Timothy Mitchell worked his way from humble beginnings to graduate school in Washington, DC. The end is in sight—but so are his funds. Determined not to let his dream slip through his fingers, Timothy goes from part-time jobs, to modeling for art classes, to stripping, and finally to working as an escort to pay his tuition.
The nation’s capital is full of powerful men and secrets, which Timothy learns firsthand when he takes on a client who demands absolute anonymity. Even though Timothy realizes he’s sleeping with one of the most influential men in the world, he must keep up the facade. Despite that, their association moves from sex to love.
But power and secrets also mean danger. When Timothy is violently abducted off the street, all because of what—and who—he knows, his lover must make a decision: risk his power and position or lose the man he loves.
Title: Coin of the Realm
Author: Michael Murphy
Release Date: August 15, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 210
Amazon
ARe
Dreamspinner Press
I really enjoyed this book. The premise of the book is a little unrealistic, but come on people; its fiction! The story really worked for me. Maybe it was because I just came off a really bad read, but the characters just clicked for me. I stayed up super late in a blanket tent so I didn’t wake my husband up reading. Totally worth it.
Timothy is a struggling grad student. He is quickly running out of funds and his two part time jobs are barely supplying rent money. He first tried nude modeling for the art department on campus and when that doesn’t work out he attempts stripping. That was when his roommate suggested he become an escort.
Figuring he doesn’t have anything to lose he makes an online profile and his career as an escort is born. At first it isn’t so bad, lonely men who just want to cuddle and random blow jobs until Timothy gets a call to set up an appointment for a mystery gentleman.
Timothy’s mystery man ends up being a powerful politician who for the sake of his career needs to remain anonymous. Timothy must wear a blind fold when they are together but he soon realizes who is in his bed. Once he convinces the man that he isn’t going to reveal his secret the two begin connecting on a deeper level.
One night turns into two, two night turn into a month and Timothy is quickly falling for his man. The man himself is falling for Timothy, but once someone realizes his secret Timothy is in danger. Kidnapped off the street, Timothy is held against his will. Does his man have enough power to save him? Is he willing to put himself for Timothy?
Sigh. This is like Pretty Woman meets the Democratic National Convention. I loved Timothy. He did what he had to do to continue on with his education without forgetting who he was and what he stood for. Yes he was an escort, but he never did anything that made him uncomfortable.
Timothy’s kidnapping upped the angst factor in the book but not so much it was uncomfortable or overdone. I like that there wasn’t a huge blow up over Timothy’s profession, it would have made the book too angsty. In my opinion it was perfect as is.
This was a first read for me of Michael Murphy and I was really impressed.
5 pieces of eye candy
Starting New by S.C. Wynne
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.
