PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS

PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS by Cardeno C.

Pages: 205

Date: 18/05/2014

Grade: 4

Details: Received from Dreamspinner Press

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Hollywood royalty Jeremy Jameson has lived a sheltered life with music as his sole focus and only friend. Before embarking on yet another international concert tour, he wanders into a bar in what he considers the middle of nowhere and meets a man who wins him over with his friendly smile and easy-going nature. Accountant slash bartender slash adventure-seeker Reg Moore has fun talking and drinking with The Jeremy Jameson and can’t say no when the supposedly straight rock star makes him a once in a lifetime offer: keep him company on his tour by playing the part of his boyfriend.

Listening to music, traveling the world, and jumping off cliffs is fun. Falling in love is even better. But to stay with Jeremy after the stage lights dim, Reg will need to help him realize there’s nothing pretend about their relationship.”

My thoughts:

When Jeremy Jameson walks into a small bar it is to have a drink while staying anonymous. As a famous musician from a famous family, Jeremy rarely gets to spend time alone. He is used to the spotlight, fans, and an entourage and in need of some time without all of that. What Jeremy didn’t expect to get out of his night drinking is a friend.

Reg Moore is an accountant turned bartender and has a fun night serving Jeremy. When Jeremy gets too drunk to go anywhere, Reg brings him home to sleep it off. The two men get on like a house on fire. When Jeremy offers Reg the opportunity to join him on his next worldwide tour on the condition he’ll pretend to be Jeremy’s boyfriend, Reg can’t resist the offer.

Reg is exactly what Jeremy needs in his life; easy-going, with a great sense of humour, endless patience and completely loyal. Uptight and spoiled, Jeremy finds himself depending on his pretend boyfriend more and more as the days and weeks pass.

Jeremy doesn’t realise that is Reg is gay and soon becoming very attracted to his employer. Jeremy has always had rather unsatisfactory, heterosexual relationships and although he can’t explain why, he feels closer to Reg than he’s ever done to any of his past girlfriends. As the tour continuous, Reg realises that in Jeremy he’s found exactly what he needs in his life; pretend or real, Reg doesn’t want his relationship with Jeremy to end. But what will happen when the tour is over and their contract expires?

First of all I need to point out that this isn’t you’re stereotypical ‘rock star’ story. There are no drugs, no groupies, and very little bad behaviour from Jeremy. We don’t get to see our rock star on stage or in the studio. This is a love story about two men, one of whom happens to be a rock star.

I enjoyed this book even if I did have to suspend disbelieve on quite a few occasions. It wasn’t quite believable that Jeremy would offer the job of pretend boyfriend and travel companion to a man he’s known for less than 24 hours and neither was the ease with which Reg accepted the offer. In fact, while Reg managed to completely charm me he was too good to be true. I would have loved if he’d lost his endless patience just once, only because it would have made him a more relatable character.

I couldn’t help feeling for poor Jeremy. Having two famous parents and his future mapped out for him long before he embarked on it meant he had no idea about real life and real relationships. His believe that sex is just the messy part you have to deal with in order to get close to somebody just about broke my heart. Watching him as he slowly learned about life, relationships, responsibility and love was mesmerizing.

Reg’s campaign to show Jeremy what relationships are supposed to be like as opposed to what Jeremy thought they were based on his experiences was beautiful.

“I’m going to show you what it means to have a real relationship, JJ. (...). Even if it is pretend.” – Reg

Jeremy’s slow but very sexy seduction was breathtaking. I loved Reg’s patience while he gave Jeremy the chance to figure out for himself that he was attracted to Reg, even if all his previous relationships had been with women. The scenes leading up to Jeremy’s moment of revelation gradually went from sweet to hot as Jeremy evolves from cherishing the cuddles and closeness he needs to fully appreciating his sexuality and newly discovered appetite for it.

“I want forever, and I want it with you.” – Jeremy

Overall this was an enjoyable and easy read. Maybe some of the story line was a bit too idealistic. Reg seemed too good to be true and Jeremy a bit of a watered down stereotype at times. But, if you want to read a charming, hot and well written romance you could do a lot worse than reading ‘Perfect Imperfections’.