YAOI REVIEW: ADONIS BY EAB & TOLUENESISTER

Adonis
Author/Artist: EAB/Toluenesister
Publisher: Yaoi Revolution
Pages:180
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Synopsis:
Who Doesn't Yearn for a Little Escape? Adonis Blue has everything he's ever wanted: cars, money, an allowance, and all the Turner Classic Movies he can watch, but what happens when a blue-eyed concierge offers him everything he needs? When his wealthiest client invites Adonis on an all expenses paid vacation to Jamaica, Adonis jumps at the opportunity to deepen their connection, and to increase his bank account. However, things aren't all they seem in Montego Bay, and his Pretty Woman love turns into a Dangerous Liaisons affair. 

Review:
His real name is Hector Martinez, but his working name is Adonis Blue. Starting out as Estefan's personal beck and call boy, he does as he is told and survives alongside him. That was ten years ago though, now he's in L.A. living the high life as a male escort for top executive clients. Adonis sees himself as an escort rather than a whore as he doesn't sleep with men for drugs, but he does get paid very well and gets to bed the sort of men most can only dream of. He had different men all over the place, and his current squeeze is George Valentine who owns Valentine Designs, a successful interior design business. He loves being around George, and tries desperately not to get too involved with him even though he has a deep interest in him. Another of his top paying clients is Kassim, an Egyptian businessman with plenty of money to offer and several kinks to keep him involved, this includes a trip to Jamaica to keep him company. Kassim adores Adonis, which Adonis finds strange as he has three wives and twelve children. Once Adonis gets to Jamaica he becomes bored as he's been left on his own the whole time, and a week is too long not to be with a handsome man.

Adonis is a text based story with a bright cover and two even sexier guys on the front. The vibrant colours show that the story is set with sensuality in mind, it's hot nights under the sun in an even hotter location. Toluenesister provides the cover and interior artwork, heating readers up between the chapters and more. Bold outlines and deep hot colours as well as the sight of Adonis Blue with his sexy clients is something to savour.

Before he sees Kassim again, another man takes him by surprise, Souley, a guy who works at the hotel he is at. He knows Souley will be trouble, but he could be what he needs to get through the boredom of his holiday. When Adonis is away, prefers to spend it with the client, and him alone. Having sex with other men while the client he his with is strictly a no no as he's paying so much for the exclusivity.  For years Adonis has strived to be his own man, offering his services to whoever he wants at whatever price he wants, but it seems he has been under an illusion that he is in control when Kassim returns to tell him he will expect Adonis to attend his banquet held to impress a new and extremely rich business client. Adonis starts to think he has all he wants, sex, money, regular clients, places to stay and holidays but as the story progresses the reader will discover how these same men want to use him like a mere whore, arranging him to be used by others without his permission. His original opinion of them was wrong and finding out the truth is more painful than he realises. Bit by bit Adonis starts to discover his clients and his lover are not right for him, and he has to think hard on what he wants from life, a new one if he can make it and also separate real life and love against money and security. On the one hand he has clients who can satisfy his material needs, but he questions what he could do if he had none of these things and opted for real love with someone who loves him instead.

Adonis has very hot, descriptive sex scenes in it, but the story is more in depth than I expected as EAB has created a mystery around what Adonis/Hector really desires from his life, and how easy it would be for him to revert back to being a male escort for the money and security it can give him. One of the big questions throughout the book is whether he can make the change to live the sort of life where he can be honest about who he is. I found Adonis was much more than the standard yaoi fare, it has a story, the sort of clients as characters you would expect Adonis to have around and one real friend out of them all, Caramel. EAB and Toluenesister are a great team with EAB's literary skills and Toluenesister's hot guys - readers wont have any trouble enjoying this read.

The book has a beautiful cover with vibrant summer night colours and in the UK would be A5 size or 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches and comes in a protective clear sleeve in a Jiffy bag for those awful days when it's raining outside and you want to keep your yaoi dry!

Summary: EAB and Toluenesister are a great team with EAB's literary skills and Toluenesister's hot guys - readers wont have any trouble enjoying this read.