Emily's Magical Bejeweled Codpiece by B. Snow at Dreamspinner Press
Genre | Gay / Time Travel / Romance / Humor/Comedy |
Reviewed by | Serena Yates on 15-July-2015 |
Genre | Gay / Time Travel / Romance / Humor/Comedy |
Reviewed by | Serena Yates on 15-July-2015 |
Tom, museum curator and expert in Renaissance jewelry, doesn’t think his boyfriend Peter is “The One.” Peter is perfectly happy with Tom, but Tom is obsessed with the artist Benedetto Emilio Nesci—exciting, passionate, extraordinarily talented… and dead for over 400 years.
Tasked with researching a bejeweled codpiece, Tom abandons his professional ethics—and his sanity—to try on the codpiece and is transported halfway around the world and back in time, right into Florence, Italy and Nesci’s workroom.
After his initial panic subsides, Tom seizes the opportunity to allow Nesci to seduce him, but Tom discovers not everything about the sixteenth century is as romantic as he’d imagined. Getting back to the modern world and Peter becomes Tom’s only wish, but desire and reality are two completely different things, and Tom might not get what he wants this time around.
This story caught my attention for a few reasons. For one, it has a geeky main character – just look at those glasses on the cover - and even though he turns out to be quite a bastard, at least he manages to grow a little by the end. For another, the idea of a “magical codpiece” just made me laugh. Very unique! And finally, the prospect of time travel back to the sixteenth century piqued my interest. What I found is a charming story, some great descriptions of various settings, and a wonderful lesson about appreciating what you have rather than obsessing about something you think you want.
Tom may be an expert concerning Renaissance jewelry, but his people skills leave a lot to be desired. Just the way he thought about his boyfriend Paul made me wonder what kind of an idiot Tom really is. He is also “a little” obsessed with the artist Benedetto Emilio Nesci—who has been dead for over four hundred years. Circumstances enable him to pay Benedetto a visit, and Tom begins to understand how some of his preconceived notions, ideas, and obsessions may stop him from being happy.
If you like stories full of humor and human frailty, if you want to know more about “Renaissance magic” and the bejeweled codpiece that enables Tom to learn what is truly important, and if you’re looking for a story that is as hilarious as it is full of wonderful observations in an unusual setting, then you will probably enjoy this novella. It made me laugh and frown in turn, but in the end, it made me smile.
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspiner Press for the purpose of a review.
Format | ebook |
Length | Short Story, 48 pages/16657 words |
Heat Level | |
Publication Date | 24-June-2015 |
Price | $3.99 ebook |
Buy Link | https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/emilys-magical-bejeweled-codpiece-by-b-snow-5540-b |