Taurus: All That You Do by Jamie Craig

Title: All That You Do
Author: Jamie Craig
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel (200 pages)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

A guest review by Lily

Summary Review:

Can you ever truly be just friends with someone you want much more from? Is it ok to be friends, with benefits, with one person while secretly being attracted to someone else? These are just a couple of the things that Gage has to deal with when he moves to LA and leaves his Mormon upbringing behind.

BLURB

A Boys of the Zodiac novel

Antique dealer Christopher Gleason isn’t looking for love. He isn’t even looking for a one-night stand. But when a young man with a shy smile and a sense of innocence offers to buy him a drink one night, he’s tempted enough to accept. He’s even tempted to take it further, until he learns the innocence isn’t an act. Though he can’t deny his attraction, or the fact that he likes the young man quite a bit, Christopher puts him off. He’d rather be friends than risk hurting him.

Gage Kimball fled Salt Lake City for Los Angeles with his guitars, what little money he had, and no friends. Raised in a devout Mormon family within a tightly knit community, he’s never had the chance to be himself or explore his sexuality. Until now. Christopher supplies the emotional support Gage needs, but Gage wants more than friendship. Even at the risk of everything he has left.

REVIEW

Christopher Gleason would rather be spending his night at home relaxing after a hard day but instead he’s at club Power playing designated driver for Rev, his best friend. Sitting at the bar nursing his one drink of the night he’s not surprised when someone offers to buy his next drink. He is surprised however when he sees the cute young man who offered. Gage Kimball is different from the usual guys that party at Power and despite himself Christopher is intrigued with the sexy yet innocent vibes Gage gives off. When Gage invites him home Christopher readily agrees but when he discovers the innocent vibes are real he backs off with an offer of friendship leaving Gage frustrated, hurting and alone.

Despite the way the night ended Gage decides to accept Christopher’s offer of friendship and invites him to his first performance. When Christopher arrives at the club where Gage is singing and playing guitar he’s accompanied by Rev and a few other friends. After the show he introduces Gage to his friends and is dismayed when Bodie, more a friend of Rev’s than his, takes an instant liking to Gage. Now Christopher must deal with his attraction to Gage and seeing him with another man. He still thinks he’s doing the right thing but hates knowing he passed up a chance to be with Gage.

As days pass by Gage is enjoying himself with Bodie while still harboring an attraction to Christopher. Bodie gives him what he came to LA for, a connection to another man like himself, and soon they are spending more and more time together. Although Gage is sure that Bodie would like more than the oral sex they indulge in he can’t quite bring himself to let their relationship go further.

A trip to the beach a couple of weeks later is a turning point in Christopher and Gage’s friendship. They decide to spend time together, alone, to really get to know each other. As they learn about each other their feelings deepen but the barrier of Christopher’s initial rejection is still there. Christopher offers Gage a job at his antique store and a few days later they go on a buying trip. They spend a wonderful day together antique shopping and finally start talking about their feelings back at the hotel. They both admit how they really feel for each other and Gage also admits that who he truly wants to be with is Christopher. After spending a passion-filled night together Gage knows he has to let Bodie know immediately that things are over between them.

His talk with Bodie however leaves him more confused than ever and once again questioning Christopher and his motives. This misunderstanding is eventually resolved when Christopher finally explains why he turned him down that first night they met. Actions explained, misunderstandings resolved and feelings openly admitted, Christopher and Gage have a passionate reunion and they drift off to sleep happily looking forward to a second chance at happiness.

What I liked…

I really liked Gage. He’s a young man who had the courage to act on his feelings. Raised in a strict Mormon home but knowing that he wants, and needs, something different he comes out to his parents. They turn their backs on him and he moves to LA to live his new life. He’s a well written character that is likable and ‘feels’ real as he struggles with the pain of losing his family, his attraction to a man that only seems to want friendship and his feelings for the other man who’s finally showing him what it means to be gay and with someone.

What I didn’t like…

I didn’t much like Gage’s sexual relationship with Bodie which lasted throughout most of the book. I can understand it as Christopher turned him down and they don’t really have anything together until almost the end of the story but still I didn’t like it.

I also wasn’t happy with Christopher’s decision and actions throughout most of the book. It really didn’t make sense to me that he would reject Gage just because he was a virgin. However, when at the end his reasons are explained I understood him a bit better and was able to accept why he acted the way he did.

Overall…

I really enjoyed this story despite my reservations. It’s well written with interesting characters and a storyline that was simple but not boring. The sex scenes between Christopher and Gage are hot and sexy and the emotional aspects of the story are just as satisfying to read. There is a strong HFN ending to this story and it’s easy to see that these two men could have a HEA in their future. I would have loved a few more pages showing their relationship after that night but even without seeing them truly together I was happy to have read the book.