Today I'm featuring a review and promo excerpt for Signs of Desire by Tempeste O'Riley. This is book 4 of the series, Desires Entwined, so if you haven't read the other books... don't read this one. You'll have a better reading experience if you know the backstories of the other characters. Good news, though, is there's a $25 DSP gift card or backlist book offered in the Rafflecopter contest, so you might get a chance to catch up to this book.
A fan of the series, especially the first book, I really enjoyed Signs of Desire. Each story in this series involves couples who really have to go the extra mile to be together--but it's always worth reading to follow their journey. The main characters for this book have one very important difference; Simon can hear but Adrian is deaf.
Both men have had a spotty record dating. Simon is a romance author who can't seem to find it himself. His trouble finding a man who wants him for him has led to a writing block, and he lets that push him into accepting an invite from friends to get away from the blinking cursor on a blank page. Adrian, a successful man who has put a phenomenal effort into fitting into "normal" society, has only found men who end up frustrated putting up with his inability to hear.
But Simon's different, or at least Adrian hopes he is. But can Adrian overcome the distrust that pushes him into punishing Simon for some of his past boyfriend's mistakes? Can Simon believe Adrian can care about him--just him--for no other reason? What happens when they both face hatred and discrimination for things they can't change; will it pull them closer or tear them apart?
As always, Tempeste has written a story that tugged at my heartstrings. I really cared about Adrian and Simon, and I was rooting for them to make it as a couple. The story has angst, but it's believable and realistic for a contemporary story; just enough to create conflict without being overdone. My biggest complaint is the completely random grammar call to capitalize Hearing and Deaf to describe people in the story. It felt wrong because those words are not proper nouns, yet they're being used that way to segregate characters based on a physical ability or lack thereof. A person is hearing or deaf--but that isn't who they are--so giving the words that level of import felt like it was deliberate to create a schism between the groups which didn't work for me as a reader. While that might work with another plot, Adrian doesn't want his partner to view him as incapable or capable based on whether or not he can hear, so to have him think that way in the writing was hypocritical.
SERIES: Desires Entwined
AUTHOR: Tempeste O’Riley
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
COVER ARTIST: Reese Dante
LENGTH: 200 Pages
RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2015
BLURB: Desires Entwined: Book Four
Simon Tyler knows his job as a gay romance author makes his lack of faith in love more than a little ironic, but he’s tired of being used for his wallet. When a night out turns into a matchmaking scheme orchestrated by his best friends, Simon’s not thrilled, but since he’s not the target and he’s sworn off happily-ever-after anyway, he goes along with it… until he meets Adrian, the object of their efforts, and finds perhaps he hasn’t given up on love after all.
Professor Adrian Keys has tried to date Hearing men before, but being Deaf himself, he’s never had any success at making a connection. After his friends con him into going out and Adrian realizes it’s all an elaborate plan to set him up, he braces for yet another failure, only to discover there is a spark—except it’s not with the man his friends had in mind, but with Simon Tyler instead.
Not all their friends have found a way past their romantic failures, but Simon and Adrian might be on the path to happily-ever-after.
A
tap to his shoulder pulled Adrian out of his musings. He turned and realized
the server was back with their dinners and blushed at how entranced he’d been.
He didn’t usually stare, hating when others did that to him. “Sorry.”
“No
sorrys.” Chase hugged Adrian, then dug into his bowl of chicken and dumplings.
Simon
waved to get Adrian’s attention and smiled when he looked up from his
country-fried steak and mashed potatoes with white gravy. “Chase said you were
his teacher before and are now a friend.” Adrian nodded. “How’d he convince you
to go out with his skinny butt?”
Heat
infused Adrian’s face as he laughed. “Chase was very sweet and asked nicely.”
“I
love your laugh, by the way. It’s deep like your voice, kind of carefree.”
Simon looked slightly sad. Adrian knew he’d had a hard time lately. Chase said
he’d been cheated on a year ago and had refused to date since. Adrian knew the
feeling, though he pushed the thought away, hoping not to dwell on why he was
alone.
He
ducked his head slightly. “Thanks? I don’t know how anyone sounds, even myself,
so it’s always weird to get comments like that.”
“I
said the same when we went out,” Chase commented. “But don’t let him fool you.
He’s an excellent teacher and speaks in all his classes. He knows his voice is
good.”
