Genre: Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Llewellyn Cooper and his aunt Julia run Curio Cabinet in New York City’s West Village, where the clientele is as strange as the junk being amassed in their secondhand shop. Llewellyn and Julia have been as thick as thieves his entire life, and Llewellyn can’t imagine being anywhere else six days a week—even if Julia’s bizarre habits and inappropriate conversations drive him crazy. That’s family, though, right?
When Llewellyn drums up the nerve to chat with a routine customer—in part due to curiosity, as Henry McLaughlin returns time and again to purchase nothing but old photographs, but also because the bearded and bow tie–wearing man is the finest thing to ever step foot inside Curio—it seems like Llewellyn will finally have a plus-one for future RSVPs. But just when things start looking up in the romance department, it turns out Henry might be too strange for the Cooper family.
And that’s saying something.
The Review
Lewellyn Trevor Cooper works in his Aunt Julia’s eclectic shop, Curio Cabinet. His Aunt is the only one real mother figure he’s ever had, and he’s lived with her since age nine. Aunt Julia, is sixty-ish and a force to be reckoned with. She’s also is a “parent”mother” to the gays, or whoever else happens by. She seems scatterbrained at times, and is also an instigator and a match maker. She’s sure to get Lew into all kinds of trouble.
Lew refers to some of the items in the shop as junk, but one person’s junk is bound to be someone else’s treasure. Lew is shy, a little nerdy, and a homebody. He hasn’t dated much, and has always hoped to find a special someone.
Henry McLaughlin, with his neat bow tie, captures Lew’s interest. They don’t talk much when Henry comes to the Curio Cabinet. It’s always the same – he goes through the old photos, and never fails to leave with some. It makes both Lew and his Aunt Julia curious.
As Lew and Henry start to make a connection, Henry makes a mistake – at least in Lew’s eyes. Will Lew finally find out what Henry is doing with all of those photos?
Curio is a wonderful, sweet fantasy with some very odd humor. It references movies, video games, books, magazines, and characters from a number of different eras, trading on nostalgia. Even though it’s a short, quick read, it’s not without a little drama, mystery and a steamy intimate moment.
Curio is a must read, and will fill your heart with its lovable characters. Hopefully, CS Poe will write another tale from the Curio Cabinet!
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.
