second chance at love.

I particularly enjoyed Leopold, though I wanted to shake him even more frequently than Arthur. He falls on the bottle entirely too quickly whenever he doubts himself--or more accurately whenever he doubts Arthur. When he's not able to put forth his brash, daring persona, he exhibits a level of vulnerability that makes it easy to root for his happiness, even of he does need to be smacked for shooting himself in the foot so often.

Chemistry:
Arthur and Leopold certainly generate a lot of heat together. Between Leopold's ten years of unrequited love and Arthur's need to forget the poor ending to his affair, they're two men who are perfect for each other, even were they only to lick each other's wounds. As a romance, they're surprisingly sweet, considerate of each other--in bed, at least--and balancing well. I do wish that Leopold was a little more confident and independent, though, as building his entire life around Arthur is hardly healthy.

Secondary Characters:
There really is no supporting cast; most are only mentions, like Arthur's ex-lover, or unnamed servants. Given the length of the book, that's not surprising and a larger cast really wasn't necessary.

Story:
This is definitely a character-driven story, and as such not a lot happens in it. It's mostly Arthur and Leopold learning about themselves and each other--whilst having a lot of sex. This isn't to say that the story is overwhelmed by sex, but there is a fair amount of it. After all, the long weekend of debauchery is rather the center of the story, and it focuses it very well.

Writing:
The writing is solid and enjoyable, but there is a predominant element in it that drives me nuts: sentence fragments. They're not only in dialogue or sex scenes, where I have an easier time overlooking them, but throughout the narrative. I read with a mental red pen, smoothing out the fragments, which got to be a bit distracting at times. If fragments don't bother you, though, then the writing is a delight.

Overall:
Interesting, complex characters and an amusing concept make this an easy book to like. It's fairly short, perfect for squeezing some Regency romance into a little free time, and really quite enjoyable. I'm looking forward to seeing where they've ended up in the sequel.