A Summer Place by
Ariel Tachna
Overseer Nicolas Wells had
been coming to Mount Desert Island for ten summers to help build cottages
for the rich and powerful. Despite his secrets, he had grown comfortable in
the peaceful little island town, getting to know its inhabitants and even to
consider some of them friends. The eleventh year, however, he arrived to
startling news: the island's peace had been shattered by a murder. At the
request of the sheriff, Shawn Parnell, Nicolas agreed to hire Philip Hall,
the local blacksmith and the probable next victim, in the hope that the
secure construction site would be safer than his house in the village. He
never expected the decision to lead to danger. Or to love.
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ISBN: 978-0-9795048-4-6
Price: $14.99
Length: 248 Pages
Publication Date: July, 2007
Cover art by Mara McKennen
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Joyfully Reviewed
A Summer Place was excellently written I
really felt like I knew the people in this story. I felt their storm of
emotions…anxiety, sadness, fear, love and passion. A Summer Place
has a great plot of suspense and sexual tension, balanced out with the right
amount of hot intense man love. I loved Ariel Tachna’s romantic historical
and highly recommended reading it.
The Mount Desert Islanders have a murderer among them.
After a quarrel in a very public place, Philip Hall is in danger. In a
moment of anger Philip argued with the man his lover cheated with, making
his lifestyle public knowledge. Now his ex is dead and Philip’s friends fear
for his life.
Contracted to build cottages for the wealthy, Nicolas
Wells has been coming to Mount Desert Island for years. Sheriff Shawn
Parnell asks Nicolas to take on Philip knowing the construction site is a
controlled atmosphere. The sheriff knows Nicolas tries to hire locals
whenever possible to fill the jobs. This way Philip will be with others
constantly and will be watched over. Understanding all too well what Philip
is going through Nicolas agrees. In all the years he’s spent working on the
island, he has always kept his company preference secret. What he doesn’t
bargain for in taking on Philip is the instant overwhelming attraction
between them and how he’s going to keep their interactions on a strictly
professional level.
Nicolas Wells is a strong person in body and mind. He’s
a man who leads by example, is well liked and respected by all. Philip Hall
has worked very hard to get where he is and he refuses to let anyone run him
from the home he’s made.
Whipped Cream Reviews
Set in the late
nineteenth century, Summer Place is a touching romance that is
genuine and timeless.
Phillip is a sensitive young man and I couldn't help feeling for him. He's
been bullied since he was a kid but I was so impressed how he handles his
tormentors, with dignity and dismissal. He doesn't let their insults bother
him, but I could sense that he has learned to expect this behavior, and not
just from the cretins that have pestered him for years, but from everyone.
So I was really moved as many in the town rally to support him and his
humble acceptance and awe at the unselfish approval of others is truly
heartwarming. He's at a disadvantage because everyone knows that he is gay,
but he doesn't know if Nicholas is, but boy, does he hope he is! The careful
attention Phillip pays to Nicholas to try and validate his suspicions keeps
the sexual tension between the two high. I really wanted them to get
together, yet drawing it out just makes the first intimate encounter that
much more satisfying — a perfect example of good things coming to those who
wait!
Nicholas is in the closet and intends to stay there, regardless of his
barely-controlled attraction to Phillip. Due to his position, this wasn't
hard for me to understand. Nicholas is a complex character and I respected
many things about him, especially how his workers look up to him, and I
loved that he inspires such loyalty. But when it comes to Phillip, the poor
man has so many inner conflicts as he tries to deny the attraction. I wanted
him to just get over it; yet, the slow development of their romance enhanced
the story for me and made it that much more sensual and gratifying, so I was
ultimately pleased by his restraint!
Both men perform strenuous labor in their jobs and their beefcake bodies are
evidence of it. Each of them is used to having the more dominant role in a
relationship, so this facet of their pairing makes it even more exciting and
gave me goose bumps as they fight for—and relinquish control. I think I was
able to enjoy the lingering anticipation of the consummation so much because
I was able to hear both men's point of view; their thoughts, fears and
fantasies about one another. I grew to care about Phillip and Nicholas and
wanted their happiness, and though I was anxious for it to happen, I was
more than willing to wait as I relished the unfolding of their intrigue and
desire.
The supporting players are rich and brought even more warmth and appeal to
the story. I was guessing who the villain is (different guesses each time!)
throughout and I wasn't disappointed with the final reveal. A delightfully
sensual romance, I am happy to recommend Summer Place.
Coffee Time Romance
Rating: 4 Cups
Nicolas Wells comes to Bar Harbor, Maine every summer to build houses for
architect William Randolph Emerson. He loves his work and he is very good at
what he does. Nicolas is horrified to learn that there is a murderer in Bar
Harbor. When the sheriff asks for his help protecting the man most likely to
be the killer’s next victim, he knows he can not refuse.
Philips whole world has been turned upside down. First he discovered that
his lover James was seeing another man. Then their very public breakup
ensured that his preference for men become common knowledge, and now his
lover has been murdered because of his sexual preference. Philip refuses to
be chased from his home, but he reluctantly agrees to move to the
construction site where he will be safer.
Nicolas has worked very hard to keep his preference for men a secret.
Although, he finds Philip incredibly attractive but he is determined to keep
his feelings under control. Phillip has never wanted anyone the way he wants
the overseer. Nicolas is the embodiment of everything he has ever wanted in
a lover. The two men try to ignore their growing admiration but it becomes
more and more difficult. Meanwhile the danger to Philip is growing.
A Summer Place by Ariel Tachna is a well-written historical novel that is
equal parts romance and mystery. The plot of this story is very
well-developed and believable. Phillip and Nicolas take their time getting
to know one another. The slow build up only adds to the delicious
anticipation and feels entirely appropriate given the setting. The wait is
well worth it. When these two characters finally get together the result is
both sweet and burning hot! This book is a captivating and exciting read.
Chrissie
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Isn't It Romantic - Elisa Rolle
Can I confess you something? When I was young I saw and re-saw the
television fiction inspired by the journal of Laura Ingalls Wilder, about a
family leaving in a farm near a little town. The period was the end of the
nineteen century and every day I saw a tale of good feeling and love.
All right, reading A Summer Place by Ariel Tachna I have had the feeling to
see another episode in the fiction. She has a way to decipte the little
community that reminds me the characters I have loved. The town sheriff, the
widow, the bank's clerk, the owner of the store department... Only the town
doctor is not of the crew to complete the cast!
Philip is the 27 years old blacksmith of the town. He is homosexual. Not
that he has claimed it loudly, but his last lover has dumped him in front of
all the city to being murder some day after in a way only a homosexual could
be. And now the town sheriff, and old friend of Philip, thinks he could be
the next victim and ask Nicolas, an outlander who comes every summer to the
island to overseeing the building of huge cottage for rich people, to hire
Philip and takes him far away from the town.
Nicolas agrees, even if he has some doubts: also him is homosexual, and has
always hidden his sexual preferences during his summer work in the island.
But being this near to the handsome blacksmith could be a problem, moreover
when other victims are found and the two, Nicolas and Philip, are forced to
live in the same house.
I don't know about the strictly correctness of the setting, I only know that
the feeling that has left me this novel is of a "thought" novel: it's not
only a way to let us read of two men making sex. Really it could be a
contemporary novel as a historical one, but I have liked the little glimpse
Ariel Tachna has given us to this little community.
Both Nicolas and Philip are strong characters, maybe Nicolas a little to
dominant than Philip, but I think it's a right characteritation: a blackmith
and a builder cannot be two magnolies...
