Reviewer: Alan Chin

Publisher: Rattling Good Yarns

Pages: 231

 

Rating:★★★

Ben Bennett owns and manages a failing bookstore. Although he’s had offers to buy his shop, he somehow hangs on because he loves his quiet life, a snug existence surrounded by literary books, a single employee to keep him company, and his feisty sister Mal to stir things up. But that all changes when he crosses paths with Avery Fitzgerald, a close friend of his sister’s new boyfriend. Avery is vexingly handsome, absurdly wealthy, a savvy business developer, and very outgoing, everything Ben Bennett is not. Avery has one other attribute, he takes a shine to unobtrusive little Ben Bennett, and the more Ben refuses to give Avery the attention he seeks, the brighter that shine glows. 

 

Can complete opposites really attract each other? Not before their lives unravel in ways they never expected.

 

The more Ben tries to resist Avery’s advances, the more Avery finds new ways to weave himself into the fabric of Ben’s life until sparks fly and hearts collide. This is a modern, queer twist on Pride and Prejudice. And like P&P, if follows the romance formula of two people who are meant for each other but can’t seem to get it together until the very end. The road to love is never easy, especially for a geeky bookworm swimming in a sea of self-doubt.

A wonderful debut novel… I confess I was not looking forward to reading another romance novel, but this story has true grace and vividly drawn characters that entice the reader into this beautifully crafted yarn. The emotions and concerns seem genuine, and carry the reader along.

What struck me even more than the story’s insightful observations was the writing voice. Samantha Ryan tells a simple yarn with the refinement of a seasoned professional.

I did have one minor issue with this story. In order for the protagonist, Ben Bennett, to wander through most of the story oblivious to Avery’s obvious advances, the author makes Ben out to be rather dense, to the point of often being stupid. I found myself rolling my eyes in several spots. I feel she could have found better ways of handling the protagonist’s refusal of Avery.

That issue aside, I highly enjoyed Pride.

Book Review: Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

 

Reviewer: Alan Chin

Publisher: Forge Books (Oct, 2022)

Pages: 277

Rating:★★★★

 

Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide their sexuality. But to keep their secret, they've needed to keep others out. And now they're worried they're keeping a murderer in.

Irene’s widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept. Andy had never imagined a world like Lavender House. He's seduced by the safety and freedom found behind its gates, where a queer family lives honestly and openly. But that honesty doesn't extend to everything, and he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge, and jealousy.

This is the first book in a series of Detective Evander Mills mysteries.

 

This is a tale of loss and redemption. The hero, Detective Mills, is at the end of his rope after being caught having sex in the men’s room of a gay bar. He loses everything, but then he is hired as a private detective to solve a murder. He soon finds that Lavender House is an island of gay honesty within a sea of 1950’s bigotry. In this open environment, Mills finds that a new life, an open life, is possible. This story is not just a murder mystery, and in fact, the mystery seems secondary to the awaking that Mills experiences. This is about bigotry, learning to stand your ground, and more importantly, learning to stand up for those like you, your family. 

 

I found this book rather slow in parts, and I also found the solving of the mystery was neither complex nor exciting, but the author was able to take me back sixty years, into my teens, to a time before gay rights. I lived through this time of bigotry, when I had to hide who I was from my family, friends, the entire world. This author skillfully made me remember what that bigotry felt like, the fear and shame, and for that I found this a fascinating read. Well done. 

 

Ultimately, this is a taut story of crushing loneliness and the fragility of human connections. It delves into the desperate need we feel to cling to anything that lessens that loneliness. The characters are brutally authentic, and the author handles them with sympathy and honesty. The reader so easily feels compassion, even becomes them as they face morally difficult choices.

 

Like so many formula thrillers, this story leaves the reader feeling satisfied, like a wool blanket on a chilly afternoon. It is an easy read with a splash of gay stardust to keep things more interesting.

 

This book was discussed at my book club, and we had a lively dialogue where everyone gave it two thumbs up. 

Yes, More Food Please

Yes, more food complements of Ben Wong. The celebration continues. Tonight is family night. Ben prepared his favorite dishes to enjoy at home with Herman and Me, and also his brothers and sisters—Sam, Anita, and Hedie. Afterward, we were invited next door to my dear neighbors Keith and Lee for dessert. Happy Birthday Herman!

Chef Ben Wong doing his magic.

Appetizers - stuffed Jalapeños and Cuttlefish

Homemade Fish Head Soup with Lotus Root, Daikon, Carrot and Tofu.

Stirred Fried Tender Beef with Floretto Cauliflower.

Chicken with Pork Belly and Snow Pea.

