When his father dies, Thomas is forced to abandon a burgeoning art career in New York. As difficult as it was to give up his lifelong dream, it’s nothing next to walking away from the man he loves. Marcus taught him to embrace who he is, a sexual submissive who responds to the touch of only one Master. But why would the sophisticated Marcus need some farm kid from the South?

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Then Marcus shows up and offers him a way to continue his art career and help his family. There’s only one hitch – he asks Thomas to spend a week with him in the Berkshires. Thomas knows he should refuse. But he’s never been able to say no to his Master.

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Rough Canvas by Joey W.  Hill

Review by Terry Kate

5/5 Whips

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Sometimes a story comes along that moves you, and reaches deeper then the everyday read.  It could be that this is the right time in your life to find this book, or the story hits your soft spot, sometimes the book is just that good.  For me Rough Canvas is all three.  I love the depth of the the relationship between the two heros, which we are dropped into at the deep-end.  The boys in this M/M romance have a history that get revealed in bits and pieces, flashbacks, and third party accounts.

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Unlike the other titles in this series there is not the build to emotional overload with Marcus and Thomas.   The reader gets the feeling of being caught in a wave – wading in an ocean.  There were waves before we did not see, there will be waves after, but the times we are treading water with the ups and downs of this homosexual relationship are all encompassing.   Faced with family opposition, human insecurities and unpleasant histories Marcus and Thomas have a great deal that could come between them, and does.  What pulls at my guts in the story is how connected Joey Hill makes us feel to the characters pain.  The element of family obligation pulling at Thomas, his personal desire, and struggle not to disappoint the ones he loves is all absorbing.

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I decided I had to read it one more time before I wrote the review.  Not that I have not read it more then a dozen times, but I wanted one more peek.  I cried, it made my chest hurt, and it is hot hot hot.  The emotions Rough Canvas evokes lends the intimate moments double the pleasure, double the fun because it is not just reading sex.  The erotic scenes are varied and engaging, there was no part of this book I skim or speed through even in the re-reading which is a high compliment in deed.  Who can resist a hero, seemingly so perfect who deep down needs you and you alone?  We all want to be needed and loved.  Watching Thomas and Marcus make that journey makes this a great read.

- PS – It really does totally work as a stand-alone.

Find out more about the title at Joey Hill’s Website -http://www.storywitch.com

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