The Lost Temple of Karttikeya (The Collector 9) by Laura Baumbach
Laura Baumbach adds her enstalment in the Collector series by Loose Id.
Brandon is a young gay cop. He has a relationship with his older partner Phil. But Phil is a gay in the closet, worse he is also a cheating man, using Brandon as "mistress" while he has a betrothal in course with a woman. Brandon accepts all cause he has a deply sense of abandonment and fears to be alone.
But then he is convinced to leave on a search for an ancient artifact, the amour statue of Karttikeya, who legends say grant every heart's desire and in his search he is mated with Christian, an handsome archeologist. Christian is Brandon's perfect man, protective and loving and has no fear to commitment. Brandon soon changes his heart's desire: he no more wants Phil's love, he wants this man, Christian.
As always Baumbach's sex scenes are hot and detailed but I find in this novel a novelty in her style: even if Christian is a huge man while Brandon is the cute type, during love (and I don't mean only sex, I intend also during the day-by-day relationship) the alpha male's role is not as clearly assigned to Christian; the man is willing to play also the bottom's role, and Brandon likes, sometimes, to hold the reins in the relationship.
And the plot is also more adventurous, and departs from the usual one-to-one's love story. Interesting supporting characters (I don't speak of them to not doing spoilers).
http://www.loose-id.net/prod-The_Collector_9__The_Lost_Temple_of_Karttikeya-495.aspx
Amazon: The Lost Temple of Karttikeya
Paperback: 204 pages
Publisher: MLR Press (January 10, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934531936
ISBN-13: 978-1934531938
Series: The Collector
1) Magical Chances
2) Grave Heart
3) Cauldron
4) Eight Arms to Hold You
5) The Crystal Flacon
6) Love Cure
7) This Time Forever
8) The Onyx Palace
9) The Lost Temple of Karttikeya
Reading List:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle
Cover Art by Christine M. Griffin