Genre: Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: Bi, Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Some high school romances just won’t fade.
As a high-ranking yakuza, Yuuki enjoys his relatively quiet job. If only his mother would stop asking for grandchildren. Unwilling to come out, he contemplates a sham marriage just to shut her up. After all, it’s not as if he’ll ever be lucky in love again.
Blacklisted after his divorce, the only reason luxury suit designer Kazuki is still in business is his yakuza clientele. Desperate to find new clients, he starts looking for a collaborator for the upcoming fashion show. But who’s daring enough to partner up with him?
When Kazuki’s high school sweetheart walks into his shop, all those worries disappear. Although Yuuki has far from forgiven Kazuki for his past betrayal, Kazuki wants nothing more than to rekindle their love. But then he learns Yuuki is in the yakuza…
Can these two mend their love, or are they now too different to thread their lives together?
The Review
Yuuki is thirty-five, and his mother is celebrating his birthday. She would like to celebrate more for Yuuki, like a wife and grandchildren. But Yuuki has other plans.
He’s gay, closeted and in a family situation that is not compatible with his job. But he doesn’t want to disappoint his mother, who is suffering from cancer.
Yuuki’s Aunt Miko is head of the Kyoto syndicate, and has five years left to serve in the Hokkaido Prison. Yuuki took a position as secretary and bodyguard to Jun, and became a yakuza. Even so, he feels useless and is constantly being called upon by Jun, as if no one else could handle some of the menial issues that often arise.
Yuuki has always known that being yakuza turns people away. Many are frightened of him, or can’t deal with the gangster life, so he’s never been able to make a relationship work.
Father Murata is the newest interim Kyoto mafia don, until Miko is out of prison. Murata has been placing a lot of pressure on Jun, even dictating which clothes he should wear – only suits made from Japanese fabrics. Yuuki and Jun will have to make a trip to Okamoto Bespoke Suits, where Murata shops.
Yuuki doesn’t really want to go to Okamoto’s, as seeing his old acquantance Kazuki will pn;u bring back the bad memories and feelings from the past. He can only defend himself by being rude to Kazuki, and fight the feelings he still has for him.
Kazuki and Yuuki struggle with the heartbreak from long before. They both thought they’d formed a long time relationship, but parents, tradition and Kazuki’s bad timing linger between them even now. Kazuki is dealing with rumors, his ex-wife. and the yakuza clientele that come to his shop, but he has big dreams to show his creations in a fashion show.
When Yuuki and Kazuki meet again, old feelings will be stirred up. Will they be able to regain what they once had, or will all their issues – and the yakuza – prevent them from even being friends?
Tasukada has crafted an intriguing love/hate, romance between Yuuki and Kazuki. Their story takes place after the second book, Better Than Suicide, in “The Yakuza Path” series.
Yuuki became a yakuza because he thought that was the only path for him, but then he’s reminded by his Aunt Miko to rethink his life. The author delves into Kazuki and Yuuki’s past, and the different paths that their lives took. And Yuuki’s mother and aunt may know more about him than he thinks.
I thoroughly enjoyed My Heart’s Desire. It’s always fun to revisit the characters so effortlessly brought to life by Tasukada in “The Yakuza Path” series. We get to see a different side to the characters in these romances, although many of the stories are bittersweet. It’s not easy being a yakuza!
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
