Rainbow Book Reviews- Made in China Review

Hey Pretties!
Take a look at this lovely review. The reviewer seemed to get EVERYTHING I wanted to reader to understand about the story & the characters. I'm so happy!
Hugs, Z.

                                   

The Great Wall (Made In China 1) by Z. Allora at MLR Press

Genre	Contemporary / Yaoi / BDSM / Gay Erotic Romance
Reviewed by	Alex on 26-November-2013

Book Blurb

There's no gay in China so what's the drummer of Made in China supposed to do about loving his male best friend when his family thinks he's engaged to the girl next door?

Jun "Styx" Wong's heart and mind battle to determine his destiny. His mind tells him to be a good Chinese son and marry the girl his parents chose, but his heart longs for his best friend, Jin, and life with their new band. "Jun" means honesty, but he's not even honest with himself. A quest to eradicate his feelings for Jin nearly ends his life. Styx's near death serves as a wake-up call for Jin, whose blond hair--legacy of his German father--marks him as different. Jin harbors secrets of his own. His experiences prepare him to take the drastic measures needed to help Jun overcome the walls surrounding them. Because there is no gay in China...


WARNING: This story contains a scene of dangerous sexual practices.

Book Review

Fans of K-pop, J-pop, Jet Mykles’s Heaven Sent series fans, and anyone else with a predilection for hot rocker musicians of Asian descent are sure to love this captivating “taste of China” male/male romance story. The book brings to light the difficulties facing a young, gay Chinese drummer who is torn between obligation to his family and his love of his best friend. Amazing in delivery and scope, I loved this story. The author’s addition of information pertaining to the land of China is skillfully woven throughout the romance of its two leads, providing an exquisite breathe of fresh air to the gay rocker theme and adding to an enchanting tale.

Twenty-two year old Jun “Styx” Wong has a major problem. He’s scheduled to be married to a girl he doesn’t love, can’t have an orgasm without damn near strangling himself, and almost kills himself, all a result of his “oh so wrong” love of his best friend Jin. As the only son of his family, Styx is expected to marry and produce an heir, ensuring his parents' care in their golden years and the family’s future. All Styx truly desires is to run away with Jin to some imaginary world where his friend returns his feelings and the two can be together, forever. The gifted drummer knows he can never reveal his feelings to anyone, especially Jin, but when an opportunity comes up to escape his family, if only until his pending marriage arrives, Styx takes it.

Unlike Styx, Jin is something of an orphan; his only family is his gay uncle. As such Jin has more freedom than Styx, but his lack of family support also means he must fend for himself. He takes a job as a masseur, practices yoga to keep his mind and spirit clear, and practices his music determined to make music his future. When his uncle offers him an opportunity to work in a larger city, rent-free, Jin realizes this may be the only alone time he may get with his best friend before Styx marries. He convinces Styx to travel to Suzhou and stay with him to seek other musicians and form a band.  If it works, maybe they can exchange the bonds of Styx’s traditional family obligations with a life of musical fame. Maybe he can keep Styx at his side forever.

This is a wonderful book, from its opening chapter, where I found myself inhabiting Styx in the throes of an erotic asphyxiation jerk two weeks in the making, to the stimulating details of some of China’s fabulous landmarks as the boys enjoy their travels, the book is a delight. Both characters were extremely lovable, Styx’s pent-up emotion making him a silent, mysterious Chinese Byron, with an enchanting aura of innocence, while blond, gray-eyed Jin is the heart-of-gold sensual masseur, who is saving himself for his one true love. Being inside Styx’s head was fantastic, the angst, the pain and the nobility of his need to keep everyone from the disappointment of his truths, made him a heroic, but passionate character whom I couldn’t help but cheer for. Jin’s virtue was his patience and maturity, which belied his exquisite fragile appearance. Futility created a shroud of melancholy about Jin, but the light of his hope and determination shone through showcasing his inner power. Him too, I cheered on.

With such depths to the lead characters, nothing prepared me for the pleasure of two additional characters, Chinese musician Li, and his partner, Indigo, a Chinese-American musician from Los Angeles. Their relationship appears to be in a trial period as Indigo is attempting to give up his promiscuity and prove to Li that he loves only him. Indigo in particular brings a lot of amusement to the story; Styx’s reactions to his American ways were a riot.

Part male/male romance, part shounen-ai/yaoi, all engrossing love story, I love a book with lots of happenings and angles and this one far exceeds the norm, retaining an aura of realism while delivering solid entertainment. I’ve barely scratched the surface of the surprises and fly-on-the-wall experiences the book holds and can only encourage you to purchase a copy. I immediately picked up additional books from the author and hope that she intends to pen a sequel to this charming “Made in China” tale.

Thank you, Z. Allora, for delivering this taut, lovely gem of a tale, which gives weight to the reality that through love and perseverance, the improbable can become possible. “Charming, Heartfelt, Steamy”




DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been purchased by the reviewer.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 75000 words
Publication Date	26-July-2013
Price	$7.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback
Buy Link	http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=ZA_MDCHN