“No,
I know it’s clear enough for you to understand. That’s something I work hard to
make true, but I have never heard my voice, so I have no idea how I sound. And
well…. Chase was the first person to ever say something like that.”
He
worked regularly with various computer programs to improve and maintain his
speech, knowing if he didn’t it could cost him his position at the college. He
had always struggled to make sure he spoke well for Hearing people, considering
his family’s opinion of his Deafness. His dad knew sign language, but his mom
refused to learn, insisting he learn to be “normal.” Adrian had always thought
that was extremely unfair, especially as a child. Considering his hatred of
being dependent on others for his communication, he was thankful he could read
lips and speak as well as he did.
“Then
you know the wrong people, ’cause he’s right.” Simon nodded to emphasize his
point, confusing Adrian more. Why would he be so determined with his
compliments?
Shrugging
off his curiosity, Adrian tried to push past the topic. “What do you do?”
Simon’s
eyes tightened at the edges slightly, his shoulders drooping a little more.
“I’m a writer.”
“He’s
a romance author, and a damn good one,” Jamie, or James as he knew the guy’s
actual name was, said. Chase talked about his best friend often, though this
was the first they’d met. “Don’t let him talk down about what he does.”
“James,
hush. He’s not interested in what kind of writing I do.”
“Yes,
I am. I love to read. Would I know any of your work?” Adrian didn’t have a
large collection of romances, but he had read some. He couldn’t think of any
authors named Simon, though.
“You’re
an author?” Grayson asked, turning to join their conversation.
The
nod seemed reluctant, but the smile on Simon’s face, while small, looked
genuine. “Yeah, I write under the name Tyler Jacobs, a pseudonym, but I have a
few books out. But, um, I thought we were trying to get to know Adrian and
Grayson, not more about boring ol’ me.”
Adrian
looked to Grayson and back, then shrugged. “I thought it was so we could all
get to know each other.”
“Actually,
I think Chase was trying to play matchmaker,” Rhys said, shoving Chase
playfully.
“Matchmaker?”
Adrian asked. Whom was he trying to set up with whom? And why?
Chase
scowled and swatted Rhys. “I was hoping to introduce a few new friends and
hoped everyone got on well, brat.” Chase reached out and patted Adrian’s hand,
confusing him further. “I swear, I’m not trying to push you if you don’t want
to date anyone right now.”
“Just
who were you hoping to match up?” Dale asked, smirking as he stared at Chase.
Honestly,
Adrian wanted to know that as well. It was obvious Chase meant to fix him up
with one of his other friends, but he couldn’t imagine which one. James was
married, Chase was happily with Rhys, and he didn’t know Simon, Dale, or
Grayson beyond what he’d learned of them since he’d arrived, really.
Only
two of the people at the table even interested him, truth be told, but he
couldn’t figure out why anyone would try to set him up with either man. In
Adrian’s experience, most Hearing people didn’t overly like dealing with having
a Deaf partner. His few exes certainly hadn’t, no matter what he did to seem
more “normal.”
Chase
shook his head, clamping his lips closed as he glared at Rhys.
“Chase?”
Adrian said and signed. “Who were you hoping to set me up with and why?”
Their
eyes locked for a few moments before Chase looked away, his shoulders drooping.
After a moment, Chase turned back to face Adrian and replied, “Grayson. He’s in
IT, like you and I are, he’s super loyal and really cute in that quiet
reserved-guy kind of way.”
“Grayson?”
Well, he was handsome and seemed nice, if a little stoic. Adrian didn’t know
how to feel about Chase trying to set him up with one of his friends, though.
“I can get my own dates, Chase.”
“I
know that. It…. Grayson is really nice, and I’d love to see Rhys’s buddy happy.
And I like you, but we’re not right for each other, either. I thought of you
two, though. You’d make a beautiful couple. His Native American features and
your slightly Asian ones….”
Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud pansexual genderfluid whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what she couldn’t–defy the hate and come out. He has been her hero ever since.
Tempe is a hopeless romantic that loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. Though new to writing M/M, she has done many things in her life, though writing has always drawn her back–no matter what else life has thrown her way. She counts her friends, family, and Muse as her greatest blessings in life. She lives in Wisconsin with her children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.
Tempe is also a proud PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Rainbow Romance Writers, and WisRWA. Learn more about Tempeste and her writing at http://tempesteoriley.com.
Winner’s Prize: $25 Dreamspinner Press Gift Card
Runner Up’s prize: An ebook from Tempeste’s backlist
