Finding Our Love By Amy Tasukada
Genre: Contemporary Romance, GLBTQ, MM
Tropes: Forbidden love, opposites attract
Released: September 1, 2020
Publisher: Self Published
Series: Aphrodite’s Castle Host Club, Book 1
Length: 28,000 words / 146 pages
Cover Design: Natasha Snow
A struggling artist. A devoted son.
Will they sacrifice everything for forbidden desire?
Kyoto, Japan. Iroha is sick of his boyfriends only dating him to get closer to his famous artistic sister. Shelving his own creative ambitions to run a mafia-funded gallery, he seeks comfort in a fake relationship at an exclusive host club. But when he sets eyes on the outlandishly dressed Kenta, something real stirs in his heart.
Kenta works hard to keep his place as a top-five host at the exclusive Aphrodite’s Castle club. Though it’s put a damper on his love life, the lucrative gig earns him more than enough to support his elderly parents. But when he breaks the rules and falls for the enigmatic Iroha, his income plummets and jeopardizes his family’s welfare.
Heedless of the consequences, Iroha and Kenta plunge into a passionate affair. But the shadow of Iroha’s creative failures threatens to break them apart. And when trouble pulls Kenta back home, the rift between them becomes a chasm.
Can Iroha and Kenta find a common canvas to paint their perfect picture of devotion?
Finding Our Love is the delightful first novel in the Aphrodite’s Castle Host Club MM contemporary romance series. If you like caring men, Japanese culture, and the quest for happiness, you’ll adore Amy Tasukada’s heartwarming tale.
Buy Finding Our Love to enjoy passion’s delicate brush today!
Reviewed by ButtonsMom2003
A nice little story.
I really wanted to love this story but it was just OK for me. I loved Amy Tasukada’s Would it Be Okay to Love You? series and had hoped this one would be similar. Perhaps this just wasn’t the right story for me to read right now.
The characters were very likable, and I usually love this length of book, but it just felt like something was missing. Things happened very quickly for Kenta and Iroha but I don’t mind insta-love stories so I don’t think that was it. There was a lot of build up about the forbidden relationship between a club host and his client but no repercussions really came about as a result of their relationship.
I honestly think this would have been a much better story if it had been fleshed out more. I’m not usually one to advocate serial type books but it really worked for me with the Would it Be Okay to Love You? series. I think Finding Our Love needed to be a longer story with more of the conflict between Iroha and his sister addressed. The tension between them, even before we ever met her on-page, was too quickly resolved.
I’m not sorry that I read this, it was a pretty quick read, and I think the premise of hosts at an exclusive men’s club falling in love with their clients is a good one. I plan to read the next one in the series to see where it goes.
♥♥♥
O Factor: Spicy
Available to borrow with Kindle Unlimited.
Kenta couldn’t have asked for someone more understanding than Iroha. He didn’t mind how their dates were squeezed into the awkward afternoon hours before work or how Kenta tasted like coffee from the two cups he’d drink so he wouldn’t yawn through them. Three weeks together and four hiking dates later, Kenta couldn’t believe how each one turned out better than the last. Well, maybe not blow-job-in-the-woods good but good in a different way.
Anytime Iroha grabbed Kenta’s hand, a warmth would spread through his body, and anytime he closed his eyes, he’d see himself strolling down a mountain path with Iroha for years to come. Maybe it was silly to think like that after only a few weeks together, but anyone who put up with how often Kenta stopped to take a picture of bugs had to be a keeper.
“Iroha!” Kenta waved, spotting Iroha outside the train station.
Iroha always stood out with his long hair and punk clothes, and with Kenta dressed for work, they’d no doubt be getting a few odd looks. Kenta doubted he’d even notice.
Iroha swirled his sucker around in his lush lips. The gesture went straight to Kenta’s cock. Kenta swore Iroha found even more suggestive things to do with the candy. Kenta licked his lips. Maybe the next date he could convince Iroha he wanted to finish the painting he’d started. Then they could move onto the bed.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” Iroha asked.
Kenta crossed his arms. “If I told you, it would spoil the surprise.”
“I liked all your surprises so far, so I’m sure I’ll love this one too.”
Kenta hoped Iroha’s words would stay true. All their dates had been things Kenta liked, and he’d made a special effort to come up with something Iroha might enjoy.
The art museum was hosting an exhibition of an artist whose work took Kenta’s breath away. Kenta had even managed to snag tickets for her interview. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Iroha’s face.
“Come on, it’s this way,” Kenta said.
They made their way down the busy sidewalk. Urban hiking might’ve offered less opportunity for bug photos, but Kenta enjoyed it nonetheless.
“How many different art colonies did you go to?” Kenta asked.
Iroha pushed up his glasses. “Why do you ask?”
“You talk about them a lot. You must’ve really liked your time there. I was curious.”
Iroha had been guarded talking about himself, but anytime he talked about his stay at an art colony, his eyes would light up, his hands would start moving, and Kenta would finally feel the warmth of them connecting.
Iroha let out a nervous laugh. “Sorry, I don’t mean to blab on about them.”
“I like it.” Kenta reached out, wanting to take Iroha’s hand, but they were in public. Kenta could only hope his words would express the longing pulling at his heart. “I want to know everything about you.”
Iroha stopped, his cheeks darkened, and his eyes shined with an unmistakable glimmer. Happiness, relief, whatever they spoke clutched at Kenta’s heart, and he knew Iroha wouldn’t hurt him.
“I want to know everything about you too,” Iroha said, words steady, slow, but Kenta didn’t need to hear them to know Iroha felt the same.
They walked in silence. Their steps in sync, one after another. Kenta’s heart thumped out a steady rhythm of hope with no doubt that Iroha’s was beating the same.
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As an only child, Best Selling Author Amy Tasukada began putting her daydreams to paper at the young age of ten. She was inspired by Japanese literature, works from French classic authors like Marcel Proust, as well as tons and tons of yaoi/boys’ love manga. However, there were only so many books that piqued her interest. Fueled by an obvious lack of books she wanted to read, Amy decided to write them herself.
Amy found her niche in the LGBT genre with Japanese influenced gay fiction. Though her works span a wide range — from gritty mafia thrillers to fluffy, contemporary romance, Amy uses her deadly, but delicate writing style to weave exciting tales of suspense, love, and gore, all under the supervision of her amazing editor (and calico cat), O’Hara.
While crafting her novels, Amy researches each setting extensively to paint the most colorful picture for her readers. She creates each story’s setting in a way that has been described as “crisp and lyrical” by fans.
When she’s not penning a new installment of her mafia series or attending a writing workshop, the North Texas author can be found drinking tea, reading, or filming J-fashion hauls on her YouTube channel.
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