Hi, there! Good Saturday to you and welcome to another Ava March book review! I decided to re-read one of my favorites from her on Thursday and, once again, I was breathless ❤ Of course that I’m talking about Object of His Desire, the first book in the Sommerville series *–*
The Story
One week of pure torture.
That was all that Henry Shaw could say about his time on Sommerville Park, the propriety of marquis Arsen Grey. So much for a secret crush. Arsen was wicked, debauched and off all limits to Henry. And still, he had agreed to the marquis’ invitation to the blasted party. It was time to be over and done with his silly infatuation with Arsen. No use to love someone that would never love him back.
But can Henry so easily give up on such a gorgeous and impressive man?
One week of pure torture.
That was all that Arsen Grey, the marquis of Sommerville, could say about his party on his country house. So much for putting up a show for society. Especially when his eyes won’t leave one single person: Henry Shaw. The perfect man. Arsen was afraid that Henry would deny such invitation to his country house, but there he was, the only guest that hadn’t seen any kind of sheets action. It was time to be over and done with the wait. Henry Shaw would be Arsen’s. No use to keep waiting.
But can Arsen convince Henry that they can have a future together?
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
As Dante would have said: “thy that here enters, leave behind all the hopes for a mature and impartial review”. He never said that. Not like that anyway. MOVING ON. My first book by Ava March was Bound by Deception and I read The Bound Series [review here!] in a rush after that, so my second series from her was Sommerville Park. For a long time, Henry and Arsen were my favorite couple from Ava, as they are just so sweet and caring and PERFECT ❤ (Okay, sorry, I’m fangirling like crazy again *takes a deep breath*). As I said several times before, it’s easy and hard to analyze a book that you’ve read so many times, as you already had so much time to overthink about it. Ava makes a point to show her reader how communication is important between a couple for them to work out and it was no different this time. In order to live their love, Henry and Arsen had to talk. And oh dear, how did they talk… Without further ado, I declare that Object of His Desire is a five stars novella and that I really love it to the core ❤
The narrative follows March usual style: third person with switching points of view between Henry and Arsen. Ava works well into both characters personalities and he reader is left at a loss, as we need to tell Arsen how Henry feels and then we need to tell Henry how Arsen feels. Pride and fear are strong reflexes of the Regency society in which they live in, so the need of discretion on both parts breaks the reader’s heart. As a control freak, I prefer third person narratives, so I can always know what’s happening on both sides, haha!
The plot was simple, as most of March’s books. Regency era boy likes another boy, doesn’t know if loved boy likes boys too and decides to take a shoot. Also, all March’s books have a happy ending, which I really love, so there is no mystery there. All the focus goes to the couple, how they can work together and what they have to avoid to not break apart.
And the characters… I love both Henry and Arsen. Always did, haha! They are so different and yet so alike. Both are quiet people that long for love. There was no insta love in any parts, as their relationship had been growing for months prior the beginning of the book. It’s rewarding to see the moment when it finally blossoms and how they arrived there.
Also, Henry is a darling. A really tall and big guy that likes to be the wallflower of the party and has an almost teen crush on the beautiful older guy. Of course he made it to My Bookish Boyfriend list ❤ I imagine him like one of those swimming guys from the Olympic season, you know? All size and gentleness *–*
And I imagine Arsen as being more refined and bored-looking, but slaying beautiful. He also made to my list, but I’m team Henry ❤ He lacks the honesty that Henry has – I’m fine with it, as he never lied to Henry, but you know what I mean. He’s… Jaded. Henry had his heart broken even more than Arsen and survived the experience without this eerie feel. So, yeah, team Henry, haha!
And then there are the sex scenes.
March never ever disappoints and she makes a point to show that is perfectly okay for the couple to switch bed roles as they see fit. Also, as in all her works, there is so much love and desire involved on the love-making that the reader keeps sighing in pure satisfaction as the pages go. But I guess I’m too suspicious to say anything, haha! I love Ava too much, just as I love reading gay historical romances, oops!
Overall, if you like a really romantic couple, hot sex scenes, real and down-to-earth characters and Regency books, YOU JUST NEED AVA MARCH IN YOUR LIFE!
Understood? Thank you.
That’s it, thanks for reading! How do you feel about gay historical romances?
Ps: here’s a list of my reviewed titles from Ava March so far 🙂
MARCH, Ava – All In With The Duke, Gambling on Love #1 (review here!)
*MARCH, Ava – Viscount’s Wager, Gambling on Love #3 (review here!)
MARCH, Ava – The Bond Series (review here!)
MARCH, Ava – Convincing Arthur, London Legal #1 (review here!)
MARCH, Ava – Convincing Leopold, London Legal #2 (review here!)
*MARCH, Ava – Convincing the Secretary, London Legal #3 (review here!)
The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange 