Haunted

Haunted
Mike Shade
Torquere Press
ISBN: 1-60370-059-5
Erotic Paranormal, Erotic Gay Romance
Reviewed by Shannon Frost

While working on a job in a college library, carpenter Tom Patterson can’t help but notice the young grad student sitting nearby. The guy may be clumsy and look a little malnourished, but with his beautiful green eyes and the air of gentleness around him, Tom is instantly intrigued, and when the grad student introduces himself as Adam Vernon and shows appreciation in Tom’s master craftsman skills, Tom finds himself hooked. But as they grow closer, every time he sees Adam, the young man is wearing a new bruise, and scars and scratches mar his pale skin. When Adam reveals the truth behind the marks, despite thinking Adam may be a little cracked, Tom strengthens his resolve to stand by and help his new lover. It’s not until he’s confronted with the darkness that haunts Adam that he truly believes him, and together, they must face Adam’s past if they wish for a future together.
At the heart of Haunted is a story with a unique plot. Adam is an endearing character, who despite the abuse he’s suffered, remains caring and gentle. He is the center driving point of the novel, the one who makes the reader keep turning the pages. For the most part, the writing has an easy flow, though, at times the language can feel repetitive; the word “just” appears on nearly every page, often used to describe the actions of characters as they’re “just listening”, “just touching”, “just plain worried”, and it can be somewhat distracting. If it’s a local colloquialism in the area where the story takes place, then that’s understandable as it would help to add more authenticity to the writing, but no specific location as in a city or state was mentioned for the setting, only neighborhoods and street names, and it’s difficult to get a feel for where it’s taking place. The story as a whole asks for more descriptive details, and the climax felt a bit contrived, but the relationship between Tom and Adam is well-written, and expresses the care and passion they have for each other, and when it comes to Tom’s craft of carpentry, Author Shade took the time to understand it and Victorian architecture. Overall, while it may have some flaws, Haunted is a heartfelt story with a fresh and interesting plot.