Review: Engaging and intense
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 26, 2014
Please see my full review on the Smoocher's Voice blog.When readers see Chase Manning in chapter one of Desires' Guardian, they meet a hung over party boy. But the fact that he literally jumps out of bed to go meet his best friend, James, for lunch, gives an insight into his character. Chase is the poster boy for the phrase "don’t judge a book by its cover".Desires' Guardian  is the second book in the Desires Entwined series, and this book is more detailed and the characters more developed than the first book in the series. Although this book could be read as a standalone, it is more engaging if it is read after Designs of Desire. Reading the books in order provides a depth to the plot and characters that would be missed otherwise.In the first book of the series, readers meet James and his best friend Chase. Although the first book concentrates on James and his budding relationship with Seth Burns, Chase plays a prominent role. Author Tempeste O’Riley does a great job developing Chase’s character. He is multidimensional. On the one hand, he is a bit of a bull dog when it comes to James, but he is vulnerable in many ways, which are explored throughout the pages of this book.O’Riley’s writing touches on realism as the two characters struggle with their attraction for each other despite the fact that both are wary of getting involved romantically. The fact that the men are stubborn and lack good communication skills is frustrating, but, again, very realistic.The subplot of the story has Rhys and his brother Dal investigating a serious of alleged gay suicides. Rhys believes these crimes are murder, and the investigation becomes more intense as more bodies are discovered. Chase is helping with background research.  And, as the investigation builds, it takes a strange twist that not only brings past crashing down on him, but also leaves him vulnerable and puts his life in danger.Tempeste O’Riley does a wonderful job developing this story. The focus of the story is on the romance between Chase and Rhys, but the subplots in the story reveal the depth with which O’Riley has designed this series.  O’Riley’s prose are beautiful and descriptive. The dialogue serves the purpose of moving the story along and providing insights into the characters. O’Riley’s characters are multi-dimensional, strong, vulnerable, and sometimes leave their true selves between the lines of prose and dialogue. The dimensions of the characters are often revealed through subtle actions, and that is what makes this book a great read.