Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Brian Watson knows close friends Gerald Young and Dieter Krumpf have an ulterior motive when they invite him to their Christmas party. Brian has taken over the case to secure the return of the famous painting called The Woman in Blue to Dieter, but they don’t want Brian to be all work and no play. They intend to set him up with a friend, but he’s not who catches Brian’s eye. Instead, it’s Nicolai, the deaf art restorer caring for the works already returned to Dieter.

 

But pursuing Nicolai won’t be easy. A year ago Nicolai had to fight to regain his independence after a bad break-up, and he’s reluctant to give up his freedom a second time. Plus, Brian has competition in Justin, Nicolai’s ex, who wants him back badly.

 

Nicolai’s reluctance isn’t the only roadblock. Brian was married to a woman for almost ten years. Now he has to confess to his mother, his ex-wife, and his young daughter that he loves a man—all while conducting a potentially groundbreaking court case and trying to convince Nicolai that love isn’t about co-dependence, it’s about support.

 

Book Review

The story of a court case involving art stolen by Nazis then confiscated by the Austrian government that started in book one of this series continues in this second volume, but from a different set of main characters’ perspective. While the first court case was won, Dieter and Gerald now face the appeal, and Gerald has asked his boss, Brian, to represent Dieter due to his own emotional involvement. Brian has agreed to take it on with Gerald supporting him, but he also faces some challenges in his personal life that don’t make it easy to focus. Nicolai gets involved when some of the already returned artworks need restoration but once he and Brian meet, things quickly become very personal. What follows is another exciting, suspenseful story that combines legal details, personal challenges, and a great love story.

Brian may have started as Gerald’s boss, but they have become friends over the months of the court case that is designed to return Dieter’s great-grandmother’s portrait to him. Prying it from the greedy Austrian governments clutches won’t be easy, but Brian (with Gerald’s support) is up for the challenge. What he finds more difficult to deal with is his recent admission that he is more gay than bisexual and the trouble that may cause with an already angry, greedy ex-wife. When he meets Nicolai and immediately likes him there is another layer to the complications, and it takes Brian a while to sort himself out. Luckily his nine-year-old daughter Zoe is a lot wiser – or maybe just less complicated in the way she looks at the world – and she gradually helps nudge him in the right direction.

Nicolai is deaf and recovering from a bad breakup, but he doesn’t let that stand in his way of finding happiness. He likes Brian from the start, is impressed that he learns sign language so communication becomes easier, and adores Zoe (which is mutual). When Nicolai’s ex returns and keeps popping up everywhere it reminds Nicolai how difficult it was to relearn independence once the ex was gone, and it makes it a lot more difficult to trust Brian. What if things go wrong again? It isn’t just about the emotional risk for Nicolai, but about real-life difficulties as well. A double whammy that takes Nicolai some time to deal with.

Both men have to deal with their respective exes and some of the scars their separations have left behind. Neither of their families are particularly supportive either, so it is quite a quagmire they face. Brian and Nicolai are mature enough to talk about their issues, but feelings still take time to overcome. It’s a good thing they have help from Dieter and Gerald! Watching the group come together and make their own family was a beautiful sight!

If you like stories about people fighting for their emotional freedom and independence, if you want to see two men fall in love as they deal with their pasts, and if you’re looking for an emotionally intense read that has more than one twist, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It was quite a ride and the combination of art, legal details, and a growing family definitely worked for me!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been purchased by the reviewer.

Additional Information

Format	ebook, print and audio
Length	Novel, 200 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	21-October-2011
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle, $19.95 audiobook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/artistic-appeal-by-andrew-grey-1909-b