Gerald doesn’t hold out much hope that the paintings will be returned, but Dieter’s earnestness speaks to him and he agrees to help. At first he concludes that while Dieter has a case, suing in Austria isn’t practical. But Gerald is a good lawyer, and as his feelings for Dieter develop, so does his determination to win the case. Together, Gerald and Dieter navigate research, hearings, and a dysfunctional family in the pursuit of fine art—and discover the art of love along the way.
Listening Length: 8 hours and 25 minutes
Narrator: John Solo
Reviewer: R *A Reader Obsessed*
An interesting set up for a romance, this story nicely brings art, law, and love into the mix.
When going through his beloved grandmother’s belongings, it’s a surprising and amazing find when Dieter discovers that the paintings in his old family photos are currently hanging in a prominent Austrian museum. His great grandfather had commissioned several works from a popular artist of that time, but had to leave them behind as he and his daughter fled from Nazi persecution. Wanting to regain his family’s legacy, Dieter inquires whether it’s even possible to get the paintings back, setting in motion a battle he never expected.
Gerald is an up and coming lawyer ready to prove himself. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have high hopes for success regarding Dieter’s case, especially when he finds out the museum is directly supported and maintained by the Austrian government itself, who deems one particular painting a national treasure. It would be nigh impossible to win due to various laws, treaties, and legal stipulations, but Gerald agrees to fully investigate the matter. Luckily, an important piece of evidence is found, and the significant implications of such implies the possibility of setting a new legal precedent for how people could proceed in retrieving priceless lost items now owned by various governments and entities. Gerald knows such a case would make his career, not to mention bring an invaluable amount of notoriety to his firm. It also doesn’t hurt at all that he’s extremely attracted to the guileless Dieter, an interest that is fortuitously mutual.
What ensues in and amongst this legal fight, is the slow romantic progression between Dieter and Gerald, as they work together to build Dieter’s case. Dieter is young and at times, a lot naive to the cutthroat cynical world, but it’s his very innate kindness that lures Gerald in, as he works tirelessly to return what’s rightfully Dieter’s. The process of how they go about trying to obtain the paintings was interesting, and the romance attached to it was very nice, as their love grows slowly and steadily with plenty of sweet sexy interludes to fill in the gaps.
Funnily, this is exactly the second book from Andrew Grey that I’ve listened to, coincidentally both having been narrated by the same person, John Solo. This time around, I enjoyed both the story and its audible rendition so much more, as Solo executes quite an impressive read. Overall, I liked this unique tale. Its ending seques very easily into the sequel featuring a supporting character, as the fallout from Dieter’s case continues. Have no worries - the conclusion to Dieter and Gerald’s journey is complete, but other developments are set in motion, making me curious to see just how this series plays out and evolves.
Thanks to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for an honest review
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