Review: A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur

“I swear. Give me one more chance and I will make the most of it.”

Ex-escort Javier Landes is asking for his third chance at love. And the third time is the charm. He meets an art therapist named Steffen Finch and what starts as casual deepens into a passionate relationship—everything Jav has ever wanted, and everything he fears losing.

Stef’s business card reads Curator & Sailor. His creativity and insightful nature have made him into a talented therapist, the one to call for tough cases. His professional success can’t conceal a deep need to connect with someone, but Javier Landes is the last person Stef expected.

Geronimo “Geno” Caan is Stef’s most challenging case. To cope with his ordeal, he’s allowed an alter-ego called Mos to make decisions, and now lives a double life within a web of lies. Under Stef’s navigation, Geno uses art to express what Mos forbids to be spoken aloud. But as Geno’s attachment to Stef gradually extends to Jav, the boundaries between professional and personal begin to blur.

Over the course of a year, Jav, Stef and Geno form an unexpected and unconventional triangle, revealing how men make love in times of war and how love is a great wisdom made up of small understandings. The long-awaited second book of the Venery series, A Charm of Finches is an epic tale of survival and secrets guaranteed to make you think and feel and remember.

1000 stars just because I can

‘Third time’s the charm, right?’ And he said, ‘A group of finches is called a charm.’”

Well it really is my third attempt at writing this review so this quote could not be more appropriate!

This book was like being hit by an enormous emotional wave!

The story began on a huge “bang!” and I was panting, heart galloping like a wild horse inside my rib cage. I was having a panic attack. I WAS Geronimo and I wanted someone anyone to come save me. It was the worse betrayal you could ever imagine. One hitting you in the flesh. Earth shattering aftermaths.

That’s how talented Suanne is: immediately sucking you in her story barely releasing you from her clutches from time to time just to let you breathe a little and give you a false security feeling before the next blow.

Seriously this book should come with a warning. Suanne tells a terrible and powerful story. One where you’ll call for your mom to come rescue you because the fox is in the den and you’re the panicked little chick.

I love her and I sometimes hate her equally as she loves destroying her heroes before rebuilding them. They are real Phoenixes reborn from their ashes and throughout this long, painful but glorious process we suffer right alongside them. It’s raw, flesh against flesh will against will, it’s messy, painful and cathartic. It’s life in all its glory.

You end up shaken, overwhelmed, emotional with a gigantic book hangover because it was so exceptional that you want more. Always more.

So read at your own risk!

All complaints have to be sent to Suanne Laqueur author extraordinaire and living in sunny California.

I won’t give many details about the plot as I want you to experience this intense story all by yourself unbiased.

You’ve guessed from my huge “prologue” and the synopsis that Geronimo Caan “Geno” went through something awful (truly my thoughts reading these scenes were “It’s too much, I can’t read anymore”) and is now following a therapy using art. I love Geno. He is young. He is kind and so brave. I can predict that he will steal your heart too. Refund guaranteed if it does not happen 😉 He’s been to Hell and now tries to come back from it.

My heart just broke so many times for Geno that I wondered if it would be back to normal one day.

“The boy looked up. “I don’t want to be anyone anymore.” I just want to go home.”

I NEED to say that Suanne did extensive research and she did it very well. She gives it as it is for victims: the guilt, the anxiety, the overwhelming feelings victims experience, the fear when caring for little ones…even the clinical and biological aftermath something that’s rarely written about in novels. Having “handled” other victims personally I can honestly say she’s done a brilliant job.

“You piled pain on top of pain and eventually it plateaued out. The only thing to do was not care. (…) Feeling is against the rules, Mos reminded everyone. Feeling is illegal in Nos. “

And Jav will you ask? When will I read about my beloved one? …

Well you’ll have plenty of Jav in his new life sans-escort. In An Exaltation of Larks we saw him meeting Stef and then…we hoped. And waited.

Stefen Finch “Stef” is a Curator & Sailor. He is the therapist helping Geno to start anew and he is truly brilliant. Read below as I will gush aplenty about him but first their love story because you already know from the synopsis that there will be a love story.

Jav and Stef’s love story was just …moving.

I never thought I would read something as romantic as this budding romance. This seduction dance when you’re at the beginning of something great but too shy to hope and sometimes clumsy.

They are big men for God’s sake so why am I sighing as if I was witnessing Prince Charming kissing Sleeping Beauty???? Oh yes that’s right because when Suanne writes things like this:

Stef hesitated.

“You want to come in?” Still leaning on the steering wheel, Jav looked at him. His eyes shining under the strong brows, fringed with thick lashes. “Maybe someday,” he said. His full lips parted in that shy smile, and Stef’s own heart curled inward, hiding behind his ribs, just as bashful.”

Of course you will swoon!
But it’s more than swoon worthy. It’s deep, it’s solid (no, no take your mind out of the gutter…or maybe not 😉 ) it’s healing, it’s…

I could not say it better than what’s in the synopsis about Jav, Stef and Geno:

“Over the course of a year, Jav, Stef and Geno form an unexpected and unconventional triangle, revealing how men make love in times of war and how love is a great wisdom made up of small understandings.”

Now let’s go back to Stef.

Stef is another admirable character. He is solid, confident, caring, patient, gifted and he was the perfect choice for Jav.

He is a curator. He takes care of victims. He gives everything he’s got and he is just brilliant. You really see in the book the very strenuous reality of people healing others psychologically and emotionally. Stef gave everything he had to Geno and other victims.

“It’s not about me,” Stef said, letting go their hands. “You tell the story. Nothing’s going to push me away, all right? If you can live it, I can listen to it.”

Even at the risk of losing himself as being a therapist is like walking a tightrope. Helping victims is so taxing. I’m thankful for all the Stef in the world!

What I did not expect reading this story was falling so hard for Geno. If I loved reading about Jav as I needed “MY” Jav to have his love story it was Geno who was the center of my world in A Charm of Finches.

On a parting note Suanne did popped further my M/M cherry (ACOF is only my second MM after Wolfsong). Now I know how it works in the nitty gritty!

Now I can’t wait to read other reviews and see all readers fall hard for Geno, Jav and Steff. They are an incredible male trio and I wish I could meet them in real life.

Just read it! And you can buy it here -> http://amzn.to/2g9UWIo

Finches vector are courtesy of Suanne Laqueur and made by the very talented Tracy Kopsachilis

Thank you for reading!