Book Reviews

Book Blurb

When Anthony Mercer walked into Au cœur du terroir, he was looking for good food and a pleasant evening spent with a friend. He never expected to meet—and sleep with—Paul Delescluse, a waiter at the restaurant. After spending a magical week together in Paris, Anthony must return to his life in North Carolina, while Paul remains in France.

Despite the distance and the lack of promises between them—Paul wants sex, not a relationship—Paul and Anthony forge a solid friendship. Then Anthony’s job takes him back to Paris, this time to stay. Paul is thrilled to have him back, but Anthony has a harder choice: be another of Paul’s conquests or fight for the relationship he knows they could have, if only Paul would believe it.

Book Review

What could be more romantic than a fling in Paris? As Anthony finds out, it is the consequences of that fling in the form of a friendship, followed by a reunion in the city of love to explore if the feelings already there can turn into more. ‘At Your Service’ explores the lives of two men, both of whom have been burned in the past and have sworn off love. And while Anthony would not mind something more permanent, he refuses to get his hopes up. Paul isn’t even remotely interested in more than hookups, but Anthony manages to get to him on a deeper level. With an amazing setting like Paris, brought to life by an author who has clearly spent time there, I allowed myself to hope that Anthony and Paul would see the light and end up as happy as they deserved to be. I am very grateful that I was not disappointed.

Anthony works for a publisher in North Carolina, but the annual book fair in Paris allows him to use his knowledge of the French language not just to build his employer’s business, but also to return to a country and culture he loves and admires. When the waiter at a small family-owned restaurant turns out to be interested in more, Anthony is ready to forget his disloyal ex and move on. Their first night is such a success that they decide to spend the rest of Anthony’s time together as well, but rather than merely satisfy an urge, the liaison creates a need that Anthony cannot ignore once he returns home.

Paul works in his father’s restaurant as a waiter, and he loves his job. He is not one to turn down sex when offered, but he is not interested in a relationship. The one time he tried ended in a disaster, so as much as he ends up liking Anthony, Paul refuses to admit that by the end of Anthony’s stay, he is much more interested in him than is normal for him with a temporary lover. What surprises him (and Anthony) is that they end up staying in touch even months after Anthony returns to the US. But while the friendship is genuine, Paul’s sex life is in tatters and nothing he does seems to work.

When Anthony has an opportunity to return to Paris to expand his employer’s presence and operations there, it is also a chance for both men to reconsider their relationship. I thought it was hilarious how hard each of them tried telling themselves that friendship was all they had between them. I quietly shook my head and watched them deal with the realization that yes, they were excellent friends - but the physical attraction that had become irrelevant over the months they were apart is still very much present and flares back alive almost immediately. Unfortunately, so do some of Paul’s old issues – and overcoming those is a tougher battle for Paul and Antony than either of them realized.

If you’re interested in a lovers-to-friends followed by a friends-back-to-lover story, if Paris as a setting for an unusual romance strikes your fancy, and if you’re looking for a touching read with heart, then you will probably like this novel .

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook, print and audio
Length	Novel, 206 pages/71939 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	14-March-2016
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle, $19.95 audiobook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/at-your-service-by-ariel-tachna-3471-b