Abalone with Winter Melon and Black Mushrooms.

Stuffed Fuzzy Squash with Vermicelli

Dessert at neighbors Keith and Lee.

Unfortunately, Keith is not doing well. His health has deteriorated and he doesn’t have much time left. It was therefore great to get to talk with him a last time. He is truly a wonderful human being. Happy to have known him for so many years.

Happy Birthday Herman, day 2

Our good friend, Ben Wong, treated us and several guests to a second B-day dinner at the Lai Hong Lounge. Everyone there, and they were all foodies, said this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in San Francisco. Indeed, every dish was incredible. This was a full-on Chinese Banquet with some of the finest cuisine anywhere. A massive amount of food, drink, and good cheer. 

We band of foodies, we happy few.

Crab Meat with Fish Maw Soup

Almond Shrimp Ball

Imperial Peking Duck

 

Sauteed Grass Fish with Green

Abalone in Oyster Sauce with Snow Pea Leave 

Prawn with Royal Soy Sauce

Pan Fried Seabass

Dry Scallop Egg White Fried Rice

Koi Fish Mango Pudding

Ben, you are an incredible friend and a generous human being. We thank you so much for a spectacular meal.

 

Visiting Family

This day was dedicated to visiting my family in San Jose. Herman and I started the day by picking up a mess of food at a Dim Sum restaurant in San Francisco, and also stopping in at a Lee’s Sandwiches in San Jose before showing up at my Mom’s house at 11:30. Mom, my oldest sister Gail, and my brother Richard were there to join us for lunch. Also present were my nephew Trevin and great niece Grace.  It was hot, so we sat out on my mother’s patio and talked for hours before unpacking all the food. I think everyone enjoyed the meal. Not sure if they have ever eaten Dim Sum before. My mother—age 92—is looking well and getting around the house rather well with the help of a walker. She still gets out in her garden to pull weeds a few times a week. We ate some of her tomatoes, and boy were they great. That's me in the brown shirt.

Happy Birthday Herman

Herman, my husband of 30 years, and I flew to San Francisco to celebrate his birthday with friends and family. Ed Chin picked us up at the airport and then gave us his car to drive while we were in the bay area. We drove over to Ben Wong’s house and settled in. Then we went out to dinner with Ben, Fred, Laurence and Kevin for the first of several birthday dinners. We went to Spiral Japanese Restaurant. It was an awesome sashimi dinner at a Japanese restaurant down the peninsula. Massive amounts of fresh raw fish. Including: Complimentary Fried Calamari, Sashimi Combo boat, Fried prawn heads, Hamachi Kama, washed down with lots and lots of wine.

Fried Calamari

Sashimi Combo boat

Hamachi Kama

Fried prawn heads

This picture is of myself, Herman, and our dear friend Ben Wong, taken one year apart. Can't believe I'm aging so fast. 

Book Review: A Season in Delhi by Scott Alexander Hess

 

Reviewer: Alan Chin

 

Publisher: Rebel Satori Press (Nov, 2023)

Pages: 129

Rating:★★★★★

Coming Soon - November 12, 2023 from Rebel Satori Press

 

New Yorkers Brant and Lloyd settle into a posh neighborhood in Delhi to live while Lloyd works a new job that transplanted them to India. While Lloyd travels the country for his business, Brant is left alone much of the time with only a servant to keep him company. During his solitary time, Brant discovers the diary of a former diplomat’s wife, which chronicles her torrid affair with an Indian hoodlum. As Brant reads Carol’s scandalous tale of daring and woe, he can’t help bonding with this lady because of his own infidelity. The more Brant reads Carol’s diary, the greater the attachment he feels with this woman, and the greater his curiosity grows to find out what happened to her. They become kindred souls, sharing feelings and emotions across time. His journey thru Carol’s past beautifully creates a bond that transcends time and culture, empathy and absolution.

 

This is a tale of temptation, infidelity, loss, and redemption. But ultimately, it is a taut story of crushing loneliness and the fragility of human connections. It also delves into the desperate need we feel to cling to anything that lessens that loneliness. The characters are brutally authentic, and Hess handles them with sympathy and honesty. The reader so easily feels compassion, even becomes them as they face morally difficult choices. 

 

The author asks the reader to delve deeply into the human nature of illicit love affairs, those complex feelings of yearning, guilt, excitement, pleasure, fulfillment, wonder, and possibly even regret.

 

With sparse prose, Hess describes the sensual feel of Delhi and Agra. I have visited these fascinating destinations many times, and I can justly say the author took me back there, so rich and true were his descriptions. This is a quick read, but one that resonates in the heart. I treasured each page of this story.