Review: Chiaroscuro by Jenna Jones

BevL(QB)’s review of Chiaroscuro by Jenna Jones
A contemporary gay erotic romance published Aug 07 by Torquere Press

At the wedding of two coworkers, Jamie, an artist and graphic designer from England, meets Ben, the man who created the magnificent wedding cake. At the time, Jamie had no idea just how much a part of his life Ben would become.

Although immediately attracted to Ben, and despite warnings from his best friend, Dune, Jamie ends up taking his young coworker and protégé, Micah, home that night and initiates the sexually confused, inexperienced Micah into gay life. Jamie quickly loses his heart to Micah and finds himself involved in an intense, but clandestine, relationship with the young man.

Jamie’s circle of friends love him and are concerned that Micah’s youth and refusal to out himself can only lead to heartbreak. The cake designer, Ben, soon finds himself welcomed into that circle of caring friends, and intends to be there to pick up the pieces when- not if- Jamie has his heart shattered by Micah.

Read an excerpt

Chiaroscuro is a character driven, slice of life story, with the lovable Jamie as the central character around whom the rest of the memorable cast gather. I have to point out that this book had some serious technical problems. But I’m going to be presumptuous and explain why I THINK they might have happened, because I feel those flaws are, while not forgivable, at least understandable when seen in a different light.

I think the characters were so REAL that, in Jenna Jones’ head, she could see each scene unfold, each character as they interacted, and thus did not realize that her conversational tags were often nonexistent or, more often, confusing. I think that, in HER head, it was obvious who was speaking, but I found myself re-reading scenes to clarify it. Furthermore, I think Jones flinched and decided to give her characters some privacy in the bedroom because she never quite got the erotic choreography’s continuity right. And that title? Whether the explanation was accidentally edited out of the story, or I blinked and missed it, or it was just assumed to be common knowledge but was unfamiliar to me, I nonetheless had to look it up. It IS appropriate on several levels: Chiaroscuro refers to the art technique of using light and shadow to define three dimensional objects.

So why am I recommending, this book? Because this author and this story are true diamonds in the rough. Because I found myself so involved in the lives of a group of warm, loving, and caring friends and family. Because those technical problems can be overcome with more writing experience.

What can’t be learned is Jenna Jones’ inherent ability to create characters that seem as three dimensional and real as you and I are. It was as if she inserted a holographic video in my head and I was part of the story as it unfolded… albeit with more than a few rewinds to reconstruct who was talking or to try and figure out how a particular action could occur in the position the characters were in.

The fact is, I felt like crying when I finished this book because I became attached to these people and I loved being a part of their lives. And that is why I’ll be watching for more books from Jenna Jones. I think Dune deserves to find love, and his story would give me a chance to revisit all of them. I miss them already.

Grade: C+

You can buy the ebook at torquere books or Fictionwise

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