*I received a free copy of Prince of the Playhouse from Dreamspinner Press via Enchantress Design and Promo. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
Prince of the Playhouse by Tara Lain Series: Love in Laguna #3
Published by Dreamspinner Press Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance
Format: eARC
Driven by his desire to become a successful fashion designer and concerned with hiding his questionable past, Ru Maitland lets his obsession with action movie star Gray Anson on the big screen replace his social life. Then obsession and reality collide when Ru is asked to design fashion costumes for a special performance of Hamlet at the Playhouse in Laguna starring none other than Gray Anson. Gray turns out to be a compelling mix of shy and brash and, despite a high profile engagement to a female socialite, the signals Gray sends Ru have his libido doing the salsa.
Gray Anson has what most people only dream of—great wealth, huge fame, a job he loves. For that, he’s given up any semblance of privacy and the right to say no to the thousands of people who depend on him and the millions who love him. He sees everything he’s ever wanted just outside the bubble of his life, but how can he make the compromises needed to embrace it? When Ru’s shady past crashes into Gray’s paparazzi-haunted present, both men have to learn that sometimes the only acceptable compromise is the truth.
Prince of the Playhouse exceeded all my expectations, even if they were extremely high! I loved Ru from the first time I met him, and seeing him unfold his wings and soar was beautiful!
One of the things I love about Tara Lain’s novels is that even if there are homophobes in the world, there is always one or two people close to the main characters who love them no matter what! Prince of the Playhouse was a wonderful tale, and I enjoyed myself immensly while reading it. Ru is the perfect fashion designer with an amazing vision, and when his long-time crush – Gray Anson, action movie star – is scheduled to play Hamlet at the local Playhouse in Laguna, with Ru creating the costumes, Ru finally got to meet his hero in person.
Of course, the literature major in me loved that Shakespeare had a part in this story, and I would definitely go see this production of Hamlet in a theater. The story itself was so well done, with both Ru and Gray hiding something, and where especially Ru’s past came to bite him in the proverbial back-side. Even if Prince of the Playhouse is a quite short novel, I felt like I got to know the characters very well, and the side cast was well fleshed out, too. It was like being backstage with Ru, seeing him create his beautiful and outrageous costumes, while hearing the actors practice their lines.
Written in third person, past tense, and with an omniscient narrator that chose exactly what to share with the readers, I was totally engrossed with the story, and I definitely felt all the feels! Also, standing ovation to Gray’s mother – her reaction to a homophobic pastor was priceless! If you enjoy romances, and you are all for diverse characters, Prince of the Playhouse should definitely be a part of your collection – I’ve found a new favorite!
The idea of meeting the man, touching him, gripped his brain somewhere between extasy and terror. His cock on the other hand, had no such confusion.
“Things may be swinging your way politically, but there are still a lot of haters out there.” “My way? I see. Doesn’t that suggest that you should arrest the haters rather than warning me to be careful in my own neighborhood? ” A crease popped out between his brows. “Maybe tone it down a little.” “Just as a woman who wears a low-cut dress is asking for it?” He shrugged. “Just sayin’.”
About the author:
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her bestselling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soulmate husband and her soulmate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”
Author Links:
Website | Blog | Twitter | FB Author Page | Goodreads | Pinterest
Series info:
The image takes you to the series Goodreads page, and you can also read my reviews for Knight of Ocean Avenue and Knave of Broken Hearts. As you can see, I’m a big fan of this series 🙂
Here’s the different places you can order your own copy of Prince of the Playhouse:
Dreamspinner eBook | Dreamspinner Paperback | Kindle | Amazon Paperback Kobo | Indiebound | B&N
Thanks for stopping by today, and good luck in the giveaway!
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: ailynk
I wish Ru and Gray well, although I wonder who is that on the quote 😛
The first quote is Ru thinking of Gray, and the second is a policeofficer talking to Ru… I think it’s Ru on the pic, isn’t he cute?
Twitter: ailynk
he is pretty good looking XD
Wow! I am stunned – thanks a lot for all the great information! I don´t know if it was part of the blogtour that you provided some author information, but it is great to read.
best wishes
Vi @Gone With The Books
Yes, the author invitation is part of the blogtour things… I agree with you that it’s nice to have some more info – but for my own posts I feel that it just takes a lot of time to prepare, and so I don’t… If there was a way to import author bios, I’d do it in a heartbeat 🙂
You are using the UBB Plugin, right? I am not sure because I don´t use it yet & I could be wrong about it, but I understood it this way (when I talked with Ashley), that you only have to put in the author bio once when you put a review of that certain author online for the first time. The next time you review a book by the author, you only have to mark the certain field and the rest is already in the system – at least that´s how I understood the entire thing 🙂 Anyway, I like your blog and your reviews very much no matter if you put in those additional information or not! 🙂
best wishes
Vi@GoneWithTheBooks
Yes, that’s correct, but I can’t imagine inputting all of the author info!!! I have read so many different authors, and right now, I don’t have the time to deal with that 🙂
Thank you Vi!
Oha – yes, that´s understandable 🙂 Despite that happy reading & happy life as well.
I totally know my friend SUMMER would love this 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 Totally directing her over here!
If Summer enjoys M/M romance with some humour and truly amazing characters, she would love Tara Lain’s books, Felicia 🙂
Thank you, Lexxie and Felicia!
My Lexxie — you are amazing! Thank you so much for reading Prince of the Playhouse! I’m so happy you liked Ru and Gray! *hugs* : )
🙂 I loved their story, Tara, and the Hamlet play made it even better! Thanks for stopping by! *hugs*
Twitter: talksupeblog
I bet you were part of the drama club back in the day? I love watching plays, too bad I’m not much of an actor and I’m not creative in that way so I’m a better audience than a participant. I love the plot of this novel, sounds cute!
Hi Braine. Even more. I have a degree in theater! LOL. So yep, it does creep in. I had a great time weaving in the Shakespeare. : )
You have a degree in theater? That means you could do that version of Hamlet for real 😉 You just have to find a Ru to make you outrageous costumes 😀
LOL! Wouldn’t that be fun! : )
I’m not much of an actor or good enough at creative stuff, either, Braine, I think that’s partly why I’m in such awe of authors and other creative people! I really think you’d enjoy Prince of the Playhouse!
Twitter: kimbacaffeinate
This does sounds wonderful, and I love that Hamlet is involved. I would enjoy the setting 🙂
The setting was wonderful, Kim, and I really loved that the main plot circled around the play of Hamlet 🙂
Of course we’d both love this story, Lexxie! I adored Ru from the beginning as well so I’d been really excited to see his story. And it was a good one. I love what you said about Tara always having at least one person really close to her characters that love them no matter what. That’s so true and I thought Gray’s mom ROCKED! I’m so, so happy you introduced me to Tara’s writing. And there’s so much more for me to read from her. 😀
**BIG HUGS**
You guys are the BEST!! I’m so happy you liked my guys. *giant hugs* : )