Review: Tarnished Gold by Brita Addams
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 1, 2013
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews LLC5 kisses, 2 1/2 peppers M/M, oral and anal sex, toysOn his twentieth birthday, Jack Abadie decided he wants a different life for himself instead of working on his father's sugar plantation. Jack wants to go to California to become an actor. After being in Hollywood for five years, Jack is still waiting tables with little time off to pursue his dream. One night a frequent diner hands Jack a card and invites him to a club. It turns out the man is Eric Ballance, a film director. Eric has been watching Jack and thinks Jack has what it takes to be an actor.Jack starts out as an extra, getting more and more parts until finally; he's offered the position of leading man on Eric's next film. But acting isn't all that Jack thought it would be, it's actually hard work, and he works hard and excels at his part.  Jack has kept a secret about himself from his family, only his brother Andrew knows the truth, and that is that Jack prefers men. As Jack is immersed deeper and deeper into the film industry, he's surprised to learn there are a lot of actors who are gay.During a movie tour, Jack meets Wyatt Maitland who works at a theater. Jack is cautious in observing Wyatt and concludes that he wants to know more Wyatt. At the end of the tour, Jack meets with Wyatt and both men find out quickly that they like each other very much. After some persuasion, Jack convinces Wyatt to move in with him as his lover and book keeper.The scandals in Hollywood have the public clamoring for the studios to clean up their movies and employees. The Hayes Office issues moral clauses and ultimatums to the actors. Angered by their attempt to encroach on his private life, Jack vows he well never succumb to their dictates.  Will Jack retire and live quietly with Wyatt, or will he fight for what he believes is right?My head is still reeling after finishing Tarnished Gold by Brita Addams. I'm so taken with this book; it's hard for me to put everything into words. Tarnished Gold is an emotional ride and is so very well written that I felt like I knew Jack, Wyatt, and Eric personally. The world building is excellent, grabbing my attention on the first page and continuing throughout the book. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough so I could learn what was going to happen next.Ms. Addams has put disappointment, determination, frustration, happiness, joy, grief, love, in this book. Jack is such a likable character, he's strong, confident, handsome, and easy going, and determined to go after what he wants. I could almost feel all of Jack's emotions pour out of the pages. I wanted to cry when Jack experienced his disappointments with Eric and his grief when his father passed. I also felt happiness when Jack and Wyatt were happy with their life. I loved how Jack handled his professional life and his determination not to hide who he was.I also like Wyatt, who was sometimes quiet and shy but came alive when he was with Jack. Wyatt also seemed to have an ornery streak that helped with the dynamic of him and Jack. Eric was a little harder to figure out. I so wanted for Eric to be happy, but he had his own demons to conquer. I liked how he took Jack under his wing and helped him become a star. All the secondary characters added depth and dimension to Tarnished Gold that makes this book such an exceptional read. I could tell that Ms. Addams had invested a lot of time into her research, and that made this story fantastic. I strongly recommend Tarnished Gold not only to those who love M/M romance books, but also to everyone who appreciates a gut wrenching, love story!